Death knell? 1998 Redux?

[El Gordo]

I hope that PA realizes that signing FAs to multi-year deals is an investment. I don't think that PA is opposed to all multi-year deals, after all, JJ, AJ, and Ubaldo are all multi-year deals. Whenever Manny is signed to his multi-year deal, that's an investment. Cruz's next 3 years would have been a much better investment than all of those guys who wound up being DFA'd.

4 years to a 34 YO DH who has only played more than 128 G a season twice in his career, is not a good investment. Unless you know he's using PED's, and know he wont get caught.

[DrungoHazewood]

His speed is worthless on offense. He has no value, outside of a possible late inning defensive replacement, and/or emergency situation. With Reimold and Leak, you have the defensive replacement speed options already there. So why is Lough still on this roster?

He's obviously a lot better defender than Reimold. It's not even remotely close. I don't know much about Lake, but from his metrics he doesn't appear to be close to Lough's class, either.

[DrungoHazewood]

4 years to a 34 YO DH who has only played more than 128 G a season twice in his career, is not a good investment. Unless you know he's using PED's, and know he wont get caught.

Or you're trying to resurrect both your reputation and your team's fortunes, you know you're likely to get fired in any case, and you just don't care if he's using or even if he gets caught. You're throwing some hail marys and just hoping somebody catches one of them.

[DrungoHazewood]

I'm pretty amazed at how bad he is as a hitter. He had a decent year hitting for KC the year before he got here. It must have been filled with pop ups that fell in, infield nubbers, etc... because he doesn't square the ball up nearly enough to be a ML hitter. His hitting is just abysmal at times.

I was advocating keeping him but I've changed my mind. It seems his hitting can't stay even competent playing 2 times a week and he will never be a starter so I think he has almost no value. DFA at your convenience.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I know he hasn't hit, but he's truly an elite defender. I'd go out of my way to keep him on the roster just for that, and use him at least as a defensive replacement pretty much every game.

[eddie83]

His jump on fly balls is amazing, but yesterday wasn't the first time I thought his arm was erratic. He clearly has more arm than he showed yesterday though.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I would rather have a similar defender who could actually steal a base. With the number of at bats he gets even if a lesser hitter replaced him it would give us a different element.

[LookitsPuck]

More evidence how pathetic this offense is with Flaherty, Paredes and Lough anchoring the bottom with 1-6 all trying to hit homers?

From Twitter:

David Schoenfield

Great Hisashi Iwakuma stat from today: Threw only 40.5% of his pitches in the strike zone, lowest rate of any of his career starts.

[TouchemAll]

From Twitter:

David Schoenfield

Great Hisashi Iwakuma stat from today: Threw only 40.5% of his pitches in the strike zone, lowest rate of any of his career starts.

Oh brother:

[TINSTAAPP]

I don't understand how this team can never seem to have a lineup with players who can work the count, foul off good pitches, cut down on their swing on two strike counts, not swing at every pitch that is remotely close to the strike zone, etc... When's the last time this team had good, professional hitters up and down the lineup? Maybe 1999? It's been a while.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[TheDirtyBird]

Would anyone honestly be surprised if we finished fourth in the division? I'm pretty much bracing for the worst, while hoping for the best.

[LookitsPuck]

I don't understand how this team can never seem to have a lineup with players who can work the count, foul off good pitches, cut down on their swing on two strike counts, not swing at every pitch that is remotely close to the strike zone, etc... When's the last time this team had good, professional hitters up and down the lineup? Maybe 1999? It's been a while.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What's extremely pathetic about all of it is that Duquette said since day one OBP is his priority. Yet I feel this team has either gone backwards or has gone nowhere in regards to improving it.

[Moose Milligan]

Pathetic is the only way to describe the 2015 Orioles. They've had so many chances this season and they've failed badly at every turn. I think things are only going to get worse for the Orioles in the coming years because our farm system is empty and we're going to lose a lot of good players to free agency this offseason. I hope I'm wrong but I doubt I will be wrong unfortunately.

I wouldn't call this team pathetic. Pathetic would be any team from about 1999-2011.

It's about to get pathetic, though.

[DrungoHazewood]

I would rather have a similar defender who could actually steal a base. With the number of at bats he gets even if a lesser hitter replaced him it would give us a different element.

Except that there are only a small handful of defenders like him alive today. So you'd have a hard time acquiring any of them, and you'd be pretty lucky/good to get one who is also a good basestealer.

[TINSTAAPP]

I wouldn't call this team pathetic. Pathetic would be any team from about 1999-2011.

It's about to get pathetic, though.

Personally, I believe the 1998, 1999 and 2004 teams were better than this year's team. Those teams had a lot more talent and could flat our rake.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[DrungoHazewood]

Personally, I believe the 1998, 1999 and 2004 teams were better than this year's team. Those teams had a lot more talent and could flat our rake.

Funny what a little PED testing, a 40% bigger strike zone, fresh memory of a no-hitter, and nostalgia will do for you. The 1998 Orioles were 12th in the majors in scoring, the 1999 Orioles were 13th, and the 2004 Orioles were tied with the 2015 Orioles in 8th.

[sportsfan8703]

More evidence how pathetic this offense is with Flaherty, Paredes and Lough anchoring the bottom with 1-6 all trying to hit homers?

From Twitter:

Haha. The book has long been out on us.