A few impressions

[Frobby]

I'd love to see a list of World Series teams whose core philosophy was small ball. And another list of World Series teams that relied primarily on power. I think since 1920 the list would be at least 10:1 in favor of power.

I don't think it has to be totally an either/or thing. And there is another aspect that has nothing to do with small ball per se, and that's the ability to get on base and set the table. I'm all in favor of power, but I like having guys on base when the long balls are hit and I like to be capable of occasionally score runs without hitting homers.

[weams]

I don't think it has to be totally an either/or thing. And there is another aspect that has nothing to do with small ball per se, and that's the ability to get on base and set the table. I'm all in favor of power, but I like having guys on base when the long balls are hit and I like to be capable of occasionally score runs without hitting homers.

Earl loved three run homers. So he agreed.

[weams]

A team full of high OBP, Speedy, Power-hitting stars would be optimum.

[mdbdotcom]

A team full of high OBP, Speedy, Power-hitting stars would be optimum.

Don't get me thinking about Lumber and Lightning.

[OFFNY]

A team full of high OBP, Speedy, Power-hitting stars would be optimum.

Add to that lights-out starting pitching, a very effective bullpen, outstanding defense, and a great manager.

I think that a team like that team would go a long way.

[wildcard]

Parra - I like what I see but I would not give him more than 2 years with options. If he walks, he walks. Too much risk that he will put up a 710 OPS year after year which would make most fans hate him.

Clevenger - Nice bat. Little power but he seems like a fit for now and the future.

Givens - Great arm. Good chance he is around for many years.

Urrutia - Way too early to know much about him. He has sure had some moments in just a few games though.

[Tony-OH]

Really? I've found them to be relentlessly frustrating, with their terrible road record and gaping holes in their lineup for chunks of the season. Out of the last 4 seasons, this is probably my 3rd favorite, just ahead of another microcosm of mediocrity, the 2013 team. The 2015 team still merits an INCOMPLETE grade, though, so we'll see if they move up or down my list by October. Looking at last night's big win vs. the Mets, I'm not especially encouraged. It was great seeing them bounce back every time the Mets seemed to have the game in hand, but, as we've learned, living and dying by The Long Ball is not a prescription for post-season success.

The Orioles have had three walkoffs in their last six games. Some people (Read: a lot of fans) are influenced by how they've played over the last week. They've been exciting of late and I think we're all enjoying this last week. Saying that, this remains a flawed team that might just skip it's way barely into the wild card. I'm not convinced they are going anywhere special (mainly because I don't trust their starting pitching), but I do think that Buck will keep these guys competitive and they will be playing meaningful baseball games in late September (thanks to the wild card).

[BMann]

May well be that we never will. It really is luck in the postseason. Power can win too.

Ain't that the truth. I'm convinced of all of these things:

1969 O's >>> Mets

1979 O's > Pirates

1997 O's >> Indians

2014 O's > Royals

But somehow we lost to each in a short series.

[Tony-OH]

Parra has problems with lefties.

Yep, and I know some people are influenced by a good arm, but I haven't been too thrilled with his defensive play overall in RF. He bobbles a lot of balls on potential close plays, doesn't take great routes, and although his arm can be strong, it's not very accurate.

Now, if the Orioles can keep him around for something like 3/21 then I might be interested, but if he's looking at Markakis money let someone else do that.

[BMann]

The Orioles have had three walkoffs in their last six games. Some people (Read: a lot of fans) are influenced by how they've played over the last week. They've been exciting of late and I think we're all enjoying this last week. Saying that, this remains a flawed team that might just skip it's way barely into the wild card. I'm not convinced they are going anywhere special but I do think that Buck will keep these guys competitive and they will be playing meaningful baseball games in late September (thanks to the wild card).

Ditto. MLB currently has the O's with a 2.7% chance of winning the division, which sounds about right, and a 26.5% chance of being a wild card team. I guess that's reasonable, too. That's a 29.2% chance of making the postseason. Sounds about right, also. But it's nice to once again not be one of the teams in the 5-percent-or-less category in late August. It's just tough to get overly-excited about this team.

[Frobby]

Add to that lights-out starting pitching, a very effective bullpen, outstanding defense, and a great manager.

I think that a team like that team would go a long way.

We have three of those four, anyway.

[OFFNY]

A team full of high OBP, Speedy, Power-hitting stars would be optimum.

Add to that lights-out starting pitching, a very effective bullpen, outstanding defense, and a great manager.

I think that a team like that team would go a long way.

We have three of those four, anyway.

Yes, we do.

If we added Weams' "team full of high OBP, speedy, power-hitting stars," we would be unstoppable.

I'd settle for simply adding the lights-out starting pitching, though.

[DrungoHazewood]

I don't think it has to be totally an either/or thing. And there is another aspect that has nothing to do with small ball per se, and that's the ability to get on base and set the table. I'm all in favor of power, but I like having guys on base when the long balls are hit and I like to be capable of occasionally score runs without hitting homers.

Almost nothing is totally either/or. The Orioles are in a virtual tie for 8th place in the league in OBP. They're 6th in the league in runs, but only three out of 4th place. OBP is still the most important thing, but if you do enough else well you'll be okay.

[Ruzious]

Yep, and I know some people are influenced by a good arm, but I haven't been too thrilled with his defensive play overall in RF. He bobbles a lot of balls on potential close plays, doesn't take great routes, and although his arm can be strong, it's not very accurate.

Now, if the Orioles can keep him around for something like 3/21 then I might be interested, but if he's looking at Markakis money let someone else do that.

I think they're going to end up in a situation where there won't be a big enough supply of good cheap OFers, so they're going to have to pay a lot for average players. All those 800K Cuban OFers aren't likely going to do the job.

[Redskins Rick]

One thing that the guys on 105.7 mentioned.

Lots of smiles in the Oriole dugout, all the time, they are like kids and look like they are truly having fun.

Not the expressionless game faces that most teams wear.