A few impressions

[TINSTAAPP]

Here are some impressions I have of the guys who have joined the roster this month:

Gerardo Parra is a potential nugget we may want to keep. I like his approach at the plate and I like his arm. But what I really like is his intensity in the dugout. He seems to fit right in.

Michael Givens has nasty stuff and shows a lot of poise for a young guy. He has an excellent future and I see him as a bullpen mainstay next year.

Steve Clevenger can hit. I like him as a third catcher/DH/PH a lot. Need to see a bit more of him on defense to see if he can be reliable catching 50ish games next year. But the bat will play.

Henry Urrutia hit a game winning homer tonight, and seems like a great, humble guy. But I'm not convinced yet. I still see too many lazy flies to LF on pitches he should be turning on and driving. Glad he got enough of that last one, though.

I agree with all your thoughts except for Parra. I do not trust Parra at all. He's been a very mediocre hitter for most of his career who is now having a career year in his walk year. I do not want the Orioles to resign him for three or four years only for him to revert back to his pre-2015 form.

[Frobby]

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.

I had not realized we were that high on the OBP list. Of course, the 7th place team is at .320 and we are at .310, so we are closer to the last place team (Minnesota at .301) than we are to the no. 7 team. It's our biggest weakness, and has been for so many years that I can't even remember the last time we were above average in OBP. (OK, I've looked it up: 2004.) So long as we are above average in runs scored, I don't obsess about it, but I do think it holds us back from being an elite offense.

[Redskins Rick]

I agree with all your thoughts except for Parra. I do not trust Parra at all. He's been a very mediocre hitter for most of his career who is now having a career year in his walk year. I do not want the Orioles to resign him for three or four years only for him to revert back to his pre-2015 form.

Do you recall a guy by the name of Brady Anderson?

[LookitsPuck]

All the way since 2014 for me. They didn't make things so close. Also they could pitch.

Thrilled at the start to the home stand so far though. Bring on the Twinkies.

Not my favourite in terms of clubhouse. Last year was the tops for me (Hunter, Norris, Cruz).

[Crazysilver03]

I like Parra, Joseph and Givens quite a bit.

I do not think Urrutia, Clevenger, Lake, or Paredes are nuggets.

I would shell out for Davis, Parra, and Pearce this offseason.

What has Pearce done to deserve a "shelling out?"

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[DrungoHazewood]

Do you recall a guy by the name of Brady Anderson?

You mean the guy who was a 5-win player as early as 1992?

[Redskins Rick]

You mean the guy who was a 5-win player as early as 1992?

The guy who prior to 92, who had some pretty bad numbers in Batting Average, OBP and OPS.

Great Glove and Defense, but wasn't known for his bat skills.

[DrungoHazewood]

The guy who prior to 92, who had some pretty bad numbers in Batting Average, OBP and OPS.

Great Glove and Defense, but wasn't known for his bat skills.

Brady was a poor major league hitter known for pretty good defense and baserunning, who at 27 had a huge spike in value, and then again at 32 had a huge spike in power and value. That 1992 spike mostly carried over the rest of his career until a rapid decline at 37. Parra has been a reasonably solid major league regular since he was 23, although he's had a kind of inexplicable flip from being primarily a defensive player to being an offensive player the last couple years. I guess there's some lessons somewhere in there.

[Redskins Rick]

Brady was a poor major league hitter known for pretty good defense and baserunning, who at 27 had a huge spike in value, and then again at 32 had a huge spike in power and value. That 1992 spike mostly carried over the rest of his career until a rapid decline at 37. Parra has been a reasonably solid major league regular since he was 23, although he's had a kind of inexplicable flip from being primarily a defensive player to being an offensive player the last couple years. I guess there's some lessons somewhere in there.

Thanks, I was basing my comments, at what the OP who said Para was a mediocre hitter having a career year.

Going back and looking, its clear that while Para is having a career year, he isn't a mediocre hitter before this season.

[Can_of_corn]

Thanks, I was basing my comments, at what the OP who said Para was a mediocre hitter having a career year.

Going back and looking, its clear that while Para is having a career year, he isn't a mediocre hitter before this season.

Career OPS+ of 99 which includes this year. 96 wRC+ which includes this year.

Since mediocre is generally used these days to denote something which is slightly less then average I think those numbers qualify.

[Redskins Rick]

Career OPS+ of 99 which includes this year. 96 wRC+ which includes this year.

Since mediocre is generally used these days to denote something which is slightly less then average I think those numbers qualify.

Thanks, and I guess my viewpoint of mediocre is someone producing down around the Mendoza line and with poor slugging and on base averages too.

[Can_of_corn]

Thanks, and I guess my viewpoint of mediocre is someone producing down around the Mendoza line and with poor slugging and on base averages too.

I do think the definition of mediocre is trending in that direction.

[Redskins Rick]

I do think the definition of mediocre is trending in that direction.

You are right, but personally, I don't agree.

You have below average (mediocre), average and above average.

It leads to a variety of opinions about what is what is.

[DrungoHazewood]

I do think the definition of mediocre is trending in that direction.

Depends on the point being made. I've heard people say teams that just missed the playoffs (or maybe even made the playoffs) were mediocre. You could probably find folks here who'd classify each of the last four Orioles teams as mediocre teams that got lucky. And yes, there are those who define mediocre as bad. In either case the term is used as an insult.

[weams]

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.

You can flip a coin four times and be the same every time