The funny thing

[eddie83]

Uruttia, Clevenger, and Garcia have all played well. We finally start to get contributions from different spots in the lineup, the Rule 5 guy pitches well and even whipping boy Matusz is pitching well. It just isn't our year. I haven't really loved this team all year but 4 days ago we were alive and well.

[sportsfan8703]

I wouldn't go so far with Garcia. Urrutia and Clevenger have been great. Clevenger is not just some fluke. The guy is a professional hitter that as consistent good AB's. Isn't the story that Clevenger landed in the doghouse after complaining that he should be hitting higher in the lineup? Good call Buck. So he got banished to Norfolk for a year and a half. Guess what? He's hitting 5th. One of the most valuable spots in the lineup. I like Buck but he totally blew this one. Especially with us desperately needing a bat all season. The guy couldn't even beat out Lavarnway.

[orioles4lyfe]

Glass half full. We are getting contributions from other spots of the lineup, Pearce on his way back, and the bullpen more often than not is going to be shut down. If Tilly and Gaus continue to pitch like they did this past time and solidify the rotation, anything is still possible.

[Bahama O's Fan]

As usual, most of our games boil down to the pitching and clutch hitting. Tillman and Norris were trash before the break. We jettisoned Norris and Tillman is doing well, but now Jiminez and Gonzalez are pitching like trash.

[Uli2001]

Glass half full. We are getting contributions from other spots of the lineup, Pearce on his way back, and the bullpen more often than not is going to be shut down. If Tilly and Gaus continue to pitch like they did this past time and solidify the rotation, anything is still possible.

The problem with your analysis is that talent is not the problem, really, it hasn't been all year. The talent on paper is plenty enough for a WC spot. The problem has been execution.

[bobmc]

I wouldn't go so far with Garcia. Urrutia and Clevenger have been great. Clevenger is not just some fluke. The guy is a professional hitter that as consistent good AB's. Isn't the story that Clevenger landed in the doghouse after complaining that he should be hitting higher in the lineup? Good call Buck. So he got banished to Norfolk for a year and a half. Guess what? He's hitting 5th. One of the most valuable spots in the lineup. I like Buck but he totally blew this one. Especially with us desperately needing a bat all season. The guy couldn't even beat out Lavarnway.

What? You di - int like DD's Boston boy Ryan Lavarnway? :scratchchinhmm:

[bobmc]

The problem with your analysis is that talent is not the problem, really, it hasn't been all year. The talent on paper is plenty enough for a WC spot. The problem has been execution.

If the "talent" doesn't execute - are they really like "talent"? Just axing....:scratchchinhmm:

I love our guys but as many have said, they are flawed. They are nuggets, frustrating but our nuggets! :clap3:

[Aristotelian]

Plenty of guys are playing well. Schoop has become an everyday player. Joseph. Brach. Givens has been a godsend. While many including myself disagreed with the cost, Parra has certainly been productive and shored up one of the corner OF spots. I agree, it is somewhat doubly frustrating when you have guys playing well and the team is still losing. Especially with guys that are expected to produce (JJ, Wieters, Norris) giving you absolutely nothing, and guys that looked to be ready to take a leap to the next level looking like they still belong in AAA (Gausman).

Still, the Minnesota series was much closer than the outcome suggested. Three of the games could have gone either way and the Twins seemed to get more than their share of breaks. This team is flawed, but also good enough to beat anyone on any given day. I feel like we have one big hot streak left in us. We saw it in Oakland. The question is whether that will be enough to overcome all the bad play and bad luck.

[orioles4lyfe]

Minnesota caught some breaks this series. Baseball has a funny way of evening things out. Hoping we'll catch some breaks too. Still plenty of baseball left to be played, especially with the jays/yanks. Let's go Os!

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[25 Nuggets]

I wouldn't go so far with Garcia. Urrutia and Clevenger have been great. Clevenger is not just some fluke. The guy is a professional hitter that as consistent good AB's. Isn't the story that Clevenger landed in the doghouse after complaining that he should be hitting higher in the lineup? Good call Buck. So he got banished to Norfolk for a year and a half. Guess what? He's hitting 5th. One of the most valuable spots in the lineup. I like Buck but he totally blew this one. Especially with us desperately needing a bat all season. The guy couldn't even beat out Lavarnway.

eeehhh... I don't think Clevenger is as good as you think he is. 229 PA as a Chicago Cub, ages 25-27, .199/.262/.275, 46 OPS+. He really shouldn't be batting fifth and it's a testament to the hole in that lineup.