On the bright side...this team can hit the snot out of the ball

[Frobby]

A very important distinction. Our lineup can be pitched to. We have an average offense with a lot of power. If Rickard is the real thing at the top of the order that would go a long way to making it better.

I think Rickard/Kim and Hardy hold the keys to how good this offense can be. Solid performances at LF and SS would propel this year's offense from somewhat what above average to elite.

[TINSTAAPP]

Rickard is THIS years McClouth?or another Lough if Lough could've hit.

I expect Rickard to be more of a Ryan Theriot-type hitter. He'll hit for a decent average, he'll get on base and his ISO will hover somewhere around .050-.075. At 2B or SS, that would be fine but as a corner OF, I want a player who would be able to provide more offense than that.

[BohKnowsBmore]

Ryan Theriot slugged .337 in his minor league career and .350 in the majors.

Rickard slugged .447 over three levels last year, .397 for his career. He slugged in .497 in the Winter League. I don't think they are the same hitter. Rickard has a little pop which he's grown into over the last year and continues to show in ST. If this kid gets over 400 AB's, I think you are looking at 30 doubles and maybe 5-10 homers. He is not a slap hitter.

Good reply. I was thinking down this route upon reading he quoted post, but had not gotten around to looking up the numbers. Rickard could have nearly zero pop at the major league level, in the anything is possible sense, but his past history suggests that he'll have more pop than suggested in the previous post.

[OFFNY]

I've been very focused on the horrible pitching performance this spring, but let's not ignore what the offense is doing. 8 runs, 11 runs, 16 runs the last three days. I haven't counted up the homers, but it's been about 12 or so, including three from the rejuvenated J.J. Hardy. Trumbo is clobbering the ball, Rickard is setting the table, Reimold is waking up, etc. Granted, some of the offense is coming off AA/AAA pitchers, but it's been impressive nevertheless. It really does look like we'll be watching beer league softball this summer.

The Orioles' offense has been living up to their potential in this still very young season so far.

Woo hoo.

[weams]

A very important distinction. Our lineup can be pitched to. We have an average offense with a lot of power. If Rickard is the real thing at the top of the order that would go a long way to making it better.

Someone. Please. Pitch to it.

[flaoriolesfan]

I expect Rickard to be more of a Ryan Theriot-type hitter. He'll hit for a decent average, he'll get on base and his ISO will hover somewhere around .050-.075. At 2B or SS, that would be fine but as a corner OF, I want a player who would be able to provide more offense than that.

I think if Richard can hit between .280-.300 with an OBP around .340-.350 with 20-30 stolen bases at leadoff we can afford

him to come up short on the power for a corner OF we have so much power everywhere else. I think he could be just what

this lineup needs at the top no matter where he plays on the field. Now of course this is if he can do it or at least come

close to it..

[JayThomas]

I think Rickard/Kim and Hardy hold the keys to how good this offense can be. Solid performances at LF and SS would propel this year's offense from somewhat what above average to elite.

And Nolan. It's not clear how many AB's he'll get this year but if he is healthy and puts up an .840 like he did in his rookie year, that should produce a few wins.

[El Gordo]

There are 7 or 8 guys in the line up nightly who are capable of going yard if the SP makes a mistake, that must put tremendous pressure on any pitcher.

[Barnaby Graves]

Machado just seems poised to make definitive strides into superstardom.

[OFFNY]

o

15 OUTS: 8 Strikeouts, 4 Groundouts, 1 Popout, 1 Flyout, 1 Lineout

DAVID TAYLOR PRICE O (APRIL 11th)

IP:l 5

H:;; 5 ll(1 Home Run, 1 Double, 3 Singles)

R:l) 5

BB: 2

SO: 8

Pitches: 103 (65 Strikes, 38 Balls)

2016 ERA: 5.73

PITCHES BY INNING

****************

21 (13 Strikes, 81 Balls)

13 (11 Strikes, 21 Balls)

30 (17 Strikes, 13 Balls)

20 (12 Strikes, 81 Balls)

19 (12 Strikes, 71 Balls)

[OFFNY]

o

Buchholz' ERA went down tonight ...... from 11.25 to 10.00.

15 OUTS: 5 Strikeouts, 4 Groundouts, 4 Flyouts, 2 Foulouts

CLAY DANIEL BUCHHOLZ O (APRIL 12th)

IP:l 5 - PLUS

H:;; 5 ll(2 Home Runs, 1 Double, 2 Singles)

R:l) 5

BB: 3 *

SO: 5

Pitches: 98 (60 Strikes, 38 Balls)

2016 ERA: 10.00

* Buchholz also had 1 Hit Batsman

PITCHES BY INNING

****************

17 (91 Strikes, 81 Balls)

18 (91 Strikes, 91 Balls)

16 (11 Strikes, 51 Balls)

13 (91 Strikes, 41 Balls)

91 (71 Strikes, 21 Balls)

25 (15 Strikes, 10 Balls) **

** Buchholz did not record any outs before departing in the 6th inning.

[MagicBird]

o

Buchholz' ERA went down tonight ...... from 11.25 to 10.00.

That puts a smile on this fans face.

[bluedog]

I can't wait till Jones gets back in the lineup and Alvarez warms up. We haven't seen this offense at its best yet - which is a pretty frightening thing for the rest of the AL East.

[JayThomas]

There are 7 or 8 guys in the line up nightly who are capable of going yard if the SP makes a mistake, that must put tremendous pressure on any pitcher.

Yes, this is the key. If we can be a little patient/selective, then we will (A) have base runners, because no one in their right mind is going to groove one to ANY of our guys, and (B) get some good pitches to hit because no one in their right mind is going to want to put any base runners on in front of ANY of our guys.

[Frobby]

I can't wait till Jones gets back in the lineup and Alvarez warms up. We haven't seen this offense at its best yet - which is a pretty frightening thing for the rest of the AL East.

Jones is obviously a positive, but the team seems much more patient with him out of the lineup.