TT: The Orioles are a mediocre team

[Tony-OH]

The Orioles have gone 21-22 since starting the year 7-0. 43 games of sub .500 vs 7 games of perfection. That's a lot of mediocre baseball from a mediocre team.

It's time to call this team what it is, and that's a mediocre .500 team.

We have one legitimate starter in Tillman, a decent but inconsistent starter in Gausman, two five inning or two time through an order starters in Wilson and Wright, and guys like Jimenez and Gallardo who wouldn't even be pitching in the majors if not for their contracts.

We have one of the worse systems in baseball, and DD has given up his 1st round pick again for a pitcher who throws 87 MPH.

I know I sound like Debbie Downer here, but watching the Red Sox just manhandle this team just highlighted how much better they are as a team.

The Orioles will still win their share and the team isn't as bad as they are when they are in these home runs slumps, but this is why you need to get some OBP batters. OBP guys tend to limit their slumps while low OBP, high homer guys tend to be streaky.

Watching Red Sox fans take over the yard again is pretty disappointing, but it's hard to blame fans for staying away when the prices went up, but yet they are forced to watch the Ubaldo's and Gallardo's of the world get big contracts while the Arrieta's, Hader's and Rodriguez's are traded away.

[bpilktree]

We are 3rd in the American League in obp. We have played 3 games over .500 in the last 30. Do that 3 more times we finish 15 games over .500.

[yeoledugger]

I agree totally with what you have said here Tony.

[webbrick2010]

Mediocre is kind

I had them as 70-92 pre-season, and maybe their hot start will keep them from 92 losses but it will

still be close.

I still can't believe a ML team gave Chris Davis a 7 yr 165 million dollar contract.

Perhaps the credit for that goes to Adam Jones for bending Peter Angelos' ear.

With his lobbying for Davis and his 75 OPS+ I'd give him the 2016 Oriole MVP

[allquixotic]

Yep. There is nothing positive to say about the Orioles this year. Absolutely nothing. The early going was a fluke and they know it. There is no way at all that they will be able to contend this year.

A combination of bad luck, inopportune injury, bad management, bad coaching, over-spending on bad contracts, letting go of good players, the mid-market budget, LOOONG, inexplicable team-wide slumps, poor scouting, and many disappointing individual performances out of guys we expected better from, have combined to place this team squarely in the bottom third of baseball.

And it feels like they have ZERO fire or willpower to become more than they are. They basically don't care as long as they get paid.

I'm really disillusioned with the team this year and will probably not be heading back to OPACY. Good results earn my attendance. This is not, by any definition, good.

[Tony-OH]

Mediocre is kind

I had them as 70-92 pre-season, and maybe their hot start will keep them from 92 losses but it will

still be close.

I still can't believe a ML team gave Chris Davis a 7 yr 165 million dollar contract.

Perhaps the credit for that goes to Adam Jones for bending Peter Angelos' ear.

With his lobbying for Davis and his 75 OPS+ I'd give him the 2016 Oriole MVP

Davis's OPS+ is 113. If you are going to *****, get your numbers straight.

[ArtVanDelay]

Davis's OPS+ is 113. If you are going to *****, get your numbers straight.

I think he meant Jones.

[clapdiddy]

Losing J.J. Hardy is a big reason for this slide. It was proven in their record last year, and will be so again this year.

The difference between Machado and Hardy or Machado and whoever is HUGE.

[Frobby]

I'm reserving judgment. It's a bad 9-game stretch, but we're still six games over. We look ugly right now because Jones and Davis haven't been hitting, but there will be times when those guys will carry us. I'm also optimistic about what we'll get from Tyler Wilson.

[Rene88]

They said that on the telecast tonight and last night, .500 team indeed.

Gausman has been disappointing as of late. Ubaldo gives us zero chance to win.

But what has really changed? Hardy getting hurt has not helped.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bpilktree]

Losing J.J. Hardy is a big reason for this slide. It was proven in their record last year, and will be so again this year.

The difference between Machado and Hardy or Machado and whoever is HUGE.

Yeah I look at the season so far and say we are 6 games over .500 through the first 50 it doesn't matter if you started hot and then cold or vis-versa you are still on pace to win 90 games.

[jjnono]

The Orioles have gone 21-22 since starting the year 7-0. 43 games of sub .500 vs 7 games of perfection. That's a lot of mediocre baseball from a mediocre team.

It's time to call this team what it is, and that's a mediocre .500 team.

We have one legitimate starter in Tillman, a decent but inconsistent starter in Gausman, two five inning or two time through an order starters in Wilson and Wright, and guys like Jimenez and Gallardo who wouldn't even be pitching in the majors if not for their contracts.

We have one of the worse systems in baseball, and DD has given up his 1st round pick again for a pitcher who throws 87 MPH.

I know I sound like Debbie Downer here, but watching the Red Sox just manhandle this team just highlighted how much better they are as a team.

The Orioles will still win their share and the team isn't as bad as they are when they are in these home runs slumps, but this is why you need to get some OBP batters. OBP guys tend to limit their slumps while low OBP, high homer guys tend to be streaky.

Watching Red Sox fans take over the yard again is pretty disappointing, but it's hard to blame fans for staying away when the prices went up, but yet they are forced to watch the Ubaldo's and Gallardo's of the world get big contracts while the Arrieta's, Hader's and Rodriguez's are traded away.

The Os inability to address their starting pitching woes may undermine the streaky power of this this team. I was intrigued by the makeup of the team going into the season, though I predicted 84 wins, tops. The quick start had me thinking I might be underestimating the team, but recent results have me thinking I might not have been far off the mark. I'll wait until the end of the season to perform an autopsy, but it's already pretty easy to see our flaws... Still, it's early and maybe some underperforming players will bring us into a more competitive situation. I hope.

[Ripken]

Many of us have known this, Tony, and agree with you. It's been obvious for a some time. This team has no shot this year and I'm worried about the future. I want Dan out of here.

[Tbone83]

I agree with most of this. One of the preseason blogs called the O's offense a "beer league softball team" and it kind of is. They are going to destroy bad pitching and fastballs, but good pitching and offspeed stuff- see yesterday's game- is going to expose them.

The pitching has overachieved so far IMO. I hope it holds up, but I dunno.

[webbrick2010]

I think he meant Jones.

Yep that would be Mr. Jones with the 75 OPS+