Fangraphs: Where Do the Orioles Go From Here?

[Babypowder]

You read five other articles suggesting the O's should be looking at defensive upgrades?

Sources please.

I think you'll likely be waiting a while on that.

It's no coincidence the downturn in pitching has coincided with a downturn in defensive metrics the last two seasons. Contact pitchers + worse defense = worse results. The defense has fallen all the way to 21st this year according to Fangraphs.

[LookitsPuck]

This is a disturbing trend:

April: 3.63 ERA, 1.254 WHIP

May: 4.15 ERA, 1.407 WHIP

June: 4.85 ERA, 1.502 WHIP

July: 7.46 ERA, 1.732 WHIP

[ArtVanDelay]

I think you'll likely be waiting a while on that.

It's no coincidence the downturn in pitching has coincided with a downturn in defensive metrics the last two seasons. Contact pitchers + worse defense = worse results. The defense has fallen all the way to 21st this year according to Fangraphs.

Yet many people on here assume that we have the best defense in baseball.

[Aristotelian]

That's an ugly rotation. But it's no longer a 3 on a scale of 3 (worst) to 10 (best)...maybe it's a 4. Or 5 if Gallardo comes around.

Who has an 8 point scale starting at 3?

[Bahama O's Fan]

I think the season rides on Tillman and Gausman. If Tillman pitches like he did April and May and Gausman can give us some quality starts, we will make the playoffs. If the other guys are just "average", but we can count on getting two quality starts per turn in the rotation, then we will make it.

[Aristotelian]

Yet many people on here assume that we have the best defense in baseball.

I think we may have the best infield defense, or at least close to it. Our OF defense is mediocre, but productive enough offensively that it would be tough to upgrade without bringing in a Trout type of superstar.

[Can_of_corn]

Do you agree with that premise. Hardy's out for a month or whatever and now he's back. Do you think we need to upgrade our infield defense? What do you do with the odd man out?

I'd love to have a better glove in right, but they are stuck with Pedro at dh, which puts Trumbo in right.

Edit-I don't think replacing Hardy is a realistic option with how the team is put together.

[Can_of_corn]

Yet many people on here assume that we have the best defense in baseball.

Schoop hasn't been playing at the level he was his rookie year, Hardy can't stay healthy, Machado isn't the best glove in the AL anymore and Jones is getting older. Put Trumbo in right with Kim/Rickard in left and you have a club without a lot of premium defenders.

[Babypowder]

I'd love to have a better glove in right, but they are stuck with Pedro at dh, which puts Trumbo in right.

According to Fangraphs, the entire outfield has been a problem outside of Reimold in a small sample: Trumbo (-10.1), Rickard (-8.6), Jones (-5.5), Kim (-4.7), and Reimold (-0.2).

[El Gordo]

That's kind of how I see it. We made our bed in the offseason, and now we need to lie in it. Our fate is more likely to depend on how our own guys do the rest of the way than on acquiring someone who has a real impact. That's not to say that DD won't make some moves, but I don't think any such moves will drastically alter our season.

We have won more G than we have had QS in recent years because of our pen and offense. If we can get 3 QS out of each rotation turn we will make the playoffs. That means replacing Wilson's spot with a league average SP, say 7 QS. Not impossible. In fact Hellickson would do the trick, 3.97 ERA 50% QS rate.

[Can_of_corn]

According to Fangraphs, the entire outfield has been a problem outside of Reimold in a small sample: Trumbo (-10.1), Rickard (-8.6), Jones (-5.5), Kim (-4.7), and Reimold (-0.2).

I know, but Jones isn't moving to right and Trumbo is more of a problem than the others.

[Frobby]

I think you'll likely be waiting a while on that.

It's no coincidence the downturn in pitching has coincided with a downturn in defensive metrics the last two seasons. Contact pitchers + worse defense = worse results. The defense has fallen all the way to 21st this year according to Fangraphs.

Certainly the downturn in the defense has hurt the pitchers, but most of the blame lies with the pitchers themselves IMO. The team FIP and xFIP in 2014 were 3.96 and 3.92, respectively (actual ERA 3.44). Last year they were are 4.11 and 4.04 (actual ERA 4.05). In 2016, they are both at 4.46 (actual ERA 4.43).

In any event, the stats suggest Hardy is still an elite defender, so it's hard to see that adding Cozart would improve the defense. It's the outfield that's the issue. They are at -17.8 UZR, while the infield is +8.6.

[Can_of_corn]

Certainly the downturn in the defense has hurt the pitchers, but most of the blame lies with the pitchers themselves IMO. The team FIP and xFIP in 2014 were 3.96 and 3.92, respectively (actual ERA 3.44). Last year they were are 4.11 and 4.04 (actual ERA 4.05). In 2016, they are both at 4.46 (actual ERA 4.43).

In any event, the stats suggest Hardy is still an elite defender, so it's hard to see that adding Cozart would improve the defense. It's the outfield that's the issue. They are at -17.8 UZR, while the infield is +8.6.

Yes Hardy is fine, when he is healthy enough to play.

[Tx Oriole]

So you didn't actually read it eh?

I didnt read it either Can.

[Can_of_corn]

I didnt read it either Can.

But you didn't reply to the thread acting like you did.