Offense not pitching will doom this team

[Phantom]

Yea but we are dead last in steals by far. And I haven't looked up the stat. But we leave many runners on base including the bases loaded. We need every run. We can't afford to lose games by one run.

Homeruns win you a lot of one run games. Maybe if we stole some bases we would be as good as Milwaukee or San Diego (top two stealing teams)

[DrungoHazewood]

Yea but we are dead last in steals by far. And I haven't looked up the stat. But we leave many runners on base including the bases loaded. We need every run. We can't afford to lose games by one run.

Often the effect of stealing more is getting caught more, and if you're below the break even point of about 70% (context dependent) you're taking runs off the scoreboard. Little burns me up more than a caught stealing or pickoff that snuffs out a rally, sometimes in a close loss.

[ArtVanDelay]

Yea but we are dead last in steals by far. And I haven't looked up the stat. But we leave many runners on base including the bases loaded. We need every run. We can't afford to lose games by one run.

What's your obsession with stolen bases?

The Orioles aren't going to steal bases or sac bunt. Nor should they. Get over it.

[ORIOLE33]

I said it before, I would have gladly sacrificed a few HR's for some guys that get on base and steal.

[Natty]

What's your obsession with stolen bases?

The Orioles aren't going to steal bases or sac bunt. Nor should they. Get over it.

I'm just saying there are facets to the game that we don't use. But every other team does. Watch carefully...since we are losing now Buck will start running especially Rickard.

[DrungoHazewood]

I said it before, I would have gladly sacrificed a few HR's for some guys that get on base and steal.

The devil is in the details. The year Rickey stole 130 bases his overall baserunning contributed about 10 runs to the A's total. That's about the value of six home runs. I'd gladly trade a .310 OBP power hitter for a guy who gets on base 40% of the time with less power, although those guys are rare (no qualifier has a > .380 OBP with an ISO under .150). But you can keep the steals.

[DrungoHazewood]

I'm just saying there are facets to the game that we don't use. But every other team does. Watch carefully...since we are losing now Buck will start running especially Rickard.

I hope he's smarter than that.

[allquixotic]

Here's a plan for getting our offense pitching. Maybe we'll avoid doom this way:

Replace the "fifth starter" with a battery of position players, who get 1 IP each:

Chris Davis

Manny Machado

Jonathan Schoop

Mark Trumbo

Then the 5th inning can be pitched by Mychal Givens, who used to be a position player. Poetic.

Then 6-7-8-9 is our regular 'pen guys.

That way we only need to fill in slots 2-3-4 in our starting rotation.

[Natty]

I hope he's smarter than that.

Actually I mean only Rickard, every one else is terrible at stealing. We are a stonefoot team that sits around waiting for the homer. But good pitchers don't give up the home run much, not even to us.

Watch Rickard take off tonight...Buck is finally going to see the light.

[Natty]

I feel a change in the wind. Starting tonight, new lineup. Thanks Buck for listening. . Rickard is running tonight. Just don't tell the Jankeeys. :thumbsup1:

[sportsfan8703]

Really wish Mancini were up here right now instead of Borbon.

[evenparthrough9]

The devil is in the details. The year Rickey stole 130 bases his overall baserunning contributed about 10 runs to the A's total. That's about the value of six home runs. I'd gladly trade a .310 OBP power hitter for a guy who gets on base 40% of the time with less power, although those guys are rare (no qualifier has a > .380 OBP with an ISO under .150). But you can keep the steals.

You neglect to mention all of the double plays Henderson avoided by stealing secknd.

[oriolediehard]

There is no excuse for the crappy play against the Yankees. The players make 1000 times

more salary then I ever did. So there is no excuse to not execute when needed. There

is absolutely no excuse to fail the fans like they do. They accepted that outrageous

salary so they are expected to produce. When I worked I was bullied, threatened to lose

my job and I was expected to have not 1 bad day if I wanted to work the next day.

So I had to deal with pressure and I earned a fraction of what ballplayers earn. So

I have no pity for ballplayers to fail in a losing streak. You fans can curse me out,

but I am sick and tired of the dissapointment of blowing first place and playing like a

last place team.

[callahan09]

There is no excuse for the crappy play against the Yankees. The players make 1000 times

more salary then I ever did. So there is no excuse to not execute when needed. There

is absolutely no excuse to fail the fans like they do. They accepted that outrageous

salary so they are expected to produce. When I worked I was bullied, threatened to lose

my job and I was expected to have not 1 bad day if I wanted to work the next day.

So I had to deal with pressure and I earned a fraction of what ballplayers earn. So

I have no pity for ballplayers to fail in a losing streak. You fans can curse me out,

but I am sick and tired of the dissapointment of blowing first place and playing like a

last place team.

I guess I get what you're saying, but remember the saying goes, they pay the other guys too.

[DrungoHazewood]

There is no excuse for the crappy play against the Yankees. The players make 1000 times

more salary then I ever did. So there is no excuse to not execute when needed. There

is absolutely no excuse to fail the fans like they do. They accepted that outrageous

salary so they are expected to produce. When I worked I was bullied, threatened to lose

my job and I was expected to have not 1 bad day if I wanted to work the next day.

So I had to deal with pressure and I earned a fraction of what ballplayers earn. So

I have no pity for ballplayers to fail in a losing streak. You fans can curse me out,

but I am sick and tired of the dissapointment of blowing first place and playing like a

last place team.

I guess I get what you're saying, but remember the saying goes, they pay the other guys too.

They pay the Yanks a heck of a lot more than the Orioles and they're seven games out, just over .500. So I guess instead of just being bullied and threatened they need to be, what... waterboarded? Tarred and feathered? Sent to prison?