TT: Let's face it, this team is not a playoff caliber team

[Tony-OH]

There's an entire thread concerning how newly acquired Michael Bourne and Drew Stubbs could be added to the playoff roster. Let's just hope this becomes an issue.

This team is 25-30 since July 1st and now tied for the last wildcard with Detroit and are only one game ahead of Houston (who treats the Orioles like a red-headed step child when they play them) while the Yankees are just 2.5 games back. They are two games back of Boston and four games back from Toronto, both or which are clearly better ball clubs than the Orioles at this stage of the season.

Tillman and O'day are on the DL, AJ is dinged up, and our starting rotation includes Gallardo, Jimenez (who's pitched good his last two starts but could implode at any moment), a tired Bundy, and a guy who has put up a 7.14 ERA in his seven starts with the O's (Miley).

This team is not better than Houston or probably even the Yankees at this point.

Face it, acquiring Bourne and Stubbs did nothing to move the needle and this team has been a 4th place team in the AL East since July 1st and is probably going to end up there.

The Orioles gave this season a good run, but they are 6-11 against the AL East since July 1st and if you take away the lowly Rays, they are 4-10 against Boston, the Yankees and Blue Jays.

Just about every pitching acquisition Dan Duquette has made this season, including the offseason has back fired. Gallardo has a 5.62 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP, Miley has put up a 7.14 ERA and 1.65 WHIP in seven starts, Odrisamer Despaigne has a 5.60 and 1.72 WHIP in 27.1 IP and, Logan Ondrusek, who inexplicably was signed to a major league contract after being released by his Japaneses team and hadn't pitched successfully in the major leagues since at least 2013, put up a 9.95 ERA and 1.90 WHIP in 6.1 innings before being rightfully DFA'd. Only Vance Worley has been decent in the long reliever/spot starter role.

When you looked at the starting pitching Toronto was sending out there compared to the Orioles, it was strikingly different.

Let's hope through some miracle that they Orioles can defeat all statistical and scouting evidence and make a run in September, but if I were a betting man, I'd say the Orioles have a lot better chance of finishing 4th in the AL East than winning a wild card.

[25 Nuggets]

Are we really looking at last year all over again? This team isn't any better?

My pre-season prediction was 85 wins.

[Frobby]

Let's hope the O's performance following this thread mirrors what they did following your "Orioles are a mediocre team" thread in May.

I'm very concerned about the team's lackluster play the last two months, but baseball is an unpredictable game so I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping they get their act together. Personally, I do think the addition of Bourn and Stubbs, and the ability to bolster the bullpen by adding a few bodies now that rosters have expanded, will give Buck more to work with. His September track record with the O's is very good and I'm hoping that holds true to form. I'm not making any predictions, though.

[Bmorefan24]

*25-30 record since July 1st.

(25-31 since June 30 when the downfall officially started).

[FanAddict]

yeah, the O's are a pretty hot mess right now.

BUT... They still are a team that is very capable of going on a heater. If they can somehow get the fire stoked on offense and get a couple of quality starts like they did against Toronto, you never know.

This last and final month will be enjoyable if they can stay competitive against the big dogs (Bos, Tor, Det) and mop up against the weak teams (TAM, ARI, NYY).

[Tony-OH]

*25-30 record since July 1st.

(25-31 since June 30 when the downfall officially started).

Thanks. I had that number then for some reason put down the other. Thanks for keeping me straight!

[Tony-OH]

yeah, the O's are a pretty hot mess right now.

BUT... They still are a team that is very capable of going on a heater. If they can somehow get the fire stoked on offense and get a couple of quality starts like they did against Toronto, you never know.

This last and final month will be enjoyable if they can stay competitive against the big dogs (Bos, Tor, Det) and mop up against the weak teams (TAM, ARI, NYY).

The Yankees were 17-11 in August and 30-24 since July 1st. Are they really a weak team?

[FanAddict]

The Yankees were 17-11 in August and 30-24 since July 1st. Are they really a weak team?

I think they'll come down to earth, although it is possible that the new look NYYs are for real.

[webbrick2010]

Let's hope the O's performance following this thread mirrors what they did following your "Orioles are a mediocre team" thread in May.

I'm very concerned about the team's lackluster play the last two months, but baseball is an unpredictable game so I'm just crossing my fingers and hoping they get their act together. Personally, I do think the addition of Bourn and Stubbs, and the ability to bolster the bullpen by adding a few bodies now that rosters have expanded, will give Buck more to work with. His September track record with the O's is very good and I'm hoping that holds true to form. I'm not making any predictions, though.

The problem is that while the O's are collecting ML rejects like Bourne and Stubbs

other contenders are promoting their big time (star potential) prospects

The Red Sox are adding Moncado

Houston will probably promote Derik Fisher (of the Bud Norris trade)

The Yankees have already added Hicks, Judge, and Sanchez

Teams that actually have a farm system are promoting, and will get a jolt from players far more talented than Stubbs and Bourne

[maybenxtyr]

I haven't have up hope, but Texas,Toronto, and Boston are clearly in a better place as far as the playoffs go. All of the other teams may be better or they could have been enjoying a hot stretch. Who knows...

My biggest concern is a lot of people want to essentially bring the same players back this off season. I don't know what the answer will be at catcher and RF but they are the obvious spots for improvement.

[pastorfan]

TT, hard to argue with any of your points. Most concerning is that draft picks were wasted as well. This is a double whammy. The last two years we have had a division that was very winnable, and DD did not get the job done. The wisest course of action is probably to trade Britton for sure and Manny if you can't extend him. Then from there you can begin to rebuild. Even Jones really should be moved to a corner OF spot. The Yanks and Sox will be tough to beat the next 5 years.

[Tony-OH]

The problem is that while the O's are collecting ML rejects like Bourne and Stubbs

other contenders are promoting their big time (star potential) prospects

The Red Sox are adding Moncado

Houston will probably promote Derik Fisher (of the Bud Norris trade)

The Yankees have already added Hicks, Judge, and Sanchez

Teams that actually have a farm system are promoting, and will get a jolt from players far more talented than Stubbs and Bourne

You may be overly negative, but in this case, you are right on the mark. The lack of impact ready prospects has hurt this team this year. Donnie Hart has been the only guy to come up out of the system (Not counting Bundy since he had to be on the team) and actually done well in the role he was given. and even then, Buck won't use him in situations that cry out for your LOOGY (like against Saunders the other night).

[weams]

You may be overly negative, but in this case, you are right on the mark. The lack of impact ready prospects has hurt this team this year. Donnie Hart has been the only guy to come up out of the system (Not counting Bundy since he had to be on the team) and actually done well in the role he was given. and even then, Buck won't use him in situations that cry out for your LOOGY (like against Saunders the other night).

The Orioles have gotten no significant impact from their farm system this season and the injury to their rule five outfielder seemed to send them into a tailspin. that's not a lot of depth.

[Aristotelian]

You may be overly negative, but in this case, you are right on the mark. The lack of impact ready prospects has hurt this team this year. Donnie Hart has been the only guy to come up out of the system (Not counting Bundy since he had to be on the team) and actually done well in the role he was given. and even then, Buck won't use him in situations that cry out for your LOOGY (like against Saunders the other night).

Saunders does have reverse splits...

[Ripken]

This was clear in the off season. It was going to take everything going right for this team to contend... and it happened for the first half... and then it fell apart.