I just got to wonder

[pastorfan]

Does anyone think that if we miss the playoffs we might be better off? I know that sounds silly but maybe just maybe DD and Buck will realize this is a flawed team that really has no chance to compete for a title. I mean if we make the wildcard and more than likely get eliminated by Toronto, that perhaps there wont be the urgency this off season cause man we made the playoffs.. IDK this aint looking good right now.

I have had the same thoughts, but I think they will just say, "well, we missed out by only one game...."

[Phantom]

Why is that stat meaningless, when a player produces the game winning hit?

Because it doesn't really tell you anything about how good a player is.

[sportsfan8703]

You don't root for your team to ever miss the playoffs in baseball. The season is too long. The draft is too unpredictable and takes years to pay dividends. We've played 157 games. We're right where we all want us to be.

This isn't the NFL where you can go 5-11, get a top draft pick, and play a last place schedule the next year. The Ravens are a prime example at how playing a last play schedule is so valuable in the NFL.

[Frobby]

How about walk off homer, when the game is tied?

Why is that stat meaningless, when a player produces the game winning hit?

The point is, the definition of a game winning hit is whichever hit knocks in the run that puts the team in the lead to stay. It could be in the first inning in what turns out to be a rout, or it could be a walk-off homer, the stat doesn't distinguish between the two. Baseball started keeping track of the game winning hit as an official stat some time in the late 70's or early 80's, but dropped it after a few years because it seemed too arbitrary.

FWIW, Chris Davis' highest leverage hit of the year was not a game-winning hit. On April 11, he faced Craig Kimbrell with two on, two out in the 9th and the O's down by three, and produced a game-tying homer. That hit had a Win Probability Added of 0.42.

[BirdinBama]

Count me in as being happy with where we are. Still leading the second wildcard with five games to play. Beats being a Braves fan.

We have also discovered that Tillman, Bundy, and Gausman are good starters, and will no doubt be better next year.

Eternal optimist? Yes, I am.

[WEAVERMAN]

There is a conceit around here that we know the flaws and shortcomings of this team better than the guys who run it. It isn't true. Dan and Buck are not going to have some blinding revelation if we miss the playoffs by a game, nor will they be misled if we squeak in. But they aren't going to blow up a pretty good team because it isn't a great one. They'll tinker and try to find ways to make incremental improvements, like they always try to do.

Well said, and there's no reason to think Show won't return after 2018. PGA would love to sign him to another deal and Show loves what he does.

[WEAVERMAN]

Count me in as being happy with where we are. Still leading the second wildcard with five games to play. Beats being a Braves fan.

We have also discovered that Tillman, Bundy, and Gausman are good starters, and will no doubt be better next year.

Eternal optimist? Yes, I am.

Well said, we were picked to finish last. This club has done well and exceeded expectations.

[Redskins Rick]

Well said, we were picked to finish last. This club has done well and exceeded expectations.

Im a firm believer that Buck gets the most of out of his guys, than most other managers could.

[atomic]

You don't root for your team to ever miss the playoffs in baseball. The season is too long. The draft is too unpredictable and takes years to pay dividends. We've played 157 games. We're right where we all want us to be.

This isn't the NFL where you can go 5-11, get a top draft pick, and play a last place schedule the next year. The Ravens are a prime example at how playing a last play schedule is so valuable in the NFL.

The Ravens aren't playing a last place schedule. The Ravens finished in 3rd place last year. The Browns have the last place schedule. It only effect 2 teams that you play. The Ravens easy schedule this year is because the AFC and NFC divisions they play are really weak.

[MDtransplant757]

The Ravens aren't playing a last place schedule. The Ravens finished in 3rd place last year. The Browns have the last place schedule. It only effect 2 teams that you play. The Ravens easy schedule this year is because the AFC and NFC divisions they play are really weak.

They still have to play Pittsburgh and Cinncinnatti twice. That and the end of the Ravens schedule is tough against Dallas and Philly with Pittsburgh and Cincy thrown in there for good measure.

[El Gordo]

Well said, and there's no reason to think Show won't return after 2018. PGA would love to sign him to another deal and Show loves what he does.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Buck stay on as GM. He did a good job building ARI. He might like to rebuild the post 2018 O's.

[weams]

I'm stunned you wrote this. I don't necessarily disagree, although I wouldn't trade all five.

Why not? It's been a good ride. I would certainly trade Manny and Schoop and Britton.

[Redskins Rick]

Shocked. You strike me as stay the course type. What you're essentially saying is "blow it up now and let's settle into last place for a few years." No year 2 of a three year window? Totally stunned.

I hope he meant it as a joke.

[El Gordo]

I hope he meant it as a joke.

If you can't extend him then you have to trade Manny. If you trade Manny your chances of winning are dramatically reduced. So why not go all the way and trade Britton Schoop and Tillman?

[thezeroes]

What qualifies as a "winning hit"? Does that include if he gets an RBI single in the first inning to make it 1-0 in a game the O's eventually win 10-0?

I'm not saying Davis has had a bad year, but that stat seems particularly meaningless.

If a player knocks in the eventual winning run in the first inning it means as much as a team winning a game in April. To think otherwise would seem odd.