The Idea That the Orioles Are Contenders Is Laughable

[ThomasTomasz]

Baseball is a fickle sport.  We could all of a sudden pull off a 16-4 run over 20 games and be back in the thick of things.  I am not saying it's going to happen, but its happened for many teams before, so I get why the front office is staying the course and not throwing the baby out with the bathwater quite yet, despite the fact that the pitching has been historically bad.

However, some sort of changes need to be made.  I think as a wakeup call, some of the coaches have to go......Coolbaugh is the first, and you won't get me to change my mind.  No way should these bats be struggling like they are.  I am continually on and off the Roger McDowell firing train- he's a good pitching coach, and inherited a poor starting staff, and I don't think this is his fault, but it's for sure a mess.   

One thing that we lack right now is leadership, and that went out the door when Nick Markakis signed with Atlanta.  I remember reading about Adam Jones assuming that role over that off-season, and to me, it seems like that role was hoisted upon him, and not something he wanted.  Manny is too young to be that guy.   it is a veterans clubhouse that always seems to take care of itself, but without the top guy to lead it all, and we see that when this team goes into prolonged slumps, especially when the bats go cold.  

[gtman55]

2 hours ago, ThomasTomasz said:

We could all of a sudden pull off a 16-4 run over 20 games and be back in the thick of things.  I am not saying it's going to happen, but its happened for many teams before, so I get why the front office is staying the course and not throwing the baby out with the bathwater quite yet, despite the fact that the pitching has been historically bad.

However, some sort of changes need to be made.  I think as a wakeup call, some of the coaches have to go......Coolbaugh is the first, and you won't get me to change my mind.  No way should these bats be struggling like they are.  I am continually on and off the Roger McDowell firing train- he's a good pitching coach, and inherited a poor starting staff, and I don't think this is his fault, but it's for sure a mess.   

We definitely aren't going 16-4 with this team. And I agree with you on McDowell, not saying he's great but he didn't exactly inherit a top-tier pitching staff.

Ultimately, this whole situation boils down to Dan Duquette. The team he's put together is like a beer league softball squad. It's home run or strikeout. Feast or famine. We rarely manufacture runs. Have no team speed. And the starting pitching is almost historically bad. Except for Bundy, there's no potential. Our run differential is -73. And don't get me started on Gausman. This guy does not know how to pitch. He's got a good arm, I just wonder about his head.

At this point, DD needs to go. Trading Machado and Britton could net us some really good young players that might be our future. I think it's a move that's a smart one at this point. As it stands now, the only thing we're contending for this year is last place.

[sportsfan8703]

5 hours ago, ThomasTomasz said:

Baseball is a fickle sport.  We could all of a sudden pull off a 16-4 run over 20 games and be back in the thick of things.  I am not saying it's going to happen, but its happened for many teams before, so I get why the front office is staying the course and not throwing the baby out with the bathwater quite yet, despite the fact that the pitching has been historically bad.

However, some sort of changes need to be made.  I think as a wakeup call, some of the coaches have to go......Coolbaugh is the first, and you won't get me to change my mind.  No way should these bats be struggling like they are.  I am continually on and off the Roger McDowell firing train- he's a good pitching coach, and inherited a poor starting staff, and I don't think this is his fault, but it's for sure a mess.   

One thing that we lack right now is leadership, and that went out the door when Nick Markakis signed with Atlanta.  I remember reading about Adam Jones assuming that role over that off-season, and to me, it seems like that role was hoisted upon him, and not something he wanted.  Manny is too young to be that guy.   it is a veterans clubhouse that always seems to take care of itself, but without the top guy to lead it all, and we see that when this team goes into prolonged slumps, especially when the bats go cold.  

Lol Jones leadership. He was always the leader with Markakis here. Plus look what he did with the WBC. He can't help that Manny has been a bum this year, Trumbo isn't leading the league in HR's, Kim isn't hitting .320, and the SP has been historically bad. 

[Jagwar]

6 hours ago, Norfolk orioles said:

Fire Dan Duquette, he is a total joke.

 

This is why he was out of baseball for years, zero results and no clue about building for the future. None.

 

The last month has been almost worse baseball than the dark years. 30-3 here we come.

Dan has steered the ship for multiple postseason appearances. He has gotten results for this team.

Is DD responsible for Trumbo becoming a power hitter with no power? Or Manny going from an all star to a .700 OPS player? Or multiple starters regressing? Or Britton being on the DL for most of the season? With O'Day Hardy, Davis and Castillo spending significant time on the DL? 

[Tx Oriole]

13 hours ago, JohnD said:

A famous man once said the ceiling is the roof.  Right now Eddie Gaedel can't fit under the Orioles' ceiling for the year.

They score four runs in the first five innings and can't even sniff a lead?  They're setting a record for most consecutive games where the pitching staff literally ***** the bed?

When 2/5 of your rotation are among the worst at simply throwing strikes and 3/5 struggle to get past even the fourth, then I don't care how close you are in June, you have no shot.  This is simply the worst pitching staff all decade and it's laughable to think it can get them to the postseason.

Time to start over.

No they aren't a playoff team. 

[Tx Oriole]

12 hours ago, DirtyBird said:

The worst thing we could do is linger around .500

These are good losses. After these  6 games at TB and Toronto, management will have no choice but to see that we need to move in a different direction.

But will Angelos? I bet not.

[Tx Oriole]

11 hours ago, Jagwar said:

If Ubaldo throws another pitch for the O's, I'm cancelling my MLBTV subscription.

He is not the only pitcher messing up. 

[Tx Oriole]

7 hours ago, Norfolk orioles said:

Fire Dan Duquette, he is a total joke.

 

This is why he was out of baseball for years, zero results and no clue about building for the future. None.

 

The last month has been almost worse baseball than the dark years. 30-3 here we come.

Now what good would that do? His contract is up next year. 

[Tx Oriole]

Just now, Tx Oriole said:

Now what good would that do? His contract is up next year. 

What really needs to happen is ownership hires a GM. The GM hires his manager. And the manager hires his staff. With Angelos does everything. Goes around his GM and resigns Davis for 161 million. I sure wish there was a different owner. But that's a pipe dream. 

[thezeroes]

19 minutes ago, Tx Oriole said:

What really needs to happen is ownership hires a GM. The GM hires his manager. And the manager hires his staff. With Angelos does everything. Goes around his GM and resigns Davis for 161 million. I sure wish there was a different owner. But that's a pipe dream. 

Yeah ANgelos was probably worse than the Orioles getting Jefferey Loria.

"In 1994, Loria lost out to Peter Angelos in his bid to purchase the Baltimore Orioles. Say what you will about Angelos, but right now it sure seems like he rescued Charm City from the baseball apocalypse.

Loria went on to buy the Montreal Expos and essentially sold them back to the commissioner’s office in 2002  which led to the franchise moving to Washington."

http://baltimoresportsreport.com/jeffrey-loria-orioles-owner-34333.html

[allquixotic]

How many consecutive losses would it take for the front office to WAKE UP!!!!!!!!! and realize the obvious truth that every fan sees and is SCREAMING at them day after day?

SELL. THE. TEAM. NOW.

Let me say, however many losses it takes, please, PLEASE let it happen ASAP. I hope Bundy gives up 9 runs today. I hope we blow it tomorrow too. Lose, Birds, lose! Make the truth absolutely obvious and undeniable even to a fruit fly. Then maybe the idiots "managing" this team will see the enormous blinking billboard staring them right in the face that says "Blow Up This Team".

[Tx Oriole]

55 minutes ago, thezeroes said:

Yeah ANgelos was probably worse than the Orioles getting Jefferey Loria.

"In 1994, Loria lost out to Peter Angelos in his bid to purchase the Baltimore Orioles. Say what you will about Angelos, but right now it sure seems like he rescued Charm City from the baseball apocalypse.

Loria went on to buy the Montreal Expos and essentially sold them back to the commissioner’s office in 2002  which led to the franchise moving to Washington."

http://baltimoresportsreport.com/jeffrey-loria-orioles-owner-34333.html

Oh I see. Didn't know that. 

[weams]

 

[El Gordo]

7 hours ago, gtman55 said:

We definitely aren't going 16-4 with this team. And I agree with you on McDowell, not saying he's great but he didn't exactly inherit a top-tier pitching staff.

Ultimately, this whole situation boils down to Dan Duquette. The team he's put together is like a beer league softball squad. It's home run or strikeout. Feast or famine. We rarely manufacture runs. Have no team speed. And the starting pitching is almost historically bad. Except for Bundy, there's no potential. Our run differential is -73. And don't get me started on Gausman. This guy does not know how to pitch. He's got a good arm, I just wonder about his head.

At this point, DD needs to go. Trading Machado and Britton could net us some really good young players that might be our future. I think it's a move that's a smart one at this point. As it stands now, the only thing we're contending for this year is last place.

There's no definitely in baseball.

[Natty]

If we can't fix the horrendous pitching, we are done.