BOLTONBOB Weighs In on O's July visit

[BoltonBob]

Up for the week seing the Rays/O's series and fireworks. 

OK - 1/2 way point and I figured I'd weigh in on the O's 2017 season. As always, IN BUCK I TRUST and my glass will always be half full (Not like Roy F.'s) for my team "The O's."

PITCHING, CATCHING: As always this is a concern, maybe a bit more so this year when we expected Tilly, Dilly, and Kevin to shine again. I wish Buck would have eased Tilly back in to pitching "a la" 2016 Bundy role every 4-5 days, 9-15 batters in the middle of games and now perhaps that's what Gausman needs to help the team - work on control, 95-98 mph fastball accuracy and confidence. In the absence of miracle improvement we will again hope the Wrights, Wilson types can catch a little "lightning in a bottle" and provide a short boast for 6-8 weeks after AS break. Bullpen remains solid.... AND to me this is the best 1,2 catching combo in years - fairly cheap............. with Castille perhaps a trade chip if "value" is available or a 3-way deal arises .......and catchers get hurt or "blueballed" - always! 

 

INFIELD, DH - Jonathan (All Star) joins the cast of gold glovers, Trey is serviceable" and also an outfield, DH option" 72 HR's among them @ the 1/2 way point (averaging 14+ apiece - perhaps 28 apiece at years end.) ...Not too shabby for excellent defense and power only guys. 

 

OUTFIELD, BENCH - when Trumbo and Trey join AJ - you have 39 HR's total 1/2 way point (averaging 13 apiece - 1/2 way point,...26 apiece by years end. Will Trumbo/Trey get hot and hit 40? Not an unreasonable assumption. Love when Joey and Gentry play to tighten the OF defense. I miss Kim and his .300 average, but hey, he wears pitchers out and can catch the ball. Seth Smith - great addition, solid all the way around. Davis's injury is being dealt with and has let some other folks prove their worth - and hey no more watching 3 straight strikes to kill an inning. Gosh that's frustrating!

 

COACHING, Norfolk shuttle, intangibles. - Hardy and AJ provide valuable veteran leadership, role models. Doesn't appear there is a Travis Driscoll or Rodrico Lopez among them (shuttle folks), although I always hope Steve Johnson comes up for Dave's sake and can still preform. Pedro Alverez may be able to provide some pop if needed - solid veteran. While the Red Sox look solid, Yanks, Rays, & BJays can't seem to get much ABOVE 500. Soooo 

 

GO O's

 

 

[BoltonBob]

Ok,.... so nobody cared what I thought @ the 1/2 way point. No big deal,.... BUT I'm returning to BMore Aug 31-Sept 7 to see my O's., visit friends and hoist a few w/folks under 65 for A CHANGE - GOTTA LOVE RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES.

ANYWAY, SEEMS Buck has a quicker hook these days (GOOD) Tim Beckham, (who I sent up from the Rays,) is coming into his own.... Bundy's arm hasn't fallen off yet, starting pitching is holding its own, defense as usual is strong, maybe stronger w/Gentry, Timmy in......

And Roy F. and others stil spouting doom and gloom - NOT BOLTONBOB  

IN BUCK I TRUSt! GO O's

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[Cumberbundy]

Your thoughts are greatly valued! We are in the initial stages of a run that will end in Buck coaching the all star team in 2018!!!?

In Buck I Trust!

[BoltonBob]

2 hours ago, Cumberbundy said:

Your thoughts are greatly valued! We are in the initial stages of a run that will end in Buck coaching the all star team in 2018!!!?

In Buck I Trust!

Thanks fellow glass 1/2 full guy!

Other random thoughts/ideas...

1. No $300 million dollar deal for Manny now, next year or ever. Even insurance won't cover the committment to one player.... 3 years @ 20-30 per is all I'm going with (2) 3 year mutual Club/player options/opt out extention .....either side can back out (like AROID tried).

2. Jon Schoop - 6 years with a 3 year mutual option/opt out extention....worth about $90-100 million for 1st 6 year.  Believe he gives up about 1st 4 years of free agency for the security of livin' large. Remember he took an advance this year of a few million from the "Money store guys" or the "equivilent" on future earnings.

3. Britton let him walk or take a 2 yr deal of no more than $20 million total -  8 and 12 perhaps... Remember Jim Johnson and now Andrew Miller. Let him see how a Giraldi or a Frankona would burn his arm up.

4. Tilly - Sorry buddy no big money for you, but someone else will pay in more ways than one. 

All for now, as always,

IN BUCK I TRUST!

BOLTONBOB out.

[Cumberbundy]

1/2 full? 1 glass? I live in a glass house & it & all of the glasses in it are full of delectable yoo-hoo, the nectar of the hopeless romantics. 

I want to sign Manny, but if not what do you think we can get for him? I have no idea if we'd get much at all for him or not at this point.

I don't think Schoop would sign for 6/90. I think we've waited too long on him. I'd sign Bundy & Gausman for 6-7 years today. We need to take on risk, we need to trade guys a year too early or sign them a year too early if we're going to compete with teams who would never lose a Machado & compete for talent on more fronts than we do.

ZB isn't a FA yet. We could deal him but his value is dreadfully low. We were unfortunate to miss our opportunity to move him.

 We are falling behind, everyone in our division is signing very high end talent from the international market. We need to be a year ahead, get lucky with health & let charm city magic do its thing!

I see nothing but full glasses from where I am. I think we will make a run & I think Hays & Mountcastle will play in all star games for us. We need to get a good 3rd starter & perhaps Castro can be a #4 for us....and maybe Long takes a step by the middle of 2018 & he becomes our #5 while Harvey gets strong for 2019. ???

Lets Go O's!