The Rotation

[weams]

Is Subtraction a positive here? 

Quote

This is an unscientific poll. I’m basing my observations on comments attached to the blog and appearing on my Twitter feed, and impromptu conversations in restaurants, grocery stores and gyms. Fans don’t want to be reminded how the starters posted a 5.70 ERA, the worst in franchise history. And if they’ve done the math, they know that the four departed - Chris Tillman, Ubaldo Jiménez, Wade Miley and Jeremy Hellickson - combined for a 6.61 ERA

 

 

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2018/02/taking-the-orioles-rotation-for-another-spin-1.html

Would a rotation of best three out of eight randos be preferred? 

[theocean]

1 hour ago, weams said:

Is Subtraction a positive here? 

 

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2018/02/taking-the-orioles-rotation-for-another-spin-1.html

Would a rotation of best three out of eight randos be preferred? 

I'm personally really optimistic for the 2018 O's because I feel like everybody besides Schoop, Mancini, Jones, and the bullpen performed below expectations last year. If everyone can just play to their career averages next year (along with a rotation that isn't worse than some of the rotations from 2001-2008), I think the O's will be a solid team.

I mean - last year the rotation was the worst all time! And this is the same team that has had rotations with Garret Olsen, Daniel Cabrera, Brian Burres, and Steve Trachsel all at the same time. Free Agency still has some solid guys and I'm confident the O's will end up with somebody.

 

 

[wildcard]

1 hour ago, weams said:

Is Subtraction a positive here? 

 

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2018/02/taking-the-orioles-rotation-for-another-spin-1.html

Would a rotation of best three out of eight randos be preferred? 

Well, you made me look up rando.

[foxfield]

The good news is the rotation almost has to be better in 18 than in 17.  The bad news is they have to use somebody to pitch.  This isn't a poll where a warm body wins the poll over Tillman, Hellickson, Miley and Jimenez.  The Orioles have to ultimately have someone to use.

As crazy as it sounds, the play it out late tactic could still work and well...with a lot of magic......

 

But at some point...the "fill in the blank" starters (with the list of available names) has to be filled...with an actual someone.

The good news is, it almost has to be an improvement...

 

Ahhh spring....where hope springs......

 

fer a minute.  

 

Well, I'm in!  We have actually played worse hands.

[Hank Scorpio]

Good luck with all that in this division.

In three years we'll look back on '16, '17 and '18 and go "WHAT in the hell were they thinking?"

[wildcard]

3 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

Good luck with all that in this division.

In three years we'll look back on '16, '17 and '18 and go "WHAT in the hell were they thinking?"

O's won 89 games in '16.   Few will compliant about that.  Well, except Buck's non use of Britton.

[Hank Scorpio]

5 minutes ago, wildcard said:

O's won 89 games in '16.   Few will compliant about that.  Well, except Buck's non use of Britton.

Yes sir you are correct.... and after that season, they should have traded Machado AND Britton.

[LC_O's_87]

The problem with this logic is there's a real difference between better than last year versus good enough to compete with the rest of the teams in the AL East.

Their rotation last year was the worst in O's history so even a blind guy throwing darts could pick a better rotation than 2017.  If that's the measuring stick, just start the rebuild now.

 

[pastorfan]

15 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

Good luck with all that in this division.

In three years we'll look back on '16, '17 and '18 and go "WHAT in the hell were they thinking?"

Three years? I think we are already doing that

[Moose Milligan]

It'll be nice to have those guys out of the rotation.

But let's be honest here, this is the ownership and front office that got those guys here in the first place.

There's nothing to suggest that they're capable of finding better replacements.

[foxfield]

2 minutes ago, LC_O's_87 said:

The problem with this logic is there's a real difference between better than last year versus good enough to compete with the rest of the teams in the AL East.

Their rotation last year was the worst in O's history so even a blind guy throwing darts could pick a better rotation than 2017.  If that's the measuring stick, just start the rebuild now.

 

But to be fair, the reason all of this is so difficult is that yes there is a difference to better than last year versus good enough to compete with the rest of the teams in the AL.  It's a grand canyon gap...or it's a pretty small gap...

Simply look at where the Orioles and Yankees were on say 9/1/17.

On 9/1 the Yankees were at 71 wins the Orioles were at 69.  Fast forward to end of the season and the Yankees were one game from the WS (and fired their manager) and the Orioles finished in last going away.

Its tough and the Orioles have flaws aplenty...but with a starting rotation that performs at say top 6 or 7 in the AL...they are probably still good enough to compete for a shot.

Of course as the 9/1 numbers show, they could probably threaten 100 losses too.  

[LC_O's_87]

5 minutes ago, foxfield said:

But to be fair, the reason all of this is so difficult is that yes there is a difference to better than last year versus good enough to compete with the rest of the teams in the AL.  It's a grand canyon gap...or it's a pretty small gap...

Simply look at where the Orioles and Yankees were on say 9/1/17.

On 9/1 the Yankees were at 71 wins the Orioles were at 69.  Fast forward to end of the season and the Yankees were one game from the WS (and fired their manager) and the Orioles finished in last going away.

Its tough and the Orioles have flaws aplenty...but with a starting rotation that performs at say top 6 or 7 in the AL...they are probably still good enough to compete for a shot.

Of course as the 9/1 numbers show, they could probably threaten 100 losses too.  

Certainly at that snapshot of the season, they were still, despite their rotation, in contention.

But look at the teams they played in September...6 against the Jays; 7 against the Yanks;  3 against the Sox; and 7 against the Rays.  They cratered b/c of their starting pitching against these lineups.

[NedFromYork]

Cobb, Tillman, and Hutchinson with Hays in RF and call it a day.

[foxfield]

Just now, LC_O's_87 said:

Certainly at that snapshot of the season, they were still, despite their rotation, in contention.

But look at the teams they played in September...6 against the Jays; 7 against the Yanks;  3 against the Sox; and 7 against the Rays.  They cratered b/c of their starting pitching against these lineups.

No doubt, I was simply pointing out the difference between competing and cratering is much smaller than the difference in wins and losses.  The Orioles have been competitive for 6 years with, I believe, only 1 year where starting pitching was significantly above average...for the life of me when this window is fully closed and we move on...I think this is going to be what we come back to over and over.

Not bidding against ourselves on Davis.  But failing to find starting pitchers to be above average....just above average.

[Yardball85]

3 hours ago, weams said:

Is Subtraction a positive here? 

 

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2018/02/taking-the-orioles-rotation-for-another-spin-1.html

Would a rotation of best three out of eight randos be preferred? 

The bar was set soooo low last year that yeah, sure, there is a good chance the randos will outperform Tillman, Miley, and Ubaldo.  That doesn't mean the 2018 Orioles rotation will be good as constructed or that slightly outperforming last year's rotation is really that good of a thing.