The 2018 season is far from over

[Diehard_O's_Fan]

Most of you guys act like the 2018 season is already over. The 2018 MLB season is far from over. I am not the least bit worried. The Orioles just need to beat up on the Tigers when they play them. If you cannot support the Orioles during this difficult time then please feel free to jump on the Astros or Redsox band wagon.

Here is a list of some of the obstacles the Orioles have already faced this year:

1. One of the toughest schedules in baseball if not the toughest.

2. Chris Tillman and Mike Wright were both in the rotation as a result of Cobb not being ready.

3. The bullpen has had to pitch alot of innings. I would think they would be in the top five as far as innings pitched.

4. Manny Machado playing shortstop has weakened the whole infield.

5. Chris Davis. Enough said.

6. Schoop is now on the DL.

[Ripken]

Yeah, but Chris Tillman is still in the rotation, the bullpen isn't going to magically be rested, Machado isn't moving back to 3rd, they won't stop playing Davis, and Schoop could be out a while.  I mean, I still think we'll be .500, despite all signs telling me I'm crazy, but this is not a good team.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

But the Orioles cannot afford to start 10 and 20 like the Blue Jays did last season.  

The Orioles will burn out from trying to play catch up all season.

[MagicBird]

Other than the Yankess series its been a dumpster fire so far.  Things could change but if anyone isnt concerned its not realistic.

[Moose Milligan]

Technically, you're correct, the season is far from over.

Toughest schedule, but so what?  The Sox reside in our division.  The Yankees are probably better than they have shown.  The schedule argument might be easier to swallow if we didn't have to play the Sox a bunch more.  We'll see if the Yankees get any better.

Tillman and Wright?  Ok, who do you replace them with?  What AAAA type is going to get a spot in the rotation?  I mean, last year we picked up Hellickson which wasn't great shakes.  

Bullpen is gonna pitch a lot of innings, that's not gonna change.

Manny at SS or 3B, doesn't matter.  Defense ain't what it used to be for this team.  I agree that the infield defense might be better with Manny at 3B but that's the least of this teams problems.

Davis ain't going anywhere anytime soon.

Schoop, whatever.

The things that have always ailed this team will continue to do so.  There's absolutely no reason to think that this team is going to magically get better over time.  They might not be THIS bad, but they sure ain't great.

 

[VaBird1]

10 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Technically, you're correct, the season is far from over.

Toughest schedule, but so what?  The Sox reside in our division.  The Yankees are probably better than they have shown.  The schedule argument might be easier to swallow if we didn't have to play the Sox a bunch more.  We'll see if the Yankees get any better.

Tillman and Wright?  Ok, who do you replace them with?  What AAAA type is going to get a spot in the rotation?  I mean, last year we picked up Hellickson which wasn't great shakes.  

Bullpen is gonna pitch a lot of innings, that's not gonna change.

Manny at SS or 3B, doesn't matter.  Defense ain't what it used to be for this team.  I agree that the infield defense might be better with Manny at 3B but that's the least of this teams problems.

Davis ain't going anywhere anytime soon.

Schoop, whatever.

The things that have always ailed this team will continue to do so.  There's absolutely no reason to think that this team is going to magically get better over time.  They might not be THIS bad, but they sure ain't great.

 

Agreed. The defense is inconsistent and the offense has been an issue for a while.

[Morgan423]

I've been a fan of this team since I was four years old, and hung on for the entire duration of the Dark Ages.  It's going to take more than the first two weeks of this team to chase me away.  

[TDG27]

The Os should look at signing Melky Cabrera for a 1 year deal. He doesnt strikeout a whole lot, and hit about .285 last year with 20 bombs and 80 rbis. That would allow Mancini to move down to the 2 hole and move everyone back a spot. 

[eddie83]

It’s not over but they can’t afford to dig too much more of a hole. That was why I thought last week in NY was big but then they follow it up with this week. 

 

[OFFNY]

58 minutes ago, Diehard_O's_Fan said:

 

The 2018 Season Is Far From Over

 

o

 

Well, you're certainly living up top your nickname. ll 

 

I believe that the lateness in the signings of Cashner and Cobb has played a factor in the bad start thus far.

The good news is that Cashner has appeared to have gotten into sync after only a single clunker in his inaugural start of the 2018 season.

With Cobb, I have little doubt that he will come around and pitch well also, BUT ........ Cobb was signed several weeks later than was Cashner. So while Cashner only needed 2 starts to get in gear, it may take longer for Cobb to do so. I hope that it won't, but it would not surprise me if we didn't see the proverbial "real" Alex Cobb until his 4th or 5th start of the season.

 

o

[gtman55]

It's early and anything can happen of course.  But, realistically do you honestly think we'll be fighting with Boston and NY for first place or trying to avoid the cellar with Tampa? I think the second scenario is much more likely.

[DirtyBird]

It's over

[SteveA]

Yeah, I basically agree with the original premise.   We look awful, and are digging a hole, but there are SOME extenuating circumstances.   The schedule, the late start for Cobb.

We have 7 games between now and next Monday.   Go at least 3-4 in those games, and be 8-15 or better.   8-15 is not an insurmountable hole.   Cobb will be getting ready to make his 3rd start and will have been pitching for over a month, still not the 6 weeks of spring training pitchers normally get, but closer to it.   Begin a stretch of games that is much easier than what we've seen... play a few dozen more games that aren't almost all against the top 5 teams in the AL.   And THEN see where we are.

In a way it's almost encouraging that some of the guys are performing SO badly.   Because we know it won't continue.   Beckham might be horrible this year and hit .240.   But he won't hit .175.   Once he comes back, Schoop will do better than he was.   I thiink there's about a  98% chance Jones' numbers will go up from where they are now.   And so on (I deliberately didn't include Davis in the mix).  

Then we see where we are.   If we haven't made significant strides in improving that on that 8-15 .350ish record by mid-May, then we will KNOW we are doomed.   Jumping off the bridge now is not called for.   

[Hank Scorpio]

Sure is far from over brah... it’ll be a looooooong summer. I just hope they don’t use “being within shouting distance” of the 2nd wild card as reason to stand pat at the deadline. 

This team looks like it isn’t built to even sniff 3rd place in the division.

I guess things could change, it is baseball after all. But the hill was steep to begin with and it’s only getting steeper.

[Aristotelian]

6 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

It's over

+1. Will be happy if the team proves me wrong, but I'm not seeing it this year. I had us about .500 going in to the season and now we are already 6 games under. We now probably have to be 14-15 games over .500 the rest of the way to have a shot at a wild card. We need to get very hot, very quickly, or else DD will have no option but to trade Manny, and then we are done. I believe the offense will pick up eventually, but we have too many other hurdles to climb...Schoop on DL, Davis, bullpen, outfield defense. We just aren't that good and now we have a 6 game hole to climb out of.