The 2018 season is far from over

[bpilktree67]

2 hours ago, islebreeze said:

They finished in last place in 2017 and did nothing to improve their team in the offseason.

They didn’t improve anything.  What they signed Cashner and Cobb two guys for Ubaldo and Miley.  Cobb last year 3.66 era and Cashner 3.40 and replaced Ubaldo 6.81 and 5.61. 

[bpilktree67]

5-11 looks really bad but small sample size win 2 more of those games and you are 7-9 and look lot better with who we faced schedule wise.  Bundy looks like the ace we have been looking for since Mussina  left.  I would not be surprised Dan goes out and gets a guy to play 3rd.  They don’t want Valencia playing there for a month and the other guys in minors don’t bring much and are more utility guys.  They can’t continue to carry all these power but no defense guys.

[MMussina35]

2 hours ago, atomic said:

The line up is very weak.  The only guys who can hit are Mancini,  Jones,  Machado and Sisco.  Need to bring up some guys from minors and trade for someone to play second while Schoop is out.   

Buck is very stubborn.   Joseph will get tons of starts. Davis will hit against left handers and Valencia will play 3rd base.    Tillman will get more starts.   And people will continue to support him.  

Jones wOBA .280, BB% 3.0, K% 26.9  (up 8 points over career average), still a statute in CF. 

[Can_of_corn]

9 minutes ago, MMussina35 said:

Jones wOBA .280, BB% 3.0, K% 26.9  (up 8 points over career average), still a statute in CF. 

I mentioned in the game thread that Jones' very poor start is flying under the radar right now.

[ChuckS]

24 minutes ago, OFFNY said:

 

o

 

Correct.

Last year the starting rotation was Bundy, Gausman, and 3 big holes.

This season the starting rotation is Bundy, Gausman, Cashner, Cobb, and one big hole.

A 5-11 start after 16 games against teams such as the Red Sox, the Astros, the Yankees, and the Twins (especially with Cashner and Cobb having signed as late as they did, and neither was subsequently ready at the start of the season due to having reduced and/or no Spring Training experience) does not discount that major upgrade in what is arguably the most important part of a baseball team.

 

o

I'm not worried about the starting rotation.  I have no doubt it will be better than last year. 

But I see the offense potentially being much worse. Schoop is injured and has shown signs of regression at the plate.  Davis and Trumbo when he gets back have a high probability of being completely useless and we know Buck will continue to play them regularly.  He kind of has to since they aren't DFA candidates in 2018 (maybe 2019) and you can't send them to Norfolk.  Caleb Joseph is going to get at least half the starts at catcher and isn't hitting.  Could be a repeat of 2016.  Beckham looks to have reverted back to the player he was before we traded for him.  There is a lot of downside to the offense and I haven't even started in on the defense.  

I think in the end, I think we finish with a similar record to last year.  Just hope we are sellers at the deadline and don't twiddle our thumbs or worse, hang around .500 and become buyers.  

[Ripken]

6 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I mentioned in the game thread that Jones' very poor start is flying under the radar right now.

Some of us are very aware, but you can't really say anything bad about him around here.

[PaulFolk]

5 hours ago, Diehard_O's_Fan said:

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.

As others have mentioned, these aren't "obstacles." These are performances by the players on the team.

You're basically saying, "The Orioles' biggest obstacle is that many of their players are bad." That's not a very promising statement for future success.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

50 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I mentioned in the game thread that Jones' very poor start is flying under the radar right now.

You can thank Chris Davis, Joseph, Beckham and Valencia for that.  Jones looks like Willie Mays in comparison.  

[Babypowder]

I don't think they are as bad as they've looked....but they still need to end the season better than one of NYY, BOS, CLE, HOU, and LAA. The Yankees are going to get healthy and they are going to get good. All of those teams are clearly better without catastrophic injuries to key players. I can still squint and see them in the mix with MIN, TOR, and SEA but that's definitely starting to fade. I didn't expect them to be good, but this is certainly a worse start than I predicted.