Connolly: Heads may roll today

[Roll Tide]

They need whomever is going to be the next GM to oversee the sell off. If that’s Brady and they remove DD from the decision making no move is required.

As far as McDowell the SP has been pretty good imo. Cobb’s late signing obviously effected him  be ready to start the season. Cashier has been about what we expected. Bundy and Guasman  Have been pretty good and Tillman has been exactly what he was last year. I don’t think you can hold his performance against McDowell.

The defense sucks... moving Manny was a mistake. Beckham and Schoop being hurt has forced them to play lesser fielders like Pedro.

As for the hitting.. Can we really blame Davis’ and Trumbo poor performance on Coolbaugh? Can we blame that they can hit against the shift, can’t bunt, can’t move runners. Can he be blamed for the 30% k rate that has been an ongoing issue.

if anyone should he fired it’s Dan and Buck who both had a say in personnel and the way the team is constructed.

The team has many flaws that I already named and also included no speed, no leadoff hitters, low OBP. That’s why they have no choice other than to wait for the 3 run homer.

[Moose Milligan]

Connolly's article is garbage, even though we come to the same conclusion:

 

Quote

Firing for firing sake without actually making this team better provides little purpose besides sprinkling some blood toward the blood-thirsty mob.

There's no substance here.  He's just reminding everyone about what they already know, how long Buck and Dan have been here, what they've done and haven't done, etc, etc.  

But it does what I think happens in a lot of media today, which gets people reading headlines and starting conversations like this...like, HEY THEY COULD FIRE SOMEONE TODAY...but there's no insight here other than...it's an off day and the Orioles are garbage.  Yes, it makes sense to do it today...but is there any inside source?  

He even starts it off with a great hook:  The next 36 hours in Birdland should be fascinating.

Really, Dan-o?  Your article doesn't tell me why they SHOULD be fascinating.  It tells me why it COULD be fascinating.  

But all of this plays into what I think the media likes to do which is...talking things into existence.  Danny boy here writes a column about heads falling and then it gets picked up on morning sports talk radio.  The bloggers get into it and start speculating.  It gets picked up on message boards like the OH and others.  Soon, people are talking about something that's not based in reality at all.  

I'd be (pleasantly) shocked if anything happened today.  

[Tx Oriole]

44 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Dan Connolly says that Dan Duquette,  Roger McDowell and Scott Coolbaugh are all vulnerable to being fired  on today's off day.   A consequence of the O's 8-26  record.

http://www.baltimorebaseball.com/2018/05/07/early-may-feels-like-perfect-fall-day-birdland/

Ken Rosenthall agrees as stated in MLBTR:

•  

But I don't see any on that happening.   Peter Angelos does not fire managers and GM and pay for a second one.   He just puts them in a corner and waits until their contract runs out.  That is what I think happens to Dan.   The argument that Connolly gives for fire Dan is the O's  will make major trades between now and the end of July and a lame duck GM should not make them.   And Dan will not be making those decisions.   But the decision makers that replace him are all ready in place.   Buck, Brady, John and Lou are already on the job.   They will make those decisions IMO.  

As far as the coaches goes, Buck will protect them.

I do agree that heads could roll either today or soon.    But it will be players heads.   Schoop will return tomorrow to improve the team defense and  as soon as he gets him timing down to help the offense.   Veilma will likely be optioned,

The O's may DFA Tillman and promote Melville to the 5th spot in the rotation.

The O's may claim Luis Santo off waivers and DFA Mike Wright.  

And Saturday, Santander is probably  being optioned and Joey Rickard is called up. 

Those of the 4 changes that I see as more likely than Dan, Scoot or Roger being sent packing.

If they fire DD they should fire Buck too. 

[sportsfan8703]

20 minutes ago, clapdiddy said:

Great post.   As much as I love what Buck has done for this franchise, I think it's just time to clean house and start fresh.  I don't think Brady is the answer, either.    I'd rather pull a younger guy from a successful organization like the Cubs, Dodgers, Cardinals, etc.    We need a complete change of direction.

We’re not attracting people like those organizations did. Buck as a coach, with some input, is the very best we can get. 

Everyone says fire Buck. Who the heck are we going to get?  We gotta stick with him. Reign him in a little with personnel decsisions. 

[Roll Tide]

1 minute ago, sportsfan8703 said:

We’re not attracting people like those organizations did. Buck as a coach, with some input, is the very best we can get. 

Everyone says fire Buck. Who the heck are we going to get?  We gotta stick with him. Reign him in a little with personnel decsisions. 

I’d hire Girardi to manage. I’m sure he’d love to stick it to the Yankees.

[Moose Milligan]

5 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

You are absolutely correct, if you ignore that fact that one's job should be tied to their job performance/results.

Kinda missed my point...I don't think Buck should be manager after this year, I just don't think there's a long term option waiting in the wings right now.  So you can fire Buck now and replace him with Eric Wedge but I'm not sure how Eric Wedge gets waaayyy better results with the roster he'd inherit.

And even so, do you want Eric Wedge to be the long term manager here?

So what good is it to fire Buck now or in October?  Other than to make you feel better?

[DirtyBird]

1 minute ago, sportsfan8703 said:

We’re not attracting people like those organizations did. Buck as a coach, with some input, is the very best we can get. 

Everyone says fire Buck. Who the heck are we going to get?  We gotta stick with him. Reign him in a little with personnel decsisions. 

It doesn't matter who we get - we get a much needed culture change. We get someone who can start fresh and make decisions based on who players are instead of who they were.

[clapdiddy]

1 minute ago, Moose Milligan said:

Kinda missed my point...I don't think Buck should be manager after this year, I just don't think there's a long term option waiting in the wings right now.  So you can fire Buck now and replace him with Eric Wedge but I'm not sure how Eric Wedge gets waaayyy better results with the roster he'd inherit.

And even so, do you want Eric Wedge to be the long term manager here?

So what good is it to fire Buck now or in October?  Other than to make you feel better?

Making changes for change's sake is dumb.  If Buck and/or the front office feel that a coach is doing something that is not beneficial, they could look at making a move there.  Buck is a proven manager and should have the courtesy to finish out the year if he chooses to do so.  

[wildcard]

10 minutes ago, Roll Tide said:

The team has many flaws that I already named and also included no speed, no leadoff hitters, low OBP. That’s why they have no choice other than to wait for the 3 run homer.

Rickard is probably up on Sunday.  That adds speed and if Buck will play him there he is a leadoff hitter.  Peterson probably plays 3B vs right-handed pitching with Schoop's return.   That will probably help the defense. (Though I have never seen Peterson play 3B)   He can't be as bad as Pedro, can he?

[clapdiddy]

3 minutes ago, DirtyBird said:

It doesn't matter who we get - we get a much needed culture change. We get someone who can start fresh and make decisions based on who players are instead of who they were.

Is Brady that guy?  Personally, I don't think so.   For better or worse, he is likely going to be playing some sort of decision-making role. 

[DirtyBird]

Just now, clapdiddy said:

Making changes for change's sake is dumb.  If Buck and/or the front office feel that a coach is doing something that is not beneficial, they could look at making a move there.  Buck is a proven manager and should have the courtesy to finish out the year if he chooses to do so.  

"Change for change's sake"? Are you kidding me? We are winning less than 24% of our games. Buck isn't owed anything. 

[Moose Milligan]

1 minute ago, DirtyBird said:

"Change for change's sake"? Are you kidding me? We are winning less than 24% of our games. Buck isn't owed anything. 

Ok, well what's the grand master plan to get rid of Buck, keep this roster largely the same (until we trade Manny) get a new manager in here and finish with a respectable season?  

If you've got awesome ideas, I'm totally down to hear it.

[Bonecrusher52]

1 minute ago, DirtyBird said:

It doesn't matter who we get - we get a much needed culture change. We get someone who can start fresh and make decisions based on who players are instead of who they were.

Hire a new GM and manager. Send Chris Davis to AAA then move Brady Anderson to first base. Brady will post better number than Chris Davis. You're gonna like the way your team going to look I guarantee it.

[pastorfan]

21 minutes ago, LookitsPuck said:

I don’t get all the Buck bashing.

It’s convenient to blame Buck for Trumbo and Davis. But Duquette traded for Trumbo. Duquette screwed up majorly for not signing Cruz. I think he felt cornered on having to sign a Trumbo. That’s not a Buck decision, that’s a Duquette decision. The question is how much did Buck push for Trumbo?

As for Davis...will we ever know the full story here? Some say Buck. Some say Angelos. But who worked out that deal? 

It is impossible to know who is responsible for what....that is so dysfunctional! But it is hard to blame Buck for playing Davis. I mean, what are you going to do with a guy who has so much salary left? You have to hope he rebounds. Though you could hit him ninth and not behind Manny!

[wildcard]

7 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Ok, well what's the grand master plan to get rid of Buck, keep this roster largely the same (until we trade Manny) get a new manager in here and finish with a respectable season?  

If you've got awesome ideas, I'm totally down to hear it.

I already stated my changes:

Schoop will return tomorrow to improve the team defense and  as soon as he gets him timing down to help the offense.   Veilma will likely be optioned,

The O's may DFA Tillman and promote Melville to the 5th spot in the rotation.

The O's may claim Luis Santo off waivers and DFA Mike Wright.  

And Saturday, Santander is probably  being optioned and Joey Rickard is called up. 

Firing Buck or Dan at this point does little to help the team.  Dan, McDowell and Coolbaugh all may be gone in the offseason but in season moves of those guys don't seen likely to me.