Why we could be "good again" sooner than many expect

[24fps]

6 hours ago, Ruzious said:

Hopefully we'll be alive when the deferred payments are fully paid.  

I won't be, my wife might be, my daughter should be.  

I could probably shrug my shoulders and go to my grave at peace except for one thing.  THE ORIOLES WERE BIDDING AGAINST THEMSELVES!

[Barnaby Graves]

8 hours ago, Bradysburns said:

However, I suspect we'll be fun to watch -- even GOOD -- sooner than expected. 

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Why? Two words: pitching and defense. 

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Cobb, Cashner and Bundy will form the top of our rotation next season.

[Bradysburns]

6 hours ago, wildcard said:

Its one thing to say " I am a O's fan and I will stick with them".  Its another to try to blow smoke up our butts with thoughts of an early return to contention.  

When I look at the O's infield  and top pitching prospects they are far away from arriving in the majors. And most fans that have been through this before know that when they arrive it can takes years before they are ready to help with contention.   How many years did Tillman and Gausman ride the Minor league shuttle.  And how long did we have to wait for Bundy to get passed injuries.   Hunter Harvey???  

The O's ownership and management had to pick a path.   Keep the younger established players and try for a short rebuild.  Or tear it down and take more time like the Astros, Cubs, Phillies.  Well O's mgmt picked their path when they trade Gausman and Schoop.  

To add to that the ownership, GM and Field Manager are in flux.  Who ever starts a long journey like this does always finish it.  Detours along the what add time to being back in contention.

Let's not fool ourselves.   We are not that far from hearing "You have to trust the process.  Be patient."

Nobody's trying to blow smoke up any orifice here, fella. 

My point wasn't that this team was going to win the World Series next season. 

It was that this team would be fun to watch as early as next season (second half most likely)... and that we could become very pesky quicker than we might imagine, by being THAT good defensively, and by fielding a surprisingly good starting rotation. 

[Bradysburns]

38 minutes ago, Barnaby Graves said:

It's hard to type and laugh this hard at the same time... 

We shall see! Watch my prediction and tell me what a Pollyanna I was when we go on a 20-10 streak in August and September of next year.

[Barnaby Graves]

4 minutes ago, Bradysburns said:

It's hard to type and laugh this hard at the same time... 

We shall see! Watch my prediction and tell me what a Pollyanna I was when we go on a 20-10 streak in August and September of next year.

Oh and please don't think I'm rooting against your prediction.  I love the positivity.

Just, the pitching.  Good lord.  And I'm not reacting just to tonight.

But I thought they'd win less than 60 games in 2012 so...

Go ahead and quote the above sentence with your own reaction .gif, I earned that.  LOL!  You can't predict Orioles magic, after all.

[atomic]

7 hours ago, Ohfan67 said:

If Cobb and Cashner are good this fall, then they will be traded in the offseason or early next year. The Orioles will want to jettison their salaries. Bundy might be moved next year. 

Cobb won't be traded with his contract.  

This team will be awful next season.  We will still have 3 DHs in Mancini,  Trumbo and Davis.   

[Bradysburns]

4 hours ago, wildcard said:

When do you expect to see Grenier, Carmona and Encarnacion in the majors? And when will they be good?

Hard to say, of course. I could see a VERY outside shot at him getting a quick look next September if there's some kind of emergency, or if he's outperforming at Bowie (assuming he earns a promotion). I think the most likely scenario would be a Spring Training 2020 look, and a call-up that year, depending on countless circumstances that nobody would predict right now. 

But I could see Cedric Mullins AND Diaz up next year. That alone would change things. Apparently Villar will man second. I don't love Beckham's defense at shortstop, but it looks like we're stuck with it until Grenier is ready? Yikes. At third, Mountcastle may be as good as our third basemen this season... or better. Jace is flirting with the Mendoza line, too. 

Anyway, I'm definitely taking a positive view of the situation, but that's just for now. I'll get really dark about halfway through next season, screaming for them to bring up Victor Victor. (Hopefully)

Also, I'd spitball their target for "good" at second half of 2020. That's when they'll become irritants to the AL East kingpins... before they eventually take over the division. 

[Bradysburns]

4 minutes ago, atomic said:

Cobb won't be traded with his contract.  

This team will be awful next season.  We will still have 3 DHs in Mancini,  Trumbo and Davis.   

I wonder if Mancini doesn't get squeezed out by the next wave of outfielders. Diaz, Mullins and Hayes are the heirs apparent. If they play to their potential, Mancini can't compete defensively. I wonder if he could play fourth outfielder. Can he play right? I assume he can't play center, but could be wrong. 

[Spy Fox]

They need a LOT to develop to become good.

But I won't be surprised if they win more games next year than this year despite a younger and more anonymous roster. 

[hoosiers]

1 hour ago, Bradysburns said:

Hard to say, of course. I could see a VERY outside shot at him getting a quick look next September if there's some kind of emergency, or if he's outperforming at Bowie (assuming he earns a promotion). I think the most likely scenario would be a Spring Training 2020 look, and a call-up that year, depending on countless circumstances that nobody would predict right now. 

But I could see Cedric Mullins AND Diaz up next year. That alone would change things. Apparently Villar will man second. I don't love Beckham's defense at shortstop, but it looks like we're stuck with it until Grenier is ready? Yikes. At third, Mountcastle may be as good as our third basemen this season... or better. Jace is flirting with the Mendoza line, too. 

Anyway, I'm definitely taking a positive view of the situation, but that's just for now. I'll get really dark about halfway through next season, screaming for them to bring up Victor Victor. (Hopefully)

Also, I'd spitball their target for "good" at second half of 2020. That's when they'll become irritants to the AL East kingpins... before they eventually take over the division. 

It's okay to be optimistic, but really not at the expense of being realistic.

I wonder how many positions in our lineup/defense today you believe are better than ANY of their counterpart in NYY, Box, Tampa and Toronto.  I don't think we have one starter in our lineup/defense who I would take over what Tampa has.  This is not addressing the pitching staffs - where we have no Snell, Severino or Sale in sight.

Sure, we will close the gap at some positions when we bring up Diaz, Mullins and Hays and some others (Mountcastle) and develop a cheaper, more defensive oriented team that play good baseball, but there is a long, long way to go until we field our next competitive team.  There are no shortcuts.  

[wildcard]

7 hours ago, Bradysburns said:

Nobody's trying to blow smoke up any orifice here, fella. 

My point wasn't that this team was going to win the World Series next season. 

It was that this team would be fun to watch as early as next season (second half most likely)... and that we could become very pesky quicker than we might imagine, by being THAT good defensively, and by fielding a surprisingly good starting rotation. 

"good again"?

[wildcard]

6 hours ago, atomic said:

Cobb won't be traded with his contract.  

This team will be awful next season.  We will still have 3 DHs in Mancini,  Trumbo and Davis.   

4 Mountcastle

[mdbdotcom]

We've just begun the rebuild. What we do in the international market and the draft over the next two years (and in free agency after that) will have a lot to do with how quickly we can return to being a competitive team. The Phillies and Braves have become contenders in less time than was expected, but they don't play in the same division as the Yankees and Red Sox.

I'm hoping for an emerging team with a new core by 2020 and a competitive/contending team by 2021. Lots of moving parts. Fingers crossed.

[jtschrei]

I'm excited about the possibility of an improved outfield defense. Buck will have to cooperate, assuming he's back. 

I'm excited about the possibility of a better IF defense. DD will have to make some trades for that to happen. Beckham is not going to be plus or even average at SS or 3B. The Trumbo, Mountcastle, Mancini DH logjam has been mentioned. I might throw Renato Nunez in that too. 

I would be surprised if DD doesn't move Trumbo one way or another. I think Mancini or Mountcastle has to be moved too. They are redundant. 

[Dipper9]

2 hours ago, wildcard said:

4 Mountcastle

5 Beckham