Will the Orioles be better in 2019 than 2018?

[Diehard_O's_Fan]

I don't know about you guys but I believe the Orioles will be a better baseball team in 2019 compared to 2018. I honestly don't know how they could be any worse. If the Orioles play better defense and get good pitching out of Cobb, Bundy and Cashner, I definitely feel like they will be an improved team.

[now]

4 minutes ago, Diehard_O's_Fan said:

I don't know about you guys but I believe the Orioles will be a better baseball team in 2019 compared to 2018. I honestly don't know how they could be any worse. If the Orioles play better defense and get good pitching out of Cobb, Bundy and Cashner, I definitely feel like they will be an improved team.

You're right, they can hardly be worse, and the defense at least is bound to be better. I'm afraid I don't have much confidence in that rotation, however. On the one hand, it can hardly be worse; but better is also a stretch for those three, with Cobb IMO the most hopeful. I fearlessly/hopefully predict by midseason all three will be gone and we'll be seeing a new-look rotation. Bring it on!

[TonySoprano]

9 minutes ago, now said:

You're right, they can hardly be worse, and the defense at least is bound to be better. I'm afraid I don't have much confidence in that rotation, however. On the one hand, it can hardly be worse; but better is also a stretch for those three, with Cobb IMO the most hopeful. I fearlessly/hopefully predict by midseason all three will be gone and we'll be seeing a new-look rotation. Bring it on!

A little better all the time (It can't get no worse)
- Lennon/McCartney, 1967
 

[esmd]

As historically bad as they were it would be hard not to be better.  We'll see.

[Aristotelian]

Nowhere to go but up. Still, the single biggest liability (Davis) is still on the team for the forseeable future. I think we will be better defensively but I don't know where we will get offense without Manny, Schoop, and Jones. I would hope to get incremental improvement from Cobb and Bundy, but we will be filling the back end with replacement level guys. The bullpen will be pretty bad unless Bleier can continue his dominance and stay healthy, neither of which are given. I think we are in for a rough couple of years but it should not be hard to top 47 wins.

[Rene88]

20 minutes ago, esmd said:

As historically bad as they were it would be hard not to be better.  We'll see.

Honestly it shouldn’t matter to people. Keep your eye on the long term: improve international, player development, scouting, defense, get younger and most importantly: eliminate organizational dysfunction (firing Brady would be a good sign there). 

[Just Regular]

I think the scope of losing we're about to experience needs a multi-year perspective.  Here's the prop that I think may be a close bet while we're waiting for the next good team.

2011-2013 Astros: 324 losses (111, 107, 106)

2018-2020 Orioles: More or less than 324?  (115, x, x)

I do think next year's team will be better just by dint of youth and energy - I think there's psychobabble that pushes the implosion of old guys heartbroken by massive failure on the last ride beyond the worse that a batch of young guys trying to forge a little place in the game for themselves will produce even if their innate talent is replacement level.

[now]

1 hour ago, Rene88 said:

Honestly it shouldn’t matter to people. Keep your eye on the long term: improve international, player development, scouting, defense, get younger and most importantly: eliminate organizational dysfunction (firing Brady would be a good sign there). 

Yep, def'ly it's not about the wins now, for a while. I'll be excited to follow simply for the upward trend in talent, culture, energy & youth!

As for Brady, whatever. In Mike We Trust!

[wildcard]

If the O's are 10 games back in the Wild Card race by July (which they probably will be)  I expect a sell off.   Cobb, Cashner, Villar, Givens Trumbo and Bleier all gone.  They could lose a lot the last two months.

So I would say the record may be  close to the same but they will be more interesting to follow with the young players that will be joining the team.   Hays, Diaz, Kremer, Akin, Kline, Mountcastle.

[Tx Oriole]

2 hours ago, Diehard_O's_Fan said:

I don't know about you guys but I believe the Orioles will be a better baseball team in 2019 compared to 2018. I honestly don't know how they could be any worse. If the Orioles play better defense and get good pitching out of Cobb, Bundy and Cashner, I definitely feel like they will be an improved team.

Yes I believe they will too.

[Tx Oriole]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

Nowhere to go but up. Still, the single biggest liability (Davis) is still on the team for the forseeable future. I think we will be better defensively but I don't know where we will get offense without Manny, Schoop, and Jones. I would hope to get incremental improvement from Cobb and Bundy, but we will be filling the back end with replacement level guys. The bullpen will be pretty bad unless Bleier can continue his dominance and stay healthy, neither of which are given. I think we are in for a rough couple of years but it should not be hard to top 47 wins.

Yes he will be. But doesn't mean they have to play him every game.

[pastorfan]

2 hours ago, Diehard_O's_Fan said:

I don't know about you guys but I believe the Orioles will be a better baseball team in 2019 compared to 2018. I honestly don't know how they could be any worse. If the Orioles play better defense and get good pitching out of Cobb, Bundy and Cashner, I definitely feel like they will be an improved team.

I don't know, but we are aiming for the #1 pick two years in a row!

[Frobby]

As bad as the team was through July (.299 winning pct.), they were worse after the selloff (.272).    It’s not a very talented team.   You never know how the young guys may develop, but I think they could be just as bad, or at least, not meaningfully better.   But let’s see how the winter unfolds.  

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Frobby said:

As bad as the team was through July (.299 winning pct.), they were worse after the selloff (.272).    It’s not a very talented team.   You never know how the young guys may develop, but I think they could be just as bad, or at least, not meaningfully better.   But let’s see how the winter unfolds.  

With Buck gone I don't see them repeating finishing eight games under their pythag.

[bobmc]

6 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

With Buck gone I don't see them repeating finishing eight games under their pythag.

It will be interesting to see how Hyde manages after those years with Maddon.  He has no allegiance to any of the players so Davis won't be penciled in every day if he is not producing.  I wonder if he will have a Zobrist type versatile guy he plays all over.  I'm not sure we have such a player yet, unless it's Rios.  But agree that we will be what we are, nothing more, nothing less as he will get the most out of everyone (and we will unfortunately suck).  But it may be more fun watching it all unfold.