It happens every spring

[luismatos4prez]

Last years rotation in spring training was 

Bundy, Cobb, Cashner, Hess, and Karns (opener)

Means, Straily, J. Rogers, Y. Ramirez, Wright, and Ynoa were long relief and SP depth.

This year's rotation in spring training is something like

Means, Cobb, Wojo, LeBlanc, Milone

Stewart, Akin, Bailey, Rucker, Kremer, Zimmermann, and Hess are long relief and SP depth options. 

Just a couple months into the 2019 season, 8 of those 11 spring training arms were done for the year or getting consistently shelled. The Orioles had 3 decent SPs and no viable options behind them.

Just like last year, the rotation is thin and the depth options are young and unproven. But I think we'd all agree that the depth options have more potential than last year's group. What do you think? Is the SP situation improved or will the warehouse be scrambling around the waiver wire for Tom Eshelmans and Tayler Scotts this summer?

[HowAboutThat]

2 hours ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Sign Puig? 

No

[scOtt]

20 minutes ago, luismatos4prez said:

Last years rotation in spring training was 

Bundy, Cobb, Cashner, Hess, and Karns (opener)

Means, Straily, J. Rogers, Y. Ramirez, Wright, and Ynoa were long relief and SP depth.

This year's rotation in spring training is something like

Means, Cobb, Wojo, LeBlanc, Milone

Stewart, Akin, Bailey, Rucker, Kremer, Zimmermann, and Hess are long relief and SP depth options. 

Just a couple months into the 2019 season, 8 of those 11 spring training arms were done for the year or getting consistently shelled. The Orioles had 3 decent SPs and no viable options behind them.

Just like last year, the rotation is thin and the depth options are young and unproven. But I think we'd all agree that the depth options have more potential than last year's group. What do you think? Is the SP situation improved or will the warehouse be scrambling around the waiver wire for Tom Eshelmans and Tayler Scotts this summer?

Both I think. I think they're improved but they'll never stop watching the waiver wire.

 

Side note, I have a little bit of hope for David Hess. He worked out this offseason at the same place as Means. P3? Not that they have any magic formula, no more so than any of the other good training facilities, but they sure did help Means. Fingers crossed they made something click for Hess.

[bobmc]

5 hours ago, Frobby said:

After a long, gloomy winter in which I have exuded realism about the Orioles’ near term future, spring training has arrived and I am growing more optimistic daily based on the incessantly positive remarks coming from Brandon Hyde, Doug Brocail and a litany of players.    Lord it makes me happy!    The hell with realism, there will be plenty of time for that later!

I know!  I feels it!  Bailey and Rucker both make the ro' with Cobb, Means and Wo'.  We don't need no other mo fo'!  CD will be just a memory while Ryan, Hays, Santander and Trey fill our hearts with glee!

"Whan that Aprile with hise sweete shoures soote the droghte that March hath perced to the roote"

Than langen folke to go on pilgrimmages!  C'mon Opening Day already!  

[Aristotelian]

Even losing, last place, 100 loss baseball is better than no baseball. On Opening Day we will be tied for first. Can't wait!

[SteveA]

7 hours ago, Pickles said:

Optimism is cowardice.

Oswald Spengler

Man, I didn't know the Harold Ramos character in Ghostbusters was so deep.

[atomic]

Here some reason for hope.  The Orioles had a total of 17.2 WAR last season they traded away 3 players who provided 9 WAR for absolutely nothing.  That leaves them with 8.2 returning WAR.   They added an infielder who had 2 WAR last season.  So that puts them at 10 WAR.   

Their Pythagorean was 60 Wins last year.  They should be under that this year.  They haven't added any significant pitching while subtracting 2 decent starters. They don't have a bunch of prospects starters ready to step in.  

 

[Il BuonO]

50 minutes ago, atomic said:

Here some reason for hope.  The Orioles had a total of 17.2 WAR last season they traded away 3 players who provided 9 WAR for absolutely nothing.  That leaves them with 8.2 returning WAR.   They added an infielder who had 2 WAR last season.  So that puts them at 10 WAR.   

Their Pythagorean was 60 Wins last year.  They should be under that this year.  They haven't added any significant pitching while subtracting 2 decent starters. They don't have a bunch of prospects starters ready to step in.  

Come on, come on! No faith in LeBlanc and Milone?

 

Don’t answer that.

[HowAboutThat]

1 hour ago, atomic said:

Here some reason for hope.  The Orioles had a total of 17.2 WAR last season they traded away 3 players who provided 9 WAR for absolutely nothing.  That leaves them with 8.2 returning WAR.   They added an infielder who had 2 WAR last season.  So that puts them at 10 WAR.   

Their Pythagorean was 60 Wins last year.  They should be under that this year.  They haven't added any significant pitching while subtracting 2 decent starters. They don't have a bunch of prospects starters ready to step in.  

 

I think the prediction is for 66.

[tntoriole]

Yes, perhaps the heady optimism of spring can translate into a more pleasant season...but adding Tommy Milone is not quite as hope inducing as adding Gerrit Cole.    Still..you got to lose to know how to win...dream on.dream until your dreams come true.. 

 

[Frobby]

12 hours ago, atomic said:

Here some reason for hope.  The Orioles had a total of 17.2 WAR last season they traded away 3 players who provided 9 WAR for absolutely nothing.  That leaves them with 8.2 returning WAR.   They added an infielder who had 2 WAR last season.  So that puts them at 10 WAR.   

Their Pythagorean was 60 Wins last year.  They should be under that this year.  They haven't added any significant pitching while subtracting 2 decent starters. They don't have a bunch of prospects starters ready to step in.  

 

Look, I’m in the middle of building up some pre-season optimism here!    I’ve been saying all winter they looked like a 55-60 win team to me, which seems to be exactly what you’re saying.    But now it’s spring training, so now’s the time to concoct scenarios where they are better this year.   And those scenarios always exist.   “Realism” doesn’t tell you that John Means will finish second in the rookie of the year voting, but it happened.     Basically, there are always scenarios where a lot of things go right and not much goes wrong, and the team turns out better than expected.    This is the time of year to hope for that.    

For me the optimistic scenarios mostly center on run prevention.   The defense should be stronger up the middle with Alberto playing the majority of games at 2B, Iglesias the everyday SS, and Hays getting most of the starts in CF.     I think the bullpen is absolutely bound to be better, as last year was pretty much the worst case scenario.    It’s the starting rotation where you have to hope for some optimistic scenarios.    They exist if you look for them.    But I’m not going to spin them out now before any spring games have been played.    
 

[atomic]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Look, I’m in the middle of building up some pre-season optimism here!    I’ve been saying all winter they looked like a 55-60 win team to me, which seems to be exactly what you’re saying.    But now it’s spring training, so now’s the time to concoct scenarios where they are better this year.   And those scenarios always exist.   “Realism” doesn’t tell you that John Means will finish second in the rookie of the year voting, but it happened.     Basically, there are always scenarios where a lot of things go right and not much goes wrong, and the team turns out better than expected.    This is the time of year to hope for that.    

For me the optimistic scenarios mostly center on run prevention.   The defense should be stronger up the middle with Alberto playing the majority of games at 2B, Iglesias the everyday SS, and Hays getting most of the starts in CF.     I think the bullpen is absolutely bound to be better, as last year was pretty much the worst case scenario.    It’s the starting rotation where you have to hope for some optimistic scenarios.    They exist if you look for them.    But I’m not going to spin them out now before any spring games have been played.    
 

The main optimism I see is the Red Sox won't be making much of an effort this season.  That should help the team. 

[Pickles]

16 hours ago, SteveA said:

Man, I didn't know the Harold Ramos character in Ghostbusters was so deep.

Is that in Ghostbusters?  Now, that's a movie I haven't seen in a long time.

Oh, I'm sure Ramis knew all about it.  

[Frobby]

25 minutes ago, atomic said:

The main optimism I see is the Red Sox won't be making much of an effort this season.  That should help the team. 

Shrug.    First of all, I doubt Boston will be that bad.    Second, I think Toronto will be better than they were last year.    Third, no matter how good New York is, we figure to do better than going 2-17 against them and being outscored 151-83.   

[sportsfan8703]

4 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Shrug.    First of all, I doubt Boston will be that bad.    Second, I think Toronto will be better than they were last year.    Third, no matter how good New York is, we figure to do better than going 2-17 against them and being outscored 151-83.   

Idk. If they time it right Cole could go 5-0 just against us. 
 

My optimistic thought is that we have a pretty solid lineup. Even after losing Villar, and holding Mountcastle back. 
 

Ruiz is a sleeper to have a good year.