Today might be the best I’ve felt about the Orioles in four years

[yark14]

I posted a similar statement yesterday and will do so today: this team is pretty decent.  It is very clear that they are much better prepared and placed in situations best suited for them to succeed because of the much better analytics and scouting that this front office and coaching staff has.  Our future is very bright with the core group we have right now.  The Negative Nancies can turn off the TV and go plant a garden or something.

Edited September 7, 2020 by yark14

[oriolesacox]

It was certainly a lot of fun watching Kremer, Scott, and Harvey all pitch today. Looks like the plan is slowly coming together!

[Ridgway22]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

The back to back outings of Akin and Kremer, and emergence of Mountcastle the last two weeks and even the short outburst of Stewart just has me feeling like maybe this team has a future. 

I was trying to decide whether the giddy feeling was Akin / Kremer / Mountcastle or the extra beverage, adult, i decided to enjoy this Sunday, or a faint hint of.... joy? happiness? oh wait, it may have been optimism,  which has been in short supply these last seasons.....

A couple years ago, I saw Mountcastle in the AFL, and he appeared to swing at every first pitch, barrel one once in awhile, but appeared to be easily exploitable. I had images of Adam Jones flailing at sliders in the dirt 6 inches off the plate. Blah.

But watching Ryan now, he seems to have an eye, laying off some nasty stuff, actually pretty impressive. The only thing, to my untrained eye, is that he seems to not reach the belt high, outside corner pitches, its like his bat doesn't go that far. But dang if he doesn't appear to be an outstanding breaking ball hitter, with composure, and he does not appear to be overmatched. He's taken walks, driven the ball, and has not offended anyone in left field. Color me impressed.

My optimism for Kremer and Akin are weighted down by the millstone of Mike Wright, and his first two starts back in 2015. 14.3 scoreless innings, 7 hits, 3 bb, 10 k's. We know what the next chapters of that book read like.

With the premium prospects on the horizon, some budgetary room for a couple free agents, I'm coming out of the competitive coma, slowly, but paying attention.

Maybe one more and watch the highlights. 

 

[survivedc]

1 hour ago, Philip said:

I was looking for wildcard’s enthusiastic  post, because I think this comment would be best posted there, but this is as good a place as any, I suppose.
 

This is not the team that started the season, let’s look at the additions and subtractions:

In the position department, we lost Davis( Let Joy be unconfined!)Smith, Hays, Santander, And, on the infield, Iglesias for a time.

We've added Mountcastle, Stewart, Iglesias, Mullins, Velasquez, Williams.

Mountcastle hasn’t been challenged on defense yet, and Stewart had one misplay off the wall that didn’t cost too much. If Stewart is finding his stroke to match his excellent eye, and Mullins and Williams keep contributing on defense, that’s at least equal to the Smith/Hays/Santander  group.

We really missed Iglesias in the infield, but he’s back so the infield is stable. Ruiz is faltering, but Valaika can replace him at 3rd, maybe?

Overall, the position players are a better group.

but the pitching seems to have really improved enough to make a difference in the rest of the season.

If we can go 11 and 10 the rest of the way, we finish at .500. But because we’re playing the Yankees and Blue Jays so much, if we finish 11 and 10 it will be against them in large part, so we could conceivably pass them both, and Yankees have real injury problems, and might be vulnerable.

While we wait for Wildcard’s enthusiastic post, can you provide your TLDR post?

[Philip]

31 minutes ago, survivedc said:

While we wait for Wildcard’s enthusiastic post, can you provide your TLDR post?

TLDR?

you lost me.

[Aristotelian]

First series win against the Yankees in a long time, you bet it feels good. I was more impressed with Kremer than with Akin. I still believe he may be the most valuable piece in the Manny trade even though Diaz was higher ranked. 

[ChipTait]

42 minutes ago, Philip said:

TLDR?

you lost me.

Too Long, Didn’t Read

 

[wildcard]

I am having a hard time putting my feeling together about where the O's are at the 2/3s mark in the season.  40 played, 20 to go.  The O's are 2 out of a playoff spot.  They are not supposed to be here.  But they are.

However, 8 of the next 20 are against the Rays and Braves.  Two of the best teams in baseball.  

The injuries are concerning.  Hyde says he put Wojo in the  pen which indicates that he has 5 that are better in the rotation.  However, Cobb is on the COVID IL, at least we think he is.  They don't talk about it so who knows where he is health wise and how long it will be untill he returns?

Means increased his velocity and loses his control.  Lopez is a complete unknown.  His history is bad but his stuff looks good. Two rookies have pitched out of their minds vs a depleted Yankee lineup.  What am I supposed to think about the rotation?

Iglesias has been an unexpected force in the lineup when healthy.  Hyde say his health needs to be managed through he reason of the season.  Translated that seem to mean he will only be at SS 1/3 to 1/2 the time.  The rest of the time it will be no hit Valezquez, who is good defensively or Valiaka who can hit but doesn't have the range at short of the other two.  

Nunez and Mullins are day  to day.  Hays is on a rounding 10 days till he returns.  Ruiz is showing some life in his bat after I left it for dead.  

The pen looks solid even without Givens and Castro.  Mountcastle, Stewart, Akin and Kremer are inspiring.    The future looks bright which is what Elias is most focused on.   I don't question that.

Its the present pennant race that I can't quite wrap my head around.  I guess I should just be thankful that the O's are in this position at all.  Just sit back an watch it unfold without expectation.   Guard my heart if that is possible.  

The hurdles to the end of the season are high.   At the moment its pennant race baseball.  Who would have thought it possible.  I dreamed it. But now here it is.  Kinda.  It seems a long way from 108 loses but in reality it was only 40 games ago.  

I guess the thing that matters most is that the organization that Elias put together is proving it can develop players.  Pitchers and position players.   That has not happened for the O's in a long time.  And according to reports there are bunch of Dudes in Bowie.  A great future to look forward to.

[Roll Tide]

I’m personally excited to see some competent starting pitching coming from our minor league system.

If Means can get back on track we have  3/5s of our starting rotation nailed down going into next season. Cobb would obviously fill out the 4th spot if not dealt. Then you’d have López, Eshelman,  Baumann, and  Lowther  To battle for the 5th.

If we have a competent rotation this team has the potential to win.

[Just Regular]

The other thing I'll add is this holiday off day to savor the last 3 games is so enjoyable in part because the right moves still happened last week.   If Milone, Givens and Castro had helped the club to these same results, today wouldn't be as much fun.

The Mountcastle debut was a watershed insofar as he's the first legitimately good piece of the Next Good Team to get here - Means and Santander still have more of the burden of proof on them, even now.   Hunter Harvey doesn't get to play this game until he can make it 10 innings without hurting himself.   Akin and Kremer are probably more like Means/Santander than Mountcastle, but that's small beer as the Next Good Team needs as many solid players as it can get.

[Frobby]

9 hours ago, joelala said:

There’s a lot of positive energy around the team right now. I think we should give some credit to Hyde here too. I may have underestimated him. 

I have mixed feelings about Hyde as a strategist, but no reservations whatsoever regarding the tone he sets for the team.   He was an excellent choice and I hope he’s still here when the team turns the corner.   

[Frobby]

7 hours ago, Ridgway22 said:

My optimism for Kremer and Akin are weighted down by the millstone of Mike Wright, and his first two starts back in 2015. 14.3 scoreless innings, 7 hits, 3 bb, 10 k's. We know what the next chapters of that book read like.

Forgetting their major league debuts, I never considered Wright to be as good a prospect as either Kremer or Akin.    His dominance in his first couple of starts came as a complete surprise to me.   

Kremer and Akin have a better assortment of pitches, and especially better composure and mound presence than Wright.    I expect both to have much better careers than Wright.    But of course, that’s a very low bar.  There’s a big gap between -1.4 rWAR, 6.00 ERA and Effective Major League Pitcher.   

Just on a quick first look, I like Kremer’s chances of being a solid major league starter a bit more than Akin’s.    His stuff is more impressive.   But I really like how both comport themselves on the mound.   

 

 

[wildcard]

41 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I have mixed feelings about Hyde as a strategist, but no reservations whatsoever regarding the tone he sets for the team.   He was an excellent choice and I hope he’s still here when the team turns the corner.   

What bothers you about Hyde as a strategist?

[ChosenOne21]

43 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I have mixed feelings about Hyde as a strategist, but no reservations whatsoever regarding the tone he sets for the team.   He was an excellent choice and I hope he’s still here when the team turns the corner.   

Maybe it's just easier to manage your lineup/bullpen with expanded rosters, but the other day I realized Hyde has made very few hard-to-justify decisions with regards to such. Makes me think he might actually be a pretty good field marshal after all

[ScGO's]

Why not?