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

[Frobby]

4 minutes ago, wildcard said:

What bothers you about Hyde as a strategist?

First of all, I said “mixed feelings.”   It’s not like I think he’s a terrible strategist or anything.   

I didn’t like the way he used Givens last year.    I don’t know what he saw in Sulser to make him the closer.   I find some of his batting orders rather odd.    Those are a few things.   

That said, I’ll worry more about those kinds of things when the team is actually good.    Right now this is about setting a good working environment and helping players develop, and I feel Hyde is doing that.    

[Aristotelian]

7 minutes ago, ChosenOne21 said:

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

He's even had a few stroke of genius moves like using Davis as defense sub for Nunez to play the bunt in extra innings. I agree with your take, I can at least see the reasoning behind every move.

[joelala]

1 hour 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.   

Me too. And as a first-time manager, I also have hope he learns from his strategic mistakes and grows in that area as well. 
 

 

[Roll Tide]

44 minutes ago, Frobby said:

First of all, I said “mixed feelings.”   It’s not like I think he’s a terrible strategist or anything.   

I didn’t like the way he used Givens last year.    I don’t know what he saw in Sulser to make him the closer.   I find some of his batting orders rather odd.    Those are a few things.   

That said, I’ll worry more about those kinds of things when the team is actually good.    Right now this is about setting a good working environment and helping players develop, and I feel Hyde is doing that.    

I have questioned some of the lineups for sure. This would be my lineup next year without the current group.

Alberto 2B

Iglesias SS

Santander RF

Nunez DH

Mountcastle 1B

Severino/Sisco C

Hays LF

Ruiz 3B

Mullins CF
 

If Mancini returns he would be my 1B. If Valaika hits and Ruiz doesn’t I’d play him at 3B. And Ruiz would be gone. 
 

 

 

 

 

[Sports Guy]

Before all of the covid bs happened and I(we) thought this would be a normal baseball season, I was excited for the potential of the 2020 team.

Many people believed that this year was another tank season.  They saw this as another year where Elias was purposely going to put an awful team on the field to gain a high pick.

I never felt that way.  Now, I thought the team was likely going to pick somewhere in the top 10 but I saw 2020 as far different than 2019.  2019 was a tank job (which I was fine with).  Part of the reason 2019 was a tank job was because none of these young players were ready yet.  Elias really didn’t have anyone to go to.  He wanted these players to work with the new technology, coaches, etc..they had to spend time fixing the issues of the past regime.

To me, this was always going to be the year where we started to see some of these kids up here.

My original thought was that I was excited for the pen.  The combo of Armstrong, Tate, Scott and Harvey was intriguing to me.  But going to beyond that, I felt that Mountcastle was going to be up shortly after they were able to gain the extra year of service time.  I also felt that we would start to see the young pitchers in the early part of the year and throughout the rest of the season.  I also felt Diaz would be up.

The team may not have won a lot of games but they were going to be a younger, much more exciting team that I believe was going to start showing you signs that contention wasn’t as far away as many believed.

Obviously covid ruined not only these things but also the continued development of our big 3 prospects.  That was obviously disappointing but it is what it is.
 

However, what we are now starting to see, albeit in a SSS, is that the reason for excitement is warranted.  It’s “guarded excitement” because the sample size is so small but those BP arms are pitching well, Mountcastle is raking and we are seeing those young arms performing well.  
 

2021, provided everything is back to normal, is going to be an interesting season. To me, that season has always been earmarked as a calm before the storm so to speak..ie, a season where the team wins 75ish games but is ready to take the leap into a legit contender after that.  To get that legit contender level, they need Adley, Hall, Kjerstad and GRod to become the stud players they think they can be.  If that happens, you now add elite talent to good to very good talent and now you have the makings of a real team.

 

[SteveA]

15 minutes ago, Roll Tide said:

I have questioned some of the lineups for sure. This would be my lineup next year without the current group.

Alberto 2B

Iglesias SS

Santander RF

Nunez DH

Mountcastle 1B

Severino/Sisco C

Hays LF

Ruiz 3B

Mullins CF
 

If Mancini returns he would be my 1B. If Valaika hits and Ruiz doesn’t I’d play him at 3B. And Ruiz would be gone. 
 

 

 

 

 

The problem with Mountcastle at 1B is lack of experience.  They aren't going to toss him to a new position without significant work there.  Plus I hate to see a good young hitter start out at one of the weakest spots in the defensive  spectrum because players career arcs typically only move in one direction on the spectrum.  It appears he is a solid leftfielder I think he should play left, not move to first because we have a glut of potential OFs.  He is likely the best hitter on our team over the next 5 years.   Put him in his best position and go from there. 

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, SteveA said:

The problem with Mountcastle at 1B is lack of experience.  They aren't going to toss him to a new position without significant work there.  Plus I hate to see a good young hitter start out at one of the weakest spots in the defensive  spectrum because players career arcs typically only move in one direction on the spectrum.  It appears he is a solid leftfielder I think he should play left, not move to first because we have a glut of potential OFs.  He is likely the best hitter on our team over the next 5 years.   Put him in his best position and go from there. 

Right, like with Wilkerson last season.

[21xxxv]

59 minutes ago, Roll Tide said:

I have questioned some of the lineups for sure. This would be my lineup next year without the current group.

Alberto 2B

Iglesias SS

Santander RF

Nunez DH

Mountcastle 1B

Severino/Sisco C

Hays LF

Ruiz 3B

Mullins CF
 

If Mancini returns he would be my 1B. If Valaika hits and Ruiz doesn’t I’d play him at 3B. And Ruiz would be gone. 
 

 

 

 

 

Hays makes Jeffrey Hammonds look like the 'Iron Man'.  Zero confidence in this kid not walking to the car and pulling a hammy.

[Moose Milligan]

There's a chance that we look back on the 2020 season as evidence of when you could start seeing things come together.

 

[Roll Tide]

1 hour ago, SteveA said:

The problem with Mountcastle at 1B is lack of experience.  They aren't going to toss him to a new position without significant work there.  Plus I hate to see a good young hitter start out at one of the weakest spots in the defensive  spectrum because players career arcs typically only move in one direction on the spectrum.  It appears he is a solid leftfielder I think he should play left, not move to first because we have a glut of potential OFs.  He is likely the best hitter on our team over the next 5 years.   Put him in his best position and go from there. 

Mountcastle was a SS, I have no doubt he can handle 1B ... Honestly, I’d also be willing to try him at 3B. 
 

We do have a glut ... Mancini, Hays, Mullins, Mountcastle, Santander

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Roll Tide said:

Mountcastle was a SS, I have no doubt he can handle 1B ... Honestly, I’d also be willing to try him at 3B. 
 

We do have a glut ... Mancini, Hays, Mullins, Mountcastle, Santander

They did try him at third.  The arm doesn't play at third.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=mountc000rya

[SteveA]

Just now, Roll Tide said:

Mountcastle was a SS, I have no doubt he can handle 1B ... Honestly, I’d also be willing to try him at 3B. 

I don't doubt he could handle it.  But is it what is best?

If you think it is his best position moving forward, ok.  But if it is just a way to deal with what appears to be a glut of OFs who MIGHT be MLB keepers (Mountcastle, Stewart, Hays, Mullins, Santander, Diaz), I don't think it's smart to jerk around the guy who is likely the best of the group.

[eddie83]

This is a fun time to be a real fan of the team. There are still many flaws and those would be exposed even more over 162. That said it’s great to be able to see what’s ahead. 

Nothing is worse in sports than a veteran team past their prime. Last year I thought the team competed well. Now we are seeing maturation of some of those players plus seeing some legit young talent arriving. Can’t wait until Opening Day next year when hopefully we can go to the stadium and watch this team. That said 20 games to go and I’m looking forward to it.  

[now]

11 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.

If it makes you feel any better, Mike Wright never led all the minor leagues in strikeouts, as Kremer did in 2018.

[ArtVanDelay]

14 hours ago, GuidoSarducci said:

Its good they had nice starts but I still think its early to judge, especially the pitchers.   Daniel Cabrera's debut was 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R. 

 

 

Mike Wright making Pujols and Trout look silly in his debut comes to mind.  Hopefully Akin and Kremer have much better careers than Wright and Cabrera.