If there is a glimmer of hope I will not give up on this season

[wildcard]

Yeah, yeah the O's are coming off a 52 win season.  Every predicter has them finishing last.    But I like what I am seeing from the O's.  Yes at times they are playing the other teams 2nd team.   AAA players in some cases.  But here is what I like so far.

I like Mateo and Urias.   Mateo looks like a SS.  Great arm, moves well and he looks like he can handle the bat.  Urias can hit.  And he can play 2B/SS/3B.    What's not to like.

So far I feel good about Means, Lyles, Tyler Wells, Bradish and Lowther  as the starters competition goes on.   I think Grayson will be ready after a month in AAA.   

I am very impressed with Bautista.  There are a lot of relievers that could be good including Sulser,  Lopez, Scott, Tate, Perez, Baker, Fry, Lakins. I know its early but give me hope and  I will hang on to it.

A batting order of Mullins, Urias, Manicini, Adley, Mountcastle, Hays, Santander, Jones and Mateos right now sounds like it could produce runs.

I know its 7 days into ST and it will get tougher.   But I am glad to have O's baseball back and I will be rooting for them to do well.   

A glimmer of hope is all I need.

 

 

 

[NelsonCruuuuuz]

I said it when it happened (and everyone knows my thoughts on Elias), Mateo was a great pickup. Urias seems to have come ready too but his ceiling isn’t what Mateo’s is obviously.  Big fan of Mateo. I also want to see McKenna make the team and DJ Stewart waived, another awful first round pick.

[waroriole]

When I look at our pitching staff I only see darkness. No glimmer. 

[interloper]

Well said! Lot to be excited about this year and I cannot express how good it feels to simply watch and listen to some baseball. 

[NelsonCruuuuuz]

Just now, waroriole said:

When I look at our pitching staff I only see darkness. No glimmer. 

By design, which is what makes me sick.

[Yardball85]

32 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Yeah, yeah the O's are coming off a 52 win season.  Every predicter has them finishing last.    But I like what I am seeing from the O's.  Yes at times they are playing the other teams 2nd team.   AAA players in some cases.  But here is what I like so far.

I like Mateo and Urias.   Mateo looks like a SS.  Great arm, moves well and he looks like he can handle the bat.  Urias can hit.  And he can play 2B/SS/3B.    What's not to like.

So far I feel good about Means, Lyles, Tyler Wells, Bradish and Lowther  as the starters competition goes on.   I think Grayson will be ready after a month in AAA.   

I am very impressed with Bautista.  There are a lot of relievers that could be good including Sulser,  Lopez, Scott, Tate, Perez, Baker, Fry, Larkins. I know its early but give me hope and  I will hang on to it.

A batting order of Mullins, Urias, Manicini, Adley, Mountcastle, Hays, Santander, Jones and Mateos right now sounds like it could produce runs.

I know its 7 days into ST and it will get tougher.   But I am glad to have O's baseball back and I will be rooting for them to do well.   

A glimmer of hope is all I need.

 

 

 

For this season, no glimmer.  But for the development of the young core for future seasons, I absolutely see a glimmer. And I will be watching.   Also cause I just like watching baseball. 

[wildcard]

24 minutes ago, waroriole said:

When I look at our pitching staff I only see darkness. No glimmer. 

Keep watching.

[NelsonCruuuuuz]

4 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Keep watching.

Love reading your thoughts & analysis Sir. You  are a ray of light. Keep up the posts! 

 

[Sports Guy]

I really like Urias.  I’m hoping he causes them to have some real decisions on what to do at second base going forward.  

The glimmer of hope is what improvement do we see from the young players, particularly the pitchers.

Despite the record from last year and what many around here seem to forget is that there are already good players on this team, which is why it’s even more annoying that they didn’t do more to augment the team and make them better in 2022.

So yes, there is hope and by midseason hopefully Stowers, Hall and GRod have joined Adley up here.  
 

I think the player I’m most intrigued about is Mullins.  I know many feel he has turned the corner and last year is what he is but I don’t think so.  I think he has turned the corner of being an afterthought though and that he should now be a good player going forward.  It’s just, will he be a 2-3 WAR player or 4+ WAR?

[Hank Scorpio]

In terms of wins and losses.... eh, no. 

In terms of seeing what a #1 or #2 system can produce, of course. 

[jabba72]

Adley not being ready sets us back a few weeks, hopefully not longer, but if the rotation surprises (alot of moving pieces there) its not impossible this team wins 65-70 games. 

[Aristotelian]

2 hours ago, wildcard said:

Yeah, yeah the O's are coming off a 52 win season.  Every predicter has them finishing last.    But I like what I am seeing from the O's.  Yes at times they are playing the other teams 2nd team.   AAA players in some cases.  But here is what I like so far.

I like Mateo and Urias.   Mateo looks like a SS.  Great arm, moves well and he looks like he can handle the bat.  Urias can hit.  And he can play 2B/SS/3B.    What's not to like.

So far I feel good about Means, Lyles, Tyler Wells, Bradish and Lowther  as the starters competition goes on.   I think Grayson will be ready after a month in AAA.   

I am very impressed with Bautista.  There are a lot of relievers that could be good including Sulser,  Lopez, Scott, Tate, Perez, Baker, Fry, Larkins. I know its early but give me hope and  I will hang on to it.

A batting order of Mullins, Urias, Manicini, Adley, Mountcastle, Hays, Santander, Jones and Mateos right now sounds like it could produce runs.

I know its 7 days into ST and it will get tougher.   But I am glad to have O's baseball back and I will be rooting for them to do well.   

A glimmer of hope is all I need.

 

 

 

I always think back to '89 and even '12. Even as an O's fan I had no idea those teams would be .500 much less contend to make the playoffs. No matter how bad the team looks on paper they have to play the games.

Why don't you have Zimmerman in the rotation? Seems like he earned a long look as long as he is healthy. Also Akin seemed to do enough down the stretch to be worth another look. The bullpen was so bad last year I would be inclined to keep Wells there and give more looks to Zimmerman, Akin, and possibly Bauman, while keeping Wells in a role where he is much needed and had success.

I agree the lineup could be decent. The pitching has got to improve. I don't know where improvement is going to come from until Grayson is brought into the mix. They can't be as bad as they were last year, can they? 

[wildcard]

9 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

I always think back to '89 and even '12. Even as an O's fan I had no idea those teams would be .500 much less contend to make the playoffs. No matter how bad the team looks on paper they have to play the games.

Why don't you have Zimmerman in the rotation? Seems like he earned a long look as long as he is healthy. Also Akin seemed to do enough down the stretch to be worth another look. The bullpen was so bad last year I would be inclined to keep Wells there and give more looks to Zimmerman, Akin, and possibly Bauman, while keeping Wells in a role where he is much needed and had success.

I agree the lineup could be decent. The pitching has got to improve. I don't know where improvement is going to come from until Grayson is brought into the mix. They can't be as bad as they were last year, can they? 

You could be right on the pitching.  I just picked who has started well in ST.   SSS so it will probably change for me as the season goes on.

[Too Tall]

Thanks Wildcard, you always seem to pick me up when I just get so tired of all the negativity.  I appreciate you trying to pump something besides doom and gloom around here. There is one Bash The Orioles thread but most wind up that way even when started with different intensions. I know the Orioles have warts, but I like to hear/think about possibillities at times rather than read all the "experts" who constantly vocalize their ongoing requiem. Another two weeks and - PLAY BALL!

[Ripken]

Wake me when Adley is playing again.  It's bad enough Heston has another lengthy recovery.