Elias expects hitting to be good and pitching to struggle

[Going Underground]

19 minutes ago, LTO's said:

I’ve said it before and it seems hyperbolic but the situation that Elias and co. took over may have been the worst a new GM has inherited ever. Or at least as far as I can remember. Bare bones analytic dept, no amateur international pipeline, terrible ML team with bad contracts, owners completely unwilling to spend more on the ML roster and practically no good pitching prospects close to the majors. Oh, and the division is the best it’s possibly ever been too to bottom.

By the grace of God they found something with Means and his change up and Mullins could be an actual difference maker but besides that there was nothing near the ML level to help this team. The frustration makes sense to me in the sense that these are all guys that the previous regime traded for or were just generally very high on and they are just flat out terrible pitchers. I don’t know how many times under DD I heard reporters quote people in the org saying how good Akin was going to be. Just an absolute dumpster fire of a front office.

So if DL Hall and Grayson Rodriguez pan out ,Dan gets credit for drafting them?

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

So if DL Hall and Grayson Rodriguez pan out ,Dan gets credit for drafting them?

Credit probably should go to Rajisch.

[UMDTerrapins]

I like the way it’s shaking out. Seems like Kremer gets sent down and the other guys fight for rotation spots, with the losers in the pen. They have a short window to prove themselves now. This is all positive movement IMO. A Means/Rodriguez/Hall/T. Wells/Bradish rotation in the second half of the season would be a lot of fun (yes I’ve excluded Lyles). 

[jabba72]

With the decision to place Kremer in the rotation I can see why Elias expects the pitching to struggle this year. Hoping Kremer's leash is short, like maybe 2 starts. But he'll probably keep getting chances until Bradish or Grod are ready. 

[higgybaby]

I like the straight talk for once. 

[LTO's]

24 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

So if DL Hall and Grayson Rodriguez pan out ,Dan gets credit for drafting them?

They were high schoolers not near the ML level which is what I was referring to if you read my comment. The AA-AAA contingent that Elias inherited were probably the worst in the sport. This is what happens when you trade guys like Davies and Erod for rentals, don’t draft/develop pitchers well and completely phone it with your trades at the deadline in 2018. 

 

[Tony-OH]

39 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Well, the results could still be bad if Kremer, Akin, and others get 100+ innings and prove they aren't major leaguers.

But I'd still rather give innings to them to find out than to some of the guys we gave innings to last year.

Truth. I'm more hopeful of Zimmermann, T. Wells, Lowther and Baumann getting more of those innings with Kremer and Akin working more in long relief. Hopefully they can hold down those innings until Grayson Rodriguez and Bradish are ready to take on some.

[UMDTerrapins]

I'd consider trying out Akin in short relief for a while. Just a gut feeling that we have a better chance finding value from him in a different role. 

[Frobby]

2 hours ago, interloper said:

He ain't wrong. Pretty funny to hear him say it though. You get the impression that he might be just as disappointed in what those guys did last year as fans. It was not an ideal development year for any of those guys except Zimmermann. 

Glad to have him say so.   Give them a public challenge.   

[OriolesMagic83]

5 hours ago, SteveA said:

Last year at this time, at AAA & the majors, we had Felix Hernandez, Matt Harvey, Adam Plutko, Wade Leblanc, Spenser Watkins, Cesar Valdez, Chris Ellis, Fernando Abad, Mickey Jannis, Dusten Knight, Connor Wade, Jay Flaa, Thomas Eshelman, Eric Hanhold, Brooks Kriske, and Brandon Waddell.   All 27 or older, none considered  prospects, and all but King Felix wound up pitching for our team last year.

Looks like all but Ellis and Watkins are gone, and I don't think we have replaced the others with a bunch of 27+ non-prospects.   (We did sign Lyles, but he is a healthy, established major leaguer, which none of the names above were).

The results might not be any better, but at least the innings most of those guys had last year will be pitched by guys who still have some small sliver of potential to help us in the next few years.   

That's a good sign, IMO.   

A lot of innings this year are going to be pitched by marginal prospects and guys who have failed before.  I still see that as better than giving tons of innings to guys on their last legs in the majors and random waiver wire claims.  That list of guys you gave at the beginning of your post was just ugly.  I don't think the O's will see many guys like LeBlance, Flaa, Kriske and Eshelman getting innings.  O's will not have the worst pitching in the majors this year, calling it now.

I saw a show where the O's starters were rated 26th in the majors.  I believe the Rangers were 29th or 30th.  $500 million in position player contracts is only going to help the Rangers so much. 

 

[interloper]

Lowther today showed why there is some frustration with this group. Totally non competitive against the Pirates.

Zimmermann too you expect better than what he showed, but at least he didn't walk a million guys. 

[John h]

Not sure what else he can say before the season starts, but saying are offense is good is very optimistic.  Our offense is not in the same zip code with any of the teams in our division.  If our offense is league average, I would be happy.  Yes, it is in much better shape than our pitching to start the season.  Hopefully, the young pitching prospects will close the gap in the second half of the season.

[Sports Guy]

8 hours ago, interloper said:

Lowther today showed why there is some frustration with this group. Totally non competitive against the Pirates.

Zimmermann too you expect better than what he showed, but at least he didn't walk a million guys. 

Just depends on what your realistic expectations are.
 

I expect them to look good at times, terrible at others and mediocre the rest of the time.  Basically, if they are starters, I expect them to be 4.5-5 ERA starters who, given 30 starts, would give you 140ish IP. 
 

There is some value in that but it’s also easily replaceable and it’s why all of these guys are likely destinated for the pen or ultimate failure.  If they are lucky, one of that group turns into a back end starter or a good opener type pitcher.

[wildcard]

I'm watching to see what they do with Baumann.   Rotation, long relief, middle relief,  back of the pen or send him to AAA?    He is the best  of the bunch if Elias is mentioning him with Zimmerman, Akins, Lowther and Kremer.

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, wildcard said:

I'm watching to see what they do with Baumann.   Rotation, long relief, middle relief,  back of the pen or send him to AAA?    He is the best  of the bunch if Elias is mentioning him with Zimmerman, Akins, Lowther and Kremer.

It’s idiotic to send him down.  Right now, roles don’t really matter because outside of Means and maybe Lyles, no one is pitching more than 3 or 4 innings for most of this month.