Raise your hand if you think Watkins was a better choice than Bradish?

[Can_of_corn]

38 minutes ago, Bmorebirds24 said:

Are you more confident with where the organization is as a whole now rather than where they were 4 years ago? 

Nope.  Three years ago I was.

I don't see the current situation leading to the playoffs.

[Tony-OH]

5 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

Yep.  The concept of the “cupboard was bare” is a joke.  He certainly didn’t walk into a great situation and ownership is no picnic but there was talent to work with, the #1 pick was given to him(and a high draft pool) and he had very little in the way of bad contracts to sift through.  The long term payroll flexibility was always there even if he never dealt Cobb or Davis retired, etc…

Both Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall were already in the system. Mountcastle, Mullins, Mancini, Means, Santander, and Hays were all in the system or at the beginning of their careers when Elias took over. The cupboard was not bare.

[Frobby]

14 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Both Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall were already in the system. Mountcastle, Mullins, Mancini, Means, Santander, and Hays were all in the system or at the beginning of their careers when Elias took over. The cupboard was not bare.

Yeah, I agree with this.   It was a bottom-third system and you can argue about where in the bottom third it belonged, but it was not completely devoid of talent.   Still, there is no doubt Elias inherited a very bad situation.  

[Tony-OH]

1 hour ago, Bmorebirds24 said:

Are you more confident with where the organization is as a whole now rather than where they were 4 years ago? 

I am overall, but I do have some concerns over the development of pitching, and Elias and Sig's ability to identify the right talent that can win ball games at the major league level. We also don't know if Elias can swing trades of prospects to fill the holes needed at the major league level.

This should be a transition year where the Orioles should be trying to win games, but also evaluating their major league ready talent so they know what holes to fill next offseason. 

I'm on board that Elias has done a very good job of bringing in offensive prospects into the organization through the draft and the International signings, and the technologies and systems that should give the players every opportunities to improve. 

Sayin that, it's time to start winning at the major league level this year. This is the year I want us in that 70-win area, but more importantly, I want guys being used in the positions and situations that they will be used in next year and in the future because that's when they need to be a contender.

The transition of Akin and Baumann to the bullpen were good signs but Bradish needs to be up here and probably Lowther at some point. 

 

[Sports Guy]

56 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Both Grayson Rodriguez and DL Hall were already in the system. Mountcastle, Mullins, Mancini, Means, Santander, and Hays were all in the system or at the beginning of their careers when Elias took over. The cupboard was not bare.

And you were gift wrapped either Adley or Witt, whichever one you were going to take.  

[Tony-OH]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

And you were gift wrapped either Adley or Witt, whichever one you were going to take.  

It was certainly hard to miss on that first pick, though it's a little sad that the high school kid made it the majors faster than your advanced college guy. 

[Big Mac]

1 minute ago, Tony-OH said:

It was certainly hard to miss on that first pick, though it's a little sad that the high school kid made it the majors faster than your advanced college guy. 

I'm still a little surprised they didn't take JJ Bleday, so it could've been worse. 

[Tony-OH]

4 minutes ago, Big Mac said:

I'm still a little surprised they didn't take JJ Bleday, so it could've been worse. 

i don't think he was ever really in play for that first overall pick. It was pretty much always going to be Rutschman or Witt. They probably went with Rutschman because they thought he would make it to the majors first. Then again, if Witt was in the Orioles system, he'd probably be in AA.

[Going Underground]

2 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

i don't think he was ever really in play for that first overall pick. It was pretty much always going to be Rutschman or Witt. They probably went with Rutschman because they thought he would make it to the majors first. Then again, if Witt was in the Orioles system, he'd probably be in AA.

Agreed that the Orioles would drive Witt to drinking.

[spiritof66]

25 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

   .    .    .

Sayin that, it's time to start winning at the major league level this year. This is the year I want us in that 70-win area, but more importantly, I want guys being used in the positions and situations that they will be used in next year and in the future because that's when they need to be a contender.

The transition of Akin and Baumann to the bullpen were good signs but Bradish needs to be up here and probably Lowther at some point. 

 

I agree with that. A year or two ago, I would have said that the goal for 2022 should be to flirt with .500 -- 75-plus wins. Now 70 looks like an impossible dream.

I hope that by the end of this year we'll have a better idea of what the future pitching staff looks like (including what holes will need to be plugged by acquisitions). I had hoped that would include a look at some acquired pitchers that would be potential keepers, not just innings-eaters. As to the rest of the team, I don't see much new light being shed on future needs (unless, I suppose, Adley or MC or someone else we're counting on completely flops or is seriously injured, things that I'm not willing to think about). 

[jamalshw]

I'm less concerned whether the team flirts with .500 or finishes with 70 wins or finishes with more than 100 losses again as I am with how well the team plays in August and September. If they play those months close to .500 and we have Rodriguez, Hall, Rutschman, Stowers, Bradish and maybe another prospect or two up and (mostly) playing well, that is as important to me as anything else. Where we start and, consequently, the overall numbers, are less important to me, but I really hope we see some of the top prospects up and performing well enough to encourage some prospects for major leaguer deals and/or legitimate free agent signing. 

[SteveA]

23 hours ago, wildcard said:

Rays just called up 31 years old Dusten Knight best known for his back flip.   Rays must be tanking.

And less than 24 hours later, the Rays DFA Knight.

[Frobby]

3 hours ago, jamalshw said:

I'm less concerned whether the team flirts with .500 or finishes with 70 wins or finishes with more than 100 losses again as I am with how well the team plays in August and September. If they play those months close to .500 and we have Rodriguez, Hall, Rutschman, Stowers, Bradish and maybe another prospect or two up and (mostly) playing well, that is as important to me as anything else. Where we start and, consequently, the overall numbers, are less important to me, but I really hope we see some of the top prospects up and performing well enough to encourage some prospects for major leaguer deals and/or legitimate free agent signing. 

This is kind of where I am.  I do want to see significant progress in the W-L department, but my higher priority is to see multiple success stories among the younger players already here and those who get promoted during the season.  That should lead to more wins.   But it also puts us in good position to put a foot on the gas, knowing that a critical mass of core pieces are in place.  

[Frobby]

56 minutes ago, SteveA said:

And less than 24 hours later, the Rays DFA Knight.

He must be flipping out.  

[Too Tall]

4 hours ago, jamalshw said:

I'm less concerned whether the team flirts with .500 or finishes with 70 wins or finishes with more than 100 losses again as I am with how well the team plays in August and September. If they play those months close to .500 and we have Rodriguez, Hall, Rutschman, Stowers, Bradish and maybe another prospect or two up and (mostly) playing well, that is as important to me as anything else. Where we start and, consequently, the overall numbers, are less important to me, but I really hope we see some of the top prospects up and performing well enough to encourage some prospects for major leaguer deals and/or legitimate free agent signing. 

This should become the "sticky" for this year. Couldn't agree more.