Szymborski: The Orioles aren’t good…but they are interesting

[Jagwar]

2 hours ago, InsideCoroner said:

On the verge of mediocrity.

Mediocrity is a welcome improvement

[owknows]

5 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

The right development and additions to the team and they should contend for a playoff birth next year.

Which is funny because I was told that I shouldn’t expect that but I have been saying that is what 2023 should be.

I think that may be mildly revisionist.

I seem to recall you being quite critical of the organization for failing to add higher tier Free Agents over the last couple years... claiming that they were necessary to advance the club...

In fact, I recall you stating that their failure to add high priced FA's showed that they had no interest in winning at all.

Ultimately though, it has been strategic dumpster diving and development of internal resources is what got the team to this point. And will turn them into a likely contender next year. Sustainably.Without writing any big checks.

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, Pickles said:

Then what were you complaining about?

All people fundamentally disagreed with you about was that trading for Paul DeJong was going to speed the process up.

What was going to speed the process up was having developmental breakthroughs with multiple players.

Well, that's what they've done.

We should all be thrilled.

I’m not complaining..although if they had made good additions in the offseason like I wanted, they may be contenders this year.

 

[Just Regular]

5 hours ago, MurphDogg said:

The top three in [Gunnar] Henderson’s offensive comp list are Adrián Beltré, Eric Chavez, and Troy Tulowitzki. The O’s would be happy with any of those!

I like the Chavez one as I have Gunnar slotted to 3B making Seager too far up the defensive spectrum, and hadn't really hit on a LH 3B who might be an MVP candidate if all goes great.    Brett and Boggs were the only two that had come to mind before, very different Bats stylistically.

Chavez was also a high pedigreed high school bat, had the walks and power thing...feels like a nice match.   His 1998 preceding a cup of coffee was 327/388/603 in 600 PA between AA and AAA.    Topped out at 14th in MVP balloting in the days the voters went to deeper depth.    

Of course much of the Gunnar explosion is he's doing the Boggs things together with the Chavez things, so who's to say what the ceiling is?

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, owknows said:

I think that may be mildly revisionist.

I seem to recall you being quite critical of the organization for failing to add higher tier Free Agents over the last couple years... claiming that they were necessary to advance the club...

In fact, I recall you stating that their failure to add high priced FA's showed that they had no interest in winning at all.

Ultimately though, it has been strategic dumpster diving and development of internal resources is what got the team to this point. And will turn them into a likely contender next year. Sustainably.Without writing any big checks.

Yea and had they added better talent in areas I wanted, they could be contending now.

However, I have 100% said they should and could be contenders in 2023 and people said that’s way too optimistic.

And please, strategic dumpster diving?  Lol. Do you think that it hasn’t been strategic the last few years but it was this year?  Because they did the same thing this offseason as they did the previous ones..they just got luckier with this crop thus far.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

Yea and had they added better talent in areas I wanted, they could be contending now.However, I have 100% said they should and could be contenders in 2023 and people said that’s way too optimistic.

 

Just keep in mind an article very much like this one was probably in Fangraphs last year about the Tigers.

A step back woudln't be a shocking development.  Think 2011.

[Frobby]

20 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Just keep in mind an article very much like this one was probably in Fangraphs last year about the Tigers.

A step back woudln't be a shocking development.  Think 2011.

Always possible.  I like the coming talent wave.   That’s the reason I’m getting more optimistic.  Gunnar’s acceleration has me pretty inspired.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Orioles at the stage of the rebuild where they're getting backhanded compliments. Waiting for the day when baseball writers give genuine praise. 

[sportsfan8703]

10 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

I’m not complaining..although if they had made good additions in the offseason like I wanted, they may be contenders this year.

 

Last offseason was the past. If Elias calls up Gunnar and Westburg soon I’ll be willing to forgive him for our lack of an offseason. We’re sitting in a really good spot. None of us could have imagined this on OD. 

[Sports Guy]

8 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Just keep in mind an article very much like this one was probably in Fangraphs last year about the Tigers.

A step back woudln't be a shocking development.  Think 2011.

I thought the Os should have tried to be a 500ish team this year.  I was told by many that was asking for too much and that the 500ish season would come next year.  They are currently on pace to win around 73 games, so they may be able to get close to what I was hoping for.

That is a testament to the development of some guys and Elias making dumpster moves that paid off. I can promise you that no one, including Elias, expected the pen to be this good but it is and that’s what matters.

I’m not sure they stay on this pace or not.  I suspect some trades are coming but I also think they have guys who can replace them.  I can see more young talent coming up but it could also struggle at first too, so it may mean more losses rather than wins.

I believe I had them winning around 65 games this year with the high end being 68.  I have been saying that they aren’t a 50ish win team like last year and that they could play 2021 all over again and win 60+ games with the same team and I believe that.  Just as they could play this season again and instead of 34 wins, this team could have 20-25 wins.  You can have large fluctuations like that for all teams but especially when you are relying on a lot of journeyman type guys.  
 

The goal should be to really add to the level of talent on this team.  The one thing that has happened this year, at least thus far, is that it should have changed everyone’s mind about contending and spending this offseason.  Most didn’t think contention was in the cards for 2023 and we had some that even thought 2024 was a stretch.  As I said then, time and time again, if that’s what you think than you are telling me that you don’t believe in the talent of the farm system.  
 

Well the talent is shining through and if we can add some crucial pieces in the offseason and get these guys up here to get that experience in 2022, I think this team has a chance to be really good in 2023.  

 

[Sports Guy]

7 hours ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Orioles at the stage of the rebuild where they're getting backhanded compliments. Waiting for the day when baseball writers give genuine praise. 

They aren’t rebuilding anymore.  That has been over.

[Can_of_corn]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

The goal should be to really add to the level of talent on this team.  The one thing that has happened this year, at least thus far, is that it should have changed everyone’s mind about contending and spending this offseason.  Most didn’t think contention was in the cards for 2023 and we had some that even thought 2024 was a stretch.  As I said then, time and time again, if that’s what you think than you are telling me that you don’t believe in the talent of the farm system.  
 

 

Just to mention the Tigers again.

They did add talent.

They signed a free agent pitcher, Eduardo Rodriguez to a 5/77M contract and shortstop Báez to a 6/140M deal.

That is, broadly speaking, the type of deals you would like to see correct?

They are 28-45.

 

Just don't be shocked if a step backwards happens before the next step forward.

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Just to mention the Tigers again.

They did add talent.

They signed a free agent pitcher, Eduardo Rodriguez to a 5/77M contract and shortstop Báez to a 6/140M deal.

That is, broadly speaking, the type of deals you would like to see correct?

They are 28-45.

 

Just don't be shocked if a step backwards happens before the next st

 

Well it’s certainly possible especially since you would think the BP will both lose pieces and regress.  Almost every member of the pen could be terrible in 2023 and you wouldn’t be surprised.

This offseason should be focused on adding 1-2 starters and a few legit BP arms.(depending on who you trade and how guys look in the second half)

Position player wise is tbd.  There is a lot of potential to not have to add much in terms of positional talent.

We’ll see.  I feel good that they can be a 500 or better team in 2023 if they make the right pitching moves but they also can’t just assume the young guys take a big next step and carry them to that record.  They need some outside help.

The Yankees could bring back the same team and not come close to the start they have had so far but we are still 6.5 games out of 4th to a Tampa team that is completely decimated by injuries and yet they are still performing reasonably well.  We are 8 games behind Toronto and Boston.  In other words, there is still a lot of ground to make up.

Also, balancing out the schedules a little more will be helpful next year.

[owknows]

9 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

Yea and had they added better talent in areas I wanted, they could be contending now.

However, I have 100% said they should and could be contenders in 2023 and people said that’s way too optimistic.

And please, strategic dumpster diving?  Lol. Do you think that it hasn’t been strategic the last few years but it was this year?  Because they did the same thing this offseason as they did the previous ones..they just got luckier with this crop thus far.

I've always been in the 2023 camp.

And as for dumpster diving, I'd submit that they've actually been successful in the past too.

[Roll Tide]

16 hours ago, Hank Scorpio said:

Betcha he didn't think they were interesting 2 months ago. 

 

Perhaps,but I know many hear thought they were despite the record. The team is much improved despite still being in last place. But, they can no longer are whipping posts and teams actually have to try to beat them.