Getting Good Enough Going Forward

[wildcard]

Hays just has to stay healthy.  He doesn't play well when he is hurt.   Elias/Hyde have to be willing to put him on the IL when he is hurt.

The problem is having a LFer with range that can hit when Hays is out.   I think Westburg may add LF to his versatility.   He is supposed to have Hays speed and a  strong arm.   May be a good backup LFer.

Edited September 11, 2022 by wildcard

[Jim'sKid26]

When the team was winning games in bunches it seemed as though they were never completely out of a game. Even if they were down late in a game they found a way to come back. I think that is the feeling we all want for the entire year. Unfortunately, most of our hitters are streaky and disappear for stretches. So to me there needs to be a bit more consistency. That comes from experience at the big league level. I think they need a few veteran players who are good, as opposed to Oder and Chirinos who are not. 

I hope they go out and get a few FAs to fill a couple of positional holes. They need a middle of the order hitter to anchor the line up. They need a good backup catcher who doesn't hurt you offensively and can catch 50-70 games with solid defensive skills. I think those are the free agent targets/needs.

I hope they can trade for some pitching. They have a surplus of middle infield prospects. It's time to trade a few to get some young pitching. I'm not convinced there is a FA starter who will come to Baltimore who will be worth the cost. Good starting pitching is ridiculously expensive in free agency and carries risks that a mid market team might be best to avoid. 

Just my $0.02

[waroriole]

24 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Hays just has to stay healthy.  He doesn't play well when he is hurt.   Elias/Hyde have to be willing to put him on the IL when he is hurt.

The problem is having a LFer with range that can hit when Hays is out.   I think Westburg may add LF to his versatility.   He is supposed to have Hays speed and a  strong arm.   May be a good backup LFer.

How is Hays hurt? I haven’t seen anything. 

[rm5678]

19 minutes ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

When the team was winning games in bunches it seemed as though they were never completely out of a game. Even if they were down late in a game they found a way to come back. I think that is the feeling we all want for the entire year. Unfortunately, most of our hitters are streaky and disappear for stretches. So to me there needs to be a bit more consistency. That comes from experience at the big league level. I think they need a few veteran players who are good, as opposed to Oder and Chirinos who are not. 

I hope they go out and get a few FAs to fill a couple of positional holes. They need a middle of the order hitter to anchor the line up. They need a good backup catcher who doesn't hurt you offensively and can catch 50-70 games with solid defensive skills. I think those are the free agent targets/needs.

I hope they can trade for some pitching. They have a surplus of middle infield prospects. It's time to trade a few to get some young pitching. I'm not convinced there is a FA starter who will come to Baltimore who will be worth the cost. Good starting pitching is ridiculously expensive in free agency and carries risks that a mid market team might be best to avoid. 

Just my $0.02

Based on the year he's having, Michael Wacha could be a good free agent signing for the O's. I'm sure he wouldn't have even considered signing with the O's before the LF wall was moved, but now maybe he would.

[Jim'sKid26]

8 minutes ago, rm5678 said:

Based on the year he's having, Michael Wacha could be a good free agent signing for the O's. I'm sure he wouldn't have even considered signing with the O's before the LF wall was moved, but now maybe he would.

Why Wacha over someone else? Do you think he will be worth what he likely gets in FA? What do you think he signs for? 

My point is that young pitching will be expensive from a prospect point of view but the O's have prospects to trade. Yes, they also have payroll flexibility. But do you really want to spend money on FA pitchers? Is there value in it?

[wildcard]

27 minutes ago, waroriole said:

How is Hays hurt? I haven’t seen anything. 

I think he hurt his wrist diving in Minnesota and then got drilled on each wrist with inside pitches.   He hasn't been the same as he was in the first half since.

[Jammer7]

2 hours ago, wildcard said:

I think he hurt his wrist diving in Minnesota and then got drilled on each wrist with inside pitches.   He hasn't been the same as he was in the first half since.

The dive you mentioned was a big one, but 6-7 two seamers off his wrists and hands too. But that is how they will pitch him as long as he dives in and tries to yank the ball.

The bottom line is when you dive in, the head moves, the body moves. It makes it harder to hit when your eyes are moving like that. Anything that moves in toward him will give him fits. 

[RZNJ]

Is Hays injured.  Maybe, but he doesn’t swing the bat or wince in pain like a hitter with a bad wrist.  I think it’s a convenient excuse. The truth is that we don’t know, but I’ve seen posters continue to assume it’s the case.

[Moose Milligan]

6 hours ago, Frobby said:

I think there’s little doubt he’ll spend money.  But some people may have unrealistic expectations as to how much.  We will probably still have a below average payroll next year.  We just won’t be off the charts low.  

I think when people on here say "spend money" they're thinking WOW offers to WOW free agents.  Yeah, they'll techncially spend some money but is it gonna be MONEY?

[Jammer7]

51 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

Is Hays injured.  Maybe, but he doesn’t swing the bat or wince in pain like a hitter with a bad wrist.  I think it’s a convenient excuse. The truth is that we don’t know, but I’ve seen posters continue to assume it’s the case.

Fair point. Hyde has said so, recently. He has struggled since about the time he made that dive on the road trip. For me, the bigger issue seems more mechanical. Maybe you’re correct. 

[OriolesMagic83]

As much as I would like the O's to get a premium, top of the market hitter, that's not likely to happen for the O's.  The O's aren't spending $30-40 mill/year on a hitter, this isn't LA or NY.

What the O's need to add is a professional hitter.  Someone like peak Markakis, Bobby Abreu, Paul O'Neill type hitter.  A hitter will work a count, draw a lot of walks, get those hits w/ RISP this team isn't getting.  The O's need to keep Santander and Urias, they have been the only consistent bats in the lineup, along with Adley.  The last thing the O's need to do is open up more holes in this swiss cheese lineup.  I believe that Gunnar is going to be one of those "good" hitters next year.  Would like to play the young guys the rest of the year to see what we have.  Need to see if Stowers can be a ML regular.  It seems like he hasn't even had 10 at bats in the last week. 

[OriolesMagic83]

7 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

I think when people on here say "spend money" they're thinking WOW offers to WOW free agents.  Yeah, they'll techncially spend some money but is it gonna be MONEY?

What's the starting pitching equivalent of Jose Iglesias?

[LA2]

1 hour ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

What's the starting pitching equivalent of Jose Iglesias?

Someone very very good and reliable. Iglesias has put up great offensive numbers over the last few seasons, is a reliable shortstop in the field, and a calming presence in the dugout. Mateo was intended to be a tanking option, not even as good as Galvis, and surprised everyone.

[wildcard]

7 hours ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

As much as I would like the O's to get a premium, top of the market hitter, that's not likely to happen for the O's.  The O's aren't spending $30-40 mill/year on a hitter, this isn't LA or NY.

What the O's need to add is a professional hitter.  Someone like peak Markakis, Bobby Abreu, Paul O'Neill type hitter.  A hitter will work a count, draw a lot of walks, get those hits w/ RISP this team isn't getting.  The O's need to keep Santander and Urias, they have been the only consistent bats in the lineup, along with Adley.  The last thing the O's need to do is open up more holes in this swiss cheese lineup.  I believe that Gunnar is going to be one of those "good" hitters next year.  Would like to play the young guys the rest of the year to see what we have.  Need to see if Stowers can be a ML regular.  It seems like he hasn't even had 10 at bats in the last week. 

Adley.