2023 Ongoing Lineup Thread

[forphase1]

8 minutes ago, SteveA said:

Yeah, you make multiple statements like "XXX should NEVER start".   That's a great way  manage a 26 man roster and keep people fresh.   That would really make the team better.

Some should never start,  or only start for injuries, or the very occasional day off.  Maybe it's my fault for having Cal as a role model growing up,  but I want my most talented players starting 150 or so games.   Now clearly injuries and the like must be taken into account,  but unless Mullins has said something like his groin can't handle playing 5-6 games a week,  then he should be penciled into CF every game,  regardless of what hand the opposing pitcher throws with.

 

[SteveA]

3 minutes ago, forphase1 said:

Some should never start,  or only start for injuries, or the very occasional day off.  Maybe it's my fault for having Cal as a role model growing up,  but I want my most talented players starting 150 or so games.   Now clearly injuries and the like must be taken into account,  but unless Mullins has said something like his groin can't handle playing 5-6 games a week,  then he should be penciled into CF every game,  regardless of what hand the opposing pitcher throws with.

 

I guess we just disagree.

Cal was unique and an exception to every rule, you shouldn't base strategy on assuming you have a team full of Cal's.

I guess I'm a bit older than you.   I grew up with Earl Weaver as manager, and he was famous for using everybody on his roster, putting each player n positions where he could excel the best, keeping even "bench" players in a lot of games so that when they were needed they would be ready and able to produce.

And year after year, Earl's teams, which often started slow, finished really strong in August & September when other teams started to wilt a bit.

[Sports Guy]

8 minutes ago, Fiver6565 said:

I think they want to rest Mullins more than usual because of his leg injuries this year, and if you’re going to do that anyway, might as well do it vs a lefty starter. I don’t mind too much, if for no other reason than having Mullins and O’Hearn as threats off the bench is pretty powerful. 

And that may be it. I can buy that. I said when he came back I felt they would be careful with him. Maybe that’s all it is and if it is, so be it. I can respect that.

[Too Tall]

2 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

And that may be it. I can buy that. I said when he came back I felt they would be careful with him. Maybe that’s all it is and if it is, so be it. I can respect that.

I think that's probably it! Mullins has been on the IL twice for leg muscle problems. It may be as simple as just nursing him to the playoffs and/or giving him a breather before Tampa. I find it hard to believe that it's because they don't think he can fare well against left-handed pitching. I agree, he's our best in center but this is a team game and we are in a long streatch without a break trying to get to the end as healty as possible. Makes sense to me. 

[SteveA]

1 minute ago, Too Tall said:

I think that's probably it! Mullins has been on the IL twice for leg muscle problems. It may be as simple as just nursing him to the playoffs and/or giving him a breather before Tampa. I find it hard to believe that it's because they don't think he can fare well against left-handed pitching. I agree, he's our best in center but this is a team game and we are in a long streatch without a break trying to get to the end as healty as possible. Makes sense to me. 

Yep, and it's all hands on deck for TB.   I imagine guys won't be getting rest-related days off in the next four days, and relievers will be pushed as much, if not more, as they have been all year.

I kind of agree with SportsGuy, I wouldn't have minded a complete day off for Adley today.   I'm sure he'll play all 4 games vs TB, and maybe even catch all 4 since I don't think we are facing any lefties who McCann would want to start against.

[forphase1]

Just now, SteveA said:

I guess we just disagree.

Cal was unique and an exception to every rule, you shouldn't base strategy on assuming you have a team full of Cal's.

I guess I'm a bit older than you.   I grew up with Earl Weaver as manager, and he was famous for using everybody on his roster, putting each player n positions where he could excel the best, keeping even "bench" players in a lot of games so that when they were needed they would be ready and able to produce.

And year after year, Earl's teams, which often started slow, finished really strong in August & September when other teams started to wilt a bit.

I'm 47... not sure if that makes me older than you or not.   But yeah I wasn't around much for the old Weaver teams,  though I've watched a ton that I could find online and video.  

I understand that not everyone can play 162 games.   And if our backups weren't a significant drop-off from the starters, then I wouldn't mind as much seeing the backups play more.   But the drop in CF from Mullins to either Hicks or McKenna is pretty great, though in different ways.  Mateo’s bat is so poor since June he's a drop-off from just about anyone he replaces.  Frazier defense is about the worst from anyone playing 2nd base in the league, and while he's had surprising power,  the OBP is poor.  Point is many of our backups are too flawed for me to enjoy seeing them penciled in so often as starters.  Yes,  we have a great record, c and that's awesome.   But I do also think there are a few wins we've left on the field by playing the backups so much. 

Anyway,  I hope this lineup today gets back to the high scoring,  good hitting trend from the previous 5 games or so. 

[forphase1]

4 hours ago, forphase1 said:

Anyway,  I hope this lineup today gets back to the high scoring,  good hitting trend from the previous 5 games or so. 

Or not.   I LOVE how two of our best hitters by OPS only got 2 at bats the whole game while guys with barely over .700 and below got 6 at bats between them.   May not have changed the outcome of the game,  but certainly didn't help either. But I guess it's silly of me to want us to put out our best lineups now during the playoff push. 

[Brian88]

 

[Orioles0615]

6 minutes ago, Brian88 said:

 

Classic O's. call up long awaited top prospect and number 2 pick and don't start him

[AnythingO's]

Urias hits RH pitching just as well as Frasier, if not better. Should be Urias to 3B and Westburg to 2B for better offense and defense.

[Brian88]

7 minutes ago, AnythingO's said:

Urias hits RH pitching just as well as Frasier, if not better. Should be Urias to 3B and Westburg to 2B for better offense and defense.

Frazier is more of a veteran

[Fiver6565]

49 minutes ago, Orioles0615 said:

Classic O's. call up long awaited top prospect and number 2 pick and don't start him

Classic Hangout. Bitch about a perfectly good lineup. 

[Sports Guy]

Hicks is hitting at the moment. It makes sense for him to get playing time until he starts sucking again.

[LA2]

1 hour ago, Orioles0615 said:

Classic O's. call up long awaited top prospect and number 2 pick and don't start him

Well if it's truly classic, there must be a good reason for it. Buck did it this way too. Note that it's an approach to called-up prospects, not key veterans--Flaherty was plugged into a start at the earliest possible moment.

[Moose Milligan]

No Kjerstad?!?!?!! Not watching.