Opening Day Impressions

[Moose Milligan]

There's a lot to unpack here:

Adley is God.

Offense can be potent.  Seemed to be a focus on taking pitches, working the count.  And this can be a really fun offense, too.  I hope they run like this all season.

Frazier was good today.  Will make contact and spray it around, he's not going to be a whiff machine like Odor was.  

Outfield defense so far leaves a bit to be desired.  Mullins should have had that ball in the first, Santander misjudged one in the later innings that should have been an easy out.  

Gibson was mostly sharp, I can see why they wanted him.  Could be an uptick from Lyles.

I wrote earlier about the bullpen scaring me this season, this game didn't do anything to put those fears to bed.  This game should have been 10-4, 10-5.  Felix Bautista scares me, too, I don't think he's anywhere near automatic and I said that last year and I said it again last week.  Great guy, great story but I'm not sure if he's the permanent door-slammer for us.

Overall, a really fun day for the most part but it didn't have to be as scary as it was.  I hate that we let them back into this game.  Should have been a tone setter for the series and the season.  

[RZNJ]

If Felix Bautista scares you, then your standards are unrealistic.

[Moose Milligan]

Oh, and, the Mateo throwing error on the DP the 9th was inexcusable, too.  

[OriolesMagic83]

I missed the game d/t work.  Does it look like speed/stealing bases will be a lot more important this year?  I noticed that Boston had no steals.  That could be a big advantage for the O's.

[Emory Eagle]

What's up with Baker?  Couldn't watch that part of the game (and didn't see him in spring training but looks like his numbers were bad).  Is velo down?  Just can't throw strikes?  Need that guy to step up with the injuries to Givens and Tate. 

[Moose Milligan]

2 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

I missed the game d/t work.  Does it look like speed/stealing bases will be a lot more important this year?  I noticed that Boston had no steals.  That could be a big advantage for the O's.

If you’ve got guys like ours, there will be a distinct advantage. The Sox catcher didn’t even try to throw anyone out, IIRC. 
 

Will be curious to see how we do at preventing the running game against other teams that have speed threats. 

[sportsfan8703]

Whew. The offense carried us. The defense left a lot to be desired. The bullpen looks like a trainwreck. We might need Grayson in the pen. Until Tate and/or Givens comes back. That’s if we don’t want to give away games in April that cost us the playoffs. 

[spleen1015]

Adley - 

Frazier - 

Urias - 

Gunnar - 

Gibson - 

Baker - 

Bautista - 

Mounty - 

Mateo - 

Santander - 

Hays - 

Cedric - 

Akin - 

Perez - 

 

[Morgan423]

17 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

If Felix Bautista scares you, then your standards are unrealistic.

Or, you're an opposing hitter.

[Moshagge3]

16 minutes ago, spleen1015 said:

Adley - 

Frazier - 

Urias - 

Gunnar - 

Gibson - 

Baker - 

Bautista - 

Mounty - 

Mateo - 

Santander - 

Hays - 

Cedric - 

Akin - 

Perez - 

 

Stowers - 

[Spy Fox]

Baker didn't look great but it wasn't all on him. 

He walked Turner on a 3-2 pitch that both MASN and Gameday thought was a pretty good strike:

And the two run double was an awful read by Santander that every other OF on the team likely would have caught for the 3rd out. 

[spleen1015]

3 minutes ago, Moshagge3 said:

Stowers - 

Nice! Disappointed I didn't think of it.

[Moose Milligan]

22 minutes ago, spleen1015 said:

Adley - 

Frazier - 

Urias - 

Gunnar - 

Gibson - 

Baker - 

Bautista - 

Mounty - 

Mateo - 

Santander - 

Hays - 

Cedric - 

Akin - 

Perez - 

 

Mounty walked twice. That’s impressive for him. 

[Spy Fox]

27 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Whew. The offense carried us. The defense left a lot to be desired. The bullpen looks like a trainwreck. We might need Grayson in the pen. Until Tate and/or Givens comes back. That’s if we don’t want to give away games in April that cost us the playoffs. 

Grayson to the rotation and Wells to the bullpen might be the move before the end of April.

[Sports Guy]

Santander in the OF needs to stop. He showed enough signs last year that he needed to go to DH/1st but his play on the ball in the 8th when Baker was pitching was atrocious. (No idea why McKenna wasn’t in at that point)