The reason this good team(Orioles) will not be a great team

[Roy Firestone]

It's all about getting innings from our starters. When Wells left after 5 at 96 pitches , all it does it make it much more taxing on the bullpen which will eventually collapse with overwork.The idea that our pitchers rarely get to the 6th inning is absolutely unacceptable and the reason our pen will fail. I also think we could've gone longer with Voth who pitched well today...the fact that we put our bullpen out there with a hanging thread of a lead  or tie...is also an issue. We simply cant avoid the pen because our starters are mediocre at best.When you looked at the Braves starters, every one had a sub 2.5 ERA and all were strike throwers..until we upgrade our starting pitching we are going to be a good team, but not a GREAT team.

 

 

[RZNJ]

Shouldn't this be in the Captain Obvious thread?  You only need to be good to make the playoffs and please don't tell me the Phillies were a great team last year.

We are going to ride the current staff and see where it leads us.  Dylan Cease wasn't Dylan Cease overnight.   Corbin Burnes wasn't Corbin Burns until he had 2-3 years in MLB.  For now, I'll take good.

Add Voth to trusted relievers.  The bullpen gets deeper without making a move.  Givens replaces Akins.  Irvin still a factor at Norfolk.  

How many people, including the thread starter, thought we were "good" before the season started?

[Pickles]

I thought we were good.  I think we're better than I thought.  I expect them to make the playoffs.

[maybenxtyr]

Not scoring runs when you have easy opportunities is why this will be a good, not great team. Everyone knows that the starters are average. The BP will be in trouble if they don't get a little more length.

[btdart20]

I agree we need quality starting pitching to be a great team.  In a game where pitching controls the game, pitching is our team weakness.  
We all knew it with the rebuild drafting.  We all knew it at last year’s trade deadline (where it started to be addressed).  We all knew it heading into the off-season where many wanted an upgrade over Lyles.  We’ve seen many of the pricier and lengthier contract not live up to those contracts.  So I’m glad we’re not on those paths.

We had to trust our offense, defense, bullpen, and ability to matchup with every roster spot.  Very few teams are great.  Even good playoff teams.

We just faced 2 aces and a nugget where they totaled 16.1 IP in 3 games (our guys went 16)).  We outscored the Braves even facing their vaunted pitching staff while they faced our guys.  

[sportsfan8703]

It’s hard to win games when you only score 2 runs. The pitching is an obvious weakness but our offense needs to give the pitching more support. 

[InsideCoroner]

I think what the broadcasting team said during today's game was very relevant, that the teams with the least amount of bullpen innings are historically most likely to get to the postseason. We need a couple workhorse starters. GRod could be one, but probably not this season, and I can’t imagine Means will get many games over 90-100 pitches once he’s back, either. 

I hope they trade for help because the bullpen can’t keep up this pace through the summer, let alone the fall. 

[Greenpastures23]

I'm not sure they are good. Let's see how they are in a month against way better competition 

[Greenpastures23]

If this team is 7 games over 500 in a month I'd say they are good 

[Three Run Homer]

2 hours ago, maybenxtyr said:

Not scoring runs when you have easy opportunities is why this will be a good, not great team. Everyone knows that the starters are average. The BP will be in trouble if they don't get a little more length.

The O's performed poorly with runners in scoring position today, and that is why they lost the game.  Still, we can't say that it's a problem for the O's so far this season--currently they are 8th in MLB in OPS with runners in scoring position.  

[Moshagge3]

2 hours ago, Roy Firestone said:

It's all about getting innings from our starters. When Wells left after 5 at 96 pitches , all it does it make it much more taxing on the bullpen which will eventually collapse with overwork.The idea that our pitchers rarely get to the 6th inning is absolutely unacceptable and the reason our pen will fail. I also think we could've gone longer with Voth who pitched well today...the fact that we put our bullpen out there with a hanging thread of a lead  or tie...is also an issue. We simply cant avoid the pen because our starters are mediocre at best.When you looked at the Braves starters, every one had a sub 2.5 ERA and all were strike throwers..until we upgrade our starting pitching we are going to be a good team, but not a GREAT team.

 

 

This is baseball in 2023. Across all of baseball one guy, Cal Quantrill, completed seven innings today. One other starting pitcher recorded an out in the seventh inning.

[now]

3 hours ago, InsideCoroner said:

I think what the broadcasting team said during today's game was very relevant, that the teams with the least amount of bullpen innings are historically most likely to get to the postseason. We need a couple workhorse starters. GRod could be one, but probably not this season, and I can’t imagine Means will get many games over 90-100 pitches once he’s back, either. 

I hope they trade for help because the bullpen can’t keep up this pace through the summer, let alone the fall. 

Just to clarify, IIRC the stat about least bullpen innings referred to 2022, not "historically." I mean, maybe it holds anyway, since the other part of the equation, most starter IP, probably is a good reflection of starter quality. But historically maybe not as ironclad as it was last year.

In a way it seems so obvious. On the other hand, there's plenty of history of World Series winners with superior offenses too, not just champs with superior rotations.

PS - Where's Bill James when you need him?

[maybenxtyr]

7 hours ago, Three Run Homer said:

The O's performed poorly with runners in scoring position today, and that is why they lost the game.  Still, we can't say that it's a problem for the O's so far this season--currently they are 8th in MLB in OPS with runners in scoring position.  

Yes, you are correct. I was more referencing the last 2 games. I know that they can't capitalize on every chance, but they had at least 2 really great scoring chances that they need to get a run in on. I think they'll be ok... just two really frustrating games against a really good team.

[waroriole]

You can tell we’re a good team because people make sky is falling threads when we lose 2 out of 3 on the road to the best team in the NL.

[sportsfan8703]

Who says that a young team can’t be good to start the season and then develop into a great team by September. Gunnar and Grayson are big parts of that. If Grayson is a consistent TOR type and if Gunnar can be an .800 OPS player. Watch out.