Four areas of concern

[gtman55]

The Orioles have a really good record but things seems to be trending in the wrong direction. These are the four things I think are our biggest problems.

Pitching

No true top of the rotation starters. On most contending teams, our top guys would be 4th or 5th starters at best.

Our middle/long relief is borderline horrendous. At this point, fixing this might be our #1 need.

 

 

Hitting

The lack of any real true sluggers in the lineup. We do have a few guys with occasional pop but no one that really puts fear into opposing pitchers.

Thr lack of timely and clutch hitting. How many times have we seen the bases loaded and we can't even score a run?

 

Agree? Disagree?

 

 

[Frobby]

5 minutes ago, gtman55 said:

The Orioles have a really good record but things seems to be trending in the wrong direction. These are the four things I think are our biggest problems.

Pitching

No true top of the rotation starters. On most contending teams, our top guys would be 4th or 5th starters at best.

Our middle/long relief is borderline horrendous. At this point, fixing this might be our #1 need.

 

 

Hitting

The lack of any real true sluggers in the lineup. We do have a few guys with occasional pop but no one that really puts fear into opposing pitchers.

Thr lack of timely and clutch hitting. How many times have we seen the bases loaded and we can't even score a run?

 

Agree? Disagree?

 

 

 

 

Of your four areas of concern, lack of clutch or timely hitting hasn’t really been an issue at all.  The team has a .795 OPS with RISP, 4th in the AL and well above .753 league average.  They have an .824 OPS in high leverage situations, 2nd in the league.  

Power, I talked about elsewhere.  We’re 6th in homers per game.  Could be better, but not really a glaring weakness.  

I really can’t argue with your pitching concerns.  

 

[Jim'sKid26]

Baseball is a game of adjustments. Over a 162 game season the league will adjust to the initially successful teams. The teams that make the playoffs, for the most part, are able to adjust to the league's initial adjustments. Obviously many other factors, such as injuries, come into play, but the key to winning is to be able to recognize what the other teams are trying to do to you and counteract their strategy. 

The Os need to start to make some adjustments. That may come in the form of acquisitions (or subtractions) at the deadline. It may come in the form of more playing time for some promising prospects. It's hard to say what Mike Elias will do. Should be interesting to see what he does. But adjustments need to be made soon.

[Bemorewins]

Hitting is not the problem and will not be the problem. Yes we got pitched to and shut down against the Twins. But before that series we were 6th in runs scored.

We have two more potentially very good bats to still bring to the ball club via AAA. Now, I readily admit/expect their will be some growing pains for them while they acclimate/adjust to this level, the luster appears to have worn of Hicks and O’Hearns and they appear to be turning back into the players that they were/always have been.

The real problem is the pitching. Wells while possessing very good to elite command doesn’t have great stuff. That cutter he throws has to have perfect location because it’s at like 87/88 off of a 92/93 fastball. His problem is that the majority of his pitches are all in the same speed range (93-86). All he has to do is make a mistake slightly with location or for the hitter to guess right or time the pitch right and it’s a home run or a very well struck ball.

Bradish has been very good as of late being able to get deeper into games and keep the opponents off the scoreboard. 

The other 3 are #5 starters at best. (I’m not even sure that Cole Irvin is that. He doesn’t really have the stuff IMO to be effective against good to decent hitting teams). 

And then with the bullpen we have 3 good to elite back end relievers, and that’s it. The rest are mediocre to very below average to absolutely poor (having no business pitching at the big league level).

Our major problem comes from having a bunch of 5 inning starter pitchers and not having effective bridges to the back end of the bullpen.

[Aristotelian]

I'd be fine without a "true slugger" as long as we have someone productive at 1B. We don't need a 1.000 OPS there (although of course it would be nice) if we have .800 OPS up and down the lineup at most of the other positions. 

Hays has been amazing in clutch situations this year. Without looking up any stats I'm going to say Mullins, Adley, and Frazier have gotten their share of big hits. As long as Mountcastle and Mateo stay on the bench I feel pretty good about our ability to put up good AB's and get runners in. 

For me it is all about the pitching. 

[Sports Guy]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Of your four areas of concern, lack of clutch or timely hitting hasn’t really been an issue at all.  The team has a .795 OPS with RISP, 4th in the AL and well above .753 league average.  They have an .824 OPS in high leverage situations, 2nd in the league.  

Power, I talked about elsewhere.  We’re 6th in homers per game.  Could be better, but not really a glaring weakness.  

I really can’t argue with your pitching concerns.  

 

11th in slugging, 12th in ISO.

And I’m guessing those numbers are trending down.

[Going Underground]

14 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

I'd be fine without a "true slugger" as long as we have someone productive at 1B. We don't need a 1.000 OPS there (although of course it would be nice) if we have .800 OPS up and down the lineup at most of the other positions. 

Hays has been amazing in clutch situations this year. Without looking up any stats I'm going to say Mullins, Adley, and Frazier have gotten their share of big hits. As long as Mountcastle and Mateo stay on the bench I feel pretty good about our ability to put up good AB's and get runners in. 

For me it is all about the pitching. 

Adley is batting. 203 with RISP. He has walked a lot.  389 .OBP..677 OPS. .290 SLG 

Edited July 4, 2023 by Going Underground

[Going Underground]

10 minutes ago, Going Underground said:

Adley is batting. 203 with RISP. He has walked a lot.  389 .OBP..677 OPS. .290 SLG 

Another interesting stat for Adley. .941 OPS at home and .660 on the road. 

Edited July 4, 2023 by Going Underground

[Too Tall]

Pitching - Pitching - Pitching - Pitching!!!!!!  My Four Ongoing Areas of Concern. Seriously, how do you go into a four game series in New York before the break with two position players on the bench that are day to day hence limiting Hyde. Now we have three catchers again? Westburg is back but.....? He could have been given time to heal and it's not like there arn't other options for seven games. Same with Hayes.

I haven't been one to critisize Elias, but this is on him and that is my biggest immediate concern. ROSTER CONSTRUCTION. Yes, I am second guessing Elias?

[OriolesMagic83]

Other than pitching and hitting this is a great team!

[Gurgi]

This has the feel of "done with mirrors" type of team.  We only stand out by having two great relief pitchers.  Other than that nothing on this team stands out.  

We dont score much more than we allow.  

I think we are getting lucky and our back of the pen guys are excellent.   I dont think it looks like it is sustainable. 

[tntoriole]

If I can pick one … I would go get at least two bullpen guys … as strong as I could get even with an overpay 

The bats will be fine and reinforcements of Westburg Cowser, etc 

We are not getting a top flight starter period 

[Teddy OBP]

6 minutes ago, tntoriole said:

If I can pick one … I would go get at least two bullpen guys … as strong as I could get even with an overpay 

The bats will be fine and reinforcements of Westburg Cowser, etc 

We are not getting a top flight starter period 

Yes. Clearly need at least one major bullpen piece. I wonder what we’ve got in the minors that they’re looking at - maybe it’s too much to expect Bautista long ing to strike twice.

I also wouldn’t be against a Thome type trade - without him immediately getting hurt (IIRC) for someone that can execute a high-leverage at bat.

[Three Run Homer]

3 hours ago, gtman55 said:

The Orioles have a really good record but things seems to be trending in the wrong direction. These are the four things I think are our biggest problems.

Pitching

No true top of the rotation starters. On most contending teams, our top guys would be 4th or 5th starters at best.

 

I think you are underrating Bradish and Wells.  I don't think they are aces but they are solid #2 or #3 starters.  The problems are:  (1) we don't have a #1, and (2) everyone besides Bradish and Wells are suspect.  I'm starting to worry that the rotation may be too big of a hole to patch midseason.  

[gtman55]

Can anyone explain the logic behind not bringing Cowser up at this point?