Thoughts on Friday nights loss

[Roy Firestone]

I dont care what the stats say, the Orioles need a real home run threat....watching the Rays, and before that, the Dodgers, at least 5-6  players in their lineup had double digit home runs and they hit those homers in their wins...yes, we have a couple of Home Run threats, but mostly we haven't had multiple home runs and big offense numbers with any regularity. Even in the win last night, we had only 1 big inning and got a little lucky to win that game on great defense....Pitching needs are , of course, our top priority, but we could use some pop...im surprised Cowser and Westburg haven't gone deep, and its been a while for Santander and Hays...of course, we have been pitched to...but I dont think our offense can win big series without another power bat. I was awed by Gunnar's defensive play tonight, and I think he is playing with great confidence and passion...he's going to be the best player we have...if he isn't already.I was also impressed with Perez who threw hard and missed bats...a welcome sight...and Fuji the new guy has electric stuff...too bad his first pitch was a HR...but he will be an asset...we need more. I think this series will be tough to even split..Theyve got Mcclanahan tomorrow and Grayson cant out pitch him...Sunday will be our best shot, but we simply aren't hitting..and thats not a recipe for winning or splitting a series...

[emmett16]

 

[vab]

Pitching is the priority, especially relief pitching. The lineup doesn't have that true 35-40 homer guy but it's good enough, especially with upgraded pitching.  

[Baltimorecuse]

TB has the best team era in baseball.  Nobody is hitting them hard for most of the season.

Everyone wants a big bopper.  That's why we gave Davis all that money.  That's why the Yanks are paying Stanton.  We're 8th in baseball in RPG.  Our offense is pretty good.  Our pitching seems to be improving.  

 

[OriolesMagic83]

Every team looks like they can't hit when they run into good pitching.

[OnlyOneOriole]

4 hours ago, Roy Firestone said:

I dont care what the stats say, the Orioles need a real home run threat....watching the Rays, and before that, the Dodgers, at least 5-6  players in their lineup had double digit home runs and they hit those homers in their wins...yes, we have a couple of Home Run threats, but mostly we haven't had multiple home runs and big offense numbers with any regularity. Even in the win last night, we had only 1 big inning and got a little lucky to win that game on great defense....Pitching needs are , of course, our top priority, but we could use some pop...im surprised Cowser and Westburg haven't gone deep, and its been a while for Santander and Hays...of course, we have been pitched to...but I dont think our offense can win big series without another power bat. I was awed by Gunnar's defensive play tonight, and I think he is playing with great confidence and passion...he's going to be the best player we have...if he isn't already.I was also impressed with Perez who threw hard and missed bats...a welcome sight...and Fuji the new guy has electric stuff...too bad his first pitch was a HR...but he will be an asset...we need more. I think this series will be tough to even split..Theyve got Mcclanahan tomorrow and Grayson cant out pitch him...Sunday will be our best shot, but we simply aren't hitting..and thats not a recipe for winning or splitting a series...

Agree.  They don't yet have that pure HR and RBI threat that the old Oriole teams had with lets say an Eddie Murray.   He was dangerous.  

 

The home run threat could be on the team...IE Gunner....but he still needs to develop.   I don't see that with Adley.  To me....as good as he is....he hits too many weak balls.  Not really sure why.  Some of them are actual hits but I never seen him really STROKE IT very often.  Gunner I do. 

 

I would say the same for the starting pitching.  Good....not great.  Next year though with a healed Means and a year older GR I could see them adding one GREAT pitcher and the O's just dominating.

 

But this year?  I don't think they are quite there yet.....hence I would lay off any major moves that involved giving up top young talent for a rental. 

Edited July 22, 2023 by OnlyOneOriole

[Fan4Life]

I suggested that we need a bat as well while most of the board focus is on pitching, which is also a need. Unless you just want to make the playoffs, you'd better find a way to win games when you "run into good pitching" because we'll run into a lot of it. . 

Edited July 22, 2023 by Fan4Life

[Jim'sKid26]

Eflin shoved. Bradish pitched well enough to win but was out pitched. The umpire was giving both pitchers the low strike. Eflin took advantage of that more than Bradish because his game is built around exploiting the bottom of the strike zone. When the ump gives him 4-5 inches below the strike zone he's nearly unhittable. 

[Baltimorecuse]

29 minutes ago, Fan4Life said:

I suggested that we need a bat as well while most of the board focus is on pitching, which is also a need. Unless you just want to make the playoffs, you'd better find a way to win games when you "run into good pitching" because we'll run into a lot of it. . 

We've got the second best record in baseball.  That suggests to me we've beaten a lot of good pitchers.  No one was going to hit that guy last night, with that umps strike zone.  

We do miss Mullins.  

[RZNJ]

Eflin located flawlessly and he had a pitchers umpire.  Bad combination.

[Jim'sKid26]

1 minute ago, RZNJ said:

Eflin located flawlessly and he had a pitchers umpire.  Bad combination.

Couple that with the two relievers striking out the side in the 8th and 9th. You gotta tip your cap. That was impressive. 

[RZNJ]

1 minute ago, Jim'sKid26 said:

Couple that with the two relievers striking out the side in the 8th and 9th. You gotta tip your cap. That was impressive. 

The ump might have been the same for both sides but he was atrocious.   

[Sports Guy]

It’s almost as if the Rays are good or something 

[Moose Milligan]

I’m not so sure what a home run threat would have done for us last night. 

[Fan4Life]

I don't think this is about 1 game as obviously you can be shut down at any given time.  We have a trend of having 7 hits or less in a game more often than a team wanting to go deep into the playoffs would. 

 

Are we a better team than the Rays? I'd say no. Should we try to be?

Edited July 22, 2023 by Fan4Life