My Thoughts on Today’s Game

[RZNJ]

3 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Funny.  Rattled isn’t quite the word, though. lol

[Number5]

2 minutes ago, Malike said:

The worst thing GRod did tonight was say Um 67 times in his post-game interview. Markakis even thought it was too much.

 

[Malike]

Cano very may well just be regressing to what he's always been. It's not unprecedented that a 30-year-old journeyman reliever puts up a crazy good 35 innings or whatever then regresses to what he's always been.

[Roy Firestone]

I think McCann of all people deserves a lot of praise in this game...he called a pretty good game with GROD....Got a crucial double to score those runs...made a great throw to get Franco stealing....and of course, that amazing bunt that nearly hit his face...all and all his best game as an Oriole...

[Jim'sKid26]

A win's a win. Got chance to win 3 of 4 at the Trop. When's the last time that happened?

[Moshagge3]

2 minutes ago, Roy Firestone said:

I think Cano is looking more and more hittable...but he does get the outs...if you stay with him...im not sure how good he'll be from here on...needs more rest.

I said in the game thread it might be time to put Cano on ice for a few weeks. If Ben McDonald can see his mechanics are off (lower arm slot) and that it's a sign of fatigue, surely the coaching staff can see it. Go get Kendall Graveman or someone and let Cano rest up for the stretch run and playoffs.

[Moshagge3]

4 minutes ago, Malike said:

Cano very may well just be regressing to what he's always been. It's not unprecedented that a 30-year-old journeyman reliever puts up a crazy good 35 innings or whatever then regresses to what he's always been.

The stuff is noticeably different, I think. It's not all a change in BABIP luck or whatever.

[SilentJames]

The Fuji inning was tough because he got squeezed real bad on both those walks, considering some of the other strike calls we saw today, and then still nearly got out of it. 
 

I can see why the Orioles see potential there. 

[crawjo]

I think I'd rather have Baumann in the 8th than Fujinami in that spot. Fujinami has great stuff and I think he can be very good, but I don't think it was the right move to have him pitch on back-to-back nights and put him in a pressure situation right away. They need to try to work him in gradually so that he can get comfortable and hopefully be a weapon down the stretch. 

I'm someone who usually thinks that closers are overrated in general, but Bautista is clearly the MVP of this team for me right now. There are just so many games that it feels like we're supposed to lose but then he comes in and shuts the door. 

[rudyrooster]

At the end of the day we're undisputed first-place in the AL-EAST.  Take a minute and enjoy.

[DirtyBird]

34 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

1. Great win.  Again a little luck doesn’t hurt.  The McCann bunt?  Haha 

2. O’Hearn comes up clutch again

3. Fujinami can be a weapon but the confidence is fragile.  He looked like he was unraveling.  The time out strike tonFranco helped us from a total meltdown and helped him back into the inning.   I had a feeling of de ja vu on the play Mateo didn’t make.  I feel like I’ve seen it too many times this year.  Maybe not an error but we need a big time play there.  I honestly feel like Gunnar makes that play and one earlier in the game when, instead of planting and gunning the throw, Mateo prefers the flashier on the the run one bounce throw.

4.  I’m starting to question GRods mental toughness.  He had three pitches working.   Henderson bailed him in the 4th or 5th with the line drive DP after a bad walk.   He’s in the dugout joking and laughing.  I guess it’s good that he was relaxed but it took me aback.  I like all business until your job is done.   He had a low pitch count, all 3 piches working and I believe the bottom of the lineup in the 6th and 5-0 lead.    Lead off walk on a 3-2 changeup?   Really.    A great job to get the two outs with 2nd and 3rd.  A chance to make a statement.   A back door breaking ball on 3-2?    That’s not a swing and miss pitch.  That’s maybe I‘lol catch him looking pitch.  Blow the mf away with your 97 mph fastball.   At least the previous pitch, a slider that bounced was thrown with bad intentions.

5.  Hyde comes up smelling like roses again.  Quick hook on Coulombe.   I get that you want to show confidence in Fujinami but perhaps giving a little more rope to Coulombe would have made more sense.   That is alll.  In the end it’s still a great win.  I just feel like it should have been a 5-2 or 5-3 type of win.  Ho, ho, ho!

Thanks for sharing 

[ShoelesJoe]

My first taste of Orioles' playoff baseball was as a 7 year old in 1966. Cried myself to sleep the night they lost to the Mets in '69. Rejoiced in '70, and have deeply hated the city of Pittsburgh since October of '71. As a kid didn't know how spoiled I was. '79, '80, and '82 were a kick in the teeth, but '83 was meant to be. Then came the dark years when we meandered between miserable and mediocrity (even the Why Not '89 team was so so TBH). '95 and '96 were nice, but should have been better, same for 2014 and 2016. 

Now we're in 2023 and we have playoff baseball again after 7 long years in the wastelands. And I can't take it. I'm in my mid '60s and have to turn off the television even with a five run lead. I love 'em but I hate 'em. 

[bpilktree]

It put us in a nice position tomorrow.  With a win we would go 4 games up on the Rays in the loss column.  That would be a big statement to go up 4 games in loss column, they seem to already feeling the pressure.  

[crawjo]

29 minutes ago, Malike said:

Cano very may well just be regressing to what he's always been. It's not unprecedented that a 30-year-old journeyman reliever puts up a crazy good 35 innings or whatever then regresses to what he's always been.

Yennier Cano had an 11.50 career ERA entering this year. I think he is finding his actual level now. It's not what he was during the first 35 innings of this year, but it's a lot better than anything else he's done in the past. 

[Uli2001]

8 minutes ago, bpilktree said:

It put us in a nice position tomorrow.  With a win we would go 4 games up on the Rays in the loss column.  That would be a big statement to go up 4 games in loss column, they seem to already feeling the pressure.  

It was necessary to get at least a split on this series. That's done. Tomorrow it feels like you are playing with house money.