Does Grey Rod looking like an ace and the potential of Means coming back diminish the pressure for another starter?

[Gurgi]

After last nights game by Grey Rod I thought "that is the ace we have been waiting for".  It made me think that the pressure on Elias to get another starter has got to be diminished.  Elias mentioned that it seemed to be a sellers market and he wasnt willing to blow up the minor leagues for this seasons playoff run.  

Then you know he has way more updated and accurate reports on Means.  Means probably goes to the bullpen but he possibly could start in September some.  

Makes me think the likely result of all this is that Elias only gets us a bullpen arm and calls it a night.  

Which doesnt upset me.  I have fallen in love with our prospects and dont want to get rid of any of them.

[Winter]

I think when he said he wasn't too worried about career high in innings it basically meant he didn't see a need to pursue a starter, because all we were going to get if anyone at all would be a Rich Hill type to eat innings down the stretch. GRod was always part of his plan i just assume and Means would be a cherry on top. 

[Gurgi]

2 minutes ago, Winter said:

I think when he said he wasn't too worried about career high in innings it basically meant he didn't see a need to pursue a starter, because all we were going to get if anyone at all would be a Rich Hill type to eat innings down the stretch. GRod was always part of his plan i just assume and Means would be a cherry on top. 

So you are taking all the hints from Elias to mean we are not going to pursue another starter?  Which is what I am thinking this means also.  

Still we got to get another arm in the pen.  Someone who has some shut down capacity to take pressure of Cano and shorten the game.  Maybe that guy will end up being Means.  Only Elias and the coaches know how good Means has looked in his workouts.  IF Means is looking pretty solid I might be tempted to just to leave everything alone.  

[Os4days]

It would be really nice to have a true game one starter! Gibson is solid and Grayson is a rookie. Who knows what Means will look like when he comes back. Wells and Bradish seems to be fading a bit and who knows what they will look like come October. 
 

If Elias doesn’t get another starter I would be disappointed. 

[UMDTerrapins]

I don’t factor Means into the picture this year. Grayson however could be a huge addition. But I still think we need a solid lefty veteran addition. 

[Moose Milligan]

Yes, IMO. But if a frontline starter is available we should still get them. 

[dystopia]

Could be, but I'm not expecting much out of Means this year. In a dream scenario we get someone like Verlander and a lockdown reliever. I think we are a solid WS threat if we do that.

[ScGO's]

If they can't make a deal that they feel comfortable with for a TOR, they have enough depth in Gibson, Wells, Bradish, Kremer, Rodriguez, Irvin, Means, Voth, Zimmerman, Rom, etc to still make the playoffs; however a veteran TOR on top of this current group would look really good. Trading top 20 talent to get it doesn't look to be in the cards for Elias though so I don't know if he can get that starter yet. If he can get a rental #1-3 starter for a couple guys like Carter Young or Billy Cook, then he's probably all in; but the top 20 or so are probably still untouchable.  He has enough 20-40 Prospects to get a couple bullpen arms, but they probably won't trade a top prospect for a starter until this offseason at the earliest.

The Orioles may have no choice but to try and win a WS with this current starting pitching group.

[Jammer7]

I don’t think it changes their need, honestly. I mean, if a Verlander or Scherzer type starter came into the clubhouse, that would dramatically change many things. The fans’ and players’ perceptions for one thing. The playoff experience alone is a huge component they’re currently missing. Would we be ok with who we have? Sure, but I don’t like our chances of getting to the World Series. If they picked up Verlander or Scherzer, would they be better? Yep, very much so. I think Bradish and Grayson, in particular, would benefit.

Playoff baseball is tournament ball. It’s a different animal than the regular season. It’s at the end of the long season, when everyone is running on fumes and letting it rip the best they can. The pressure of every pitch is enormous. The heart beats a bit faster. There is no substitute for playoff experience and the confidence that comes from having been there. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

3 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Yes, IMO. But if a frontline starter is available we should still get them. 

This is the correct answer. If the right pitcher becomes available and the asking price is right then Elias needs to make a deal. With Grayson looking good I rate getting a top reliever as the bigger need in terms of priority. 

 

[ChosenOne21]

Personally, I think it would be a great problem to have to figure out who's the worst out of Bradish, Wells, Kremer, Grayson the way he pitched yesterday, Means if he returns to form, and a < 4.00 ERA starter we traded for.

But it's almost certainly Kremer

Edited July 29, 2023 by ChosenOne21

[ChuckS]

7 minutes ago, ChosenOne21 said:

Personally, I think it would be a great problem to have to figure out who's the worst out of Bradish, Wells, Kremer, Grayson the way he pitched yesterday, Means if he returns to form, and a < 4.00 ERA starter we traded for.

But it's almost certainly Kremer

You forgot about Gibson. If we do add a starter I believe it would be Gibson’s spot in jeopardy rather than Kremer. 

I would also be surprised if Means is placed in the rotation before the end of the season. I see him as a 2-3 inning guy for the playoffs, assuming he pitches this year. 

[ChosenOne21]

26 minutes ago, ChuckS said:

You forgot about Gibson. If we do add a starter I believe it would be Gibson’s spot in jeopardy rather than Kremer. 

I would also be surprised if Means is placed in the rotation before the end of the season. I see him as a 2-3 inning guy for the playoffs, assuming he pitches this year. 

No, I didn't. He's clearly the worst of the bunch, and being under contract only for this year I doubt there'd be an issue cutting him the way there might be with Kremer.

[oriole]

I think at some point, innings limit or not,  that both Rodriguez and Wells will need to be pulled back a little. Ultimately, I think 2 starters are needed…Wells and Rodriguez to the bullpen and replaced by X and Y SP from a trade. Possibly need to prepare for the inevitable fact that Bradish may fade as well since he hasn’t ever thrown over 120 or so innings and he’s at 104 now. 
 

So trading for a couple established SP would be the safe bet but the risk is in what you’re giving up and how those SP play for the rest of 2023. You can also say that keeping your prospects is a safe decision but you’re putting all the risk in 2 or 3 starters that have never pitched as many innings as we’re all hoping they do this year…while also keeping up with the effectiveness we’re all hoping for from them.

 

The answer seems obvious, just trade for one and pick which guy goes to the pen based on performance. That’d start with Kremer but could include Wells, Rodriguez, or Bradish down the stretch. There’s a possibility of Means helping out too but that can’t be counted on whatsoever.

 

[LA2]

30 minutes ago, oriole said:

I think at some point, innings limit or not,  that both Rodriguez and Wells will need to be pulled back a little. Ultimately, I think 2 starters are needed…Wells and Rodriguez to the bullpen and replaced by X and Y SP from a trade. Possibly need to prepare for the inevitable fact that Bradish may fade as well since he hasn’t ever thrown over 120 or so innings and he’s at 104 now. 
 

So trading for a couple established SP would be the safe bet but the risk is in what you’re giving up and how those SP play for the rest of 2023. You can also say that keeping your prospects is a safe decision but you’re putting all the risk in 2 or 3 starters that have never pitched as many innings as we’re all hoping they do this year…while also keeping up with the effectiveness we’re all hoping for from them.

 

The answer seems obvious, just trade for one and pick which guy goes to the pen based on performance. That’d start with Kremer but could include Wells, Rodriguez, or Bradish down the stretch. There’s a possibility of Means helping out too but that can’t be counted on whatsoever.

 

Rodriguez is not going to the bullpen. He'd only have to make 8-9 more starts and he's only thrown 62.33 big-league innings. We'll see what Wells' condition is today.