Pedal to the metal

[Frobby]

Having run through a gauntlet of teams with winning records the last 5 weeks, the O’s now have the 8th easiest remaining schedule.  The teams we play the rest of the way have a weighted average winning percentage of .488.  https://www.tankathon.com/mlb/remaining_schedule_strength

There will be a temptation for the O’s to relax a little, but this is no time for that.  The O’s need to take advantage and cement their position, starting with this weekend’s series with the Mets.  

Upcoming the rest of this month current winning percentage in parentheses):

NYM 3 (.467)

HOU 3 (.569)

@SEA 3 (.519)

@SDP 3 (.495)

@OAK 3 (.275)

TOR 3 (.550)

COL 3 (.389)

CWS 3 (.394)

It’s definitely not just a parade of bad teams, especially the next two weeks.  But it’s an opportunity.  

Edited August 4, 2023 by Frobby

[Sports Guy]

No doubt. West coast can always be a tricky trip and SD and Seattle have a lot to play for right now. But that is 24 games and winning 14 or more of those games is easily within reach and would keep up good momentum.

[ShoelesJoe]

I'm worried this weekend's series against the Mets are going to be trap games where we let down just enough to get our asses handed to us. Winning two of three is a must, hopefully we sweep. But losing two (or three) would be a kick in the teeth. Hyde needs to keep this team hungry.

[Sports Guy]

2 minutes ago, ShoelesJoe said:

I'm worried this weekend's series against the Mets are going to be trap games where we let down just enough to get our asses handed to us. Winning two of three is a must, hopefully we sweep. But losing two (or three) would be a kick in the teeth. Hyde needs to keep this team hungry.

Why would even remotely doubt the hunger of this team? Why would you doubt Hyde’s ability to keep them motivated and into things?

These intangible things..motivation, chemistry, hunger, readiness, etc…zero questions should be about that.

These guys were showing that when they were 7 games a year.

These young kids DGAF. They are cocky, confident and have a boatload of fun. Exactly how it should be.

[baltfan]

15 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

No doubt. West coast can always be a tricky trip and SD and Seattle have a lot to play for right now. But that is 24 games and winning 14 or more of those games is easily within reach and would keep up good momentum.

If they went 14-10, that would be worse than they did in July against all teams over .500.  Just gives you an idea of the level this team has been playing at.  

[Bemorewins]

I don’t think things like “trap” games are really a thing in a sport like baseball. Baseball is more of a game of skill, hand eye coordination, concentration, etc.

Football is much more of a game of emotional intensity where one’s (or a team’s emotional energy) combines with the energy/enthusiasm/noise from a crowd can help a team overcome/overwhelm another team who is better.

Conversely, in baseball if the pitcher executes their pitches or does not, the crowd is irrelevant and so are the emotions of the opponent.

[Baltimorecuse]

15 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Having run through a gauntlet of teams with winning records the last 5 weeks, the O’s now have the 8th easiest remaining schedule.  The teams we play the rest of the way have a weighted average winning percentage of .488.  https://www.tankathon.com/mlb/remaining_schedule_strength

There will be a temptation for the O’s to relax a little, but this is no time for that.  The O’s need to take advantage and cement their position, starting with this weekend’s series with the Mets.  

Upcoming the rest of this month current winning percentage in parentheses):

NYM 3 (.467)

HOU 3 (.569)

@SEA 3 (.519)

@SDP 3 (.495)

@OAK 3 (.275)

TOR 3 (.550)

COL 3 (.389)

CWS 3 (.394)

It’s definitely not just a parade of bad teams, especially the next two weeks.  But it’s an opportunity.  

We all know it's a marathon not a sprint.  We've got 53 games left and that's 10 times through the rotation plus 3.  If everyone stays healthy we're in good shape.  Hyde has mothered that rotation all season to be ready for this.  

I'm not worried about the position players.  The vets are looking for sweet revenge.  The young guys are fighting to build their resumes.  

[btdart20]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

NYM 3 (.467)

HOU 3 (.569)

@SEA 3 (.519)

@SDP 3 (.495)

@OAK 3 (.275)

TOR 3 (.550)

COL 3 (.389)

CWS 3 (.394)

This looked more imposing in spring training... 

Looking ahead to that TOR match-up could introduce a "would you rather" choose your own adventure...  

Would you rather:

1. Knock the Blue Jays out of the wild card hunt?  Knowing we just handled the Blue Jays.  But the joy!

2. Allowing BOS, NYY, SEA, or LAA to make it?  Boston seems like they are playing solid ball now.  NYY is a Judge/Cole show in a short series.  SEA has a lot of talent.  And the Los Angeles Ohtanis have two GOATs (if that's possible).

 

[Frobby]

32 minutes ago, btdart20 said:

This looked more imposing in spring training... 

Looking ahead to that TOR match-up could introduce a "would you rather" choose your own adventure...  

Would you rather:

1. Knock the Blue Jays out of the wild card hunt?  Knowing we just handled the Blue Jays.  But the joy!

2. Allowing BOS, NYY, SEA, or LAA to make it?  Boston seems like they are playing solid ball now.  NYY is a Judge/Cole show in a short series.  SEA has a lot of talent.  And the Los Angeles Ohtanis have two GOATs (if that's possible).

 

I never want to do anything that improves the chances of (1) the Yankees or (2) the Red Sox.  I’d prefer having Toronto in the playoffs to either of those, just on general principles.  However, I will be perfectly happy if we continue dominating Toronto, regardless of who it helps.   Win every game.

[MurphDogg]

This team has a decent chance of being the best O's team since 1979 (102 wins) or 1980 (100 wins). If they were able to top 102 wins, (doubtful given that the starters are running up on innings limits, but not impossible given the remaining schedule) they could be the winningest Orioles squad since 1970 (108 wins)

I was surprised to see that we only won 98 games in 1997 and 1983 and that we won 100 games in 1980.

I knew the 1979 team was the best of that 1977-1983 era which made the loss to the Pirates so painful, and the final series of the 1982 season is a regularly mentioned part of Orioles lore, but I didn't realize that they won 100 games in 1980 while finishing 3 games behind the Yankees. Really the only thing I knew about the 1980 team was that Steve Stone won the Cy Young that year.

Edited August 4, 2023 by MurphDogg

[Aristotelian]

1 hour ago, Bemorewins said:

I don’t think things like “trap” games are really a thing in a sport like baseball. Baseball is more of a game of skill, hand eye coordination, concentration, etc.

Football is much more of a game of emotional intensity where one’s (or a team’s emotional energy) combines with the energy/enthusiasm/noise from a crowd can help a team overcome/overwhelm another team who is better.

Conversely, in baseball if the pitcher executes their pitches or does not, the crowd is irrelevant and so are the emotions of the opponent.

There is also a ton of luck and random variation from game to game. The better team loses 40% of the time. I would agree baseball is less emotional than football, but it does require a lot of concentration, which could lapse against a bad opponent. How often this happens of course is impossible to tell.

[Bemorewins]

3 hours ago, Aristotelian said:

There is also a ton of luck and random variation from game to game. The better team loses 40% of the time. I would agree baseball is less emotional than football, but it does require a lot of concentration, which could lapse against a bad opponent. How often this happens of course is impossible to tell.

I totally agree regarding your point about the concentration needed in a sport like baseball. But why would the entire team (those in the lineup and pitching) decide not to focus/concentrate when we are 2 games in first place this far into the season and hardly any of these guys have ever won anything before?

I just think the poster who made the point about this potentially being a "trap game/series" is way off. I don't think those type of things even exist in a sport like baseball. Again, IMO it was an attempt to apply something from the sport of football where emotion/effort is such a huge part of it and apply to a sport like baseball.

Make no mistake about it, we can certainly lose to the Mets 2 out of 3. But it won't be due to any trap. It will be because their pitchers executed their pitches better than ours.

[tom_o'malley]

Orioles social media folks in full swing 

 

 

[SteveA]

Whether or not you believe in trap games, it is worth noting that we are 15-14 vs the NL and 52-28 vs the AL.

And we have played a mix of good and bad NL teams so far.

Coincidence perhaps.   But I did think that Hyde rested Bautista an extra day longer in the Philly series than I believe he would have if it had been an AL East opponent.   And I think Adley's last full day off was vs an NL team too?  (Not bothering to check so I could be wrong, just going off memory).

With this Met series coming right between two series vs AL contenders that we could be fighting for playoff spots and/or seeding with, it wouldn't shock me to see resource allocation changed a bit to prioritize beating Houston over beating the Mets.   (However, the off day Monday before Houston comes in means it's not as urgent to rest relievers Sunday to keep them available for Houston).

(And by the way, I have no problem with a strategy that prioritizes winning AL games higher than winning interleague games, if that is indeed what is happening).

[Fiver6565]

32 minutes ago, tom_o'malley said:

Orioles social media folks in full swing 

 

 

Wow that is really……something. LOL. 
 

If anyone deserves to strut in like that it’s Mountcastle after the week he just had.