Three 2022-23 developments that fundamentally changed the outlook for this team

[Tony-OH]

2 hours ago, InsideCoroner said:

I never get hyped up over one start. Remember Mike Wright’s MLB debut, 7.1 innings against Mike Trout and the Angels, 0 runs, 0 BB, 6 K? But as someone later said of him after he crashed and burned, “million dollar arm, ten cent head.” You just never really know.

To this day I'll never know who that Mike Wright was.

Adrenaline fueled Mike Wright was a different pitcher than normal Mike Wright for sure. 

[Tony-OH]

4 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

Now that would have been something!!

Whoops! That would have been an even bigger surprise. I fixed it. 

[dystopia]

2 hours ago, InsideCoroner said:

I never get hyped up over one start. Remember Mike Wright’s MLB debut, 7.1 innings against Mike Trout and the Angels, 0 runs, 0 BB, 6 K? But as someone later said of him after he crashed and burned, “million dollar arm, ten cent head.” You just never really know.

It's amazing how many chances that guy got.

[Billy F-Face3]

51 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

After what I felt was a very underwhelming offseason, I felt this team was an 83 win team give or take a few wins. 

I'm happily surprised at how they have "lifted off" this season irregardless of how they got here. 

My biggest surprises would have to be:

1) Ryan O'Hearn going from a DFA guy from the Royals into a middle of the order hitter on the best team in AL. No one saw this. Yes, I saw the good EVs and read about how the shifts affected him, but he was 29-years old and looked at best to be a potential fill in or role player.

2) Yennier Cano becoming an All-Star and one of the best setup guys in baseball. Who saw this after what he did at the major league level last year? Yes, he had an immaculate inning in AAA last year and yeah, the stuff looked decent, but going from a guy who many of us thought could have been jettisoned off the 40-man this offseason to a rock in the backend of the Orioles bullpen is quite the surprise.

3) The acquisition of Aaron Hicks and his success with the Orioles has been pretty huge. He's a significant upgrade offensively (.279/.386/.431/.818) over McKenna and has filled in nicely as a starter when Mullins went down with injuries. Everyone kept waiting for the other shoe to drop but maybe getting on a good team in a great environment really heled him find himself again?

4) Frobby mentioned Bradish becoming a stud starter, and I have to agree. The full integration of his sinker over the ineffective 4-seamer and his slider becoming plus-plus is a pretty amazing development story for the Orioles and him.

5) When Danny Coulombe was acquired at the end of spring training, many of us thought it may have been just for the Red Sox series because they were loaded with left-handers. 60-games later and a 2.68 ERA, Coulombe has been an absolute staple in the pen this year. And if you watch the mic'd up pieces, he's obviously a great clubhouse guy.

I'd have to say all of these with exception to #4 was my biggest surprises. Bradish I had a clue would be good but the others I never saw coming. The nearest sample I had was when O'Hearn was really good in Training Camp and then proceeded to hit a Home Run in Norfolk's 1st game. But I never thought anything of that because of small sample size. I honestly thought Diaz would get more of an opportunity.

 

[Billy F-Face3]

1 minute ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

I'd have to say all of these with exception to #4 was my biggest surprises. Bradish I had a clue would be good but the others I never saw coming. The nearest sample I had was when O'Hearn was really good in Training Camp and then proceeded to hit a Home Run in Norfolk's 1st game. But I never thought anything of that because of small sample size. I honestly thought Diaz would get more of an opportunity.

 

Lewin Diaz, just to clarify.

[Osornot]

2 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

After what I felt was a very underwhelming offseason, I felt this team was an 83 win team give or take a few wins. 

I'm happily surprised at how they have "lifted off" this season irregardless of how they got here. 

My biggest surprises would have to be:

1) Ryan O'Hearn going from a DFA guy from the Royals into a middle of the order hitter on the best team in AL. No one saw this. Yes, I saw the good EVs and read about how the shifts affected him, but he was 29-years old and looked at best to be a potential fill in or role player.

2) Yennier Cano becoming an All-Star and one of the best setup guys in baseball. Who saw this after what he did at the major league level last year? Yes, he had an immaculate inning in AAA last year and yeah, the stuff looked decent, but going from a guy who many of us thought could have been jettisoned off the 40-man this offseason to a rock in the backend of the Orioles bullpen is quite the surprise.

3) The acquisition of Aaron Hicks and his success with the Orioles has been pretty huge. He's a significant upgrade offensively (.279/.386/.431/.818) over McKenna and has filled in nicely as a starter when Mullins went down with injuries. Everyone kept waiting for the other shoe to drop but maybe getting on a good team in a great environment really heled him find himself again?

4) Frobby mentioned Bradish becoming a stud starter, and I have to agree. The full integration of his sinker over the ineffective 4-seamer and his slider becoming plus-plus is a pretty amazing development story for the Orioles and him.

5) When Danny Coulombe was acquired at the end of spring training, many of us thought it may have been just for the Red Sox series because they were loaded with left-handers. 60-games later and a 2.68 ERA, Coulombe has been an absolute staple in the pen this year. And if you watch the mic'd up pieces, he's obviously a great clubhouse guy.

My biggest surprise is Bradish.  I went with a good starter but not a TOR type.  

Coulombe/Cano... when it comes to RPs I find it difficult to predict.  A surprise? Yes, but, to me, it could have been anyone.. just not very good at any sort of prediction.

O'Hearn is one of my favorite surprises and I hope this isn't a one-and-done type season. I just like the way he plays. Plus, he may agree with us that he has been a surprise. 

I agree with Hicks but also thought getting out of NY could only be a positive for him.