Starters: Bradish game 1, GRod game 2

[tntoriole]

Just do your best!! It doesn’t matter what order. 

[Moose Milligan]

Grayson Rodriguez: 2.58 ERA in the 2nd half, 1.096 WHIP. 
 

Orioles Hangout:  I cAn’T BeLiVe MeAnS IsN’t sTaRtINg GaMe 2 bCuZ oF TeH WaLL!!!!111

[e16bball]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Both these pitchers were awesome the entire second half of the season.  I’m looking forward to seeing how they handle the pressure of pitching in the playoffs.   I have a lot of confidence in both of them.  

For those worried about how Means might do in Arlington, I suggest you check out the only start he’s made there.  7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K’s.   Works for me!
 

If we can get Texas to agree to run out the same lineup as that day, sign me up!

SS Isaiah Kiner-Falefa (85 OPS+ for the season)

2B Nick Solak (87 OPS+)

1B Nathaniel Lowe (112 OPS+)

RF Adolis Garcia (100 OPS+)

DH David Dahl (55 OPS+)

C Jose Trevino (66 OPS+)

3B Charlie Culberson (85 OPS+)

LF Eli White (56 OPS+)

CF Leody Taveras (30 OPS+)

Remarkably, half of the guys in that early April lineup aren’t even ML players anymore, two years later (Culberson, Dahl, White, and Solak). Though Dahl did have a front-row seat for Colton Cowser and Connor Norby winning the AAA world heavyweight championship a week or so ago. 

The Orioles (rightly) get a lot of credit for how far they’ve managed to come in just a couple short years, but the same is really true of Texas as well. They only have two holdovers from their primary 2021 batting lineup, and now they’re probably the best offense in the AL. It feels like a less impressive feat because they dropped so much money on their double play combo, but they have definitely rebuilt that roster on the fly as well. 

[waroriole]

11 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Grayson Rodriguez: 2.58 ERA in the 2nd half, 1.096 WHIP. 
 

Orioles Hangout:  I cAn’T BeLiVe MeAnS IsN’t sTaRtINg GaMe 2 bCuZ oF TeH WaLL!!!!111

I haven’t really seen those type of responses in here, but I’m also not looking for them. 

[Brian88]

 

[ThisIsBirdland]

Bochy looking at Gunnar and saying I don’t care if one’s been a RP in September, I’m starting a lefty. 

[tntoriole]

18 minutes ago, e16bball said:

If we can get Texas to agree to run out the same lineup as that day, sign me up!

SS Isaiah Kiner-Falefa (85 OPS+ for the season)

2B Nick Solak (87 OPS+)

1B Nathaniel Lowe (112 OPS+)

RF Adolis Garcia (100 OPS+)

DH David Dahl (55 OPS+)

C Jose Trevino (66 OPS+)

3B Charlie Culberson (85 OPS+)

LF Eli White (56 OPS+)

CF Leody Taveras (30 OPS+)

Remarkably, half of the guys in that early April lineup aren’t even ML players anymore, two years later (Culberson, Dahl, White, and Solak). Though Dahl did have a front-row seat for Colton Cowser and Connor Norby winning the AAA world heavyweight championship a week or so ago. 

The Orioles (rightly) get a lot of credit for how far they’ve managed to come in just a couple short years, but the same is really true of Texas as well. They only have two holdovers from their primary 2021 batting lineup, and now they’re probably the best offense in the AL. It feels like a less impressive feat because they dropped so much money on their double play combo, but they have definitely rebuilt that roster on the fly as well. 

Yeah spending 500 mil can speed up the old rebuild for sure$ 

[tntoriole]

6 minutes ago, ThisIsBirdland said:

Bochy looking at Gunnar and saying I don’t care if one’s been a RP in September, I’m starting a lefty. 

Exactly.. a matchup decision

[MurphDogg]

This move feels too cute by half. Hopefully it bites the Rangers in the butt

Edited October 6, 2023 by MurphDogg

[ThisIsBirdland]

Heaney actually had a higher OPS allowed against LHB vs RHB this year, but that’s of course a small sample size. Also looks like he had much worse luck against LHB looking at his BABIP.

I’d be tempted to still put Gunnar out there first assuming Heaney is being used somewhat as an opener, just to maintain that threat of a mediocre RP having to get through Gunnar-Adley-Santander for later in the game. 

[Moshagge3]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Both these pitchers were awesome the entire second half of the season.  I’m looking forward to seeing how they handle the pressure of pitching in the playoffs.   I have a lot of confidence in both of them.  

For those worried about how Means might do in Arlington, I suggest you check out the only start he’s made there.  7 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 9 K’s.   Works for me!
 

2021, man. Maikel Franco is standing on third in extra innings and somehow gets thrown out at home on a line drive single to right. The O's invented so many ways to lose that year.

[Sports Guy]

Heaney is a bit of a surprise.

He was moved to the pen and hasn’t pitched much. He did throw 88 pitches and 4 innings his last outing but he hadn’t gone that long since the beginning of Sept.

Im guessing they hope he can give them 4-5 innings tomorrow.

[Frobby]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

Heaney is a bit of a surprise.

He was moved to the pen and hasn’t pitched much. He did throw 88 pitches and 4 innings his last outing but he hadn’t gone that long since the beginning of Sept.

Im guessing they hope he can give them 4-5 innings tomorrow.

He pitched well in OPACY in May.

[Just Regular]

I see this as them basically doing the John Means Walltimore thing and maximizing LHP at OPACY.     Makes more sense for them without any Bradish/Grayson types at full strength available this weekend.

I've joked before that the Peak Elias offenses with all the lefty bats aiming for the flag court will see every AAAA lefty starter, middle reliever, etc. in the world in home games.     Heaney's kind of the playoff flavor of that.

Dunning had a good year, but last offseason the Rangers splurging for everyone in the world was in part to push Dunning as far down their depth chart as they could.   It isn't too surprising to see him initially bypassed, though he could be first out of pen.

Now...is Brandon Hyde going to hit Gunnar 1st or 6th?

[Moose Milligan]

He throws with his left hand and his fastball averages 92.5 mph. We’re probably screwed.