Thus far this season: Things I was wrong about and right about

[dystopia]

7 minutes ago, Otter said:

I was wrong about regression from O'Hearn, but I was right about Elias not acquiring enough pitching depth in the offseason.

For once I would like someone to explain this. We've lost 3 starters to TJS, something that should never be expected at the beginning of the season, and yet we still have 6 viable starters for the rotation (5 if you don't include Kremer who will be back soon). He still has a month+ to get another one via trade if he desires. In what way did he not acquire enough pitching depth? 

[Otter]

2 minutes ago, dystopia said:

For once I would like someone to explain this. We've lost 3 starters to TJS, something that should never be expected at the beginning of the season, and yet we still have 6 viable starters for the rotation (5 if you don't include Kremer who will be back soon). He still has a month+ to get another one via trade if he desires. In what way did he not acquire enough pitching depth? 

Because pitching injuries are inevitable.  We were very lucky with a lack of pitching injuries last year, and even though no one could have predicted 3 TJs it still shouldn't be so shocking that a GM shouldn't have protected himself against the probability.  I'm not saying we should have acquired more high level starters, but Elias probably should have acquired one more high leverage reliever and one or two depth starters to stash at AAA.  And because Elias ignored pitching until last year's draft, we don't have a pitching pipeline in the minors.

[dystopia]

3 minutes ago, Otter said:

Because pitching injuries are inevitable.  We were very lucky with a lack of pitching injuries last year, and even though no one could have predicted 3 TJs it still shouldn't be so shocking that a GM shouldn't have protected himself against the probability.  I'm not saying we should have acquired more high level starters, but Elias probably should have acquired one more high leverage reliever and one or two depth starters to stash at AAA.  And because Elias ignored pitching until last year's draft, we don't have a pitching pipeline in the minors.

Right, but my point is - we still have 6 viable starters right now even with the injuries. So I object to the statement that he didn't get enough pitching depth (to be fair you're not the only one who has said this). He did, and that's why we're still fine despite losing 3 SP for the year.

If he didn't acquire enough we'd be trotting Julio Teheran out there every 5th day. 

[Sports Guy]

17 minutes ago, dystopia said:

For once I would like someone to explain this. We've lost 3 starters to TJS, something that should never be expected at the beginning of the season, and yet we still have 6 viable starters for the rotation (5 if you don't include Kremer who will be back soon). He still has a month+ to get another one via trade if he desires. In what way did he not acquire enough pitching depth? 

Not sure how viable Suarez really is over a full season and you knew Bradish and likely Means were ticking time bombs. 
 

That said, what were you going to acquire? I said I would have still liked to have seen us add a guy like Edward Cabrera. Some kind of younger arm under control for a long time but we also don’t know for sure that arm was available.

That said, the bullpen was an obvious issue and not enough was done there

[Otter]

I understand what you're saying, but I'm reluctant to say we have 6 viable starters right now since it's much too early to say that for Povich (especially with how horrible his control/command have been) and we still have injury concerns with Kremer.  Furthermore, we're still in the SSS range for Suarez and too early to call him a viable starter for a WS contending team.

And what depth for the bullpen did Elias acquire in the offseason?  

[dystopia]

I do agree about the bullpen, although a lot of the guys folks on here wanted are either performing badly or out with injury. 

I don't think anyone expected Means to need another TJ. There was a poll done for innings expectations for him and most people picked the 100-120 inning range IIRC. 

I don't expect Suarez to start a WS game, but I also expect Elias to go get another starter at the deadline. How good of a starter is hard to say. 

[Philip]

39 minutes ago, dystopia said:

For once I would like someone to explain this. We've lost 3 starters to TJS, something that should never be expected at the beginning of the season, and yet we still have 6 viable starters for the rotation (5 if you don't include Kremer who will be back soon). He still has a month+ to get another one via trade if he desires. In what way did he not acquire enough pitching depth? 

These days, TJ is more to be expected than not, especially with guys throwing 98+, or throwing complicated twisting pitches. So, TJ SHOULD have been expected, especially with the pre-season injury concerns: Means had it before, Wells had it before, Bradish had unexplained arm problems and then a PRP procedure. All of them should have been predicted for long IL stays, and that’s what happened.

Right now, I’m even leery of Kremer being a meaningful contributor the rest of the season, but I hope he will. I’m even worried about Suarez, because you know, the Baseball Gods will have their little surprises.

[Just Regular]

I think right now Chayce McDermott personifies more quality reserve depth than most MLB teams have, and we have about another month stepping through a deployment pattern targeted at maximizing options available July 30.      Elias would be folding a bluff he is a genuine SP prospect if he put him in the bullpen now.

The Holliday 50% K rate detail was cool - it is Matt Wallner this year, another touted bat who Minnesota had to reset.     Last year it was Bobby Dalbec and Brett Phillips, and about 30 PA seems to be about as much as a MLB club will tolerate of that.

I was wrong thinking in the first month or two of the Rubenstein honeymoon that someone would get done.

I was right thinking between Cowser and Kjerstad one would get heavily emphasized over the other for another aimed shot at RoY incentives.

[Sports Guy]

21 minutes ago, dystopia said:

I do agree about the bullpen, although a lot of the guys folks on here wanted are either performing badly or out with injury. 

I don't think anyone expected Means to need another TJ. There was a poll done for innings expectations for him and most people picked the 100-120 inning range IIRC. 

I don't expect Suarez to start a WS game, but I also expect Elias to go get another starter at the deadline. How good of a starter is hard to say. 

Even if Means threw 100-120 innings, that’s still a lot of innings that need to be covered.

[dystopia]

25 minutes ago, Philip said:

These days, TJ is more to be expected than not, especially with guys throwing 98+, or throwing complicated twisting pitches. So, TJ SHOULD have been expected, especially with the pre-season injury concerns: Means had it before, Wells had it before, Bradish had unexplained arm problems and then a PRP procedure. All of them should have been predicted for long IL stays, and that’s what happened.

Right now, I’m even leery of Kremer being a meaningful contributor the rest of the season, but I hope he will. I’m even worried about Suarez, because you know, the Baseball Gods will have their little surprises.

TJ should have been expected for Bradish. Not Means or Wells. 

[Birdland in NC]

Right: Gunner would be at SS every game, not bouncing between 3B.  

Right: Mateo is a really good baseball player.  

Wrong: Thought Grayson was gonna be dominant. 

[BRobinsonfan]

4 hours ago, Jagwar said:

 

Can I get this in a 2XL?  Where do I send my money?  

[survivedc]

Wrong: I would have trouble rooting for Kimbrel after years of finding him annoying. 
 

Right (IMO): Mountcastle had more to show. He’s been much better at 1st (though still has problems with pop ups), and has a decent shot at a career year at the plate.

[Orioles West]

Much like the Fonz (leather jacket wearing dude from 70’s TV for the young folks) I’m never wrong, but I have been surprised a couple times.

I’m surprised our elder outfielders seem to be bouncing back from very slow starts.

I shouldn’t have been surprised by Means going back to surgery, but I was.

The bullpen has also performed better than I anticipated — although the injuries there may yet derail our relief corps.

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Orioles West said:

Much like the Fonz (The jumping the shark guy for the young folks) I’m never wrong, but I have been surprised a couple times.

I’m surprised our elder outfielders seem to be bouncing back from very slow starts.

I shouldn’t have been surprised by Means going back to surgery, but I was.

The bullpen has also performed better than I anticipated — although the injuries there may yet derail our relief corps.

FTFY