I know nobody wants to hear this but......

[Philip]

1 hour ago, vab said:

.....there may be just too much to fix here. Right now we're looking at a rotation with one true ace, a young talented SP but still developing, a good-looking rookie but a rookie and two guys who don't belong in anyone's starting rotation at this point. The bullpen is also missing it's best two guys right now and the one back-end guy they still have bears little resemblance to what he was most of last year. To fix all that in an extreme seller's market you're going to have to give up one and maybe two of your best prospects. It's a hard pill to swallow but I don't think it's worth it. This core is still really young wtih years to go before they reach free agency so it's not a do or die situation this year. Now I'm not saying don't do anything and if Elias can get the pieces without giving up a Basallo, Mayo or Holliday great but I'm totally against a desperate overpay. 

How is it possible to fix this problem giving up “one and maybe two” of our best prospects. Its NOT. It’s impossible to get meaningful help, ie two starters and two solid relievers, without surrendering 4-5 of our top prospects, and by top prospects, I mean guys from our top ten list.

Thats why I’m leaning towards thinking Mike will do nothing, make it through this season as 2WC, maybe 3WC, lose before the ALCS, call it a good season, and then make moves during the offseason when prices go down again.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

21 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

There is a crack in it.

 

 

Some might say the Orioles are falling to pieces right now.

 

[OriolesMagic83]

48 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

This is silly.

Let's show a little appreciation for #1 farm system rankings.  Where are the trophies for the O's from before Elias arrived?

[Uli2001]

2 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

 

Some might say the Orioles are falling to pieces right now.

 

Great album, just turned 35 years old the other day.

[Philip]

1 hour ago, eddie83 said:

The part you are forgetting is that all teams have issues. Did Cole look good tonight ? HR city plus diminishing fastball velocity. Gil will throw how many innings this year? The Guardians look great, they gonna hit this way all year? CLE has rotation issues.  SEA can’t hit. 
 

You aren’t throwing your #5 in the playoffs. #4 not much. You don’t have to worry about Elias overpaying. It’s not his style and there is nothing to overpay for. 

So Kremer is your #3? Povich? And what about relievers? Who do you or anyone else trust up one run in the 7th, much less in the ninth? Approximately nobody.

Injuries have killed us. Oh well. 

[Moose Milligan]

2 minutes ago, OriolesMagic83 said:

Let's show a little appreciation for #1 farm system rankings.  Where are the trophies for the O's from before Elias arrived?

How'd you want this rebuild to go?  Did you not want a #1 farm system ranking?  Is it a bad place to be in when your team just won 100 games, are on pace to win another 100 games and still have a stacked system?

Where's the downside?

[Orioles Jim]

36 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I have the same worry about this team that I had before the season started…pitching.

 I was worried about Bradish and Means staying healthy (Bradish pitched more than I thought he would) and I didn’t like the pen.

Im not going overboard like this thread is imo but Elias does have work to do. 

I think it’s just the Orioles fan in me (and so many others) that has us fearing a tailspin of attrition in which the team collapses entirely and finishes a sub 500 team.

Not saying I can make the statistical case for that but the scar tissue is there.

Edited Wednesday at 03:23 by Orioles Jim

[accinfo]

1 hour ago, oriolediehard said:

The injuries to Means, Bradish, Kremer, Coloumbe, and Bautista has killed us.  It is very hard to replace that much talent. It may be too much of a loss to overcome to make the playoffs.

So you really think they won’t make the playoffs?  Kremer will be back very soon by the way.  

[kidrock]

I’m not concerned.  I’ve followed this team closely since 1999 and most of it sucked.  This team is built for the long run.  After witnessing the dodgers and Yankees failures in the playoffs, despite the high payrolls, I realize it’s a crap shoot.  Get in the playoffs enough and hope for some luck.  Get a ring and move on.

[Philip]

1 hour ago, O's84 said:

Tony, you mentioned how Elias really hasn't made that "go for it" move.  I tend to agree with you that Elias might not have gone for Burnes if he knew Bradish wasn't injured.  

We need a #3rd starter and to 2 back end pen arms.  Elias said last year at the deadline he "took big swings" but ultimately just came away with Flaherty and Fuji.  He'll have to better this time around because this team, as presently constructed, is a longshot for the WS.  

Now getting 2 back end pen arms ad the deadline will be tough.  But he made his life more difficult when he didn't upgrade the pen during the offseason, especially after trading away Hall (And knowing no Felix for the year).

Trading Drew Rom for Flaherty was not a big swing. It was trading a maybe prospect for a “hope he’s ok” guy with three months before FA.

I am increasingly convinced Mike won’t make any bigger move this season, and what we have is basically what we will have.

[OnlyOneOriole]

24 minutes ago, kidrock said:

I’m not concerned.  I’ve followed this team closely since 1999 and most of it sucked.  This team is built for the long run.  After witnessing the dodgers and Yankees failures in the playoffs, despite the high payrolls, I realize it’s a crap shoot.  Get in the playoffs enough and hope for some luck.  Get a ring and move on.

The 5 game losing streak is a 5 game losing streak.  I am not too concerned about that unless it turns into something bigger. Every team goes through it. 

What I am concerned about is losing 3 starters and 2 great relievers since last August with not a lot to replace them other than Burnes.  And they won't even back for most of next year...if at all.

Add in the fact that Burnes is more than likely leaving after this year?  Our cupboard pitching wise is pretty bare as it looks right now.

So imo you absolutely need to trade some of your AA and AAA players to get pitching help now and for next year.  This team is too good to waste years on players like GH and AR. 

[Philip]

55 minutes ago, accinfo said:

So you really think they won’t make the playoffs?  Kremer will be back very soon by the way.  

We can hope he’s back to being his #5 self, but he’ll now be a #3, and let’s all x the fingers

[OnlyOneOriole]

57 minutes ago, accinfo said:

So you really think they won’t make the playoffs?  Kremer will be back very soon by the way.  

I really like Kremer.  Seems like a good guy and a solid arm.

But he is not going to be the guy to get you into the playoffs and he especially won't be a guy between a make or break WS championship. 

[now]

1 hour ago, Orioles Jim said:

I think it’s just the Orioles fan in me (and so many others) that has us fearing a tailspin of attrition in which the team collapses entirely and finishes a sub 500 team.

Not saying I can make the statistical case for that but the scar tissue is there.

I've been a fan for a long time too but mostly remember a lot of near misses, not tailspin collapses. 2005 comes to mind (Raffygate, Sammy Sosa, Lee Mazzilli, et al.)... what other seasons are you thinking of, to create scar tissue?

Edited Wednesday at 04:36 by now

[OnlyOneOriole]

8 minutes ago, now said:

I've been a fan for a long time too but mostly remember a lot of near misses, not tailspin collapses. 2005 comes to mind (Raffygate, Sammy Sosa, Lee Mazzilli, et al.)... what other seasons are you thinking of, to create scar tissue?

It is just a real shame that the Os are going through all of these elbows.  Take away all of the elbows going back to last year with Felix and I would say the Os are a lock to get to the WS and would have a great chance to win it all.

I haven't seen this many injuries from a teams top guys in such a short amount of time in maybe.....forever.

I am starting to wonder if it is something the Os are doing as far as their training.   Trying to obtain too much spin, revs, and velocity.

I am a big Colts fan and for years we have complained about all of the knee blowouts and hammy injuries they get when playing at home.  Finally the Colts realized that it might be turf related from their home field and replaced it this past spring.