Elias out smarts O'Dowd and DeRosa

[wildcard]

MLB Network did a post-mortem on the trade deadline and their conclusion about the O's was the Elias added too many players and it will mess with the team chemistry.   They think Mullins and O'Hearn will both take offense to the additions.   (See link below)

Going into the deadline the O's need starting, bullpen and right handed outfield help.   Everyone knew that.    O'Dowd agreed that the Elfin trade should help the O's.    It moves  Povich to AAA and the team as a whole is not unhappy about that.

Rogers moves Suarez to the pen.   Considering that Suarez had a 7.64 ERA in July it was time to take some workload off him.   I don't see the team being upset about that.

 Doimingeuz and Soto added two veterans to the pen.    Nittoli and Krook were DFA'd,  Baker and Akin were optioned.  And Irvin was DFA'd and ended up in AAA Norfolk. The only one that might have been pissed in Akin.  I am sure Elias told him with all the injuries that are occurring with pitchers this year his stay in AAA may be short.  Irvin should have expected it the way he was performing.

As far as Mullins and O'Hearn being upset because right handed  hitting Slater and Jimenez were acquired, neither of them play much against lefties anyway. Slater is a replacement for Hays with the added ability to play a decent CF.

Right now adding Jimenez looks like a stroke of genius.   The O's were 12-13 in July and look tired in the process.  They needed a spark and some rest.  Jimenez is a middle of the order bat that hit the ground running.  Adding him at DH allows:

1) Santander to rest instead of DH where he has a 648 OPS this year.

2) Adley to rest when he's not catching.  August is not fun in catching gear in Baltimore.

3) OHearn and Mountcastle can share 1B.   O'Hearn does not play vs lefties and Mountcastle is hitting for a 712 OPS vs righties.    

I am not saying that Jimenez plays all the time but whoever hits will.

I think Elias know what he is doing and the MLB Network doesn't know the O's.

Scroll to 6:00.

 

Edited August 6 by wildcard

[Frobby]

So you’re declaring victory before we even see how it plays out?  Okay….

i really don’t care what these two guys think, but we won’t know how Elias’ moves panned out until the season is over.  

[wildcard]

7 minutes ago, Frobby said:

So you’re declaring victory before we even see how it plays out?  Okay….

i really don’t care what these two guys think, but we won’t know how Elias’ moves panned out until the season is over.  

So you think there is a chance it messes with the O's team chemistry?

[Sports Guy]

3 minutes ago, wildcard said:

So you think there is a chance it messes with the O's team chemistry?

No..but that doesn’t mean the trades will work out 

[Aristotelian]

Yeah, that is a dumb take. O'Hearn has understood from the beginning that he can't hit lefties and needs a platoon partner. Mullins has played with a RHB backup throughout his career as well as already losing AB's to Cowser. I expect both guys to handle the new teammates like pros. If I was to worry about anyone it would be Mountcastle who was already part of the DH platoon. Eloy is the more direct threat to him.

[Frobby]

Just now, wildcard said:

So you think there is a chance it messes with the O's team chemistry?

I tend to doubt it, but we’ll see.   If the new players perform well and the team returns to playing winning baseball, I doubt it will hurt team chemistry.  If they don’t, maybe it will.   Or, maybe people will say so, whether it actually does or not.  “Chemistry” is one of those terms that often gets thrown around to rationalize a result.   

[Bemorewins]

I wouldn’t worry or get to worked up about what is said on any tv show. Those opinions/takes are specifically to drive ratings. And these national tv analysts have way less insight into anything O’s related than the average poster on this board. How could they be insightful regarding all 30 teams?

But it is very early in the post trade aftermath. IMO a little too early to make declarative statements or take victory laps.

[GoldGlove21]

29 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

I wouldn’t worry or get to worked up about what is said on any tv show. Those opinions/takes are specifically to drive ratings. And these national tv analysts have way less insight into anything O’s related than the average poster on this board. How could they be insightful regarding all 30 teams?

But it is very early in the post trade aftermath. IMO a little too early to make declarative statements or take victory laps.

This happens when the announcers keep linking the Orioles to names that probably were not even available minus serious overpays. Then none of those discussed players get traded to anyone.

[cnmilton]

If anything messed with the Os team chemistry with these trades,  it was the loss of Hays in the lockerroom

[deward]

42 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Yeah, that is a dumb take. O'Hearn has understood from the beginning that he can't hit lefties and needs a platoon partner. 

I recall the TV guys saying fairly recently that O'Hearn had been lobbying (in a good-natured way) Hyde for a chance to play against more lefties to try and prove that he can be a full-time starter, so I don't think he agrees that he can't hit them. That said, his role is pretty clearly defined; Kjerstad was a bigger threat to his ABs than Jimenez. Regardless, he's a team guy who I wouldn't expect to cause issues even if he was losing PT. 

[Tony-OH]

They have to talk about something.

I don't think anyone can claim anything other than the team should be better than it was before the deadline for no other reason than Eflin, Rogers, Dominguez and Soto brought arms that this team needed. 

Anything Jimenez and Slater give the team will be a bonus. I like Slater a bit because his defense looks pretty good and he's a better hitter than McKenna was.

The fact that this team doesn't have Suarez, Povich and McDermott in the rotation is a good thing. Hope fully Suarez can refind himself as a once through the lineup reliever. If not, the team may need to consider McDermott in that role.

[dystopia]

18 minutes ago, cnmilton said:

If anything messed with the Os team chemistry with these trades,  it was the loss of Hays in the lockerroom

Which was likely a positive. 

[Spy Fox]

The thread title makes me laugh because it implies Elias is locked in an intense and evolving battle of wits with MLB Network analysts. 

[Satyr3206]

My biggest take from the trade deadline was that the Orioles took on salary. Could be telling for the off season.

[Rbiggs2525]

There is a reason why O’Dowd is talking about it and not doing it. I would have pushed back and said what would you have done differently? His data on prospects can’t be deciphered without explaining what is impact?