Anyone else here going to the season ticketholder / flex plan members Q&A with Elias today?

[SteveA]

The view from my table, Kevin and Mike.

[OriolesMagic83]

4 minutes ago, SteveA said:

There were a few hundred people there, and about 10 or 12 got to ask questions, after Kevin Brown asked a few in the beginning.

No, no one "grilled" him on not drafiting pitchers or how he advances prospects.   If that's what you were hoping for.

He was askied about re-signing both Santander and Burnes, and simply chose not to answer.   He says he shouldn't even discuss those possibilities in the public.

One fan also asked him about making sure to extend Kevin Brown.   Since Kevin Brown was the one going around to the tables with a microphone to take the questions, that was mildly amusing.

A few notes:

• He talked about how basically Rubenstein had only been owner since Opening Day, and while the deal was completing around the time of the Burnes trade and there was "some discussion" with Rubinstein, the trade deadline was really the first time that Rubinstein was in charge when players were acquired.   And he noted that we did add some significant payroll at the deadline, and that we have also already added some significant commitment to the 2025 payroll, and that there will be a lot more.
• Eloy Jiminez added a "veteran righthanded presence" in the lineup that he felt we were lacking,
• All 7 guys acquired were not just rentals, all are either already under team control in 2025 or there is a contract option where the team can keep them under control if desired.
• He said that early in the year when there was talk of how we had "surplus pitching", he said tehy were disciplined and made sure to hold onto guys because injuries can and do happen in this league and sure enough they did.
• Someone asked (without naming names but obviously referring to John Means) how the rehab of a pitcher recovering from TJ surgery is handled when he becomes a free agent.   The answer is that it is managed by Orioles medical staff, and paid for by the Orioles, not just until the end of the World Series when he officially becomes a free agent, but up to the time that the player actually signs with another team, if they do.   He did note that sometimes the player stops specifically working at team facilities and goes elsewhere, often closer to home, but that the rehab is still managed, at some high level at least, by the team medical staff.
• He mentioned that in the 3 or 4 days just before the trade deadline he did not go back to his house (not sure where he lives) but stayed in a hotel room right near the stadium when he wasn't at the warehouse.
• Coulombe/Westburg/Rodriguez "should be back" for the postseason
• Mentioned that the rookie debut guys struggling issue (Holliday, Mayo, etc) seems to be a trend all around the majors, not just the Orioles, even though it is not universal.   He mentioned that people think of MLB as "a step above" AAA in the same way as AAA is a step above AA.   But that's not really true.   Because when you advance to AAA, you see AAA pitchers -- pitchers better than that have been promoted.   There's nowhere to be promoted from MLB, so when you go to MLB, you are not just seeing guys who are a step above AAA, but guys who would have been promoted to a higher league than MLB if there was one.   In effect you are seeing some pitchers who may be the equivalent of "5 or 6 levels" above AAA.
• Asked about when Honeycutt will come north from Florida and will it be Delmarva or Aberdeen.   It will be Delmarva, and he anticipates it happening, but it probably won't happen any time soon and will likely be "only a week or two" at the end of the season, just to get his feet wet.   

That's all I remember off the top of my head and a few notes I took on my phone notepad app.   If I remember anything else, I'll add it.   And other Hangouters were probably there, they can add.

It was in the 6th bloor banquet room at the warehouse.   They had soda/water/beer/wine/drinks, and a buffet with dogs, brats, pulled pork, some sides (macaroni salid, cole slaw), cookies, popcorn, peanuts.   Kevin Brown emceed and asked some questions first, then took questions from the audience.   Probably about 40 minutes in length.  There was then a time where everyone could come up one by one (a table's worrth of people at a time) and have a quick photo/handshake with Elias, and I guess you get to keep the picture or something.   I did not stick around for that, it probably would have taken at least a half hour.   Seems like more than half the crowd was staying at the time I took the elevator downstairs and went to the game, probably 20-30% seemed to join me in leaving by that point.

 

Coulombe/Westburg/Rodriguez "should be back" for the postseason.

That gives me some hope at least for the postseason as those would be major additions to the rotation, bullpen and offense.  Well of course Elias is not going to answer any questions about extensions.  Is it too much to say that they have done great as Orioles as he (Elias) would like to explore if it is possible to have them on future Oriole teams?  It's not like only the Orioles will be bidding on their services, so it would be driving up their price.  I have been trying to lower my expectations ever since Rubenstein took over because I have never heard the word "extensions" come out of either Elias or Rubenstein's mouth in relation to current Oriole players.  Correct me if I'm wrong.

[OriolesMagic83]

Asked about when Honeycutt will come north from Florida and will it be Delmarva or Aberdeen.   It will be Delmarva, and he anticipates it happening, but it probably won't happen any time soon and will likely be "only a week or two" at the end of the season, just to get his feet wet.

I'm guessing the O's must be working on reworking Honeycutt's swing.  I know it had an excessive amount of swing and miss in it. 

[SteveA]

A few more things:

• Asked about the balance between data analysis and scouting.   Said that is basically what his job is all about, finding that balance.   It's not like finding the perfect blackjack strategy and executing it, because the players are humans and not cards.   Said some people might be suprirsed to find out how much the organization leans towards the human/scouting side.   Cited what he considered to be the key decision makers in the organizaitons:   the GM/personnel people, the manager, and the catcher who calls the pitches.   Each has their own critical level of decisions to make.   Says that data should guide their decisions but not make them too "robotic" in their decision making, but that data and analysis of results should also be used to determine if the decision makers are going too far "following their gut" and making bad decisions as a result.
• Was never asked about extending young players when they have significant team control still left.   THAT is the question I would have asked if I got a chance.   I was not very aggressive in raising my hand and getting recognized to ask a question.   The only time Kevin Brown got near my table to take a question, the guy at my table Kevin chose was the guy who talked about how great Kevin Brown was and how Elias should make sure to sign him to a long term deal to do play by play.
• One"old school" guy talked about how baseball used to be the only sport without a clock and how the pitch clock has ruined it for him, it's against the spirt of the game.   Elias didn't really speak to that other than the fact that he likes getitng home from games earlier than he used to.
• Elias talked about the flurry of communication as the deadline approaches, a frenzy of texting and phone calls with other GMs, and reflected on how if there was some sort of cell phone outage at the wrong time it would be a disaster because they are completely dependent on the technology.   Mentioned that even when two teams agree on the trade there is still a frenzy of activity as medical staffs from each teams hurriedly examine informaiton to vet the health of the players before the trade becomes official and is reported to MLB.  (I guess that stuff doesn't get provided to prospective buyers?   Or at least not as full a picture until the trade is agreed in principle?   I would have liked followup on that, it's interesting).
• Talked about our progress in the Dominican, cited 1/3 of MLB players now Latin American.  Noted that it is easier to have a level playing field down there now that some of the corruption that existed in the past has been alleviated.   I guess the influence peddling isn't as bad as it used to be, and he cited the governments down there coming up with better standards to significantly lessen the chances of age fraud.

[now]

41 minutes ago, SteveA said:

There were a few hundred people there, and about 10 or 12 got to ask questions, after Kevin Brown asked a few in the beginning.

No, no one "grilled" him on not drafiting pitchers or how he advances prospects.   If that's what you were hoping for.

He was askied about re-signing both Santander and Burnes, and simply chose not to answer.   He says he shouldn't even discuss those possibilities in the public.

One fan also asked him about making sure to extend Kevin Brown.   Since Kevin Brown was the one going around to the tables with a microphone to take the questions, that was mildly amusing.

A few notes:

• He talked about how basically Rubenstein had only been owner since Opening Day, and while the deal was completing around the time of the Burnes trade and there was "some discussion" with Rubinstein, the trade deadline was really the first time that Rubinstein was in charge when players were acquired.   And he noted that we did add some significant payroll at the deadline, and that we have also already added some significant commitment to the 2025 payroll, and that there will be a lot more.
• Eloy Jiminez added a "veteran righthanded presence" in the lineup that he felt we were lacking,
• All 7 guys acquired were not just rentals, all are either already under team control in 2025 or there is a contract option where the team can keep them under control if desired.
• He said that early in the year when there was talk of how we had "surplus pitching", he said tehy were disciplined and made sure to hold onto guys because injuries can and do happen in this league and sure enough they did.
• Someone asked (without naming names but obviously referring to John Means) how the rehab of a pitcher recovering from TJ surgery is handled when he becomes a free agent.   The answer is that it is managed by Orioles medical staff, and paid for by the Orioles, not just until the end of the World Series when he officially becomes a free agent, but up to the time that the player actually signs with another team, if they do.   He did note that sometimes the player stops specifically working at team facilities and goes elsewhere, often closer to home, but that the rehab is still managed, at some high level at least, by the team medical staff.
• He mentioned that in the 3 or 4 days just before the trade deadline he did not go back to his house (not sure where he lives) but stayed in a hotel room right near the stadium when he wasn't at the warehouse.
• Coulombe/Westburg/Rodriguez "should be back" for the postseason
• Mentioned that the rookie debut guys struggling issue (Holliday, Mayo, etc) seems to be a trend all around the majors, not just the Orioles, even though it is not universal.   He mentioned that people think of MLB as "a step above" AAA in the same way as AAA is a step above AA.   But that's not really true.   Because when you advance to AAA, you see AAA pitchers -- pitchers better than that have been promoted.   There's nowhere to be promoted from MLB, so when you go to MLB, you are not just seeing guys who are a step above AAA, but guys who would have been promoted to a higher league than MLB if there was one.   In effect you are seeing some pitchers who may be the equivalent of "5 or 6 levels" above AAA.
• Asked about when Honeycutt will come north from Florida and will it be Delmarva or Aberdeen.   It will be Delmarva, and he anticipates it happening, but it probably won't happen any time soon and will likely be "only a week or two" at the end of the season, just to get his feet wet.   

That's all I remember off the top of my head and a few notes I took on my phone notepad app.   If I remember anything else, I'll add it.   And other Hangouters were probably there, they can add.

It was in the 6th bloor banquet room at the warehouse.   They had soda/water/beer/wine/drinks, and a buffet with dogs, brats, pulled pork, some sides (macaroni salid, cole slaw), cookies, popcorn, peanuts.   Kevin Brown emceed and asked some questions first, then took questions from the audience.   Probably about 40 minutes in length.  There was then a time where everyone could come up one by one (a table's worrth of people at a time) and have a quick photo/handshake with Elias, and I guess you get to keep the picture or something.   I did not stick around for that, it probably would have taken at least a half hour.   Seems like more than half the crowd was staying at the time I took the elevator downstairs and went to the game, probably 20-30% seemed to join me in leaving by that point.

 

Awesome summary, thanks for that. The one really new insight I haven't heard before from Elias (who usually deflects with generalities) is the expansion of the familiar point about MLB being a quantum leap above AAA. The logic of it--that the best pitchers in AAA are of AAA quality, but the best pitchers in MLB are 5 or 6 levels above AAA--is startling yet makes sense. I for one never thought of it that way before, or heard it expressed so clearly. (I suppose someone could even lay it out with stats and graphs to demonstrate it more precisely.) 

Edited August 14 by now

[Frobby]

14 hours ago, now said:

Awesome summary, thanks for that. The one really new insight I haven't heard before from Elias (who usually deflects with generalities) is the expansion of the familiar point about MLB being a quantum leap above AAA. The logic of it--that the best pitchers in AAA are of AAA quality, but the best pitchers in MLB are 5 or 6 levels above AAA--is startling yet makes sense. I for one never thought of it that way before, or heard it expressed so clearly. (I suppose someone could even lay it out with stats and graphs to demonstrate it more precisely.) 

I think an underrated factor for the hitters is the use of the robo-umps in AAA.   Offensive stats are much higher in AAA than other levels of the minors now, because the hitters can afford to be patient and not be victimized by bad strike calls.   It's a different story in the majors, and as we know, rookies tend to suffer more than their share of the bad calls.   

Of course, by that logic, it should be easier for pitchers to make the transition, and I wouldn't say it seems any easier.   That would be interesting to study.

[Frobby]

14 hours ago, SteveA said:

 

• Was never asked about extending young players when they have significant team control still left.   THAT is the question I would have asked if I got a chance.   

I feel he has been asked that question numerous times and he always answers the same way: (1) we have people on our staff who are looking at the economics of extensions all the time, and (2) I'm not going to discuss whether we've had negotiations with individual players because making that public wouldn't be conducive.

[Moose Milligan]

14 hours ago, SteveA said:

A few more things:

•  
• One"old school" guy talked about how baseball used to be the only sport without a clock and how the pitch clock has ruined it for him, it's against the spirt of the game.   Elias didn't really speak to that other than the fact that he likes getitng home from games earlier than he used to.
•  

And yet there he was, paying for a season ticket plan and trapped in a meeting with Mike Elias where he was able to air his grievances about how baseball has been ruined.

The horror. 

[Frobby]

2 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

And yet there he was, paying for a season ticket plan and trapped in a meeting with Mike Elias where he was able to air his grievances about how baseball has been ruined.

The horror. 

I would have liked Elias to poll the room.  

[Osornot]

2 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

And yet there he was, paying for a season ticket plan and trapped in a meeting with Mike Elias where he was able to air his grievances about how baseball has been ruined.

The horror. 

He took his "time". Doesn't like clocks, watches, etc

[interloper]

Anytime someone complains about the pitch clock, they should be forced to watch a full game featuring Clay Buchholz.

[SteveA]

8 minutes ago, interloper said:

Anytime someone complains about the pitch clock, they should be forced to watch a full game featuring Clay Buchholz.

My top two culprits are:

1. Steve Trachsel
2. That Japanese reliever with the Red Sox a few years ago... his name is slipping my mind so I will have to go to baseball reference...  Hirokazu Sawamura

[billhatf]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

I think an underrated factor for the hitters is the use of the robo-umps in AAA.   Offensive stats are much higher in AAA than other levels of the minors now, because the hitters can afford to be patient and not be victimized by bad strike calls.   It's a different story in the majors, and as we know, rookies tend to suffer more than their share of the bad calls.   

Of course, by that logic, it should be easier for pitchers to make the transition, and I wouldn't say it seems any easier.   That would be interesting to study.

This seems to me to be a huge issue.  As young Orioles come up, they've been used to more consistent ball/strike calls in the minors because of the robo or challenge.  Then they get here and the ball/strike calls are many orders of magnitude worse because there is no accountability for the umpires.  IMHO, this is by far the biggest flaws in the product called Major League Baseball

 

[LookitsPuck]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

I think an underrated factor for the hitters is the use of the robo-umps in AAA.   Offensive stats are much higher in AAA than other levels of the minors now, because the hitters can afford to be patient and not be victimized by bad strike calls.   It's a different story in the majors, and as we know, rookies tend to suffer more than their share of the bad calls.   

Of course, by that logic, it should be easier for pitchers to make the transition, and I wouldn't say it seems any easier.   That would be interesting to study.

I think robo-umps are much better for hitters than pitchers, mainly because organizations that have excellent pitch framers will always have an edge against hitters than, say, organizations that don't (example: Adley and McCann are very poor this year). Pitchers are going to be forced to actually be in the zone more. 

Gone will be the days of pitchers taking advantage of a wide strike zone or hitters taking advantage of a tight strike zone. That neutralizes things for both hitters and pitchers.

So, this tells me that the year they implement it we'll see a regression for pitchers already in the majors whereas pitchers in the minors that get promoted *should* have an edge if they have excellent framers and/or control since they're already used to a more exact strike zone.  But mileage will vary, just look at Povich whose control was much better in AAA and has been abysmal in MLB.

But I think it's a lot better for developing pitchers to have a predictable strike zone than it is to take advantage of something they won't always have (pitch framers, terrible umps helping pitchers, etc.).

I know folks get on some of these last few series and egregious calls by umps, but if we look at the Rays, they have some of the best pitch framers in Rortvedt and Jackson, the Guardians have some of the best in Hedges and Naylor, Toronto has an excellent one in Kirk.

Edited August 14 by LookitsPuck

[LookitsPuck]

28 minutes ago, billhatf said:

This seems to me to be a huge issue.  As young Orioles come up, they've been used to more consistent ball/strike calls in the minors because of the robo or challenge.  Then they get here and the ball/strike calls are many orders of magnitude worse because there is no accountability for the umpires.  IMHO, this is by far the biggest flaws in the product called Major League Baseball

 

I agree. You'd expect a guy like Povich to be better up here with his control, but rookies and nerves and any other adjustments needs to come into play. But there is no room for error with these guys with the O's. Adley and McCann aren't going to steal them many strikes. If they aren't hitting the zone, it's going to be a ball more often than not.