Washington Post O’s story on taking the next step.

[Pat Kelly]

Nothing earth shattering. Summarizes the O’s plight. 

[Spy Fox]

Thanks for posting. For me that link went to a different article-- here's the one you're talking about: The Orioles’ emergence looked easy. Taking the next step is not.

I agree with you that there's not much new there for those of us that follow the team regularly. Some quotes: 

Quote

But reality halted the metronome sometime in the past few months, leaving an aspiring dynasty limping toward October — the time when these Orioles were supposed to make their next great leap. Injuries, unexpected underperformance and a constant stream of uncomfortable roster decisions have turned the later months of this season into a test of the one thing the numbers and coaching and calculation could not prognosticate: The mettle of a young core bred to win that is both at risk of missing its 2024 opportunity and, after being deadlocked with the New York Yankees atop the American League East for months, still in position to seize it.

Quote

The result is a totally different clubhouse from the one that began the season. Last week, there were 11 players on the Orioles’ roster who were not in the organization to start the season, a relative culture shock for a group built on so much homegrown talent that its clubhouse seemed more like a well-behaved fraternity than a Major League Baseball team. The Orioles thought they knew what they could be. What they have become is something that looks very different.

Quote

“I don’t think anyone wants to face us, especially when everybody is back and moving at full gear,” Rodriguez said. “I think everybody is confident in that.”

Maybe, in hindsight, adversity will look like the natural next chapter in the growth of this promising Orioles generation. Maybe, somehow, learning how to be something other than their best is actually part of their scripted maturation, not a departure from it. Growing pains, after all, only happen when there is growth.

 

[Moose Milligan]

Does it talk about Elias and Hyde needing to be replaced? 

[Tony-OH]

Adversity is sometimes a great thing to learn from. 

Let's hope the Orioles are able to do so.

[The Goob]

I think the last two months can be pretty easily explained.

The IL rotation of Rodriguez, Bradish, Means & Wells was likely better than Burnes (since August), Eflin (hurt part of this time as well), Suarez, Povich & Kremer

Add to it Coulombe and Webb and the pitching is just not good enough.

Throw in losing Westburg, Mountcastle, Urias and Kjerstad right after you had traded Norby and  Stowers and you end up with guys like Maton, Rivera and Soto playing a role.

If everything goes right with the injured players, which is a big IF, I would like our chance in the AL.  I don't even mind being the wild card and playing from the start of the playoffs.  Its not like rest did us any good against the Ranger who were a buzzsaw offensively coming out of the wildcard round last year.  Maybe we are the team that uses those 2-3 games to get going.

Give me a lineup with Gunnar - Adley - Santander - O'Hearn - Cowser - Westburg - Mountcastle - Urias - Mullins - Holliday and I think we can do real damage in the playoffs with a rotation of Eflin, Burnes, Rodriguez & Suarez.

 

[O's84]

7 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Does it talk about Elias and Hyde needing to be replaced? 

Webbrick2010 isn't employed there so that lessens the chance.

[Moose Milligan]

8 minutes ago, The Goob said:

I think the last two months can be pretty easily explained.

The IL rotation of Rodriguez, Bradish, Means & Wells was likely better than Burnes (since August), Eflin (hurt part of this time as well), Suarez, Povich & Kremer

Add to it Coulombe and Webb and the pitching is just not good enough.

Throw in losing Westburg, Mountcastle, Urias and Kjerstad right after you had traded Norby and  Stowers and you end up with guys like Maton, Rivera and Soto playing a role.

If everything goes right with the injured players, which is a big IF, I would like our chance in the AL.  I don't even mind being the wild card and playing from the start of the playoffs.  Its not like rest did us any good against the Ranger who were a buzzsaw offensively coming out of the wildcard round last year.  Maybe we are the team that uses those 2-3 games to get going.

Give me a lineup with Gunnar - Adley - Santander - O'Hearn - Cowser - Westburg - Mountcastle - Urias - Mullins - Holliday and I think we can do real damage in the playoffs with a rotation of Eflin, Burnes, Rodriguez & Suarez.

 

I count 11 key players that have missed time.  10, if you want to subtract Eflin for not being on the IL all that long.

That's almost half a team.  

Rodriguez, Bradish, Means and Wells is 80% of a starting rotation.  

It's absolutely ridiculous that we've got a chance to win the division.  

[waroriole]

42 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Does it talk about Elias and Hyde needing to be replaced? 

If it doesn’t I don’t wanna read it. It sounds like it’s more injury focused. 

[The Goob]

Just now, Moose Milligan said:

I count 11 key players that have missed time.  10, if you want to subtract Eflin for not being on the IL all that long.

That's almost half a team.  

Rodriguez, Bradish, Means and Wells is 80% of a starting rotation.  

It's absolutely ridiculous that we've got a chance to win the division.  

Agreed.  I can't help but dream of what could have been.  A rotation of Burnes, Bradish, Eflin & Rodriguez in the playoffs would have been nasty.  Add to that a bullpen with Wells, Suarez, Seranthony, Means, Coulombe, Akin, Perez and Webb.  And that doesn't even think about the Mountain.  The talent level in the organization is the best in the AL and I don't think it is even close.  I just wish it could all be available for this postseason.

[Moose Milligan]

8 minutes ago, waroriole said:

If it doesn’t I don’t wanna read it. It sounds like it’s more injury focused. 

That was sarcasm on my part.  

[now]

11 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

Rodriguez, Bradish, Means and Wells is 80% of a starting rotation.  

It's absolutely ridiculous that we've got a chance to win the division.  

Mind you, it's not like we missed all of that quartet this season. Combined they made 35 starts, good for 17-6 (mostly GRod at 13-4) to add to our winning record.

[bpilktree67]

3 minutes ago, now said:

Mind you, it's not like we missed all of that quartet this season. Combined they made 35 starts, good for 17-6 (mostly GRod at 13-4) to add to our winning record.

Yeah that was when we were playing 25 games over .500 and the coaches knew what they were doing.  Since then they have all missed most the games (GRod a few starts) and the coaching forgot what they were doing, that or the players were just not as good the second half.    

[Rbiggs2525]

Washington has first hand experience with this. They started there window in 2012 with 98 wins. Then were punched in the mouth by a battle hardened St Louis Cardinals team. They fought for 7 years to finally get the title. 

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, Rbiggs2525 said:

Washington has first hand experience with this. They started there window in 2012 with 98 wins. Then were punched in the mouth by a battle hardened St Louis Cardinals team. They fought for 7 years to finally get the title. 

And then everything went great for them in the years that followed.

[waroriole]

16 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

That was sarcasm on my part.  

I know. It was about 31% sarcasm on my part. I’m tired of seeing the injuries as the reason. Can someone just come up with something else? Injuries aren’t the reason Adley is the new Crush. Or that Cowser has the situational hitting of Rob Deer. Or that Burnes has fell off. Or that Holliday and Mayo are strikeout machines. Just looking for some analysis on the details instead of trying to gloss over everything with the generic injuries excuse.