Lack of talent showing....

[birdsfan4ever]

How can you say we haven't missed BJ Ryan at all this season? I think Ryan as closer and Ray as a setup guy really would help solidify our bullpen.

As far as closer we havent, Ray has done a great job. Thats a good point that uf we had him Ray would come in the 8th but I still would say we havent missed him much. Our bullpen problems come before our closer and setup man are pitching though. Brower must go when Williams is ready and when Parrish is ready maybe Halama should go to.

[birdsfan4ever]

Agreed. And if we had Hawkins on top of that, that'd be even better.

Yeah, I agree, I shouldve said that differently, because I think if we resign Ryan we dont trade for Hawkins and its not a huge difference. At the price he went to Toronto for I am fine with him leaving but we could of had Ryan for a lot cheaper last spring training.

[sethjames]

"We havent missed Ryan at all this season, we replaced Kline with Hawkins and added Rleal. We have Benson instead of Ponson. You are right that Chen and Rodrigo arent the same as last season though."

I see what you are saying. But I agree with others that Ray setting up Ryan is best (of course Ray wasn't around at the beginning of last year). The bottom line is that all of just want the O's to win. Even if we were better this year, we still aren't good enough. But unless Angelos does something, we are finished.

[birdsfan4ever]

"We havent missed Ryan at all this season, we replaced Kline with Hawkins and added Rleal. We have Benson instead of Ponson. You are right that Chen and Rodrigo arent the same as last season though."

I see what you are saying. But I agree with others that Ray setting up Ryan is best (of course Ray wasn't around at the beginning of last year). The bottom line is that all of just want the O's to win. Even if we were better this year, we still aren't good enough. But unless Angelos does something, we are finished.

Your'e right. Also, you can quote other people's posts by clicking on the quote button in the bottom right corner of their posts instead of using quotation marks.

[camdenyardblues]

Exactly. Pitching wins games, guys, everyone knows this. I know having an offense thats on par with Boston and NY would be more fun, but it wouldn't necessarily make us win more games and get us to where we want to be.

Need a frontline starter and bullpen help.

Completely agree. Vlad at RF and Jay at 1B helps the offense but the O's pitching hinges on potential. We're heard a billion times that Cabrerra and Bedard have no. 1 starter stuff but we've haven't seen it yet over a course of an entire season. It's not uncommon for fans and coaches to tout a certain young pitcher as possessing number one stuff. Just look at this quote from pitching coach Bob McClure in today's KC Star about Denny Bautista, “This is a guy who is a possible No. 1 starter on any team. He’s impatient. I know it. We just want to make sure that when he’s back, he’s all the way back.” How many of these pitchers actually turn out to be aces is unfortunately smaller than what fans and coaches preach. Right now the O's pitching needs about 6 to 7 runs per night to cover itself (the team's ERA is 5.55). Vlad would help but I think the O's would need Vlad and Delgado before the O's offense could start compensating for their pitching.

[sethjames]

Your'e right. Also, you can quote other people's posts by clicking on the quote button in the bottom right corner of their posts instead of using quotation marks.

Much easier - Thanks!

[utvolzac]

We havent missed Ryan at all this season, we replaced Kline with Hawkins and added Rleal. We have Benson instead of Ponson. You are right that Chen and Rodrigo arent the same as last season though.

I haven't missed BJ as a closer, since Ray is awesome. I would have loved the trickle down effect in our bullpen if we still had BJ though. Ray or Hawkins in the 7th is alot more appealing that Brower, Halama, Rheal, etc.