The Official Baltimore Orioles Thread of Hope and Change (Yes We Can!)

[Slopho]

What a great series for Baltimore. LA scored 1 run all series and it came on a balk. Good stuff, 2 years, playoffs.

 

[Douglas]

Farkin' A, man. Buck Showalter is like the Oriole Whisperer or something. I laugh every time I see we've won another game. How bout that squeezer by the Angels the other night, 1-0? You kidding me? This is unbelievable.

 

[Slopho]

I've got some late season, early next season questions O's fans:

1. Who will be in RF next year?

IMO - Pie is trying hard to play himself out of a job. He's swinging at just about anything and he's looked better fielding.

2. Will Josh Bell be a starter next year?

IMO - No, he seems to be in the same mold as Young and Pickering. Fat with a lot of power but no plate discipline. He'd have to raise his average about 60 points and hit about 30-35HR for me to even consider it.

3. Is Tatum better than Weiters?

IMO - I think so. Will it always be that way. It might be.

4. Who should we target for 1B and SS next year?

IMO - I don't know. I honestly think we could get someone off the scrap heap like an Adam Kennedy or a David Eckstein for SS, but we really need to invest in 1B. Wiggington just ins't a long term solution there.

 

[Rambo]

As much as I love Buck as a manager, as long as Angelos is heading this luxury liner it'll always be headed straight for the iceberg.

Such a shame too.

 

[KObalto]

Originally Posted by Slopho

I've got some late season, early next season questions O's fans:

1. Who will be in RF next year?

IMO - Pie is trying hard to play himself out of a job. He's swinging at just about anything and he's looked better fielding.

2. Will Josh Bell be a starter next year?

IMO - No, he seems to be in the same mold as Young and Pickering. Fat with a lot of power but no plate discipline. He'd have to raise his average about 60 points and hit about 30-35HR for me to even consider it.

3. Is Tatum better than Weiters?

IMO - I think so. Will it always be that way. It might be.

4. Who should we target for 1B and SS next year?

IMO - I don't know. I honestly think we could get someone off the scrap heap like an Adam Kennedy or a David Eckstein for SS, but we really need to invest in 1B. Wiggington just ins't a long term solution there.

I'm pretty sure Markakis will be in RF.

Assuming you meant left, Pie has great skill but plays like an idiot. If he gets more selective at the plate and cuts down on the mental errors on the basepaths and in the field, he'll get the nod in left. He's a great natural CF, though, one of the elite few who can see a ball hit at him, turn his back and take off, run to the spot, turn back around and catch it.
Josh Bell is hitting enough and fielding well enough that he'll get his shot at 3d.
I like Tatum, but Wieters is already 3x the player and gets better everyday, better throwing arm, more power, calls a great game, and blocks the plate as well as anyone. Trembley over-played him early in the year which wore him down and held back his progress. Look at the way he's been hitting lately with more rest.
I'd like to see the Os get someone with Adam Dunn's power numbers at first, but we need someone who is a better fielder.
Who would have thought we'd put up 6 on Sabathia?
Gentlemen, Angelos or no, baseball is back in Baltimore. MacPhail is now MacWin!!!

 

[Rambo]

Originally Posted by KObalto

Gentlemen, Angelos or no, baseball is back in Baltimore.
Clearly you haven't been paying attention.

 

[KObalto]

Originally Posted by Rambo

Clearly you haven't been paying attention.

Unfortunately, I have.

But so far, he's been giving a free hand to MacPhail. Lets see if he opens the MASN coffers for a couple of key free agents this winter. He'll have to overpay.
Angelos has been useless since he wouldn't let Gillick trade Bonilla and others at the peak of their value and the Os made a surprising playoff run. He then decided he knew more than the baseball people. It took him quite a few years, but I think he's finally figured out he's an idiot when it comes to baseball.

 

[Slopho]

Koji blew it in the 9th today. Oh well, even the best closers lose 1 or 2. Good game by Bergesen though.

 

[KObalto]

Originally Posted by Slopho

Koji blew it in the 9th today. Oh well, even the best closers lose 1 or 2. Good game by Bergesen though.

And they won another series against one of the best teams in baseball.

 

[Douglas]

Baltimore has won nine of 11 and captured four straight series. The Orioles are 26-15 under Showalter, including 9-6 against the AL East.

I just can't get over this. It's just unbelievable. If the O's finish the season on this pace, I don't know how they'd be able to give the Manager of the Year award to anyone besides Buck with a straight face, short season be damned.

 

[Slopho]

Originally Posted by Douglas

I just can't get over this. It's just unbelievable. If the O's finish the season on this pace, I don't know how they'd be able to give the Manager of the Year award to anyone besides Buck with a straight face, short season be damned.

He'd damn good. It makes me wonder how good the record would have been if we went straight from Trembly to Buck. On another note we still need a 3B man, Bell needs another full season in the minors. I may catch hell for this, but I think we should go out and get Omar Vizquel to play third next year on a rental basis, put Wiggington @ first and DH Scott. I actually think we should probably bring back Cesar as well.

 

[edinatlanta]

Kind of strange to think that next year, every team in the AL East will be good.

 

[Slopho]

Originally Posted by edinatlanta

Kind of strange to think that next year, every team in the AL East will be good.

The Blue Jays will suck. No pitching and I don't think Bautista will have a repeat of the offense he's showing this year. Also, I think Boston got really old really fast. The Yankees too are getting older and there's not much in their farm system. Baltimore and TB are on the rise though.

 

[Macallan9]

Originally Posted by Slopho

The Blue Jays will suck. No pitching and I don't think Bautista will have a repeat of the offense he's showing this year. Also, I think Boston got really old really fast. The Yankees too are getting older and there's not much in their farm system. Baltimore and TB are on the rise though.

Marcum/Morrow?

 

[edinatlanta]

Originally Posted by Slopho

The Blue Jays will suck. No pitching and I don't think Bautista will have a repeat of the offense he's showing this year. Also, I think Boston got really old really fast. The Yankees too are getting older and there's not much in their farm system. Baltimore and TB are on the rise though.

The Jays are a 500 team in the toughest division in baseball. That isn't bad. The Red Sox have one of the best records in baseball, they will re-tool over the break as much as they can and you really think the Yankees have a chance of really dropping off? The Rays could because they don't have the resources to keep anyone.