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***Official 2018 Baltimore Orioles Thread*** Pitching Can’t Get Any Worse (1 Viewer)

Koya said:
Uruk-Hai said:
The_Man said:
You know, it's really hard to know whether I love beating the Yankees more than I love beating the Steelers.

BECAUSE THEY ARE MY FAVORITE THINGS IN LIFE
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:hifive: Helluva game. Gausman saved Baltimore's butt when it looked like the Yanks were going to slaughter them.

Can Hunter be a full time closer? He was just filthy last night.
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Was wIth my dad all this week in Deep Creek Lake Md, but unfortunately they received Pittsburgh stations that far east so no O's games - maybe for the better considering the comeback/meltdown that occurred I believe was Thursday night. Too bad we couldnt share watching last nights which I saw back home in NY.

Need to somehow catch Boston now.
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Hope you & pops had a great time even so, my friend - even if you were stuck with Pittsyltucky

 
RaveOriole said:
I would think Hunter is next in line for the closer role. He's really developed well as a reliever. I still think Arrietta's career is in the bullpen as well, not sure why they haven't made that move with him yet.
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Sooo, just whistling in the dark here but........

What would someone like Jim Johnson fetch on the trade market?

 
Uruk-Hai said:
Koya said:
Uruk-Hai said:
The_Man said:
You know, it's really hard to know whether I love beating the Yankees more than I love beating the Steelers.

BECAUSE THEY ARE MY FAVORITE THINGS IN LIFE
Click to expand...
:hifive: Helluva game. Gausman saved Baltimore's butt when it looked like the Yanks were going to slaughter them.

Can Hunter be a full time closer? He was just filthy last night.
Click to expand...
Was wIth my dad all this week in Deep Creek Lake Md, but unfortunately they received Pittsburgh stations that far east so no O's games - maybe for the better considering the comeback/meltdown that occurred I believe was Thursday night. Too bad we couldnt share watching last nights which I saw back home in NY.

Need to somehow catch Boston now.
Click to expand...
Hope you & pops had a great time even so, my friend - even if you were stuck with Pittsyltucky
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That we did. Better we missed the blown game to be honest. I got my temper from him.

Deep Creek wasn't bad at all, actually pretty fun.

 
Man, I really hope Roberts can stay healthy. It's gotta the best infield in all of baseball with him in the lineup.

 
Is it time for JJ to go back to a set-up role? Most closers have a life span of 2-3 years really. I think Hunter should be next to get it, or O'Day, but I know buck would like to keep O'Day as a specialist.

Also what happend to the days where you just played matchup in the 9th?

 
What happened to Buck believing in the win rule and not the save rule? Buck has already announced he is sticking with Johnson as his closer. What a disaster. I can finally understand why Buck was run out of so many towns before he came to Baltimore. I used to think he could do no wrong.

I'd like to see matchups in the 9th just like they do in the 7th and 8th. We do not have a "closer".

 
avoiding injuries said:
What happened to Buck believing in the win rule and not the save rule? Buck has already announced he is sticking with Johnson as his closer. What a disaster. I can finally understand why Buck was run out of so many towns before he came to Baltimore. I used to think he could do no wrong.

I'd like to see matchups in the 9th just like they do in the 7th and 8th. We do not have a "closer".
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Buck usually gets kicked out because he's a control freak, but with the O's Agelos gave him full power so there's no reason for him to be going anywhere, in other places that rubs the GM the wrong way (similar to Parcells in Dallas). The guy is still a great manager for sure, but I'll bet you a million-to-one JJ is on a short leash, he's gotta be. But I know he's being careful in handeling the situation, you make a move like that that can ruin a pitcher.

As for Weiters, he's starting today. You'll see him getting more breaks now on with the hot weather.

 
Big win to avoid the sweep. For all of his struggles this year, Johnson was lights out in the 9th today. And Manny Machado made a play that I swear was an optical illusion (if you haven't seen it, go find the video) - who's got the stronger arm in Baltimore, Manny or Flacco?

I loved this exchange during the postgame interview between Jim "The Walking Cliche" Hunter and Adam Jones.

Hunter, in typical babble mode: "Do you think you guys have been blah blah blah trying too hard blah blah blah pressing blah blah blah?"

Jones: "Nope"

:lol:

 
Bottomfeeder Sports said:
Uruk-Hai said:
.... And Manny Machado made a play that I swear was an optical illusion (if you haven't seen it, go find the video) - who's got the stronger arm in Baltimore, Manny or Flacco?
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This is missing Cruz's facial expression.
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His expression couldn't have been any more incredulous than mine. I was thinking it was just one of those "I'll whip it over there even though I have no chance" tosses and was hoping he didn't throw it away. Davis didn't even have to move.

 
Looks like Mariano was taking notes from JJ the night before. Thankfully the O's avoided the sweep.

Now on to the Rangers

 
Interesting little blurb about the O's closer situation from ESPN.

Two days after blowing his sixth save, Johnson followed Rivera's ninth inning with a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to record his MLB-leading 30th save. Of course, that "MLB-leading" part is misleading, as Johnson has those six blown saves and seven losses to go with a 3.92 ERA. Buck Showalter is obviously sticking with Johnson for now, but after losing just one game heading into the ninth inning last year, the Orioles already have lost seven. Some have called for Tommy Hunter to get a chance, but he has allowed seven home runs and a .511 slugging percentage to left-handed batters. Looks like the O's will live and die with Johnson.

 
I like the continuity with JJ as closer, but I do feel like yesterday might have signaled a change to a match-up based approach to the back of the bullpen if he had blown it. Instead, he was great. I feel like his ball has so much movement on it that there are some games he just can't get it in the strike zone. But when he can, he's great. He does have 30 saves already, for crying out loud. I got so annoyed by all the whining after he blew Saturday's game. It happens. Do you think Yankees fans are whining about Rivera today?

The Machado play was unreal. I saw one website that had side-by-side gifs of Manny's play and the similar play Brooks made in the 1970 World Series. Of course, Brooks made a great backhand pick-up while Manny actually kind of booted the grab, but the rest of the plays were almost completely identical.

Taking my 10-year-old daughter to the game tonight. Dugout Club! (formerly known as Junior Orioles Club when I was her age) She still doesn't quite understand why we don't move up to the front row like we did in past years on Dugout Club nights. Not used to seeing actual Baltimore fans sitting in the seats yet.

Offense needs to get going.

 
The_Man said:
I like the continuity with JJ as closer, but I do feel like yesterday might have signaled a change to a match-up based approach to the back of the bullpen if he had blown it. Instead, he was great. I feel like his ball has so much movement on it that there are some games he just can't get it in the strike zone. But when he can, he's great. He does have 30 saves already, for crying out loud. I got so annoyed by all the whining after he blew Saturday's game. It happens. Do you think Yankees fans are whining about Rivera today?
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Well it's not like he's been lights out, but I think none of the bullpen has been lights out. So I believe that JJ is the best option at this point for the Orioles, especially after seeing what lefties do to Hunter. I also think he's not as lights out as he was last year because the bullpen is being taxed. Can a starter go into the 7th please? It seems like our bullpen is out there every game with either a slim lead or trailing, that's gotta take it's toll on them. And another note, JJ has pitched more than any other closer this year, so he's definitely getting used like crazy.

 
A rare sighting the last two nights. Two Oriole starters going into the 7th inning ... blew my mind. I didn't know they had starters that pitched into the 7th

 
Tillman was a little shaky last night, but he's earned the benefit of the doubt.

Jones made a great throw to get a guy at 2nd. It's highlight plays like that that earn him Gold Gloves, even when his overall defense is just average.

Speaking of Gold Gloves, Manny's gonna get one this year isn't he? He makes the flashy plays AND the routine (& makes the flashy plays LOOK routine). He reminds me a lot of Cal (who was a great athlete when he was young). I think it was Bill James in one of his Historical Abstracts that talked about how Cal would always throw the runner out by 1/2 a step no matter how fast he was by using only the amount of effort necessary, while guys like Kevin Kingery were diving all over the field and throwing as hard as they could every time. Manny does what Cal did - it's like he's got an internal radar gun and can extrapolate just when, and how hard, to throw the ball.

 
I feel like Manny is a shoo-in for the Gold Glove, which - unlike Jones - he actually deserves. The last player I remember dominating a game defensively from 3B like he does was Graig Nettles. Brooks was just a few years before my time, but of course he set the standard that Manny is approaching. His arm is just astonishing, though you're right UH that he only uses enough of it to get the runner at first. When he cuts one loose, it is amazing.

And I love the way he turns the double play. He puts it right on the pivot man's right breast every time, so that the guy catches it in a throwing position. He already makes that throw better and more consistently in the perfect spot than just about anyone I've ever seen.

 
The_Man said:
I feel like Manny is a shoo-in for the Gold Glove, which - unlike Jones - he actually deserves. The last player I remember dominating a game defensively from 3B like he does was Graig Nettles. Brooks was just a few years before my time, but of course he set the standard that Manny is approaching. His arm is just astonishing, though you're right UH that he only uses enough of it to get the runner at first. When he cuts one loose, it is amazing.

And I love the way he turns the double play. He puts it right on the pivot man's right breast every time, so that the guy catches it in a throwing position. He already makes that throw better and more consistently in the perfect spot than just about anyone I've ever seen.
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It's funny you mention Nettles (a GREAT 3rd baseman, by the way, even if he played for The Team That Shall Not Be Named). I think Boswell said in one of his books that Nettles basically said "eff the 2nd baseman on a DP ball; he's not my problem" - in other words, get the ball to Willie Randolph as quick as you can and let HIM do the rest while getting spiked.

I didn't see Brooks his whole career, but I remember 1970. I didn't have the context myself (being 8 years old & all), but my parents and their friends were in awe of what he did.

Sacrelidge Alert: I think the play Manny made a week or so ago was better than any play Brooks made in that 1970s WS. For one, Manny didn't use the turf to speed up his throw (Ozzie Smith got into the HOF knowing better than anyone in history how to use Turf as a defender - just brilliant). Manny threw the ball from his ####### HIP, falling backwards, not having the balance to throw it overhand cannon-style.

In any case, that's splitting hairs amongst immortal plays (&, I suspect, players if Manny's play so far is any indication).

 
Chris Tillman an all star?

As for Manny being compared to the Brooks throw, the Brooks throw will always be the one that all those sort of throws are compared to. It's iconic and more importantly it happened in a World Series game. I think the Manny play was better, but that old grainy video of Brooks making that throw echoes through time.

 
The only reason I don't give Manny's play the same status as the Brooks play is that Manny initially botched the pick-up and kind of knocked it into foul territory, necessitating the incredible bare-hand grab and even more amazing throw. If he had fielded it cleanly, it wouldn't have been an astonishing play.

Whereas Brooks was lunging into foul territory to make a desperation grab of a ball far to his backhand, before uncorking his throw. But it's just minor quibbling - both plays are extraordinary.

Shoutout to our Ravens thread buddy, Roadkill - his son snagged Chris Davis's 37th HR ball at the game yesterday! It hit the concrete steps in lower LF and bounced 15 rows up to him.

 
That was a fun weekend. Orioles starting pitchers threw 21 innings, gave up 4 runs - including the solo shot Tillman gave up last night to lead off the 8th.

I just have to say that I'm not exactly sure I've seen a team play defense the way the Orioles are playing it right now. You can't make a direct comparison to football, but the way they stole outs from the Rangers in this series was almost like forcing turnovers - they're taking away the opponent's ability to score on offense.

Friday: Markakis with an incredible HR-saving catch, and Hardy catching the guy who made too wide a turn around third and gunning him down.

Saturday: Jones getting the force out at second on the single to CF, after acting like he was going to catch the ball and Manny making the best bare-handed pick he's made yet and then unleashing a rocket to get the speedy Kinsler at first.

Sunday: Manny with the laser after catching the line drive to double a guy off first, and again the Orioles catching a guy off third in a rundown.

It's fun to watch. Buck said shortly before the break that he thought this team's best baseball was in front of it, and it looks like they're starting to click, even with Manny and Davis in a slight power slump. McLouth and Wieters have come alive to pick up the slack at just the right time. Also, the All-Star Break let Buck get the starting rotation in line. I couldn't agree more with Chen>Gonzalez>Tillman as the top three, and love Hammel in the #5 slot.

On a related note, Erik Bedard asking out of the no-hitter he's throwing in the 7th inning is the most Erik Bedard thing of all time. Thanks again for AJ and Tillman, Bedard!

 
The_Man said:
On a related note, Erik Bedard asking out of the no-hitter he's throwing in the 7th inning is the most Erik Bedard thing of all time. Thanks again for AJ and Tillman, Bedard!
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When I saw that, I couldn't believe it, or I should say, I could totally believe it. Poor Mariner fans are contently reminded that they got raped in that deal.

 
RaveOriole said:
The_Man said:
On a related note, Erik Bedard asking out of the no-hitter he's throwing in the 7th inning is the most Erik Bedard thing of all time. Thanks again for AJ and Tillman, Bedard!
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When I saw that, I couldn't believe it, or I should say, I could totally believe it. Poor Mariner fans are contently reminded that they got raped in that deal.
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Not Bill Bavasi's finest hour

 
Sad thing about when the Orioles start winning like they do, I know expect them to win every night. Not like the previous 12 years.

 
two tough losses in a row, for sure. Bats need to wake up.

Before the Home Run Derby: Davis with HRs in 4 straight games

After the Home Run Derby: Davis 6 for 24, 0 HRs, 4 RBI in 6 games

I HATE THE HOME RUN DERBY

 
The_Man said:
two tough losses in a row, for sure. Bats need to wake up.

Before the Home Run Derby: Davis with HRs in 4 straight games

After the Home Run Derby: Davis 6 for 24, 0 HRs, 4 RBI in 6 games

I HATE THE HOME RUN DERBY
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Didn't he have a blister or opened callous issue at the ASG? Could that be lingering?

 
Sounds like the O's have some serious talks going with the Twins for Morneau, he be a good fill in at the DH spot for the birds

 
Haven't been paying attention, Gopher. What is the asking price and do you think Morneau's worth trading for?

Today is a HUGE game for the Orioles. I know there's 2 months left but, after losing 3 to KC and with Tampa being scorching hot, they need to win a series.

 
I would like to see Mornaeu here, only if the price is right though. Although Duquette isn't known for making a big splash on the trade market, he's more of getting the right piece kinda guy. And I know he won't trade any huge prospect for him.

As for today ... they need to win this. It's by no means a "must win", but a win here would be a huge deal against the Sox and Lester. They need to have 2 of 3, and then take care of business against the Astros. With the Rays as hot as they are, and the Red Sox not giving ground, the Orioles have to show they are a contender in their own division, and not the #3 team.

 
Uruk-Hai said:
Haven't been paying attention, Gopher. What is the asking price and do you think Morneau's worth trading for?

Today is a HUGE game for the Orioles. I know there's 2 months left but, after losing 3 to KC and with Tampa being scorching hot, they need to win a series.
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Twins are going to move Morneau, he be a free agent after this season and at age 32 the Twins want to go with younger players as we are in full rebuild mode. The price is prospects, the Twins are looking for minor league pitching prospects in the worst way, I think they would move him for pitching prospects that are two years or so away from the bigs. Morneau would be a perfect DH and fill in at first base for the O's. The other team that were hearing is interested in Morneau is Pittsburg. I would say the odds the Twins move Morneau is 100 percent.

 
Ughh ... another blown save. I still think JJ is the best solution out of the pen, but it's a heart-attack every time he's in there.

 
They HAVE to. I don't think the fans at OPACY will be able to keep their cool if JJ comes out for a save this weekend. It's one thing to remain stubborn on the road, but Buck is in serious jeopardy of losing the fan base with these shenanigans.

With that said, I bet Buck sticks with JJ.

 
This team is just not winning key games... last year it seemed we just found ways to win. This year, in spite of it feeling the opposite we are still in the playoff hunt, but it's not the same type of expectation going into each game.

That said, C Davis is on pace to go well past 50 HRs and 40 Doubles. Heck, he's on pace for 59 and 47... there are only two players EVER to have hit 50 HRs and 40 Doubles in a season. One was Babe Ruth, the other a former Oriole, though he was not an O' that season. Just crazy.

 
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