Starting pitching

[UVA_Guy81]

What do you think the front office will do?

 

[skinz2winz]

What do you think the front office will do?

Who the heck knows. Nothing to this point.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Who the heck knows. Nothing to this point.

At this point, if it’s a free agent, I’d rather go with someone like Scherzer (since I’m figuring Sasaki is unlikely to come here). Flaherty rubbed me the wrong way when he was here in 2023.
If it’s a trade, I’d like for it to be someone that still has multiple years. While Cease is a good pitcher, it’ll likely just be a repeat of this past season with Burnes where he’ll bolt after the season.

 

[skinz2winz]

At this point, if it’s a free agent, I’d rather go with someone like Scherzer (since I’m figuring Sasaki is unlikely to come here). Flaherty rubbed me the wrong way when he was here in 2023.
If it’s a trade, I’d like for it to be someone that still has multiple years. While Cease is a good pitcher, it’ll likely just be a repeat of this past season with Burnes where he’ll bolt after the season.

There was excitement for the O's and its young stars but now...The front office has shown nothing to the fans about improving the team. I'll keep saying it until it's no longer, the window of opportunity is NOW with Gunnar, Adley, Jackson, Westburg etc. EVERYONE in MLB can see the O's need pitching help to get over the top. Elias is a smooth talker, but nothing he says is worth its weight.

Burnes, a true ACE, wasn't enough last year to get them past round 1 or even win a division title. Do you really think the Yankee's have not improved, or the Red Sox will have another down year, or even Toronto will be as bad as they were last year? We let Taters walk (44 HR's), Burnes walk (ACE) and have done zero with improving our pitching. You have Bradish returning from injury as well as Batista (you cannot rely on) and nothing else to show for improvement. New owner who say's he will spend but has not. Please don't mention O'Neil as he won't be hitting 44 HR/100 RBI.

I have been a true fan through thick and then since '77 but I don't see another World Series Championship in my lifetime. The club is too frugal and, in this day, and age, the teams that spend have a Bonafide shot at a Championship.

 

[hattersgonnahate]

[...] Elias is a smooth talker, but nothing he says is worth its weight.

Burnes, a true ACE, wasn't enough last year to get them past round 1 or even win a division title. Do you really think the Yankee's have not improved, or the Red Sox will have another down year, or even Toronto will be as bad as they were last year? We let Taters walk (44 HR's), Burnes walk (ACE) and have done zero with improving our pitching. You have Bradish returning from injury as well as Bautista (you cannot rely on) and nothing else to show for improvement. New owner who say's he will spend but has not. Please don't mention O'Neil as he won't be hitting 44 HR/100 RBI.

I have been a true fan through thick and then since '77 but I don't see another World Series Championship in my lifetime. The club is too frugal and, in this day, and age, the teams that spend have a Bonafide shot at a Championship.

See also:

Probably Elias: "Guys, you are still trying to replace [Burnes and Santander]. I told you we can't do it, and we can't do it. Now, what we might be able to do is re-create [them] in the aggregate."

Orioles fans: "Okay, but this team needs more than just Sugano plus O'Neil for that!"

(Translation: Maybe Elias was the right GM for the rebuilding phase, but the Orioles organization may need to find someone else with a different mindset in order to win a World Series?)

 

[skinz2winz]

There, we have done it, we'll be World Series contenders now with Charlie Morton!

 

[hattersgonnahate]

There, we have done it, we'll be World Series contenders now with Charlie Morton!

I guess I don't hate the move as a stop-gap solution since this could mean bumping Trevor Rogers out of the Opening Day rotation while waiting for the likes of Povich / McDermott to develop further at the AAA level... After all, even an ERA in the 4.0-4.5 range could be an improvement if the alternative is getting an ERA in the 5-7 range out of your #4/5 starters (and the difference could be an extra win or two). But this obviously looks like yet another marginal upgrade that doesn't really move the needle if the goal is actual postseason contention (versus merely making the playoffs).

 

[skinz2winz]

As of now the starting rotation looks like this:
Rodriguez
Eflin
Morton
Sugano
Kremer

Suarez
Bradish (injured)
Wells
Cano
Batista
Povich
Akin
Perez

I would be happy adding Scherzer on a 1 yr deal.

 

[UVA_Guy81]

There was excitement for the O's and its young stars but now...The front office has shown nothing to the fans about improving the team. I'll keep saying it until it's no longer, the window of opportunity is NOW with Gunnar, Adley, Jackson, Westburg etc. EVERYONE in MLB can see the O's need pitching help to get over the top. Elias is a smooth talker, but nothing he says is worth its weight.

Burnes, a true ACE, wasn't enough last year to get them past round 1 or even win a division title. Do you really think the Yankee's have not improved, or the Red Sox will have another down year, or even Toronto will be as bad as they were last year? We let Taters walk (44 HR's), Burnes walk (ACE) and have done zero with improving our pitching. You have Bradish returning from injury as well as Batista (you cannot rely on) and nothing else to show for improvement. New owner who say's he will spend but has not. Please don't mention O'Neil as he won't be hitting 44 HR/100 RBI.

I have been a true fan through thick and then since '77 but I don't see another World Series Championship in my lifetime. The club is too frugal and, in this day, and age, the teams that spend have a Bonafide shot at a Championship.

I'm hoping that a trade with Seattle can happen. Get Castillo and probably would have to give up Mountcastle and maybe one of Urias and Mateo, which clears a little bit of a glut on the offensive side. Speaking of opportunity, the time to sign Adley and Gunnar to long term contracts begins any time now because the longer the front office waits, the more expensive it's probably going to be. Unless Elias and/or Rubenstein are just another form of the Angelos regime.

I'd probably have the Orioles finishing 3rd in the division if the season were starting today. The Yankees and Sox have improved quite a bit. The only thing for the Yankees is that it's going to be tough to replace Soto's production in the lineup as him and Judge back to back was nasty. I can see Toronto signing Santander but just don't see that being enough to be a serious contender to the division. Tampa I think we can agree probably isn't going to do much this year but they've surprised before. I don't really like the starting pitching options left and I wouldn't mind if Scott came back to help in the pen. If O'Neil can stay healthy, I can see at least 30 homers but 44 might be a bit of a stretch.

If they don't take advantage of this opening, I can understand that thinking. I've been a fan since I started watching baseball in the mid to late 80's and am beginning to wonder myself if I'll ever see a World Series win for the Orioles.

 

[skinz2winz]

Trade Mountcastle for whatever you can get for him. Call it a day for the off season after the following. This gives you another starter and more pop since Santander will sign elsewhere. You may have to cut, trade or pair down your infielders some if you keep Mayo, Urias & Mateo on the roster. If you are able to sign Hoffman, you can trade a combination of Povich, Kremer and or Rogers.

Sign Pete Alonso for 3 yrs $85M (1B) 30 years old
Sign Jeff Hoffman for 3 yrs $40M (Starter) 32 years old

Lineup:
C: Rutschman
SS: Henderson
RF: O'Neil
1B: Alonso
DH :O'Hearn
3B: Westburg
LF: Cowser
CF: Mullins
2B: Holiday

Bench:
IF/DH: Mayo
IF: Urias
OF: Camerson
OF: Kjerstad
IF; Mateo
IF: Rivera
C: Sanchez
IF/OF/DH: O'Hearn

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Trade Mountcastle for whatever you can get for him. Call it a day for the off season after the following. This gives you another starter and more pop since Santander will sign elsewhere. You may have to cut, trade or pair down your infielders some if you keep Mayo, Urias & Mateo on the roster. If you are able to sign Hoffman, you can trade a combination of Povich, Kremer and or Rogers.

Sign Pete Alonso for 3 yrs $85M (1B) 30 years old
Sign Jeff Hoffman for 3 yrs $40M (Starter) 32 years old

Lineup:
C: Rutschman
SS: Henderson
RF: O'Neil
1B: Alonso
DH :O'Hearn
3B: Westburg
LF: Cowser
CF: Mullins
2B: Holiday

Bench:
IF/DH: Mayo
IF: Urias
OF: Camerson
OF: Kjerstad
IF; Mateo
IF: Rivera
C: Sanchez
IF/OF/DH: O'Hearn

Agree about Mountcastle but I’d do it and see what they have in Mayo now that he’s gotten his feet wet. I’m all for letting him sink or swim because otherwise, we’ll never know what we have in him.
I feel like if we make that theoretical trade for Castillo, than the bench would probably be Sanchez, Kjerstad, Urias and possibly Rivera. I’d figure in O’Hearn and Adley as the main DH’s. That’d make enough room to have seven bullpen guys.

 

[skinz2winz]

BP help!

Reports: O's, Kittredge agree to $10M, 1-yr deal

Reliever Andrew Kittredge, 34, has agreed to a $10 million, one-year contract with the Orioles, according to multiple reports.

www.espn.com

Now go get a top end starter Elias!

 

[skinz2winz]

F'ing idiots!!

x.com

x.com

 

[skinz2winz]

MSN

 

[skinz2winz]

Sign Pete Alonso for 3 yrs $85M (1B) 30 years old
Sign Jeff Hoffman for 3 yrs $40M (Starter) 32 years old

Trade Mountcastle, Kjerstad and a top 20 prospect for Castillo. Sign Alonso to a 3-yeardeal at 85M. Done for the off season. Mentioned above on Jan 7th and we missed out on Hoffman due to failed physical for some odd reason. Alonso is the missing piece and since the Mets are playing hard ball with him, this is the perfect opportunity to grab him. Between Alonso and O'Neil, they will shatter the 44 HR's Santander is taking elsewhere.

This team would definitely contend.

 

[skinz2winz]

Trade Mountcastle, Kjerstad and a top 20 prospect for Castillo. Sign Alonso to a 3-yeardeal at 85M. Done for the off season. Mentioned above on Jan 7th and we missed out on Hoffman due to failed physical for some odd reason. Alonso is the missing piece and since the Mets are playing hard ball with him, this is the perfect opportunity to grab him. Between Alonso and O'Neil, they will shatter the 44 HR's Santander is taking elsewhere.

This team would definitely contend.

Lineup:
C: Rutschman (23) HR
SS: Henderson (33) HR
RF: O'Neil (20) HR
1B: Alonso (36) HR
DH :O'Hearn (19) HR
3B: Westburg (21) HR
LF: Cowser (20) HR
CF: Mullins (16) HR
2B: Holiday (18) HR
(206) HR'S

Pitching: Possibly deploy a 6-man rotation of sorts.
1.Rodriguez
2.Castillo
3.Eflin
4.Morton
5.Sugano
6.Kremer

 

[UVA_Guy81]

Trade Mountcastle, Kjerstad and a top 20 prospect for Castillo. Sign Alonso to a 3-yeardeal at 85M. Done for the off season. Mentioned above on Jan 7th and we missed out on Hoffman due to failed physical for some odd reason. Alonso is the missing piece and since the Mets are playing hard ball with him, this is the perfect opportunity to grab him. Between Alonso and O'Neil, they will shatter the 44 HR's Santander is taking elsewhere.

This team would definitely contend.

Instead of Kjerstad, I'd trade Mullins in that package (along with either Mateo or Urias since we don't need two utility infielders) since we're likely not going to resign him in the offseason. Try out Cowser in center this year and then hope that Bradfield will be ready by opening day next season. Have Mayo sink or swim at first and I'd actually do a 1 year deal for Santander but make him part time right fielder and DH (when O'Hearn wouldn't be there).

 

[UVA_Guy81]

And looks like the rich get richer with the Dodgers signing Tyler Wells. They've had a pretty good past five days.

 

[hattersgonnahate]

And looks like the rich get richer with the Dodgers signing Tyler Wells. They've had a pretty good past five days.

In that regard, maybe Elias's seemingly overly conservative approach has a point: "Why bother spending in free agency when everyone is playing for 2nd place anyway (read: on paper, the best that any AL team can do is to lose to the Dodgers in the World Series)?"

[* Sarcasm intended, in case that's not obvious]

 

[skinz2winz]

And looks like the rich get richer with the Dodgers signing Tyler Wells. They've had a pretty good past five days.

Tanner Scott? Yeah, the Dodgers sign everyone in an effort to try winning a WS. They don't care what payroll is. This is what makes baseball an un even playing field. As you said, the rich (dodgers, yankees, redsox just to name a few) get richer. That's why its so great to see them fail.