Series Thread: 7/22-7/28: @MIA, vs SD

[ThomasTomasz]

Let’s try to get some weekly discussion going here for games. Between the MLB main forum, this one and the Commanders forum, I see a lot of people with the Orioles listed as one of their favorite teams.

7/22: Off

7/23: @MIA 6:40 pm EST

7/24: @ MIA 6:40 pm EST

7/25: @ MIA 12:10 pm EST

7/26: vs SD 7:05 pm EST

7/27: vs SD 4:05 pm EST FS1

7/28: vs SD 1:35 pm EST

 

[ThomasTomasz]

This is brutal against a pretty awful Miami team. I think Suarez might be toast as a starter. A bullpen game after a day off is not bad, but we’re going to run short with a night game followed by a 12:10 game.

 

[hattersgonnahate]

This is brutal against a pretty awful Miami team. I think Suarez might be toast as a starter. A bullpen game after a day off is not bad, but we’re going to run short with a night game followed by a 12:10 game.

Hence my "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain [revisited]" comment in the main 2024 season thread... If there are three question marks in the rotation, is it time to consider the following crazy idea for the rotation in the short term?

• Only Burnes and Rodriguez will be used as "normal" starters; everyone else will be part of a relay team.
  
  
• The relay teams are Suarez (R) / Akin (L) and Kremer (R) / Irvin (L) in any order; if Povich / McDermott are also being considered, simply swap out anyone with the same handedness. Each "co-starter" on a relay team would be asked to pitch for about 3 innings (or twice through the order) three times in ten games, and would be considered interchangeable to some extent.

Here's how the rotation might look like in practice:

• Games 1-5: Burnes, Suarez / Akin, Rodriguez, Kremer / Irvin, Suarez / Akin
• Games 6-10: Burnes, Kremer / Irvin, Rodriguez, Suarez / Akin, Kremer / Irvin (the cycle repeats afterward)

"Wouldn't this modified 6-man rotation tax the bullpen too much?" That's a fair concern, but the status quo since mid-June is that our starters not named Burnes / Rodriguez would too often struggle to last 5 innings anyway, which is arguably worse for the bullpen:

• Assuming that the #1-2 starters can pitch for 6 innings while the #3-5 starters can only last 5, the 8-member bullpen would need to cover 18 innings (3 x 2 games + 4 x 3 games) every 5 games; that's 2.25 innings per person.
  
  
• With the modified arrangement where the relay teams of two are expected to go for a total of 6 innings per "start-equivalent," the 7-member bullpen would only need to cover 15 innings (or 2.14 innings per person) every 5 games.

 

[ThomasTomasz]

I just don’t think you can do that for more than one starter, maybe two. However, I do think in 10-15 years, this might be the way that MLB is heading if they don’t dial back the obsession over max velocity and spin rate.

McDermott is getting called up for a spot start tonight. Should be must-watch TV.

 

[hattersgonnahate]

I just don’t think you can do that for more than one starter, maybe two. However, I do think in 10-15 years, this might be the way that MLB is heading if they don’t dial back the obsession over max velocity and spin rate.

McDermott is getting called up for a spot start tonight. Should be must-watch TV.

At least McDermott wasn't terrible, and the divisional lead somehow survives again thanks to help from the Mets. But if this team's hitting is starting to become unreliable as well, one has to wonder whether it's time to make a few "addition by subtraction" moves for the position players (especially considering the rumors that some teams may be interested in Mountcastle and/or Mullins):

• Assuming that Mateo will be unavailable for a while, they might as well try starting Norby at 2B
  
  
• If Norby becomes the starting 2B, Westburg can stay at 3B (where his defense is better anyway), thus allowing Urías to be replaced by Mayo as the backup 3B
  
  
• If Mountcastle is traded, some of his playing time can go to Mayo or Kjerstad
  
  
• If Mullins is traded, Cowser becomes the starting CF (which is still backed up by Hays), and the vacated LF spot can be given to Stowers or Kjerstad. (Would this be a defensive downgrade? Apparently, Cowser is very serviceable at CF, which means that the question is more about LF.)

This is not to mention that being willing to trade vets would also open up additional possibilities for upgrading pitching further... although this may require complicated 3-team trades where the Orioles send a major league player to another contender, which sends prospects (along with the Orioles) to a rebuilding team that has major league pitchers to spare.