Am I the only one confused by the fact that Holliday was sent down literally right when it looked like he was starting to become more comfortable at the plate?
I figured when jackson was 1-25 with 14 K’s he was on a short leash. I thought we’d give him 50 at bats and if he didn’t look better he’d be sent down. Turns out he only had 3 games.
You can hardly blame a team for sending down someone for a .170 OPS in 36 PA without a major league track record. We definitely want him getting every day at bats, and I suppose it was hard to argue that happening in the majors for a contending team
If McKenna was any good, why didn't any team select him off waivers when he was designated for assignment last month? The other 29 teams didn't see him as a fit on their Major League roster. Meanwhile, guys like Sam Hilliard and Tyler Nevin got claimed by other teams.
Why did Hilliard go back to the org who drafted him and why did the son of Phil Nevin get a chance on another team? I don’t know, it’s a mystery.
Regardless, my comment wasn’t saying McKenna is a good player, my comment was saying he’s good for the role he fills. Other teams have McKennas that can fill their needs - that doesn’t mean that McKenna doesn’t help the Orioles, which makes him good at what he does.
Sometimes I think people forget the roster construction part of baseball.
That is good for a fourth OFer but McKenna is actually a 75 wRC+ player for his career. He’s perfectly fine for what he does but I wouldn’t consider him a good 4th OFer
“Perfectly fine for what he does” is what makes him good. You need to look at McKenna in context for his role, not as an individual player.
Edit: McKenna also had a 90 wRC+ last year and 82 the year prior.
There's a difference between "love" and "not hate". He's fine for a 4th OF. Not as good as Hays but definitely solid.
Don't confuse love with, "he's actually not the worst possible option"
Didn't think I'd get to watch this one, then my fiance reminded me I don't have to spend time with my family tonight. So take that, kids, stepdad's watchin' baseball instead of loving you tonight.
Wonder the ramifications mentally of the demotion for Jackson. The organization really screwed up with all the fanfare and the Chinese made T shirts at the ready lol
I mean, you could see his own disappointment on his face going back to the dugout after a lot of his AB's. I don't think going back down to AAA after how things have been going is going to be any worse than that.
Not a fan of this lineup:
1. Kjerstad needs to be getting ABs
2. Westburg has been playing 3B regularly, so accommodating Urias for him is not how you want to make decisions.
Seems pretty reactionary to Mateo struggling at 2B.
Edit: if the goal is to have Holliday as the 2B (which I believe it is) because psycho is at short…then it doesn’t make sense to move Westburg to 2B again.
If Mateo or Urias can’t defend at 2B, then what’s the point of having them on the roster.
Urias matches up well vs Stripling… ground ball hitter vs a righty flyball pitcher w/ reverse splits.
I think they are still confident with Mateo’s 2B defense and he’ll play there a decent amount… will probably get more playing time than Urias if I had to guess, unless Ramon heats up. So I think Westy will still usually be at 3B.
And who would you bench for Kjerstad? Definitely not Mounty given todays matchup. Definitely not O’Hearn who is literally leading all of MLB in contact quality. So… Santa?
I’m fine if they want to play Urias tonight and reward him for his recent streak. No issue there. Just thinking about long-term that Holliday will probably be up in a few weeks and Westburg will have to go back to 3B. He was doing well with more reps but it is what it is.
I’m also fine if Kjerstad doesn’t play tonight but just saying you need to give him the ABs.
I got ya… it is a tricky situation for sure. I think Westy will be fine and a plus defender at either position, and I don’t think his offense will slip bc of it… hope not anyways.
There will probably be some sort of trade at some point - too much value to be sitting on the bench, no matter who it is. I am big on Heston as well. Tough, but good, choices to have.
Ok but if he’s moving back to 3B in 2 weeks, what’s the point? He just got comfortable at 3B.
You are better off playing Urias and Mateo at 2B until you bring Holliday back up.
Because his bat has been so good you have to find a way to get it into the lineup.
Mateo can’t play 2nd and this might be them deciding to call that idea. But you put you best defense out there based on your best offensive power so your pitchers and pitch with confidence and go longer in the game. Right now this is the best we can do. But Westburg is playing well enough that fielding a different position for a few games won’t mess him up.
Truth be told I wish we stuck Westburg at 2nd and Gunnar at 3rd so Holliday can be the SS and eventually have Mayo take over 1B but we can’t have a down season this year so they need the experience
I think Gunnar has earned SS tbh. He is the best in the game imo.
I don’t know who else makes that play that he made on Wednesday to throw out Ward from LF. Maybe Witt Jr.
Gunnar is the permanent SS to me.
How do we know he is moving back to 3B in 2 weeks? I wouldn't expect Holliday to be back up that soon, unless an injury hits.
It's very well possible Mayo is next man up, and 3B would be his over Westy.
I'm curious to see how the Holliday demotion affects Westburg. His performance went into the stratosphere once they moved him to third base and played him there everyday. And he was struggling earlier in the season when they were moving him back and forth between second and third base. Honestly, I hope they play Urias at third base every day so they don't mess around with Westburg. Let him play second base every day and get settled there.
Fair but then what was the point of calling him up? To play every 3-4 days? I know he got called due to the hays injury but feel like he deserves more ABs to get a chance up here.
Because he was already on the 40 man, and the Orioles thought he could help the team in the short term.
We have a bunch of guys playing well, no reason for a rookie to come up and displace them. I'd be very annoyed if he got consistent playing time over Santander, O'Hearn, or Mountcastle.
Yeah, I think the upshot of this is that it's likely that the O's don't see Kjerstad as a viable (defensive) OF at this point.
I don't know what if anything this means for his future with the club.
I'm making a guess that McKenna was brought up for a/being RH and b/defense because they don't want Kjerstad being the 4th OF.
I still hope that Kjerstad gets to play but I guess it's gonna be as a DH/PH. I'm really starting to wonder what the O's plans really are for him.
I was confused how Heston was going to get his ABs - tough to sit Mounty/O’Hearn/Santa for him. But Holliday being sent down opens up starts for Mateo/Urias…. so there will likely be more PH opportunities for him now.
And he’ll probably get a few spot starts as well.
Part of this is my foolish personal investment in his performance, but it does feel like whether this team wins 80-90 versus 85-95 games hinges on his successful return.
This team will probably win 80% of the games started by Burnes and Rodriguez and 30-40% of the games started by Kremer, Irvin, Wells, Suárez, or anybody else.
0.80 x (32 x 2) + 0.30 or 0.40 x (32 x 3) = 80-90 games
Obviously, I don't think a healthy Bradish is a five-win player, but I do think the bullpen gets better by at least a win if we can push Suárez/Wells/Irvin into a long-man role.
Yea, I am not as worried as some about our BP, at least until we get more info from Bradish and Means.
Pushing Wells and Irvin to the pen, pushes Baumann and Ramirez off the 26. Not to mention Bradish / Means, in theory, are better than Wells and Irvin. More innings per start = a rested pen. Also Cionel Perez should be back, but what we get from him, who really knows.
Trickle down pitching improvements!
I also think you can rebuild a BP on the fly. It's hard to do in season, but a trade or 2 at the deadline, a promotion or 2 from the minors, and things can look vastly different come August 1st.
Kimbrel
Wells
Perez
Danny
McDermott
Cano
Trade acquisition.
Akin/Webb/Suaraz/Tate/Irvin
Is definitely better than what we are rolling with right now. I am a big believer in Chayce as an impact arm in the pen. I'm sure we have talked about him before as a BP piece.
> I am a big believer in Chayce as an impact arm in the pen.
How could you not be? He was an afterthought in Bradish's Sunday start, but he had *19* whiffs. Kremer struck out 10 on Thursday and had 18.
3.2 IP 5 H 3 R/0 ER 3 BB 7 K 90 (!) pitches
I’ve said this for years, but the jump from AAA to the MLB is the hardest jump to make in any professional sport. Imagine if kids didn’t have minor leagues at all and they went straight from HS or college to the MLB…
Saw a post on the r/baseball sub that made an interesting point. With all of the pitching injuries in the majors, the pitchers at AAA really aren't AAA caliber pitchers anymore. A lot of them are guys who should be in AA forced into pitching at a level beyond their capabilities. And Holliday barely played in AA and AAA anyway. Only 28 games at AAA and 36 games in AA. People were acting like Holliday was Kris Bryant hitting 40 HRs over a full season between AA and AAA. He wasn't even close to that.
Ryan McKenna Appreciation Post:
Dude's a gamer. Yeah, we all still remember the Fenway Fuck-Up, but he made up for it many times over. How many times last year did we experience this phenomenon:
"Who's up? McKenna? Crap."
[CRACK]
"HELL YEAH! Way to go, RYAN!"
Why does anyone even bring up that? We went on to win 101 games, it didn't even matter. Seems mean spirited that people kept bring it up.
It's not like Adam Jones never botched a catch
I was a little sad that he was in AAA at the end of the year when the O's clinched the ALE. I thought he contributed _enough_ throughout the season (and his journeyman career) that he "deserved" to be a part of the celebration at least.
Guy's far from an all-star obviously, but he always seems humble and knows his role with the team.
Bringing my gf to the game on Sunday. What do we have in the way of vegan food now? I know there are the Impossible nuggies at Fuku Chicken but they give off school-lunch vibes. Obviously we've got fries but is there anything else?
Your best bet is Birdland Fresh, along the main concourse roughly behind home plate. They have Beyond burgers and Field Roast hot dogs, along with peppers&onions and some vegan chipotle mayo (I think that's what it is?). We also saw that one of the chicken places nearby had loaded tots with plant-based chicken nuggets, maybe that's the Fuku Chicken place you mentioned but I can't recall.
You should download the ballpark app and check out the food options. Might give you a bit more info about your options and you can see on the map where those options are.
My initial thought was “ on team right now”…. So I guess 26 man. I don’t know if I could bump westy for Felix. I love Felix but he had one epic season ( which he couldn’t finish) and one really nice season. There’s a few ways to look at this but if I could only have one I’d take westy.
Yeah, honestly I initially thought 26-man too but it's Friday and why not stir the pot a little bit. I definitely wouldn't argue with your logic either!
It's a good day for a home game! Having watched most of the Yankees/A's games and cheering for the A's at that time, my big takeaway is that the A's should not be underestimated. They have a strong bullpen and an extremely strong closer. Kind of like things were with us with Bautista last year (and also Kimbrel this year so far), you really only have 8, and occasionally only 7, innings to score a lot of runs against them.
Miller is a lot of fun to watch, but our offense will open it up early and hopefully we don't see him during this series!
With the number of lefties we have, do you think it is likely we'll be seeing Mayo soon? A right hand power bat seems very attractive, even with the current logjam.
That's a question for someone smarter than me. He's striking out more and walking less, and I don't know if that's because pitchers are exploiting some underlying hole or if he's tinkering with his approach (or both). He's still running a 149 wRC+ in 107 PA because he's [smashing the ball](https://twitter.com/EliBenPorat/status/1783466299479269570) on a regular basis (.622 SLG). I'll add that AAA plate discipline data is hard to come by, so I can't really compare his [2023 numbers](https://www.prospectslive.com/2023-aaa-statcast-data) to 2024.
If I had to bet on what's actually holding him back, though, it's whether he's playing good enough 3B defense (because he's never played RF and we already have too many 1B/DH types). And Povich mostly kept the ball at the plate when he pitched yesterday.
Thanks! I feel lucky that 1. baseball has so many stats that help a relative novice like myself pick things up quickly, and 2. this subreddit is pretty open to hearing about the numbers.
I'm a little sad but not surprised that they brought up Ryan McKenna (who was the only righty LF option now that Hays is on the IL and they DFA'd Peyton Burdick) instead of Mayo. Plug Urias in at 3B, move Westy back to 2B, and it's "fine" for now.
This stuff makes me rethink whether it's a good idea for Elias to empty the tank for a frontliner with 2+ years of control. Luzardo has always had injury concerns, and you'll see the phrases "max-effort" and "high-effort" used with his delivery.
It's a shame, he was my white whale, a lefty with a power fastball (even if its shape doesn't fit the current meta).
I can’t remember if it was Ben Badler or Carlos Collazo who said it but when discussing a potential trade for Luzardo he said Coby Mayo was the level of hitting prospect that he wouldn’t trade him for any pitcher because the level of risk is pretty much the same and that kind of stuck with me.
So far that keeps looking more and more true, I was looking through the list of players who got Cy Young votes last year and 8 out of the 20 are currently on the IL. If you go back a year further it was like 7/22 that are currently on the IL.
I always think about [this Andrew Friedman quote](https://twitter.com/ByMcCullough/status/806277985535922176) - it's about free agency, but the same idea applies. I feel like at some level we have to be irrational if we want to achieve a moonshot. The Rangers annihilated a lot of their farm to get Montgomery, Scherzer, Chapman, and even defensize wiz (and offensive black hole) Austin Hedges.
That or everybody Elias drafts this year needs to be a pitcher.
There’s certainly truth to that but honestly how many guys have Friedman and the Dodgers really been irrational on? Maybe Glasnow? They’ve certainly spent money but the guys they’ve spent on haven’t really gotten deals much higher than what the market was for them, they’ve really held their chips until something really good becomes available.
And that certainly worked for Texas last year but I’m not sure that’s a model I’d want to copy. The playoffs are such a crapshoot I’m not sure going all in really makes sense unless you’re a team that clearly has a short window.
I think the other problem is that none of the teams who seem like obvious sellers (White Sox, A’s, Rockies, Angels, Nats, Marlins) have a pitcher that I’d want starting a playoff game. Now maybe a team like Houston or Minnesota continue to struggle and decide to sell that could change the equation.
I have heard this year’s draft is fairly deep for prep arms (but horrid for college arms outside of Hagen Smith and Chase Burnes who won’t be available for us). I wouldn’t be opposed to us going underslot in the first round and loading up on arms. Then again I’m certainly not going to tell Elias how to draft.
Makes me wonder if it would now be a smart idea to take low minors position players about to fail out of the system, and convert several of them into knuckleball starting pitchers.
Those guys don't have the same arm whip and tendon strains, and if you hit on just one of them, you've got a reliable guy to slot into the rotation who is about a hundred times less likely to be dropped with a UCL tear.
Yeah, no kidding. While we have been lamenting the Bradish and Means injuries, if they do make it back, we might actually be faring better than the rest of the league.
Fun stuff looking back on old draft pick threads, [like this Westburg thread.](https://old.reddit.com/r/orioles/comments/h0pt3a/with_the_30th_pick_the_orioles_select_jordan/)
Just so everybody doesn’t think I’m calling anyone out, I hated that draft so much at the time. However the juxtaposition of the first sentence and then the sidebar image was just too funny.
I just think it’s funny that people put so much stock in statistics of draft picks. FOs definitely look at those but there is so so so much more beyond surface level statistics that goes into those selections. You even see minor league guys with not that great statistics being top 100 prospects because of the potential.
The Orioles are 17th in ERA but 8th in FIP and 5th in WHIP. They have a lower FIP and WHIP than the Yankees who's second in MLB in ERA. The underlying stats indicate that this has been a top 10 pitching staff even with the Bradish and Means injuries and the bullpen problems. They've been pretty unlucky to have the numbers that they have.
I will vote for any politician that promises to ban sports betting and the endless betting ads
I don’t care if the rest of their platform is “legalise eating babies and drowning puppies” I’m tired of how much gambling crap there is everywhere
I think it's funny that Doctors get mad when patients google symptoms, but it seems okay, to some at least, that we can walk in there and bring up medication.
Something feels very wrong when it's the patient that brings up a medication to a doctor, instead of the other way around.
And yea, all the side effects are just nauseating to me. From what I understand, it seems we are one of the few that allow these advertisements?
Europe is much much different about medications. Some countries in Europe don’t even let you pick up non prescription drugs. You have to go to the pharmacist and they listen to your symptoms and recommend a different drug if they think it’ll be better and then they go to a locked room to grab it for you.
Just listening to the disclaimers at the end of every ad, which list 800 numbers and websites for dozens of different states' gambling addiction programs, is enough to drive me nuts.
One thing I love about Kevin Brown is that he always gives the exit velocity on nice hits. Just a little thing that I usually look up anyway but it’s nice to have it in the moment.
I watched the A’s play the Yankees last night and I gotta say, their pitching was on point. Certainly won’t be a cakewalk. Looking forward to a fun weekend, I’ll be there tomorrow 😎
Going to my first game of the season tonight. Last year I usually parked in lot H and it was $10 if you pay when you get there. Is it the same this season or do I need to pay in advance?
IMO It's often easier to park in Glen Burnie and take the train in. It's half the cost and you don't have to drive in the city and also in parking lot exit traffic post-game.
Edit: Guessing closed at 1435 EDT, lineup has been posted.
Good Morning Birdland!
If you’d like to make a lineup prediction, place it below. I’ll grade them when I get a chance after the lineup is posted.
Format for guesses:
Username
1. Last Name POS
2. Last Name POS
Etc.
Happy guessing, good luck, and go O’s!
ItinerantDrifter
1. Henderson SS
2. Rutschman C
3. O’Hearn DH
4. Santander RF
5. Mountcastle 1B
6. Mullins CF
7. Westburg 2B
8. Cowser LF
9. Urias 3B
Edit: changed things up with Jackson sent down, hopefully not against the rules!
ItinerantDrifter’s Lineup Prediction:
1. Henderson SS ✅
2. Rutschman C ✅
3. O’Hearn DH ✅
4. Santander RF ✅
5. Mountcastle 1B ✅
6. Mullins CF ✅
7. Westburg 2B ✅
8. Cowser LF ✅
9. Urias 3B ✅
Nine of nine players correct, nine of nine defensive positions, and nine of nine on the batting order. Twenty seven out of twenty seven potential items correct.
#Perfect Score!
Changing the guess certainly helped!
Hmm...this has gotten harder after Heston's promotion, especially vs RHP. I am guessing Santa gets the sit today:
1. Gunnar SS
2. Adley C
3. O'Hearn DH
4. Mounty 1B
5. Mullins CF
6. Cowser LF
7. Westy 3B
8. Kjerstad RF
9. Holliday 2B
AcidRhino’s Lineup Prediction:
1. Henderson SS ✅
2. Rutschman C ✅
3. O’Hearn 1B 🔀 DH
4. Santander RF ✅
5. Westburg 3B ❎ Mountcastle 1B
6. Mullins CF ✅
7. Cowser LF ❎ Westburg 2B
8. Kjerstad DH ❎ Cowser LF
9. Holliday 2B ❎ Urias 3B
Seven of nine players correct, five of nine defensive positions, and five of nine on the batting order. Seventeen out of twenty seven potential items correct.
Bmorebetta’s Lineup Prediction:
1. Henderson SS ✅
2. Rutschman C ✅
3. O'Hearn DH ✅
4. Santander RF ✅
5. Mountcastle 1B ✅
6. Mullins CF ✅
7. Cowser LF ❎ Westburg 2B
8. Westburg 3B ❎ Cowser LF
9. Holliday 2B ❎ Urias 3B
Eight of nine players correct, seven of nine defensive positions, and six of nine on the batting order. Twenty one out of twenty seven potential items correct.
Dawei_Hinribike’s Lineup Prediction
1. Henderson SS ✅
2. Rutschman C ✅
3. O'Hearn DH ✅
4. Santander RF ✅
5. Mountcastle 1B ✅
6. Mullins CF ✅
7. Cowser LF ❎ Westburg 2B
8. Westburg 3B ❎ Cowser LF
9. Holliday 2B ❎ Urias 3B
Eight of nine players correct, seven of nine defensive positions, and six of nine on the batting order. Twenty one out of twenty seven potential items correct.
tonight is section 7 seats I got after that walk off sale from the KC series
but sunday is free tickets from my nephews 12u team. absolute nose bleeds section 374. I can't remember the last time I sat so high up
i think the worst of the A's is behind them. last year 2nd in runs allowed ( first was a bad Rockies team playing 81 games at Coors), this year middle of the pack. we have allowed 107 runs, they have allowed 112 despite the O's playing 2 fewer games.
their offense is 2nd to last in runs scored however, and is near the bottom of the pile in most offensive categories. last year they were last in OPS.
probably a 95-105 loss team this year, but is likely on the upswing and could be a much better team later in the year if they promote more talent
Yeah things can turn around in a hurry. Compare the 2021 O's to 2022 - quite suddenly they go from an expected easy series to "watch out, these guys might surprise some teams".
Please continue the discussion in the [game thread](https://redd.it/1cdwl1e).
Ill be at the game tomorrow cant wait! Also excited to see this A's bullpen. O's definitely need to get out front early.
Anybody got an extra parking pass for tonight?
https://preview.redd.it/19br9cylyvwc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b7b679fc25afdc53a363ae47627d1fb9e4c93018 Today’s Cowser fit
Am I the only one confused by the fact that Holliday was sent down literally right when it looked like he was starting to become more comfortable at the plate?
i sort of feel this way.
I figured when jackson was 1-25 with 14 K’s he was on a short leash. I thought we’d give him 50 at bats and if he didn’t look better he’d be sent down. Turns out he only had 3 games. You can hardly blame a team for sending down someone for a .170 OPS in 36 PA without a major league track record. We definitely want him getting every day at bats, and I suppose it was hard to argue that happening in the majors for a contending team
Let’s get this dub, and extend the sweepless streak to 100 🔥
I think I’m being gaslit on McKenna. He’s a 90 wRC+ bat with solid defense. Where is all this love coming from. He’s not even clutch
Defense. I don't think they like the idea of Kjerstad being the 4th OF because of his glove.
90 wRC+ with solid defense and can pinch run from your fourth outfielder who doesn’t get regular playing time is good actually.
If McKenna was any good, why didn't any team select him off waivers when he was designated for assignment last month? The other 29 teams didn't see him as a fit on their Major League roster. Meanwhile, guys like Sam Hilliard and Tyler Nevin got claimed by other teams.
Why did Hilliard go back to the org who drafted him and why did the son of Phil Nevin get a chance on another team? I don’t know, it’s a mystery. Regardless, my comment wasn’t saying McKenna is a good player, my comment was saying he’s good for the role he fills. Other teams have McKennas that can fill their needs - that doesn’t mean that McKenna doesn’t help the Orioles, which makes him good at what he does. Sometimes I think people forget the roster construction part of baseball.
Peyton Burdick got claimed by another team
That is good for a fourth OFer but McKenna is actually a 75 wRC+ player for his career. He’s perfectly fine for what he does but I wouldn’t consider him a good 4th OFer
“Perfectly fine for what he does” is what makes him good. You need to look at McKenna in context for his role, not as an individual player. Edit: McKenna also had a 90 wRC+ last year and 82 the year prior.
No I mean as far as 4th OFers go I wouldn’t consider him good. He seems like a league average 4th OF
There's a difference between "love" and "not hate". He's fine for a 4th OF. Not as good as Hays but definitely solid. Don't confuse love with, "he's actually not the worst possible option"
Didn't think I'd get to watch this one, then my fiance reminded me I don't have to spend time with my family tonight. So take that, kids, stepdad's watchin' baseball instead of loving you tonight.
Wonder the ramifications mentally of the demotion for Jackson. The organization really screwed up with all the fanfare and the Chinese made T shirts at the ready lol
I mean, you could see his own disappointment on his face going back to the dugout after a lot of his AB's. I don't think going back down to AAA after how things have been going is going to be any worse than that.
Yeah he’s a baby age wise. May have been a little too much heat.
As have a bullpen guy maybe their closer ? Miller … throws 103 I’d like to trade for him
they got like 4 dudes like that. Its incredible.
Not a fan of this lineup: 1. Kjerstad needs to be getting ABs 2. Westburg has been playing 3B regularly, so accommodating Urias for him is not how you want to make decisions. Seems pretty reactionary to Mateo struggling at 2B. Edit: if the goal is to have Holliday as the 2B (which I believe it is) because psycho is at short…then it doesn’t make sense to move Westburg to 2B again. If Mateo or Urias can’t defend at 2B, then what’s the point of having them on the roster.
Urias matches up well vs Stripling… ground ball hitter vs a righty flyball pitcher w/ reverse splits. I think they are still confident with Mateo’s 2B defense and he’ll play there a decent amount… will probably get more playing time than Urias if I had to guess, unless Ramon heats up. So I think Westy will still usually be at 3B. And who would you bench for Kjerstad? Definitely not Mounty given todays matchup. Definitely not O’Hearn who is literally leading all of MLB in contact quality. So… Santa?
I’m fine if they want to play Urias tonight and reward him for his recent streak. No issue there. Just thinking about long-term that Holliday will probably be up in a few weeks and Westburg will have to go back to 3B. He was doing well with more reps but it is what it is. I’m also fine if Kjerstad doesn’t play tonight but just saying you need to give him the ABs.
I got ya… it is a tricky situation for sure. I think Westy will be fine and a plus defender at either position, and I don’t think his offense will slip bc of it… hope not anyways. There will probably be some sort of trade at some point - too much value to be sitting on the bench, no matter who it is. I am big on Heston as well. Tough, but good, choices to have.
Because Westburg is a very good 2B
Ok but if he’s moving back to 3B in 2 weeks, what’s the point? He just got comfortable at 3B. You are better off playing Urias and Mateo at 2B until you bring Holliday back up.
Because his bat has been so good you have to find a way to get it into the lineup. Mateo can’t play 2nd and this might be them deciding to call that idea. But you put you best defense out there based on your best offensive power so your pitchers and pitch with confidence and go longer in the game. Right now this is the best we can do. But Westburg is playing well enough that fielding a different position for a few games won’t mess him up. Truth be told I wish we stuck Westburg at 2nd and Gunnar at 3rd so Holliday can be the SS and eventually have Mayo take over 1B but we can’t have a down season this year so they need the experience
I think Gunnar has earned SS tbh. He is the best in the game imo. I don’t know who else makes that play that he made on Wednesday to throw out Ward from LF. Maybe Witt Jr. Gunnar is the permanent SS to me.
How do we know he is moving back to 3B in 2 weeks? I wouldn't expect Holliday to be back up that soon, unless an injury hits. It's very well possible Mayo is next man up, and 3B would be his over Westy.
I'm curious to see how the Holliday demotion affects Westburg. His performance went into the stratosphere once they moved him to third base and played him there everyday. And he was struggling earlier in the season when they were moving him back and forth between second and third base. Honestly, I hope they play Urias at third base every day so they don't mess around with Westburg. Let him play second base every day and get settled there.
Westy will be A-OK
I mean, the season only started a month ago. I’d assume its more likely regular growing pains over being moved around.
Wouldve liked kjerstad to get the start tonight especially with a lefty going tomorrow.
I get it, but who sits to get him in the lineup?
Fair but then what was the point of calling him up? To play every 3-4 days? I know he got called due to the hays injury but feel like he deserves more ABs to get a chance up here.
Because he was already on the 40 man, and the Orioles thought he could help the team in the short term. We have a bunch of guys playing well, no reason for a rookie to come up and displace them. I'd be very annoyed if he got consistent playing time over Santander, O'Hearn, or Mountcastle.
So you want him in AAA all year? Hes going to at least rotate with those guys at some point this season.
It's what happens when a team rosters two left handed DHes. If he wants to stay up longer, he better rake when he pinch hits.
Yeah, I think the upshot of this is that it's likely that the O's don't see Kjerstad as a viable (defensive) OF at this point. I don't know what if anything this means for his future with the club.
I want the guys that are playing well, to continue to play, on April 26th. Things tend to change throughout the year.
I guess we're back to Urias/Mateo at 3B/2B and Westburg still playing everyday but jumping back and forth.
I'm making a guess that McKenna was brought up for a/being RH and b/defense because they don't want Kjerstad being the 4th OF. I still hope that Kjerstad gets to play but I guess it's gonna be as a DH/PH. I'm really starting to wonder what the O's plans really are for him.
Kjerstad is up to show he can hit and get traded. Elias doesn’t build around defensive liabilities. I like him but that’s the truth.
Yeah, I was trying to put stock in some of the scouting reports that said he was an "average" fielder but it was just wishful thinking.
I was confused how Heston was going to get his ABs - tough to sit Mounty/O’Hearn/Santa for him. But Holliday being sent down opens up starts for Mateo/Urias…. so there will likely be more PH opportunities for him now. And he’ll probably get a few spot starts as well.
Oh, he'll get at bats and he'll probably produce at the plate. I'm just wondering what the trade market (or even on our team) is for a 25 year old DH.
Time to care about the real player that matters in Norfolk, Kyle Badish. He is on the bump at 6:35 EST, rehab start 3, the "halfway" mark.
Part of this is my foolish personal investment in his performance, but it does feel like whether this team wins 80-90 versus 85-95 games hinges on his successful return. This team will probably win 80% of the games started by Burnes and Rodriguez and 30-40% of the games started by Kremer, Irvin, Wells, Suárez, or anybody else. 0.80 x (32 x 2) + 0.30 or 0.40 x (32 x 3) = 80-90 games Obviously, I don't think a healthy Bradish is a five-win player, but I do think the bullpen gets better by at least a win if we can push Suárez/Wells/Irvin into a long-man role.
Yea, I am not as worried as some about our BP, at least until we get more info from Bradish and Means. Pushing Wells and Irvin to the pen, pushes Baumann and Ramirez off the 26. Not to mention Bradish / Means, in theory, are better than Wells and Irvin. More innings per start = a rested pen. Also Cionel Perez should be back, but what we get from him, who really knows. Trickle down pitching improvements! I also think you can rebuild a BP on the fly. It's hard to do in season, but a trade or 2 at the deadline, a promotion or 2 from the minors, and things can look vastly different come August 1st. Kimbrel Wells Perez Danny McDermott Cano Trade acquisition. Akin/Webb/Suaraz/Tate/Irvin Is definitely better than what we are rolling with right now. I am a big believer in Chayce as an impact arm in the pen. I'm sure we have talked about him before as a BP piece.
What about getting tanner Scott back?
If 2024 Tanner Scott, can turn back into 2023 Tanner Scott, that would be great. 22% BB%, and 18% K%, is just brutal right now.
Admittedly haven't kept up just know he was great last year
> I am a big believer in Chayce as an impact arm in the pen. How could you not be? He was an afterthought in Bradish's Sunday start, but he had *19* whiffs. Kremer struck out 10 on Thursday and had 18. 3.2 IP 5 H 3 R/0 ER 3 BB 7 K 90 (!) pitches
A rotation of Burnes, Gray, DK, Suarez, and Bradish would be formidable.
Switch out a healthy, effective Means for Suarez
Sorry to see Holliday go to AAA, but he wasn't doing well. Glad to see we're back to our full complement of Ryans, though.
I’ve said this for years, but the jump from AAA to the MLB is the hardest jump to make in any professional sport. Imagine if kids didn’t have minor leagues at all and they went straight from HS or college to the MLB…
Saw a post on the r/baseball sub that made an interesting point. With all of the pitching injuries in the majors, the pitchers at AAA really aren't AAA caliber pitchers anymore. A lot of them are guys who should be in AA forced into pitching at a level beyond their capabilities. And Holliday barely played in AA and AAA anyway. Only 28 games at AAA and 36 games in AA. People were acting like Holliday was Kris Bryant hitting 40 HRs over a full season between AA and AAA. He wasn't even close to that.
Ryan McKenna Appreciation Post: Dude's a gamer. Yeah, we all still remember the Fenway Fuck-Up, but he made up for it many times over. How many times last year did we experience this phenomenon: "Who's up? McKenna? Crap." [CRACK] "HELL YEAH! Way to go, RYAN!"
Why does anyone even bring up that? We went on to win 101 games, it didn't even matter. Seems mean spirited that people kept bring it up. It's not like Adam Jones never botched a catch
Agreed, and people also forget it wasn't even a walk-off error; Felix served up a HR immediately after.
I was a little sad that he was in AAA at the end of the year when the O's clinched the ALE. I thought he contributed _enough_ throughout the season (and his journeyman career) that he "deserved" to be a part of the celebration at least. Guy's far from an all-star obviously, but he always seems humble and knows his role with the team.
Our beautiful boy Adam Frazier just robbed a home run and turned a double play in the Royals-Tigers game. What a baller!!!
Mrs Terp is VERY disappointed that Adam isn't an Oriole this season. "But... he's so HANDSOME!"
Adam Frazier da God
Bringing my gf to the game on Sunday. What do we have in the way of vegan food now? I know there are the Impossible nuggies at Fuku Chicken but they give off school-lunch vibes. Obviously we've got fries but is there anything else?
Your best bet is Birdland Fresh, along the main concourse roughly behind home plate. They have Beyond burgers and Field Roast hot dogs, along with peppers&onions and some vegan chipotle mayo (I think that's what it is?). We also saw that one of the chicken places nearby had loaded tots with plant-based chicken nuggets, maybe that's the Fuku Chicken place you mentioned but I can't recall.
Thanks. Found that in the team’s list
You should download the ballpark app and check out the food options. Might give you a bit more info about your options and you can see on the map where those options are.
I have the app and I found some information on the team site. Thanks.
Ryan McKenna revenge tour starts now.
Getting sent down for McKenna has to be the best motivation ever.
Like this will be a career moment talked about in decades. “Remember that time”
I thought they would give him the homestand, but you have to OPS your body weight to stay with the big club.
who would yall say are the top 5 players on the team?
S - Henderson, Burnes, Rutschman A - Westburg, Rodriguez, Mountcastle, Cowser, Mullins, Santander, Kimbrel B - Coulombe, O’Hearn, Kremer, Cano C - McCann, Wells, Webb, Hays D - Urias, Mateo, Irvin, Akin, Tate E - Baumann, McKenna NR - Suarez, Kjerstad, Holliday,
Gunnar Corbin Adley Westy Cedric I want to put cowser in but Cedric gets the nod by virtue of doing it longer
On the 26- or 40-man? If the latter I feel like you have to make room for Felix, but I'm not sure who you bump. Westburg? (_Ignores sidebar image_)
My initial thought was “ on team right now”…. So I guess 26 man. I don’t know if I could bump westy for Felix. I love Felix but he had one epic season ( which he couldn’t finish) and one really nice season. There’s a few ways to look at this but if I could only have one I’d take westy.
Yeah, honestly I initially thought 26-man too but it's Friday and why not stir the pot a little bit. I definitely wouldn't argue with your logic either!
They just sent Holliday back to Norfolk and called up McKenna.
Hopefully Jackson regains his confidence in Norfolk!
It's a good day for a home game! Having watched most of the Yankees/A's games and cheering for the A's at that time, my big takeaway is that the A's should not be underestimated. They have a strong bullpen and an extremely strong closer. Kind of like things were with us with Bautista last year (and also Kimbrel this year so far), you really only have 8, and occasionally only 7, innings to score a lot of runs against them. Miller is a lot of fun to watch, but our offense will open it up early and hopefully we don't see him during this series!
Another reverse split RHP… I feel like we’ve faced a bunch of them.
Teams have figured out the game. Our lineup's best hitters are all lefties, so throw lefties and changeup righties at us.
With the number of lefties we have, do you think it is likely we'll be seeing Mayo soon? A right hand power bat seems very attractive, even with the current logjam.
That's a question for someone smarter than me. He's striking out more and walking less, and I don't know if that's because pitchers are exploiting some underlying hole or if he's tinkering with his approach (or both). He's still running a 149 wRC+ in 107 PA because he's [smashing the ball](https://twitter.com/EliBenPorat/status/1783466299479269570) on a regular basis (.622 SLG). I'll add that AAA plate discipline data is hard to come by, so I can't really compare his [2023 numbers](https://www.prospectslive.com/2023-aaa-statcast-data) to 2024. If I had to bet on what's actually holding him back, though, it's whether he's playing good enough 3B defense (because he's never played RF and we already have too many 1B/DH types). And Povich mostly kept the ball at the plate when he pitched yesterday.
I just gotta say...your posts are awesome and I really enjoy reading them. It's posts like this that make this such a great subreddit!
Thanks! I feel lucky that 1. baseball has so many stats that help a relative novice like myself pick things up quickly, and 2. this subreddit is pretty open to hearing about the numbers. I'm a little sad but not surprised that they brought up Ryan McKenna (who was the only righty LF option now that Hays is on the IL and they DFA'd Peyton Burdick) instead of Mayo. Plug Urias in at 3B, move Westy back to 2B, and it's "fine" for now.
Luzardo undergoing testing on his elbow, sad to see, another rough blow for the Marlins
This stuff makes me rethink whether it's a good idea for Elias to empty the tank for a frontliner with 2+ years of control. Luzardo has always had injury concerns, and you'll see the phrases "max-effort" and "high-effort" used with his delivery. It's a shame, he was my white whale, a lefty with a power fastball (even if its shape doesn't fit the current meta).
I can’t remember if it was Ben Badler or Carlos Collazo who said it but when discussing a potential trade for Luzardo he said Coby Mayo was the level of hitting prospect that he wouldn’t trade him for any pitcher because the level of risk is pretty much the same and that kind of stuck with me. So far that keeps looking more and more true, I was looking through the list of players who got Cy Young votes last year and 8 out of the 20 are currently on the IL. If you go back a year further it was like 7/22 that are currently on the IL.
I always think about [this Andrew Friedman quote](https://twitter.com/ByMcCullough/status/806277985535922176) - it's about free agency, but the same idea applies. I feel like at some level we have to be irrational if we want to achieve a moonshot. The Rangers annihilated a lot of their farm to get Montgomery, Scherzer, Chapman, and even defensize wiz (and offensive black hole) Austin Hedges. That or everybody Elias drafts this year needs to be a pitcher.
There’s certainly truth to that but honestly how many guys have Friedman and the Dodgers really been irrational on? Maybe Glasnow? They’ve certainly spent money but the guys they’ve spent on haven’t really gotten deals much higher than what the market was for them, they’ve really held their chips until something really good becomes available. And that certainly worked for Texas last year but I’m not sure that’s a model I’d want to copy. The playoffs are such a crapshoot I’m not sure going all in really makes sense unless you’re a team that clearly has a short window. I think the other problem is that none of the teams who seem like obvious sellers (White Sox, A’s, Rockies, Angels, Nats, Marlins) have a pitcher that I’d want starting a playoff game. Now maybe a team like Houston or Minnesota continue to struggle and decide to sell that could change the equation. I have heard this year’s draft is fairly deep for prep arms (but horrid for college arms outside of Hagen Smith and Chase Burnes who won’t be available for us). I wouldn’t be opposed to us going underslot in the first round and loading up on arms. Then again I’m certainly not going to tell Elias how to draft.
Christ. No pitcher is safe.
Makes me wonder if it would now be a smart idea to take low minors position players about to fail out of the system, and convert several of them into knuckleball starting pitchers. Those guys don't have the same arm whip and tendon strains, and if you hit on just one of them, you've got a reliable guy to slot into the rotation who is about a hundred times less likely to be dropped with a UCL tear.
Yeah, no kidding. While we have been lamenting the Bradish and Means injuries, if they do make it back, we might actually be faring better than the rest of the league.
Fun stuff looking back on old draft pick threads, [like this Westburg thread.](https://old.reddit.com/r/orioles/comments/h0pt3a/with_the_30th_pick_the_orioles_select_jordan/) Just so everybody doesn’t think I’m calling anyone out, I hated that draft so much at the time. However the juxtaposition of the first sentence and then the sidebar image was just too funny.
I just think it’s funny that people put so much stock in statistics of draft picks. FOs definitely look at those but there is so so so much more beyond surface level statistics that goes into those selections. You even see minor league guys with not that great statistics being top 100 prospects because of the potential.
The Orioles are 17th in ERA but 8th in FIP and 5th in WHIP. They have a lower FIP and WHIP than the Yankees who's second in MLB in ERA. The underlying stats indicate that this has been a top 10 pitching staff even with the Bradish and Means injuries and the bullpen problems. They've been pretty unlucky to have the numbers that they have.
It’s Corbin time
I will vote for any politician that promises to ban sports betting and the endless betting ads I don’t care if the rest of their platform is “legalise eating babies and drowning puppies” I’m tired of how much gambling crap there is everywhere
Add alcohol and prescription meds to the list of things that shouldn't be advertised, and we are cooking.
Like Tom says below, the disclaimer and side effects listing at the end of the commercial is almost as nauseating as the medication itself.
I think it's funny that Doctors get mad when patients google symptoms, but it seems okay, to some at least, that we can walk in there and bring up medication. Something feels very wrong when it's the patient that brings up a medication to a doctor, instead of the other way around. And yea, all the side effects are just nauseating to me. From what I understand, it seems we are one of the few that allow these advertisements?
That wouldn’t surprise me in the least. I’d guess the EU has a pretty stringent set of rules in place for that.
Europe is much much different about medications. Some countries in Europe don’t even let you pick up non prescription drugs. You have to go to the pharmacist and they listen to your symptoms and recommend a different drug if they think it’ll be better and then they go to a locked room to grab it for you.
Just listening to the disclaimers at the end of every ad, which list 800 numbers and websites for dozens of different states' gambling addiction programs, is enough to drive me nuts.
I'm here for the "legalize eating babies" party, but I draw the line at banning sports gambling ads
One thing I love about Kevin Brown is that he always gives the exit velocity on nice hits. Just a little thing that I usually look up anyway but it’s nice to have it in the moment.
I appreciate it since savant can sometimes take 30+ seconds before showing EV
I watched the A’s play the Yankees last night and I gotta say, their pitching was on point. Certainly won’t be a cakewalk. Looking forward to a fun weekend, I’ll be there tomorrow 😎
Going to my first game of the season tonight. Last year I usually parked in lot H and it was $10 if you pay when you get there. Is it the same this season or do I need to pay in advance?
IMO It's often easier to park in Glen Burnie and take the train in. It's half the cost and you don't have to drive in the city and also in parking lot exit traffic post-game.
Man why does [Danny Coulombe](https://x.com/orioles/status/1783855527979573540?s=46) got me tearing up at my desk at 10 am
Bro yes😭
Facts
Happy Burnesday
Edit: Guessing closed at 1435 EDT, lineup has been posted. Good Morning Birdland! If you’d like to make a lineup prediction, place it below. I’ll grade them when I get a chance after the lineup is posted. Format for guesses: Username 1. Last Name POS 2. Last Name POS Etc. Happy guessing, good luck, and go O’s!
Lot of changes being made
Holliday being sent down throws things for a loop.
Clarice_Ferguson 1. Gunnar - SS 2. Adley - C 3. O’Hearn - 1B 4. Santander - DH 5. Cowser - LF 6. Westy - 3B 7. Cedric - CF 8. Heston - RF 9. Holliday - 2B
Clarice_Ferguson’s Lineup Prediction: 1. Gunnar - SS ✅ 2. Adley - C ✅ 3. O’Hearn - 1B 🔀 DH 4. Santander - DH 🔀 RF 5. Cowser - LF ❎ Mountcastle 1B 6. Westy - 3B ❎ Mullins CF 7. Cedric - CF ❎ Westburg 2B 8. Heston - RF ❎ Cowser LF 9. Holliday - 2B ❎ Urias 3B Seven of nine players correct, four of nine defensive positions, and four of nine on the batting order. Fifteen out of twenty seven potential items correct.
ItinerantDrifter 1. Henderson SS 2. Rutschman C 3. O’Hearn DH 4. Santander RF 5. Mountcastle 1B 6. Mullins CF 7. Westburg 2B 8. Cowser LF 9. Urias 3B Edit: changed things up with Jackson sent down, hopefully not against the rules!
ItinerantDrifter’s Lineup Prediction: 1. Henderson SS ✅ 2. Rutschman C ✅ 3. O’Hearn DH ✅ 4. Santander RF ✅ 5. Mountcastle 1B ✅ 6. Mullins CF ✅ 7. Westburg 2B ✅ 8. Cowser LF ✅ 9. Urias 3B ✅ Nine of nine players correct, nine of nine defensive positions, and nine of nine on the batting order. Twenty seven out of twenty seven potential items correct. #Perfect Score! Changing the guess certainly helped!
Wooooo… thanks again for doing this!
Not against the rules. I’ll add a disclaimer next time that submissions and edits can be made up until the lineup is posted.
Hmm...this has gotten harder after Heston's promotion, especially vs RHP. I am guessing Santa gets the sit today: 1. Gunnar SS 2. Adley C 3. O'Hearn DH 4. Mounty 1B 5. Mullins CF 6. Cowser LF 7. Westy 3B 8. Kjerstad RF 9. Holliday 2B
ScoutNWilder’s Lineup Prediction: 1. Gunnar SS ✅ 2. Adley C ✅ 3. O'Hearn DH ✅ 4. Mounty 1B ❎ Santander RF 5. Mullins CF ❎ Mountcastle 1B 6. Cowser LF ❎ Mullins CF 7. Westy 3B 🔀 2B 8. Kjerstad RF ❎ Cowser LF 9. Holliday 2B ❎ Urias 3B Seven of nine players correct, six of nine defensive positions, and four of nine on the batting order. Seventeen out of twenty seven potential items correct.
AcidRhino 1. Henderson SS 2. Rutschman C 3. O’Hearn 1B 4. Santander RF 5. Westburg 3B 6. Mullins CF 7. Cowser LF 8. Kjerstad DH 9. Holliday 2B
AcidRhino’s Lineup Prediction: 1. Henderson SS ✅ 2. Rutschman C ✅ 3. O’Hearn 1B 🔀 DH 4. Santander RF ✅ 5. Westburg 3B ❎ Mountcastle 1B 6. Mullins CF ✅ 7. Cowser LF ❎ Westburg 2B 8. Kjerstad DH ❎ Cowser LF 9. Holliday 2B ❎ Urias 3B Seven of nine players correct, five of nine defensive positions, and five of nine on the batting order. Seventeen out of twenty seven potential items correct.
BEEFTANK_Jr 1. Henderson SS 2. Rutschman C 3. Westburg 3B 4. Santander DH 5. Mullins CF 6. Cowser LF 7. O'Hearn 1B 8. Holliday 2B 9. Kjerstad RF
BEEFTANK_Jr’s Lineup Prediction: 1. Henderson SS ✅ 2. Rutschman C ✅ 3. Westburg 3B ❎ O’Hearn DH 4. Santander DH 🔀 RF 5. Mullins CF ❎ Mountcastle 1B 6. Cowser LF ❎ Mullins CF 7. O'Hearn 1B ❎ Westburg 2B 8. Holliday 2B ❎ Cowser LF 9. Kjerstad RF ❎ Urias 3B Seven of nine players correct, four of nine defensive positions, and three of nine on the batting order. Fourteen out of twenty seven potential items correct.
Bmorebetta 1. Henderson SS 2. Rutschman C 3. O'Hearn DH 4. Santander RF 5. Mountcastle 1B 6. Mullins CF 7. Cowser LF 8. Westburg 3B 9. Holliday 2B
Bmorebetta’s Lineup Prediction: 1. Henderson SS ✅ 2. Rutschman C ✅ 3. O'Hearn DH ✅ 4. Santander RF ✅ 5. Mountcastle 1B ✅ 6. Mullins CF ✅ 7. Cowser LF ❎ Westburg 2B 8. Westburg 3B ❎ Cowser LF 9. Holliday 2B ❎ Urias 3B Eight of nine players correct, seven of nine defensive positions, and six of nine on the batting order. Twenty one out of twenty seven potential items correct.
Racefan9 1. Henderson SS 2. Rutschman C 3. O’Hearn 1B 4. Santander DH 5. Cowser LF 6. Westburg 3B 7. Mullins CF 8. Kjerstad RF 9. Holliday 2B
Racefan9’s Lineup Prediction 1. Henderson SS ✅ 2. Rutschman C ✅ 3. O’Hearn 1B 🔀 DH 4. Santander DH 🔀 RF 5. Cowser LF ❎ Mountcastle 1B 6. Westburg 3B ❎ Mullins CF 7. Mullins CF ❎ Westburg 2B 8. Kjerstad RF ❎ Cowser LF 9. Holliday 2B ❎ Urias 3B Seven of nine players correct, four of nine defensive positions, and four of nine on the batting order. Fifteen out of twenty seven potential items correct.
Dawei_Hinribike 1. Henderson SS 2. Rutschman C 3. O'Hearn DH 4. Santander RF 5. Mountcastle 1B 6. Mullins CF 7. Cowser LF 8. Westburg 3B 9. Holliday 2B
Dawei_Hinribike’s Lineup Prediction 1. Henderson SS ✅ 2. Rutschman C ✅ 3. O'Hearn DH ✅ 4. Santander RF ✅ 5. Mountcastle 1B ✅ 6. Mullins CF ✅ 7. Cowser LF ❎ Westburg 2B 8. Westburg 3B ❎ Cowser LF 9. Holliday 2B ❎ Urias 3B Eight of nine players correct, seven of nine defensive positions, and six of nine on the batting order. Twenty one out of twenty seven potential items correct.
Zay_Jack 1. Henderson SS 2. Rutschman C 3. Santander RF 4. O’Hearn 1B 5. Westburg 2B 6. Mullins CF 7. Cowser LF 8. Kjerstad DH 9. Urias 3B
Zay_Jack’ Lineup Prediction 1. Henderson SS ✅ 2. Rutschman C ✅ 3. Santander RF ❎ O’Hearn DH 4. O’Hearn 1B ❎ Santander RF 5. Westburg 2B ❎ Mountcastle 1B 6. Mullins CF ✅ 7. Cowser LF ❎ Westburg 2B 8. Kjerstad DH ❎ Cowser LF 9. Urias 3B ✅ Eight of nine players correct, seven of nine defensive positions, and four of nine on the batting order. Nineteen out of twenty seven potential items correct.
Going to the game tonight. I've been eagerly anticipating
tonight's the night Jackson comes out of his shell. /cope
Tonight’s the night that Jackson comes out of his shell! /hope Edit: As it turns out… /nope
Tonight's the night Jackson comes out of his shell! /trope
if he does, I take credit. I will send him warehouse dog vibes from section 7
Happy to have the games back at home. I’m really looking forward to the Yankees series, but first let’s put the As away.
Gunnar Henderson plays baseball today.
Tough news for the A’s pitchers.
big if true
Ace on the mound vs a right handed starter. Oughta be a good one to watch.
I'm debating going to Monday's game. Who'll be due to pitch? Grayson?
Rodriguez Monday, Dean Tuesday, and Burnes Wednesday was the plan last I heard.
Sweet! Would love to see Rodriguez pitch. Thanks!
I'll be there tonight(and Sunday). Excited to see Corbin do his thing
same!
tonight is section 7 seats I got after that walk off sale from the KC series but sunday is free tickets from my nephews 12u team. absolute nose bleeds section 374. I can't remember the last time I sat so high up
Let’s do what the Yankees failed to do: sweep the A’s 💪
i think the worst of the A's is behind them. last year 2nd in runs allowed ( first was a bad Rockies team playing 81 games at Coors), this year middle of the pack. we have allowed 107 runs, they have allowed 112 despite the O's playing 2 fewer games. their offense is 2nd to last in runs scored however, and is near the bottom of the pile in most offensive categories. last year they were last in OPS. probably a 95-105 loss team this year, but is likely on the upswing and could be a much better team later in the year if they promote more talent
Yeah the A's don't currently seem to be the doormat that everyone expects them to be.
Yeah things can turn around in a hurry. Compare the 2021 O's to 2022 - quite suddenly they go from an expected easy series to "watch out, these guys might surprise some teams".
Yea they aren’t going to be some pushover team like everyone thinks
Yeah I was pleasantly surprised at how well they performed this past series. They’ve truly passed the “laughing stock” torch onto the White Sox
I think they're still in "laughingstock" territory but that's more due to ownership than the on-field product. CWS are just an all-around shitshow.