Enigmatic Os offense

[varaven45]

Can anyone explain how the third best hitting team in baseball - currently at a .264 BA - struggles against such mediocre pitching, waits till the eighth or ninth to start scoring, and when it gets runners on base fails to get them home ?

 

Is it just a dysfunctional offense, bucks inability to play small ball, or is the team just in another weird funk again ?

[papasmurfbell]

Part of it is that the main offensive threat going into the season was an illusion. They live by the long ball and their longball hitters have not showed up consistently.

[varaven45]

Good point. Unless our HR hitters start pingin em, this team is headed for another .500 season.

[cravnravn]

Its a long season, we cant expect a HR a night, as long as we keep pace with Toronto we will be fine.

[papasmurfbell]

I don't think they will. I still see 83 wins.

[cravnravn]

4 Homers last night, 1-0 without Manny, 1 game back of Toronto, and a gem by Jiminez

[papasmurfbell]

1 of 162.

[varaven45]

Crav : Papa = Glass Half Full: Glass Half Empty. You guys have unique, contrasting perspectives .... but is all good !

[dc.]

You can't win 90 of 162 without winning 1 at a time. What's the point, Papa?

 

Why can't you ever enjoy a small victory?

 

By the way, you're betting on 83 wins. I'll bet on 90. What's the wager? You always lay claims but never come back to admit when you've been wrong - let's change that.

[papasmurfbell]

The point is Jiminez played well 1 time. What has he done all season? He has sucked. He got a contract off a good yr in 2013. He has a few scattered good seasons in 9 seasons. I figure he continues being a liability the rest of the way.

[cravnravn]

We're not at the All-Star break, since Buck has been here the O's have been one of the hottest teams Aug-Sept, that trend continues with us still sniffing the hot spot, we can take this division.

[papasmurfbell]

Really? The O's haven't won more than 4 in a row in over a yr now. So where is that heat?

[cravnravn]

Nobody wants the East this year, keep winning series and we will be there at the end.

[papasmurfbell]

That is the problem. The O's just as much as anyone else don't want to win it. If they were legit they could take it and do something.

[dc.]

One out of 162 doesn't sound like it's only about Jimenez - who obviously doesn't start all 162 games.

 

The Jimenez deal is certainly looking like a bust already. But to say he's only had one decent start is also wrong. He had a solid stretch in early May of 3-4 great starts, but only came away with 2 wins (I think we may have won more). We can go get the stats if you want. Jimenez also has a history of being a much better pitcher in the second half - not that I am counting on anything close to consistency from him.

 

Meanwhile, you're a game off on winning streaks - the O's won 5 straight this year in early May. Last year they maxed at 5 straight. The year before (playoffs) they maxed at 6 straight (didn't happen until September) - but also lost 6 straight at one point. This point they've never lost more than 4 straight.

 

Anyway, no one's claiming perfection here - we're just back to having you tell everyone they can't enjoy a game played and pitched well. And it's silly.

 

There's lots of hope for this year yet; also lots that could go wrong.

[papasmurfbell]

I interpreted Crav as saying Jimenez played well and tat is what the O's will get now. If I misinterpreted that then I concede the point. He will go 30 or so games. I expect a poor record from him. I do think Bundy will be in the rotation by late Aug. That should help out in a major way.

[varaven45]

The AL East teams are all flawed but all (even Tampa) are capable of wining division. I predict most if not all teams will "hang around" .500 until August.

In September, one or two teams will become less flawed and make a run. One will win the division; the other will compete for a WC.

 

If the FO makes a positive acquisition (before deadline), the pitching staff stabilizes, and the offense becomes functional (and Buck teaches/team learns situational hitting, instead of just HRs), we might just be one of those teams.

Until then, its a crapshoot and we have as good a chance as any of the flawed teams in the AL East.

[papasmurfbell]

This team isn't built for small ball. It is very slow. They are built to put the ball over the wall and the main cog in that has crapped the bed this yr. I think JJ is done. It is good he is showing that now and not after inking another 4 yrs. The roster needs to be remade if they are to play small ball.

[varaven45]

Agreed on the not built for small ball. The team has lacked a legit leadoff guy for sometime. Markakis is a great hitter; but not leadoff. It starts there.

Agreed on slow and reliant on HR ball.

 

Don't agree with JJ being done. With a .294 BA (albeit only a couple homers), I'd take every day and twice on Sunday !

The guy is 31 and has a few years left in the tank.

[papasmurfbell]

One of the main reasons they want him is the HR. I think that is going away. I have seen the analytics about aging players. It is why I don't believe in FA in baseball. Look at that horrid deal with Fielder. Most of it be a disaster. Without the roids these guys are aging like they used to.

[varaven45]

You might be right but he's still got a little left in the tank for another few years.

[papasmurfbell]

And you want to reup for say 4 yrs for a guy who has a little left in the tank now?

[cravnravn]

I'll take this series win,

[varaven45]

Indeed Crav. Even with the HR happy enigmatic offense, we'll take it. Keep hanging around in the AL East and see what happens.

Go Os !

[cravnravn]

Going for the SWEEEEEP

 

I gotta throw the curse at the Cannucks, they have no business keeping pace with us