Hat's off to the O's

[papasmurfbell]

How much did they pay Bundy?

[cravnravn]

The Orioles expected their negotiations with Dylan Bundy to go right down to Monday night's midnight deadline for signing 2011 draft picks.

There were some anxious moments, but the Orioles agreed to terms with the fourth overall pick about five minutes before the deadline on a five-year major league contract, starting in 2012, that includes a $4 million signing bonus.

 

 

Considering Loen got 4 mil in 2002? thats a good deal for 2012

[papasmurfbell]

It depends on the guy. Soem guys get big money other don't.

[cravnravn]

Cant wait to see what little Rip gets.

[dc.]

Little Rip has already declined to join the O's system and is going to college. We will probably draft him again in four years, despite everyone knowing he's not a legit player - maybe he'll be more than that in four years, but I doubt it.

[vmax]

Now Chen is looking human.

 

After the last 3 weeks it looks like all of their shortcommings have caught up with them.

45-40...not bad considering what they have to work with.

 

Give Buck some credit. He'll keep pushing every button he has to find a way to win with this roster.

If he hits all the right ones they'll break .500.

[cravnravn]

What is it with Baltimore teams going to the west coast? The O's looked as bad as the Ravens out there.

[vmax]

[BengalBilly]

 

Those girls are totally do-able, and the dude with the sunglasses that stands behind them realizes this. His dick is so hard he could go out on the field and use it for batting practice. Of course the rumor is guys from Maryland ain't packing much, so expect a lot of bunts.

 

Bazinga!

[cravnravn]

I see Travon Martin in that picture

[vmax]

Well...since we're at the halfway break...with time to kill...let's collect our thoughts on the Orioles...

 

[Spen]

A win is a win, but boy did they suck at key times today.

[cravnravn]

O's shut out for the 7th time in the past 38 games, compared to 1 time in their first 50 games.

 

Aye Yi Yie

[vmax]

Glad I passed on a free ticket to yesterdays game.

[Spen]

Well they scored 8 on Saturday, that may be their allotment for the next few day.

 

And the Twins have 4 now, no way the Orioles can score that.

[cravnravn]

Dont know if it was a glitch with Direct Tv, but I actually had MASN last night..O's pitchers looked like they were pitching batting practice.

[cravnravn]

Jimminy Christmas, I do have MASN full time, I watched most of that fiasco, O's up 4-1 and Britton cant find the plate, next thing its 4-4..Ballgame!!

[papasmurfbell]

By the end of the Indians series they could be in last place.

[thundercleetz]

I am completely baffled how some of these guys are still on the team. Flaherty at 2B is an absolute joke. Reynolds' baseball IQ is completely disgraceful. And if Tolleson cannot play defense, why is he and his .610 OPS still on the team? And do not even get me started on Andino going up there striking out every at bat on three pitches in the dirt. I am going to be extremely angry if some of our young guys in the minors do not get a chance soon.

 

LJ Hoes is absolutely tearing up Norfolk (which is typically a hitter's graveyard) at only 22-years old. Sure, his defense at 2B was said to be iffy, but we played Ty Wigginton's fatass 40 games at 2B in 2010, I am sure we can give Hoes (who is a decent athlete with a very high baseball IQ) a shot with Andino injured. Duquette this offseason said we needed more players who could work counts and get on-base. Well, wake-up call, you have a true baseball player who's forcing his way into Baltimore in AAA!

 

I know Xavier Avery is developing as far as pitch recognition, but he brings some much needed speed, excitement, and quality defense to the lineup. Avery has shown that he is a hard worker, and his development is not going to be hindered by taking some lumps in the majors. He is ready to play everyday.

 

Third base is an absolute disaster for us. We do not have a true third baseman on the roster now. People give Wilson Betimit a hard time for his play and third and at the plate, but we must remember he was brought in to be a part-time utility player. No one predicted a complete metdown from Mark Reynolds. I think the Meat has played admirably considering the circumstances. He does best in a part-time, utitlity role, and we need to get him back to it.

 

With that said, Flaherty and Tolleson are an absolute disaster at the plate. Machado and Schoop provide an interesting option for 3B. Whereas Hoes and Avery are seasoned minor league players with at-bats at AAA whose development would not be hurt by major league slumps, Machado and Schoop are a different story. Both guys had a tough start in Bowie, but have been on a tear as of late (I think Schoop has something insane like 10 home runs in 30 games, his power is legit). Both guys are also described as having a high baseball IQ and fluid in the field. While we may risk their development (although I personally do not buy it), you have to think adding Machado or Schoop at 3B would give us better defense and they would at least top the sub .620 OPS of Flaherty and Tolleson.

 

And one more thing, why is Chris Davis not playing first base? I know he made a couple of boneheaded plays early in the season that got him into Buck's doghouse, but he is the only true first baseman on the team (and I really do not understand, because Reynolds makes a boneheaded play at first every night). Davis has played the position his whole career, and with his youth and surprising athleticism you have to think he will improve with time.

 

Here would be my line-up:

 

LF. Avery

SS. Hardy

RF. Markakis

CF. Jones

DH. Thome

1B. Davis

C. Wieters

3B. Machado

2B. Hoes

 

Meat and Chavez can be platoon guys, and Andino can be the utility middle infielder when he gets back. Obviously some of the guys in the middle of the lineup could be moved around, or maybe even put Hardy lower in the lineup and hit Markakis second, but this would be the general lineup. Flaherty, Tolleson, and Reynolds are all aidos!

[papasmurfbell]

They are paying Reynolds so they keep him around. It was not a good trade.

[varaven45]

Our infielder corner situation is an embarrassment. It's one of the reasons - along with horrific pitching and pathetic hitting - that this team is beginning its obligatory southward trek southward in the AL East.

 

Guys like Buck. Adam Jones , Weiters , Markakis must be going ballistic and wondering what the hell they are doing on this team.

[dc.]

I would go a bit easier on Flaherty... there's supposed to be something there.

 

I think Davis has been playing a lot of LF because we simply don't have another answer... Davis can play first, but then who plays left?

 

As for the rest - I agree.

 

Though, I think Reynolds gets a little bit more flak than many others and I don't know why. His bat is down this year, I know, but I think it will show some life. But the glove is the glove and we knew to expect it.

 

I'm glad the Robert Andino love fest has stopped. I briefly got on board in mid-April when he was really tearing it up... but even that was tentative (and I think I said so). I should have trusted my gut from the previous two years, even when everyone else was in love with his "passion."

 

I was arguing this with my brother the other day who LOVES Andino and even Betemit. They are just the newest Ty Wigginton... Luke Scott... Felix Pie... Kevin Millar... mediocre, at best, players with below average glove skills, average bat skills (at best) and a lot of 'energy' and 'great in the club house.' Why the hell do we accept them and embrace them on this team????

[cravnravn]

Did anybody see the O's south on ESPN highlights from Sunday, they had Chipper Jones at 3rd, and I dont know who their left fielder was, but they showed 3 routine hits to 3rd in which Chipper misses, and all 3 times San Diego had a runner on 2nd, the left fielder charges to come up throwing to the plate, and all three times the left fielder muffs and bobbles the ball..Very comical.

[Spen]

Wow, out of nowhere - a split.

[papasmurfbell]

They splut with the worst team in the al.