The Beer Is Brewing, The Trash Is Flying, and The Race For The Pennant Is On!

[BrianMDTX]

Lessee, the last time I watched the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series was in 1983. Against the Philadelphia Phillies. I was a strapping young man of 23. Now I’m 63. Man, that’s a long stretch! Can they make it to the Fall Classic? After forty years? Can the Phillies with the NL Pennant and and meet Baltimore for a 40-year reunion? I can only hope. 
 

ALDS begins in a few hours. I’m waiting with bated breath. 

[throttleplate]

On 10/7/2023 at 8:53 AM, BrianMDTX said:

Lessee, the last time I watched the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series was in 1983. Against the Philadelphia Phillies. I was a strapping young man of 23. Now I’m 63. Man, that’s a long stretch! Can they make it to the Fall Classic? After forty years? Can the Phillies with the NL Pennant and and meet Baltimore for a 40-year reunion? I can only hope. 
 

ALDS begins in a few hours. I’m waiting with bated breath. 

 

well the orioles will need to win 3 in a row which is highly unlikely. The birds pitching from Rodriguez on sunday was unwatchable as he lasted 1 2/3 of an inning. Then later baker comes in and walks 3 straight batters and webb replaces baker and gives up a grand salami.

Our relief pitching sucked most of the year even with bautista being healthy the pen was exhausted and exposed and us fans and the coaches know it and texas has exposed how bad the pen is along with the starting pitching which was a crapshoot as all our starters exceeded their innings from last year and that affected them down the stretch.

Next year there will be 3 position players whom started with the orioles as drafted rookies whose contracts are up and will want to get paid and the front office has to make some hard decisions on whom to pay, Mountcastle, Hays, Mullins, Santander, santander was a rule 5 pickup.

Birds have a lot of AAA talent that needs to come up and play and replace players like mountcastle, hays, mullins, urias, mateo, santander, o,hearn, frazier. The orioles are cheap, the owner john angelos is cheap so we will be the youngest team in the league for the next few years and hopefully the young guys like gunner henderson and adley rutchman along with 4 decent pitchers bradish, rodriguez, kremer and wells can get us to the world series before their rookie contracts are up and they move on to the big spending teams.

[AlabamaSpothunter]

Can't wait until they change the playoff format that is absolutely killing playoff baseball the last couple of years.

 

3/4 top seeded teams lost game 1 after long waits.   There should be a 1 game playoff for these lesser teams.    Than 2-3 days later the NL and ALDS series should start.   

 

Dodgers and Orioles look like the season already ended, same for the Braves even though they got a result last night.   

This really needs to change.  

[TnRiver46]

[throttleplate]

Alot happening in Baltimore in tha past week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

New O's ownership group takes over an organization that is trending up

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

February 01, 2024, 8:00am

Comments

When the sale of the Orioles, for $1.725 billion, becomes official through Major League Baseball, Baltimore native David M. Rubenstein will become the fifth owner of the Orioles in team history that, of course, dates to 1954.

It will be a new era of Orioles baseball.

Maybe the best news for the new ownership group, which will include Oriole Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr., is that they take over a team and organization on the rise.

 

Orioles acquire Brewers righty Corbin Burnes in trade

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

February 01, 2024, 9:00pm

Comments

One day after the Orioles' pending ownership change was announced by the club, the team tonight announced it has acquired the frontline starting pitcher it sought all winter with a trade for Brewers right-hander Corbin Burnes.

The Orioles are sending lefty pitcher DL Hall, infielder Joey Ortiz and a 2024 draft pick to Milwaukee to get the 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner. The pick is the No. 34 overall selection, a Competitive Balance Round A pick. Competitive Balance picks are the only ones that can be traded. After this deal, the Orioles would still have the Nos. 22 and 32 picks in this summer’s draft.

The last four seasons in Cy Young voting, Burnes, 29, has finished sixth, first, seventh and eighth. He is a three-time All Star.

Burnes is, at this point, a one-year addition for the Orioles. He is repped by Scott Boras and can be a free agent at the end of the 2024 season.

Last year for the Brewers, he went 10-8 with a 3.39 ERA over 32 starts and 193 2/3 innings with a 1.069 WHIP, a 3.1 walk rate and 9.3 strikeout rate.

In his final 14 starts of last season, Burnes had a 2.71 ERA and 0.98 WHIP. In that span, he also allowed just a .187 batting average and .553 OPS with a 47.2 groundball rate and 10.22 K rate.

Burnes led the NL last season in WHIP and ranked among league leaders in opponent average (second, .200), hits per nine innings (second, 6.55), innings pitched (tied fifth), ERA (sixth), quality starts (sixtg, 19) and strikeouts (10th, 200). He was honored as the NL Pitcher of the Month in July after going 4-1 with a 1.85 ERA.

Burnes has a career 3.26 ERA for an ERA+ of 129, or 29 percent above league average.

Burnes recently agreed to a contract for this season of $15,637,500 to avoid a hearing in his final year or arbitration.

[NavyToad]

@throttleplate I’m glad to turn the page on Angelos’ ownership. Rubenstein is an unknown, but as long as he sticks with what Elias has been doing we should be in good hands. 

Acquiring Burnes was a great move that I didn’t see coming. I thought we’d missed the bus on getting some much needed pitching.

[Jigfishn10]

Can't wait for the All Star game in July...The American League All Stars vs. the Dodgers...Man, are the Dodgers stacked or what?!?!?!?

 

Meanwhile, back at Fenway?

A lot more of this coming this season:

[throttleplate]

Baltimore Orioles early bullpen look. Written by Tony from orioles hangout website.

 

 

Locks:
Closer: Craig Kimbrel – He’s a drop off from Bautista but his number were actually pretty good last year after a dreadful start that saw him lose his closer duties for awhile. Let’s hope he doesn’t get off to another poor start. He also had a meltdown game in the World Series.

Setup: Yennier Cano – A groundball machine, he’s a great guy to bring in for that double play, but he doesn’t miss bats enough to be a great impact setup guy.

Setup/MR: Cionel Perez – The lefthanded version of Cano in that gets lots of groundballs, but doesn’t miss enough bats. Plus, his command can be shaky from outing to outing sometimes.

Setup/MR: Danny Coulombe – A great story last year, he was really good in the 1st half, but fell back a bit in the second half when he didn’t miss as many bats. He’s probably better matching up earlier.

Set/MR/LR: Tyler Wells – Unless there is an injury, this Wells is going to be in the bullpen and he could be used in many roles. He dominated in his five relief outings after coming back from AAA, but he didn’t miss a ton of bats and we all know he can be homer prone at times, so is he the guy you want in the 8th inning holding a one-run lead?

Other Candidates:
Setup/MR: Dillon Tate – Who actually knows what you can expect from Tate after missing all of 2023 with right elbow/forearm injuries? Tate reportedly “Looks unbelievable” according to manager Brandon Hyde after seeing him in some workouts in January, but he’ll be 30-years old this year and has never been a guy who misses many bats. He has two options available as well so he could be sent back to AAA for depth in order to keep guys out of options.

MR/LR: Mike Baumann – Speaking of one of those guys with no options, Baumann is a guy who will not make it through waivers so he’s got a great chance at claiming a bullpen spot. Another guy who doesn’t miss bats at a high rate, he’s better in that 5th/6th inning role and hopefully will be used in more two inning outings vs the one inning or less he was used in most of his appearances.

MR/LR: Cole Irvin – With five right-handed starters in the rotation, having a left-handed long guy is important in my estimation and Irvin pitched quite well in the role last year after struggling with command in the rotation early last year.

MR: Jacob Webb – Another guy with no options, Webb might be remembered by some for giving up the homers in the playoffs against the Rangers (after giving up none with the Orioles in the regular season), but he actually pitched quite well for the Orioles after being claimed on waivers last August. He’s in competition with Tate and Baumann for that last spot in the pen unless the Orioles decide to send Irvin back to be AAA starter depth.

LR: Bruce Zimmermann – The forgotten man on the 40-man roster, the left-handed starter/long reliever will need an injury to find his way onto the 26-man roster to start the year. He still has one option left and will most likely by AAA starting pitching/long relief depth.

MR/LR: Keegan Akin – Almost forgot about this lefty but he’s still on the 40-man roster and his slight chances of making the team did slightly improve when Hall was traded. He could not follow up on his breakout 2022 season and was eventually sent back to AAA where he eventually was shutdown due to an injury in late July. Rehabbed and made some late appearances, but wasn’t brought back up in September. He has an option left so he’s ticketed for AAA without some injuries occuring.

MR: Bryan Baker – Baker actually wasn’t that bad in 2023, but did manage to get himself optioned in late July when the Orioles needed a fresh arm and only found his way back for one three inning appearance in September. With an option left, it’s going to be tough for him to find his way onto the team without injury, especially with Baumann and Webb in competition for that last spot in the bullpen.

MR: Nick Vespi – Back in the day when teams would keep a LOOGY because they were allowed to face less than three batters, Vespi would have a chance with his ability to dominate lefties. The problem is he has to face righties too. He’s a DFA candidate if the team’s needs a 40-man roster spot but with an option remaining, he’ll be left-handed relief depth in Norfolk.

At the end of the day, while there is some quality pitchers here, the Orioles are in need of another shutdown high leverage reliever. Perhaps packaging Baumann with Norby would bring someone back or maybe they will have to add others, but with a rotation that looks as good as any Orioles rotation in 30 years or more, it would be ashamed to see a bullpen blow too many leads because they didn’t get that guy.

[Jar11591]

Pitchers and catchers have reported to spring training. Opening day about 6 weeks away!

[throttleplate]

This really stings the catchers mit for us oriole fans.

 

Pitchers and catchers reported to camp for the Orioles today, but report date has brought unwelcome news for O’s fans. General manager Mike Elias announced to the team’s beat writers this morning that right-hander Kyle Bradish has been diagnosed with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow (X link via Danielle Allentuck of the Baltimore Banner). He’s already received a platelet-rich plasma injection and will begin a throwing progression tomorrow, but he’ll open the season on the injured list.

[A-Jay]

Might boost ratings - perhaps for the wrong reasons.

But whatever it takes . . . 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39577625/mlb-players-add-see-pants-concerns-new-uniforms

A-Jay

[throttleplate]

1 hour ago, A-Jay said:

Might boost ratings - perhaps for the wrong reasons.

But whatever it takes . . . 

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/39577625/mlb-players-add-see-pants-concerns-new-uniforms

A-Jay

 

When this batter comes to the plate he will allready have a 2 ball count. This is the original picture taken of the giants player before the pic was photo shopped to hide this.

 

[throttleplate]

more uniform news, smaller letters for names.

 

[TnRiver46]

🎶 Go cubs go ! Hey Chicago whattya say the cubs are gonna win today 🎶 

[Zel]

Got tickets for a bus excursion to see the Dodgers play the Yankees in New York on 6/8, and taking my lifelong Dodgers fan 81 year old father in law.  The old geezer is excited for the trip.

[Jar11591]

Opening Day’s Eve! Should be an interesting start with the whole Ohtani circus going on. 

[NavyToad]

@Jar11591 To me, the Ohtani saga isn’t a big deal. It will come and go and only affects one team. It’s like the news - the initial story usually turns out to be false. Go Orioles!!

[Jar11591]

@NavyToad I agree, unless it comes to light that there were bets made on baseball specifically. But I enjoy the drama, and anything that makes Manfraud sweat and squirm. 

[AlabamaSpothunter]

If only Pete Rose was the golden boy during his scandal.  

 

They had this dude read a prepared media statement in a media room in front of no media 🤣

[Jar11591]

Braves/Phillies was postponed already. I think Philly just didn’t get enough time to prepare for Strider, so they’re stalling lol

[Zel]

I was only one when the Dodgers moved to LA.  I understand my uncle got in a heap of trouble from my aunt over this picture of him and a movie star that appeared in in Life Magazine.

 

https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.wsZHUu2N-YIJAVCOPIX84QAAAA?rs=1&pid=ImgDetMain

[Jar11591]

Strider looked good, bullpen looked great, and offense did what it’s expected to do. Awesome win for the Bravos!

[Jigfishn10]

On 3/27/2024 at 1:46 PM, NavyToad said:

@Jar11591 To me, the Ohtani saga isn’t a big deal. It will come and go and only affects one team. It’s like the news - the initial story usually turns out to be false. Go Orioles!!

Wanna bet? 

 

Oh wait  

 

 

I'm liking the Sox' starting line-up. Some good (3) home grown talent there.

 

They lost 1-0 to the Mariners last night without Devers...The line-up is a much different team without Raffy

[NavyToad]

@Jigfishn10 I (me) don’t have to think it’s a big deal. No matter the outcome, they’re still going to play baseball. Life goes on.

[Jigfishn10]

6 minutes ago, NavyToad said:

@Jigfishn10 I (me) don’t have to think it’s a big deal. No matter the outcome, they’re still going to play baseball. Life goes on.

Sorry bud, that was a bad attempt at a joke....I actually agree with you TBH