109 replies to this topic

[CantonJester]

It's interesting, when Cash was interviewed at the top of the 4th, he seemed confident that they were about to get to Flaherty...and boom...it happened. It felt like they collectively made an adjustment.

I have zero confidence that Hyde has the baseball IQ to spark something like that in this team.

I know we're tied for the best record in the AL and it seems absurd but I feel like Hyde is holding the club back. His baseball strategy seems to begin and end with handedness; his only goal is to have R/R or L/L matchups for pitchers as much as possible and L/R or R/L matchups for hitters. Too many times this year, he sits guys with good career numbers vs starters and the only reason I can come up with they hit from the same side as the pitcher throws. He pinch hits as soon as a reliever comes in, in spite of actual stats and defaults to getting a righty vs a lefty or vice versa. He also ignores seems to ignore clear reverse splits.

Can someone please tell me I'm off base and show me what I'm missing?

 

 

I am aware I'm out on an island with a couple castaways here, but when Hyde opted to not walk Raley once he worked the count to 3-1 in the top of 7th Thursday night (tie game, bases empty, 9th hitter due up), that told me he doesn't appear to have the extra gear for postseason baseball.

 

Cuz managers with many, many more years experience would've done exactly that. 

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Their pen is really good. Said that last night when the were perfect against the Os. Look, theyre being exposed a bit here. I was talking to Ricker yesterday and playoff baseball is shorter leashes and high lev baseball at all times. Teams are gonna go to their pen sooner and use tbeir best arms as much as possible. There is no 5th inning that isnt high lev. Unless the game is already 6 -0. Its not encouraging seeing them have no against the Rays solid BP arms.


Despite the lull in the middle of the year the Rays are proving why they are the best AL team. They just are. That amazing start to the year was a bit flukish but so was the 2+ months of sub .500 baseball. Their run diff is over 200. Thats elite. Tge next closest AL team is Tex at + 159. Thats a pyth record of 93 wins entering today. They were actually a bit below it in reality. Of course being the best AL team does not mean they will win the AL. Have to earn it in Oct

[You Play to Win the Game]

This def sucks but hell if I’m letting a 4 game stretch sour what has been a heck of a 5.5 months of the best baseball I’ve seen an Orioles team play in my lifetime. Y’all know I wanted more of a killer instinct out of this FO in the off-season and deadline, and it wouldn’t have hurt our future one bit to be more aggressive. That said, I’ve truly made peace with it, and I’ve made peace with however this season ends. This has been a treat. But it still sucks. It definitely still sucks.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

This def sucks but hell if I’m letting a 4 game stretch spur what has been a heck of a 5.5 months of the best baseball I’ve seen an Orioles team play in my lifetime. Y’all know I wanted more of a killer instinct out of this FO in the off-season and deadline, and it wouldn’t have hurt our future one bit to be more aggressive. That said, I’ve truly made peace with it, and I’ve made peace with however this season ends. This has been a treat. But it still sucks. It definitely still sucks.

Once you accept you are just along for the ride its easier to take. Its not easy but its easier. Thats pretty much where I am. I cant say Im not discouraged at the moment, but I dont have a clue what the next 3, 4,or hopefully, 5 or 6 weeks will bring. Just along for the ride.

[cprenegade]

I've said a couple of times that this team reminded me of the 1979 Orioles that were predicted to finish about last in the East and ended up winning 100+ games and going to the WS.  But there are a few very distinct differences.

 

-  The 1979 Orioles had Earl Weaver.  Brandon Hyde is no Earl Weaver.  Weaver would not be afraid to go give a starting pitcher a hook in the first few innings if he felt bad about his performance.  Hyde seems to never even consider taking someone out before the 5th inning.  

 

-  The 1979 Orioles had a lot more guys who had been in the league for a while.  The Orioles today are very young and have never been in a pressure situation.  They seem to really be pressing at the plate.  

 

-  Overall I think the AL in 1979 was better.  There were a few really bad teams, but most were somewhat decent.  This year, the AL has about 5 teams at best that can be considered good.  The rest are terrible.  

 

The Orioles have been feasting on a lot of those terrible teams since the beginning of August.  I think they have played only 4 series out of the last 13 against fairly good teams.  That can build a false sense of confidence.  They are a good young team, but they are definitely looking a lot less patient at the plate and looking like the stage right now is a bit overwhelming for them. 

 

It's a two game series now.  Win the next two and it's no harm no foul.  Split and it's a race to the finish but at least they have the tie breaker.  Lose the next two and that's a disaster.  

[CantonJester]

I for one was nervous heading into the '19 playoffs with the Ravens. They faced no adversity the last 12 or 13 weeks. They didnt know how to respond once Tenn popped them in the mouth. Sometimes you need it. It can harden you or it swallows you up. Lets really see what we have here. At this point its about getting right for the playoffs. It would suck to lose the division but it wont matter if we make a deep playoff run. Figure it out over the next 2 weeks.

 

You should never confuse a Brandon Hyde with being in the same atmosphere as a John Harbaugh. 

[mdrunning]

I've said a couple of times that this team reminded me of the 1979 Orioles that were predicted to finish about last in the East and ended up winning 100+ games and going to the WS.  But there are a few very distinct differences.

 

-  The 1979 Orioles had Earl Weaver.  Brandon Hyde is no Earl Weaver.  Weaver would not be afraid to go give a starting pitcher a hook in the first few innings if he felt bad about his performance.  Hyde seems to never even consider taking someone out before the 5th inning.  

 

-  The 1979 Orioles had a lot more guys who had been in the league for a while.  The Orioles today are very young and have never been in a pressure situation.  They seem to really be pressing at the plate.  

 

-  Overall I think the AL in 1979 was better.  There were a few really bad teams, but most were somewhat decent.  This year, the AL has about 5 teams at best that can be considered good.  The rest are terrible.  

 

The Orioles have been feasting on a lot of those terrible teams since the beginning of August.  I think they have played only 4 series out of the last 13 against fairly good teams.  That can build a false sense of confidence.  They are a good young team, but they are definitely looking a lot less patient at the plate and looking like the stage right now is a bit overwhelming for them. 

 

It's a two game series now.  Win the next two and it's no harm no foul.  Split and it's a race to the finish but at least they have the tie breaker.  Lose the next two and that's a disaster.  

The 1979 Orioles only had five guys (as far as I can count) with any playoff experience: Palmer, Lee May, Mark Belanger, Terry Crowley and Al Bumbry. Regardless, Earl didn't have to do much thinking in the first five innings because he had an excellent starting staff.

 

Watch the replay of Game 4 of the 1979 ALCS against the Angels. Scott McGregor got himself into a nasty jam in the fifth with the bases loaded and no one out. Today he'd have been out of there in the blink of an eye. But Earl stuck with Scotty (although Sammy Stewart was warming in the bullpen) and two pitches later he was out of the inning unscathed and went on to pitch a complete-game shutout.

 

What the Orioles had then which they largely lack now is a winning culture, a winning tradition. Yes, the Orioles won 83 games last season, but a lot of losing preceded it. Those Orioles back then were part of a team that typically put up 90+ wins.

 

It should be noted, however, that the Orioles lost the Series that year because their bats suddenly went ice cold in the final three games. Sound familiar?

[You Play to Win the Game]

I just can’t hate the Rays. I’ve always so deeply respected them so it’s weird. Helps take the edge off. Blowing this to the Yankees, Red Sox or Blue Jays would be a million times worse, IMO. There’s def a little something brewing within me for Arozarena though. I’ve had enough.

[cprenegade]

The 1979 Orioles only had five guys (as far as I can count) with any playoff experience: Palmer, Lee May, Mark Belanger, Terry Crowley and Al Bumbry. Regardless, Earl didn't have to do much thinking in the first five innings because he had an excellent starting staff.

 

Watch the replay of Game 4 of the 1979 ALCS against the Angels. Scott McGregor got himself into a nasty jam in the fifth with the bases loaded and no one out. Today he'd have been out of there in the blink of an eye. But Earl stuck with Scotty (although Sammy Stewart was warming in the bullpen) and two pitches later he was out of the inning unscathed and went on to pitch a complete-game shutout.

 

What the Orioles had then which they largely lack now is a winning culture, a winning tradition. Yes, the Orioles won 83 games last season, but a lot of losing preceded it. Those Orioles back then were part of a team that typically put up 90+ wins.

 

It should be noted, however, that the Orioles lost the Series that year because their bats suddenly went ice cold in the final three games. Sound familiar?

 

I do agree, but most of the players had a few years experience, if not playoff experience.  Back in that day, only two teams in the AL made the playoffs.   A lot of the players on the O's today don't have the same amount of game experience.  You are right about the culture.  The O's back then had a winning culture and winning tradition.  And Weaver was part of that.  

 

Yes, the Orioles lost the 79 world series.  I was at every home game of that WS.  It was the most disappointing sporting event I have ever been associated with.  Was it great Pittsburgh pitching, or terrible O's batting.  Hard to say.  Still sticks with me walking out of Memorial stadium after game 7.  

[NewMarketSean]

I just can’t hate the Rays. I’ve always so deeply respected them so it’s weird. Helps take the edge off. Blowing this to the Yankees, Red Sox or Blue Jays would be a million times worse, IMO. There’s def a little something brewing within me for Arozarena though. I’ve had enough.

It's annoying they're so good and have like 300 fans because it feels like a waste but it would be much worse if they were some douchebag fanbase like any other AL East fanbase. So that does make it somewhat easier.

 

Plus the Rays are what we wanna be. So to be the best we have to beat the best. Just not sure if that will happen this year.