14 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

MLB.com: Power Rankings To Begin 2024

https://www.mlb.com/...s=1704202578845

[Slidemaster]

I expect the Orioles to win fewer games than last year, and potentially even under achieve if they don't do anything this offseason.

Don't get me wrong - this is a good team that should compete all year, but you can't just assume the same performance year after year. Every team should always be trying to get better.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

The article says the O's may even be better than last year with no more additions. Ok sure.

[Mackus]

I don't see much point in looking at the roster right now as if it's a finished product.  If this ends up being the finished product, we'll all have more important things to do - like preparing effigies to burn - than make record predictions.  

 

The needs are obvious, go fill them.  Still enough good solutions available.  When during the offseason they solve the issues isn't really a factor in anything aside from my blood pressure.

[SonicAttack]

The O's right now have a real good team that could replicate last season.  Another TOR would mos def help, but Bradish, G-Rod, Means, if they stay heathy all year, can be top-tier 3.  Wells and Kramer are 4-5 guys, but they don't stink. 

Adley, Gunnar, Santander, Mullins (if heathy), I really like Westburg, and Heston, and cant wait to see Mayo and Jackson in ST.  It's a strong team.  

[BSLChrisStoner]

The article says the O's may even be better than last year with no more additions. Ok sure.

I think / expect they will be a better team in '24 even if they didn't have any further additions. 
Doesn't mean they'll have as many wins, but I think they'll be a better overall team. 

But they absolutely should be looking to add one front-end starter.  
If they accomplish that, they will definitely be very good imo.

If they don't accomplish that.... they should still be very good imo... but there's at-least increasing odds that things could go off the rails in-terms of returning to the playoffs. 

[dude]

The article says the O's may even be better than last year with no more additions. Ok sure.

 

Why don't you think they could be a better team?

 

It's on paper.  Others keep saying they are a better team that could win fewer games and that's true.  No season is guaranteed anything.  There's a start point for Talent and then you go see what happens.  There's scenarios where they don't make the playoffs.

 

....but there's more stability/projection in the lineup, the starting pitching and the bullpen than at the start point last year.

 

They actually have too many (good) players they want to play.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Could the O's be "better" than last year without any additions? Certainly possible.

 

Could they be worse than last year with or without any additions? Absolutely possible.

 

But are they better positioned if they add a TOR starter? Zero question. Of course they are.

 

But here is the problem I have. If the O's are equal or better than last year is only half of the equation. The other half is how much have the other teams in the ALE potentially improved? 

 

I am just concerned that other teams are improving and the O's are just banking on a questionable rotation staying healthy. Not sold on Kramer at all. He can't get guys out. Ok hes a #5. Tired of the mantra that all teams have a weak back end of the rotation. The O's are in a position where they do not need to settle for that. Not sold on Wells as a starter. He's shown 2 years in a row now that he just doesnt' have the innings in him before the wheels fall off. 

 

Ya'll remember the Fram Oil Filter commercials? The O's are kinda like that. Just keep on trucking until...well your not.  LOL

[dude]

Could the O's be "better" than last year without any additions? Certainly possible.

 

Could they be worse than last year with or without any additions? Absolutely possible.

 

I want the Orioles to get better and I over-share my thoughts on that.

 

...but the Orioles have a better team, right now, than they started last year with.  The baseline for 2024 isn't 101 wins.  Last year was a 80 win team that won 101 games.  

 

There is much more expectation/projection for the 2024 team than where the 2023 team started.  

 

We were without Means last year.  Means starts in the rotation.  We had (at a minimum) innings limits on guys like GRod and he should be pretty free from Day 1 this year.  Bradish and Kremer had really-really good to good seasons.  I think both will like be worse, but anything around 4.00 is still good.  Wells has tired 2 years, but he's been really good to that point.

 

The bullpen is solid everywhere.  RPs are sometimes sporadic, but we actually have too many guys that were effective last year.  Maybe guys collapse, but that can be true for every name you give me.

 

It's all a paper start.  Every team has the same concerns/risks/issues.

 

Not sure what you think all of the AL East teams have done.  Kremer might be Boston's best starter.

[BSLSteveBirrer]

Ok here's my list of moves teams have made that could be significant upgrades:

 

Orioles: Craig Kimbrel (and really only a replacement)

 

Red Sox: Giolito who may not be better than Kremer but he certainly has upside potential. 

 

Yankees: Cody Morris, Alex Verdugo, and Juan Soto. Big time improvements.

 

Blue Jays: Both Kiermaier and Kiner-Falefa are upgrades. Not sure how big either will be.

 

Rays: Made a ton of moves within their system but have no idea if any of them are impacts at all.

 

So I would say, at this point and it can surely change, that the Yankees clearly improved the most followed by the Jays. Red Sox might have done well with Giolito who knows yet. O's pretty well stood pat (to me Kimbrel was the minimum they could do but I am fine with him), and the Rays not much yet.

[weird-O]

Since their quick ousting last Oct., I haven't spent much time thinking about the O's. So it was nice to be reminded that Means will be all the way back in '24. It's safe to say Bradish and G-Rod will be starting the season at a much more advanced stage of their career evolution. So I can see why some think the O's will be better this year, without any further additions. The line up/offense is too much of a moving target to really evaluate at this point. I don't think the O's will match their '23 W-L record. And I agree with those who say that doesn't mean they won't be as good of a team.     

[dude]

Ok here's my list of moves teams have made that could be significant upgrades:

 

Blue Jays: Both Kiermaier and Kiner-Falefa are upgrades. Not sure how big either will be.

 

Kiermaier was on the Jays last year....not sure how he's an upgrade to himself.

 

As of today, they've lost Chapman and replaced him, at some level, on the roster with Kiner-Falefa who has a career OPS of .660.

 

They'll add at least one more bat and we'll see what they do at 3B.  I think the Jays have a good team, but like everyone else, they still have to get it done.  

[dude]

Ok here's my list of moves teams have made that could be significant upgrades:

 

Red Sox: Giolito who may not be better than Kremer but he certainly has upside potential. 

 

I think Giolito is questionable and they gave away Sale.  If my Oriole option was Giolito or no adds, I'd take no adds.

 

I still kind of expect them to be in on Montgomery....but right now they are a group of modest, inexperienced RHers.

 

RedSox still need a RHed DH type, whether they bring back Justin Turner or reunite with JD Martinez, something.

 

Yoshida

Story

Devers

[JDM]

Casas

ONiel

 

is a reasonable top 6.  I wouldn't trade with them.

[Mackus]

Ok here's my list of moves teams have made that could be significant upgrades:

Orioles: Craig Kimbrel (and really only a replacement)

Red Sox: Giolito who may not be better than Kremer but he certainly has upside potential.

Yankees: Cody Morris, Alex Verdugo, and Juan Soto. Big time improvements.

Blue Jays: Both Kiermaier and Kiner-Falefa are upgrades. Not sure how big either will be.

Rays: Made a ton of moves within their system but have no idea if any of them are impacts at all.

So I would say, at this point and it can surely change, that the Yankees clearly improved the most followed by the Jays. Red Sox might have done well with Giolito who knows yet. O's pretty well stood pat (to me Kimbrel was the minimum they could do but I am fine with him), and the Rays not much yet.

Only the Yankees have gotten better so far. Everyone else has gone backwards. The "so far" part of it is kind of vital, though.

[mikezpen]

Yanks may not have improved as much as some think. Yeah, they got Soto but traded a lot of pitching depth to get him. A couple of those kids could really develop. If Rodon's and Cortes' arm problems don't clear up, they're very vulnerable on the mound because they gave up a lot of replacements.