belcome to walltimore (a 2023 orioles thread)

Not really being talked about but Ryan Mountcastle is back from a lengthy IL stay from some odd vertigo condition and could provide a huge boost in the cleanup spot. Preseason predictions forecasted him between 2.2-3.0 WAR for 2023.

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, July 24, 2023 4:48 PM (one week ago)

welp... maybe it will be talked about more? that didn't take long.

― citation needed (Steve Shasta), Monday, July 24, 2023 5:31 PM (one week ago)

I know: headlines are headlines, and mlb.com is mlb.com, and how can I even give a second thought to something so trivial? But today's game got this headline on mlb.com:

Flaherty's historic O's debut secures series win over Blue Jays

Why historic?

Flaherty became the first pitcher to go six or more innings with one earned run or fewer allowed in his Orioles debut since Jeremy Hellickson (seven scoreless vs. Royals on Aug. 2, 2017). Flaherty’s eight strikeouts were tied for the fourth most in a Baltimore debut (since 1954) and the most since Bud Norris fanned eight on Aug. 1, 2013, vs. the Astros.

That's a lot of history right there.

If Fujinami can pitch like that consistently.... wow.

smh

Kevin Brown is one of the most talented, thoughtful, curious, positive people I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, working with and calling a friend.

He’s truly one of the best play-by-play announcers in the country.

If the Orioles don’t want him, another team’ll be elated. https://t.co/tIUcrIGjBm

— Jason Benetti (@jasonbenetti) August 7, 2023

Ah didn’t see this before I posted in the general thread. What a wet towel on the previously immaculate orioles vibes. Just a baffling decision

Boy, there's no way to make this look OK, is there? And as people are pointing out on Twitter it's kind of the same thing that happened all those years ago with GOAT radio announcer Jon Miller.

I wasn’t sure if this was about something else - but apparently this is as stupid and senseless as it sounds

I don’t tend to believe in cosmic punishment but…

Pobody's nerfect

tro sue

Good win against the Astros yesterday. It was a thrill to be there. I was afraid we would get rained out, but the rain mostly stopped before the game started. We were sweating the 9th inning. Bautista was probably fortunate that the last batter he faced was the team's worst hitter.

I guess I shouldn't worry when the team has to go ten innings against the A's. It's been a long road trip.

My god, I feel sorry for the A's.

They got a hit!

NY Times interview w/ John Angelos:

Because economics, Angelos “conceded that it might not be feasible for his popular young core to be career Orioles like Brooks Robinson, Jim Palmer and Cal Ripken Jr.”

Hope the O’s figure out a way to pay Adley, Gunnar and Grayson #Birdland pic.twitter.com/rBvCkc0QdK

— Brent Harris 🎙️ (@BrentWBAL) August 21, 2023

Cheers Angelos 🥂

Tells me they're really good: after the Jays surprisingly took the first game of this series, they came out last night and shut that down pronto, even (or especially) with Gausman on the mound.

The Angelos thing is interesting. I wrote about this a little while ago, one of James's theories: that if the team is collectively angry at the owner and saying "We'll show him," that's a good jolt of motivational energy, but not if they're mad at the manager. But I might have that backwards.

Not a good week for UCLs. Bautista was one of the best pitchers in MLB this year and for the O's to lose such a critical piece of their success on their stretch run must be extra painful. RIP sweet prince, see you in 2025.

He's currently on the 15 day DL, let's see how it develops.

Gotta like the way the rest of the team stepped up tonight, with Cano saying his goal in the ninth was to do his best Bautista imitation.

something kind of bradish

Félix Bautista is on the field at Fenway Park. He had a glove in hand as he walked with head athletic trainer Brian Ebel and is now doing some running, seemingly having just completed a throwing session.

— Nathan Ruiz (@NathanSRuiz) September 8, 2023

:O

Isn’t Monday the first day they can activate him

Means pitching next week apparently! Funny how important I thought "when will John Means be ready" would be for the success of the 2023 team

I think they had some good luck last year to finish with the record they did, and I don't think they got that much better -- Grayson and Means will pitch and Gunnar and Adley will play full seasons instead of 1/3 and 2/3 respectively, but -- it won't be THAT different of a team. If it happens to be the case that the group of starters they have right now contains 5 people who can be average to above-average through 2023, they'll be pretty good. And that's not impossible. But I can't honestly say it's likely.

― Guayaquil (eephus!), Monday, February 20, 2023 4:22 PM (six months ago) bookmarkflaglink

I mean this was me in February. I do think that we HAVE ended up having 5 legitimate starters in the rotation throughout the year and I don't think I was wrong to think of that as less than plausible in advance. I think the big thing I missed is that I was thinking "who has the potential to really shine?" and I wasn't thinking about the possibility (which I also think wasn't predictable in advance!) of how we would just not be giving at bats to people who were bad at hitting! Our 8 and 9 guys in the lineups are OK hitters just about every night! And that has a lot to do with Frazier and O'Hearn and Hicks all being OK to legitimately good, which I think it was fair not to see coming.

I love Gunnar Henderson

I follow the dodgers, who have been famously "good" at hitting the past decade or so through the order, and watching the 6-9 hitters of Dodgers vs. Orioles is night and day this year. I keep getting surprised when the 6-9 hitters in the Orioles do something because of what I am used to even though my brain knows that the Orioles can still mash in those spots. Frazier/O'Hearn/Hicks; all studs in my book

I also, would like to put on the record my love for Gunnar Henderson (what a name), Tony Taters, and the young, hot, star, Rustchdaddy

Hard to believe--because of their turnaround, not that they're not legitimate--but they're going to win 100 games, maybe as many as 105.

Fuji starting to hit his stride, let's hope he keeps it up.

Still can't adjust to Grayson, Adley, and Gunnar being names adult men have and not kids at the daycare

Grayson having a career night. This is the team I’ve watched all season.

Huge win, hugest of the year I'd say.

I’d rank the first time they took first place as the biggest! Absolutely shocking after the lead Tampa had. But it’s apples and oranges. Go O’s!

I’d rank the first time they took first place as the biggest! Absolutely shocking after the lead Tampa had. But it’s apples and oranges. Go O’s!

big win

I was at the Falcons game yesterday afternoon and following the O's on my phone. The way they pulled it out gave me a lot of encouragement for the postseason.

hard to overemphasize how great bradish and rodriguez have been in the second half.

https://media.tenor.com/KWgFWEKlKgYAAAAd/thats-cedric-mullins-again-its-cedric-mullins.gif

Three pitchers in the ninth inning last night :\

Putting Flaherty in relief is a good move, I think.

6-0 angels rays 2nd inning. Thank you very much

The great Jim Palmer celebrating his 60th anniversary with the club <3

One of my favourite '70s guys, knowing full well he's not as highly regarded today. His motion, his love/hate relationship with Weaver, his--horror!--knack for winning 20, love it all.

He and Kevin Brown are a good team on MASN.

I know it doesn't matter in the grand scheme but I really really really want the boys to win 100

Nats and Sox? I’d put money on it

The Magic Number

man the nats lineup is dire

not to take anything away from bradish or gunnar "that oughtta do it" henderson