Screw it, I'm optimistic!!

I'm throwing all reason to the wind and I'm optimistic about this team. I
make the brazen prediction that we will be over .500 at the end of the
season.

Heck, it's a start.

But seriously, what feasible additions to this team could make it better?
I'm thinking we need a legit power threat, Millar as cleanup just doesn't
fill me with the warm fuzzies. Now, the formerly pessimistic slidge would
just assume that the O's would recognize this need and then sign Frank
Thomas. But not the optimistic slidge!

Another decent starter (to offset the Cabrera rollercoaster, or the
inevitable Trachsel unerperformance) would be nice too.

So far, all those players we've picked up in the various trades have
turned out to be nice surprises. I hope they can keep it up.

In article <p7idnaWX6ckRMpHVnZ2dnUVZ_jmdnZ2d@earthlink.com> ,
<slidge@slidge.com> wrote:
>I'm throwing all reason to the wind and I'm optimistic about this team. I
>make the brazen prediction that we will be over .500 at the end of the
>season.
>
>Heck, it's a start.
>
>But seriously, what feasible additions to this team could make it better?
>I'm thinking we need a legit power threat, Millar as cleanup just doesn't
>fill me with the warm fuzzies. Now, the formerly pessimistic slidge would
>just assume that the O's would recognize this need and then sign Frank
>Thomas. But not the optimistic slidge!

at this point, signing Thomas would be a big hurt on the O's, IMO.

>
>Another decent starter (to offset the Cabrera rollercoaster, or the
>inevitable Trachsel unerperformance) would be nice too.
>
>So far, all those players we've picked up in the various trades have
>turned out to be nice surprises. I hope they can keep it up.
>

I think Cabrera may be getting more consistent. That's my wild-eyed
optimism speaking. Now, Loewen is the weakest link. Give the kid time and
see if he pans out.

if the team had a realistic chance to compete this year, I would *love* to
see upgrades at 1b and with Trachsel. That and SS, where I am underwhelmed
by the performance of either of our guys, neither of whom, Hernandez
or Fahey, will ever be confused with Belanger, Bordick, or Aparicio in
the field, and their hitting ... well, no one will confuse them with
Belanger, Bordick ....

So that leaves us with wild-eyed optimism versus letting the kids develop.

Cheers,

Mitch Edelman

>>But seriously, what feasible additions to this team could make it
>>better? I'm thinking we need a legit power threat, Millar as cleanup
>>just doesn't fill me with the warm fuzzies. Now, the formerly
>>pessimistic slidge would just assume that the O's would recognize this
>>need and then sign Frank Thomas. But not the optimistic slidge!
>
> at this point, signing Thomas would be a big hurt on the O's, IMO.
>

Same here. Prior to this season, I think they would have signed him
without a moment's hesitation. He had the whole package - veteran
leadership, a proven clubhouse presence, and a history of being a great
player. </sarcasm>

>>Another decent starter (to offset the Cabrera rollercoaster, or the
>>inevitable Trachsel unerperformance) would be nice too.
>>
>>So far, all those players we've picked up in the various trades have
>>turned out to be nice surprises. I hope they can keep it up.
>>
>
> I think Cabrera may be getting more consistent. That's my wild-eyed
> optimism speaking. Now, Loewen is the weakest link. Give the kid time
> and see if he pans out.
>

Cabrera has always reminded me of J.R. Richard (talk about raving
optimism). Richard, iirc, started out wild and raw, and eventually worked
out the monsters and was just devastating, only to have is career ended by
that stroke (I just checked on Wikipedia, it says that he was
homeless/destitute in the early 90s but has since become a Christian
minister. I knew times had been very tough for him, I was hoping he had
gotten to a good place. Good for him. This I didn't know - he struck out
Willie Mays three times in his big-league debut [Richard's debut, not
Mays']).

So, obviusly, Cabrera is not going to be as good as Richard was, but the
model is there. When Cabrera is on, holy smokes. I remember that
near-no-hitter which Cano broke up in the 9th.

> if the team had a realistic chance to compete this year, I would *love*
> to see upgrades at 1b and with Trachsel. That and SS, where I am
> underwhelmed by the performance of either of our guys, neither of whom,
> Hernandez or Fahey, will ever be confused with Belanger, Bordick, or
> Aparicio in the field, and their hitting ... well, no one will confuse
> them with Belanger, Bordick ....

1b was improved by cutting Gibbons

I agree, we need a starting ss who is not a backup utility infielder in
his day job.

> So that leaves us with wild-eyed optimism versus letting the kids
> develop.
>

Optimism! We will be above .500!

I do like some of the changes from a fielding standpoint this year. I
think we are better in center field with Jones and I also think with Tejada
gone we have some more range. Mora is still not an answer at 3rd base for
power and neither is Millar really. But you kind of said that already.
The starting pitching and relieve need to be consistent for a .500 record.
I'm just glad we aren't throwing BJ Surhoff and Jeff Conine out there
anymore.

"This has all happened before, it will happen again."

<slidge@slidge.com> wrote in message
news7idnaWX6ckRMpHVnZ2dnUVZ_jmdnZ2d@earthlink.co m...
> I'm throwing all reason to the wind and I'm optimistic about this team. I
> make the brazen prediction that we will be over .500 at the end of the
> season.
>
> Heck, it's a start.
>
> But seriously, what feasible additions to this team could make it better?
> I'm thinking we need a legit power threat, Millar as cleanup just doesn't
> fill me with the warm fuzzies. Now, the formerly pessimistic slidge would
> just assume that the O's would recognize this need and then sign Frank
> Thomas. But not the optimistic slidge!
>
> Another decent starter (to offset the Cabrera rollercoaster, or the
> inevitable Trachsel unerperformance) would be nice too.
>
> So far, all those players we've picked up in the various trades have
> turned out to be nice surprises. I hope they can keep it up.
>

> I'm just glad we aren't throwing BJ Surhoff and Jeff Conine out there
> anymore.

That sums it up in a nutshell. It really seems like MacPhail "gets it",
hopefully he'll set up the blueprint of bringing in younger talent and
letting it develop. I'd rather have three unknowns with potential than
one guy who was an almost-elite player eight years ago.

On 21 Apr 2008 11:52:46 -0400, [email]edelman@umbc.edu[/email] (Mitch Edelman) wrote:

>That and SS, where I am underwhelmed
>by the performance of either of our guys, neither of whom, Hernandez
>or Fahey, will ever be confused with Belanger, Bordick, or Aparicio in
>the field, and their hitting ... well, no one will confuse them with
>Belanger, Bordick ....

>Cheers,
>
>Mitch Edelman

Ever hear of a guy named Ripken? ;-)

FWIW, I'm always too optimistic when it comes to the O's, but have
learned to wait for the bottom to drop out. It would certainly be nice
if it didn't one of these years ;-)

ald
reply via email to ald_007_1999 at yahoo dot com

In article <bku214t4f1dfmoq8tr2b5lnrafhsop3ja9@4ax.com>,
ald <ald_007_1999@yahoo.com> wrote:
>On 21 Apr 2008 11:52:46 -0400, [email]edelman@umbc.edu[/email] (Mitch Edelman) wrote:
>
>>That and SS, where I am underwhelmed
>>by the performance of either of our guys, neither of whom, Hernandez
>>or Fahey, will ever be confused with Belanger, Bordick, or Aparicio in
>>the field, and their hitting ... well, no one will confuse them with
>>Belanger, Bordick ....
>
>>Cheers,
>>
>>Mitch Edelman
>
>Ever hear of a guy named Ripken? ;-)

Oh, you mean the manager?

the point about the SS's is they compare unfavorably the the
good ones. Ripken was a better hitter. The other three were
all well above average glovemen.

Cheers.

Mitch Edelman

>
>FWIW, I'm always too optimistic when it comes to the O's, but have
>learned to wait for the bottom to drop out. It would certainly be nice
>if it didn't one of these years ;-)
>
>ald
>reply via email to ald_007_1999 at yahoo dot com

On 27 Apr 2008 17:25:01 -0400, [email]edelman@umbc.edu[/email] (Mitch Edelman) wrote:

>
>In article <bku214t4f1dfmoq8tr2b5lnrafhsop3ja9@4ax.com>,
>ald <ald_007_1999@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>On 21 Apr 2008 11:52:46 -0400, [email]edelman@umbc.edu[/email] (Mitch Edelman) wrote:
>>
>>>That and SS, where I am underwhelmed
>>>by the performance of either of our guys, neither of whom, Hernandez
>>>or Fahey, will ever be confused with Belanger, Bordick, or Aparicio in
>>>the field, and their hitting ... well, no one will confuse them with
>>>Belanger, Bordick ....
>>
>>>Cheers,
>>>
>>>Mitch Edelman
>>
>>Ever hear of a guy named Ripken? ;-)
>
> Oh, you mean the manager?
>
> the point about the SS's is they compare unfavorably the the
> good ones. Ripken was a better hitter. The other three were
> all well above average glovemen.
>
> Cheers.
>
> Mitch Edelman

>>ald

My (possibly foggy, admittedly old) memory says that Ripken was at
least an above average, if not *well* above average, gloveman as well.
He didn't make the spectacular plays that Belanger (are we talking the
same Bordick?) made, but due to what appeared to be an uncanny knack
for knowing where the ball was going to be hit, it seemed he'd make
the same play, just without making the highlight reel for it. And if
you'll check your comment above, you *do* mention how they compare at
hitting, as well (and again, Bordick?)

ald
reply via email to ald_007_1999 at yahoo dot com