MLB 2022: The Long and Winding Thread

The intangibles. Jesus Christ. Organizations should be run on emotion, not intelligence.

so at the end of the year, when they’ve missed the playoffs and he leaves, how are those intangibles helping the team?

 

No, the Orioles are not contenders. They are a team that is finally having an OK season after three seasons of dismal non-competitive failure sold to their customers as hope for the future. Through that, Mancini was at least the player who didn't suck. Oh, yeah, he beat cancer. You're right he's not Judge, but then again, I very much doubt his extension would be as expensive as Judge's either. It's fine line. A business that doesn't reward performance will get little performance. A business that only rewards past performance won't get much either.
PS: The Red Sox just traded Vasquez, their only catcher, to Houston for some "prospects." Everyone here with a brain knows that means they're giving up, prepping Boston for when they let Devers go for that big future pie in the sky. Here, we know it's bullshit.
PPS: Howard lost even the decline phase of his career to a freak disabling injury. Shit like that happens to veterans AND prospects.

 

If the O’s were in last place or had less than a 10 percent chance at the playoffs, trading Mancini for the two guys that they got from the Astros could be sold as giving a loyal player a chance to win a title.

If they have a 20 percent chance at the playoffs and got a top prospect who may be ready for the majors next year and another guy with a decent chance at making the majors eventually, the trade could be justified as building for the future.

But having a 20 percent chance at the playoffs and trading Mancini for a 24-year-old guy doing so-so in Class A when top prospects should be starring, and getting an injured guy who will be pitching again in A ball two years from now if he’s healthy is just a poor deal.

 

There's probably more to the story.

 

Yes, nobody predicted the Howard decline and criticized the contract at the time.

So the Sox should have kept Vasquez, why?

 

It wouldn't be the MLB trade deadline without the Pirates dumping a solid veteran. This time it is Jose Quintana to the Cardinals for a couple of prospects. Malcolm Nunez is the better of the two guys going back, St. Louis's No. 10 prospect according to MLB.com. The other guy wasn't in their top 30.

 

Not a playoff contender in the end with or without Trey. Still 15 games vs. Blue Jays. Among other tough opponents.
And Nashville ain’t stealing my team. Owners won’t approve any attempt to move out of a gem of a park for a city that will never care about them. The Braves — geographically and politically— have made themselves the SEC’s team.

 

As I posted earlier, they have 35 of 59 games against the teams they are directly competing against for a playoff spot.

The other 24 are two against Texas, 3 against Detroit, 3 against Pittsburgh, 3 against the A's, 2 against Washington, 1 against the Cubs and 10 total against the Yankees and Astros.

If they have tough opponents, shouldn't they be considered a tough opponent, because they are within five games on either side of the six teams around them in the chase.

Hell they could be holding a WC spot this time next week when they face Toronto in a three game series.

 

Do you play cards this poorly? You said yourself they have a 20% chance, but sure they they will be in a WC spot next week and play at a 700 pace the rest of the year.

 

I said that the projections and daily simulations say they have a 20 percent chance.

All I was pointing out is they have so many games against the teams in the hunt with them that they can directly affect the outcome of their spot in the standings. It's not like they need a ton of help because they don't have common opponents.

And yes, they could hold a WC spot by next week. They play Texas twice and Pittsburgh three times over the weekend. Considering the match-ups of the other teams and Baltimore is 2.5 back of being in the top three, it is very possible.

Nowhere did I say they would play 700 ball the rest of the way. Again they have 12 games against bottom feeders to go with those 35. It's not like they have 59 games left and 6 are against the Yankees, 9 against the Astros, 3 against the Dodgers, 3 against the Mets and 3 against the Braves

 

My problem is that it seems as if the Orioles just didn't get much in return. If they aren't getting at least one very good prospect, why bother to deal him other than to save money?