With no Ravens game today, I actually took my grand kids out to Camden Yards for the final game of the year.Without getting too carried away with a meaningless victory, there was a sense of melancholy present today watching Crush and Wieters playing perhaps their last game as Orioles.
I realize there is just no way given the history of failure to keep free agents, that both players remain in Orange. But the loss of Davis would be crushing blow that would be the bookend of losing Cruz first and then Crush. Anyway you look at it, the 43 homers by Cruz would have been enough to push the O’s into the playoffs this year. The collection of journeymen that Duquette brought to the team was laughable and greatly contributed to the mediocrity of the team.
As important as Davis is to our future, no one is more important than Buck. What an incredible job he has done leading the troops. Not an ounce of quit in this team that had to win its last 5 games to be at .500 (81-81).
But as for now it’s Wait til next year.
freddy from boca
having cruz probably would not hav put the o’s in the playoffs. the lack of quality starting pitching was the reason the o’s are on the outside looking in this yr.
· 11/12/2019
John Porter
Agree with Freddy’s comment with one exception. Buck was responsible for 15 losses by keeping the starting pitchers in to long. When a pitcher is getting hit hard & bleeding runs you do not keep in for 5 innings. My starting 5 pitchers are: (1) Chen, (2) Gausman, (3) Tilman, (4) Jimenez & (5) Gonzalez (I would trade him or cut him from the team & bring up the young man from the minors (can not think of his name)
· 11/12/2019
Brian
I think resigning Cruz would probably have been enough to get the O’s into the post season but not enough for them to contend for a title. The O’s record this season in games where they scored 4 or more runs was fantastic but there were just too many stretches where the offense went silent, see Boston 3 game shutout sweep.
Starting pitching needs to be addressed, there are no #1 starters in the organization. Davis, Chen and O’Day must be resigned. Parra was a nice addition and Weiters certainly still has value. Would love to see all of them back but am resigned to the fact that we’ll go the journeyman route again and hope it works.
· 11/12/2019