Don't look now, but they are only a game back....
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Don't look now, but they are only a game back....
Now they are officially done. I'm disappointed, but it was a good effort, and - unless this slump continues for the final 7 games - I will judge it a good season. Not great, but good.
The key now is what the front office does over the winter. In my view we need a true #1 (or at least a #2) starter and a consistent bat in the middle of the lineup.
It was another fun ride. It came up short of the playoffs, but at least the O's are playing meaningful games in September.
I think this year's team was overall better than last year's, but the bullpen wasn't able to pull off the same returns as last year. Which is to be expected: 29-9 in 1 run games was historic. You don't get historic every year, or it wouldn't be historic.
Orioles' number one problem, by far, is Showalter. Mark my words, as long as he remains as manager, the team will never win a postseason series. He refuses to manufacture runs when it is critical to do so. He stayed with a struggling Hammel in the rotation much too long (should have sent him down to the instructional league to work on his mechanics). Despite an expanded roster, he relied on rookie Gauzman in critical, late-September, relief appearances (his failures cost the team a wild-card opportunity).
He is very popular with his players and with his fans. But there is a reason for why he was fired almost immediately after resurrecting three other teams to contender status: He is an awful in-game manager.