As the playoffs continue, here are three things to look out for today…
1. Rangers moving on, potentially getting stronger:
The Rangers’ rollercoaster season it at a high point. After leading the West for much of the year, they faded in the second half and had to settle for a Wild Card spot. But they’ve gotten red hot at the right time, sweeping the Rays and now the Orioles to move on to the ALCS for the first time since 2011.
They could have some reinforcements in store for that upcoming series, which will be against either the Astros or the Twins. Both Max Scherzer and Jon Gray have a chance to return from their injuries and join the club, depending on how things progress in the next few days, with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic laying out the details.
2. Division Series continue:
With the Rangers-Orioles series now done, there are three battles still going, and all three will be continuing today. The Braves and Phillies kick it off at 4:07pm Central, with each club hoping to win today and take a 2-1 lead into Game 4. The Astros and Twins follow at 6:07pm, with the Twins on the brink after losing Game 3 last night. Then the Diamondbacks will look to complete a sweep of the Dodgers, with Game 3 of that series starting at 8:07pm.
3. Padres chat:
MLBTR’s Offseason Outlook has been chugging along at a steady clip, with each club getting its own live chat as well. Yesterday, Anthony Franco took a look at what’s ahead for the Padres after a disappointing season and with some potential pay cuts on the horizon. If you have any questions about how that will play out, he will be hosting a chat specific to that club at 3:15pm Central. You can click here to leave a question in advance, and that same link will allow you to participate live or read the transcript of the chat after it’s completed.
So far, I’m skunk. I picked the Os to sweep.
I’m not shocked at all.
The Orioles starting pitching was very inconsistent especially the last month and a half of the season.
The starters either pitched like aces or were extremely hittable and gave up runs.
Heading into the post season with such a volatile group was risky. And Orioles paid the price.
Bradish didn’t last 5
Rodriguez didn’t last 2
Kremer didn’t last 2
Just an absolutely sad showing from Orioles starting pitching.
Maybe they’ll wise up and sign guys in the off season.
I thought the Orioles walked a lot of hitters in the ALDS, which put them in bad situations frequently.
Some cherry-picked stats—
Orioles ALDS—
26 IP 30 H 18 BB 1.85 WHIP
6.23 BB/9
Orioles regular season—
1453 2/3 IP 1334 H 473 BB 1.24 WHIP
2.93 BB/9
With half of those going to Carter and Seager
Who would you have suggested they traded for that was made available, and would have made a difference? Because outside of Verlander, they don’t exist.
They traded for Flaherty…how did that work out?
Scherzer got moved, hurt.
Nobody that would have made a difference for the Orioles. A controllable pitcher at Ohtani’s level. But you know how that turned out. Besides, he wasn’t available for a trade and the cost would have been too high anyway.
I think they needed to lose. Losing can help motivate a young team. Work harder while you are still young, get better, etc.
They should stay on the course that they are on. Sign or trade for a #2 or #3 type of starter this winter. Maybe a good reliever. But don’t do a lot or blow things up—let your players mature and get better. That will ultimately win or lose them the World Seties.
Flaherty wasn’t exactly lighting it up in St. Louis. 4.43 era / 4.20 FIP
Did the Orioles make an offer for a Snell/Hader combo? Probably not. Or even Lugo / Wacha?
Did the Orioles make an offer for one of Seattles starters? Im sure Seattle would have moved either Kirby or Gilbert. Cost would have been high but they do come with multiple years of team control. And Orioles do have prospects they could have dealt from, especially hitters which the Mariners need.
Same with Dylan Cease. Im sure white sox would have moved him and his 2.5 years of team control. Cost would have been high though.
Eduardo Rodriguez was available.. Apparently it was a reluctant financial commitment from the Dodgers that nixed a deal. Orioles probably could have met his demands financially.
To name a few options that were available.
Hey werent you the guy that said the Orioles had 5 good starters?
KingOmar
“Absolutely false. We have five perfectly good starters in GRod, Bradish, Kremer, Gibson, and now Means, and plus Irvin & Wells have carried us this far. Bradish is one of the best in baseball, Wells was one of the best AL SPs of the 1st half, Kremer is a gamer and G-Rod is looking now like the ace of the future. We regret doing the Flaherty trade, so realistically, we should have done LESS at the deadline. The pen is the weakness, so apparently you don’t know the O’s.”
mlbtraderumors.com/2023/09/orioles-shift-jack-flah…
Woops. Welp, KingNomore. RIP…
I think the O’s could’ve gotten Eduardo Rodriguez. The Tigers didn’t want the moon. Perhaps the O’s thought he wasn’t an upgrade.
The Orioles should have trade for Montgomery before Texas got him. He would have cost more but was worth it.
If the O’s would’ve lost the series 3-2 you would’ve had an argument for the lack of moves the team made:
BUT we did not. You weren’t going to acquire multiple impact starters at the deadline. The padres were buyers at the deadline. Was that a terrible decision? Well, you saw how that shook out. But they weren’t selling.
The O’s were unfortunately going home short of having Verlander, Scherzer, and Snell.
The pitching wasn’t ready and I felt like that was always going to be the case. I was shocked the O’s had the best odds to reach the WS. Particularly after we lost Bautista and Means was hurt.
Future is very bright but we’ll need another starter. That starter might come at the deadline next season also. Wouldn’t shock me. We have a 5 man rotation that’ll win us a lot of reg season games for next year as it stands. But we need at least 1 more who can take the ball in October.
G-Rod and Bradish didn’t get it done this year but those 2 have the potential to get us where we need to go. They both have innings under their belt now.
E-Rod also stunk after the deadline. That guy wasn’t making the difference between getting bounced and not. . The way G-Rod and Bradish were throwing—they were always going to start 2 of the first 3.
Sorry not sure if E-Rod’s final 2nd half splits look all that bad after he pitched SO’s against Oakland and Cleveland to end it. But he was getting hit hard by the good clubs.
I would’ve bought a controllable starter at the very least.
Eduardo Rodriguez and 1 of Kirby or Gilbert.
Hopefully they sign some front line starters this offseason
What was the price going to be for Kirby or Gilbert?
Did they want Holliday? I wanted a controllable starter if it was attainable. But perhaps it was not. The rangers had to give up 1 top 100 arm (Tekoah Roby, who is a better prospect than any current minor league arm that Baltimore has.) for half a season of Monty. IDK what the ask was on those guys.
I’d love to shop some sort of combination of Cowser/Norby/Ortiz/Basallo for that controllable pitcher this off-season but you have to have a team that’ll bite.
Doing Jack Flaherty/Cole Irvin trades are a waste of time with the current guys we have. But I really believe that the FO thought that they’d fix Fuji and Flaherty and they’d really impact our club. I believe in the FO’s mind that Flaherty was going to take a jump forward and be one of our top 3 starters this postseason. Didn’t happen.
It’s all moot though. We were in on Jordan Montgomery as well. Wouldn’t have made a difference. Could’ve ended up much worse if we traded our most comparable P prospect (HAll) for him.
I doubt Seattle passed up on multiple mlb ready top 100 prospects.
Seattle and Orioles are both ready to compete and oddly enough they have what each other needs.
Mariners have cost controlled mlb ready pitching
Orioles have cost controlled mlb ready hitting
According to mlb Orioles have # 1, 14, 24, 27, 46, and 50
If offered say
1 of Kjerstad or Cowser
Mayo
1 of Basallo or Ortiz
for 4 years of Logan Gilbert, id say Seattle would have a hard time passing up 14 or 24 + 27 + 46 or 50 on top 100.
Not to mention secondary pieces like Beavers, Horvath, Bradfield Jr in any potential deal.
Bradfield wasn’t available to be traded at the deadline but yeah.
. I’ve heard speculation about Gilbert or Kirby being available but I’ll believe it in when I see it.
I don’t believe the O’s would move both Kjerstad and Mayo. Those 2 are probably both starters sooner rather than later next season. I think Santander (& it wouldnt shocked me if Hays) is moved. I could see either one of them holding value as a secondary piece to a team like Seattle.
There’s chips. We’ll see what may come.
I think the O’s could’ve gotten Eduardo Rodriguez.
=====================
If the LAD couldn’t land ERod, I doubt the O’s could have,
Eduardo Rodriguez and 1 of Kirby or Gilbert.
=========================
Why would Seattle trade either of those guys? In the proverbial “who should they have traded for”, you can only use guys that were actually traded.
Had the RS traded for JRod, Rutschman and Cole, we’d have made the playoffs. The only problem is that none of those guys were available.
@Joe.
Yeah. I’ll believe Kirby or Gilbert is available when they’re traded. That would involve Seattle really believing in Woo & Miller + Robbie Ray’s return.
Personally, I wouldn’t move either one of them if I’m Seattle. If somebody wants to give me a young ML ready position player for Woo or Miller—I’d listen.
Even if ERod could’ve went to Baltimore. (No reason to think he would’ve) He was not good. His K/BB ratio after the AS break was bad. He threw 2 gems against Cleveland and Oakland to end the season to make the bottom line numbers not look rough in the 2nd half.
Cleveland and Oakland have 2 of the lousiest’s offenses in the league and most of their impact hitters happen to bat from the left side. Doesn’t inspire much confidence out of me. I wouldn’t touch him in FA for the contract he’s going to want.
Part of the issue is that they started 3 pitchers that were pitching well, but had -0- playoff experience. There isn’t much you can do about that.
I think the O’s were tense during that series. There were so many players new to the PO. It looks like they never did play their game. Next year, better things. The important thing is, they got some valuable PO experience
I was pulling for the O’s and the DBacks, who don’t seem to let it bother them that they have so many players new to the PO.
O’s are pretty much set on the position side for 2024, but they need to get busy working on that rotation. Lyles and Gibson served a purpose in recent years, but it’s time to move on from signing innings eaters and get in on some top of the rotation bidding.
No doubt, even the O’s front office didn’t expect a 100 win season.
@OMAR
The 2/3 games were over before the lineup had a real chance. The lineup nearly mounted a comeback in the game 2 disaster. Pitching was clearly the biggest issue.
Mullins hasn’t been the same player since returning from injury. That’s something. Hopefully he gets it back with an off-season of rest.
I was on the opposite end. Run differential and luck made it likely Texas would sweep. I was expecting Texas to lose against the Rays, though, and I doubt they can beat the Astros. The Orioles and Brewers were outliers in that regard. Sometimes, talnet wins games, not luck.
Seager: Looks like the Rangers might be this year’s Phillies. They’re getting hot at the right time. It will be interesting to see another Battle of Texas. I think Houston has the edge and the experience, but you never know.
“Getting hot at the right time”? Texas was in first place in the AL West from Opening Day until late August. The Rangers then had to fight like hell to clinch their postseason place on the next-to-last day.
As Abner Kravitz said, “It ain’t over til it’s over”.
Os fan here. What a season! Rangers took it to us. Hats off to them. They are fun to watch!
Completely opposite my prediction: Dodgers lose in 3, Twins in 4…. Braves getting shelled
Rangers looked strong except for their bullpen.
Their bullpen (and SP health) have been their greatest weakness all season though, right? They’re playing a very classic steroid-era AL East style of baseball (i.e mash mash and throw in some adequate pitching…then mash some more)
Their starters have done great so far? As has their bullpen? They’re playing great baseball. The only blemish is Chapman.
Exactly.
The Orioles, Dodgers and Braves have made the mistake of building great 25 man deep teams. The kind that win 100 and rarely have extended losing streaks.
But what wins these days? Clowns like Schwarber, Adolis Garcia, etc. who are the equivalent of cavemen “me swing hard, me clobber ball”, and nobody cares if they throw away 200 ABs a year trying to murder baseballs.
And in the past, it wouldn’t have worked because boom/bust teams like that are good for about 90 wins, which is what the Phillies and Rangers are. 90 is fine, but it wasn’t good enough to make the playoffs.
But when we reward mediocrity, let in nearly half the league to the playoffs, and you boom for 2 weeks, you just got yourself a ring.
It’s not the Schwarber types. In the regular season, there are plenty of ways to win 90 that don’t require ace pitching. In the playoffs, you are better off with two #1 types rather than five #2/3 types.
njbirdsfan: 90 wins? Last year Philadelphia had 87 wins and made the PO. They got to the WS while 100+ teams like LA , BRAVES and NY Mets didn’t. What’s the point of winning 100 games when you’re matched up against another 100 win team in the ALDS? SEED THE TEAMS!!
What the birds fan said. Schwarber was actually being floated as an MVP candidate by people who should know better.
A slugger who led the major leagues in strikeouts with a batting average under the Mendoza Line is not an MVP candidate and never will be.
Schwarber also walked 126 times, belted 47 home runs, and finished with an OPS+ of 122 meaning he was 22% better than average.
Batting average is an outdated stat.
Shame on you including adolis w schwarber. Adolis strikes out a bit more than you’d like but the guy has nerves of steel and has been one of the rangers clutchest players. And the guy plays great defense with a cannon of an arm! Not like Schwarber in the slightest…
@Joe
I’d amend your statement to #3/4 types but yeah.
Phil’s do very well in October because they have 2 guys who you hand the ball to and feel great about . Nola’s def been more of a 2/3 recently but he’s an absolute horse. The o’s didn’t have a horse.
Who cares about Average when you have OBP?
Ordinary people look at .197 avg/47 HR/104 RBI and they think WTF? That’s Kyle Schwarber’s line.
Dave Kingman had similar numbers for much of his career, which is why he’s not in Cooperstown.
Kingman didn’t have an appetite for walks. If he did, he might’ve made it.
Bochy magic returns
Padres fans will be asking what brown can do for them.
Was rooting for the O’s but you almost had to wonder how postseason matchups and inexperience was going to play a role in the gauntlet. They’ll be back, and exciting to watch for years to come I’m sure.
Baltimore has a strong MLB core, and they have even more ammo in the pipeline. They just need to figure out that rotation. But yes the window is just opening for that young team.
Another World Series slip off for the Rangers in the making? Will they go that far?
Bochy at the helm is a big plus, he’s done this rodeo before with great success.
I like Texas. They can rake. I saw that Scherzer was at 92-94 in a simulated game or a bullpen not sure which but he is such a me guy that I think he’s having visions of putting on a cape and saving the day. He’s too stubborn to realize that his stuff doesn’t play like it use too. Especially out of the pen. If he comes back I see an implosion and then a injury. “I rushed back to help the team”. He is looking to pad his already hof resume. Look at how the past 2 seasons have ended for Max. Then look at this year I know it sounds crazy but I just don’t see him helping. Just my take.
The Rangers are currently a team with 2 reliable starters. Did you miss the bullpen game they ran in Game 1 with Andrew Heaney? They only did that because they had no one better. Scherzer is hurrying back because he wants to be a part of this and the Rangers need him. You can sneak by with one game from Heaney/Dunning in a best of 5, but that risks major exposure in a best of 7. One more good starter helps that significantly. Whether Scherzer actually moves the needle or not remains to be seen, but assuming this is about his HOF resume is just asinine. Verlander would be doing the same thing in his shoes.
If that’s the logic you have then Gray should be just as important. Max is a me first guy and if you think in this point in his career historical perspective isnt important you’re mistaken. He has been this way his whole career. Despite his many playoffs and world series appearances Max has never been a starter that you rode in the playoffs. He has been serviceable,but has imploded the last 2 seasons. Like I said in the previous post he thinks he’s going to don a cape and save the day and add that to his resume.He hasn’t learned to pitch with his diminished stuff and it’s because he’s too stubborn. And if its velocity is down where he is topping out at 94 his slider is going to be much more hitable and that’s been his biggest problem he can’t put away hitters like he use to with it. Since you brought him up Verlander on the other hand has learned to pitch with diminished stuff. But where the Rangers real advantage lies is in Bruce Bochy. That man can patch together a pitching staff. So maybe going with Heaney and Dunning isn’t the worst idea and hope that Gray is ok. Oh and nothing against Verlander but I think if he was in this situation he would be shut down. It’s just not him to try to pitch hurt.
“If that’s the logic you have then Gray should be just as important.” Uh, no he shouldn’t be just as important because Scherzer is a better pitcher than Gray. Getting either one back would be a huge boost since Gray is still solid, but ask any Ranger fan who they’d rather have starting and it would be Scherzer every time. We get it, your a bitter Mets fan who doesn’t like Scherzer.
I agree that getting either pitcher is a “boost”. Not a bitter Met fan at all. I’ll always root for Jacob DeGrom even though I was cautiously optimistic when they brought him in I’ve always thought Max Scherzer is a slightly more palatable Kevin Brown who I wouldn’t depend on with these set of circumstances. I’m actually rooting for the Rangers. I think Seager is phenomenal and Garcia took major steps forward as a hitter this season. Who knows with Texas Houston Philly and ATL plus Arizona in it this maybe a year were good hitting for once beats good pitching. Anyways hoping for the Rangers over Houston and Arizona over Atlanta. Good luck with Mad Max. I hope I’m wrong for Texas’s sake.
Chris from NJ: The Rangers should use Scherzer as an opener and have the BP ready. Of course the media are salivating over a Scherzer/Verlander match-up.
Do you just copy/paste this drivel every time Scherzer is mentioned?
You don’t like it change the channel.
You actually go thru the trouble and type it out each time, dont you. What a sad existence
No a sad existence is memorizing what other people post. Thanks for being a fan!!
I get that you hate Max Scherzer, and so do I, but let’s be realistic here. Scherzer had a 3.2 ERA with Texas, and he is an improvement over Heaney/Gray/Perez/Bradford. Look at their numbers, and you will see how big a difference he will make. The team otherwise is Montgomery, Eovaldi, Dunning, and one of those. Do you really think that Scherzer isn’t going to help? Numbers and logic say otherwise. He has the whole offseason to recover, and if Texas wins a WS or even a pennant because or him, it would be worth risking a longer injury. Flags fly forever.
I honestly believe he’s gonna hurt you more then help. He was better in Texas true. But look at his last 2 outings. He got rocked in Houston. Monty and Eovaldi have looked sharp. The Dunning/Heaney piggy back hasn’t gone bad so far. While flags fly forever why would you want a guy who is not 100 percent healthy and the past 2 seasons he has went up in flames in the post season. I trust Eovaldi in a big game way more. I’m rooting for Texas. And if he hurt himself worst then he is now the off-season to recover is really wishful thinking. Blow out an elbow and it’s sayanora. That’s where all his injuries are trending. Hey you want him you got him. I’ve been wrong before he might go out and win you game 1,4 and save game 7.
I took a big L on that Orioles loss. I guess the young guys were too nervous and fell apart. They needed a Bochy manager to keep the nerves down and get them focused.
Thoughts and prayers to my predictions…
Baltimore could’ve had Cease sure it would’ve cost a couple of prospects. They could’ve kept him for this playoff series and potentially 2 more all at a controllable price. Their arrogance that their average pitching (Aside from Grayson) was never going to work in the playoffs. They got what they deserve and by the way you can only play one 2B at a time and 1 SS at a time and 3 OF. Good luck with that rotation in this FA season where there is very little quality capable of performing at a CY level like Cease did last year. Sure 23 wasn’t great but the WSox clubhouse was a nightmare. He is quality.
I see no evidence that Cease was being moved. And he had a 5.46 ERA after the trade deadline. And Cease’s career playoff OPS is 10.16.
There is not much evidence that he’d have made a difference, even if the WS changed their mind and put him on the market.
IMO, you are better off focusing on the guys that actually were traded.
There was significant reporting that he became available about 3 days before the deadline albeit at a high price. Sure they asked for Holliday at the start but they came down to 3 of the top 20 in Balt system, The focus was on 2B/SS/3B/OF which even the third guys on the depth chart of Balt would’ve help the Sox. It didnt happen because Baltimore went cheap giving up guys in the 20-30 range. Cease didnt pitch that great all year. It looked like the constant losing and clubhouse garbage effected him. He had the best stuff on thee market outside Verlander.
There are 28 other teams that could’ve traded for Cease. None of them did. It is because the WS never wanted to trade him, or they were asking twice what he was worth.
Like I said, there is no way to discuss possible trades without the player being traded.
Bradish and Rodriguez was a nice one-two punch. But they were obviously going nowhere this postseason given their next options. I was surprised to see Orioles fans have so much confidence with some pretty mediocre arms going up against some of the leagues top offences.
@jdgoat Agreed. O’s fan here. I would have described myself as “cautiously optimistic” going in that they would be competitive against the Rangers so was disappointed they got swept but was not surprised they lost the series.
That first game losing to the Rangers bullpen day was the true heartbreaker. I think the team knew it was heading south after that.
@JD
I disagree with the #3 slot being the big differentiator. Every other team has a guy up top who you can reasonably expect to go deep. They had the experience.
FWIW look at the playoff teams 3rd starters.
Rangers had Heaney/Dunning as the 3rd guy and the stros had Christian Javier, Twins had Joe Ryan/Maeda
Kremer put up numbers that were right there or better than those guys. Innings and experience was the total issue. I think that’s less obvious at the #3 slot than up top.
It means nothing and Kremer had the better 2nd half—-but I truly wanted Kyle Gibson tossing game 3. Probably wouldn’t have made an ounce of difference but after G-Rod’s bashing—I want the vet to take the mound.
@BS9
Baltimore never really even had a good #2 to begin with, and the issue is they had 1 good starter plus a bunch of average to below average guys. Look at ERA+. Now, they had a good and maybe elite bullpen, but Bautista got injured. Their lineup was solid, but lucky with RISP. Texas had a much better run differential and talent level. Also, Texas only won 90 games due to a bunch of injuries for guys who returned at the end. The Orioles were winning on luck, while Texas had real talent.
AL East is the roughest, toughest, most dominant division… LOL
So, does this mean the playoffs are over for MLBTR… I mean, as long as the dodgers are alive…
That’s what you get for not inviting the Redsox and Yankees to the party….LOL!!!!!
Yankees were swept last year.
Yeah but that’s only because they didn’t win a game…
After the game, I saw John Smoltz going in the Orioles’s dugout begging Adley for an autograph. It was pathetic.
The D’backs are also on the verge of reaching the NLCS with one of the actual worst rotations in baseball.
They knocked out a team that has two horses. So you know in a small sample—anything could happen.