July Banter 2026

[snowfan]

About as even of a series as you can get and the Os come up on the short end of it. Frustrating. 

[CAPE]

33 minutes ago, snowfan said:

About as even of a series as you can get and the Os come up on the short end of it. Frustrating. 

One team is much better than the other. Good teams often find a way to win. Bad teams...

[aldie 22]

Not going to lie I didn't see my Twins only be one game out of a wild card spot at this point. They need an arm or two for the bullpen and perhaps a bat. Starting pitching is solid although i wouldn't balk at an A+ starter

[snowfan]

19 minutes ago, CAPE said:

One team is much better than the other. Good teams often find a way to win. Bad teams...

I think I'd say......one team is more fundamentally sound/clutch and over the course of a long season it adds up. The Braves arent without their flaws as was shown this series w two cases of losing the lead late but they didnt make as many dumb mistakes and were better with RISP. The Os were 2-11 with RISP fri and 0-10 today. Just brutal.

Reality is that starting pitching really hasn't been that bad but man they suck at defense and in key situational hitting. 

[Maestrobjwa]

1 minute ago, snowfan said:

I think I'd say......one team is more fundamentally sound/clutch and over the course of a long season it adds up. The Braves arent without their flaws as was shown this series w two cases of losing the lead late but they didnt make as many dumb mistakes and were better with RISP. The Os were 2-11 with RISP fri and 0-10 today. Just brutal.

Reality is that starting pitching really hasn't been that bad but man they suck at defense and in key situational hitting. 

Starting pitching has been better than not bad than the last two months. I mean in July alone their ERA is first in the majors, and they have been fantastic since late May. Something to build on next year, imo

Elias gotta go--our hitting woes and just being unclutch with poor fundamentals goes back to his system, imo Fundamentals especially were problem when Alby got here and the players all brought it to him...which means it runs deeper. I don't think anything gets better until they make the change. If they don't we could be sitting right here having the same convo next season (whenever it starts anyway, lol)

[CAPE]

The Orioles Still Cannot Hit Offspeed Pitches. Mike Elias Is Only Making The Problem Worse

The Orioles growing list of failed prospects have too much in common and are symptoms of an organizational disease

https://www.si.com/mlb/orioles/onsi/the-orioles-still-cannot-hit-offspeed-pitches-mike-elias-is-only-making-the-problem-worse-01ky8djg6v54?page_source=v_recirc

[RickinBaltimore]

1 hour ago, Maestrobjwa said:

Starting pitching has been better than not bad than the last two months. I mean in July alone their ERA is first in the majors, and they have been fantastic since late May. Something to build on next year, imo

Elias gotta go--our hitting woes and just being unclutch with poor fundamentals goes back to his system, imo Fundamentals especially were problem when Alby got here and the players all brought it to him...which means it runs deeper. I don't think anything gets better until they make the change. If they don't we could be sitting right here having the same convo next season (whenever it starts anyway, lol)

Fundamentals are killing this team. That's 3 games this week alone a lack of fundamentals cost the O's a win. Today in extras, why is Alonso even moving off the bag? The ball is in the air, it's either a base hit, in which the winning run scores from 3rd, or a line out. You don't run on contact in that situation either way!

[MillvilleWx]

Elias needs to go and we need new hitting coaches. It really comes down to a bunch of clowns trying to run the show. Instead, they are running players into the ground. Insanely bad hitting this season. No way around it. 

[Maestrobjwa]

15 minutes ago, MillvilleWx said:

Elias needs to go and we need new hitting coaches. It really comes down to a bunch of clowns trying to run the show. Instead, they are running players into the ground. Insanely bad hitting this season. No way around it. 

The fact that we are on our third set of hitting coaches in three years and still the same problem is very revealing. It's the entire Elias' system! Rubenstein annoyed me the other day with his public vote of confidence in Elias...but I am HOPING he was just saying that for PR since Elias was sitting right there, and the presser was about the Bradish extension. No way anybody with even the slightest clue can look at this and just run it back next year. He's gotta go...it's time!

[CAPE]

45 minutes ago, MillvilleWx said:

Elias needs to go and we need new hitting coaches. It really comes down to a bunch of clowns trying to run the show. Instead, they are running players into the ground. Insanely bad hitting this season. No way around it. 

It's fundamentally how he/they evaluate positional talent and draft that's flawed. The Elias way is arrogant- he thinks he has all the answers and needs no input from others with different perspectives. They end up with many similar players that mostly all underachieve. Another major flaw is not properly assessing/drafting top pitching talent. Emphasis is on metrics and not so much on scouting/actual evaluation- the eye test.

[CAPE]

This is BIG. Ravens have the makings of a dominant defense but getting this guy back healthy would be insane and open up more opportunities for some of the younger pass rushers to make an impact.

 

[ThePhotoGuy]

Visiting Deep Creek Lake for basically the first time (stopped in once in the fall 10 years ago). Any suggestions of scenic/photogenic/natural places to visit? I have DCL SP, Herrington Manor, & Swallow Falls on my list to visit. Also potentially Coopers Rock & Blackwater Falls too.