A week ago, Chris Davis acknowledged the Baltimore Orioles need for starting pitching.
“I think we all know what’s at stake, what we need to accomplish,” Davis said on MLB Network Radio. “We feel confident with the guys that we have, but at the same time it wouldn’t hurt to have another starting pitcher.”
This week, the O’s face of the franchise, Adam Jones, was asked about the Orioles lack of offseason moves at the Baseball Assistance Team charity event (per USA Today’s For The Win).
“I’m not concerned about who we haven’t added,” Jones said. “I’m concerned about the mindset of the guys already on the team, and the guys that are going to be on that team March 31.
“Let (the Yankees and Red Sox) spend their money. It just creates bigger disappointments if things go bad.”
It’s a great response from the Orioles lone player signed past 2015. What do you expect him to say?
The trouble is, the O’s can’t expect back-to-back career seasons from guys like Jones, Davis, Manny Machado and Chris Tillman.
Here’s a quick glance at FanGraphs’ ZiPS projections for those four guys:
Adam Jones 2013: .285/.318/.493, 33 HR, 108 RBI, 4.4 WAR
Jones 2014 ZiPS: .277/.317/.471, 28 HR, 92 RBI, 3.3 zWAR
Chris Davis 2013: .286/.370/.634, 53 HR, 138 RBI, 6.3 WAR
Davis 2014 ZiPS: .267/.340/.546, 41 HR, 107 RBI, 3.2 zWAR
Manny Machado 2013: .283/.314/.434, 14 HR, 71 RBI, 6.5 WAR
Machado 2014 ZiPS: .272/.314/.446, 19 HR, 80 RBI, 4.5 zWAR
Chris Tillman 2013: 206.1 IP, 3.71 ERA, 113 ERA+, 7.8 K/9, 4.4 WAR
Tillman 2014 ZiPS: 187.0 IP, 4.14 ERA, 101 ERA+, 8.0 K/9, 2.7 zWAR
Image Credit: Keith Allison
We’re truly blessed to have Jones as the leader of this team. I just hope he gets the studs around him to make a run at this thing.
Time to get concerned buddy. Who’s gonna pitch? 2nd base, sure weak Weekes may pan out and we hope he does. Who is the #2 pitcher? Wieters, hell I hope he hits my weight and my wife’s bra size. We may be ok. Who is the closer? Closer by committee, it may work. #4 pitcher? Gausman sounds capable. DH, Beatameat, Valencia…they will find a Jack Cust in the mix? I ask again, who’s gonna pitch. What is more important, winning a championship or saving money? Field a competetive team my ASS. Do you think the Yankees, Dodgers or Dead Sox play to field a winning team? Hell no! I am not saying overspending wins pennants but damn SPEND SOME MONEY PETER….you dick.