Baltimore Sports and Life reached out to MLB Writers and Analysts from various local and National outlets to gauge their opinions on a number of O’s related topics.

It should be noted that several people who participated in this survey elected to keep their participation anonymous. It also has to be noted that some of the writers and analysts did not answer every question posed. Where that occurred, the poll results reflect the voting as received; less votes not cast for that particular question.

The following writers and analysts contributed to this survey:
Gary Armida, Finding Avalon and Derry
Anthony Castrovince, MLB.com / Sports on Earth
Jason Collette, RotoWire
Rich Dubroff, CSN Baltimore
Bryan Grosnick, Beyond the Boxscore
Jay Jaffe, Sports Illustrated
Pete Kerzel, MASN
Matthew Kory, Forbes / Baseball Prospectus / Sports on Earth
Joe Lemire, Grantland
Steve Melewski, MASN
Scott Miller, Bleacher Report / Sirius XM MLB Network
Matthew Pouliot, NBC Sports / Hardball Talk
Ben Reiter, Sports Illustrated
Ken Rosenthal, FOX Sports
Eno Sarris, FanGraphs
David Schoenfield, ESPN
D.J. Short, NBC Sports / Hardball Talk
Matt Snyder, CBS Sports
Paul Sporer, FanGraphs
Jayson Stark, ESPN
Brandon Warne, FanGraphs
Neil Weinberg, Gammons Daily, Hardball Times, Beyond the Boxscore, FanGraphs

BSL thanks all who took the time to contribute and add their thoughts.

(You can discuss this on the BSL Board here.)

 

The Baltimore Orioles win how many games in 2015?

80 or less  3   11%
81 to 85 13   46%
86 to 90 11   39%
91 or above  1    4%

 

Manny Machado posts an fWAR at 4.5 or above?

Yes 13   46%
No 13   46%

 

Chris Davis finishes ’15 with an OPS of at-least .850?

Yes 9   32%
No 18   64%

 

Steve Pearce produced an fWAR of 4.9 in ’14. In ’15, he will produce an fWAR of?

0-2     7    25%
2-3    14    50%
3-4     5    18%
4+     1     4%

 

The Orioles best advantage is?

The Defense 12   43%
The Power  5   18%
Buck Showalter 10   36%
Dan Duquette  1     4%

 

The O’s have 6 rotation options (Tillman, Gausman, Chen, Norris, Gonzalez, Jimenez) for 5 spots. In-general, you view this rotation as?

Below Average  4   14%
Adequate 15   54%
Better than their peripherals  5   18%
A Strength  4   14%

 

Zach Britton used his sinker to compile a GB% of 75.3 in ’14. His ERA was 1.65, his FIP 3.13. Is he an upper 1/3 Closer?

Yes 19   68%
No 8   29%

 

The O’s lost Nelson Cruz, Andrew Miller, and Nick Markakis this Winter. If you were the O’s Management, would you have resigned any of that trio for the contracts they signed?

Cruz 3  11%
Miller 6  21%
Markakis 1   4%
I would not have advocated Baltimore sign any of the three for the contracts they signed. 17  61%
I would have signed more than one of the three for the contracts they signed. 0   0%

 

Should the O’s pursue an extension with Wieters?

Yes 19   68%
No 9   32%

 

Had Duquette been allowed to leave for Toronto, the best hire to replace him as the O’s Executive VP of Baseball Operations would have been?

An existing internal option such as Brady Anderson, or Brian Graham 7  25%
One of the four options (Ned Colletti, Kevin Towers, Omar Minaya, and Kevin Malone) the O’s apparently had interest in. 2   7%
John Coppolella 7  25%
Matt Klentak 1   4%
Mike Hazen 0   0%
Logan White 1   4%
Paul DePodesta 1   4%
Other 9  32%

 

Travis Snider is an adequate replacement for Markakis?

Yes  24   86%
No  4   14%

 

In ’14, Jonathan Schoop showed to be a good defensive 2nd baseman with pop. He also batted just .209, and had a wOBA of .265. In ’15, what is more likely for him?

Post an OPS of .675+, and continue to start everyday. 11   39%
Be pushed for playing time by Everth Cabrera. 16   57%

 

During 2009-2013, Adam Jones had negative defensive metrics each year. In ’14, his UZR/150 and DRS were positive. This could be looked at as an aberration, a change by Jones (positioning), or a general flaw with the metrics. How do you view Jones as a Defensive CF?

Elite 2  7%
Overrated 3  11%
Not as good as the accolades he has received, nor as bad as the metrics have traditionally shown. 20  71%
Improved 2   7%

 

Who wins the AL East?

Baltimore 5   18%
Boston 10   36%
Toronto 11   39%
New York 1    4%
Tampa Bay 0    0%

 

Chris Stoner
Chris Stoner

Owner

Chris Stoner founded Baltimore Sports and Life in 2009. He has appeared as a radio guest with 1090 WBAL, 105.7 The Fan, CBS 1300, Q1370, WOYK 1350, WKAV 1400, and WNST 1570. He has also been interviewed by The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal, and PressBox (TV). As Owner, his responsibilities include serving as the Managing Editor, Publicist, & Sales Director.

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