The Baltimore Oriole, and by that I mean the guy who's still on the Orioles right now, with the highest WAR is Miguel Castro, a reliever with a 4.00 ERA, 57 strikeouts and a 1.5 WHIP. Nobody on this frigging team can do better than that, or get higher than a 1.3 WAR. Yes, Manny Machado has a 3 WAR, but he's in LA right now headed for October.
Also depressing: Jonathan Villar has a 1.2 WAR within 2 months of being with the team, and that's the third-highest on the team. Villar did better in 2 months than 98% of this team did in 8. This includes perennial All Star Adam Jones, home-run champs Mark Trumbo and Chris Davis, and legitimately tough pitcher Dylan Bundy. None of them even have a .4 WAR.
The O's have just relied on bargain pickups like Villar and Renato Nunez to do their best to salvage the team, and make sure they don't chase the 1962 Mets for worst ever. The bulk of their positive investments this year have all been traded to teams that are worth a damn. And I remind you...this team was in the ALCS four years ago. This team could have been in the World Series in 2014. And they've fallen apart beyond repair, to the point where they need to start over as much as possible, and build a new team around people like Nunez, Villar, and Cedric Mullins. Because this year was a major embarrassment, and I'm sad to see it come from such a likable team.
I hope things get better. It just might be a while.
Coming Tonight- A fringe player of the highest caliber, finally getting his due as the starting catcher for a playoff hopeful.
Wow. That is pretty sad.
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