Orioles Falling Apart

[vmax]

Before I start let me admit that I'm a casual fan and I don't know very much about the Orioles except that they lose. I once upon a time followed them passionately for 30 years.

 

It's midway through spring training and the Orioles...well...they are not looking too good.

The outlook for the upcomming season looks bleak to me.

 

They can't win.

 

.... and the pitchers are getting shelled....and they are not hitting too much lately.

So what are they doing right?

 

Now injuries are destroying what little hope I had had of this year being better...at least this for casual fan. I want to sniff the day when they turn the corner towards being 1 game over .500.

Roberts back is a serious concern because no way he can contribute when the season starts. If you need an epidural to make it onto the field then you are cooked.

Uhara won't contribute this year because he breaks down too often,... Guthrie can't pitch...I'm counting him out and I know it's way early.

 

The season hasn't started and it's a long one of 180 (182 games?...been away from baseball too long... ) but this is a snakebit franchise.

 

I can't and won't follow this team until they show me something other than excuses or reasons why they don't know how to put a team on the field that finds ways to win games. They do not know how to do that.

They are clueless at this point in time because everything they have done might...I say might...get them 5 more wins than last year.

That is not progress.

Looking good while losing games is not progress and not is not exciting.

 

I'm not going to a game and pay good money to watch some guy, who is making a million dollars or more a year, try to figure out how to throw a strike....on my dime.

Or some guy trying to learn how to run the base paths...it makes me feel like a sucker to financially support that.

 

Only one thing can get me to pay to go to an Oriole game....GUILT.

We lost one franchise due to poor attendance (and other serious factors)...I don't want to see the Orioles go elsewhere....because I know how great it once was to have a real basball team, that played with an attitude, knew how to win, insisted on excellence and delivered that.

 

But guilt might have me going to a game or two so some future generation of Baltimore fans might get to see what I saw.

[Spen]

From what little I paid attention to spring training it has been rough.

 

However I still fully expect this team to be better than they have been in a long time.

[varaven45]

Before I start let me admit that I'm a casual fan and I don't know very much about the Orioles except that they lose. I once upon a time followed them passionately for 30 years.

 

It's midway through spring training and the Orioles...well...they are not looking too good.

The outlook for the upcomming season looks bleak to me.

 

They can't win.

 

.... and the pitchers are getting shelled....and they are not hitting too much lately.

So what are they doing right?

 

Now injuries are destroying what little hope I had had of this year being better...at least this for casual fan. I want to sniff the day when they turn the corner towards being 1 game over .500.

Roberts back is a serious concern because no way he can contribute when the season starts. If you need an epidural to make it onto the field then you are cooked.

Uhara won't contribute this year because he breaks down too often,... Guthrie can't pitch...I'm counting him out and I know it's way early.

 

The season hasn't started and it's a long one of 180 (182 games?...been away from baseball too long... ) but this is a snakebit franchise.

 

I can't and won't follow this team until they show me something other than excuses or reasons why they don't know how to put a team on the field that finds ways to win games. They do not know how to do that.

They are clueless at this point in time because everything they have done might...I say might...get them 5 more wins than last year.

That is not progress.

Looking good while losing games is not progress and not is not exciting.

 

I'm not going to a game and pay good money to watch some guy, who is making a million dollars or more a year, try to figure out how to throw a strike....on my dime.

Or some guy trying to learn how to run the base paths...it makes me feel like a sucker to financially support that.

 

Only one thing can get me to pay to go to an Oriole game....GUILT.

We lost one franchise due to poor attendance (and other serious factors)...I don't want to see the Orioles go elsewhere....because I know how great it once was to have a real basball team, that played with an attitude, knew how to win, insisted on excellence and delivered that.

 

But guilt might have me going to a game or two so some future generation of Baltimore fans might get to see what I saw.

[varaven45]

Max,

 

I have to agree. Interestingly enough, I watched MASN last night and checked out the O's playoff appearance in 2007 (vs Mariners).

It featured Mussina vs Randy Johnson. The stadium was full (of course, for a plyoff game), there was excitement in the air and we had a major league product on the field. John Miller did the play by play and Joe Morgan was the analyst and they made reference to the Oriole way and tradition.

 

Sadly, thats about the last time I can remember us fielding a decent team. Its gone !

 

Even worse, I dont see this ship turning around for years - not until Angelos is out of the picture. Even that may not be enough; it may be too late.

 

I am actually looking more forward to the Ravens draft in April than the the Os season and I have followed the Os religiously since the '66 World

Championship season.

 

Go Ravens !!!

[vmax]

varav...I was at the '66 World Series for both games....just a kid but I'll never forget it.

 

I hope Spen is right because they have shown nothing this spring.

[varaven45]

varav...I was at the '66 World Series for both games....just a kid but I'll never forget it.

 

I hope Spen is right because they have shown nothing this spring.

 

Max,

 

Didnt actually make it to a postseason game until 71 series against Bucs. I think it was game 2. Palmer pitched a gem and we blew out the Bucs 11-3.

Palmer gave up a 3 run dinger to Ritchie Hebner. Somehow, we lost that series 4-3 no thanks to Roberto Clemente.

 

Those were some good days my friend !

 

VARAVEN

[Spen]

Its not easy to turn around a franchise that had fallen so far, and their have been many miss steps along the way. However I do feel that they have done some solid work building the team up the last few years and I think it will begin to show this season.

 

Its also not easy when you are in the same division as too teams that can outspend anyone else.

[83eh01]

If they can't win In the next 6 years, they probably won't win ever again

 

There is too much potential in this time frame to think there will ever be a better chance.

[ForceEight]

You guys sound silly. "Never win again." "Might get 5 more wins."

 

First off, it's spring training. Secondly, things change in a heartbeat. Thirdly, have faith because, fourthly, this might be the most well-rounded Orioles team we've had in years.

[dc.]

VA... I have to assume you meant their 97 appearance against the Mariners. Certainly not 07.

 

Secondly... this Spring has been rough, but it was expected.

 

The Orioles will likely not be a winning team this year. Perhaps 500, perhaps a game or a few over... but that's expected.

 

We should still be 10-15 games better than we were last year. As has been said, you don't make a team better overnight. But the core of players is there and growing and will continue to grow.

 

I stake my hopes in the likes of Markakis, Jones, Wieters, Reimold, Pie, Bell, Tillman, Arrietta, Matusz, Erbe, etc etc... as much as I like Guthrie, as much as I hope for Millwood... they are still placeholders

[vmax]

varav...I saw Brooks and Frank Robinson hit back to back homers and I knew the O's had them. Mo Drabowsky...the Mad Polack threw 12 strikeouts.

Then a young Jim Palmer out duals Kofax (27 wins that year) by throwing a 6-0 shutout.

It don't get any better.

 

dc...I follow what you are saying...look at the core future.

 

Force...right now that's what I see...maybe 5 wins better than last year.

[dc.]

For every Guthrie bad outing... you can look forward to this.

 

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-sp.osgame20mar20,0,3458664.story

 

Brian Matusz no hitting the Phils through 5 and a third. We actually kept the no-hitter going until the 8th.

 

Please, friends, continue to say we are doomed!