38 replies to this topic

[Chris B]

Came back to get the series win, need to finish off the sweep tonight.

Sweep would be very big. Going into the weekend KC series, the expectation must be 3 wins.

Yesterday, the Royals had Guthrie facing off against Chen, but now Bruce Chen will take the mound.

THURS: Chen vs. Will Smith (2-4 6.00 ERA)
FRI: Gonzalez vs. Luke Hochevar (7-9, 5.04 ERA)
SAT: Tillman vs. Luis Mendoza (5-8, 4.36 ERA)
SUN: TBA vs. Bruce Chen (8-9, 5.51 ERA)

http://baltimore.ori... ... p?c_id=bal

4 winnable games.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Sweep would be very big. Going into the weekend KC series, the expectation must be 3 wins.

Yesterday, the Royals had Guthrie facing off against Chen, but now Bruce Chen will take the mound.

THURS: Chen vs. Bruce Chen (8-9, 5.51 ERA)
FRI: Gonzalez vs. Will Smith (2-4 6.00 ERA)
SAT: Tillman vs. Luke Hochevar (7-9, 5.04 ERA)
SUN: TBA vs. Luis Mendoza (5-8, 4.36 ERA)

http://baltimore.ori... ... p?c_id=bal

4 winnable games.

Yep, 4 games for the offense to really turn it on.

[Adam Wolff]

Yep, 4 games for the offense to really turn it on.

We really should throttle that pitching. How many 4 game series are the O's going to be in where you feel they have the better pitcher every game? Or even 3 out of 4?

[Chris B]

Sweep would be very big. Going into the weekend KC series, the expectation must be 3 wins.

Yesterday, the Royals had Guthrie facing off against Chen, but now Bruce Chen will take the mound.

THURS: Chen vs. Bruce Chen (8-9, 5.51 ERA)
FRI: Gonzalez vs. Will Smith (2-4 6.00 ERA)
SAT: Tillman vs. Luke Hochevar (7-9, 5.04 ERA)
SUN: TBA vs. Luis Mendoza (5-8, 4.36 ERA)

http://baltimore.ori... ... p?c_id=bal

4 winnable games.

Well KC just keeps changing their rotation for this weekend's games. Will Smith will face off against Chen tomorrow. I'll edit the above post when I find out the other starters.

[ChaosLex]

[Chris B]

With the Machado news, the O's winning streak, and the Chen shirt, I think you might see a high attendance figure tomorrow. Lots of walk-ups.

Certainly won't be like the Wieters debut (MacPhail gave us a 3-4 day head's up) but I think the crowd will be buzzing tomorrow.

[Mike B]

With the Machado news, the O's winning streak, and the Chen shirt, I think you might see a high attendance figure tomorrow. Lots of walk-ups.

Certainly won't be like the Wieters debut (MacPhail gave us a 3-4 day head's up) but I think the crowd will be buzzing tomorrow.

We went Monday and Tuesday and have tickets for the Eddie game Saturday. I avoided tomorrow so I could watch the Ravens and the O's tomorrow...Guess I planned the days wrong.

[Oriole85]

You have to beat the teams you are supposed to beat.

I said almost a must btw...not saying do or die but you screw up this stretch, you put yourself in a bad position.

We did that with Seattle soundly, but that's not always the case in baseball. Good teams lose to bad teams all the time. In 2009, we swept Philly in Philly. In 2010, we swept Texas in Texas(in 4 games). Both of those were World Series clubs. I don't think those teams became "bad" teams from not beating who they should've.

[BSLChrisStoner]

If the O's beat the Royals ass this weekend, Baltimore will be lathered up about the Orioles by Sunday night.

[Oriole85]

If the O's beat the Royals ass this weekend, Baltimore will be lathered up about the Orioles by Sunday night.

Well I said 4 of 7 before the series between Seattle/KC, I was thinking we'd have a little bit of a let down. Now I want 3 of 4 from KC, hope that isn't too greedy.

Were in a very difficult stretch after Sunday is over, no slouch opponents the rest of the way it sounds like.

[Oriole85]

With the Machado news, the O's winning streak, and the Chen shirt, I think you might see a high attendance figure tomorrow. Lots of walk-ups.

Certainly won't be like the Wieters debut (MacPhail gave us a 3-4 day head's up) but I think the crowd will be buzzing tomorrow.

I was at the Wieters game, that was something. I think what's different about Machado's debut is that he's here to help the team as opposed to Wieters being the savior after all these brutal years. And the Orioles really made the Wieters game into an event with the notice on a Friday night.

[SportsGuy]

We did that with Seattle soundly, but that's not always the case in baseball. Good teams lose to bad teams all the time. In 2009, we swept Philly in Philly. In 2010, we swept Texas in Texas(in 4 games). Both of those were World Series clubs. I don't think those teams became "bad" teams from not beating who they should've.

These are poor examples because those series weren't in the middle of a pennant race with a brutal ending schedule after them. The Orioles have just over 50 games left..gotta beat the teams you are supposed to beat.

The Rangers series was before the AS break and the Philly series was in June.

[Oriole85]

These are poor examples because those series weren't in the middle of a pennant race with a brutal ending schedule after them. The Orioles have just over 50 games left..gotta beat the teams you are supposed to beat.

The Rangers series was before the AS break and the Philly series was in June.

Sorry you didn't like my examples. If we lose 3 of 4 to KC, I don't think the season is over by any stretch. And I stand by statement of good teams lose to bad teams even during pennant races. That's just baseball. Whatever examples I give you, you are going to find fault with most likely, so i'll leave it, at that. We got a brutal stretch coming up(it's the rest of the season), I'm much more concerned with how we do after this series than during this one.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Back to 9 over, let's grab the next two, and get the series win.

[SportsGuy]

Sorry you didn't like my examples. If we lose 3 of 4 to KC, I don't think the season is over by any stretch. And I stand by statement of good teams lose to bad teams even during pennant races. That's just baseball. Whatever examples I give you, you are going to find fault with most likely, so i'll leave it, at that. We got a brutal stretch coming up(it's the rest of the season), I'm much more concerned with how we do after this series than during this one.

Did I say the season was over if we lost 3 of 4 to KC?

And I got your examples....they are just meaningless in the context.

[Mike B]

Baseball is a tough game to expect or predict what should happen. We targetted 5 of 7 against the Mariners and Royals and I think that will happen, but to say the Orioles should have swept the ROyals or win 3 games is tough. The Royals starting pitching is rough but their BP and their lineup is pretty good. Splitting the series would not be the end of the world.
Earl Weaver used to say that in a pennant race you will think you have lost it 10 times and thought you have won it 10 times before the outcome is decided.

One game at a time no matter who the opponent is. The Orioles have played over .500 against the AL East. They need to continue that and they will be fine.

[Mike B]

Just a seperate point, I really think we as fans have forgotten what it is like to be in the pennant race and maybe what is like to live and die on every Oriole game. We have 14 years of crap for baseball and I think we got used to losing, hated it but learned to live with it. Losing a game to KC or Seattle last year and the 13 before that elicited yawns, and disgust at which ever player was percieved to be the cause. Now the stakes are higher and the fan base is not use to it. They are also not use to the importance of the games and maybe we are over reacting now.
I was at the game last night and the crowd was really into it. There were a little over 17K there and when Omar and then Manny homered it sounded like 30K. I am going tonight for Eddie and the ceremony and hope there will be 35 or more there and we will continue to get back to enjoying winning Oriole baseball.

[Oriole85]

Baseball is a tough game to expect or predict what should happen. We targetted 5 of 7 against the Mariners and Royals and I think that will happen, but to say the Orioles should have swept the ROyals or win 3 games is tough. The Royals starting pitching is rough but their BP and their lineup is pretty good. Splitting the series would not be the end of the world.
Earl Weaver used to say that in a pennant race you will think you have lost it 10 times and thought you have won it 10 times before the outcome is decided.

One game at a time no matter who the opponent is. The Orioles have played over .500 against the AL East. They need to continue that and they will be fine.

Agreed that's why I hate comments like you have to beat the "bottom feeders," this isn't college football where you have to beat the "cupcakes" or else you are finished.

[Chris B]

Well, before this stretch, I think we all would be satisfied going 5-2. Our goals were probably raised after the Seattle sweep, but the team still won 5 so I'm OK with it.

As SG's new thread states, the next 9 will be tough.