28 replies to this topic

[BSLChrisStoner]

ESPN Boston: Valentine, "Orioles are lucky." (Audio)
http://espn.go.com/b...clip?id=8324444

Valentine interviewed on the Michael Kay Show on ESPN New York. He starts off by saying, 'They are not good,' and catches himself slightly. Points to the run-differential, and says the O's have received a lot of breaks. Does mention the bullpen.

Can't say his comments are completely unfair, but this is another example of why Valentine is so 'likable.'

Also, the O's have had to go through plenty of adversity of their own this year. If you are the Manager of a team that has collectively underachieved, it is arrogant to explain away the O's success as simply luck. It takes a lot to win. Saying the O's have won by simply luck, is another way for Valentine to explain the lack of results from Boston. They simply had 'bad luck.'

[Russ]

They've played 131 games. It's not luck anymore.

[ChaosLex]

[Chris B]

At the end of the season Buck Showalter is going to receive a paycheck from the Orioles and will continue to do so next year.

Bobby Valentine will not have the same thing occur from the Red Sox.
He just needs to shut up.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Agreed. I listened to this and just brushed it off as more Bobby V and Red Sox arrogance, per the usual. The host asked him how the O's could be where they are given their run differential... He immediately said: "luck", which is half true and isn't really an offensive statement. But his next line was something to the effect of... "they just can't be that good with a run differential that bad.". That's where he lost me. Obviously we can be, because we are. He then tried to save face with the comment about the BP and Buck making the right moves (I think he mentioned Buck, can't remember), but that doesn't take back what he said.

Like you, I feel that given his place in his standings, and his tenure in Boston inevitably coming to a quick end, he probably should have given Buck and the O's the ole 'tip o the cap and then just shut the hell up.

[ChaosLex]

[SammyBirdland]

I agree with Valentine (and Showalter) to some extent. We have been extremely lucky. We're making our own luck to some extent, but we've been extremely fortunate to have our pitching (especially the bullpen) keep us in games where we're not scoring a lot more runs than the other team.

The fact that our pitching is doing so well is not luck. The fact that we are winning such a high percentage of one-run and two-run games is rather lucky. We're beating teams full of professional hitters. I guess what I'm saying is that getting the lead is not lucky, but keeping the lead is lucky.

[BSLChrisStoner]

I agree with Valentine to some extent. We have been extremely lucky. We're making our own luck to some extent, but we've been extremely fortunate to have our pitching (especially the bullpen) keep us in games where we score a low amount of runs.

The fact that our pitching is doing so well is not luck. The fact that we are winning so many one-run games is rather lucky.

Sure, there is some 'truth' to his statement. It is more of an irritation of how the message is conveyed. It also is easy to just dismiss what the O's have been accomplishing.

If the O's win the American League East, that is a major major accomplishment, and calling it simply luck is just dismissive.


Also, not everything has gone right for the O's. Reimold, Roberts, Hammel's injury, down years overall for Reynolds, and Hardy, losing Markakis for a month. Etc. Etc.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I agree with Valentine (and Showalter) to some extent. We have been extremely lucky. We're making our own luck to some extent, but we've been extremely fortunate to have our pitching (especially the bullpen) keep us in games where we're not scoring a lot more runs than the other team.

The fact that our pitching is doing so well is not luck. The fact that we are winning such a high percentage of one-run and two-run games is rather lucky. We're beating teams full of professional hitters.

I have no issue with him saying we've been lucky. I do have a problem with him stating we can't be this good with as bad as our run differential has been. That was just a dick move from an obviously bitter has been who has been out managed by Buck, who frankly has had the deck stacked against him (from a sheer resources standpoint.)

And let's face it... We definitely have been lucky, but of all the teams, Boston and New York have no place complaining about some breaks falling our way down the stretch... With $400M in combined payrolls, there is no excuse for either team not making the playoffs or at least being serious contenders.

So Bobby... STFU!

[SammyBirdland]

Sure, there is some 'truth' to his statement. It is more of an irritation of how the message is conveyed. It also is easy to just dismiss what the O's have been accomplishing.

If the O's win the American League East, that is a major major accomplishment, and calling it simply luck is just dismissive.


Also, not everything has gone right for the O's. Reimold, Roberts, Hammel's injury, down years overall for Reynolds, and Hardy, losing Markakis for a month. Etc. Etc.

I guess what I'm saying is that baseball is all about enforcing your will and capitalizing on the other team's mistakes. There's some luck involved with how many mistakes the other team makes (bad pitches, bad at-bats, etc), but you have to be skillful to capitalize on those mistakes. A skillful player can also magnify smaller mistakes.

Also, Bobby Valentine is a moron. It still gives me chills to think that he was in the running to be OUR moron. I don't think we'd be as "lucky" with Valentine at the helm instead of Showalter.

[ravens8589]

I'm not saying Valentine is wrong, but after this many games, it is no longer luck. Luck always runs out eventually, this is skill. I dare you to look up the run differential over the last month or so. Honestly, this is Valentine being a cry baby. He can't stand the thought of the Orioles finishing ahead of his Red Sox. I suggest him start focusing on his team rather than bash our team because last I checked, we have a winning record vs. his team. He has no grounds to bash. He has some validity to his point but honestly, at this point in the season, it is not luck anymore. This is a team that is winning games for themselves.

[Mark Carver]

Hey Bobby remember this....

[Mike B]

At the end of the season Buck Showalter is going to receive a paycheck from the Orioles and will continue to do so next year.

Bobby Valentine will not have the same thing occur from the Red Sox.
He just needs to shut up.

The sad thing is that ESPN will quickly hire Bobby V back nd trumpet him as a baseball expert. Their definition of baseball expert must be take the second or third highest payroll in baseball and manage to lose 90 games. My advice to Bobby is that he concentrate on evaulating the Red Sox rather than the O's. One other word for Bobby, STANDINGS!!!

I am shocked at the people who insist on using run differential as a means to run down the Orioles success. I think these are many of the same experts who predicted the Orioles would lose over 100 games.

[Mike B]

One other note. Thank you Bobby for turning down the Orioles job. We were able to find a real manager because of it.
Now go away Jack A@@.

[DJ MC]

Hey Bobby remember this....

He definitely has a much worse mustache differential than Buck over the years.

[ravens8589]

One other note. Thank you Bobby for turning down the Orioles job. We were able to find a real manager because of it.
Now go away Jack A@@.

I was actually going to say that but I wasn't sure if he turned it down or we hired Buck over him. Didn't want to have my facts wrong.

[RShack]

The main point of the article is not whether the O's are lucky or not... rather, it's just one of many pieces of evidence that show Bobby V to be a doofus... and by doofus, I mean douche.

ps: I have never used that last word on a message board before... which is fitting, because nobody has earned the honor like Bobby V has...

[Greg Pappas]

Sammy, let's make a better version of my design below and get a Tee Shirt campaign started!!!

[SportsGuy]

He's right BUT the way he says it is very douche baggy.

[bnickle]

Since retaliation is pending for Jones being hit by Buchholz is there any chance that instead of it being Pedroia we can just have Valentine sent up to the plate instead. We know the Bos players would like that too.

BTW.....couldn't hear the audio. What was Buck's response???