614 replies to this topic

[dude]

I want a sweep this weekend. Hopefully they are reeling after getting stomped today and we're catching them at the right time. We're rested and the offense has been a tad bit better lately. Shock the world and get the sweep this weekend. Boy would that change the rest of the season perceptions.

 

I agree and it's the way fans should think.

 

...but the Team needs to be different.  You can't win the series on Friday, you can only win Friday.  Maybe we'll see where the Leadership of this Team is.  You bring it tonight and then tomorrow night, then the next night.  Win today.  Yesterday is done. Tomorrow will get here.  Find a Way today.  Doesn't matter why or how you're here.  You're here and you got here by playing your ass off most nights.  Do that.

 

Blue Jays want to win too.  They can basically put themselves in by sweeping too.  

 

It's a meritocracy.  Go out and earn it.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Have they invited you to give a locker-room speech yet dude?

[dude]

Have they invited you to give a locker-room speech yet dude?

 

Probably won't be me...I lack value on a public internet message board.

[Pedro Cerrano]

How many times has the word “meritocracy” been written in this board?

[BSLSteveBirrer]

I am selling out to win tonight.

Then I am selling out with whatever tools I have available to win Saturday.

Then Sunday what happens happens.

 

I think our chances are waaayyy better tonight and Saturday. Doesn't mean I am punting on Sunday but putting my best eggs in the Friday and Saturday baskets.

[85Knight]

I am selling out to win tonight.
Then I am selling out with whatever tools I have available to win Saturday.
Then Sunday what happens happens.

I think our chances are waaayyy better tonight and Saturday. Doesn't mean I am punting on Sunday but putting my best eggs in the Friday and Saturday baskets.

They could lose tonight and then win the next 2 but tonight's game feels like a must win in this series. Isn't this fun?

[BSLSteveBirrer]

They could lose tonight and then win the next 2 but tonight's game feels like a must win in this series. Isn't this fun?

Sure they could but the next two games are day games. 

Sunday is against Manoah.

I don't like our chances much as it is. But tonight seems like we gotta be all in.

[85Knight]

Sure they could but the next two games are day games.
Sunday is against Manoah.
I don't like our chances much as it is. But tonight seems like we gotta be all in.

I was agreeing with you.

[Mackus]

Rays lost last night. Still a wildly improbable path but not impossible.

Find a way to beat the Jays this weekend.

[dude]

The last couple weeks kind of highlight the challenges of playing with expectations.  I mean Playoff expectations, not the "we won 15 games more than we won last year at 55 wins" type lame expectations.  Good teams learn/know/understand how to play with expectations.  It's what good teams do.  Everyone is trying (usually) to win, the Talent separation is never that big.

 

The Tigers and Giants had more expectations coming into this season and look how that's working out for them.  Winning is hard.  You don't win because you used to lose or because it's cyclic or anything else.  You win because you find a way to out-perform the other team, on the field, most nights.  The 2012-2016 Orioles were pretty good at this, despite being an average (81+/-W Team).

 

The good news, if we want some good news, is that there's a much better chance of the Orioles making the Playoffs today with 19 games to play then there was of them winning 85 games for the 2023 season (looking back 6 months).

 

Anyone can get hot for a couple weeks.  So no pressure now, just go play.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Of course there is still pressure and expectations. But Im not buying that they are playing any tighter than they did a month ago. They are just a few horses short. And no not Grade 2 stake guys like Trey and Lopez. Grade 1 studs

[You Play to Win the Game]

I mean I don’t think it can be debated that the pressure has taken a toll on the offense.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I mean I don’t think it can be debated that the pressure has taken a toll on the offense.

I dont know thats its pressure any more than baseball being hard and the majority of these hitters being avg to below avg overall as hitters.

 

 

Our best hitters. The most talented ones. Ced, Gunnar, AR are performing in Sept. 

[You Play to Win the Game]

I dont know thats its pressure any more than baseball being hard and the majority of these hitters being avg to below avg overall as hitters.


Our best hitters. The most talented ones. Ced, Gunnar, AR are performing in Sept.

But many aren’t, and are well below their normal production, and team wide situational hitting is terrible. I know that can be luck in small sample sizes, but I think it’s the pressure. They’re also a couple guns short. Both are true IMO.

[Mike in STL]

Doesn’t help when you gave away two contributors either.

[Mackus]

Doesn’t help when you gave away two contributors either.

Elias certainly shouldn't be getting any votes for executive of the year, IMO. Big fan of the big picture, but he botched the micro this season.

I'm aware this is a bit of a contradiction with my thoughts on Hyde, but they are different roles. Going backwards at the deadline, even if the team didn't follow, is a big knock on Elias'grade for this season, which is all that this type of recognition is about.

[JoyinMudville]

Doesn’t help when you gave away two contributors either.

Mancini's hitting 208 with Houston. Who knows what he would have been doing if he stayed with us but it hasn't been impressive

[Mike in STL]

Mancini's hitting 208 with Houston. Who knows what he would have been doing if he stayed with us but it hasn't been impressive

Probably better. Being able to play in his comfort zone. Not uprooting his life and moving into a new club house with new teammates and new coaches giving you their new opinions midseason. 

[BobPhelan]

Also a winning team that seems to have a good clubhouse environment and a much better place to hit so it all evens out.

[mdrunning]

The Mariners have now lost three in a row and four of five. As a result, we're now four behind them for the final wildcard. Trouble is, they finish September against the designated dregs of the American League: Oakland, Kansas City and Texas.