102 replies to this topic

[weird-O]

I wouldn't bring it up at all on my own, but when people kept saying that they are pretenders that haven't played anybody (which has kind of stopped after the latest run) I think pointing out that they have in fact been good for a longer period than a few weeks and played plenty of good teams last year is a little bit relevant. Especially since they didn't substantially improve the team over the offseason and the core is largely the same. I would have been more open to the pretenders label last July or August than now. But if you don't think last year with like half+ the same roster is meaningful you don't have to give it any weight, sure.

Like I posted, pointing out that they turned a corner last season is a fun fact. But the way people beat that drum around here, is more than just a little over the top. As for the pretender aspect of it, your GM said they were pretenders last season. You can't get much more of a competent opinion than that one. The O's are 31-16, isn't that good enough to stand on it's own merit? I think it is. And I thought their W-L record stood on its own, before they started winning multiple series against other good teams.   

[glenn__davis]

I'm just a realist. I don't mean to damper everyone's excitement. 

 

Of course you do.  It's your whole schtick here.  But all good my friend.  Enjoy the season.

 

Are your pennants hung vertically, or horizontally? And is your "Arbitrary combination of wins-losses over 2 seasons" pennant given the prominent spot in their order? 

 

Huzzah!  No room for any positivity here!

 

For the record I think it's a meaningless thing as well.  I just don't understand the need to criticize others for posting.  The board has become a rather miserable lot.  I guess we should all just stick to ELIAS AND ANGELOS SUCK!

[TwentyThirtyFive]

My lord are Baltimore "fans" a miserable lot. What theyve always said is absolutely true. Sad.

[weird-O]

Of course you do.  It's your whole schtick here.  But all good my friend.  Enjoy the season.

 

 

Huzzah!  No room for any positivity here!

 

For the record I think it's a meaningless thing as well.  I just don't understand the need to criticize others for posting.  The board has become a rather miserable lot.  I guess we should all just stick to ELIAS AND ANGELOS SUCK!

If you agree with me, why take that jab? And if you're looking for a negative O's fan to give the middle finger to, keep on walkin'. You're looking at the wrong guy. I laugh at consolation prize stats, like cherry picked W-L records. But I'm not laughing at this team. Like I mentioned to Mako, I didn't need wins against good teams to have confidence in who the O's are. If that's not enough positivity for you ,then maybe you should stick to 2035's posts. He's already declared this team, as they're constructed today, to be a full on WS contender. 

 

Here's to hoping he's right 

[BobPhelan]

Love fans that essentially root for the team to lose to fit their narrative. Second best record in baseball, just swept the Blue Jays in Toronto, the best farm system in the sport on top of it that includes yet another #1 overall prospect. You’re allowed to enjoy it and still hate ownership and how they got here. Ask Ricker.

[weird-O]

Love fans that essentially root for the team to lose to fit their narrative. Second best record in baseball, just swept the Blue Jays in Toronto, the best farm system in the sport on top of it that includes yet another #1 overall prospect. You’re allowed to enjoy it and still hate ownership and how they got here. Ask Ricker.

Whose rooting for them to lose? That type of comment requires named examples.

[ivanbalt]

Whose rooting for them to lose? That type of comment requires named examples.

You questioned building a plaque for best record 5/2022 - 5/2023. 

[85Knight]

I don't understand the fascination with combining some of last season with the start of this season. If it's to assert the idea that the O's turned a corner in the middle of '22, that's cool. I mean, Elias disagrees with them. Hence his punting on that season. So yes, it's a fun factoid. But I see that stat posted several times a week, as if it's really a big deal. It's like pointing out that for a random stretch of 3 seasons, the O's had more wins than any other team. I wouldn't be surprised if some of those folks actually had a pennant made to celebrate that marvelous accomplishment. It hangs on their wall along with their 1983 WS champs and their 2013 Ravens SB pennants.

I completely disagree. It's more than just an arbitrary time period when you look at the rebuilding process of this team. 162 of course is not a random number but the number of games in a full season. It has significant consequence with the O's because this is basically the same team over that stretch and just as importantly that time period coincides with the arrival of Adley. For other teams looking at things over a couple of seasons might be insignificant but in this case I think it definitely signifies the trajectory of this franchise.

[makoman]

You questioned building a plaque for best record 5/2022 - 5/2023.

A plaque would be crazy. Just a pennant. Flags fly forever.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Love fans that essentially root for the team to lose to fit their narrative. Second best record in baseball, just swept the Blue Jays in Toronto, the best farm system in the sport on top of it that includes yet another #1 overall prospect. You’re allowed to enjoy it and still hate ownership and how they got here. Ask Ricker.

100% rooting for the team to lose. Or at minimum are apathetic and dont care and would prefer they lose to drive their narrative.

[weird-O]

100% rooting for the team to lose. Or at minimum are apathetic and dont care and would prefer they lose to drive their narrative.

Again, show an example of a poster who is rooting for the team to lose. Since you doubled down on his comment, surely you can provide a quote from someone. 

[Mackus]

A 72-win pace from here on, which I believe is fewer wins than anyone projected them coming into the season, would lead to an 82-80 record.  I think the objectives for the season have to be evolving upwards, both because of the simple math between having 31 wins today instead of 21 to 25 or so and because of the increased expectations for what to project from today forward.

 

The few people who pegged them for 90+ coming into the season are certainly looking good so far.

[weird-O]

I completely disagree. It's more than just an arbitrary time period when you look at the rebuilding process of this team. 162 of course is not a random number but the number of games in a full season. It has significant consequence with the O's because this is basically the same team over that stretch and just as importantly that time period coincides with the arrival of Adley. For other teams looking at things over a couple of seasons might be insignificant but in this case I think it definitely signifies the trajectory of this franchise.

I totally agree. But why is that something we need to be collectively reminded of, multiple times a week? And as I posted earlier, isn't their 2023 record enough to support the idea that they are a good team, maybe even a playoff contender? 31-16 in '23 doesn't need any help from the '22 W-L record to validate their position.    

[TwentyThirtyFive]

Again, show an example of a poster who is rooting for the team to lose. Since you doubled down on his comment, surely you can provide a quote from someone.

Who would claim to be a fan and outwardly root for the team to lose. Ill triple down on what he said and Ill double down on what I said. Generally speaking Baltimore "fans" are miserable.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

I totally agree. But why is that something we need to be collectively reminded of, multiple times a week? And as I posted earlier, isn't their 2023 record enough to support the idea that they are a good team, maybe even a playoff contender? 31-16 in '23 doesn't need any help from the '22 W-L record to validate their position.

Its not randomly brought up. Its brought up in response to counter posters who still proclaim they are a fluke. Tell those people to take their '23 record for what it is on its own merit

[makoman]

I totally agree. But why is that something we need to be collectively reminded of, multiple times a week? And as I posted earlier, isn't their 2023 record enough to support the idea that they are a good team, maybe even a playoff contender? 31-16 in '23 doesn't need any help from the '22 W-L record to validate their position.    

The citation of the record wasn't by me, but it seems clear it wasn't for you, it is clear you don't need it. It was for ken who said the O's aren't even a contender, today, at 31-16. Then claimed he is just a realist, which is what pessimists always say as justification. 

[weird-O]

My B-I-L texted me yesterday, and ask if the O's are for real, or is he dreaming. The only part of my reply to him, that wasn't 100% positive, was this. " The jury is still out on the starting pitching, because there are some unknowns" In other words, without a significant track record, all we have is what we've seen so far. My comment was focused on the young arms the team has developed.   

[weird-O]

Who would claim to be a fan and outwardly root for the team to lose. Ill triple down on what he said and Ill double down on what I said. Generally speaking Baltimore "fans" are miserable.

Right, that's the question I asked you. Provide a post where an O's fan shows he's actively rooting for the team to lose.

[TwentyThirtyFive]

And by the way, we are now 30% in. Still a long ways to go but 30% doesnt qualify as "out of the gate" either.


But Ill be the first to tell anyone that the mediocre to poor stretch is coming. It happens to nearly every good team every year. So ken and others will have their moment to do their thing. That will be fun.

[weird-O]

The citation of the record wasn't by me, but it seems clear it wasn't for you, it is clear you don't need it. It was for ken who said the O's aren't even a contender, today, at 31-16. Then claimed he is just a realist, which is what pessimists always say as justification. 

I understand. I've been talking baseball with Ken for so long, I guess I've learned how to interpret his comments. But there's a great chasm between pessimism (which could be better termed as tempered optimism) and rooting for them to lose.