21 replies to this topic

[Moose Milligan]

A few more weeks until Opening Day but as I've been reading posts on here about how our team is looking and who is battling it out for the #5 rotation spot and in the bullpen...I realized how thankful I am that we're past the days of holding out hope for guys like Daniel CaBBrera and wondering if we can squeeze a good year out of Russ Ortiz or Steve Trachsel...wondering if Aubrey Huff will have a good year at 1B/DH....Knott and House, the all time spring training heroes (SG, I'm looking at you)...Castro/Fahey/Bynum battling it out for a middle infield spot...Radhames Liz....Garrett Olson...guys that we had hope for but deep down we knew that they wouldn't pan out to anything.  Brian Burres.  

 

Things are so much better now.  It's nice to finally have a spring training where there's some good talent battling it out for the final few roster spots with more talent in the minors that can step up.  As it stands now, we'd have Bud Norris #5 and we're looking at signing Ervin Santana with Gausman waiting in the wings.  

 

Feels nice to have a positive feeling in spring training for once instead of looking at guys who are lining up for the slaughter.  

 

[McNulty]

You are absolutely right dude, I had a similar thought earlier today.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Great post Moose. 

 

'98 - '11 was such a train-wreck.

There are still things you can quibble about, or dislike about the organization......  but back-to-back winning seasons, with a strong existing core? I'm as excited for this coming season as I can remember.

I'm looking around, and without trying to get too far ahead of things.... I'm really liking the potential for the O's to do big things this year.

[SBTarheel]

GREAT post, Moose!

 

Even greater to see you posting here more often.

 

SB (Beaner on OH)

[SportsGuy]

Having potential elite talent changes everything.

[Oriole85]

I remember being so optimistic every year even if it was just things like finishing 500. Then 2012 hits, and I was thinking 75 tops and my prediction was 68 wins which was seen as optimistic.

 

I'm very happy with the last two years and hope it continues.

[dude]

IMO, the Orioles have the best opportunity to make the playoffs since 1999.

 

That may not be saying much given what they've done the last 15 years...but there is legitimate opportunity and upside well beyond past seasons.

 

There's a debate on how intentional getting here is....as far as maintaining opportunity into the future...

 

....but it feels good to start the season at this point.

 

Team still has to go out and get it done everyday.

[FFH]

I have no doubt DD is trying to win.

[fishteacher]

A few more weeks until Opening Day but as I've been reading posts on here about how our team is looking and who is battling it out for the #5 rotation spot and in the bullpen...I realized how thankful I am that we're past the days of holding out hope for guys like Daniel CaBBrera and wondering if we can squeeze a good year out of Russ Ortiz or Steve Trachsel...wondering if Aubrey Huff will have a good year at 1B/DH....Knott and House, the all time spring training heroes (SG, I'm looking at you)...Castro/Fahey/Bynum battling it out for a middle infield spot...Radhames Liz....Garrett Olson...guys that we had hope for but deep down we knew that they wouldn't pan out to anything.  Brian Burres.  

 

Things are so much better now.  It's nice to finahen lly have a spring training where there's some good talent battling it out for the final few roster spots with more talent in the minors that can step up.  As it stands now, we'd have Bud Norris #5 and we're looking at signing Ervin Santana with Gausman waiting in the wings.  

 

Feels nice to have a positive feeling in spring training for once instead of looking at guys who are lining up for the slaughter.  

When a friend of mine said to me the other day (mind you he's a diehard Red Sox fan) "I know it's only ST, but your boys look GOOOOOODDDDDD," I was happy to say, "Yeah...I know.  It feels great to know that my beloved Orioles are back to being scary for the Yankees and Red Sox." 

 

He then reminded me that the Red Sox won the World Series last year....yep, typical. 

[tennOsfan]

I'd dearly love to see this bunch play til the end of October.  What a ride that would be.

[fan4life]

A few more weeks until Opening Day but as I've been reading posts on here about how our team is looking and who is battling it out for the #5 rotation spot and in the bullpen...I realized how thankful I am that we're past the days of holding out hope for guys like Daniel CaBBrera and wondering if we can squeeze a good year out of Russ Ortiz or Steve Trachsel...wondering if Aubrey Huff will have a good year at 1B/DH....Knott and House, the all time spring training heroes (SG, I'm looking at you)...Castro/Fahey/Bynum battling it out for a middle infield spot...Radhames Liz....Garrett Olson...guys that we had hope for but deep down we knew that they wouldn't pan out to anything.  Brian Burres.  

 

Things are so much better now.  It's nice to finally have a spring training where there's some good talent battling it out for the final few roster spots with more talent in the minors that can step up.  As it stands now, we'd have Bud Norris #5 and we're looking at signing Ervin Santana with Gausman waiting in the wings.  

 

Feels nice to have a positive feeling in spring training for once instead of looking at guys who are lining up for the slaughter.  

 

To sum it up, what you are thankful for is Dan Duquette. And I'll join the praise.

[mgallo]

Don't forget good ole Andy Mac who put most of this core together.....So thank you Andy Mac DD and Buck for giving us a summer of baseball to look forward too.......and playoffs....playoffs....who said anything about playoffs (thank you to Jim Mora classic haha)

 

I am siced for some O's baseball...WOOOO Go O's

[Moose Milligan]

To sum it up, what you are thankful for is Dan Duquette. And I'll join the praise.

 

I agree with mgallo above.  MacPhail has his fingerprints all over this team, he's responsible for a lot of this as well.

[Dr. FLK]

This team finally has "spare parts" that would be useful to real baseball teams.  This is in stark contrast to years when we were waiting for the MLB version of Rumpelstiltskin to spin our bums into gold.  Organizational depth is so critical to the long baseball season, and the Orioles finally have some.  Bud Norris isn't even guarantee our #5 spot.  How crazy is that?  A few years ago, he would have been the face of the franchise.

[SBTarheel]

Count me in on the "Thank MacPhail" bandwagon. He took a ton of crap on the foxhole  (not as much over here)over the years, but looking back now, he deserves a huge tip of the cap right now.

[NewMarketSean]

I still think this is an 85 win team with potential for 5-10 more wins depending on the performance of some key players, so I think playoffs are still a question mark but I am still excited for the season and looking forward to another year of Orioles baseball where we won't be eliminated by May.

[Dr. FLK]

I still think this is an 85 win team with potential for 5-10 more wins depending on the performance of some key players, so I think playoffs are still a question mark but I am still excited for the season and looking forward to another year of Orioles baseball where we won't be eliminated by May.

Anytime you have BOS/NYY/TB in your division the playoffs will rarely be more than a question mark.  That's really the best we can hope for.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Well I just came back from Sarasota and if the team hits the way they did this weekend, we will all be having a very happy summer.

[mgallo]

Anytime you have BOS/NYY/TB in your division the playoffs will rarely be more than a question mark.  That's really the best we can hope for.

Well unless your the Yanks who make the playoffs every year and if they happen to miss the playoffs once every ten years then they just throw a few hundred million at the problem....

 

BTW not hating on them for that...Good for them they have an ownership group who does what it takes to win...Wish our owners would do the same, although this seems like the worst time to complain about that since what 2004?

[You Play to Win the Game]

Well I just came back from Sarasota and if the team hits the way they did this weekend, we will all be having a very happy summer.

 

Even Chicken Nickle?