Season's over

[Hank Scorpio]

See that idea didn't work. The players didn't get it because the fans walked out on the team.

What we don't support is the owner and the organization, not the players playing the game as they have no control over who the Orioles obtain for talent or how they do it.

The idea was also not totally suppported by the fandom either.

A petition to the sponsors and others is a way to protest that everybody can get behind IMO and it doesn't confuse the players on the field. But everybody needs to support it for it to be taken seriously.

If people really want to do something, that's what needs to be done.

We all have to participate and support the idea, otherwise it will be fruitless before it even starts.

Sigh. I apologize everyone, but I have to address this one before finally falling asleep for the 4th time...

The players didn't "get it" because it was a protest about the guy that signs their paychecks. WTF would you expect them to do, support a protest against the owner of the team? Or the team's sponsors?

Any "protest" or "petition" is the very definition of a waste of time and energy, regardless of it's target.

You're better off becoming a cricket fan and abandoning baseball altogether.

[BaltimoreTerp]

LOL...I bet he still tries to tell you how to be a fan!

Nah, I save that for people I previously thought of as fans.

[JTrea81]

Sigh. I apologize everyone, but I have to address this one before finally falling asleep for the 4th time...

The players didn't "get it" because it was a protest about the guy that signs their paychecks. WTF would you expect them to do, support a protest against the owner of the team? Or the team's sponsors?

Any "protest" or "petition" is the very definition of a waste of time and energy, regardless of it's target.

You're better off becoming a cricket fan and abandoning baseball altogether.

And this is what kills things like this.

The players didn't get it because the fans walked out of a middle of the game. It's like walking out of a play or concert in the middle.

Fan petitions/letters to sponsors have worked before in entertainment. We know fan protests don't.

What's the harm in seeing the sponsors' and others reaction to something like this, and what they'll say to the Orioles about it?

I have interest in doing something and am willing to put effort into it if people are serious and there is support for this fandomwide, but if nobody is interested, there's no point.

[Skeletor]

I'm actually kind of pissed off at the players this year, too. Roll over and die.

[$Greatness$]

I'm actually kind of pissed off at the players this year, too. Roll over and die.

Might as well. 80% of the roster won't be here in 2 years anyway, so much as well get paid while rolling over and dying. They have nothing to play for because this organization doesn't want to win. And we won't win until someone finally decides enough is enough. I want to believe MacPhail is that guy, but we're in year 4 of a 5-year plan and I'm seeing more of the same. So I don't know...

[The Maestro]

As painful as it is to watch the O's, I find myself not being able to turn away sometimes. Kinda like a train wreck, you know it's not gonna turn out good but something keeps you captivated. It's been a painful 13 years or so, but I'm not about to jump ship. Will I continue to ***** and complain about how lousy they're playing or how the team is being run...probably. If I didn't care, it wouldn't matter to me...but it does, because I'm STILL a fan.

[maybenxtyr]

There are alot of people talking about being a fan, remaining a fan and what not in this thread. I am not sure that being a fan and expecting a little more out of a franchise go hand in hand. Of course most folks that grew up watching the O's will always have memories of the old days, but we are not talking about the past here.

This team/ownership/FO seem like they are not interested in building a competitive team for the long haul. Even if things had really went well this season you can see that they really did not have a plan for the next year. Now, things have fell apart and they really do not have many tradable players on this roster. They have a few, but at this point they are going to need to make a decision on what they really want to do.

If they gut the team, most fans will be back when they are good. Call them what you will, but that is how it is. If they do not get creative and just keep adding "older" guys, they will do more harm to the fan base IMO.

Anyhow. I have some fond memories of the older days, and even back then when the team was bad, it just seemed different. Todays game has changed. Baseball has 5 or 6 teams that are just way better in every aspect of the game than most other teams. That is really what they have to compete with. But it would be a great start to see them take an approach like Pittsburgh, Clevland, or even KC. At some point the bad signings need to stop, and just focus on building a group that can be here for several years.

[Left Field]

I haven't posted in a while which probably correlates to my interest this year. I have a nine game plan to the Ironbirds and have been trying to rekindle my interest with that team, but they are somehow even more dreadful then the orioles. The other night, I was sitting at the game and the thought crept into my mind that my love for baseball has subsided substantially over these past 14 years. I don't know if getting older with more responsibilities has more to do with it, but horrendous local baseball surely hasn't helped. I don't mean for this to be a reactionary, "I'm done with the Orioles," post. In fact, it is just the opposite. I feel that the Orioles have killed my love for baseball. It's bothered me for sometime and it saddens the hell outta you. Maybe I wasn't as good of a fan to begin with. I still pop in here occasionally to see what is going on and I'll admit, also to watch everybody tear each other apart...Ala watching a train wreck. I feel for everybody here because we all share or shared one thing in common, this team. We all deal with this team losing in different ways and no one way is wrong. What did we do back in the late 80's to early 90's to deserve this.....

[NewMarketSean]

I haven't posted in a while which probably correlates to my interest this year. I have a nine game plan to the Ironbirds and have been trying to rekindle my interest with that team, but they are somehow even more dreadful then the orioles. The other night, I was sitting at the game and the thought crept into my mind that my love for baseball has subsided substantially over these past 14 years. I don't know if getting older with more responsibilities has more to do with it, but horrendous local baseball surely hasn't helped. I don't mean for this to be a reactionary, "I'm done with the Orioles," post. In fact, it is just the opposite. I feel that the Orioles have killed my love for baseball. It's bothered me for sometime and it saddens the hell outta you. Maybe I wasn't as good of a fan to begin with. I still pop in here occasionally to see what is going on and I'll admit, also to watch everybody tear each other apart...Ala watching a train wreck. I feel for everybody here because we all share or shared one thing in common, this team. We all deal with this team losing in different ways and no one way is wrong. What did we do back in the late 80's to early 90's to deserve this.....

I agree completely. Baseball was always my first love as far as sports are concerned but the Orioles have done a lot to kill that love of the game.

[SilentJames]

No it doesn't. Protests work fine, but not this one. Trea Guevara. Give it a rest.

[NewMarketSean]

No it doesn't. Protests work fine, but not this one. Trea Guevara. Give it a rest.

Protests are less about actually changing something than they are about showing people you're angry about something.

So Trea and whoever else wants to protest, go ahead. It may not change a thing but that doesn't mean its meaningless.

[SilentJames]

Protests are less about actually changing something than they are about showing people you're angry about something.

So Trea and whoever else wants to protest, go ahead. It may not change a thing but that doesn't mean its meaningless.

A poorly organized internet protest is meaningless. NST's thing was at least organized and real. I hate it when people hop on a metaphorical cross for insignificant "causes".

If the complete lack of interest in the general public and the empty seats won't do it - then not patronizing Luna certainly won't do it either.

[Sports Guy]

Am I the only one who finds it interesting that Jtrea is always trying to do things that costs the Orioles money, yet he wants to complain that they don't spend enough?

[LookinUp]

Am I the only one who finds it interesting that Jtrea is always trying to do things that costs the Orioles money, yet he wants to complain that they don't spend enough?

Interesting, yes, but so what? I'd support a program to end world hunger if I had any confidence that the people implementing it could pull it off. Why should anyone support giving the O's their hard earned money when we know it won't be re-invested well?

[JayThomas]

Interesting, yes, but so what? I'd support a program to end world hunger if I had any confidence that the people implementing it could pull it off. Why should anyone support giving the O's their hard earned money when we know it won't be re-invested well?

This really is the point, isn't it? Think of how much more excited we'd be if Vlad's $8M had been added to Jordan's '11 draft budget.