I've had it

[MrOrange82]

I hate it when the Orioles lose, it makes mommy and daddy fight.

No, they fight because you screwed up your piano recital.

[Icterus galbula]

The decision to watch or not watch a baseball team, even one with the emotional attachment we all have, is just that: a decision. It isn't some agonizing, life-or-death struggle to hit the off button on the remote or the "x" in the corner of the GameCast. And if someone wants to take a couple days off from watching the games, or reading about the team here or elsewhere, I have no positive or negative feelings towards them whatsoever (in fact, I'd probably lean towards being supportive based on the present play).

But to make an entire thread listing your bona fides and why you feel we should know that you are giving up tells me one of two things. Either you are looking for pity for your decision to continue rooting for this club, or you think your ability to "quit" makes you some kind of special person who is somehow better than those of us who make the decision to keep watching the team. Either way, I'm not going to support that. And, frankly, that's my right.

There have been plenty of times where I've taken short breaks from watching, or from coming here. I've never felt the need to get up on the cross and declare my intentions in a post, because its my decision and I don't need anyone's pity or to feel superior in that fashion.

So before you start coming after people for their attitudes, why don't you ask yourself why they might have that attitude. You can do whatever you want. I just don't care either way.

Either looking for pity or thinking it's superior to say "I quit?" I call complete BS. Yes it's a baseball game. Yes turning a game off isn't life or death. But you know what? We are all here because we care about the Os more than the average Joe. That's why guys like us and SteveA pay to belong to this site. If someone who has been as rabid a fan as SteveA has, and the pain of the state of the franchise weighs heavily, they have every right to vent in the post. You've been here long enough to know SteveA's character. To asininely respond to his post with a bye and pretend like there is no smugness involved is crap. Crap.

[24fps]

I'm done too. Just cancelled my MLBTV. See you in december. We may have some hope there.

What, you can't watch other teams? What a waste of a subscription.

MLB.tv is the greatest thing since YouTube. Just because the Orioles aren't worth watching at the moment doesn't mean other teams also aren't. The Brewers and Braves immediately come to mind, they're playing some solid baseball right now. Checking in on other teams from time-to-time sure beats all the venting and teeth-gnashing that's taking over around here, and as an extra benefit, you're less inclined to start/support "goodbye cruel world" threads like this one.

[weams]

I decide that "hoping it doesn't hurt this time" is a stupid, moronic strategy.

I have been witness to Steve's dedication and his ultimate fandom. I think Steve is a real nice guy. I hope things get better for him.

[olehippi]

I understand Steve's frustration!!

How could so many people have been so wrong about so many young Orioles' players? It wasn't just the Orioles scouts, the Orioles management, the Baltimore Sportswriters, the Oriole Hangouters, it was just about every so-called knowledgeable baseball person in the country. Almost everyone believed that the Orioles had one of the best young crop of starters in baseball coming up through their system. Almost everyone believed that Matt Wieters was going to be an instant a superstar. Almost everyone believed that Buck Showalter would be able to quickly consolidate the talents of these young players. And almost everyone was wrong. What happened?

[weams]

No, they fight because you screwed up your piano recital.

This... And those lessons cost so much.

[MrOrange82]

I understand Steve's frustration!!

How could so many people have been so wrong about so many young Orioles' players? It wasn't just the Orioles scouts, the Orioles management, the Baltimore Sportswriters, the Oriole Hangouters, it was just about every so-called knowledgeable baseball person in the country. Almost everyone believed that the Orioles had one of the best young crop of starters in baseball coming up through their system. Almost everyone believed that Matt Wieters was going to be an instant a superstar. Almost everyone believed that Buck Showalter would be able to quickly consolidate the talents of these young players. And almost everyone was wrong. What happened?

Uhh...I don't think everyone believed things were quite so rosy, at least not coming into this season. Every sports person in-the-know that crstoner interviewed last winter seemed to think the O's were a mid-70's win team. So, basically, they predicted bad-to-mediocre, and got Godawful.

[Gurgi]

I understand Steve's frustration!!

How could so many people have been so wrong about so many young Orioles' players? It wasn't just the Orioles scouts, the Orioles management, the Baltimore Sportswriters, the Oriole Hangouters, it was just about every so-called knowledgeable baseball person in the country. Almost everyone believed that the Orioles had one of the best young crop of starters in baseball coming up through their system. Almost everyone believed that Matt Wieters was going to be an instant a superstar. Almost everyone believed that Buck Showalter would be able to quickly consolidate the talents of these young players. And almost everyone was wrong. What happened?

Its got to be Supernatural.

We should sacrifice something to the Baseball Gods.

[crawjo]

Today was something of a breaking point for me, watching Matusz throw slop, watching Blake Davis kick the ball around the infield, watching the offense fail to muster any kind of attack against a pitcher making his first major league start in four years.

I will never abandon this team under any circumstances, but it is getting really painful now.

For my money, this is as much on Showalter as its on MacPhail. Everyone agreed that we had some real talent in our pitching rotation heading into this year, and yet every single last one of those young pitchers has failed to do much of anything, and some have even regressed from where they were last year. That's on Showalter and that's on the coaches. What's also on Showalter is that he keeps batting J.J. Hardy leadoff. His OBP in the leadoff spot has been .295. Andino would be better in that spot. In fact, this is what the lineup should be from here on out:

1. Robert Andino 2B

2. Nick Markakis RF

3. Adam Jones CF

4. Mark Reynolds 3B

5. Matt Wieters C

6. J.J. Hardy SS

7. Vladimir Guerrero DH

8. Nolan Reimold LF

9. Brandon Snyder 1B

The Josh Bell experiment should be over at this point. That lineup is too right-handed but there's not much that can be done about that.

[Can_of_corn]

The Josh Bell experiment should be over at this point. That lineup is too right-handed but there's not much that can be done about that.

It was over last summer when he put up that 53/2 K/BB ratio and 525 OPS.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Today was something of a breaking point for me, watching Matusz throw slop, watching Blake Davis kick the ball around the infield, watching the offense fail to muster any kind of attack against a pitcher making his first major league start in four years.

I will never abandon this team under any circumstances, but it is getting really painful now.

For my money, this is as much on Showalter as its on MacPhail. Everyone agreed that we had some real talent in our pitching rotation heading into this year, and yet every single last one of those young pitchers has failed to do much of anything, and some have even regressed from where they were last year. That's on Showalter and that's on the coaches. What's also on Showalter is that he keeps batting J.J. Hardy leadoff. His OBP in the leadoff spot has been .295. Andino would be better in that spot. In fact, this is what the lineup should be from here on out:

1. Robert Andino 2B

2. Nick Markakis RF

3. Adam Jones CF

4. Mark Reynolds 3B

5. Matt Wieters C

6. J.J. Hardy SS

7. Vladimir Guerrero DH

8. Nolan Reimold LF

9. Brandon Snyder 1B

The Josh Bell experiment should be over at this point. That lineup is too right-handed but there's not much that can be done about that.

I'd rather see Adams play than Snyder. Vlad shouldn't be in the lineup.

[UnashamedRiver]

For my money, this is as much on Showalter as its on MacPhail. Everyone agreed that we had some real talent in our pitching rotation heading into this year, and yet every single last one of those young pitchers has failed to do much of anything, and some have even regressed from where they were last year. That's on Showalter and that's on the coaches.

I still maintain that the majority of pitchers get worse every year they are in the big leagues. Also, I never saw any potential in our pitching staff. None of our young starters have ever had impressive peripherals that would suggest a low ERA coming into this season.

[olehippi]

Uhh...I don't think everyone believed things were quite so rosy, at least not coming into this season. Every sports person in-the-know that crstoner interviewed last winter seemed to think the O's were a mid-70's win team. So, basically, they predicted bad-to-mediocre, and got Godawful.

I wasn't talking just about this year. Wieters is in his 3rd year. And based upon their minor league success, Matusz, Arrieta, Tillman, Britton, and even Bergesen to a lesser degree, were expected to quickly develop into solid MLB starters. The rush to the end of last season was an indicator it was going as planned. Then BOOM! It all imploded.

[Pedro Cerrano]

There are always going to be people who get so fed up and make posts about how they are done and don't care anymore, etc. Those people are entitled to post that and I totally get it.

Then there are always going to be people who act indignant and say "ok, don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya" and act like they're superior (while at the same time accusing the OP of being superior. Huh?). Those people are entitled to post that and I totally don't get it.

Me? I'm past the point of giving a rat's behind about this team this year. They're just pathetic.

[ChaosLex]

There are always going to be people who get so fed up and make posts about how they are done and don't care anymore, etc. Those people are entitled to post that and I totally get it.

Then there are always going to be people who act indignant and say "ok, don't let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya" and act like they're superior (while at the same time accusing the OP of being superior. Huh?). Those people are entitled to post that and I totally don't get it.

Me? I'm past the point of giving a rat's behind about this team this year. They're just pathetic.

Seconded.