Nestor & Flanny speak on rally

[ex-man O]

http://www.examiner.com/a-300815~O_s_faithful_voice_angst.html

[Ovechkin]

Finally someone from the O's with the guts to speak up. Flanagan is way wrong on this one. The players have already given up on the fans after listening to Yanks and Sox fans take over the stadium the last 9 years. Today's rally is designed to give the players hope that maybe during their careers here they'll have an owner that actually gives them a chance to play meaningful baseball. It's you Flanagan and your boss that have destroyed your players hopes not Nestor and the rally!

[Mackus]

I agree with Flanagan that its horrible timing. Nestor is going to take credit for every cent increased to the Orioles payroll next year, when his rally really has nothing to do with that.

This would have made a lot more sense a year ago, or even at the beginning of this season, but its just bad timing right now.

[Frobby]

If you ask me, the players should love this. It shows that the fans care about their team, and don't like the way it has been run.

[Hutman]

I agree with Flanagan that its horrible timing. Nestor is going to take credit for every cent increased to the Orioles payroll next year, when his rally really has nothing to do with that.

This would have made a lot more sense a year ago, or even at the beginning of this season, but its just bad timing right now.

Mackus, I totally disagree with you. Angelos has told us every year for the last 4 or 5 that this offseason will be different. That if the fans are just patient then he and his team will produce. After 9 straight loosing seasons its come time to put up or shut up. And spending MASN money on bad deals doesn't make sense either.

If you read the Crasnick article on ESPN you can see how we are viewed by the rest of baseball. We still see things through orange colored glasses. We have a couple of pieces, but we have no plan. And the front office lacks the authority and the determination to put in place a plan that will finally make us a winner.

Angelos needs to see that people are mad and that they do still care about this team and regardless of if he sells the team or not, people like Nestor need to give that a voice that he can't help ignoring.

[bgfield]

I agree with Flanagan that its horrible timing. Nestor is going to take credit for every cent increased to the Orioles payroll next year, when his rally really has nothing to do with that.

This would have made a lot more sense a year ago, or even at the beginning of this season, but its just bad timing right now.

Yep. I never was a big supporter of the protest but the timing of it is just completely wrong. This may be a worse season than 2005 but there are signs of hope; Bedard blossoming, Loewen coming into his own, Markakis putting up good numbers. There's a plan in effect, and whether or not it's a very good one or if it succeeds, that's a lot more than we could have said about the previous eight years. While I'd like a new owner as much as the next guy, all this is going to do is bring more bad publicity for a team that already has an overabundance of it. And Nestor probably couldn't care either way, just as long as his name and radio station are heard by everyone involved.

[Mackus]

This rally isn't going to have any effect on Angelos, IMO.

I think that it might get a few people who haven't been going to the games to go, and then if the Orioles make some moves this offseason, they will feel responsible for that and continue to go regularly next season - and that's certainly a good thing.

But I really, really doubt that Angelos is going to watch a bunch of people buy tickets to his game and leave and suddenly have an revelation and sell the team. In fact, Angelos selling the team would probably be the worst thing that could happen to the franchise, because he would likely keep MASN, and all of our newfound payroll flexibility would be gone.

I'd be all for him selling the team if he also sold MASN though.

[DrLev]

Nestor is going to take credit for every cent increased to the Orioles payroll next year, when his rally really has nothing to do with that.

As I've said before, Nestor can hoot and holler and take all the credit he wants. It doesn't mean anyone is going to listen. Going back to my already-used but still effective analogy, it is the same thing as SilentJames claiming his 'BELIEVE' sign inspired the O's to rally and win a key game. He can make all the claims he wants, but nobody would actually take him seriously. Nestor's a blowhard, but he's honestly the best guy to lead this thing. He's an attention whore, and attention is what this protest/rally needs. We've managed to get attention from three of the major national sports media sources (ESPN, SI, CBS Sportsline), which means that no matter what, I think this will draw at least a day of conversation and debate among them. The protest in Detroit had only 70 people and that got major media attention!

I think at the game today, it will be made eminently clear that we're not angry at the players. We're angry at the owner.

[wildcard]

I doubt this has much affect on anything. The players are playing meaningless games right now. For them to heard and see that the fans are upset with Angelos is not news to them.

What will speak very loud is what the O's do over the winter. If they go get the players required to win --- that will speak volumes.

[TonySoprano]

If you ask me, the players should love this. It shows that the fans care about their team, and don't like the way it has been run.

Tejada very publicly expressed his frustration with the losing. B Rob wants to see the plan for winning. Mora has been unhappy about the losing mentality. IMHO, I don't think any of them will be one bit upset.

[SteveA]

I agree with Flanagan that its horrible timing. Nestor is going to take credit for every cent increased to the Orioles payroll next year, when his rally really has nothing to do with that.

This would have made a lot more sense a year ago, or even at the beginning of this season, but its just bad timing right now.

Sounds very much like the arguments against that protest-signboard at the start of the season....it was horrible timing to do it on Opening Day because we were on the verge of what could be a very good season.

How did that very good season work out?

There's always hope if you are an optimist and believe that an organization which has produced 9 straight losing seasons will suddenly, miraculously, make a bunch of smart moves in the offseason

[Optimum O]

Flanny is wrong to put it on the players. They don't get it. This has nothing to do with a protest of the players. It is a protest against his boss, Mike himself and all the other "Yes Mr. A" robots that occupy the warehouse

[Boca Bird]

Hopefully, we'll get some actual comments from the players themselves and won't have to worry about figuring out if this yet another example of Flanny being wrong about something

[Moose Milligan]

The players aren't that stupid, they know the protest is about Angelos and not them. Flanagans an idiot.

[bgfield]

Flanny is wrong to put it on the players. They don't get it. This has nothing to do with a protest of the players. It is a protest against his boss, Mike himself and all the other "Yes Mr. A" robots that occupy the warehouse

You don't think it'll bother players in the least that not only do the come home to a half empty stadium, or a near full stadium with more than half the crowd cheering for the other team, now they also have to deal with a large group of fans walking out on them?