Do you think this is the year the Nats really start to infringe on the Orioles?

[Frobby]

I routinely go to 6 OPACY games a year, and 5 at Nats Park (2 of which tyically are when the O's visit DC). I've never been that excited about the Nats, but I'm in a group with great seats (3rd row behind the visiting dugout) and it's very convenient for me. Since I'm going anyway, I'd be very happy if the Nats were in a pennant race. Heck, if they were in it in September, I might end up going to a couple of extra games to root them on. But they aren't cutting into my Orioles patronage.

[carolinaoriole]

Just curious. Aren't the Braves and the Nats in the same division? Have the baseball fans "down your way" ever heard of a kid named Strasburg? How about a young outfielder named Bryce Harper? The Nats have a manager named Davey Johnson - ever heard of him?

You seem to be a real baseball fan but I find it interesting how you only know one person who has ever heard of the Nationals.

The Braves fans talk about the Phillies. I have never heard any Braves fan mention the Nationals. The 1 person I know that has heard of the Nationals is my 31 year old daughter who is a Red Sox fan.

She has heard of the Nationals because of I talk of them when the Orioles play them twice a year.

[24fps]

The answer to the thread title is yes, although I believe the situation goes deeper.

Last year was the second year I had the mlb.tv package. Mid-season the O's truly sucked and I found myself watching other teams in self defense. Good baseball is compelling stuff and at the time the Cards, Brewers and Braves were supplying plenty of it.

It would be difficult to find a more committed Orioles fan than myself, but by my experience last year is significant nonetheless. For myself and most people, watching baseball is entertainment not punishment. For $119.95 virtually every MLB game is available either live or archived. That's one of the best values in life. OTOH good baseball and comprehensive choice creates an environment that's very subversive over time to any fan. The proximity of the Nats ought to be worrisome for obvious reasons. Couple that with fans no longer being restricted to watch the O's for market reasons and you have the makings of true long-term erosion.

[PaulFolk]

The Braves fans talk about the Phillies. I have never heard any Braves fan mention the Nationals. The 1 person I know that has heard of the Nationals is my 31 year old daughter who is a Red Sox fan.

She has heard of the Nationals because of I talk of them when the Orioles play them twice a year.

Sorry, but why should this matter to us? Your friends clearly know very, very little about baseball, especially the Braves "fan" who has never heard of a team that's in the Braves' division and plays them 15 times a year.

You may not talk to a lot of people who are knowledgeable about baseball, but that doesn't make the Nationals any less significant.

[Dwight Schrute]

The Braves fans talk about the Phillies. I have never heard any Braves fan mention the Nationals. The 1 person I know that has heard of the Nationals is my 31 year old daughter who is a Red Sox fan.

She has heard of the Nationals because of I talk of them when the Orioles play them twice a year.

Are they going to get the intertubes in South Carolina anytime soon?

[carolinaoriole]

Hey now

[Rene88]

Start to infringe?

What he said...

I go to Brazil and a bad offseason got laughable.

I know many fans wear their allegiance as a badge of honor, but for younger generations there are too many competing forms of entertainment generally and particularly in the DC-Baltimore area.

The Nats clearly care about their fans. Angelos clearly doesn?t and it is embarassing to continue to make him richer. A penny saved with the Os doesn?t go to the Orioles, it goes to Angelos.

This year, I am going to the Nats opening day. I will always be an Orioles fan but cannot take the pain anymore, time to scale back my watching.

[carolinaoriole]

It should not matter to anyone. And it should not matter to anyone if some Oriole fans have Nat envy. I was just taking part in the discussion. Sorry if the view of the Nats does not meet up with expectations.

[carolinaoriole]

Those Nats just are not very well known in all circles.

[crawjo]

I think the answer to the question posed in the thread title is "Yes." But for me regional competition is a good thing.

[NewMarketSean]

I know you weren't talking about switching, but others have, and the post I was specifically responding to did.

But paying more attention to the Nats because you think they'll be good - is that not the exact definition of a bandwagon fan? I'm not trying to be critical, just trying to understand the mindset.

Exciting baseball. I just want to experience it again. Since the Nats are close by, why not?

I can't see myself being a die-hard Nats fan. The O's will always be #1 for me. But if the restaurant I love and grew up with keeps turning out horrible food, I am going to stop going and start going to a place that might be getting a lot better.

[Whammer]

Exciting baseball. I just want to experience it again. Since the Nats are close by, why not?

I can't see myself being a die-hard Nats fan. The O's will always be #1 for me. But if the restaurant I love and grew up with keeps turning out horrible food, I am going to stop going and start going to a place that might be getting a lot better.

I'll take good, fundamental baseball for a change. Just run, catch, throw and hit like a professional. I was at the game last year when Snyder got hit by a ground ball running to second. Had the misfortune of seeing Matusz pitch twice last year. Saw Gregg walk the bases loaded and blow a save. Vlad, DLee, Pie. How much more can a man take????

All that said, I'll always be an O's fan but it wouldn't hurt going down to the Navy Yard occassionally for a different perspective.

[DrungoHazewood]

I think the answer to the question posed in the thread title is "Yes." But for me regional competition is a good thing.

It is, but as in everything with the O's there's a caveat. Since the O's/Angelos own a majority of MASN the success of the Nats makes Angelos money. The extra cash from the success of the Nats and MASN probably offsets the loss of cash from some of the remaining 56 Oriole fans jumping ship.

[NewMarketSean]

I'll take good, fundamental baseball for a change. Just run, catch, throw and hit like a professional. I was at the game last year when Snyder got hit by a ground ball running to second. Had the misfortune of seeing Matusz pitch twice last year. Saw Gregg walk the bases loaded and blow a save. Vlad, DLee, Pie. How much more can a man take????

All that said, I'll always be an O's fan but it wouldn't hurt going down to the Navy Yard occassionally for a different perspective.

That would help, but this is still a pretty low baseball IQ team. The players they've added this year probably haven't improved it much.