I can't remember a year when there was less buzz about the start of spring training

[Birds of B'more]

Spring Training = Boooooooring

Just a bunch of players and coaches spewing cliche after cliche. The only thing I'm mildly intrigued about with regard to ST is how a 17-year old Korean kid looks, so that's not saying much. Aside from that, wake me up when the games count.

[Owen21]

Last year the buzz was caused by the prior season's last two months & the renewed hope of Arrieta, Tillman, Matusz, Britton, Bergy, Berken,etc. It appeared that they could be turning the corner.

That buzz is flat out gone this year. We need results. We'll see if Peterson can do something.

My enjoyment from this upcoming season will depend on the youth performing well.

I don't really care about 81 wins.

I really don't care much if Eveland,Ayala,etc. pitch well. I'd like the kids to make it happen !

[Dipper9]

With all the negativity surrounding the O's going into the season, I feel the need to add some light to an otherwise dismal Winter.

So, for those of us who need a lift, I present to you....September 28, 2011...

[video=youtube;cVOwMO6H5AI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVOwMO6H5AI&feature=player_detailpage

[BaltimoreTerp]

It's a good thing my enjoyment of baseball is not limited to buzz.

[EddieMurrayfan]

I am hoping for the best but expecting the worse.

Thats what i was thinking last night when I ordered "Maryland Crab Cakes" at a local restaurant her in WPB. I know better but I decided to go against better judgment. If you ever visit WPB, FL and go to eat at Duffys, dont get the crab cakes. They were like a version of those overfried brown crab cakes they had at Memorial Stadium. Just a sorry excuse for a crab cake.

The lack of buzz for ST this year is a culmination of 14 years of utter futility and no teaser acquisitions. There is absolutely no reason to be excited except for the fact that its baseball. We all know the drill - its like groundhog day.

Expectations are at zero, so with guarded optimism we can only hope that some of the young guys make the season worthwhile.

[Orioles fanatic]

The main thing I'm excited about, is the fact that I didn't renew my season ticket plan.

In year's past, I would have shelled out my money in hopes that they would add some pieces to get fired up about. With the lack of activity to add decent talent, I'll keep my spending down on unwise investments.

[TheBee]

I want to see Chen for the first time, Strop more, and I'm interested in seeing if Lindstrom is a better pitcher than he was when I used to watch him more regularly. I will root for my favorite O, JJ to be the closer for a whole year, and I will pray that Britton, Arrieta, and Matusz can get back on track to becoming the solid, (MOR) major league starters I still think they can be. I will hope Kevin Gregg gets traded, abruptly retires to pursue a career in the laboratory sciences - he's already got the glasses, or at least gets jury duty on a long, involved trial that requires substantial sequestering.

[SteveA]

I am still looking forward to this weekend when pitchers and catchers report. But I have to say, I can't remember a year when there was less buzz about it.

It has been a long, long winter. Nothing that has happened with regard to personnel moves is very inspiring. And, the recent spat between the O's administration and OH has darkened everyone's mood. So, I totally understand the lack of buzz.

Still, I am ready for a change of subject. I'm ready to hear about some athletes competing for jobs and preparing to play, instead of the steady drumbeat of front office stuff. So bring it on already.

Yep, the front of the Baltimore Sun sports page today, 3 days before pitchers and catchers report, had an article on the Ravens and a whole ton of stuff about the Terps. You had to go to about page 5 to find the Orioles at all.

Remember when Jim Palmer and Ralph Salvon would begin their drive from Baltimore to Florida each winter, and you'd read about it in the paper? Hell, even the loathsome Red Sox who finished 7-20 last year and choked away a playoff spot, had a big sendoff the other day for the equipment truck as it hit the road for Florida.

[Frobby]

Two more days....I am starting to get excited. I'm really looking forward to reading the blogs from Roch and Britt on Saturday as the pitchers and catchers roll in. Sure, I know it will mostly be just meaningless sunshine and roses, but I am more than ready to hear reports that Matusz, Tillman, Hunter et al. are in great shape from working with Brady, that the Japanese pitchers were hitting their spots in the bullpen, that everyone is impressed with Dylan Bundy's stuff and maturity, etc., etc. and blah blah blah. Bring it on!

[NewMarketSean]

It will be nice to have some real stuff to discuss.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I guess I'm a homer. I'm starting to get excited and am even more optimistic than last year. The Vlad/Lee signings didn't do much for me last year. I'm looking for our young pitchers to step up and some others to improve and maybe a few of these marginal type acquisitions to surprise. I'll admit the lack of quality trades, Bader stuff, and Korea thing has got me down a bit. If we can get some of these guys to do well, we'll have more tradeable assets going forward. I'd have liked to have seen us improve the defense more (3b,CF).

[Hang10]

Winners are built when no one is watching.

[El Gordo]

I can remember a few springs where I was pretty down about the team. The only thing worse than a bad team is a bad team where there aren't any stories. I think this team at least has some storylines, most notably how Wada and Chen look when they start pitching in games.

Lot's of storylines: Chen and Wada, Wieters bat, Markakis' health, BRob's health, Antonelli/Flaherty/Miller, Arrieta's new imprived elbow, Matusz' return to form?, Reimold's glove in LF, Reynold's glove at 3B, Chris Davis' bat., Who's on 2B? Who leads off? Who bats #4?

[CA-ORIOLE]

Lot's of storylines: Chen and Wada, Wieters bat, Markakis' health, BRob's health, Antonelli/Flaherty/Miller, Arrieta's new imprived elbow, Matusz' return to form?, Reimold's glove in LF, Reynold's glove at 3B, Chris Davis' bat., Who's on 2B? Who leads off? Who bats #4?

Yep, the SP's competition and the BP (which might actually be good). I know we're going to stink but I'm hopeful we'll have more than a few of these young guys step it up this year and become assets.

[Camden_yardbird]

Maybe the lack of expectations is a good thing.