I am embarrassed to be an Orioles fan.

[fish113d]

While I am disgusted in what the FO has done to this team for 14+ years, I for the life of me, can not bring myself to just start rooting for another team or being a "fan" of another team like the Nats, the Phils, or someone else in the area. I don't have it in me to be disloyal to this franchise. While I will not go to as many games this year as my way of protesting a bit against Angelos, I will still watch them probably every freaking night (at least until 9:30 pm or so until Buck brings in Kevin Gregg to blow a late-inning lead). I just am WAY MORE of an Orioles fan than that...at some point something good has to happen and we'll begin winning again...

[Orioles0615]

I wonder how many members would join the board if the O's actually were winning.

[Frobby]

Also, I'm deeply skeptical - and have been from Day One. That said - and I'll say it again - every GM deserves patience. We'll see what happens. I have my expected outcome, but I will be more than happy to be wrong.

This is where I am. I will just wait to see what we get from Antonelli, Flaherty, Teagarden, Chavez, Miller, Betemit, Hammel, Lindstrom, Chen, Wada, Eveland, Ayala et al. and how they complement or don't complement the players already here. I think I know what's likely, but I'm willing to let the year play out and see what else transpires.

[Can_of_corn]

This is where I am. I will just wait to see what we get from Antonelli, Flaherty, Teagarden, Chavez, Miller, Betemit, Hammel, Lindstrom, Chen, Wada, Eveland, Ayala et al. and how they complement or don't complement the players already here. I think I know what's likely, but I'm willing to let the year play out and see what else transpires.

I am hoping for one of two outcomes. Either have this odd mess work or have it go up in flames of epic proportions. I am tired of the O's being the fourth worse team in baseball. I want either respectability or spectacle!

[TonySoprano]

So you don't agree three buttocks boy?

It was sarcasm. Sometimes it's more entertaining to be a little obscure. Enough of obscurity. After the last couple of weeks of non-stop Duquette-bashing and general Oriole negativity around here we need another post like the OP and another thread like this about as much as we need three buttocks.

..and now for something completely different

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PqosS6DBwhA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[ShaneDawg85]

Ever notice how most of these threads are started by posters with less than 500 posts? I'm all for new people and new voices and perspectives, but this stuff happens at least once a month. Unfortunately, this offseason it's been two or three per month.

[Satyr3206]

There were times when I took pride in being an Orioles fan. For some reason it has all changed this off season. BTW I havent seen a winner since I was in fifth grade.

I haven't seen a winner since my hair had no gray in it.

[weams]

After the complete debacle that it was to actually get a GM, we end up with an out of touch Red Sox cast off who couldn't sniff a FO job anywhere else (why was he out of baseball for 11 years?).

We promptly change our philosophy from signing mid level, waste of talent American free agents to signing mid level, waste of talent international free agents.

Next we sign a 17 year old Korean high schooler who throws 80 MPH. Keep in mind, most MIDDLE SCHOOL pitchers can do this. We promptly get banned from Korea. Wait, then MLB voids the contract.

Well, we still have our number one pitcher. Let's trade him for a cast off starter and an above average reliever? We shouldn't keep him so he can throw 200 innings. Let's just get rid of him for garbage.

Let's also hype up Dana freaking!!!!! Eveland. I mean, he must be the answer. He had four good starts last year and has never been a good MLB player in his career. Fits the DAN DUQUETTE mold.

Unsettled about Adam Jones? Why trade or extend him, let's sign him to a one year deal just to avoid arbitration. DD would hate to actually do something meaningful.

Now Zach Britton is hurt. How long will this linger? I will guess probably for the rest of his career.

I'd take Andy back in a second. At least he was in touch with reality. We are absolutely EFFFFFFFFFED for now and for the future.

This is a new low point for the Orioles.

I'm not embarrassed. I like being an Oriole fan. I hope someday they will win. It would be awesome again.

[Tony-OH]

I'm glad somebody had the nerve to point all this out. Lord knows, the complacency around here was putting me to sleep. Anybody else tired of all the lollipops and rainbows since Duquette took over?

As someone who has supported some of Duquette's offseason, I don't think it was all lollipops and rainbows. BTW, are lollipops and rainbows really that nice? I mean, rainbows means there is rain around and depending on what flavor the lollipops are, they may not be all that good and they can be very sticky and stain your tongue. By I digress..

Seriously though, I think what most of us were happy with was his internal changes that addressed scouting and development. Now we know his scouts don't know the rules in Korea and that makes me start to wonder what else are they not up on? I'll know more about the new developmental guys but they all have good resumes and come from good organizations so hopefully that will be a big plus.

It's hard to argue with anyone that Duquette didn't go bargain bin shopping for his roster "upgrades." His trades included sending potential useful minor league players (Miclat and Henry) for a backup catchers. I might of given up one of those guys, but not both for a backup catcher.

I would never wish back MacPhail, and I'm not ready to call Duquette a bust, but there is little to get excited about for this upcoming season.

[EddieMurrayfan]

My love for the Orioles has nothing to do with my view of this organization. True love never dies.My contempt for the way this franchise has been run is fair; the Orioles have been a complete

disaster. The fact that teams like the Marlins, Rockies, Rays and soon the Nationals have eclipsed this once proud franchise disgusts me.Those teams have done it within the 14 years of utterly

inept baseball performed by the Orioles.

I dont dislike the players, they do the best they can. But time after time this franchise makes poor judgements, invests foolishly or not at all and treats its proud heritage with either disdain or

disrespect.

No amount of this will dull my love for the game and the respect of this teams legacy. But its a damn shame.

I have to agree wholeheartedly.

[Sanfran327]

I'm not embarrassed. I like being an Oriole fan. I hope someday they will win. It would be awesome again.

I'm somewhat embarrassed. I wasn't before when I thought they were just a crummy team because, hey, someone has to finish last. That's the nature of sports, and I was willing to bide my time until they won again because I knew it would make it that much more awesome. To have stuck with a team through thick and thin and be around when that loyalty is rewarded is the coolest feeling you can have as a fan. It didn't take nearly as long, but when the 49ers got themselves out of the gutter this year, it felt awesome. I'm looking forward to that time as an Orioles fan.

Until this week, however, I never really bought into the conspiracy theory that the O's were some diabolical organization determined to fail. Now I don't think they're necessarily determined to fail, but I realize now more than ever how dysfunctional it is in the warehouse and how that negative venom probably infects the entire organization from the top down.

I love the O's for the group of players on the field regardless of the quality and I always will. But it's clear that their leadership is broken, and for that I am embarrassed to be an Orioles fan.

[EddieMurrayfan]

Ever notice how most of these threads are started by posters with less than 500 posts? I'm all for new people and new voices and perspectives, but this stuff happens at least once a month. Unfortunately, this offseason it's been two or three per month.

Just be happy there are still people out there who actually care about this team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Who else can the vent to that even cares a lil bit?

[NewMarketSean]

You know what really ticks me off? Those darn Brits with their tea taxes.

[Mr Snuffleupagus]

another one of these?...

Sigh.

We lost another one.

[Todd-O]

I don't feel ashamed or embarrassed to be an O's fan. I find it annoying, most definitely, on many fronts... especially all the ridicule that I receive from former O's fans that are now Nats fans (most of my baseball fan friends are in this boat). I look at it this way, though: Most of those folks can't take the losing and have jumped ship citing reasons of morality and not supporting a crooked owner... really the only reasonable parachute someone can strap-on and not look like a fair-weather fan. I, however, will stick it out. The major benefits being: still being able to take my family to Camden on beautiful summer days, still enjoying the play calling of Joe Angel and Fred Manfra on the AM, and knowing that glory will some day return (and when it does it will taste AWESOME... I just hope I'm here to experience it).