I am embarrassed to be an Orioles fan.

[weams]

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

I hear that Samuel Adams has some skeletons in his closet though. I'd be careful of getting to close too that guy.

[Hank Scorpio]

You just became embarrassed?!

This, I've been embarrassed for at least 5 years.

[Orioles West]

To be embarrassed to me, includes a giant mistake of some kind, and following my home team from afar, and visiting Baltimore every chance I get does not fall into that category. Besides, I look GOOD in O's gear. That aside, it is becoming painful to watch the current regime continue to destroy a once beautiful baseball tradition. At this point, ownership is going to need surgery to get those collective heads out of that a...area.

Owners should be embarrassed, fans should be disappointed and the players need some help, because while they are paid quite well, they are trapped in the same circle of Hell with us.

-Don

[glenn__davis]

I really can't imagine actually being embarrassed to be a fan of a team. If anything I take pride in it because as crappy as they are I stay loyal to them. I love wearing my O's hat when I'm in other regions.

[Eddie_Ripken]

I really can't imagine actually being embarrassed to be a fan of a team. If anything I take pride in it because as crappy as they are I stay loyal to them. I love wearing my O's hat when I'm in other regions.

^^^^THIS^^^^^^

I am not completely happy with this off season(nor the past several) but I am in the camp that Frobby, Tony, etc. all have eluded already. We need to see how the assembled team plays thsi season or parts of anyhow before making a determination. The front office moves also need time, more than a season unfortunately which is sad because as has been stated nummerous times on the board just puts us in the same position as the past 10 years...."just wait 'til next season"...or..."we need to see how the three year plan works".

But I'll still be proud to say I am a fan throughout it all. Sad. Angry. Frustrated. Still a fan. I will wait that old bassturd owner out. I'm about 40 years younger than he is so I got time.

[24fps]

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.

Tony-

It looks like you might have taken my post seriously as did Slappy which was not at all my intention. My post was a sarcastic response to reaching the saturation point with the negativity that has recently become the norm around here. Even some of the best posters have taken to sniping from the sidelines at every opportunity. Perhaps instead of lollipops and rainbows I should have referred to the current attitude toward Duquette as a "lovefest" and my intent would have been clearer without the need for an eyeroll. Some of the references to DD at the moment are nothing less than adolescent smears, and unwarranted IMO.

My position on Duquette at this stage is fundamentally positive. He's come in and organizationally cleaned house, dived into the international market and acquired some reasonable (albeit unglamorous) players for the bench while also taking steps to address pitching; all within a budgetary straitjacket. In other words, he's immediately done many of the thing we've all been clamoring for for years without the resources and maneuverability to do the job comprehensively right away.

One thing he hasn't done is put a winning ballclub on the field for this season. Believe me, I get the frustration with that, but I don't get the impulse to look for every flaw in his 3-month tenure and pick at it until it bleeds which the OP is a textbook example of doing. Healthy skepticism is a good and necessary thing, but I think we all would be better served by waiting at least until the trade deadline before reaching for any pitchforks. Like it or not, at the moment he's playing the hand he was dealt.

[GeddyL]

I really can't imagine actually being embarrassed to be a fan of a team. If anything I take pride in it because as crappy as they are I stay loyal to them. I love wearing my O's hat when I'm in other regions.

100% agree.

I take pride in not being a fair weathered fan. No matter what happened the year before or what the FO did or didn't do in the offseason, till they tank it, I hold out hope for a miracle season. Just because on opening day every team is 0-0 and anything can happen.

[Hang10]

If you were actually a fan, you wouldn't be embarrasssed about anything. Instead you would put the long history of the team in context and be proud of their substantial past accomplishments, including Septermber 28, 2011.

If you spend your time here posting as an embarrassed so called "fan" of a team you need something more productive to do with your time.

[jabba72]

Im an O's fan, but I have not watched much baseball in the past decade like I used to. Almost nothing from other teams. Yes, the team has made me feel embarrassed constantly. Good deals on Ebay go unpurchased because im afraid of getting puzzled looks or accused of supporting an (intentional to some) loser. I wouldnt purchase something new from Angelos in a million years. This year I plan on watching some Nats in addition to Orioles games that I usually watch. I have a feeling i'll lose interest in the O's sometime in May or June. Maybe this time the Nats will keep my interest going throughout the year.

[NewMarketSean]

If you were actually a fan, you wouldn't be embarrasssed about anything. Instead you would put the long history of the team in context and be proud of their substantial past accomplishments, including Septermber 28, 2011.

If you spend your time here posting as an embarrassed so called "fan" of a team you need something more productive to do with your time.

Too young for that.

I am a child of 89, 92, 96 and 97.

I am never embarrassed to say I'm an O's fan but a fan also wants to win every once in a while.

[Robbie D]

Enough already! can we at least wait for the first error or loss to dog every single player? I mean last year at this time was equally as ridiculous with the 88-90 win talk, but it feels like we are already burying this team before the first pitch is thrown. I for one am cautiously optimistic about moving int he right direction this season. If we suck, I wont be shocked, but I'm still excited for the season to begin.

Flame away.

[lordbrook]

I really can't imagine actually being embarrassed to be a fan of a team. If anything I take pride in it because as crappy as they are I stay loyal to them. I love wearing my O's hat when I'm in other regions.

Preach on brother. I take all kinds of ribbing around here for all my O's stuff, but no one in their right mind would ever call me a band wagon fan. The minute that happens I will be about to get or give the ass kicking of my life. I am not embarrassed at all to be an O's fan, but I wouldn't defend Angelos even if I had a gun to my head.

I think the OP is confusing embarrassment with anger.

[Why_Knott?]

If you were actually a fan, you wouldn't be embarrasssed about anything. Instead you would put the long history of the team in context and be proud of their substantial past accomplishments, including Septermber 28, 2011.

If you spend your time here posting as an embarrassed so called "fan" of a team you need something more productive to do with your time.

Woah, lighten up there bud. Embarrassed might be a little strong. In retrospect I guess I am extremely disappointed. More so than at any point over the last 15 years.

Isn't an internet message board about the Orioles the place where you share your thoughts about the Orioles? Whether you chose to be a realist, or bask in the glow of better times that a whole generation of fans have *never* experienced?

[Why_Knott?]

This is the first time I have actually felt no hope for the coming season or for the foreseeable future.

[wildcard]

This team is snakebit. To have a player hit himself in the head so hard he can't use his considerable talents for years (if ever again) is embarrassing. His injury is self inflicted and it hurts the team sooo badly. Snakebit because Nick needed an off season to build his body up but instead he has to sit and wait for it to heal. The likely outcome is he will play because he is a determined player that will give a honest effort but he is unlikely to be the offensive leader the O's need.

Those problems have nothing to do with Angelos or Duquette. They are just the way things happen to the O's.

I am excited for the new season to start. I have believed that MacPhail was on the right track with Matusz, Arrieta and Britton. Young pitching that matures is the way out of last place. Wieters and Jones maturing into complete players is something to look forward to.

I am fine with adding complementary players this off season to the core. Having better players to fall back on when injuries hit is a good thing and probably will add some wins. So I am OK with what has happened this off season but its not finished.

The O's have a guy on 3B that should not be there. They have brought in several young players who might unseat him. That has to occur. The O's have a known problem that greatly hinders the team and it has to be addressed so the team can move forward. The Tigers have nothing on the O's when it come to worrying about 3B play.

The depth is still not deep enough. But I expect for DD to address it before ST is over. If Markakis or Jones or Reimold goes down who replaces them? Chavez will be great defensively but that is a steep drop in offensive production. Miller strikes out more then Reynolds on a per at bat basis. The odds are against him being a major leaguer. Some team will have a back up OFer available near the end on ST. I expect an upgrade from DD.

I think the pitching will be better. The depth will help. I am excited to see what the new players can do and to watch the young players develop. There is nothing like the crack of bat and the ball hitting the glove. Its something to look forward to and to enjoy.