If we don't make the playoffs...

[DrungoHazewood]

Also, I didn't even mention Mussina because he wasn't in the org. in 89, but what do you think the odds are that the O's draft a HOF pitcher in 2014, and he's here in 2015 pitching as a bona fide ace? I'd very, very, very slim.

I'd say the odds of that are better than the odds of Duquette trading away 146 WAR worth of players and receiving -1.0 WAR in return. The players the O's gave away in the Davis and Tettleton deals were worth almost double Mussina's career.

[DrungoHazewood]

You find yourself in a position where you over analyze. It's pretty simple: This is a sport. Enjoy the games. When your team makes it this far into the season and are in a position to, as the OP originally questioned, make the playoffs then you should have your head in the game and get into it. There's no reasoning about it. If you had low expectations, then your expectations were obviously so bad and off the mark that they were off the map. Not that expectations matter... they don't. What I don't understand is trying to over-reason the situation. Young team or old team... expensive payroll or shoe-string budget... roster full of nobodies or full of All-Stars... the games still get played and still have outcomes that reach beyond what you or any so-called baseball analyst can expect or control. That's why they play the game. The problem with sports fans these days is that they are constantly inundated with expert analysis and predictions (that are probably wrong 85% of the time) almost to the point that listening to an analysis makes you feel as if you already know the outcome of a game or a season... and if the game ends up any other way then the game/season was mis-played or the outcome is diminished. That's exactly why I don't listen to / watch that junk.

Right now, on September 4 2012, with the current standings as they are and the games laid out in front of us --- how could you not be maxed out disappointed with anything but a playoff appearance?

Right now, on September 4, 2012, the O's are 1.0 game out of first place with a team that was being openly mocked and in total disarrary this past offseason, with win projections ranging from roughly 60-75. The 75 win folks were being laughed at as Angelos apologists. How could you not be overjoyed with that team finishing with 85+ wins, no matter if they make the playoffs or not?

The problem with sports fans these days is that too many of them think that not winning the championship is total failure.

[Pickles]

I'd say the odds of that are better than the odds of Duquette trading away 146 WAR worth of players and receiving -1.0 WAR in return. The players the O's gave away in the Davis and Tettleton deals were worth almost double Mussina's career.

I agree. Because short of trading away Machado and Bundy, which they won't do, the O's don't have those caliber of prospects in the organization now to begin with. Which was kind of my point.

[glenn__davis]

The problem with sports fans these days is that too many of them think that not winning the championship is total failure.

But this is pretty far off-point. No one is even mentioning winning a championship. No one is saying everyone else is a failure. This is about the playoffs and the playoffs only.

If the O's end up winning 85-90 games but miss the playoffs, I'm sure that, in time, I'll look back on this season fondly and remember what an enjoyable bunch of overachievers they were. But that doesn't mean that, in this moment, I won't be extremely disappointed if we miss the playoffs when we're in such a great position with a month to go.

[Todd-O]

Right now, on September 4, 2012, the O's are 1.0 game out of first place with a team that was being openly mocked and in total disarrary this past offseason, with win projections ranging from roughly 60-75. The 75 win folks were being laughed at as Angelos apologists. How could you not be overjoyed with that team finishing with 85+ wins, no matter if they make the playoffs or not?

The problem with sports fans these days is that too many of them think that not winning the championship is total failure.

Who said anything about winning the championship? The question is "making the playoffs."

Who cares about the mocking and perceptions of total disarray? Look how off-the-mark the Guthrie trade reactions/predictions were. The only expectations that ever mattered this year were those of the men on the team. Everything else doesn't matter... didn't matter... and shouldn't matter.

If you can't say that you won't be really disappointed to have this team be the first team to make the playoffs in 15 seasons - especially considering the position they have put themselves in - then that's just sad. I'm sure, then, that it would be right to assume that you will only be 1/2 as happy if they make the playoffs this year than if it were a year where baseball writers and radio show personalities had pumping the Orioles as "greats" and "sure shots" for the entire season? Would your happiness be further tempered if... say... they won the world series? Do expectations (or lack there of) really drive your enjoyment - and the qualified performance of a team - that much?

The beauty of this season is that the team is playing great ball. So good that they have forced their way into their current position. And, with that under consideration, it would be majorly *****10***** disappointing to see them not seal the deal and ****make the playoffs****. I hope I don't have to experience it.

[Darwin]

I will be very disappointed if the Orioles do not make the playoffs this year. 1-10 I would say 8.

[Dark Helmet]

I just don't understand how a team that's overperforming expectations by 15 or 20 games could be the most disappointing team possible. That's what a 10 is, as disappointing as you can get. More disappointing than the 2005 Orioles. More disappointing than the team that lost to Jeffrey Maier, or that had Armando Benitez giving up tons of high-leverage postseason homers. More disappointing than the '86 team that was poised to make a run under Earl in August, then collapsed like the 4-32ers.

To me it makes no sense.

I believe the question was, What would MY disappointment level be if they didn't make the playoffs, not how I viewed the team. Ofcourse this team is a success compared to the past 14. But, as the year goes on, and they keep winning, my expectations went up. The best case expectations was.500? Does that mean if/when this team gets to 82 wins, I stop watching because that's the best we should expect?

No matter how bad our team looked over the past decade, and how bad they were predicted to be, I went into each year with the playoffs as the goal. As a fan, why watch the game if you know the outcomes already set in stone. If they don't make the playoffs, the season won't be a total failure. But as a fan, my disappointment level will be a 10...and I bet the players would agree.

[Orioles West]

The Orioles have defied even my orange Kool-Aid, pie-in-the sky expectations for this year, I have loved the effort despite the key injuries and initial lack of pitching depth. So, to answer the question, I'll be crushed if they don't at least earn a wild card, simply because they have worked so hard to get this close. Thus a 9 or 10 if they can't play at least one extra game in the post season.

-Don

[DrungoHazewood]

But this is pretty far off-point. No one is even mentioning winning a championship. No one is saying everyone else is a failure. This is about the playoffs and the playoffs only.

If the O's end up winning 85-90 games but miss the playoffs, I'm sure that, in time, I'll look back on this season fondly and remember what an enjoyable bunch of overachievers they were. But that doesn't mean that, in this moment, I won't be extremely disappointed if we miss the playoffs when we're in such a great position with a month to go.

I'll be disappointed. But it's a whole other level of disappointment from what I was expecting. I was expecting another season where I watched 2-3 innings of every game before turning off the TV in disgust. If they win 89 games and miss the 2nd wildcard by an eyelash I'll find that annoying, but it'll still have been a heck of a ride. And nowhere near as disappointing as every one of the last 14 seasons.

I believe the question was, What would MY disappointment level be if they didn't make the playoffs, not how I viewed the team. Ofcourse this team is a success compared to the past 14. But, as the year goes on, and they keep winning, my expectations went up. The best case expectations was.500? Does that mean if/when this team gets to 82 wins, I stop watching because that's the best we should expect?

No matter how bad our team looked over the past decade, and how bad they were predicted to be, I went into each year with the playoffs as the goal. As a fan, why watch the game if you know the outcomes already set in stone. If they don't make the playoffs, the season won't be a total failure. But as a fan, my disappointment level will be a 10...and I bet the players would agree.

See, I went into most of the past decade+ knowing that the playoffs were a longshot, at best. I was watching to see how they were setting things up for the future, building a team that might one day be enjoyable. So while I've always hoped for the playoffs, mostly those hopes were crushed by May or June. There's nothing (short of reenacting 4-32) that'll make this season high on the disappointment scale. I'm not sure there's anything besides a crushing scandal that would make it a 10.

For this to be a 10 disappointment they'd have to play .150 ball the rest of the year and have it come out that Mark Reynolds was throwing games to get money to buy cocaine to sell at the local elementary school.

[Dark Helmet]

I'll be disappointed. But it's a whole other level of disappointment from what I was expecting. I was expecting another season where I watched 2-3 innings of every game before turning off the TV in disgust. If they win 89 games and miss the 2nd wildcard by an eyelash I'll find that annoying, but it'll still have been a heck of a ride. And nowhere near as disappointing as every one of the last 14 seasons.

See, I went into most of the past decade+ knowing that the playoffs were a longshot, at best. I was watching to see how they were setting things up for the future, building a team that might one day be enjoyable. So while I've always hoped for the playoffs, mostly those hopes were crushed by May or June. There's nothing (short of reenacting 4-32) that'll make this season high on the disappointment scale. I'm not sure there's anything besides a crushing scandal that would make it a 10.

For this to be a 10 disappointment they'd have to play .150 ball the rest of the year and have it come out that Mark Reynolds was throwing games to get money to buy cocaine to sell at the local elementary school.

To each their own. Its a question of personal feelings, so there's no right or wrong answer.

Yeah, deep down I knew those team realistically had no shots. But holding out hope kept me interested. I mean, I know there's no Santa too, but I don't go into the malls during the hollidays, telling kids that there wasting their time standing in line to see him either.

[Todd-O]

The beauty of sports: Anything can happen.... I, for one, can't wait to to get to the Yards this weekend just to cheer these guys onward toward the only possible goal they have: get into the post season dance. I'm fired up just thinking about it!

[orayole]

If you came into this season and "didn't expect anything at all," how in the world have the Orioles "surpassed [your] expectations?????"

That makes no sense... It's like saying:

"I don't like any particular kind of ice cream, but my favorite flavor is strawberry."

I can't believe a real fan of the team - a fan that loves watching the sport and loves post season baseball - wouldn't be 100% disappointed if the O's can't make it to the post season. There are fans that stay invested with teams even in the deep dark days... They still get disappointed in a loss even if a team is 20 games below in August... Then there are fans that have no problem disengaging themselves from a losing team. Heck, you know how many fans of the Nats are former O's fans that just couldn't take the losing and decided to put their eggs in the Nats basket starting right near the end of last season? Here in Mont. Co. I know a ton of them.

At the end of the day, you need to get your head in the game and get behind this team. You owe it to yourself, at least, if you really are an O's fan. You can't go your whole life protecting your sports feelings from possibly being hurt.

Geeesh.

No. When I say, didn't expect anything at all I mean that I didn't expect anything better than what we did last year. Not that I had no opinion on the team.

You are no one to judge what a real fan is. Just because I don't spend every waking minute thinking about baseball or the O's doesn't make me not a fan or less of a fan. There are other things in life to think about. If the O's not making the playoffs this year is a 10 level disappointment, then you must not have had many disappointments in life. I guess good for you then.

[OFFNY]

The beauty of sports: anything can happen .... I for one, can't wait to to get to the Yards this weekend just to cheer these guys onward toward the only possible goal they have: get into the post season dance. I'm fired up just thinking about it!

Actually, the Oriole players have another goal besides that: kick the Yankees in the balls as much as humanly possible while they are going for that coveted playoff birth.