What is the matter with you people?

[Moose Milligan]

Good God, one awesome season and it's like Sons of Sam Horn around here when the slightest bit of adversity comes our way. This is how you deal with a losing streak? This is how you react?

If anything, this fan base should have an iron stomach after getting kicked in the nuts repeatedly for the previous 14 years leading up to the 2012 season. And this is how we're reacting?

One losing streak doesn't wash away everything that was built over the past year. Yes, the starting pitching is depleted but if you want to look at something positive from yesterday, at least Freddy Garcia gave us a strong start. Davis is still mashing. Nick looks like he could be heating up again.

Sack up and remember how things used to be. This is how you react when JJ has lost his groove? Man, I know who I'd want in my corner if I was in some trouble and it's not many of you.

[Dipper9]

Good God, one awesome season and it's like Sons of Sam Horn around here when the slightest bit of adversity comes our way. This is how you deal with a losing streak? This is how you react?

If anything, this fan base should have an iron stomach after getting kicked in the nuts repeatedly for the previous 14 years leading up to the 2012 season. And this is how we're reacting?

One losing streak doesn't wash away everything that was built over the past year. Yes, the starting pitching is depleted but if you want to look at something positive from yesterday, at least Freddy Garcia gave us a strong start. Davis is still mashing. Nick looks like he could be heating up again.

Sack up and remember how things used to be.

Hey, I've been as positive as they come around here, but when your closer blows 3 games in a week, and is the main difference between being 3-3 vs 6 games under .500 in that span, its perfectly acceptable and understandable that people are pissed right now! I'm glad you're not, and I'll be right back in front of the boob tube again tonight, but losing the way we have this week gives us all a right to be a little angry.

[Going Underground]

Good God, one awesome season and it's like Sons of Sam Horn around here when the slightest bit of adversity comes our way. This is how you deal with a losing streak? This is how you react?

If anything, this fan base should have an iron stomach after getting kicked in the nuts repeatedly for the previous 14 years leading up to the 2012 season. And this is how we're reacting?

One losing streak doesn't wash away everything that was built over the past year. Yes, the starting pitching is depleted

but if you want to look at something positive from yesterday, at least Freddy Garcia gave us a strong start. Davis is still mashing. Nick looks like he could be heating up again.

Sack up and remember how things used to be.

But people don't want the way things used to be. Alot of people are still not sure if last year was an anomaly,or many good years for the O's to come. We shall see because I still see alot of good things with the club.

[Fla_O'sfan]

The fanbase enjoyed the 2012 season so much and now, after 6 straight losses and 3 blown saves in one week by their closer, are starting to envision a return to the endless dismal "out of it by summer" seasons fresh in all our memories. You can't blame anyone for not wanting a return visit to that place.

[schmed77]

I slept on it, I am better now. A new day a new game... Although it looks like Seven is staring this team in the face. JJ and Strop soil themselves when they see the interlocking NY... I am going to HATE seeing those interlocking NY arrogant fans at the Yard tonight. I will be calm, no beer for me, just coffee and an old bay sausage as I am an old man and need to stay focused and awake. Plus, I will have to drive my GF (Sux Fan-NE Born and Bred) and her friends back to NOVA, I am sure they will be intoxicated, LUCKY ME. An O's win will make me drive back with a nice GRIN on my face!!!! GO O's

[The Fuzzy]

I understand the frustration. My own concern was whether this team would be sort of a baseball version of the recent Oakland Raiders: after years in the abyss, they rebounded with a decent/contending season or two, generating hope and wild optimism along the way, only to go right back into the crapper the following year.

I think this team'll be fine, though. They're in a rut, to be sure, but that's baseball. As Ken Singleton said on 105.7 yesterday, the '83 O's had 2 7-game losing streaks. So I'm not about to throw my hands up in despair just yet.

But again, given where this franchise was for almost a decade and a half, I get the angst.

[Orioles0615]

Good God, one awesome season and it's like Sons of Sam Horn around here when the slightest bit of adversity comes our way. This is how you deal with a losing streak? This is how you react?

If anything, this fan base should have an iron stomach after getting kicked in the nuts repeatedly for the previous 14 years leading up to the 2012 season. And this is how we're reacting?

One losing streak doesn't wash away everything that was built over the past year. Yes, the starting pitching is depleted but if you want to look at something positive from yesterday, at least Freddy Garcia gave us a strong start. Davis is still mashing. Nick looks like he could be heating up again.

Sack up and remember how things used to be. This is how you react when JJ has lost his groove? Man, I know who I'd want in my corner if I was in some trouble and it's not many of you.

Right now it feels like my nuts were starting to heal and then some idiot comes along and kicks me in the nuts again.

[stomperspc]

Good God, one awesome season and it's like Sons of Sam Horn around here when the slightest bit of adversity comes our way. This is how you deal with a losing streak? This is how you react?

If anything, this fan base should have an iron stomach after getting kicked in the nuts repeatedly for the previous 14 years leading up to the 2012 season. And this is how we're reacting?

One losing streak doesn't wash away everything that was built over the past year. Yes, the starting pitching is depleted but if you want to look at something positive from yesterday, at least Freddy Garcia gave us a strong start. Davis is still mashing. Nick looks like he could be heating up again.

Sack up and remember how things used to be. This is how you react when JJ has lost his groove? Man, I know who I'd want in my corner if I was in some trouble and it's not many of you.

I agree with all of this.

I don't even know what to say other than "this is baseball". If people can't see the difference between this losing streak and past seasons, then I don't know what to tell you. If this is a bad team that is falling apart at the seams then guess what? It must have been a bad team ten days ago as well because you don't go from "good" to "bad" in the the span of six games.

This team has some issues. So do all teams. However, they look to me like a pretty good team who has hit a rough patch where wins are hard to come by. They are still averaging 4 1/2 runs per game over the last six games. The starters have allowed 1 ER, 4 ER, 7 ER, 4 ER, 3 ER, and 2 ER over that stretch (I see one really bad start from Hammel and one bad start from Garcia). The offense is constantly hitting and getting runners on base which is all you can really do. Johnson was extremely good (to nearly historic levels) for a long time and has happened to group together a series of blown saves rather than stretching them out. The offense is not unclutch, the starters are not all terrible, and Johnson doesn't need to be immediately removed as closer because of six bad games. There is a difference between a bad baseball team and a team that is currently struggling to win.

The Yankees at one point last night had four runs on six hits due to four solo home runs. The Rays got to 3 runs on Sunday on four hits (they added three more after they were done scoring). Meanwhile we're hitting bullets that were finding fielders. That's baseball. Teams don't always lose just because they lack talent or effort. Sometimes they just lose.

It stinks we've lost 6 in a row. It hurts that we have lost three of those games in the 9th inning. Losing to the Yankees like that is never a fun experience. Like Moose said, six games doesn't wipe everything else away and completely change how a team is going to compete going forward.

[SticksandStones]

Good God, one awesome season and it's like Sons of Sam Horn around here when the slightest bit of adversity comes our way. This is how you deal with a losing streak? This is how you react?

If anything, this fan base should have an iron stomach after getting kicked in the nuts repeatedly for the previous 14 years leading up to the 2012 season. And this is how we're reacting?

One losing streak doesn't wash away everything that was built over the past year. Yes, the starting pitching is depleted but if you want to look at something positive from yesterday, at least Freddy Garcia gave us a strong start. Davis is still mashing. Nick looks like he could be heating up again.

Sack up and remember how things used to be. This is how you react when JJ has lost his groove? Man, I know who I'd want in my corner if I was in some trouble and it's not many of you.

I do not post often, but I am glad that someone said it!

This team is completely different than any team we've had in the last 14 years, and it's not hard to see. JJ will not continue to blow save after save, and a couple of bounces our way and this board would be singing a completely different tune.

We have a great young core, Jones and Davis are turning into legit superstars, I shouldnt even have to mention Manny, and we have Buck leading the way. We will be fine. Not to mention, it's only May!! Lots of baseball left fellas.

[LA2]

Good God, one awesome season and it's like Sons of Sam Horn around here when the slightest bit of adversity comes our way. This is how you deal with a losing streak? This is how you react?

If anything, this fan base should have an iron stomach after getting kicked in the nuts repeatedly for the previous 14 years leading up to the 2012 season. And this is how we're reacting?

One losing streak doesn't wash away everything that was built over the past year. Yes, the starting pitching is depleted but if you want to look at something positive from yesterday, at least Freddy Garcia gave us a strong start. Davis is still mashing. Nick looks like he could be heating up again.

Sack up and remember how things used to be. This is how you react when JJ has lost his groove? Man, I know who I'd want in my corner if I was in some trouble and it's not many of you.

I second this.

[NewMarketSean]

I think there is evidence that this losing streak points to bigger issues with this team. Poor SP, although we have gotten 2 decent starts in a row, and a bullpen that's shaky at best. To cap it off, our closer is just getting hammered.

Meanwhile, the RISP success is tapering off and injuries are weakening the team seemingly every week.

It doesn't mean they're going to lose 100 games but the possibility of a playoff berth seems more and more unlikely, especially when you look around the rest of the AL and see teams like Cleveland, Detroit, Oakland, Texas, Boston, NY and TB playing well.

[callahan09]

The pitching is in dire shape right now. According to MLB.com for all of these stats (all of Majors):

Late/Close*:

*The seventh inning or later with the batting team ahead by one, tied, or has the tying run on base, at bat or on deck.

AVG: .244 (19-T)

OBP: .344 (22-T)

SLG: .358 (15)

OPS: .701 (18-T)

ERA: 4.33 (24)

WHIP: 1.35 (20)

RUNS: 30 (29)

9th Inning Or Later:

AVG: .277 (30)

OBP: .359 (30)

SLG: .415 (27)

OPS: .774 (29)

ERA: 4.07 (25)

WHIP: 1.45 (28)

RUNS: 21 (28-T)

May:

AVG: .276 (25)

OBP: .341 (24-T)

SLG: .463 (27)

OPS: .804 (27)

ERA: 5.18 (27)

WHIP: 1.43 (24-T)

RUNS: 89 (24)

And you know what's the worst thing about this? We have the 2nd best defense based on FPCT and our offense is #1 in runs scored in the Late/Close split with 42 runs, and 2nd in OPS with .839.

In the 9th inning or later, we are 6th with 23 runs (but 15th in OPS with a .665 mark).

In May we are T-13th in runs (79) but 7th in OPS (.769).

The offense and defense have done enough to win games, but the pitching is in shambles and is currently easily one of the worst units in the majors.

[BirdinBama]

Totally agree with you, Moose.

[webbrick2010]

Really it's not rocket science

Line up the rosters of all the teams in the AL East, go position by postion and rank the players, including 5 Starting Pitchers and a couple bullpen arms.

What I find is that the O's are at an obviouse talent deficit.

Unless we bring in a Cliff Lee type the O's will finish 4th at best and probably last in the AL East. All you have to do is compare rosters.

[atomic]

The relief core looks bad right now. They were the strength of the team last year. Maybe the luck is not happening this year like last year. And we will play to what we have. A .500 team isn't so bad. At least the games have been interesting until the end. And the defense is pretty solid.

I am not concerned. I enjoy the games as long as they aren't getting blown-out, making bad defensive plays, walking everyone. Although on Saturday they did walk a bunch of people and made some bad defensive plays.

People on here are very reactive. They were saying Machado was the best player on the team even though he hasn't even come close to even playing a full season yet. And keep slobbering over Mark Reynolds numbers even though the season was a month old. Now the guy is hitting .250 and falling back to his normal horrible numbers no one is posting about him.