Poll= Was There More Pressure and Stress Down The Stretch Last Season Or Right Now?

[Old#5fan]

Another poster here (Can of Corn) is arguing that there was just as much stress on the Orioles last year to perform down the stretch (playoff run) as there is for this year's team. I strongly disagree, as although there was some pressure, the bar last year was pretty low to being with, as in a 500 season or better would have been a sucess. Anything better was gravy

Now this year the bar has been raised. Playoffs are more or less expected to have a sucessful season by most of us.

Let's settle this by a poll. To me its a no brainer as this years team is showing signs of the higher expectations and pressure of chasing a Wild Card spot. Even Buck said tonight during pregram the team was trying to hard, which is an obvious symptom of pressing and feeling the pressure. What do you think?

[Old#5fan]

I might also add, that I think the sucess of last season by Jim Johnson has caused him to put undue pressure on himself to repeat that high level of a performance and that is what is mainly wrong with him this season.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I won't go so far as to say ML players don't ever feel pressure, but for the most part it is a moot point.

[RichmondVA Orio]

I dont believe in pressure but I do believe in playing loose.

Why can't we go streaking? Everyone else has.

[Can_of_corn]

Needless to say Old Fan framed this question in a way which is not representational of the discussion that spawned it.

He proposed that last season was stress free and this year is full of stress. I countered with the assertion that there were indeed stressful situations last summer that the team endured.

My feelings are the same as CA-ORIOLE, pressure is not a meaningful force in play. I put it at about the same level as the weather.

[Old#5fan]

Needless to say Old Fan framed this question in a way which is not representational of the discussion that spawned it.

He proposed that last season was stress free and this year is full of stress. I countered with the assertion that there were indeed stressful situations last summer that the team endured.

My feelings are the same as CA-ORIOLE, pressure is not a meaningful force in play. I put it at about the same level as the weather.

I did nothing of the sort. You apparently cannot read and comprehend the English language all that well, if that is how you interpret my argument which was WAY more detailed than that. I even gave you a number of examples. Since you cannot even state my argument correctly, I strongly suggest you go back and read my lenghty posts and examples I gave. I agreed with you that there was some pressure last season, but it is night and day different this season due to the sucess last year. Sucess brings higher expectations. Sort of, um let's see - common sense!

[HokieOs]

Not even close. The pressure is on this season. Last year at this time there was no pressure. We were playing with house money. If we faded off and finished 78-84, we wuold have hit expectations... and people may have still looked a little harder at us for 2013. If we had held serve and finished 85-77 or so, people would have STILL been calling it a great season for us. Buck STILL would have gotten a lot of votes for manager of the year.

This year, people's eyes are on us. They know what we're capable of. But also WE know what we're capable of. As professional as these guys are, they still do feel pressure. And IMO, it has been evident the past few games. They appear to be pressing at the plate. Not that we have a real patient bunch anyway... but the last week or two has been swinging at just about everything. That even includes last night after the 3rd inning.

[sangar]

Before this thread degenerates into a pissing contest (too late?) I'd like to say that last year must have been profoundly exciting for the players, while this year contains an element of meeting expectations. Define pressure how you will. That said; I'm with Corny in putting it on par with the weather.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Before this thread degenerates into a pissing contest (too late?) I'd like to say that last year must have been profoundly exciting for the players, while this year contains an element of meeting expectations. Define pressure how you will. That said; I'm with Corny in putting it on par with the weather.

Yep, there's a difference between "trying too hard" (basically trying to play beyond your capabilities, which I would argue happens at various times for all players, at some points, particularly younger players) and buckling under pressure causing an inability to perform. The largest issue between this year and last year (besides being very "lucky" last year) is pitching and the BP. Do people really see those those as being affected by pressure?

[FlipTheBird]

To borrow an idea from Bill Simmons... last year's team really kind of rallied around the "Nobody Believes in Us" premise, and it showed down the stretch.

This year's club is dealing with "expectations" that no Oriole team has dealt with since 1998. The fans expect more. At least some of the media has expected more. Heck, the players themselves probably expect more.

[Jonesy10]

I'd say last year. If we would've faded and not even finished over .500, it would have been absolutely devastating. There's more expectations this year, but I don't necessarily think there's been more stress.

[CA-ORIOLE]

I'd say last year. If we would've faded and not even finished over .500, it would have been absolutely devastating. There's more expectations this year, but I don't necessarily think there's been more stress.

Exaclty. I'm not sure why people can't differentiate the two. Then again, I don't think that was the purpose of the poll design.

[Old#5fan]

Exaclty. I'm not sure why people can't differentiate the two. Then again, I don't think that was the purpose of the poll design.

Well I did the poll and the majority of voters agree with me. Like it or not, that is a fact. Does that make me superior to you or anyone who doesn't agree? Absolutely not, but COC started this by calling me out on a thread initiated by Roy Firestone to "stop the crap" regarding expectations causing more pressure this season. I find that his arrogant response was unwarranted, and not only because of the arrogance but because his take is clearly wrong in my view and as this poll here attests, the majority of fans - just as I knew would be the case. AGAIN, sort of COMMON SENSE. Like it or not, and this view is certainly not "CRAP". If Can of Corn thinks that, he better re-think the strong possibility that he indeed, is WRONG in his view on this.

[CA-ORIOLE]

Well I did the poll and the majority of voters agree with me. Like it or not, that is a fact. Does that make me superior to you or anyone who doesn't agree? Absolutely not, but COC started this by calling me out on a thread initiated by Roy Firestone to "stop the crap" regarding expectations causing more pressure this season. I find that his arrogant response was unwarranted, and not only because of the arrogance but because his take is clearly wrong in my view and as this poll here attests, the majority of fans - just as I knew would be the case. AGAIN, sort of COMMON SENSE. Like it or not, and this view is certainly not "CRAP". If Can of Corn thinks that, he better re-think the strong possibility that he indeed, is WRONG in his view on this.

I couldn't care care less that the majority of voters agree with you in your pretty biased poll.

Since COC has basically said he agrees with what I've already have stated, he probably doesn't have much to rethink imo.While I wasn't privy to your original conversation I'm guessing you've exaggerated it. While COC can be quite harsh at times I'm pretty sure he can apply some nuance and critical thinking at a scale well above what you have generally shown...certainly that's the case in this "poll" of yours.

[Tx Oriole]

Another poster here (Can of Corn) is arguing that there was just as much stress on the Orioles last year to perform down the stretch (playoff run) as there is for this year's team. I strongly disagree, as although there was some pressure, the bar last year was pretty low to being with, as in a 500 season or better would have been a sucess. Anything better was gravy

Now this year the bar has been raised. Playoffs are more or less expected to have a sucessful season by most of us.

Let's settle this by a poll. To me its a no brainer as this years team is showing signs of the higher expectations and pressure of chasing a Wild Card spot. Even Buck said tonight during pregram the team was trying to hard, which is an obvious symptom of pressing and feeling the pressure. What do you think?

I think this season is more pressure.