Passan: Orioles Unwillingness to Spend Hurting Team

[scOtt]

I think the fact that our payroll is 20 million less then 2013 is about all that needs to be said about the offseason. And thats with the extra TV money and increased attendance.

I'm still really psyched about Opening Day tomorrow. GO O's!!! #diesux

[Prayin4Reign]

The article says it all. The ownership is killing their fan base. My dad first got season tickets for my family in 1967. For the first time in 46 years someone in my family will not have season tickets. My brother and I have decided to not renew our tickets. We had a two year window to be champions once again. Mr. Angelos and his greedy sons chose not to spend the money to put us over the hump. Some of the apologists on this board will talk about "having a winning team." I want to compete for a championship. Angelos does not. It pains me to give up my tickets, but this off season has proven to me Mr. Angelos doesn't care about his fan base.

So you sat through 14 years of losing baseball, and now that the team is pretty good, you're giving up your tickets? That is an insane way to look at things. You may think ownership is killing the fan base, but the increases in attendance and TV ratings suggest otherwise. Whether the O's are a "winning team" or are "competing for a championship" remains to be seen.

I think your comment is really over the top. To a degree I think I understand where Russ is coming from. The Orioles are on the cusp of doing something great, something everyone has waited on...and instead of taking advantage of the situation it seems (at least at this point) that ownership is batting a blind eye and not stepping up. Exactly why wouldn't that be extremely frustrating to a lifelong fan?

Having said that...I still haven't given up hope on this offseason, and I don't think others should either. I think Duquette is playing things close to the vest, he's a very competitive man. Last year he showed a willingness to go out and make some moves for a playoff push. I think the Orioles will spend some money and pickup a starting pitcher. I suspect that our payroll will be around 95 million at the start of the season, giving him some wiggle room to make moves down the stretch.

[Guest]

I think we have seen enough of these articles posted already. We know the Orioles haven't spent money this off-season.

You do know this is his power ranking right? He got the Orioles at 21

[Frobby]

Yes we sat with a partial plan for 14 years. I sat there when Nestor Aparicio had his group walk out in mass. I love this franchise. We finally had hope. A two year window to get a championship. This winter we lost our top reliever, second baseman, failed to add a starting pticher to one of the worse staffs in baseball, in fact we lost a starter in Feldman. A tough decision in tough economic times but we decided to put that money to family priorities instead of Mr. Angelos pocket. This offseason Mr. Angleos has proven he doesn't give a damn about the loyal fans that have stuck with this franchise through difficult times. I don't want a winning team. I want a championship. If Nestor Aparicio had another walk-out in protest instead of sitting there supporting the team like I did last time I would join the walk-out.

And then you too could be the laughing stock of Baltimore and even some National Media outlets. Lumping yourself with Nestor and his walkout group tells me quite all I need to know.

No, I'm not going to insult russsnyder. He is entitled to his point of view. But he needs to realize that he is in the vast minority. Lots of us (me included) are disappointed with this offseason so far, but I'm not writing off this season and I will enjoy going to see the team play.

[Rene88]

What in the heck are you talking about? Is there a point in there somewhere or are you just trying to insult me in a ridiculously worded way?

If you aren't smart enough to comprehend what I said I will try to explain it better for you next time, just let me know.

I was told last time I received an infraction to report posts like that. Silly me had no idea you could do such a thing.

It is amazing what some get away with on here. No need to be so demeaning and personal.

For what it is worth, I like to hear all opinions if I agree or not.

[atomic]

No, I'm not going to insult russsnyder. He is entitled to his point of view. But he needs to realize that he is in the vast minority. Lots of us (me included) are disappointed with this offseason so far, but I'm not writing off this season and I will enjoy going to see the team play.

I went to around 16 games each of the last two seasons. I won't go to that many this year but I will still attend probably 5 or 6. I mean if I could sit through seeing Jim Johnson blowing all those games last year I can watch the team without any signings. A few years back we didn't have any star players and the pitchers couldn't throw strikes, the fielders couldn't field or throw to the right base.

As long as they don't stop serving beer I will be going to games.

[Prayin4Reign]

No, I'm not going to insult russsnyder. He is entitled to his point of view. But he needs to realize that he is in the vast minority. Lots of us (me included) are disappointed with this offseason so far, but I'm not writing off this season and I will enjoy going to see the team play.

I think you already did.

[Guest rochester]

Do you understand that some us derive pleasure from going to baseball games?

Plus, the folks that get hurt the most by low attendance is the beer guy, the ticket guy, those that work concessions, etc.

[mdbdotcom]

I think buying tickets on the secondary market is a great way to see games without giving Angelos more money. The ticket has already been purchased once, so buying it again means nothing to the club.

I cancelled my partial plan during the 2004 strike, when Angelos took out a full-page ad in the Sun to tell people that if they didn't renew on time, someone else would buy their tickets. After that, I bought at the scalp-free zone at OPACY (I think that's gone now). If I still lived in Baltimore, I'd probably get tickets online from stubhub or other authorized reseller. As it is, I see the O's at Tropicana Field and on mlb.tv.

[mdbdotcom]

I think buying tickets on the secondary market is a great way to see games without giving Angelos more money. The ticket has already been purchased once, so buying it again means nothing to the club.

I cancelled my partial plan during the 2004 strike, when Angelos took out a full-page ad in the Sun to tell people that if they didn't renew on time, someone else would buy their tickets. After that, I bought at the scalp-free zone at OPACY (I think that's gone now). If I still lived in Baltimore, I'd probably get tickets online from stubhub or other authorized reseller. As it is, I see the O's at Tropicana Field and on mlb.tv.

That should be 1994.

[Jon]

I'm trying to decide what I dislike more about an Orioles off season.

The inevitable and bitter disappointment from the lack of activity of the team I root for? Or the misplaced anger of fans turning on each other?

Tough call...

[scOtt]

^^^^ What Jon said.

[weams]

I'm trying to decide what I dislike more about an Orioles off season.

The inevitable and bitter disappointment from the lack of activity of the team I root for? Or the misplaced anger of fans turning on each other?

Tough call...

We raised an entire generation of Orioles fans who think being an Oriole fan is simply to spit in the direction of anyone named Angelos. For 14 years, there was not anything that even came close to changing that mindset...except for 2005 until about July 1st. It is going to take a village to change that as opinion. It will come, but not until it is embarrassing to cast stones at the Orioles front office for at least half the time that it was cool to make a mockery of it.

[OFFNY]

We raised an entire generation of Orioles fans who think being an Oriole fan is simply to spit in the direction of anyone named Angelos. For 14 years, there was not anything that even came close to changing that mindset...except for 2005 until about July 1st. It is going to take a village to change that as opinion. It will come, but not until it is embarrassing to cast stones at the Orioles front office for at least half the time that it was cool to make a mockery of it.

Since 2008, I have been saying that it would take at least 3 consecutive winning seasons to completely change the Orioles' reputation of loserdom in the minds of all of the people inside of baseball (players, managers, G.M.'s, etc.), as well as the fans throughout baseball (Oriole fans, as well as the fans of all of the other 29 M.L.B. teams.)

Right now, we have two in a row. And because of that, it is indeed more difficult to continue to indiscriminately cast stones at the team and/or the front office than it had been between about 2001 and 2011, but not impossible.

If we finish above .500 in 2014 ...... which WOULD give us that 3rd consecutive winning season ...... then those that continue to mock the organization blindly (not criticize the organization when warranted, but simply mock it with the same tired old Angelos sucks/the Orioles are the same old loser Orioles comments, etc.), will pretty much look silly and trollish.

[scOtt]

We raised an entire generation of Orioles fans who think being an Oriole fan is simply to spit in the direction of anyone named Angelos. For 14 years, there was not anything that even came close to changing that mindset...except for 2005 until about July 1st. It is going to take a village to change that as opinion. It will come, but not until it is embarrassing to cast stones at the Orioles front office for at least half the time that it was cool to make a mockery of it.

The great and very terrible 2005. 7 years from 1998. 7 years till we'd win again. 1st place in July, dead .500 at the deadline. Raffy Miggy B12 and down the drain it went. Finished 4-32.