Passan: Orioles Unwillingness to Spend Hurting Team

[weams]

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.

Frobby is never over the top. He simply is stating the fact that these teams are much better than we have had for a long time. It's ok to be upset that Peter won't spend enough to make any of us happy. But it is just a fact that the team and front office is much more coherent than any of those teams that proceeded it for 14 years. It's ok not to be happy. But it is no time to throw a fit.

[weams]

I think you already did.

He just called it like he saw it from my viewpoint. Frobby let him know that the concept of keeping tickets during aweful years and giving them up during good ones is wacky. Even if there is opportunity to make this team better.

[Jon]

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.

There is still a smell of dysfunction in the air that continues to blow downwind and into the noses of many fans and members of the media. Some of it is unwarranted. Some of it is fair game. But as you two have pointed out, winning cures (almost) all.

That being said, if Russ or any other fan feels betrayed by his team and chooses to spend HIS time and HIS money elsewhere, that's HIS choice and one that should not be mocked by others. There are no rules to fandom as far as I'm concerned. This team has A LOT to atone for in many fan's eyes, and making the playoffs once every 16 years is not going to cure the hurt for many.

I was just trying to express just how much I hate the off season. Guys like me complain. Others pick fights in the virtual stands with each other, but in the end, it never changes anything. The O's are going to do what the O's are going to do, and most of us will, regardless of their actions, spend lots of money and even more time rooting for an organization that many would (and will) argue deserves neither. Why? Because it's our team and we love baseball.

But at least, once the season starts, it's fun again. The last O's off season I would classify as fun was way back in '04. That's what brought me here to the OH. Those where the days of "OH insiders" and free agent signings. Tejada, Palmeiro and Lopez, oh my... But even back then, there was disappointment in not signing Vlad. I still remember listening to "hot stove" on the radio when Jim Hunter was interviewing the newly-signed Tejada and mistakenly called Miguel Vladimir :laughlol: That and I wanted Pudge over Javy. There I go complaining again. As a baseball and car guy, winter already sucks for a whole myriad of reasons, so the Orioles off season certainly doesn't help. But that's it, I'm done... I've rambled enough. Don't forget to tip your waitress and always spay and neuter your yada, yada, yada...

[video=youtube;68X8o0S7vJc]

[Three Run Homer]

I understand the frustration but I also see the humor. I've been reading how the FO isn't doing enough for the last 2-3 years but somehow we are always on the "cusp" of fielding potential champion.

The O's have a lot of assets. They have a manager who is able to get the best out of his players. They have a GM who can find free talent as well as anyone in the business. They've benefitted from the emergence of Chris Tillman, Chris Davis and Manny Machado as stars.

But that doesn't mean that they couldn't have done better with more support from ownership. I don't blame Angelos for not spending prior to 2012, but the failure to sign a starting pitcher and a left handed bat prior to the 2013 season hurt the team badly. There's still time left in this offseason, but as things stand it looks like the team is locked in to substandard production at LF, DH, and 2B, and has major holes in the starting rotation and late-inning relief that may or may not be filled.

Being on the cusp of contention makes it all the more important for ownership to step up and provide the resources necessary to put the team over the top. We're not talking about signing Robinson Cano--a Corey Hart here and a Bartolo Colon there would make a huge difference.

[weams]

There is still a smell of dysfunction in the air that continues to blow downwind and into the noses of many fans and members of the media. Some of it is unwarranted. Some of it is fair game. But as you two have pointed out, winning cures (almost) all.

That being said, if Russ or any other fan feels betrayed by his team and chooses to spend HIS time and HIS money elsewhere, that's HIS choice and one that should not be mocked by others. There are no rules to fandom as far as I'm concerned. This team has A LOT to atone for in many fan's eyes, and making the playoffs once every 16 years is not going to cure the hurt for many.

I was just trying to express just how much I hate the off season. Guys like me complain. Others pick fights in the virtual stands with each other, but in the end, it never changes anything. The O's are going to do what the O's are going to do, and most of us will, regardless of their actions, spend lots of money and even more time rooting for an organization that many would (and will) argue deserves neither. Why? Because it's our team and we love baseball.

But at least, once the season starts, it's fun again. The last O's off season I would classify as fun was way back in '04. That's what brought me here to the OH. Those where the days of "OH insiders" and free agent signings. Tejada, Palmeiro and Lopez, oh my... But even back then, there was disappointment in not signing Vlad. I still remember listening to "hot stove" on the radio when Jim Hunter was interviewing the newly-signed Tejada and mistakenly called Miguel Vladimir :laughlol: That and I wanted Pudge over Javy. There I go complaining again. As a baseball and car guy, winter already sucks for a whole myriad of reasons, so the Orioles off season certainly doesn't help. But that's it, I'm done... I've rambled enough. Don't forget to tip your waitress and always spay and neuter your yada, yada, yada...

[video=youtube;68X8o0S7vJc]

I have no problem if Russ wants to give up his tickets. I am with Frobby about his thought process. Why stick around through the bad times to quit during the good?

[Jon]

I have no problem if Russ wants to give up his tickets. I am with Frobby about his thought process. Why stick around through the bad times to quit during the good?

I'm guessing that he's just voicing his frustration, is all. Even if he's serious about giving up his tickets, I wish Russ good luck at giving up rooting for and following his baseball team, if that is indeed his prerogative. Because it'll be pretty tough for a guy that was so into baseball and the O's, that he bought tickets and took the time to register and post on an O's forum.

[MrOrange82]

I have no problem if Russ wants to give up his tickets. I am with Frobby about his thought process. Why stick around through the bad times to quit during the good?

I think real issue is...are these actually the "good times"? From my perspective, 2012 was mostly good, with an undercurrent of "man...we're catching a lot of breaks." 2013 was, at best, bittersweet, bordering on sour. In sum, taking into account the Orioles' continued, seemingly willful inability to improve themselves from a personnel standpoint, I'm not certain that these really are "good times." IMO, they're simply putting a newish face on the same old, same old that's disappointed us for the last 20-odd years.

[Jon]

I think real issue is...are these actually the "good times"? From my perspective, 2012 was mostly good, with an undercurrent of "man...we're catching a lot of breaks." 2013 was, at best, bittersweet, bordering on sour. In sum, taking into account the Orioles' continued, seemingly willful inability to improve themselves from a personnel standpoint, I'm not certain that these really are "good times." IMO, they're simply putting a newish face on the same old, same old that's disappointed us for the last 20-odd years.

Better times, sure. Having a winning team the past two years has been awesome. But watching the team doing nothing and even subtracting from a team that needs more to be a legitimate championship contender is really frustrating.

[Prayin4Reign]

Frobby is never over the top. He simply is stating the fact that these teams are much better than we have had for a long time. It's ok to be upset that Peter won't spend enough to make any of us happy. But it is just a fact that the team and front office is much more coherent than any of those teams that proceeded it for 14 years. It's ok not to be happy. But it is no time to throw a fit.

Agree to disagree, and all of that...

Frobby is a great poster, but I (and others) could understand where 'russ' was coming from. It's frustration, especially after waiting a long time and you see a window possibly closing. I just don't think saying an idea is 'insane' especially coming from someone who's been going to games for 46 years is warranted. I merely voiced my opinion. And...like I said before, I don't think the Orioles are done w/all their moves.

I'm not one for theatrics so all is good.

[El Gordo]

If you have been going to games for 46 years and then suddenly decide to stop doing so because you are "frustrated" with a finally winning teams poor offseason, you may not be insane, but you could be called impetuous, perhaps immature, or just stupid.

[Frobby]

Agree to disagree, and all of that...

Frobby is a great poster, but I (and others) could understand where 'russ' was coming from. It's frustration, especially after waiting a long time and you see a window possibly closing. I just don't think saying an idea is 'insane' especially coming from someone who's been going to games for 46 years is warranted. I merely voiced my opinion. And...like I said before, I don't think the Orioles are done w/all their moves.

I'm not one for theatrics so all is good.

I already moderated what I said -- see post # 34. No personal insult intended.

[mdbdotcom]

I guess if Colon had taken the O's offer and Balfour had passed his physical, the article would have been different.

[tntoriole]

It will be what it will be, and we will guess and speculate because one thing is certain. The ownership never, ever communicates its true intentions to us, their customers. A postseason press conference like Steve Bisciotti and Ozzie have for Ravens fans is not in the Angelos management DNA. We will just have fo wait and see how it plays out. But I am an Orioles fan long before Peter Angelos and will continue to be.

[33rdst]

I have to admit I did not renew our season tickets this year. We have had them since OPACY opened. In addition, we're not going to Sarasota this year either. We've been three times since it opened. Be clear that I really like the job DD and Buck are doing. Under very difficult circumstances I might add. I just don't think Angelos has shown the commitment to winning that I and other Oriole fans deserve. Oh I'll attend a number of games this year to be sure. I want to support Buck, Dan and the players. Truth is we have some terrific players both in terms of their ability and in terms of who they are as people. In all honesty, I feel a little guilty about doing this, but for me, it's the right thing to do.

[Rene88]

I understand the frustration but I also see the humor. I've been reading how the FO isn't doing enough for the last 2-3 years but somehow we are always on the "cusp" of fielding potential champion.

I can't speak for other posters but I think that is the plan (and my criticism). They ideally want to be competitive but have little to no motivation in actually winning anything. It is just about the bottom line and being REALLY bad it bad for business but winning a championship doesn't really make more money per se...if it happens, great. But no real motivation.