If We Lose Four Straight?

[weams]

I don't see that at all. In fact if they sweep us they might just sweep the WS !

Or they might be four and out.

[weams]

Of course. But, speaking from that as-yet-unknown future in which we're assuming an Os loss to the Royals, the Tigers series could have been a springboard. And, on paper, the Royals did the O's a favor by knocking out the "best" team in the AL. Accordingly, the path to the WS should have been relatively clear. Moreover, the "scariest" teams in the NL (IMO, the Dodgers and Nationals) exited early, which should have made the O's more competitive for a WS title.

I'm not saying I agree wholeheartedly, but I'd expect a modicum of disappointment to tinge the success that should undoubtedly be attributed to the 2014 season.

Every team deals with injuries, etc. If the O's hadn't lost Machado and Davis (the latter of whom was a shadow of his former self, anyway), would we have gotten the chance to see Steve "the Terminator" Pearce put together a huge season? What if Wieters' hot start was just that and he returned to producing as he typically does? (and FTR, Wieters' fWAR went from 4.6, to 3.9, to 2.5 last year. Given that the O's got a little over 1.0 fWAR from Hundley and Joseph, I'd argue that the dropoff probably wasn't as dramatic as "losing an all-star" would otherwise indicate)

Wieters might have had a 6 WAR season. It might have been his breakout year. Luck. I tell you. Luck in the short series. There is no data for it. And when there is, it changes the next time around.

[MrOrange82]

Wieters might have had a 6 WAR season. It might have been his breakout year. Luck. I tell you. Luck in the short series. There is no data for it. And when there is, it changes the next time around.

Right, exactly. Which is why I raise the point about how this year's postseason has actually played out to this point (i.e., the facts that we are facing right this second). All unknowns/might-have-beens aside, I think it'd be somewhat reasonable (not fair, but reasonable) to look back on 2014 as a missed opportunity. Because, despite the injuries, the O's had a lot of breaks go their way (e.g., severe, pervasive injuries to their division rivals, top seeds knocked out of the playoffs in both leagues, etc.).

I expected the Royals to be an extremely tough, dangerous opponent, and so far they have been. In 10 years, though, I wouldn't be surprised to look back at the numbers and hear people think "well, damn...there was an opportunity there for something more." Not saying it'd be fair, but it would be reasonable.

[weams]

Right, exactly. Which is why I raise the point about how this year's postseason has actually played out to this point (i.e., the facts that we are facing right this second). All unknowns/might-have-beens aside, I think it'd be somewhat reasonable (not fair, but reasonable) to look back on 2014 as a missed opportunity. Because, despite the injuries, the O's had a lot of breaks go their way (e.g., severe, pervasive injuries to their division rivals, top seeds knocked out of the playoffs in both leagues, etc.).

I expected the Royals to be an extremely tough, dangerous opponent, and so far they have been. In 10 years, though, I wouldn't be surprised to look back at the numbers and hear people think "well, damn...there was an opportunity there for something more." Not saying it'd be fair, but it would be reasonable.

Or just. "Man, how lucky were those Royals that year." Either.

[MrOrange82]

Or just. "Man, how lucky were those Royals that year." Either.

If someone would come to the conclusion that the Royals were lucky, that'd necessarily mean that the O's weren't. In other words, disappointing.

[LoyalBirdFan]

Wieters might have had a 6 WAR season. It might have been his breakout year. Luck. I tell you. Luck in the short series. There is no data for it. And when there is, it changes the next time around.

I wouldn't call it luck. It's baseball. A great team wins 3 out of 5 games and a poor team wins 2 out of 5 games. Anything can happen in baseball in a short series.

If the 69 Mets and Orioles played a 7 seven series 10 times, how many do the Orioles win? We'll never know, but they didn't win the 'one' they did play.

Those Mets broke my heart that year.

[weams]

If someone would come to the conclusion that the Royals were lucky, that'd necessarily mean that the O's weren't. In other words, disappointing.

I can see that.

[weams]

I wouldn't call it luck. It's baseball. A great team wins 3 out of 5 games and a poor team wins 2 out of 5 games. Anything can happen in baseball in a short series.

If the 69 Mets and Orioles played a 7 seven series 10 times, how many do the Orioles win? We'll never know, but they didn't win the 'one' they did play.

Those Mets broke my heart that year.

And yet all these years later, you will never find a person not from New York that would deny the the better team lost.

[OrioleMagic79]

If we get swept in this series, I will be insufferable with my insistence on a need for a true #1 SP...so those of you that hate hearing that in the offseason should really be hopeful that we can make this series go to at least 6 games...

This team almost has me believing that we can do it with "good, not necessarily great" pitching, but if we can't even win one game, I will regress to my previous line of thinking pretty quickly...

Having said all of that, this has been and will be remembered as a great season. I loved the atmosphere on Saturday, and I am proud to say that I was a part of it...

Go O's!!!

[LoyalBirdFan]

And yet all these years later, you will never find a person not from New York that would deny the the better team lost.

This is a fact, the 'Amazing Mets' had no business winning that series. Everybody knows that. I can still see balls that should have been doubles caught by the Met's outfield.

[LoyalBirdFan]

Orioles in 7 :2yay-thumb:

[OFFNY]

When you make it to the ALCS without a few of your best players, in my mind, you're playing with house money.

In theory, that may be true ...... but for myself, it has not felt that way.

For myself, the fact that the Orioles went through the final 4 months of the season like a wrecking crew made me feel like anything but a team that is (and/or has been) playing with house money. It's felt like the opposite.

As I stated in this thread ......

http://forum.orioleshangout.com/forums/showthread.php/143666-For-the-First-Time-Since-1979

...... for the first time since 1979, the Orioles had opened up a double-digit lead in the division:

And for the first time since 1971, the Orioles finished the season with a double-digit lead in the division.

So, even with the absence of Machado, Wieters, and Chris Davis, I don't have the sense that we're playing with house money.

Particularly after sweeping the Tigers in 3 straight games in the A.L.D.S., I fully expected the Orioles to win this series, with or without their fallen stars.

[TheDirtyBird]

I know everyone harps about being happy we made it without our best guys, but we were one of the best teams without those guys and I would be disappointed if we all of a sudden lost to a lesser team, especially one that appears to completely full of itself.

I will also be in the camp that believes if only we had a true ace to turn to. Tillman can be good but he can't control his count and hasn't been good at all this postseason.

Idk I guess I would feel differently if we lost to the angels in the ALCS, not some average team that has gotten everything to bounce their way.

[Old#5fan]

Or they might be four and out.

Well anything is indeed possible but I think they have too much scrappiness and unique assembly of talent to fold like an accordion in facing a NL team although I must confess I do not know how they have fared in inter league play.

[Old#5fan]

I know everyone harps about being happy we made it without our best guys, but we were one of the best teams without those guys and I would be disappointed if we all of a sudden lost to a lesser team, especially one that appears to completely full of itself.

I will also be in the camp that believes if only we had a true ace to turn to. Tillman can be good but he can't control his count and hasn't been good at all this postseason.

Idk I guess I would feel differently if we lost to the angels in the ALCS, not some average team that has gotten everything to bounce their way.

I can't see where any ace makes a difference when their bullpen can hold a lead and ours can't stop them from taking it.