This is nothing compared to 1969

[GuidoSarducci]

Maybe expectations were different back then, and of course I wasn't there to witness it, but the '69 Os were three years removed from a WS title. So I find hard to believe that this years O's loss was nothing compared to '69.

Given the nature of baseball these days, and especially playing in the AL East with teams that can load up on FAs at the drop of a hat(NY, Boston) or draft really well (TB), I don't take for granted that we'll be in the playoffs again anytime soon.

I've also seen another of my teams win a championship recently, and then fail in the playoffs to what I believe was an inferior team. Believe me, it takes the sting out of losing quite a bit when you''ve won it all recently.

[weams]

Maybe expectations were different back then, and of course I wasn't there to witness it, but the '69 Os were three years removed from a WS title. So I find hard to believe that this years O's loss was nothing compared to '69.

Given the nature of baseball these days, and especially playing in the AL East with teams that can load up on FAs at the drop of a hat(NY, Boston) or draft really well (TB), I don't take for granted that we'll be in the playoffs again anytime soon.

I've also seen another of my teams win a championship recently, and then fail in the playoffs to what I believe was an inferior team. Believe me, it takes the sting out of losing quite a bit when you''ve won it all recently.

Nothing compared to it. We were the best team and were beaten by a bunch of fools. I completely disagree with your second posit. And winning it all lasts for about a day. The parade is fun.

[foxfield]

Losing is tough no matter how it happens. As someone who is old enough to have followed all of the series endings from 69 on, I can only say that since 1983, what has become very clear, is that a franchise and a game that we nearly owned at one point has become fickle. I once dreamed of the number of titles we would win with Cal and Eddie after 1983. This year hurts a lot, but it was a fantastic year and losing to the Royals who played fantastic and were better than the Orioles in every facet of the game, doesn't diminish the quality of the 2014 season.

But the lingering knowledge that future results are not guaranteed based on the past make the missed opportunity for the Orioles more painful, and the seized opportunity for the Royals more impressive. Proud and still....I like our guys!

[Oriole1940]

You are so right. I keep thinking over and over, we were the best 2/3 of a team in my 70 years following baseball. Should bode well for 2015.

[GuidoSarducci]

Nothing compared to it. We were the best team and were beaten by a bunch of fools. I completely disagree with your second posit. And winning it all lasts for about a day. The parade is fun.

So you're saying that, back then O's fans were like Yankees/Red Sox fans now?

[weams]

So you're saying that, back then O's fans were like Yankees/Red Sox fans now?

More like Giant fans.

[BarclaySouthway]

So you're saying that, back then O's fans were like Yankees/Red Sox fans now?

We could never be like that, but I did expect them to win every year. I started following sports in 1970, around the age of five or six and thought there must be something superior about the town of Baltimore because our sports teams were so good, especially the Orioles.

[Ridgway22]

I was born in '68 so '69 might as well been '39 for me. But the 1979 World Series was still worse than this. They blew a 3-1 lead for the World Championship and I can still hear that damn "We Are Family" in my head.

.

AARRRRGHHHHHH!!!!! I lost a months worth of lunch money on that series. McGregor, Palmer, Flanny when we're up 3-1? NO WAY we can lose.

Ooops.

This KC disaster stings bad. It's been so long since we were that close, and I like(d) our chances against the Gigantes or Cards. I'm not even sure I'm going to watch the world series this year. Bah Humbug.

I know the day will come and I hear the magical "pitchers and catchers report", but for now screw 'em all.