Just So We're Clear, Just Getting To The Playoffs Is No Longer Good Enough.

[SteveO]

Only ONE team can win the World Series. Only two teams get there. There are things you can do to improve your odds but at the end of the day there is a crapshoot element to the playoffs. Injuries, who is hot and who is not, bounces of the ball and who is umping the damn game all play into it.

If being one of the teams with a shot at that goal once 162 games have been played is not enough then baseball his not the sport for you to be a fan of. Perhaps wearing the hat of the flavor of the year would be something more suited to a fan with that attitude.

So next time we go 70-92 (bound to happen eventually) remind me to let those who think that getting to the playoffs is not enough know that there is really no difference between that record and going to the ALCS and losing. Me I loved every second of this season, I wish it had ended differently but in the words of the immortal Duncan McLeod ....there can only be one, thinking that is the only measurement of success is the view of fair weather nitwits IMO. Sounds harsh but just how I see it.

[weams]

Yes, the point is to actually to win the world series

I'm ok with getting to the playoffs five out of ten seasons. And then letting it play out.

[weams]

Only ONE team can win the World Series. Only two teams get there. There are things you can do to improve your odds but at the end of the day there is a crapshoot element to the playoffs. Injuries, who is hot and who is not, bounces of the ball and who is umping the damn game all play into it.

If being one of the teams with a shot at that goal once 162 games have been played is not enough then baseball his not the sport for you to be a fan of. Perhaps wearing the hat of the flavor of the year would be something more suited to a fan with that attitude.

So next time we go 70-92 (bound to happen eventually) remind me to let those who think that getting to the playoffs is not enough know that there is really no difference between that record and going to the ALCS and losing. Me I loved every second of this season, I wish it had ended differently but in the words of the immortal Duncan McLeod ....there can only be one, thinking that is the only measurement of success is the view of fair weather nitwits IMO. Sounds harsh but just how I see it.

I loved every minute of it.

[OriolesMagic83]

The O's getting to the playoffs 2 out of 3 years sure beats the heck out of 14 losing seasons.

[OFFNY]

The O's getting to the playoffs 2 out of 3 years sure beats the heck out of 14 losing seasons.

I agree.

But I believe that the larger point is (as numerous other posters have pointed out) that consistently fielding a competitive team over the course of the 162-game marathons that construct the regular season(s) is more indicative of the success of the front office than whether or not they win the World Series (or several World Series.)

In other words, even if the Orioles had not had the recent 14 consecutive losing seasons that they sustained in stark contrast to the team that they have fielded for the past 3 seasons, the point would still remain the same.

[Frobby]

I agree.

But I believe that the larger point is (as numerous other posters have pointed out) that consistently fielding a competitive team over the course of the 162-game marathons that construct the regular season(s) is more indicative of the success of the front office than whether or not they win the World Series (or several World Series.)

In other words, even if the Orioles had not had the recent 14 consecutive losing seasons that they sustained in stark contrast to the team that they have fielded for the past 3 seasons, the point would still remain the same.

Like many things in life, the equation is complicated. There are a lot of fans who would rather have one World Series title in a decade rather than five playoff appearances. I don't happen to be one of them. For me, baseball is something that occupies my life daily for 6-7 months a year, and I want to be happy and interested during those 6-7 months, especially down the stretch. I wouldn't trade one month of postseason ecstasy for nine years of second-half boredom. But I do know that, if you are lucky enough to root for a team that is usually good and has a shot at the playoffs almost every year, you reach a point where the thirst for a World Series title becomes pretty unquenchable.

[weams]

Like many things in life, the equation is complicated. There are a lot of fans who would rather have one World Series title in a decade rather than five playoff appearances. I don't happen to be one of them. For me, baseball is something that occupies my life daily for 6-7 months a year, and I want to be happy and interested during those 6-7 months, especially down the stretch. I wouldn't trade one month of postseason ecstasy for nine years of second-half boredom. But I do know that, if you are lucky enough to root for a team that is usually good and has a shot at the playoffs almost every year, you reach a point where the thirst for a World Series title becomes pretty unquenchable.

Very nice post.

[Ruzious]

You can't do anything in the offseason or the trade deadline to get into the WS other than to improve your chances at getting to the playoffs. Look at this WS - 2 wildcard teams. Detroit had the last 3 Cy Young Award winners and a great middle of the lineup - and lost in the first round.

[weams]

You can't do anything in the offseason or the trade deadline to get into the WS other than to improve your chances at getting to the playoffs. Look at this WS - 2 wildcard teams. Detroit had the last 3 Cy Young Award winners and a great middle of the lineup - and lost in the first round.

Two Wildcard Teams. Darn. I guess it is a crap shoot.

[WNY Orioles Fan]

The O's getting to the playoffs 2 out of 3 years sure beats the heck out of 14 losing seasons.

Who said it didn't? But eventually, just getting to the playoffs is not good enough. Eventually, you need to WIN in the playoffs. I think too many of you guys are still caught up in the 14 years of consecutive losing seasons.

[Redskins Rick]

Who said it didn't? But eventually, just getting to the playoffs is not good enough. Eventually, you need to WIN in the playoffs. I think too many of you guys are still caught up in the 14 years of consecutive losing seasons.

Pretty damn hard to win the ALCS and move to the WS, just ask the 97, 96 and 2012 teams.

Your goal should be to get to the WS and win.

finishing short at the ALCS, does not constituent a failure.

[DrungoHazewood]

Who said it didn't? But eventually, just getting to the playoffs is not good enough. Eventually, you need to WIN in the playoffs. I think too many of you guys are still caught up in the 14 years of consecutive losing seasons.

Do we all want the Orioles to win the World Series? Yes.

What are the odds that a generic playoff team wins the Series? 12.5%, or 1 in 8.

What are the odds that a historic, 115-win team wins the Series once the playoffs have started? Maybe 40%, give or take.

So no matter what you do, no matter how hard you try to tailor your roster for the playoffs, or how stacked you make the lineup and pitching staff... the very best you can do is lower the odds of going home disappointed from 87% to 60% or 70%

[OFFNY]

You can't do anything in the offseason or the trade deadline to get into the WS other than to improve your chances at getting to the playoffs. Look at this WS - 2 wildcard teams. Detroit had the last 3 Cy Young Award winners and a great middle of the lineup - and lost in the first round.

Two Wildcard teams. Darn. I guess it is a crap shoot.

One of which came extremely close to being a one-and-done team.

The Royals were losing to the Athletics by a score of 7-3 entering the 8th inning of their wildcard playoff game.

Only a miraculous comeback in that game allowed them to advance at all in this year's postseason.

Since then, Ned Yost has gone from being a much-maligned manager to being the first manager in history to win his first 8 postseason games.

I don't believe that the Royals scoring 4 runs in the final two innings of regulation in a sudden-death playoff game to send said game into extra innings (which subsequently allowed them to go on the tear that they have been on since) is evidence of them being "built for the postseason" ........ rather, I believe that it is evidence that in the postseason, any team (with the exception of a team that is woefully overmatched, such as the 2005 Padres) that gets hot is capable of making it to the World Series.