The Orioles are the Oakland Athletics of the East

[El Gordo]

It's a statistical argument. But baseball is a quite predictable sport. The big spender will beat the moneyballer in the playoffs "9 times out of 10." Let's not forget either that the Orioles had Cruz and Miller on the cheap last year. That is not likely to happen often.

I stopped reading after this. :rofl:

[Prayin4Reign]

There's something about the A's and Beane, I just never rule them out. Beane is a mad scientist. He trades these proven guys for multiple younger prospects and then he tries to keep his feet in the water with guys like Zobrist, Butler, etc. It's like 2 steps back, 3 steps forward if everything hits on all cylinders.

If that makes any sense at all.

[Uli2001]

I stopped reading after this. :rofl:

You didn't understand what I meant by "predictable." It's a game where statistics hold up.

[El Gordo]

You didn't understand what I meant by "predictable." It's a game where statistics hold up.

It isn't. Just go back and look at the projections for the O's last season. Who predicted that that KC would be in the WS? Who thought SF would win it? The numbers are useful but they are by no means certain over the course of a single season or a single game. Who predicted CD would have the season he had in 2013. Or the season he had in 2014?

[InsideCoroner]

You didn't understand what I meant by "predictable." It's a game where statistics hold up.

If that were true, the 2001 Mariners and their 116 wins, and who only led the league in runs scored, hits, on base percentage, fewest runs allowed, lowest batting average against, fewest errors committed and highest fielding percentage, would not have been clobbered by the statistically-inferior Yankees 4 games to 1 in the ALCS. It's baseball. Anything can happen. Even to Caleb Joseph over a 5-game stretch in August.

[tntoriole]

You didn't understand what I meant by "predictable." It's a game where statistics hold up.

You weren't at the 1969 World Series were you? I was.

[Frobby]

The A's have won 278 games during the regular season over that last three years. The O's have won 274 games. They are the two winningest team over the last three years in the AL.

I'll go beyond that. Oakland has been to the playoffs 8 times in the last 15 years, winning 6 division titles. If that's what being the Oakland of the AL East entails, sign me up!

[Uli2001]

It's hard to predict baseball over a week of games or a seven-game series, that is clear. But over multiple seasons, it is quite predictable. Hitters will hit to their average, and pitchers will pitch to their ERA (barring injury). This is why this is the most scrutinized sport in terms of numbers. And the statistical fact is that big-spenders tend to win the WS and the thrifty teams tend to be happy to make the playoffs. There is no reason why a team with the tradition and large fan base the Orioles have, with that TV contract, cannot be a top 8 spender in MLB every year.

[Uli2001]

Of course, it's not just money, managerial acumen is still needed. But not nearly as much as in salary-capped leagues as the NFL or NBA, where top management is absolutely essential. In baseball a team can win with a big payroll and mediocre management.

[Can_of_corn]

It's hard to predict baseball over a week of games or a seven-game series, that is clear. But over multiple seasons, it is quite predictable. Hitters will hit to their average, and pitchers will pitch to their ERA (barring injury). This is why this is the most scrutinized sport in terms of numbers. And the statistical fact is that big-spenders tend to win the WS and the thrifty teams tend to be happy to make the playoffs. There is no reason why a team with the tradition and large fan base the Orioles have, with that TV contract, cannot be a top 8 spender in MLB every year.

Here it is, the part where you bust out batting average and ERA to prove a point.

Sigh...

Here is a simple question for you.

Why would payroll gulf show up in a best of 5/7 but not show up in a 162 game season?

If anything you would think that additional payroll would allow a team depth to weather a 162 game season while a lower payroll team could lean on a few star players in a short series.

[BohKnowsBmore]

If that were true, the 2001 Mariners and their 116 wins, and who only led the league in runs scored, hits, on base percentage, fewest runs allowed, lowest batting average against, fewest errors committed and highest fielding percentage, would not have been clobbered by the statistically-inferior Yankees 4 games to 1 in the ALCS. It's baseball. Anything can happen. Even to Caleb Joseph over a 5-game stretch in August.

Man, I just went back and looked at that 2001 team again. Really impressive stuff, especially since A-Rod left after the 2000 season.

[OFFNY]

If that were true, the 2001 Mariners and their 116 wins, and who only led the league in runs scored, hits, on base percentage, fewest runs allowed, lowest batting average against, fewest errors committed and highest fielding percentage, would not have been clobbered by the statistically-inferior Yankees 4 games to 1 in the ALCS. It's baseball. Anything can happen. Even to Caleb Joseph over a 5-game stretch in August.

Man, I just went back and looked at that 2001 team again. Really impressive stuff, especially since A-Rod left after the 2000 season.

They lost Randy Johnson in a trade during the 1998 season.

They lost Ken Griffey, Jr. to a trade following the 1999 season.

They lost Alex Rodriguez to free agency following the 2000 season.

And then, they won 116 games in 2001. Hell of a feat by Lou Piniella and company, no ???

[OFFNY]

They lost Randy Johnson in a trade during the 1998 season.

They lost Ken Griffey, Jr. to a trade following the 1999 season.

They lost Alex Rodriguez to free agency following the 2000 season.

And then, they won 116 games in 2001. Hell of a feat by Lou Piniella and company, no ???

Of course, they did net Mike Cameron and Freddy Garcia in two of those trades, but still ..... 3 established superstars leaving the team in consecutive seasons, and they still managed to win 116 games. It's like they would find a way to keep getting better each season (1999, 2000, 2001), regardless of the departure of said superstars.

[InsideCoroner]

They lost Randy Johnson in a trade during the 1998 season.

They lost Ken Griffey, Jr. to a trade following the 1999 season.

They lost Alex Rodriguez to free agency following the 2000 season.

And then, they won 116 games in 2001. Hell of a feat by Lou Piniella and company, no ???

It was nearly impossible not to be in awe of that team. I mean, they won 53 games more than Baltimore. A .716 winning percentage. And still no pennant or ring to show for it...!

[OFFNY]

They lost Randy Johnson in a trade during the 1998 season.

They lost Ken Griffey, Jr. to a trade following the 1999 season.

They lost Alex Rodriguez to free agency following the 2000 season.

And then, they won 116 games in 2001. Hell of a feat by Lou Piniella and company, no ???

It was nearly impossible not to be in awe of that team. I mean, they won 53 games more than Baltimore. A .716 winning percentage. And still no pennant or ring to show for it...!

Yeah, I would have liked to see them AT LEAST make make it to the World Series, and at least have a pennant to show for it.

Not just because I hated their opponent in that year's A.L.C.S. (the Yankees), but because I really think that Piniella and company did a great job with that team, and it would have been nice for them to at least be able to fly an American League Championship banner in their stadium for their efforts.

And, they almost pulled off a minor miracle in that A.L.C.S. against the Yankees.

They lost the first 2 games of the series AT HOME, and went to Yankee Stadium for Games Three, Four, and Five down 2 game to 0. Everyone thought that the Mariners were toast, EXCEPT FOR Piniella and his players.

Lou predicted that Seattle would win the series by taking at least 2 of the next 3 games at Yankee Stadium, and then would come home to win it in Seattle ...... and he ALMOST proved to be prophetic.

Jamie Moyer was having an Orel Hershiser 1988-esque year, both in the regular season AND in the postseason. In the A.L.D.S. against the Indians the previous week, he shut down the Tribe when his team desperately needed a win after they had dropped the opening game of the series at home. Then, on only 3 days' rest, he finished the Tribe off in the 5th and deciding game to win the series 3 games to 2, and advance his team to the A.L.C.S.

When Moyer was on the mound, you just knew that he wasn't going to lose (again, similar to Hershiser down the stretch of the regular season and into the postseason in 1988.)

Moyer then gave his team a shot in the arm by handcuffing the Yankees in Game Three of the A.L.C.S., vaulting them back into the series.

And then, the Mariners had Game Four seemingly wrapped up with a 1-0 heading into the 8th inning. It looked like they would tie the series at 2 games apiece, ensure the Mariners of extending the series back to Seattle for a Game Six, and make Sweet Lou like like a prophet ...... but the Yankees rallied for 3 runs in those final 2 innings against the Mariner bullpen to turn what looked like a series about to be knotted up at 2 games apiece into a commanding 3 games to 1 lead for the Yankees.

A deflated/demoralized Mariners team was blown out by a score of 12-3 the next day to give the series and the American League Championship to the Yankees 4 games to 1, and ending what was truly a special (but ultimately unsung) season for them.