The This Team IS Done, We are Dumb and Nothing can Fix it MEGA THREAD

[eddie83]

I don't know, but more and more people are dropping cable, and I'd guess that at some point you'll see more and more ala carte options to keep people from bailing. Maybe it doesn't happen all at once, through legislation, maybe it's more market based. The legislation route would probably be more jarring and disrupting. But that would rely on legislators getting their acts together, and also deciding that the people who want to pay for Downton Abby but not ESPN are more important than Comcast and ESPN's lobbyists.

I'd bet that MLB's plan for that is to hope it doesn't happen, and if it does it will be gradual instead of all at once, they'll fight it in the courts if it is legislative, and also hope MLBAM will eventually make up for much of it. But the music industry fought the internet, and the ability to buy the one song you wanted on your iPad at home instead of a $20 CD at the mall, and they lost.

I still have to think that there will still be some sort of a basic package even if a la carte options occur. You can't let one customers have 6 channels for $25 a month-just throwing numbers out there.

Baseball is winning the TV ratings in a lot of markets and I would think that the cable/satellite and RSN's will work together to keep it going.

[weams]

This is the main point. Most of the people that agree with letting Cruz go, would also have been willing to risk resigning him. Both opinions are legitimate. The argument starts when a few people let the hyperbole loose and claim how stupid the FO is and how otherworldly Cruz would make this team. It's silly. Of course those same people live in some kind of fantasy world where they're the only ones that question anything that the Orioles FO does. It's much easier than living in reality where everything isn't black and white. Grey areas are confusing.

I wanted Cruz back. Even for four years and WAY too much money. I'm out there with Jack Z in craziness. And like him I would have been wrong. For me and for my franchise.

[ledzepp8]

I wanted Cruz back. Even for four years and WAY too much money. I'm out there with Jack Z in craziness. And like him I would have been wrong. For me and for my franchise.

That's my point. I probably would have bit the bullet and signed Cruz but I certainly agree with the FO not signing him. It's also easier for me to sit here on a computer with no ties to the Orioles FO and say, "Yeah go ahead and sign him".

[weams]

That's my point. I probably would have bit the bullet and signed Cruz but I certainly agree with the FO not signing him. It's also easier for me to sit here on a computer with no ties to the Orioles FO and say, "Yeah go ahead and sign him".

See my problem is not with the folks who think we were wrong not to bring any of the FAs back. It is only at those who simply come after a loss to taunt the faithful here on how poor the franchise is. Some of them are actually Blue Jays fans. Though i will not tell you which ones. They will be gone after June first like every year. And the Yankees fans signed up here and Boston Pinkies have absolutely nothing to crow about either this season. No matter how much money they spent or which thugs they signed.

[Stotle]

I still worry that once people are allowed to pay for the channels they actually want RSNs (and dozens, if not hundreds of other channels) will see a large decrease in revenues. My guess is that at least 3/4ths of cable/satellite subscribers wouldn't pay for MASN, YES, NESN, etc. if they weren't forced to. Hopefully streaming and other internet services will make up for some of that. But I can't see it making up for half the population no longer subsidizing the team with money they wouldn't otherwise spend on them.

I believe MLB is, and has been, proactive on this front. I'd share your concerns if I thought MLB was taking a reactive approach -- hoping to hold on to cable money as a long term strategy. The sport understands intimately how fans are interacting with the product and is plotting out the business accordingly. If that were not the case I do not believe you would see teams (outside of the likes of the uber-wealthy clubs) giving out the type of contracts we've seen over recent off-seasons.

[sportsfan8703]

This season is just depressing. The AL is wide open. We're coming off an ALCS. The starting pitching has settled down. The norfolk express is in full swing for the pen. The problem is now that we are two bats short. I'm not complaining about the offseason tonight. But we know what to expect from the Young,De Aza, Lough and Snider. They are just not cutting it. Davis can't hit anything inside. Hardy isn't looking too good. The offense needs some kind of spark. Machado and Paredes should be hitting 2-3 and not 1-2. There is no one on base for them to drive in. In reality we need what we lost. A leadoff hitter and a MOO hitter.

You wanna win the AL East and make it back to the playoffs. Go get Reddick and Carlos Gomez. I would trade Bundy for Gomez. And Wilson, Berry/Garcia, Yaz for Reddick. That gives us an awesome GG defense. Gomez hits leadoff. Reddick can hit 4th or 5th. I'm also willing to go higher on what we're giving up.

[clapdiddy]

Davis can't hit anything at all.

Fixed one sentence in your rant.

[Norfolk orioles]

I posted this at the end of the game thread but also thought I'd include it here since it is more relevant to this thread than the game thread.

This team just flat out isn't very good.

We look like a bunch of spare parts lazily thrown together, which odds are, that is exactly what we are. No cohesion, no game plan, just throwing junk against the wall and hoping something sticks.

Davis looks like a total loss. We simply can't keep running out a 1b who can't get on base or drive a baseball other than once every two weeks or so.

We have a revolving door of players at the corner outfield spots who on any given night range from mediocre to indefensibly bad.

The bullpen is in disarray outside of oday, Britton and a AAA call up.

I simply don't see where this team gets better to the point that they win the east or even make the playoffs.

Sorry, but this is on Duquette. This team looks like a scrap heap and even Buck can't work his magic on this group.

[sportsfan8703]

I posted this at the end of the game thread but also thought I'd include it here since it is more relevant to this thread than the game thread.

This team just flat out isn't very good.

We look like a bunch of spare parts lazily thrown together, which odds are, that is exactly what we are. No cohesion, no game plan, just throwing junk against the wall and hoping something sticks.

Davis looks like a total loss. We simply can't keep running out a 1b who can't get on base or drive a baseball other than once every two weeks or so.

We have a revolving door of players at the corner outfield spots who on any given night range from mediocre to indefensibly bad.

The bullpen is in disarray outside of oday, Britton and a AAA call up.

I simply don't see where this team gets better to the point that they win the east or even make the playoffs.

Sorry, but this is on Duquette. This team looks like a scrap heap and even Buck can't work his magic on this group.

That's going a little far. Looks to me like we miss our lead off and cleanup hitter fr last year. The rotation and pen look figured out to me. We need to add to the lineup. Sell those prospects and let's win this division. The AL is real weak this year.

[islandecho]

I posted this at the end of the game thread but also thought I'd include it here since it is more relevant to this thread than the game thread.

This team just flat out isn't very good.

We look like a bunch of spare parts lazily thrown together, which odds are, that is exactly what we are. No cohesion, no game plan, just throwing junk against the wall and hoping something sticks.

Davis looks like a total loss. We simply can't keep running out a 1b who can't get on base or drive a baseball other than once every two weeks or so.

We have a revolving door of players at the corner outfield spots who on any given night range from mediocre to indefensibly bad.

The bullpen is in disarray outside of oday, Britton and a AAA call up.

I simply don't see where this team gets better to the point that they win the east or even make the playoffs.

Sorry, but this is on Duquette. This team looks like a scrap heap and even Buck can't work his magic on this group.

I don't know if this team was as good as their record last year, but they were close. Add in Wieters and Machado, Cruz and perhaps Miller, along with a competent RF who could bat lead off, and imo this was a WS winning team. But DD 100% dropped the ball. Or he didn't try because he was pissed off at PA. Either way, what happened to the team, and in turn the fans, this off season was a travesty. The WS was there for the taking. We balked.

[MemorialStadKid]

I don't know if this team was as good as there record last year, but they were close. Add in Wieters and Machado, Cruz and perhaps Miller, along with a competent RF who could bat lead off, and imo this was a WS winning team. But DD 100% dropped the ball. Or he didn't try because he was pissed off at PA. Either way, what happened to the team, and in turn the fans, this off season was a travesty. The WS was there for the taking. We balked.

Yup. That's 1000000% the case.

DD was wooed by Toronto, therefore he didn't care.

The result is the nonsense we get in the 2015 season.

MSK

[sportsfan8703]

I don't know if this team was as good as there record last year, but they were close. Add in Wieters and Machado, Cruz and perhaps Miller, along with a competent RF who could bat lead off, and imo this was a WS winning team. But DD 100% dropped the ball. Or he didn't try because he was pissed off at PA. Either way, what happened to the team, and in turn the fans, this off season was a travesty. The WS was there for the taking. We balked.

I agree with all this. It's there for the taking this year. We all understand there is a budget. This team is shedding 50 million in payroll next year. I Don't want to see a 200 page thread on justin upton. Let's pick up some guys now and sell some prospects. Next year we will be just as young. 50 million cheaper. And way more flexible. Wright has filled the spot in the rotation. Drake has filled the need for a 2nd set up man. We still have gausman to add to the mix. Weiters, flaherty and Schoop will help. But duquette needs to fill the two big holes from the offseason. Plan a or b hasn't worked out. It's time to make a trade.

[Mayor McCheese]

Yup. That's 1000000% the case.

DD was wooed by Toronto, therefore he didn't care.

The result is the nonsense we get in the 2015 season.

MSK

I expect to see Hardy back on the DL soon. He still looks hurt and can't hit.. which means more playing time for Cabrera

De Aza and Snider have not played well enough to get consistant playing time.

We won't make any significant moves to beef up our roster during the season.

Just wait for the next off season when all those position players leave and we replace them with all of our AAAA fodder. Pretty sure the Toronto issue will come back up and wouldn't be suprised if he leaves.

[TiredofLosing20]

Yup. That's 1000000% the case.

DD was wooed by Toronto, therefore he didn't care.

The result is the nonsense we get in the 2015 season.

MSK

This is completely ridiculous.

DD was wooed by the fact that the team won the division by 12 games despite not having Wieters for basically the whole season, Machado for a third of the season, Davis hitting like Mendoza, and while believing Steve Pearce had found himself. For lack of a better cliche, he believed his own press.

I have no issue with letting Markakis go, I believed that his production was replaceable. I was worried about replacing Cruz and Miller. I know the contracts were tough pills to swallow and there was no guarantee that either would replicate their season but it appears thus far that DD bet wrong. Still a lot of baseball to be played. My issue has been that at no point since the ALCS did I think the team was better than last years team. I believed that they were worse in losing Cruz, Miller and Markakis. Many on here bought into the same notion that DD did. I still hope they are right and I was wrong.

[clapdiddy]

I expect to see Hardy back on the DL soon. He still looks hurt and can't hit.. which means more playing time for Cabrera

De Aza and Snider have not played well enough to get consistant playing time.

We won't make any significant moves to beef up our roster during the season.

Just wait for the next off season when all those position players leave and we replace them with all of our AAAA fodder. Pretty sure the Toronto issue will come back up and wouldn't be suprised if he leaves.

What position player that might leave is actually performing well now? Davis? Wieters? De Aza?