O's need to take a hard, hard look in the mirror this offseason

[FanSince88]

There is plenty of blame to go around. There will be FAs lost. Everyone in this organization, from the GM to the scouts to the trainers to the coaches to the players at every level, need to take a look in the mirror and contemplate why they are underachieving to this extent. And make no mistake, this organization is underachieving.

The injuries to the stud minor league prospects are underachievements on the part of the training staff at all levels.

The lack of fundamental baseball and inability to manufacture runs is an underachievement for the many talented hitters on this team.

The performances by some of the starters have been underachievements this year compared to what we all know they are capable of.

Getting outmanaged by Paul Molitor and leaving your banged-up shortstop in almost every game when everyone can see that he's hurting bad is a managerial underachievement. So was playing Parmelee every day for over a month when every tom, dick, and harry could tell he was way overmatched.

Hardy's year is a major underachievement. Sure, he's probably hurt, but he and his agent need to own up to his injury and seek more advanced help, because whatever they're doing isn't helping.

I could go on and on. There is massive underachievement in this organization at every level in 2015. After a year of some overachievement which followed 2013 which was also a year of massive underachievement this is disheartening.

[Uli2001]

Arrieta would never pan out in Baltimore. The NL is a pitcher-friendly league, and together with the change of environment this allowed him to find himself. It would never have happened in Baltimore. We should feel good that by letting him go, the Orioles actually helped him have a career.

[PaceofPlay]

Arrieta would never pan out in Baltimore. The NL is a pitcher-friendly league, and together with the change of environment this allowed him to find himself. It would never have happened in Baltimore. We should feel good that by letting him go, the Orioles actually helped him have a career.

That is like saying those who died from asbestos helped Angelos have a career.

[25 Nuggets]

That is like saying those who died from asbestos helped Angelos have a career.

They did, my father has asbestosis, and I don't understand your analogy.

[25 Nuggets]

Fair enough. I'm certainly not glad about it for our sake.

[MDtransplant757]

Let's have someone else be the cubs of the AL.

[Roll Tide]

The poster said we should feel glad about leading Arrieta go because he ended up getting a career. We got nothing out of it. F*ucking Angelos it's just like the Cubs

I'll just remind you that cursing is not prohibited here. Neither is insulting a warehouse member. Follow the rules or be gone!

[Moose Milligan]

Still stoked that this franchise managed to figure a way out of the doldrums of 1998-2011. Those days aren't too far behind us, folks. I like a lot of members on this board, but there's a sense of entitlement brewing around here. Even if this little era is over, lets be thankful we've seen some exciting baseball OPACY these past few years. Might not have resulted in a title but at least we can easily recall some good memories.

[MDtransplant757]

Still stoked that this franchise managed to figure a way out of the doldrums of 1998-2011. Those days aren't too far behind us, folks. I like a lot of members on this board, but there's a sense of entitlement brewing around here. Even if this little era is over, lets be thankful we've seen some exciting baseball OPACY these past few years. Might not have resulted in a title but at least we can easily recall some good memories.

But wouldn't be awesome if we had a title to say we won, instead of pretty good memories.

[hoosiers]

Still stoked that this franchise managed to figure a way out of the doldrums of 1998-2011. Those days aren't too far behind us, folks. I like a lot of members on this board, but there's a sense of entitlement brewing around here. Even if this little era is over, lets be thankful we've seen some exciting baseball OPACY these past few years. Might not have resulted in a title but at least we can easily recall some good memories.

I am not about to excuse our front office for poor decisions because of 1998-2011. This franchise should be in much better shape today than it is. Our front office has clearly overpaid for much of the important talent it brought here to supplement key individuals already in the organization while retaining and being loyal to older players moving farther from their prime.

The Mets announcers said last week that every team remaining on the Orioles schedule was above .500 except for the Nats and BoSox. That is a tough road to hoe and one that should make a GM lean toward being a seller at the trade deadline. We can hope that Schoop and Machado become superstars to lessen the lack of talent in minors, but IMO we are most likely headed for a multi-year rebuild.

[sportsfan8703]

If we don't resign Davis, O'day and Parra then we have to look no further than at ownership. You can't win without the horses.

[Frobby]

I don't feel this team has greatly underachieved. Maybe just a little, due to the disappointing starting pitching (not the issue in the Twins series, but overall the biggest issue) and the various corner outfielders who were DFA'd.

In baseball, things don't always go as you planned. Last year, an above average number of things went as well or better than planned. This year, a below average things went as well or better than planned. But I don't think any of it is due to lack of effort or that people need to "look in the mirror." There's plenty of tough decisions to be made this winter in light of all the pending free agents, and clear thinking will be required, but playing the blame game won't advance the ball IMO.

[Aristotelian]

I don't feel this team has greatly underachieved. Maybe just a little, due to the disappointing starting pitching (not the issue in the Twins series, but overall the biggest issue) and the various corner outfielders who were DFA'd.

In baseball, things don't always go as you planned. Last year, an above average number of things went as well or better than planned. This year, a below average things went as well or better than planned. But I don't think any of it is due to lack of effort or that people need to "look in the mirror." There's plenty of tough decisions to be made this winter in light of all the pending free agents, and clear thinking will be required, but playing the blame game won't advance the ball IMO.

If they determined the wild card by run differential, we would have the #2 spot by a lot. We have gotten crushed in 1 run ballgames. Just a lot of breaks not going our way. Granted, not enough talent to make up for it.

[Frobby]

If they determined the wild card by run differential, we would have the #2 spot by a lot. We have gotten crushed in 1 run ballgames. Just a lot of breaks not going our way. Granted, not enough talent to make up for it.

I don't know that I'd call 17-22 being "crushed." It's true, though, that if we had a winning record we'd be in the second wild card position right now. Thing is, the second wild card race is really a group of mediocre teams vying for position. The bar for the second wild card is very low this year.

[Moose Milligan]

But wouldn't be awesome if we had a title to say we won, instead of pretty good memories.

Oh please. If I told you in 2011 that the next 4 years would result in winning seasons, a Division Title but no championships you'd be upset? Everyone wants a title but only one team goes home 100% happy each year.