Playing lousy feels weird

[winkies]

The last few years have spoiled us. Playing competitive baseball was a luxury in Baltimore.

Although we're far from dark days of the 00's this stretch in late August feels like those days.

It reminds of my days living with dad as a kid back in the Melvin Mora era. He would watch most of the games all year then by the time August rolled around he went into "screw this" mode and just stopped watching.

I really tried to appreciate the last few seasons because of the rarity of competitive Orioles but not that it's over I feel like I didn't cherish it as well as I should have.

[Can_of_corn]

The last few years have spoiled us. Playing competitive baseball was a luxury in Baltimore.

Although we're far from dark days of the 00's this stretch in late August feels like those days.

It reminds of my days living with dad as a kid back in the Melvin Mora era. He would watch most of the games all year then by the time August rolled around he went into "screw this" mode and just stopped watching.

I really tried to appreciate the last few seasons because of the rarity of competitive Orioles but not that it's over I feel like I didn't cherish it as well as I should have.

I never thought so, never took it for granted.

[winkies]

I never thought so, never took it for granted.

I did somewhat. Probably partly because I just felt like we caught a little big of invincibility and and would good for longer.

[duffaphonic]

I think that it's more painful now because our expectations have been raised. Also I don't really see any dominant teams.

[Can_of_corn]

I did somewhat. Probably partly because I just felt like we caught a little big of invincibility and and would good for longer.

I never relaxed.

There is a reason that some of the more erudite sites were seemingly always down on the O's chances.

[Can_of_corn]

I think that it's more painful now because our expectations have been raised. Also I don't really see any dominant teams.

Don't watch much National league baseball?

[maybenxtyr]

I have enjoyed some great seasons as an O's fan, but the 14 years of terrible come rushing back to my mind over the last couple of weeks. Not really having a direction makes this really hard to digest. The off-season could be ugly.

[byrdz]

We have a reasonable shot at finishing last place in the AL East. Pretty depressing stuff after the past few magical seasons. Oh well! Rebuild time!

[O's84]

After the Oakland 4 game sweep and then going 2-1 against Grey, Degrom, and Syndergaard I was excited about an exciting WC race but it unfortunately it short circuited quickly. DD and the Orioles face a pivotal off season and I hope that he will make the right calls (not an easy task mind you). With the uncertainty around Bundy (and to a lesser extent Harvey) the margin for error is even slimmer.

[$Greatness$]

This is why I always sad screw that play for the future. All the purist went "Wait till Bundy comes. Wait till E-Rod comes" Nope, we should've traded them when we had the chance and drastically improved our ball club. We as a fanbase should have known that winning doesn't come easy and we should have grab it by the baseball and ran with it. (or the Orioles front office rather) While we're not out of it, its pretty darn close and it sucks. To go 8 games away from glory to MAYBE hovering around .500. Ain't the beer piss warm.

[islandecho]

Sadly this is not a surprise to some. You can't lose your MVP caliber LF, your best reliever, and your steady RF and replace them with nothing and expect to be anything more than average. This is 75% on DD and 25% on PA. I give DD more of the blame because of the Toronto fiasco and his seeming inability or lack of effort in finding replacements for all that was lost over the offseason.

What makes it even worse is the FO knew that this was the last year that this group of players would all be together, and instead of going for it, like 99% of most sports teams would do, they went ultra conservative. Now we are what we are. An average team at best.

The fan base, and the core group of players like Jones, Wieters, Davis and others deserved better. Anyone that can possibly justify what the FO did this past off season is not living in reality imo.

[islandecho]

Sucking feels weird. I hear ya.

Sorry to say, get used to it.

We'll likely be worse next year.

Unless the FO does a complete 180, next year could be brutal. We are talking Phillies brutal. I don't see us signing any of our FA's, and to be honest, if you were an impending FA and saw what the FO did last winter (gave up), would you be in a hurry to sign here? I know I wouldn't.

Get ready for some bad baseball. Because other than Machado and Jones, is there anyone who will be left on this team to get excited about? I sure don't see it.

[MemorialStadKid]

Sadly this is not a surprise to some. You can't lose your MVP caliber LF, your best reliever, and your steady RF and replace them with nothing and expect to be anything more than average. This is 75% on DD and 25% on PA. I give DD more of the blame because of the Toronto fiasco and his seeming inability or lack of effort in finding replacements for all that was lost over the offseason.

What makes it even worse is the FO knew that this was the last year that this group of players would all be together, and instead of going for it, like 99% of most sports teams would do, they went ultra conservative. Now we are what we are. An average team at best.

The fan base, and the core group of players like Jones, Wieters, Davis and others deserved better. Anyone that can possibly justify what the FO did this past off season is not living in reality imo.

Go back to the posts from November 2014 through February 2015.

A bunch of folks were stunned by DD's lack of movement but were told that we were trolls or negative nellies or "gloom and doomers."

My fondest wish is that DD and the FO learned a harsh lesson about percolating and being needlessly cheap and will do what it takes to build a long-term winner in Baltimore.

The fans deserve so much more than this garbage.

MSK

[Can_of_corn]

Sadly this is not a surprise to some. You can't lose your MVP caliber LF, your best reliever, and your steady RF and replace them with nothing and expect to be anything more than average. This is 75% on DD and 25% on PA. I give DD more of the blame because of the Toronto fiasco and his seeming inability or lack of effort in finding replacements for all that was lost over the offseason.

What makes it even worse is the FO knew that this was the last year that this group of players would all be together, and instead of going for it, like 99% of most sports teams would do, they went ultra conservative. Now we are what we are. An average team at best.

The fan base, and the core group of players like Jones, Wieters, Davis and others deserved better. Anyone that can possibly justify what the FO did this past off season is not living in reality imo.

What MVP left fielder?

[O's84]

What MVP left fielder?

Cruz could of made a difference, there's no doubt amount that. But he was worth 3.7 WAR in 2014 which is all star worthy but not MVP worthy. He's following that up with a 4.9 WAR (depending on what you go by) through 127 game which is impressive but as it's been rehashed a zillion times: 2014 was an outlier and one couldn't expect him to put up those #'s again let alone better them. And there's still 3 more years on that contract for a guy in his mid 30's.