The Sting of Losing Winnable Games

[OFFNY]

o

 

The last 2 losses have been hard to stomach. Last night, the Orioles blew a 3-run lead heading into the 7th inning. The night before, they jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the game, had the bases loaded with nobody out an inning later, and failed to blow the Rangers out of the water. The Rangers subsequently came back to win the game by a score of 4-3. The Orioles had a runner on 3rd base with less than 2 outs in the top of the 9th inning, and Matt Wieters struck out (we needed only a sacrifice fly to tie the game.)

Those games hurt a lot.

We've also seen it go the other way.

There was the game against the Yankees on June 5th which was so frustrating for the first 7 and 2/3 innings. It appeared to be a game that the Orioles were destined to lose, as they kept coming up short in situations in which they could have at least tied the game, or even taken the lead. But Matt Wieters, with 2 outs and 2 strikes on him, came through with a 2-RBI single up the middle, and a 3rd run scored on the overthrow when Aroldis Chapman failed to back up his catcher on the throw to home plate. Zach Britton shut the Yankees down in the top of the 9th to cap the Orioles' win.

Then there was the game against the Angels in which the Orioles were down to their last strike in the top of the 9th inning, trailing by a score of 1-0. Matt Wieters came through with a 3-run home run, saving the Orioles in an otherwise bad offensive game for the team. Zach Britton again came in to shut the opponent down in the final inning, sealing another Orioles win.

So yes, these losses sting a lot. The unexpected wins seem great. Unless you are a team like the 2001 Mariners, the 1998 Yankees, or the 1984 Tigers (all of whom could easily afford to blow a game here and there without it causing the team and its fans much concern about their place in the standings), both the stinging losses and the glorious come-from-behind wins are going to happen throughout the course of the 162-game season. When they go against you, there is nothing that the team can do except put it behind them and go out and try to win the next game. There is nothing that the fans of the team can do except root for their (proverbial) heroes to do just that. Let's go Orioles, against the Padres tonight.

 

o

[Frobby]

The O's are very good at not letting the disappointing games affect them the next day. Hopefully they show that tonight.

[MDK02]

o

The last 2 losses have been hard to stomach. Last night, the Orioles blew a 3-run lead heading into the 7th inning. The night before, they jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in the game, had the bases loaded with nobody out an inning later, and failed to blow the Rangers out of the water. The Rangers subsequently came back to win the game by a score of 4-3. The Orioles had a runner on 3rd base with less than 2 outs in the top of the 9th inning, and Matt Wieters struck out (we needed only a sacrifice fly to tie the game.)

Those games hurt a lot.

We've also see it go the other way.

There was the game against the Yankees on June 5th which was so frustrating for the first 7 and 2/3 innings. It appeared to be a game that the Orioles were destined to lose, as they kept coming up short in situations in which they could have at least tied the game, or even taken the lead. But Matt Wieters, with 2 outs and 2 strikes on him, came through with a 2-RBI single up the middle, and a 3rd run scored on the overthrow when Aroldis Chapman failed to back up his catcher on the throw to home plate. Zach britton shut the Yankees down in the top of the 9th to cap the Orioles' win.

Then there was the game against the Angels in which the Orioles were down to their last strike in the top of the 9th inning, trailing by a score of 1-0. Matt Wieters came through with a 3-run home run, saving the Orioles in an otherwise bad offensive game for the team. Zach Britton again came in to shut the opponent down in the final inning, sealing another Orioles win.

So yes, these losses sting a lot. The unexpected wins seem great. Unless you are a team like the 2001 Mariners, the 1998 Yankees, or the 1984 Tigers (all of whom could easily afford to blow a game here and there without it causing the team and its fans much concern about their place in the standings), both the stinging losses and the glorious come-from-behind wins are going to happen throughout the course of the 162-game season. When they go against you, there is nothing that the team can do except put it behind them and go out and try to win the next game. There is nothing that the fans of the team can do except root for their (proverbial) heroes to do just that. Let's go Orioles, against the Padres tonight.

Great post. Thank you for keeping things in perspective.

Time to bounce back and get the W tonight!

[NashLumber]

Great post. The "woe is me" has been strong lately. While it may not look like it sometimes, we forget these guys are professionals and we are unpaid arm chair quarterbacks. Thank goodness they don't fold up as easily as we do.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[canonfaz]

Breathe easy my friend. Tonight you will feel the sweet dispassion of losing a very lose-able game with Ubaldo on the mound and being down my 5+ runs in the second inning.

[OFFNY]

canonfaz said:

 

Breathe easy, my friend. Tonight you will feel the sweet dispassion of losing a very lose-able game with Ubaldo on the mound and being down my 5+ runs in the second inning.

 

o

 

I am breathing easy, my friend.

And I will continue to breath easy, regardless of the outcome of tonight's game. And I will be just as hopeful that the Orioles will win their next game against the Rays on Friday, also. That's the point of my OP.

 

o

[canonfaz]

I am breathing easy, "my friend."

And I will continue to breath easy, regardless of the outcome of tonight's game. And I will be just as hopeful that the Orioles will win their next game against the Rays on Friday, also. That's the point of my OP.

I have more faith that we win on Friday, but I'll definitely be rooting for a win tonight too! I'll just be more surprised if we win tonight. The season is a roller coaster, it's one of the things that is great about baseball!

Edited June 22, 2016 by canonfaz

[OFFNY]

o

 

New York swept Kansas City in a mini-series just now ...... you know, for all you Mets fans here on the OH.

 

o

[bobmc]

o

New York swept Kansas City in a mini-series just now ...... you know, for all you Mets fans here on the OH.

That stings! They gained a game! Remember when KC were their cousins? They are tonight!

[Malike]

o

New York swept Kansas City in a mini-series just now ...... you know, for all you Mets fans here on the OH.

Noah S. had to leave the game with elbow soreness. Could be devastating blow to the Mets.

[OFFNY]

OFFNY said:

o

New York swept Kansas City in a mini-series just now ...... you know, for all you Mets fans here on the OH.

o

Malike said:

 

Noah S. had to leave the game with elbow soreness. Could be devastating blow to the Mets.

 

o

 

Oh, that does not sound good.

Zack Wheeler suffered a setback yesterday in his rehab from Tommy John surgery, also.

It's a good thing that they brought back Bartolo Colon for another season this year. They got great value from the 2-year contract that he was previously under ($10 Million a year for 2 years in 2014 and 2015.)

 

o

[wildcard]

O's are on a pace to win 92. If they continue that pace they will go 52-40 the rest of the season. That is 40 losses to go. No matter how they happen. They don't sting so might if you expect them.

[OFFNY]

o

 

(vs. PADRES, 6/22)

 

That felt good.

Last night's loss still stings, but it stings a little less now.

 

o

[weams]

They dont have the losing streak breaker on the mound tonight.

Boston feels your pain.

[OFFNY]

Roy Firestone said:

 

They don't have the losing streak breaker on the mound tonight.

 

weams said:

 

Boston feels your pain.

 

o

 

"We're still in it. We're not going to concede."

 

Johnny Oates, after the Orioles lost 2 out of 3 games to the Blue Jays in late September of 1992.

 

o