As of today, would you trade places with Royals fans for the last 20 years?

[sportsfan8703]

8 hours ago, hutchead said:

I would definitely trade. Not even close for me. It's all about the World Series and we would have two more appearances and one more championship with the trade.

You're giving up 3-4 years of Cal's career?  And Machado?  WS are kind of flukey. Theirs definitely were. It took a choke job from Billy Beane only carrying 2 Catchers for a one game playoff. Plus Boston and NYY were down.

We should've went in 2014 but Davis got suspended and Manny and MW were hurt. If we had all three, Dan would've pulled the trigger on a Lester for Hunter Harvey and we cut down the nets. 

Traitors. All of you. 

[clapdiddy]

53 minutes ago, Satyr3206 said:

I wouldn't trade being a fan of the Orioles for anything. Period.

I agree with you, but I think you (and others) are taking this out of context.   You aren't trading teams, just outcomes.

Yes.  I would trade our recent history for KC's.  I wouldn't trade teams. 

[glenn__davis]

Sure, I definitely would.

It would be different if during those 20 years we were a powerhouse every year and just never quite got it done.  But we were just as non-competitive as they were for most of that time frame.  Except they got 2 ALCS titles and a WS title.   I think it's a pretty easy call.

[Frobby]

26 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Traitors. All of you. 

 

13 minutes ago, clapdiddy said:

I agree with you, but I think you (and others) are taking this out of context.   You aren't trading teams, just outcomes.

Yes.  I would trade our recent history for KC's.  I wouldn't trade teams. 

Right, this is what I meant.   But I also meant, right now, with the two recent WS appearances (and one title) to look back on, but already in the rear view mirror, and with the prospect of losing now and in the near future.    

I think the perspective here would vary depending on how old you are and how far back you go.    For me, having experienced 3 WS titles (albeit an extremely long time ago), the satisfaction of a recent title wouldn't be enough to make me want such a short burst of success followed by the immediate prospect of more losing.   But if I were too young to remember those teams, I'd rather have the memory of a title than the "puncher's chance" at a title that the Orioles will have this year and maybe next.   

[Ripken]

Of course.  Winning the world series is worth more than anything the Orioles have done.

[Larry18]

Nope. Baseball Prospectus ranks the Royals minor league talent below the Orioles. The Royals are over a year removed from their title and moving in the wrong direction. Whatever glow you get from winning has long since faded and only the misery of losing remains. Hard pass. Besides I want to see how this Orioles offense plays out. Swing early,swing hard is an outlier that's fun to watch.

[jamalshw]

If a World Series is an option in one category and not in another, it doesn't matter the other facts; the World Series wins.

[TINSTAAPP]

22 minutes ago, Larry18 said:

Nope. Baseball Prospectus ranks the Royals minor league talent below the Orioles. The Royals are over a year removed from their title and moving in the wrong direction. Whatever glow you get from winning has long since faded and only the misery of losing remains. Hard pass. Besides I want to see how this Orioles offense plays out. Swing early,swing hard is an outlier that's fun to watch.

 The thread is specially titled "As of today" not the "last 20 years and for the foreseeable future". And it's not like the Orioles future is that bright either. There's a decent chance Buck, Manny, Zach and Adam won't be here in 2019 and the farm system in dire shape. Oh and the division they're in is infinitely tougher than the AL Central.

[Frobby]

1 minute ago, TINSTAAPP said:

 The thread is specially titled "As of today" not the "last 20 years and for the foreseeable future". And it's not like the Orioles future is that bright either. There's a decent chance Buck, Manny, Zach and Adam won't be here in 2019 and the farm system in dire shape. Oh and the division they're in is infinitely tougher than the AL Central.

"As of today" was intended to include how we feel about the short-term future of the team, in addition to taking satisfaction from past accomplishments.     Otherwise it would be a silly question.   Obviously a WS title and another WS appearance trumps three playoff appearances and one extra winning season.  

[TINSTAAPP]

Just now, Frobby said:

"As of today" was intended to include how we feel about the short-term future of the team, in addition to taking satisfaction from past accomplishments.     Otherwise it would be a silly question.   Obviously a WS title and another WS appearance trumps three playoff appearances and one extra winning season.  

I would still take the Royals. If the Orioles clearly have a sunny future like the Yankees do, I might change my mind but the O's future doesn't seem particularly bright either. 

[bpilktree]

Do i have to stay in the AL east or would we go to the AL central.  That would make a huge difference.   The Central looks like a mess for the foreseeable future except a decent Indians team.

[SteveA]

Nope.

The World Series is the goal but as we all know, it's kind of a crap shoot once you get into the playoffs.

Having a WS title again would feel fantastic and be something to savor forever.   I'm not downplaying it.   But I want a team that makes the playoffs as often as possible and is in position to have that kind of magical run.   And as Patrick says, "the journey" is important too.   Being the winningest team in the AL for 5+ years has been a heck of a lot of fun.   I watch about 150 O's games a year, so that's 6 months out of the year that is much more enjoyable, year after year, because we are winning.   A great three week run in October that leads to a title would be fantastic, but the fact that for 6 months a year, for five years, I have been able to follow a contender daily is a huge factor for me.   And if we can get back to the playoffs, that three week run is just as likely to be us as anybody else.

Now I'll posit a theory:   there are a subset of posters on here that I believe don't enjoy the day to day following of a winning team as much as Patrick and I and others do.   They see the team's weaknesses more than their strengths, and are always waiting for things to go wrong.   Or perhaps they would have gone about building a team much differently than DD has, so they don't appreciate what we have as much as they otherwise would. Or they are concerned (rightfully, I admit) that our farm system and lack of attention to the future will wind up dropping us into another wasteland of losing seasons, and that concern saps the joy out of enjoying wins.in the present. 

I believe that subset of OHers are probably more likely to be ones who would answer yes to Frobby's question.   They don't get as much joy out of winning games over 5+ seasons at a higher rate than anyone in the American League, so they are more willing to trade all those enjoyable summers for the October glory.   Or else they believe that we have been more lucky than good, or that our success is a house of cards that will come toppling down any minute.   Remember the moving "window" for how long we could compete?   There have been people on OH who have wanted to punt the season and build for "the future" EVERY July since 2012, feeling that doom was coming the next year so we should take a step backwards and rebuild.

[SilentJames]

Does that mean living in the midwest? Because no.

[Frobby]

31 minutes ago, bpilktree said:

Do i have to stay in the AL east or would we go to the AL central.  That would make a huge difference.   The Central looks like a mess for the foreseeable future except a decent Indians team.

Well, good question.    So I guess, assume you don't get to move to the AL Central.   

18 minutes ago, SilentJames said:

Does that mean living in the midwest? Because no.

Can't tell if you're joking with that question, but no.    Just assume the track record of the two teams, plus their future prospects, were reversed.    

[AnythingO's]

Patrick and OFFNY capture my sentiment. That run of 25 years from the 1960s to mid 1980s when we had the best record in baseball means more to me. Every season I expected them to be in it, didn't always work, but I looked forward to it. 1982 when we ran down the Brew Crew on the last day of the season means more to me than the WS wins and I was in Philly for Game 5 in 1983. The 3 WS losses temper the 3 wins for me, I still can't stomach 1969. Trading for the Royals 2 years of excellence seems alot like the Orioles in 96-97 for me. They were great but I want the sustained excellence, not the flash in the pan.