Have you given up on the Orioles being a playoff contender in 2017?

[Frobby]

OK, we've all had a chance to take a deep breath now, with the O's winning three straight, getting back to .500, and actually holding opponents under 5 runs in two of the last three games.   Panic mode is over, but everybody knows the flaws this team has, which have been very apparent over the last six weeks.

So my question is, have you given up on the O's being a playoff contender for 2017?    From a mathematical perspective, they're clearly still in contention, 1.5 games out of the second wild card spot.    But has the trend of the last six weeks convinced you to a high degree of certainty that this team won't be in the thick of the race come September?

I'll give you my answer: I haven't given up yet.    I've been a fan for more than 50 years and I've seen too many times where a team's season took a drastic turn.    In 30 days or so, management is going to have to make its best guess as to its' realistic chances of competing this year, but I see no good reason to rush that process.   A couple of starting pitchers get things turned around, and things could look drastically different.    I'm not very optimistic, but I see no reason to rush the process, either.  

One more thing: I know there are posters who would say that even if we might be able to sneak into the wild card, there's no chance we could seriously contend for a championship.   I don't buy it.    We're not as good as the Astros and several other teams, but if we're good enough to get in the playoffs, there's always an appreciable chance of getting on a roll and making a deep run.   It happens plenty often enough.   

[Can_of_corn]

I'm quickly giving up on the idea of Dan giving up.

[DirtyBird]

Say goodbye to the idea of building any minor league depth.

[maybenxtyr]

I'm not giving up...I'm just concerned about the starters. I don't believe they are as bad as they've been but I'm not sure that they can get it together for a sustained run to the finish. 

 

I don't care if they hold onto what they have, but please no trades coming in. I also know they seem to finish pretty well under Buck so anything is possible.

[canonfaz]

If Gausman reverts back to his norm and Bundy continues what he's doing, I think we can stay in the wildcard race. I don't think we have a shot at the division though with our rotation as it stands. Britton should give the team a little bit of an emotional boost when he gets back. Let's hope we can ride that wave for a good little winning streak.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

In terms of sneaking into second wildcard spot, no.  But as a serious contender to win world series, yes.  If the old Tillman returns, Gausman keeps improving and Britton comes back, I might revisit.  Even then, I don't think this team is good enough.  

The goal is to get to the world series, I don't think this group has it.  There is always a chance for 2006 Cardinals like run.  

The schedule over the next month should be a good indicator of where this team is headed.  

[clapdiddy]

I don't want to give up yet.  It really boils down to the starting pitching.   If they are able to pull it together during the next 30 days, we are definitely contenders.   Plus, if Britton is healthy, the bullpen could be lights-out again.

[Lucky_13]

I was losing faith. But then I watched the delmon young double from the 2014 ALDS and I'm back on board. I remembered how great that felt.

So lets go for it. I don't care how flawed this team is.

 

[Spy Fox]

One way or another the rotation needs to provide much more. It doesn't need to be great, but we probably need a couple guys to have good second halves and the others to be less disastrous than they have so far. If that happens we have a chance, and I think that can happen even if it doesn't look likely. So I haven't given up.  

[El Gordo]

In a word no, not yet. I"m waiting for the next 12 G before the ASB.

 

[wildcard]

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

OK, we've all had a chance to take a deep breath now, with the O's winning three straight, getting back to .500, and actually holding opponents under 5 runs in two of the last three games.   Panic mode is over, but everybody knows the flaws this team has, which have been very apparent over the last six weeks.

So my question is, have you given up on the O's being a playoff contender for 2017?    From a mathematical perspective, they're clearly still in contention, 1.5 games out of the second wild card spot.    But has the trend of the last six weeks convinced you to a high degree of certainty that this team won't be in the thick of the race come September?

I'll give you my answer: I haven't given up yet.    I've been a fan for more than 50 years and I've seen too many times where a team's season took a drastic turn.    In 30 days or so, management is going to have to make its best guess as to its' realistic chances of competing this year, but I see no good reason to rush that process.   A couple of starting pitchers get things turned around, and things could look drastically different.    I'm not very optimistic, but I see no reason to rush the process, either.  

One more thing: I know there are posters who would say that even if we might be able to sneak into the wild card, there's no chance we could seriously contend for a championship.   I don't buy it.    We're not as good as the Astros and several other teams, but if we're good enough to get in the playoffs, there's always an appreciable chance of getting on a roll and making a deep run.   It happens plenty often enough.   

An O's fan for over 50 years?  Boy you are old.

No, can't give up 1.5 games out of the playoffs?

[Bird Dog]

37 minutes ago, Lucky_13 said:

I was losing faith. But then I watched the delmon young double from the 2014 ALDS and I'm back on board. I remembered how great that felt.

So lets go for it. I don't care how flawed this team is.

 

My son and I were sitting beside the left field foul/fair pole when Delmon hit the double.....give up, hell no.

[psugisher]

Definitely not.. this team has had mediocre starting pitching the past 5 years and have been contenders because they can score, play defense and have a fantastic back end of the bullpen.  If Britton is back and healthy, we have Givens, O'day, Brach and Britton anchoring this thing again.  Gausman and Tillman are the key in my opinion. They have to get back to going 6-7 innings with consistent quality starts.  Bundy needs to work through his fatigue or whatever it is and continue to be solid.  Miley, Ubaldo or whoever the 5th guy turns out to be just need to be mediocre.  Get through 5 giving up 4 and we'll have a shot every game we play.  We'll add guys by just getting healthy.  Davis and Britton will provide a nice boost when they come back.  Flaherty and Hardy will too as they give us the depth we're missing right now.  Manny is going to catch fire at some point and that's when I think the offense will really take off.  Gausman looks like he might be slowly turning the corner. Tillman has struggled before and come out of it and it doesn't look like his velocity is bad.  I think he'll turn things soon too.  Ubaldo is as inconsistent as you can get.  Would be fine with Mike Wright getting his spot when he gets healthy.  It's almost July and we survived as bad a stretch as you'll ever see and we're right in it.  Other teams struggle too.. it just hurts more when ours does 

[Frobby]

8 minutes ago, Roy Firestone said:

Im even OLDER!

Didn't you interview Ty Cobb?

[NashLumber]