If Mussina gets the HOF nod tonight...

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

13 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I mean, the Phillies would have been closer.  Pirates.  Mets, just as close. 

The Pirates couldn't afford Mussina.  Phillies were not a winning franchise.  The Mets were a viable option.  

[Moose Milligan]

Just now, Frobby said:

No doubt.    Cubs and Dodgers (mentioned in the post I was responding to), not so much.   

I’m sure that once Mussina decided not to sign with the Orioles, money became the big differentiator between the Yankees and everyone else.    I don’t remember what teams were talking to Mussina, though I think the Red Sox did.    

As much as I hate the Yankees, I gotta admit...if you're a ballplayer, it's just gotta be freakin cool to put on the pinstripes and play for a franchise like that.  Not only can they offer more money than anyone else but their history is unparalleled.  On average, they win one out of four or five World Series.  They offer the best opportunity to win.

I can't hate the decision from a ballplayer perspective.  I mean, if Mussina was never an Oriole...say he was with some random team like the Rangers....I think he still goes to the Yankees.  

[weams]

12 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

As much as I hate the Yankees, I gotta admit...if you're a ballplayer, it's just gotta be freakin cool to put on the pinstripes and play for a franchise like that.  Not only can they offer more money than anyone else but their history is unparalleled.  On average, they win one out of four or five World Series.  They offer the best opportunity to win.

I can't hate the decision from a ballplayer perspective.  I mean, if Mussina was never an Oriole...say he was with some random team like the Rangers....I think he still goes to the Yankees.  

New York City is closer to Montoursville than Baltimore is. Takes about the same time driving to either stadium. 

[Aristotelian]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

As much as I hate the Yankees, I gotta admit...if you're a ballplayer, it's just gotta be freakin cool to put on the pinstripes and play for a franchise like that.  Not only can they offer more money than anyone else but their history is unparalleled.  On average, they win one out of four or five World Series.  They offer the best opportunity to win.

I can't hate the decision from a ballplayer perspective.  I mean, if Mussina was never an Oriole...say he was with some random team like the Rangers....I think he still goes to the Yankees.  

Nah. I would much rather be the guy that takes a small market team to the WS. What's the challenge in teaming up with a bunch of other superstars? Of course, nobody wants to be on a perennial loser.

[Just Regular]

Will Machado's possible FA departure be a bigger deal and a replacement source of Oriole fandom's indignation?

Because if the market is slow again next offseason and he makes it, Mussina's election and Manny's departure could end up quite proximate in time.

[thatbearflies]

2 hours ago, tntoriole said:

63 percent this year...next year I think  he will make it.   Mariano Rivera for sure, Roy Halladay very likely, Edgar Martinez,  Schilling, Mussina....Andy Pettite will miss out in first year.  

I think it is going to be very interesting to see what happens to Schilling's vote totals in the next few years (if necessary). I know I think of him mostly for his postseason magic and some starts that, for me as younger baseball fan (early teens) at the time,  were absolutely essential to building my love of baseball and making up some of my favorite moments. The 2001 World Series is still my favorite series to this day. (I wasn't alive for any Orioles world series...and the way things are going I may never be!) I would just hope if he goes in he doesn't try to integrate political talking points into his speech. 

I can still remember being a kid and being devastated when Mussina left for New York. See, at the time, I was young to the point where I didn't factor in contract value or anything like that. I thought each year the Orioles had just as good a chance as any to win the world series so, why can't he just be happy here? He was my favorite Oriole and, though I never turned on him, it definitely made me sick seeing him leave for the Yankees. Now, I tend to understand it a bit more, especially as I read stories about the Orioles' organization at the time and read some of the info that you all share on here. He lives locally and actually shops at the grocery store near here, but I am just not the type of fan to ever approach someone and want to talk about how he was a favorite player of mine. He can have his peace just like anyone else. But, I really have my fingers crossed every year that he is getting in. Maybe 2019 is it, but you all better believe my curio cabinet has the Mike Mussina McFarlane figure in it, and it's the Orioles variant. 

 

[Moose Milligan]

43 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Nah. I would much rather be the guy that takes a small market team to the WS. What's the challenge in teaming up with a bunch of other superstars? Of course, nobody wants to be on a perennial loser.

You just said, in a roundabout way, that no one wants to be on the Orioles. 

[weams]

13 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

You just said, in a roundabout way, that no one wants to be on the Orioles. 

They say that Mussina will make the Hall now. 

[Moose Milligan]

24 minutes ago, weams said:

They say that Mussina will make the Hall now. 

He probably will.

And when they have one of those panels it'll be like

"....and we've got Mike Mussina.  Harold, he never won a Cy Young, never won a World Series.  Never lead the league in anything really significant.  How'd he make it into the Hall of Fame?"

"Well I tell ya what, I was his teammate for one year in Baltimore and man, he came to PITCH every 5th day."

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 hour ago, OrioleDog said:

Will Machado's possible FA departure be a bigger deal and a replacement source of Oriole fandom's indignation?

Because if the market is slow again next offseason and he makes it, Mussina's election and Manny's departure could end up quite proximate in time.

Well one thing seems certain, the Orioles are going to screw up Manny's impending free agency just they did with Mussina.  

[Aristotelian]

1 hour ago, Moose Milligan said:

You just said, in a roundabout way, that no one wants to be on the Orioles. 

Nah, that's what they said about the Cavs but Lebron pulled it off. Bringing a championship to Cleveland is a much bigger accomplishment than anything Jeter or A Rod did. Then again, the NBA has a salary cap.

[Moose Milligan]

20 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Nah, that's what they said about the Cavs but Lebron pulled it off. Bringing a championship to Cleveland is a much bigger accomplishment than anything Jeter or A Rod did. Then again, the NBA has a salary cap.

LeBron also shifts the power in the NBA when he switches a team.  Can't say that about anyone in MLB.

[millertime]

8 hours ago, Redskins Rick said:

But, look at it from his side.

Peter says, Mike we love you, sign me a 1 year team friendly team, and next year, we will do right for you. MLB Players read the riot act at Mike for doing such.

Next season came around, and Peter did not do him right.

So how the fork is that Mussina's fault?

Exactly how I feel.  I was a huge Mussina fan and held ZERO grudge against him for leaving.  I also don’t hold a grudge because he chose the Yankees...they had the ability to offer him the most money and best opportunity to win.  For all the talk about how many people dislike Angelos for the way he runs this organization, Mussina should’ve been applauded for basically telling him to pound sand.

And take this for what you will but years ago, I ran into Mussina’s brother in a bar, noticed him right away and decided to go over and strike up a conversation with him.  Super nice guy.  He talked to me for at least 30 minutes and he explained that Mike was furious about how Angelos reneged on his promise but that he also felt terrible for the fans.  Unless his brother is a liar, he did the same thing any normal person, working in a normal business would do if their boss pulled the BS Angelos pulled on him.  Mussina will always be one of my top 5 favorite Orioles.  Isn’t it “slightly” ironic that we haven’t had a TRUE Ace since he left?

[Bonecrusher52]

Mussina to HOF? Joe Torre: No, stay there!

 

[MDtransplant757]

Mussina is Justin Verlander without the recognition and ring.