Help me understand the Orioles brain trust

[Dr. Unk]

[weams]

2 hours ago, gtman55 said:

I've been watching Orioles baseball since the early 60's. I guess that doesn't make me an expert but I've seen a lot of good O's teams and bad. This off season has me totally confused.

I think most of us will agree that there's a 95% chance that Machado is not signing with us again. And some of us will agree that we should have unloaded Manny for prospects or even traded Britton last year. But we didn't. So, it seems to me that the Orioles front office has decided to go for it this year, versus a rebuild. I don't agree with that plan but it is what it is. But there's a huge problem with that scenario. Our starting pitcher group is horrendous/hideous beyond Bundy and Gausman. And the reality is those two guys would barely be middle of the rotation guys on a good staff. There's no way we can consistently beat a powerhouse team like the Yankees with our starters. Yet, we're basically gonna dumpster dive to fill out the rest of our staff when we need an ace. What good is getting pitchers with a ceiling of 10 or 12 wins?  We need someone who can end losing streaks not just inning eaters.

I know Angelos blew it on Ubaldo and made a huge mistake with Davis and that money spent plays into it. But the only way we compete is with a good group of starters. If not, I say let's blow it up and go with a group of baby birds and build for the future.

 

If you were 90 you would go for it too. 

[weams]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

No evidence to support such a claim.  Angelos has run his baseball team this way for years.  Not like we are seeing anything new.

Agreed.

[oriolediehard]

Obviously the theme of the O's is Peter Angelos that has been the same old story for 20 years.

[connja]

I'd rather watch a 95-loss team with a handful of 22 and under top prospects, than watch a .500 team with a bunch of overpaid veterans with limited upside.

[gtman55]

13 minutes ago, connja said:

I'd rather watch a 95-loss team with a handful of 22 and under top prospects, than watch a .500 team with a bunch of overpaid veterans with limited upside.

I agree 100%. We're not exactly packing the Yard with the team we have now. It would be interesting to take a poll to see if people prefer a young team that is giving it's all versus a team with awful starting pitching, little team speed, poor situational hitting and a bunch of vets with limited upside.

[Can_of_corn]

4 minutes ago, gtman55 said:

I agree 100%. We're not exactly packing the Yard with the team we have now. It would be interesting to take a poll to see if people prefer a young team that is giving it's all versus a team with awful starting pitching, little team speed, poor situational hitting and a bunch of vets with limited upside.

But is the OH a representational slice of total fandom?

[gtman55]

7 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

But is the OH a representational slice of total fandom?

True, but I'll tell you what. As much as I loved all the great veteran teams the Orioles have had, I remember the 1989 comeback kids as fondly as the powerhouse '69, '70 and '71 teams. They were great fun to watch.

Here was the opening day lineup in 1989:

Brady Anderson

Phil Bradley

Steve Finley

Rene Gonzales

Cal Ripken, Jr.

Dave Schmidt

Larry Sheets

Mickey Tettleton

Jim Traber

Craig Worthington

Most of those players were anything but stars at the time. But they were fun to root for. 

[waroriole]

2 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Angelos doesn't want to cheat the fans by intentionally fielding a bad team (tanking).  He has also put various limits on the avenues with which Dan can improve the team.  

It all makes perfect sense if you are used to fallowing a team owned by Angelos.

On the bright side we are probably in store for more 90 loss seasons in the near future than 100 lost ones.

I keep checking in here periodically hoping, against hope, that we’ve made some decision about the immediate direction of this team. It appears more and more that we’re gonna ride the fence and stick our heads in the sand about our upcoming free agents. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 hour ago, weams said:

If you were 90 you would go for it too. 

Except you need a starting rotation if you want to win any games.  Angelos aversion to paying pitchers big contracts and the Orioles inability to develop starters has this team in a bad spot.  

On the plus side, I will give the organization credit for starting to develop position players.   

[weams]

24 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

But is the OH a representational slice of total fandom?

Not even close. Folks pay to go to games that they win. 

[weams]

18 minutes ago, waroriole said:

I keep checking in here periodically hoping, against hope, that we’ve made some decision about the immediate direction of this team. It appears more and more that we’re gonna ride the fence and stick our heads in the sand about our upcoming free agents. 

I heard that they expect to win more games this year than they lose. And attempt to compete for the playoffs again. 

[atomic]

3 hours ago, gtman55 said:

Senility?

Or maybe he is just a curmudgeon who likes to annoy people with his decisions. 

[atomic]

33 minutes ago, gtman55 said:

True, but I'll tell you what. As much as I loved all the great veteran teams the Orioles have had, I remember the 1989 comeback kids as fondly as the powerhouse '69, '70 and '71 teams. They were great fun to watch.

Here was the opening day lineup in 1989:

Brady Anderson

Phil Bradley

Steve Finley

Rene Gonzales

Cal Ripken, Jr.

Dave Schmidt

Larry Sheets

Mickey Tettleton

Jim Traber

Craig Worthington

Most of those players were anything but stars at the time. But they were fun to root for. 

Don't forget Devereaux.   I used to like to get to the games early and watch Brady, Finley and Devereaux take fielding practice.  Three center fielders in the outfield.   

[tntoriole]

4 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

Angelos doesn't want to cheat the fans by intentionally fielding a bad team (tanking).  He has also put various limits on the avenues with which Dan can improve the team.  

It all makes perfect sense if you are used to fallowing a team owned by Angelos.

On the bright side we are probably in store for more 90 loss seasons in the near future than 100 lost ones.

Could have fooled me that Angelos didn’t want to cheat us during the 14  straight years of losing.  I think it is just as likely more accurate that Potter could care less about the fans except that they keep coming to the park just enough to fund his budget or make a profit with MASN, etc. .