Random Thought Thread

[murph]

9 hours ago, thatbearflies said:

Due to my age, I've never really gotten to experience a truly great Oriole. By the time I was old enough to watch intelligently, Ripken was a veteran with a bad back who missed games and often struggled. I only got to see a few seasons of Mussina before he was off to pinstripes. 

The best Orioles baseball that I've really gotten to experience is a Brian Roberts, Erik Bedard, Melvin Mora type of player.

So, my random thought is about how I am that guy who didn't see a movie, but nods and smiles when you all talk about players like Brooks. 

You should see this future HOF/ future Cub 3B/SS everyone has been talking about. 

[MagicBird]

Should DD, Buck and whoever else really have their heads on the chopping block over bringing Tillman back this year?  They took a flyer on a guy that had been good for the Orioles and gambled hoping it would pay off.   We had a lotta holes on that pitching staff.   Signed Cobb and Cashner and still needed another pitcher.   Better to go with Wright?  Its not like they chose Tillman over a lotta better sure options.   Anybody they would be using in that spot is a gamble.   Tillman happened to have a history that showed more potential if he could turn things around.

It didnt work out.   

 

 

[Moshagge3]

11 hours ago, Frobby said:

Re the Jack Cust play, it would certainly rank in my top 10 most ridiculous Orioles plays of all time. I’m not sure if I can conjure up the other 9 right now, but here’s a few:

1.   Melvin Mora is thrown out at home to end the game, when he tagged up on a short fly ball and tried to score what wouldn’t have been the tying run.   

2.   Eddie Rogers has a ball go inside his uniform shirt while charging a one-hop line drive.    

3.   Jose Morban fails to realize there are less than two outs, and trots home without tagging up on a long fly out with one out in the 9th, failing to score what should have been the tying run.    Miraculously, he makes it back to 3B after some botched defense, but is stranded there and the O’s lose.    

This one really sticks in my craw 22 years later: 

 

[Mondo Trasho]

Some random thoughts.

Remember Ryan Kohlmeier? He was supposed to be the closer of the future back in 2001. Or at least that's what I read in the Seagram's baseball preview pamphlet I got from my dad after one of his trips to the ABC store.

Back in 2007 I actually thought the O's best chance was to sign Johan Santana, to give them a 1-2-3 punch of Bedard, Guthrie, and Santana.

Speaking of 2001, I remember hearing that offseason that the O's were rumored to be interested in Tino Martinez and Brett Boone. Glad they didn't sign them. If the rumors were even true in the first place.

[El_Duderino]

If Chris Davis stays healthy and in the lineup - he has a real shot at having the lowest WAR in a single season...ever.

 

[Moose Milligan]

 

I think this is my favorite Orioles baseball card.  

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

13 hours ago, atomic said:

I wonder if Lenny Dykstra would be willing to be our manager.   

Could pay him with street drugs and there is more than enough supply in Baltimore.  

[big_sparxx]

So in a random conversation with a buddy of mine who lives in Boston, I accidentally told him that I was coming up to Lahey for surgery,

ten minutes later he calls me and yells me he's git us Red Sox tix for Thursday June 7th against Detroit.

 

Never been to Fenway... wasn't even close to my bucket list.

 

Anyone have a Tigers hat I can use for the night?

[JazzyJake]

Until MLB implements a meaningful salary cap there will be the haves and the have-nots situation we have now where the smaller market teams serve as player development for the large market teams.  The O’s are a AAAA franchise.  Bye Manny!

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, JazzyJake said:

Until MLB implements a meaningful salary cap there will be the haves and the have-nots situation we have now where the smaller market teams serve as player development for the large market teams.  The O’s are a AAAA franchise.  Bye Manny!

[Mondo Trasho]

19 minutes ago, JazzyJake said:

Until MLB implements a meaningful salary cap there will be the haves and the have-nots situation we have now where the smaller market teams serve as player development for the large market teams.  The O’s are a AAAA franchise.  Bye Manny!

Is there evidence that salary capped leagues like the NFL or NBA have had more championship level parity than the MLB?

Because from what I've seen, the evidence seems to run the other way.

[JazzyJake]

3 minutes ago, Mondo Trasho said:

Is there evidence that salary capped leagues like the NFL or NBA have had more championship level parity than the MLB?

Because from what I've seen, the evidence seems to run the other way.

I don’t follow the NBA, but for the NFL, I think the answer is yes.  Now, there are other variables, at least partly attributable to management.  For example the Mets are a large market team who always suck because of bad signings/contracts; the NE Patriots manage the salary cap expertly and are perpetually good.  And good players will always prefer to play with storied teams, but the cap mitigates their ability to always do so.

NFL free agents are more quick to sign with teams (like the Lions) because teams can only sign one, maybe two premier free agents; after that the cap prevents more signings.  If an NFL free agent holds out, they usually get screwed because the available money runs out.   No Red Sox or Yankees with unlimited purses.  And no Mark Teixiera games of using a poorer team as contract leverage.  

The NFL does have a couple perpetually bad franchises, but that is due to awful management.  In general, most NFL teams make the playoffs every few years at least - the salary cap allows that.

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, JazzyJake said:

I don’t follow the NBA, but for the NFL, I think the answer is yes.  Now, there are other variables, at least partly attributable to management.  For example the Mets are a large market team who always suck because of bad signings/contracts; the NE Patriots manage the salary cap expertly and are perpetually good.  And good players will always prefer to play with storied teams, but the cap mitigates their ability to always do so.

NFL free agents are more quick to sign with teams (like the Lions) because teams can only sign one, maybe two premier free agents; after that the cap prevents more signings.  If an NFL free agent holds out, they usually get screwed because the available money runs out.   No Red Sox or Yankees with unlimited purses.  And no Mark Teixiera games of using a poorer team as contract leverage.  

The NFL does have a couple perpetually bad franchises, but that is due to awful management.  In general, most NFL teams make the playoffs every few years at least - the salary cap allows that.

			Denver 34, Atlanta 19
			St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16
			Baltimore 34, New York Giants 7
			New England 20, St. Louis 17
			Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21
			New England 32, Carolina 29
			New England 24, Philadelphia 21
			Pittsburgh 21, Seattle 10
			Indianapolis 29, Chicago 17
			New York Giants 17, New England 14
			Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23
			New Orleans Saints 31, Indianapolis Colts 17
			Green Bay Packers 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 25
			New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17
			Baltimore Ravens 34, San Francisco 49ers 31
			Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8
			New England Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24
			Denver Broncos 24, Carolina Panthers 10
			New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28
			Philadelphia Eagles 41, New England Patriots 33

[atomic]

24 minutes ago, Mondo Trasho said:

Is there evidence that salary capped leagues like the NFL or NBA have had more championship level parity than the MLB?

Because from what I've seen, the evidence seems to run the other way.

Yeah because it comes to management skill at that point.  

[Mondo Trasho]

4 minutes ago, JazzyJake said:

I don’t follow the NBA, but for the NFL, I think the answer is yes.  Now, there are other variables, at least partly attributable to management.  For example the Mets are a large market team who always suck because of bad signings/contracts; the NE Patriots manage the salary cap expertly and are perpetually good.  And good players will always prefer to play with storied teams, but the cap mitigates their ability to always do so.

NFL free agents are more quick to sign with teams (like the Lions) because teams can only sign one, maybe two premier free agents; after that the cap prevents more signings.  If an NFL free agent holds out, they usually get screwed because the available money runs out.   No Red Sox or Yankees with unlimited purses.  And no Mark Teixiera games of using a poorer team as contract leverage.  

The NFL does have a couple perpetually bad franchises, but that is due to awful management.  In general, most NFL teams make the playoffs every few years at least - the salary cap allows that.

Your assumption is that the salary cap is responsible. But, we also have to account for sample size. An NFL team only needs to win 10 or 11 (sometimes less, sometimes more) out of 16 games to qualify for single elimination playoffs. A baseball team has to win 90 or so out of 162.

It's a small sample, but consider the past 10 champions in either sport. 8 MLB franchises have a won a WS, 9 different NFL franchises have won the Super Bowl. The numbers are almost identical.