The turning point of this collape

[spiritof66]

1 hour ago, SteveA said:

Considering that we could have gone to the World Series four years ago, it certainly is possible for us to be competitive.   I know, Yankees were down, Red Sox were down, whatever.   Well, those teams can be down again.   Or we can be up.

But OF COURSE we have to spend on international players.   That is capped, so the Yankees can't spend anymore than we can in that area.   So the one area where we could compete evenly with them, at least in terms of bonus money, we deliberately choose not to.

I agree with that. But the Orioles were up. And the Rockies and Jays have had their moments. I think the environment may be getting worse for these have-not teams, in that the rich teams have smarter, or less dumb, owners and front offices, and recognize the value of spending on executive talent, so the opportunity of doing things better but cheaper than they do is diminishing. 

But I come away with the view that the have-nots, at least in the AL East and NL West, and probably in the NL Central, have to be content with collecting talent for times when they can contend (which may or may not pan out) and then dropping back at other times when the talent's not there because they've sold it to build a contender (if they've had it at all) and can't afford to replace it right away.

Getting talent out of international free agents is not a level playing field. Among other things, the wealthier teams can and do spend many millions each year (the numbers are a secret) on scouting Latin American teenagers and developing them at terrific training facilities. Even if the Orioles (or the Padres, or the Rays, or the Royals, etc.) spend on that stuff, they will be unable to catch up with the NYYs, RS and Dodgers , and in most cases they will need to spend less on MLB payroll. 

[spiritof66]

6 minutes ago, Roy Firestone said:

what if he's not an Oriole? Think we can send Craig Gentry?

It's a crowded field. And Beckham and Rasmus might be off the DL by then. 

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, spiritof66 said:

It's a crowded field. And Beckham and Rasmus might be off the DL by then. 

Does Rasmus finish his rehab stint?

[spiritof66]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

Does Rasmus finish his rehab stint?

I hope not, but you'll have to ask Brady.

[LA2]

1 hour ago, Aristotelian said:

Has anyone mentioned Ubaldo in the wild card game?

The O's started the next season 22W-10L.

[InsideCoroner]

7 hours ago, weams said:

 

Yikes. I think their updated record since that day is 22-62. 

Coincidence? Sure.  Interesting? Sure. 

[Going Underground]

2 hours ago, Roy Firestone said:

what if he's not an Oriole? Think we can send Craig Gentry?

Makes sense. Just for base running with less then two outs 

Maybe the Orioles can just send Manny's hairnet. It might cover more ground then our current outfield. 

[Going Underground]

18 minutes ago, InsideCoroner said:

Yikes. I think their updated record since that day is 22-62. 

Coincidence? Sure.  Interesting? Sure. 

Scully and Mulder on the case.Was it the pies that made the Orioles do better then people ecpect.What pies? Filling? Crust? The truth is out there. 

[24fps]

20 minutes ago, InsideCoroner said:

Yikes. I think their updated record since that day is 22-62. 

Coincidence? Sure.  Interesting? Sure. 

This entire thread is saturated with coincidence - which makes it no less fun.  Remove coincidence and the turning point was September 7, 2017 when the 71-68 Orioles went into a 4-19 freefall that's continued into 2018 with no sign of letting up.  

But Mark Trumbo's pie-in-the-face snit somehow triggering the mess we're watching now?  That theory is a lot more interesting than anything we're currently seeing on the field.

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, 24fps said:

This entire thread is saturated with coincidence - which makes it no less fun.  Remove coincidence and the turning point was September 7, 2017 when the 71-68 Orioles went into a 4-19 freefall that's continued into 2018 with no sign of letting up.  

But Mark Trumbo's pie-in-the-face snit somehow triggering the mess we're watching now?  That theory is a lot more interesting than anything we're currently seeing on the field.

I've been having fun playing "Will it drop in?" every time a ball is hit to the outfield.

[Drifter]

The CD signing.

[Frobby]

18 hours ago, 24fps said:

 

But Mark Trumbo's pie-in-the-face snit somehow triggering the mess we're watching now?  That theory is a lot more interesting than anything we're currently seeing on the field.

Two days after Trumbo’s supposed “snit,” we won a thrilling, walk-off win against the Yankees.   The losing didn’t start until after that game.   

People are always looking for some kind of psychological or morale-related explanation for winning or losing streaks, but life rarely is that tidy.    We started losing when the team stopped hitting.     And I don’t think the hitters are up there thinking about whether Trumbo likes getting a pie in the face, or whether Manny Machado is wearing a Mr. Miami jersey.    They’re thinking about trying to get a hit.    

[weams]

I think it was when Frenchy struck out Reimold. 

[foxfield]

I think looking for light switch moments as turn arounds are kinda unfair... both to the good and for the bad.  We all do this in sports because, well...it's easy.

So...

I always thought the night the Orioles beat the Red Sox in 2011 ending the Red Sox magnificent collapse was the beginning of our turn around even though Buck had already been on board and some signs of life had already appeared.  That night though, the chemistry of the team to exceed expectations seemed to evolve and grow from then until......

The night Trumbo killed the pies.  Not to blame Trumbo of course, but the end of the illusion that this group was together and exemplifying the sum is greater than the parts.   Again, I don't blame Trumbo, but the Orioles have not looked good since for any stretch, so if I had to pick a moment to book end with 2011...

Definitely Trumbo nixing the pies.

JMHO 

[Horsepower]

This is such an easy one.........two words........CHRIS DAVIS

 

I honestly do not think we can begin to truly move forward until his situation is addressed.  And by addressed I mean get rid of him