Does anybody REALLY care any more?

[hoosiers]

I care.  As much as I ever have.  And I must say that the things that are posted here and that reach facebook make me think Os fans are insufferable.  After so much winning, folks are ready to leave the team in droves.  Well … good riddance, go, leave.  This is mostly what losing looks like - and some here have been saying this year was coming for a while.

This is what losing looks like.  And it is what losing looks like because the GM has traded away future player after future player in a win now mode.  Could our bullpen use Josh Hader and Steven Brault?  Could our rotation use EdRod?  Our GM signed and then traded away BMat with a high draft pick?  Then did pretty much the same thing with another bullpen arm?  All the while our GM is praised for "thinking outside the box" and for "monetizing draft picks".  What box was he thinking outside of.  

Dan Duquette is reaping what he has sown.  This is his team through and through and his trading away of draft picks and major and minor league talent and signing mediocre free agent pitchers at the loss of more draft picks and retaining past-their-prime free agent Os.

Even last year, folks here were chirping about the benefits of turning Tobias Myers into Tim Beckham.  And yet that is simply another case of a GM answering a phone call from Dan Duquette with absolute glee.  Tobias Myers had a chance to contribute to our next playoff team, TB does not - and here DD is sitting with that $3+M investment in a negative WAR player.  Pretty much everything DD has done since signing Nate McClouth and promoting Manny (with few exceptions including signing Cruz) has turned to sand.

I follow the Os, our draft, our minor league system as much as ever.  I just don't post here in this section as much because I would just dump on DD non-stop and I don't want to bring down the board and I don't want to get worked up about it.  DD inherited an incredible number of strong future assets and it took about five years for DD to make us the worst team in baseball.

Our rebuild should begin in earnest in the next month or so around the trade deadline.   Hopefully, we can achieve decent returns for MM and ZB and perhaps a few others in trade and lessen our turnaround time to three to four years instead of more.  

[TonySoprano]

I actually watched all 12 innings last night, knowing they'd eventually lose.  When Givens came out in the 12th, I knew the deal was done.  As Gary Thorne remarked after the walk-off walk on Saturday, they keep finding new ways to lose.  In one sense, the pressure of watching the games is off; nothing is at stake. 

But Soprano, they can get the #1 pick next year.  Yeah, and Angelos will direct them to sign a player that can be had at or below slot value. Draft high, just don't expect the team to be proactive and lock up any decent prospect early.  Orioles fans get to watch from the outside following the countless updates from Heyman or Rosenthal where ManNY goes this offseason.  

The Orioles need a team leader like Ovechkin, who told the crowd today, "Before the year... we say...we're not going to be f'n suck this year!"  Sure, the Orioles have occasional sparks like they care, but this year, as the losses pile up, they are mailing it in more often, lousy at bats, stupid defensive mistakes...  So the bottom line is if they don't care that often, then why should I?  I'll watch the games, if there's nothing better on TV.  

[Can_of_corn]

Speaking of last night, any idea why Buck didn't put Britton into the game once it hit extra innings?  His normal MO is to get returning folks into a game as soon as possible.

[foxfield]

3 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Speaking of last night, any idea why Buck didn't put Britton into the game once it hit extra innings?  His normal MO is to get returning folks into a game as soon as possible.

Buck knows the save rule?  Or he was going in after Ubaldo....?  That's all I got.

[SteveA]

1 minute ago, foxfield said:

Buck knows the save rule?  Or he was going in after Ubaldo....?  That's all I got.

We never could have had a save situation once the 9th came.   Even managers who slavishly adhere to the save rule use their closer in the top of the 9th or an extra inning at home in a tie game.

He had said he wanted to "ease" Britton on, so I guess bringing him in a tight game vs Boston wasn't easing enough.   But yet, he did get him up in the 10th and 11th, I believe.

I read the Sun today, but it doesn't appear that any reporters question him on that.   Shocking.

[Can_of_corn]

7 minutes ago, SteveA said:

We never could have had a save situation once the 9th came.   Even managers who slavishly adhere to the save rule use their closer in the top of the 9th or an extra inning at home in a tie game.

He had said he wanted to "ease" Britton on, so I guess bringing him in a tight game vs Boston wasn't easing enough.   But yet, he did get him up in the 10th and 11th, I believe.

I read the Sun today, but it doesn't appear that any reporters question him on that.   Shocking.

I thought Buck didn't like to get guys up more than once without using them?

[Tx Oriole]

3 hours ago, spiritof66 said:

For most of the past 56 years, and consistently since at least 2011, I cared very much about the outcome of every Orioles game. Especially if I watched or listened to a game -- and I have watched a lot of them since subscribing to mlb.tv in, I think 2012 -- I was elated after a win and unhappy, sometimes unapproachable, after a loss, often holding on to that joy or despair for hours and sometimes into the next day or beyond. Even when the Orioles were not in a pennant race, I have always rooted for them to win.  Every game. 

I've read plenty of posts this season from fans who say they don't care any more whether the Orioles win or lose. While the depth of my involvement certainly has decreased, beginning last September, I didn't think that would happen to me. And it hasn't. Not quite. I still watch a lot of games, though not as many as the past five seasons.. I still want the Orioles to win every game. I still get a little pleasure when they win and feel some disappointment when they lose. But just a little. When the game is over -- and, unlike past seasons, I often think games are over when the Orioles get behind by a few runs in the middle innings -- I'm done. Thirty seconds, at most two minutes later, I don't care. It's forgotten. And if I don't watch or listen to a game, the score means only a little more to me than the scores of other MLB games. (It may be a little different when the Orioles play the NYYs; I'll have to see.)

So I still care, but just a little. Just barely. I enjoy the good pitching performances, the occasional timely hit or good defensive play. I may not care at all a month from now. 

I can't get happy when the Orioles lose because of the potential improvement in the team's draft position.The main things I have left to root for are a change in ownership and some decisive action that might help improve the team's future performance while I'm still around to see it. I've thought about rooting against the Orioles in the hope that piling up the defeats will get the attention of the Orioles owner and force him to take some positive steps. I can't make myself do that, and for the past month or so it's seemed like losing more games to establish that this team is really bad would be superfluous. None of this stuff helps me enjoy baseball -- and isn't that the point?

Here's my question. There are a lot posters here who have a strong emotional attachment to the Orioles. In past years, many of you seemed to be far more invested in the team's success than I was, and to have responded more passionately to victories and defeats. Is there anyone out there who still gets a hit of pleasure from a good win (I realize that requires searching your memory) or gets glum or angry or even throws things after a tough loss ? Or has this team's performance, maybe coupled with (as it is for me) the owner's apparent determination to stay the course, sapped everyone's capacity to get emotionally involved in the outcomes of individual games' outcomes, as it has worn away mine?

 

I'll always be an O's fan. But right now I just don't really care about wins and loses. I think I'd have more interest if the young guys came up. I understand why CD plays so much because of that insane contract. Why not move AJ to RF? Just to try something different. This season is toast. Try different things Buck.

[rudyrooster]

I don't care about wins and losses anymore.  I'm ready to start the firesale!!

[SteveA]

6 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I thought Buck didn't like to get guys up more than once without using them?

He got him in time to face a stretch w here there were 2 LH batters out of 3, I believe.

And then he didn't bring him in.

And as far as I know, he hasn't been asked or said anything about it.

 

[Orioles1954]

Why am I losing interest? Quite simply, I don't see accountability from ownership, Buck, Duq, Brady, anyone. I see negative zero urgency. The long and short....why should I care if they don't? 

[Tx Oriole]

1 hour ago, oriolediehard said:

Where are the farm prospects being brought up to see what they can do?  Where is the effort to change the front office philosophy.  I am sick and tired of checking the news and the O's act like it is just another day with no effort to change direction.  What is the point of PA to stop any progress his team may do to improve.  I understand he has tried and spent money on players that were previously good that turned into busts and it is probably bad luck, but why not try something else instead of just sitting back doing nothing.  They could make something beneficial out of a lost season like treat the rest of the year like spring training.  What really pisses me off is Showalter's self righteousness that he says he will put his best team out there to not affect the pennant races.  HE NEEDS TO DO WHAT IS BEST FOR THE ORIOLES NOT HIS CRAPPY SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS. They need to FIRE him now, I mean today.  They need a manager who is going to check every prospect and see what they can do to know what they got for the future plans.  I am so sick of this stupid organization  Someone needs to tell PA that the O's are not making the playoffs this year.  I AM VENTING LOUD AND CLEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

How can Buck do that when he doesn't have much to choose from? 

[Dipper9]

Last night I was at the ballgame, a great pitchers duel, and the only thing I could think of was, who gives a poop.  It just doesn’t matter when you’re 27 games under .500, so it’s very hard to be invested anymore. God help me, I still love this team and watch every night, but winning and cheering just doesn’t matter anymore.

[Three Run Homer]

To borrow from Elvis Costello:  I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused.  

There was a point early in the season (maybe it was when we were 4-6) when I agonized over every loss and celebrated every win, like in previous seasons.  Now when I tune in,  I don't care much about wins or losses.  I'm looking for a spark from younger players like Cisco and Mancini, and I'm morbidly curious about how bad Chris Davis' season can get.  That's it.  I'll get more interested once some more young players come up.  

[Can_of_corn]

3 minutes ago, Three Run Homer said:

To borrow from Elvis Costello:  I used to be disgusted, now I try to be amused.  

There was a point early in the season (maybe it was when we were 4-6) when I agonized over every loss and celebrated every win, like in previous seasons.  Now when I tune in,  I don't care much about wins or losses.  I'm looking for a spark from younger players like Cisco and Mancini, and I'm morbidly curious about how bad Chris Davis' season can get.  That's it.  I'll get more interested once some more young players come up.  

So you're not angry anymore?

[jubbyjubb]

I don't care anymore. I cancelled cable because it is a huge waste of money and the Orioles do not allow me to see in market games through MLB. I refuse to pay $100+ a month to  just watch baseball so I have hardly seen any games. They are losing me as a fan and I was one of the most knowledgeable fans you would ever meet ranging from the franchise history to every player in the minor leagues.

I root for this team to lose. Any other organization would not leave a lame duck manager with no contract nor would they let a departing GM control the biggest trade chips they have had in franchise history. Ownership provides no information in regard to the direction of the team which gives me little hope for the future.

Every player is the same. Absurd BB/K ration at the plate. Who on this team actually can give a good at bat? No speed, no excitement. Just sit around and wait for a homerun and hope someone accidentally got on base. It's boring.

My 9 year old asks if we are going to a game and the answer is no. He can get in free if we want to sit so far away that the players look like ants or I can pay to sit close to home plate. I just can't do it. My schedule is such that I can't plan weeks in advance and if my free night is a premium game then the prices are way too much. I am much better off just going to a Baysox game or investing in my kids college fund.

The Orioles aren't fun anymore and truthfully we just got blinded by a few competitive years. 5 years out of 20 this team has been watchable and we are likely looking at another 3-4 minimum of bad baseball.

I never thought it would get to this point but I just don't care. Complete apathy.