Who’s your 2018 back-up team?

[theocean]

1 hour ago, Dipper9 said:

I don't necessarily have a backup team that I'm pulling for.  The Orioles terrible start of the season has actually effected my entire outlook.  I am one who flips over to the MLB Network as soon as the Orioles game ends, but this year, the Orioles complete failure has impacted my love of the sport, and I have been actively seeking out other things to watch instead of baseball.

In the past week or two though, I have been watching more of the Nats, and whatever National game is on either ESPN, MLB, or Fox channels.  I've decided I will not let the Baltimore Orioles failure ruin my love for the game of baseball.  I'm back in Baby!

So with all that said, yeah, it would be cool to see the Braves come out of nowhere and take the NL East, and see Nick win one after all those lean years here.  

I agree - usually I'll put on a lot of non-O's games in the background while I'm working, but this year - the O's have been so bad I'm kind of out of the baseball spirit. Once Fantasy Baseball playoffs start, I might get back into it more.

There's a ton of awesome teams to root for this year, though. Braves & Phillies are young and fun. I don't think anybody can ever hate on a team from Milwaukee. It'd be cool to see Francona take the Indians back to the Series. It's even kind of hard to hate on the Yankees this year: Judge, Andujar, Torres Gregorius, Stanton are all super like-able.

I think the only teams I'm actively rooting against are the Red Sox (because duh) and the Nationals (because DC is the most yuppy, soulless place. They are Eagleton to Baltimore's Pawnee).

[Mondo Trasho]

To be honest, I'm much more of an Orioles fan than I am a baseball fan. I get a perk up in interest around the playoffs, but otherwise I'm not big into watching random teams, other than to root against the Yankees and Red Sox, and sometimes against the Nationals, only so they don't win a WS before we win another one.

I'll have a backup team come October I guess.

[LookitsPuck]

Basically I'm rooting for the underdogs at this point.

[JR Oriole]

1 hour ago, joelala said:

White Sox for me.  I live in Chicago and I love what they've done with their rebuild and am obviously insanely jealous of it.  They're going to be an exciting team as soon as next season so I decided to get on the bandwagon early.  Also, Yolmer Sanchez is pretty great to watch.  High energy, fun loving guy and he can play ball.

And I've been the stadium a few times.  Very affordable and a nice park.

Prior to living in Atlanta, I lived in Chicago.  Lived near Wrigley but went to school on the south side.  I loved the 2005 White Sox....just a really balanced, fun team.  And the fact that they won the title made them special.  Great time to be in the city.

[wildcard]

The Tides and the Baysox.

[ScGO's]

 

1 hour ago, atomic said:

I am not sure what that is supposed to mean.  Barry Bonds played in one World Series and had a 1.994 OPS.  I am not sure that you could do better than that.  

Never won it.  Crappy me-first attitudes , in my opinion, can prevent a clubhouse from gelling and finding the leadership necessary to win the big game.

[TheDeau52]

Jack Daniels

[Il BuonO]

3 hours ago, Frobby said:

You know, I’ve tried and tried to develop a strong secondary rooting interest in the Nats.   I’ve lived in the DC suburbs almost my entire life, I work in DC, and many of my friends are Nats fans and always want to talk Nats baseball with me.   I follow how they’re doing, I know their players, but I just haven’t gotten to the point where I really care how they do.    If they won, I’d be happy that a lot of people I know are happy.    But I just can’t get enthusiastic about it.

The Braves and Nats are in the same division, and as I said, I find myself rooting for the Braves to win.  But it’s purely a Nick thing.    He was my favorite Orioles player of the last 15 years or so, not because he was the best, but I just liked the way the guy carried himself and conducted his business.    He went through a lot of bad seasons here before getting to play with a winner in 2012-14, and same with his time with the Braves, and I’d just like to see him get the payoff for being a pro’s pro for 13 seasons.   But the minute he leaves the Braves, my interest in them will evaporate.

Ha, Bob, this is exactly my take on the Braves! Always have liked Nick and hope he gets a ring, but I have no interest in them beyond that. 

I pull for the Texas teams because I now live here, but especially Houston because of the plan they not only talked about, but executed. I have a connection with some people there because of my time volunteering after Harvey and the players are a fun loving bunch of guys.

[atomic]

23 minutes ago, ScGO's said:

 

Never won it.  Crappy me-first attitudes , in my opinion, can prevent a clubhouse from gelling and finding the leadership necessary to win the big game.

Quote

 

The Cubs had a 108 year drought and the Red Sox had an 86 year drought? Are you saying every player on those teams had a me-first attitude?  And they Yankees won plenty of Championships with me-first players.  

[ScGO's]

1 hour ago, atomic said:

The Cubs had a 108 year drought and the Red Sox had an 86 year drought? Are you saying every player on those teams had a me-first attitude?  And they Yankees won plenty of Championships with me-first players.  

Nope, not saying that.  Just saying its one factor that can get in the way.  You stated that Bonds had a 1.994 OPS in his only WS.  My guess is he spent more time reminding people of that in the dugout than cheering them on.  

[Can_of_corn]

18 minutes ago, ScGO's said:

Nope, not saying that.  Just saying its one factor that can get in the way.  You stated that Bonds had a 1.994 OPS in his only WS.  My guess is he spent more time reminding people of that in the dugout than cheering them on.  

Well gosh, I don't know how a professional ballplayer in a playoff game can be expected to hit without their teammates cheering them on.

[Bahama O's Fan]

1. Whoever plays the Yankees

2. Whoever plays the Sox

3. The biggest underdog

[MDtransplant757]

Houston or Arizona. 

[joelala]

3 hours ago, JR Oriole said:

Prior to living in Atlanta, I lived in Chicago.  Lived near Wrigley but went to school on the south side.  I loved the 2005 White Sox....just a really balanced, fun team.  And the fact that they won the title made them special.  Great time to be in the city.

Hell yea.  Magglio Ordonez was always one of my favorite players for some reason.  And I was always also a huge Paul Konerko fan.  Wondering if Paul will ever get voted into the Hall.

[Tx Oriole]

10 hours ago, Frobby said:

With the O’s hopelessly out of it, do you have a back-up team to root for the rest of the way?    Not necessarily a team you’re passionate about, but just a “best of the rest” team?

For me, it’s undoubtedly Nick Markakis’ Atlanta Braves.    I’d love to see Nick back in the postseason and would be thrilled to see him get a WS ring.    And the rest of that team is fun to watch.    

It's the Astros for me.