The Orioles' 2018 debacle has been a long time coming

[Going Underground]

39 minutes ago, TonySoprano said:

I'm going to stop you right there.
April 2017
2 vs TOR
3 vs NYY
2 @ BOS
4 @ TOR
3 @ CIN
3 vs BOS
3 vs TB
3  @ NYY
O's went 15-8

17 of 23 games against teams that made the playoffs in either 2016 or 2017 or both.

 

14 of the first 28 of the  games in March and April were played against:

3- Twins

3- Blue Jays

6- Yigers

2- Rays

Not exactly the elite teams.

[foxfield]

44 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Why is there  no mention of:

1. Unreasonably difficult early schedule that was probably pay back by MLB for the MASN suit.

2, Injuries to key players including late signings.

3. Cold weather that seem to follow them whereever the went early in the season.

These three things contributed to a bad start to the season.  

Once the O's fell 10 back  in the Wild Card standing on May 2nd the O's were for the most part out  of contention and  the uncertainty of free agents at the end of the year including Buck, Dan, Manny, Britton and Jones  helped cause a free fall.

None of this is covered int he article.

 

You are a very good presence here.  But I read this and looked for a sarcastic hint, because it seemed like it should be there.

I will say this though.  I agree that all three of these things have contributed to the horrendous season and certainly had an impact on the terrible start.  But, this team is bad because its fruit is past it's best use date and there is nothing in the cupboard to restock with.  The article, in my opinion does a very nice job of going over the root issues.  This team expired last September.  It wasn't the cold, or the schedule.though these things certainly didn't help.  I read the article and wondered why two lost draft picks were not mentioned....the idea that schedule, injuries and cold didn't come up seemed perfectly fine.  The schedule is always tough.  Both teams played in the same weather.  I mean, it wasn't cold in Toronto this weekend...Im not willing to say that because we are 40 + games out the team doesn't have to hold a lead...so it's a pretty bad team in the warm weather too.

 

 

[wildbillhiccup]

59 minutes ago, wildcard said:

Why is there  no mention of:

1. Unreasonably difficult early schedule that was probably pay back by MLB for the MASN suit.

2, Injuries to key players including late signings.

3. Cold weather that seem to follow them whereever the went early in the season.

These three things contributed to a bad start to the season.  

Once the O's fell 10 back  in the Wild Card standing on May 2nd the O's were for the most part out  of contention and  the uncertainty of free agents at the end of the year including Buck, Dan, Manny, Britton and Jones  helped cause a free fall.

None of this is covered int he article.

 

...because it was a legitimate and well thought out article and not filled with they type of mumbo jumbo you'd find in the National Inquirer? 

[weams]

1 hour ago, Natty said:

Good article and thanks. Now Mr Folk, what would you do if it was your call as far as the front office of this historically bad team, who stays, who leaves? 

Paul is not an opinion writer.  He's a writer. 

[weams]

10 minutes ago, foxfield said:

You are a very good presence here.  But I read this and looked for a sarcastic hint, because it seemed like it should be there.

I will say this though.  I agree that all three of these things have contributed to the horrendous season and certainly had an impact on the terrible start.  But, this team is bad because its fruit is past it's best use date and there is nothing in the cupboard to restock with.  The article, in my opinion does a very nice job of going over the root issues.  This team expired last September.  It wasn't the cold, or the schedule.though these things certainly didn't help.  I read the article and wondered why two lost draft picks were not mentioned....the idea that schedule, injuries and cold didn't come up seemed perfectly fine.  The schedule is always tough.  Both teams played in the same weather.  I mean, it wasn't cold in Toronto this weekend...Im not willing to say that because we are 40 + games out the team doesn't have to hold a lead...so it's a pretty bad team in the warm weather too.

 

 

Yeah. This team don't hunt. Time to go shopping for new. 

[weams]

48 minutes ago, Frobby said:

Paul’s article is talking about long term causes of the team’s problems and you’re talking about ephemeral issues like which teams we played when.  The team is 22-54 since those first 24 games.    They stink and scheduling has nothing to do with it.    

And so. 

[Ripken]

Some of us have wanted to push the reset button for a long time now.

[LookitsPuck]

Some of us have been saying that signing Gallardo, Ubaldo, giving away picks to get rid of Matusz and Webb, trading people like Davies for Parra, etc. etc. is going to kill this team's future in the long term....and well, here we are.

[weams]

58 minutes ago, vab said:

 Another year hovering around .500 or so and we might have seen yet more of the practices that got them in this hole.

Na. Time, it marches on. 

[Natty]

35 minutes ago, weams said:

Paul is not an opinion writer.  He's a writer. 

My apologies for putting him on the spot. 

[weams]

4 minutes ago, Natty said:

My apologies for putting him on the spot. 

No, no need. I just wanted to clarify that he is a professional writer. Not a guy with a hot take.  Or a scout. 

[Redskins Rick]

38 minutes ago, Ripken said:

Some of us have wanted to push the reset button for a long time now.

Some were wanting to push the reset button back in 2011.

If you want something enough, sometimes it does come through.

But damn, there was also 5 years of pretty good baseball, inspite of what the naysayers wanted.

[wildcard]

47 minutes ago, foxfield said:

You are a very good presence here.  But I read this and looked for a sarcastic hint, because it seemed like it should be there.

I will say this though.  I agree that all three of these things have contributed to the horrendous season and certainly had an impact on the terrible start.  But, this team is bad because its fruit is past it's best use date and there is nothing in the cupboard to restock with.  The article, in my opinion does a very nice job of going over the root issues.  This team expired last September.  It wasn't the cold, or the schedule.though these things certainly didn't help.  I read the article and wondered why two lost draft picks were not mentioned....the idea that schedule, injuries and cold didn't come up seemed perfectly fine.  The schedule is always tough.  Both teams played in the same weather.  I mean, it wasn't cold in Toronto this weekend...Im not willing to say that because we are 40 + games out the team doesn't have to hold a lead...so it's a pretty bad team in the warm weather too.

 

 

I agree with most of this.  I just think the  bad start was partly because of these three factors.  What Paul wrote is all true also.   And we can list all the players that have unachieved for one reason or another.   All this contributed to the down fall.

Some of  it will go away with time.   I think if the team is better defensively then the pitching will be better.   The hitting has just been bad.  What happened to Schoop and Mancini anyway.   Homerities?

[Tx Oriole]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

Why is there  no mention of:

1. Unreasonably difficult early schedule that was probably pay back by MLB for the MASN suit.

2, Injuries to key players including late signings.

3. Cold weather that seem to follow them whereever the went early in the season.

These three things contributed to a bad start to the season.  

Once the O's fell 10 back  in the Wild Card standing on May 2nd the O's were for the most part out  of contention and  the uncertainty of free agents at the end of the year including Buck, Dan, Manny, Britton and Jones  helped cause a free fall.

None of this is covered int he article.

 

Cold weather? Why didn't it effect the other team? 

[Redskins Rick]

2 minutes ago, weams said:

No, no need. I just wanted to clarify that he is a professional writer. Not a guy with a hot take.  Or a scout. 

Besides, if Paul had thin skin (which he doesn't), then he wouldn't be in OH, posting.