Jealous

[DrungoHazewood]

2 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

Baltimore is only a 2 sport town.

Do you think Baltimore could realistically, consistently support the NHL, NBA or MLS?  I really don't know, but there's not much history of any of those sports in Baltimore.  At least at a high level.  The Bullets left when I was a kid and the NBA wasn't nearly as big as it is today.  The Skipjacks left town and weren't replaced.  And I'm not aware of much soccer history.

[Moose Milligan]

1 minute ago, DrungoHazewood said:

Five sport, but yes.  Could you imagine Oakland keeping San Francisco from having a major sports team?  Or Providence blocking a team from coming to Boston?  Or if the PCL's Hollywood Stars successfully blocked the Dodgers from happening?  

Baseball's major flaw in the 1950s and 60s was allowing teams to move almost at will, instead of helping to fix problems and better managing expansion.  Or just negotiating a way for the PCL to go major.  Then we wouldn't have had all the displaced and disgruntled fanbases all over the place, and brand new, history-less teams in a dozen cities.  There's no reason Washington was without a team for 30 years besides poor management.

You're right, forgot about the WNBA, they just won the title.

I agree on your take of the 50s and 60s, though I am not sure they had the vision that MLB would get this big as it is today.  

[Redskins Rick]

2 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

Five sport, but yes.  Could you imagine Oakland keeping San Francisco from having a major sports team?  Or Providence blocking a team from coming to Boston?  Or if the PCL's Hollywood Stars successfully blocked the Dodgers from happening?  

Baseball's major flaw in the 1950s and 60s was allowing teams to move almost at will, instead of helping to fix problems and better managing expansion.  Or just negotiating a way for the PCL to go major.  Then we wouldn't have had all the displaced and disgruntled fanbases all over the place, and brand new, history-less teams in a dozen cities.  There's no reason Washington was without a team for 30 years besides poor management.

MLB also allowed Owners without cash resources to fund a team, buy a team.

Look at Short leaving for Texas.

[JR Oriole]

Just now, Redskins Rick said:

Arrieta sucked for the Orioles ( -.9 WAR) and Britton hadnt found his pitch yet and was still starting some games had a .8 WAR.

Buck did well, to get 82 wins out of that club.

They won 93, but I don't know that I have ever seen a team go an entire season without having an opponent walk-off on them.  I think NY beat us in extras in Baltimore in April, but we had literally zero painful losses that entire year because nobody delivered a game ending hit on us.  It was amazing.  That is, until the Ibanez game in the playoffs. 

[Redskins Rick]

Just now, DrungoHazewood said:

Do you think Baltimore could realistically, consistently support the NHL, NBA or MLS?  I really don't know, but there's not much history of any of those sports in Baltimore.  At least at a high level.  The Bullets left when I was a kid and the NBA wasn't nearly as big as it is today.  The Skipjacks left town and weren't replaced.  And I'm not aware of much soccer history.

No, Baltimore could not support a NHL team, with the caps nearby, there isnt enough fan base for that.

I havent followed NBA in decades, but I suspect you are right.

Im shocked that DC the size it is, can support 5 teams.

[Redskins Rick]

1 minute ago, JR Oriole said:

They won 93, but I don't know that I have ever seen a team go an entire season without having an opponent walk-off on them.  I think NY beat us in extras in Baltimore in April, but we had literally zero painful losses that entire year because nobody delivered a game ending hit on us.  It was amazing.  That is, until the Ibanez game in the playoffs. 

Your right, I looked at the wrong dang line:

Pythagorean W-L: 82-80

[ThomasTomasz]

18 minutes ago, eddie83 said:

I think of you look at the sport 2010-2015 or so was a pretty mediocre time in the game. The Giants were dominating in the postseason but they weren’t a dominant team. The Yankees started to fade. The Sox 13 title was sandwiched around last place teams. Bad teams like the Orioles, Royals and Pirates rebounded. 

Things will change again, they always do. That said the big market teams all got smart and built young powehouse teams and then you have the Astros. I know with “tanking” that impacts W/L records but these teams now are much better than that era. 

One more thing about 2012. I think many forget we had Britton and Arrieta on that team. If we only had a manger/PC combo that would have got the most out of them.

That also speaks to a development system that was a dinosaur in baseball terms for developing pitching.  All of the high draft picks we spent on pitching over the years, and we only saw Mussina and Bedard end up as TORP's.  That's got to be the worst percentage of any club.  

[Palmoripken]

4 minutes ago, ThomasTomasz said:

That also speaks to a development system that was a dinosaur in baseball terms for developing pitching.  All of the high draft picks we spent on pitching over the years, and we only saw Mussina and Bedard end up as TORP's.  That's got to be the worst percentage of any club.  

It really briefly looked like Brian Matsuz could be a key piece. I was genuinely excited for the trio of him, Arrietta, and Britton. But there were flops before. Daniel Cabrera never did put it together. If we see another powerful Orioles team again that lasts a long time, they will have strong starting pitching. That's what has carried so many teams to long term success rather than being flashes in the pan.

[Redskins Rick]

12 minutes ago, ThomasTomasz said:

That also speaks to a development system that was a dinosaur in baseball terms for developing pitching.  All of the high draft picks we spent on pitching over the years, and we only saw Mussina and Bedard end up as TORP's.  That's got to be the worst percentage of any club.  

McDonald was a good draft pick, just hurt by how his College coach overused his arm.

Been a lot of busts, but, if you look hard enough at the other teams, you will see a host of failures.

[DrungoHazewood]

18 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

No, Baltimore could not support a NHL team, with the caps nearby, there isnt enough fan base for that.

I havent followed NBA in decades, but I suspect you are right.

Im shocked that DC the size it is, can support 5 teams.

The DC metro area, not including Baltimore, is the 7th largest in the country. Roughly the same size as Dallas, the Bay Area, Houston, and Boston.

[Redskins Rick]

1 minute ago, DrungoHazewood said:

The DC metro area, not including Baltimore, is the 7th largest in the country. Roughly the same size as Dallas, the Bay Area, Houston, and Boston.

I guess DC is not so shabby anymore.

I found this clip from Bleacher Reports and 2012. How eerie their prediction was.

Quote

9. Washington Nationals

23 OF 31

Call them the sleeping giants of the National League.

The Nationals have a home park tailored to high-income fans seeking amenity. They have stars who bear unprecedented hype, one already arrived (Stephen Strasburg) and one on the way (Bryce Harper).

They have the wealthiest owner in baseball, a sweeping media market with avid baseball interest, and somehow, for another few years, the Nationals are also receiving revenue-sharing money as one of the league's poorer teams.

By the time that money stops flowing in, Washington should be a perennial contender more than capable of generating its own revenue. 

 

[DrungoHazewood]

26 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

You're right, forgot about the WNBA, they just won the title.

I agree on your take of the 50s and 60s, though I am not sure they had the vision that MLB would get this big as it is today.  

I was talking about the NWSL.  atomic said they're going to be bigger than MLB in a matter of weeks.

[atomic]

27 minutes ago, Redskins Rick said:

No, Baltimore could not support a NHL team, with the caps nearby, there isnt enough fan base for that.

I havent followed NBA in decades, but I suspect you are right.

Im shocked that DC the size it is, can support 5 teams.

I am sure Baltimore could support an NBA and an NHL team.  Las Vegas supports an NHL team.  There is no hockey history to Vegas.  

[atomic]

3 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

I was talking about the NWSL.  atomic said they're going to be bigger than MLB in a matter of weeks.

With the way the World Series TV ratings are going it is probably be going to be that way before long.  The world is changing.  Us old dudes are the ones supporting baseball. We won't be around forever. 

[Redskins Rick]

11 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

I was talking about the NWSL.  atomic said they're going to be bigger than MLB in a matter of weeks.

better get our playoff tickets now, before they sell out.