Will the 20's be Roaring for the Orioles?

[Philip]

16 minutes ago, wildbillhiccup said:

If it is then I think it's safe to say that Elias has failed and probably should be fired. I can live with a few .500 / slightly sub .500 seasons sprinkled in, but I never want to be this bad again. Ever. 

Exactly. You don’t want to be like the Blue Jays, who are constantly winning between 78 and 84 games, or the Padres, who constantly win between 58 and 64 games, you want to be the Rays, who constantly win between 80 and 90 games.

and I think that’s where we’ll be

[osfan83]

52 minutes ago, Philip said:

Yes, that’s my point, we have fewer resources, but so what? The purpose of lots of money is to Afford expensive guys. Paying large amounts of money for expensive guys generally is wasted money.

We’re setting up a procedure that allows us to never need to spend lots of money. First we are creating an extremely deep farm system with multiple quality prospects in each position. Secondly We have excellent quality scouting and training personnel, to ensure that we acquire guys who will produce, and finally, we have a trading philosophy that will ensure players are treated at peak value for a return that re-stocks the pipeline.

That’s three categories, at least, and if we falter periodically in any one of those three, the other two can take up the slack. There is no need for us to ever falter in the sense of winning fewer than 70 games or so. Example I’d like to give is the Cardinals. At the other side, the Padres are always doing the wrong thing. The Yankees are different because they can just spend money on whatever they want and their mistakes don’t matter. Enough money covers up all the flaws you want.

The whole point of this unhappy time Is that once it is over with,  We will never have to return to it.

I think you are setting up for some disappointment. Money still makes a difference. I can't imagine Yankee fans are growing concerned about losing Judge when he gets too expensive. I think our upside is to have 4 or 5 years a decade where we are a contender, a couple of years of .500 ball, and 2-3 years a decade of 65-70 win seasons. 

[wildbillhiccup]

32 minutes ago, Philip said:

Exactly. You don’t want to be like the Blue Jays, who are constantly winning between 78 and 84 games, or the Padres, who constantly win between 58 and 64 games, you want to be the Rays, who constantly win between 80 and 90 games.

and I think that’s where we’ll be

Agreed, but for the record I think the Padres are still "technically" working through their first true rebuild. They've had some hiccups (the Hosmer signing was a head scratcher), but their farm system is absolutely loaded. 

[Philip]

2 hours ago, osfan83 said:

I think you are setting up for some disappointment. Money still makes a difference. I can't imagine Yankee fans are growing concerned about losing Judge when he gets too expensive. I think our upside is to have 4 or 5 years a decade where we are a contender, a couple of years of .500 ball, and 2-3 years a decade of 65-70 win seasons. 

I don’t think the Yankees care about losing anybody, as a matter of fact I think they are kind of ruthless.

But that’s just because they’ve got somebody else to plug into the hole, And if they find somebody who is exceptionally popular or gift or marketable, they just extend them

[bobmc]

7 hours ago, Philip said:

 This franchise has spent the last many years like an old car being driven with the parking brake on. Mike has showed up and released the parking brake. However, a lot of damage has resulted  and it’s going to take a year or two to repair all of it. When it is all repaired, he will then polish and wax and hit the strip. It’s a good car, and when he’s finished he will drive it to its maximum capability and I expect he will have a lot more than 755 scores in the next decade.

We're gonna need a snappy name for this so-called auto.  It must be a high tech concept with lots of sexy spin axes, roll bars and launch angles.  We have used some of the "Drivetrain" methods, Edgertronics and Rapsodo.  It will be solar powered and seat nine at any one time.  I'll go with Adley 755.  

[Philip]

20 minutes ago, bobmc said:

I'll go with Adley 755.  

Well I was actually referring to a real car. My 1962 Plymouth Valiant. I had somebody do a bit of work on it and I didn’t notice he left the parking brake on, and I drove for about 40 miles in that state.

cars were a bit less fool-proof back then, and also a lot simpler.

but Yeah, Adley 755 works too...

[Frobby]

7 hours ago, wildbillhiccup said:

If it is then I think it's safe to say that Elias has failed and probably should be fired. I can live with a few .500 / slightly sub .500 seasons sprinkled in, but I never want to be this bad again. Ever. 

Few teams have been.    And to be clear, Elias didn’t put us there.    We won 47 games the year before he got here.    This isn’t a situation where he inherited, say, a 68-win team and decided to make it worse.    He inherited a team with the 3rd worst record in modern baseball history, and a so-so farm system.    

[SteveA]

3 hours ago, Philip said:

Well I was actually referring to a real car. My 1962 Plymouth Valiant. I had somebody do a bit of work on it and I didn’t notice he left the parking brake on, and I drove for about 40 miles in that state.

cars were a bit less fool-proof back then, and also a lot simpler.

but Yeah, Adley 755 works too...

Wow, had no idea they made Valiants back that far.   Had to google it and look it up.   Looks like an awesome car.

By 1971, the Valiant and the Dodge Dart were basically variants of the same car.  My parents had a 1971 Valiant, and in my senior year in HS (1982), I bought a 1971 Dodge Dart for $250.   My first car and still my favorite.   Lasted 3 years before it caught fire (long story that I've probably posted before but I'm on my second Manhattan of the evening so I'm "talkative", it is Oriole related so I will put it in the next post).   Yellow/orange with a black vinyl roof,just like this: 

[SteveA]

9 hours ago, SteveA said:

Wow, had no idea they made Valiants back that far.   Had to google it and look it up.   Looks like an awesome car.

By 1971, the Valiant and the Dodge Dart were basically variants of the same car.  My parents had a 1971 Valiant, and in my senior year in HS (1982), I bought a 1971 Dodge Dart for $250.   My first car and still my favorite.   Lasted 3 years before it caught fire (long story that I've probably posted before below but I'm on my second Manhattan of the evening so I'm "talkative", it is Oriole related so I will put it in the next post).   Yellow/orange with a black vinyl roof,just like this: 

The story, if anyone cares:

Sept 21, 1985.  I was living in an apartment in Columbia with several roommates who were also co-op students working for the Department of Defense like I was.

They were going up to Philly for the weekend, where one of them was from, to party with his friends and go to the Phillies game Saturday.   I had plans Friday night, so i was going to go up Saturday morning and meet them for the rest of the weekend.

But I overslept and called them and said I couldn't make it.   So I was home alone on a Saturday with nothign else to do.  The Yankees were in town for an afternoon game.   I went to Memorial Stadium, and parked in that lot at City High school, up on the hill scross 33rd street from Memorial Stadium.   THey packed the cars in there.   As soon as I was parking, a scalper dude was walking around.   I rolled down my window and started talking to him as I wanted a single ticket.   He called me Slim. (I am not slim, although I was more slim then than I am 35+ years later).   We started haggling over tickets, and then he said, :"Hey Slim I think your car is on fire".   Sure enough, there was smoke and flames coming from under the hood.   I put it in neutral and he helped me back it up so it was not right next to other vehicles, and then got the heck out of it.

It turned into a full fledged fire, the front tires both burst, when it was over the battery was an unrecognizable lump.   The fire department came, and they had to close off the entire parking lot while they put it out and of course thousands of O's fans were trying to get in the lot and park.

Once they put out the fire, they told me it would be towed to St Paul Street, about 8 blocks away, and I would have 96 hours to get it moved or would have to pay an abandoned vehicle fee.

So, at this point, I just bought a ticket from the scalper and went to the game.   I'd worry about a ride home afterwards.   I got an upper deck seat.  I bought one of those big 32 ounce beers in a big brown cup they used to sell, and a little brat ran into me when I was carrying it back to my seat and I spilled at least 10 ounces of it on myself.   And the Orioles lost.  Not the favorite day of my life.

After the game I found a pay phone, and called a friend to come pick me up and give me a ride home.,   Got the car towed out of town before the 96 hours, and that was the end of my favorite car ever.   THe only consolation was I had recently put two new tires on it, less than 200 miles on them, and they were on the back, not the two front ones that exploded,.   And my Dad still had the 1971 Valiant, so guess what Dad's Christmas present was.

I guess a fuel line leaked and it ignited.  I'll never know.   I've owned 7 cars since but I'll never have one I loved as much as that old Dart.   And I'm glad I overslept and didn't drive up to PHilly to meet my friends, I might have caught fire on I95.

I'm sure I've posted the story here before, sorry if it is a rerun.

[Frobby]

Wow, what a tale.    You’re a braver man than me to get back in the burning car to move it away from the others.    I would have been getting as far away as possible!

[Es4M11]

20 hours ago, Philip said:

 This franchise has spent the last many years like an old car being driven with the parking brake on. Mike has showed up and released the parking brake. However, a lot of damage has resulted  and it’s going to take a year or two to repair all of it. When it is all repaired, he will then polish and wax and hit the strip. It’s a good car, and when he’s finished he will drive it to its maximum capability and I expect he will have a lot more than 755 scores in the next decade.

I really like this analogy - bravo!

[Es4M11]

19 hours ago, Frobby said:

It’s a zero sum game, and we have less financial resources than the average team.    

Is this really true? The average team? I personally don't think so, but I'm not backing that up with hard data at this time -- gut feeling. My perception at this time is the Orioles are firmly middle of the pack in terms of overall available resources, with some untapped potential in their market. I think a consistent winner that was scene/thought of as a competent organization would boost attendance even over levels experienced during the 2012-2016 run. JMO

[UpstateNYfan]

3 playoff years, 0 WS, 2 meh years, one almost meh, 4 years rebuilding and rerebuilding. Meh= .500 + or minus 2.

[SteveA]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

Wow, what a tale.    You’re a braver man than me to get back in the burning car to move it away from the others.    I would have been getting as far away as possible!

I was still in it, having just parked, talking to the scalper through the open window, when he noticed it was on fire.  So I out it in neutral and he pulled it back about ten feet.  And then I immediately got out.  Probably 15 seconds max that I stayed in the car.

[Philip]

9 hours ago, SteveA said:

The story, if anyone cares:

Sept 21, 1985.  I was living in an apartment in Columbia with several roommates who were also co-op students working for the Department of Defense like I was.

They were going up to Philly for the weekend, where one of them was from, to party with his friends and go to the Phillies game Saturday.   I had plans Friday night, so i was going to go up Saturday morning and meet them for the rest of the weekend.

But I overslept and called them and said I couldn't make it.   So I was home alone on a Saturday with nothign else to do.  The Yankees were in town for an afternoon game.   I went to Memorial Stadium, and parked in that lot at City High school, up on the hill scross 33rd street from Memorial Stadium.   THey packed the cars in there.   As soon as I was parking, a scalper dude was walking around.   I rolled down my window and started talking to him as I wanted a single ticket.   He called me Slim. (I am not slim, although I was more slim then than I am 35+ years later).   We started haggling over tickets, and then he said, :"Hey Slim I think your car is on fire".   Sure enough, there was smoke and flames coming from under the hood.   I put it in neutral and he helped me back it up so it was not right next to other vehicles, and then got the heck out of it.

It turned into a full fledged fire, the front tires both burst, when it was over the battery was an unrecognizable lump.   The fire department came, and they had to close off the entire parking lot while they put it out and of course thousands of O's fans were trying to get in the lot and park.

Once they put out the fire, they told me it would be towed to St Paul Street, about 8 blocks away, and I would have 96 hours to get it moved or would have to pay an abandoned vehicle fee.

So, at this point, I just bought a ticket from the scalper and went to the game.   I'd worry about a ride home afterwards.   I got an upper deck seat.  I bought one of those big 32 ounce beers in a big brown cup they used to sell, and a little brat ran into me when I was carrying it back to my seat and I spilled at least 10 ounces of it on myself.   And the Orioles lost.  Not the favorite day of my life.

After the game I found a pay phone, and called a friend to come pick me up and give me a ride home.,   Got the car towed out of town before the 96 hours, and that was the end of my favorite car ever.   THe only consolation was I had recently put two new tires on it, less than 200 miles on them, and they were on the back, not the two front ones that exploded,.   And my Dad still had the 1971 Valiant, so guess what Dad's Christmas present was.

I guess a fuel line leaked and it ignited.  I'll never know.   I've owned 7 cars since but I'll never have one I loved as much as that old Dart.   And I'm glad I overslept and didn't drive up to PHilly to meet my friends, I might have caught fire on I95.

I'm sure I've posted the story here before, sorry if it is a rerun.

Dodge Dart Swinger and Plymouth Scamp. My favorite body styles.

the Valiant was introduced in 1960 as a stand-alone make but became a Plymouth in 1961. My firs car was actually a 1960, which was fatally damaged when a drunk woman left a party up the street and accelerated for two blocks and didn’t stop till she whammed into my neat little car.

With the insurance money, I bought the ‘62, though the ‘60 was a much more attractive car.