Orioles All-Time "Last Gasp" Team, Part 1 (C/IF)

[ShaneDawg85]

I suppose you could fit him in both the IF and OF category, but Jeff Conine part II definitely fits the bill.  I loved Conine during his first go round with the team, he was a bright spot during some absolutely awful years.  But, 2006 he was 40 and was the textbook definition of "veteran presence" that the Orioles loved to emphasize back in those days.  While his overall slash line could have been much worse for a 40 year old, you could have probably gotten it with much younger and cheaper alternatives.

Someone who you can unquestionably fit into the IF category was Miguel Tejada part II.  There really wasn't anything that could be salvaged from his second go around.  I guess the fact that they got anyone back in a trade for him, that counts for something.  But veteran presence on a terrible team, blech.

[Aristotelian]

Ray Knight. Went from World Series hero and .298/.775 3 WAR to 0 WAR at Age 34 with the O's. Wasn't exactly terrible but definitely a last gasp.

[Aristotelian]

Oops, I see Knight was already there in the OP. Excellent choice

[TronBlaster]

12 minutes ago, ShaneDawg85 said:

I suppose you could fit him in both the IF and OF category, but Jeff Conine part II definitely fits the bill.  I loved Conine during his first go round with the team, he was a bright spot during some absolutely awful years.  But, 2006 he was 40 and was the textbook definition of "veteran presence" that the Orioles loved to emphasize back in those days.  While his overall slash line could have been much worse for a 40 year old, you could have probably gotten it with much younger and cheaper alternatives.

And he somehow managed to play for THREE more teams (Phillies, Reds, Mets) AFTER his second stint with the Os 

[DrungoHazewood]

1 hour ago, 24fps said:

Looking for info on the Orioles/Angels competition for Vlad is what led me to the OH in the first place.  A lot of water under the bridge now.  I understand the bitterness, but by that point the O's were already six years into the fourteen-year losing streak and the two-headed monster was in the front office.  I remember reports of Vlad being desperate for an alternative and holding out until the Angels finally came to his rescue.  As an Orioles fan it sucked, but I can't say I blame him for his decision.

I don't blame him at all.  In retrospect the only question I have is why anyone would sign with the Orioles of that era.  I think if I were a Kevin Millar type I would have gone to Japan instead.  Either that or just accept that I was getting my $3M so it was fine that I was going to lose roughly 100 games with no real hope for the future of the org.

[DrungoHazewood]

14 minutes ago, ShaneDawg85 said:

I suppose you could fit him in both the IF and OF category, but Jeff Conine part II definitely fits the bill.  I loved Conine during his first go round with the team, he was a bright spot during some absolutely awful years.  But, 2006 he was 40 and was the textbook definition of "veteran presence" that the Orioles loved to emphasize back in those days.  While his overall slash line could have been much worse for a 40 year old, you could have probably gotten it with much younger and cheaper alternatives.

Someone who you can unquestionably fit into the IF category was Miguel Tejada part II.  There really wasn't anything that could be salvaged from his second go around.  I guess the fact that they got anyone back in a trade for him, that counts for something.  But veteran presence on a terrible team, blech.

Conine II, Tejada II, Surhoff II.  Palmer's 45-year-old fiasco comeback in spring training.  Ross Grimsley in '82.  Don't get back together with your ex, it rarely works out.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

25 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

Conine II, Tejada II, Surhoff II.  Palmer's 45-year-old fiasco comeback in spring training.  Ross Grimsley in '82.  Don't get back together with your ex, it rarely works out.

Palmeiro II, which didn’t seem bad until he got suspended for a positive drug screen. 

[DrungoHazewood]

2 hours ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Palmeiro II, which didn’t seem bad until he got suspended for a positive drug screen. 

That may have been the worst of all.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

4 minutes ago, DrungoHazewood said:

That may have been the worst of all.

Probably the worst one for me and the least favorite Orioles season of my lifetime.

First half of the year filled with promise followed by a train wreck of a second half. 

[jabba72]

Matt Nokes and Andy Van Slyke for me always stood out as a last gasp duo in the 95' season.  Nokes was done after 26 games but Van Slyke went on to have 247 PA's with the Phils, putting up 0.4 WAR. So I guess it wasnt technically his last gasp, but the O's cut him, so he must have been pretty bad. 

[jabba72]

The Palmeiro incident was definitely a down point of that whole era. I honestly never wanted to sign him back, but with his 3000 hits countdown and cheap price tag,  I can see why the O's wanted him.

[MongoBoy]

32 minutes ago, jabba72 said:

The Palmeiro incident was definitely a down point of that whole era. I honestly never wanted to sign him back, but with his 3000 hits countdown and cheap price tag,  I can see why the O's wanted him.

I remember the finger pointing thing.  I may be wrong, but, wasn't he caught after the testimony?  He may have thought that he wouldn't get tested after all that.

[MongoBoy]

4 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

Conine II, Tejada II, Surhoff II.  Palmer's 45-year-old fiasco comeback in spring training.  Ross Grimsley in '82.  Don't get back together with your ex, it rarely works out.

But it's a chance to really f--- them.

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

16 minutes ago, MongoBoy said:

I remember the finger pointing thing.  I may be wrong, but, wasn't he caught after the testimony?  He may have thought that he wouldn't get tested after all that.

[jabba72]

17 minutes ago, MongoBoy said:

I remember the finger pointing thing.  I may be wrong, but, wasn't he caught after the testimony?  He may have thought that he wouldn't get tested after all that.

He was caught afterwards but I dont know the timeline. It looks like he's scolding someone.