The Games That Will Sting the Most

[Bahama O's Fan]

We are probably going to miss the playoffs by a few games. If we win a majority of our final 6 games, which games will you look back on as the most heartbreaking that could have had us in the playoffs, had we only pulled out the win.

[sevastras]

A few over the past 10 days and “phone it in lineup Sundays”.  I don’t see any reason why yesterdays lineup had Chirinos, Nevin, Vavra, McKenna in it to start the game. When you start a C lineup, what’s the point? I waffle between if I think Hyde should keep his job or not. Sometimes he does really well and sometimes I wonder why he is resting all of his impact players on the same day. 

[RZNJ]

The 3rd game with Houston.   Was it Santander with the 2-run homer in the top of the 9th.   A 2-run lead with Bautista coming back out for the 9th.   He's human but that was a real momentum breaker.   We were one strike away (1-2) count from closing that one out.

[Bahama O's Fan]

I think there were two back to back blown saves by Lopez against the Twins.

[dtk9119]

These are my top 5 in no particular order.

1. Losing 3/4 to Oakland 

2. Swept in Detroit 

3. Make up game vs Cubs

4. Last Oak game before Labor Day (this was the beginning of the end)

5. First 2 vs Detroit last week

Obviously all the losses to TOR BOS and HOU hurt too but not as inexcusable as losing the 5+ above to crappy teams. 

[Ohfan67]

The Orioles went 7-14 in April. That was pretty painful. 

[wildcard]

This does not sting Elias.    Elias told us the truth when he traded Mancini.  He basically verbally said that this was not the year the O's were going to make the playoffs.  Then he realized what he said and what it meant and went to Texas to tell the troops that he still believed in them.   He had to so they would not quit on him.

As far as the OH, I think over the winter we as a group will come to believe what Tony always says.   Watch what the O's do, not what they say.

When O's traded Mancini and Lopez while the contending teams were  strengthening their weaknesses.   That was the sign most of us can look at as the determining factor that the O's did not do as well as the team could have.   Lopez would have helped the pen in the 2nd half even if he blew a few saves.   Mancini would have added to the offense and the experience level to get through the tough times.  

The fact that when Elias called up Gunner  and he did not call up Westburg was also a sign that Elias was looking to future not the present.

Now don't get me wrong.  Elias has done an amazing job this year.  That is why the team is closer to a 80 game win team than a 60 game win team.  All the waiver claims that panned out in the pen and Voth in the the rotation.  The turnaround of Kremer and Bradish.  The patience is took to allow Mateo be become a GG candidate.  There are just so many things that Elias and company did right.

But don't think for a minute that Elias went all in to make the playoffs this season.  He said when he was hired that given the choice to barely making the playoffs or  build a team to win the division he would do the latter.  And he did.

So for me its not games that will sting.  Its that Elias did not believe this was the year.  Even though the odds are he was probably right.

Edited September 30, 2022 by wildcard

[Uli2001]

35 minutes ago, dtk9119 said:

These are my top 5 in no particular order.

1. Losing 3/4 to Oakland 

2. Swept in Detroit 

3. Make up game vs Cubs

4. Last Oak game before Labor Day (this was the beginning of the end)

5. First 2 vs Detroit last week

Obviously all the losses to TOR BOS and HOU hurt too but not as inexcusable as losing the 5+ above to crappy teams. 

Good list. You have to beat the teams you are supposed to beat.

[JR Oriole]

Losing 6 of the last 8 to Boston to lose the season series was the worst to me.  Another reminder that our division still owns us.  

[Uli2001]

8 minutes ago, wildcard said:

This does not sting Elias.    Elias told us the truth when he traded Mancini.  He basically verbally said that this was not the year the O's were going to make the playoffs.  Then he realized what he said and what it meant and went to Texas to tell the troops that he still believed in them.   He had to so they would not quit on him.

As far as the OH, I think over the winter we as a group will come to believe what Tony always says.   Watch what the O's do, not what they say.

When O's traded Mancini and Lopez while the contending teams were  strengthening their weaknesses that was the sign most of us can look at as the determining factor in not doing as well was the team could have.   Lopez would have helped the pen in the 2nd half even if he blew a few saves.   Mancini would have added to the offense and the experience level to get through the tough times.  

The fact that when Elias called up Gunner  and he did not call up Westburg was also a sign that Elias was looking to future not the present.

Now don't get me wrong.  Elias has done an amazing job this year.  That is why the team is closer to a 80 game win team than a 60 game win team.  All the waiver claims that panned out in the pen and Voth in the the rotation.  The turnaround of Kremer and Bradish.  The patience is took to allow Mateo be become a GG candidate.  There are just so many things that Elias and company did right.

But don't think for a minute that Elias went all in to make the playoffs this season.  He said when he was hired that given the choice to barely making the playoffs or  build a team to win the division he would do the latter.  And he did.

So for me its not games that will sting.  Its that Elias did not believe this was the year.  Even though the odds are he was probably right.

Agreed, management couldn't care less about winning this year. I happen to think it's a BIG mistake. Nothing is guaranteed year from year. Players can regress, the chemistry might not be there, the division may be stronger, etc. Even with twice the payroll. I think he should at a minimum leave the team intact. Did they really accomplish that much with those trades? Anyway, this is just a fan speaking. They make the big bucks to make these decisions, right?

 

[rm5678]

1 hour ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

I think there were two back to back blown saves by Lopez against the Twins.

Yes, those were 2 games that immediately came to mind for me.

[SilverRocket]

Not a particular game, but basically the first month and a half when Adley could have been called up sooner and possibly swung a couple of those. He'll end up getting that extra year of service time anyways for his ROY finish, so that production was just lost.

[OriolesMagic83]

1 hour ago, wildcard said:

This does not sting Elias.    Elias told us the truth when he traded Mancini.  He basically verbally said that this was not the year the O's were going to make the playoffs.  Then he realized what he said and what it meant and went to Texas to tell the troops that he still believed in them.   He had to so they would not quit on him.

As far as the OH, I think over the winter we as a group will come to believe what Tony always says.   Watch what the O's do, not what they say.

When O's traded Mancini and Lopez while the contending teams were  strengthening their weaknesses.   That was the sign most of us can look at as the determining factor that the O's did not do as well as the team could have.   Lopez would have helped the pen in the 2nd half even if he blew a few saves.   Mancini would have added to the offense and the experience level to get through the tough times.  

The fact that when Elias called up Gunner  and he did not call up Westburg was also a sign that Elias was looking to future not the present.

Now don't get me wrong.  Elias has done an amazing job this year.  That is why the team is closer to a 80 game win team than a 60 game win team.  All the waiver claims that panned out in the pen and Voth in the the rotation.  The turnaround of Kremer and Bradish.  The patience is took to allow Mateo be become a GG candidate.  There are just so many things that Elias and company did right.

But don't think for a minute that Elias went all in to make the playoffs this season.  He said when he was hired that given the choice to barely making the playoffs or  build a team to win the division he would do the latter.  And he did.

So for me its not games that will sting.  Its that Elias did not believe this was the year.  Even though the odds are he was probably right.

I think Elias made the right choice.  He had to know the O's had a 10% or less chance of making the playoffs.  Do you mortgage the future for that small chance?  Maybe in 2023, when the O's are real contenders, you do send away major talent in a trade.  Even if the O's kept Lopez and Mancini and made a minor addition, I still think they are coming up short.  The O's just have too big a talent gap between them and teams like Toronto, Tampa Bay and even Seattle.  Think about how much talent Dan traded away in 2012-2016.  The O's don't need to repeat the mistakes of the past.  I think Elias is going to concentrate on collecting talent more than trading it away.  I'm sure there will be trades in the future, but it will be for difference making talent at the right time. 

[OriolesMagic83]

1 hour ago, JR Oriole said:

Losing 6 of the last 8 to Boston to lose the season series was the worst to me.  Another reminder that our division still owns us.  

That's the worst to me too.  The O's had a big lead in the season series, and I thought, well at least the O's are better than the Sox (record wise if not talent wise).  This collapse against the Sox has been frustrating and humbling. 

[Frobby]

6 hours ago, wildcard said:

 

So for me its not games that will sting.  Its that Elias did not believe this was the year.  Even though the odds are he was probably right.

Good post.  For me it doesn’t sting very much.   The team came a very long way this year.   But they were never more than a team with a puncher’s chance at the playoffs.   I’d still like to see them finish by playing a little better than they have for the last couple of weeks, to leave a good taste in our mouths after a fun season.