Are the Orioles a legitimate playoff contender (Going into Spring training)?

[owknows]

Man... there's GALLONS of KoolAid being guzzled in this poll.

I find it refreshing

[AnythingO's]

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

I'd consider that being less than honest.

I wouldn't call that person a liar but I wouldn't trust what they said going forward.

Less than honest, obtuse, attempting to obfuscate, or just covering himself with GM-speak, IDK. I only know that when he said it, that was my first thought. Also, he never said MOO but many here claimed he did along with their interpretation of "lift off". I don't trust anything he says that is not very specific. As for mid-season "blockbuster" I could see him doing a Bedard deal if a Kremer-Bradish explodes and somebody is desperate. 

[Sports Guy]

59-8 is absurd result.  Lol

[sevastras]

6 hours ago, Frobby said:

I’ll take the under.  That’s expecting an awful lot.   

I’m voting yes, but the real answer is, I don’t know.   I’m pretty sure we won’t be hopelessly out of it by midseason, like we were in 2018, 2019 and 2021.   Whether we get over the top or hang in as long as we did in 2022 depends on a lot of variables.   We are not a no-doubt contender, but we could be one if things go reasonably well.
 

7 and 7, I’m taking over. Willing to bet a crab dinner on the over of 13. 

[Aristotelian]

2 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

59-8 is absurd result.  Lol

If it makes you happy I voted no to make it 59-9. Forced to pick yes/no on "playoff hunt in September" I have to say no. I do think they have a pathway to the playoffs and consider them a contender in that sense but I would put their odds of being in the hunt in September under 50% if I'm being honest.

[Frobby]

10 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

59-8 is absurd result.  Lol

And yet, you haven’t voted.  

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Frobby said:

And yet, you haven’t voted.  

You know I'm going to wait until September so I can be right. 

[Frobby]

In this day and age, a 40% chance is what every team has going into day 1 of the season.  6 spots for 15 teams.  As I’ve thought about it, by September 1 there will probably be 2-3 teams with a 75%+ chance, so even some pretty strong contenders for the final 3-4 spots may not be at 40%.   

By the way, I don’t believe the O’s were ever at 40% last September.   According to this thread, they were at 39.0% when they were 67-60 on August 28.   But it was downhill from there.  
 

[ShoelesJoe]

Love to be wrong, but I don’t see a playoff race for us this year. I think 2024 is when we’ll start kicking ass. 

[Sports Guy]

34 minutes ago, Frobby said:

And yet, you haven’t voted.  

Well like I said..I think it’s a no.

Im just not sure if I would go as far as definitively saying no they won’t be in contention at the beginning of Sept.

I feel like there is a semantics thing here.  
 

But I don’t think they are better than the teams I mentioned before and I think they are in that next tier so I guess I’m a no for this poll but I do think there’s a chance.

In Tony’s OP, he said 40%. I would probably be closer to 10-15%.

[emmett16]

51 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

59-8 is absurd result.  Lol

By your definition, do you think they contended last year in September?

[Sports Guy]

7 minutes ago, emmett16 said:

By your definition, do you think they contended last year in September?

Yea probably…it’s close. They had a chance, so I guess by that definition, they contended.

[eddie83]

Orioles were 1.5 games out of WC at 71-61 on September 3rd. 30 games left. The 92 and 93 Orioles would qualify under this criteria as well. Same as 2013.  

[Jim'sKid26]

No.

They don't have enough starting pitching.

The bullpen is unlikely to repeat 2022.

They are unlikely to have as much good fortune on the injury front as 2022.

They came into the off season needing to add a ToR starter and a MoO bat and they accomplished neither one. 

I hope I'm wrong.

[emmett16]

46 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Yea probably…it’s close. They had a chance, so I guess by that definition, they contended.

So with acquisitions, development,  additional depth and momentum (confidence) from the previous year, why would they not contend this year?  

Edited February 18, 2023 by emmett16