What is your realistic goal for the O's this year?

[Baltimorecuse]

I ask, because I still think the organization is looking at 24 and 25.  

[Chavez Ravine]

Realistic goal for the team that I have followed since I was a wee one? World Champions!

If I ran O’s baseball operations, then I would probably think that goals such as making the playoffs or getting to the Championship Series on a specific schedule would be the wrong way of framing things. Instead, I would try to build an infrastructure of player acquisition and development that sustainably made the team competitive most years. Life is too  crazy to predict the details—-and I don’t have the nards of an Enron bro to imagine that I can. There are other models though: see the Mets and Padres.

Edited June 7, 2023 by Chavez Ravine

[Billy F-Face3]

I think you have to just go for it all. That's why you play the game. Look at teams like the Blue Jays. They thought they had a window to win it all and they're currently on the struggle bus. They just optioned Manoah to rookie ball.

Then there's the Chicago White Sox and the Detroit Tigers who commentators were predicting had completed a rebuild to become top contenders in the league. The Tigers were one of the worst records in baseball last season, started off the 1st month sub par, and the White Sox is a team every one is already predicting to be in sell mode for the trade deadline.

The window of opportunity can slam shut quickly. You gotta go for it while it's open!

With that said, I honestly feel that we are a season or 2 away because those are the pieces we are missing, plus our young players require some seasoning and experience to be able to reach their full potential inside the Major League.

So for this season, the only thing I'm letting myself to have expectations of is a playoff birth. It would be a progressive step forward from the 2022 season.

[sportsfan8703]

To win the division. It’s just one loss folks. We just beat the Giants the same way in game one. Literally, you cannot win them all. 

[Baltimorecuse]

55 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

To win the division. It’s just one loss folks. We just beat the Giants the same way in game one. Literally, you cannot win them all. 

I should rephrase the question at least partially.  Would you mortgage the future to win the AL or World Seies if it meant collapsing, like so many have done, the following season.  

[Sports Guy]

8 minutes ago, Baltimorecuse said:

I should rephrase the question at least partially.  Would you mortgage the future to win the AL or World Seies if it meant collapsing, like so many have done, the following season.  

Why would they collapse and what is your definition of “mortgaging the future”?

 

[maybenxtyr]

1 hour ago, sportsfan8703 said:

To win the division. It’s just one loss folks. We just beat the Giants the same way in game one. Literally, you cannot win them all. 

So, I'm not singling you out here, but when you look at the position players on the roster right now do you believe that they are a division winning group? How about even a WC winning group? 

 

I don't think they see Mullins back before the ASB. At least then, they can get the OF kinda straight. I don't even know where to start with the IF. Outside of Frazier, and he's just decent, there's not a single Infielder that's really reliable.

[maybenxtyr]

13 minutes ago, Baltimorecuse said:

I should rephrase the question at least partially.  Would you mortgage the future to win the AL or World Seies if it meant collapsing, like so many have done, the following season.  

I think there's enough talent in AAA that they can make some necessary moves and bring some much deserving players up to Baltimore.

 

The WS is never a guarantee. If it were, teams like the Yankees would win them all of the time.

[waroriole]

4 minutes ago, maybenxtyr said:

So, I'm not singling you out here, but when you look at the position players on the roster right now do you believe that they are a division winning group? How about even a WC winning group? 

 

I don't think they see Mullins back before the ASB. At least then, they can get the OF kinda straight. I don't even know where to start with the IF. Outside of Frazier, and he's just decent, there's not a single Infielder that's really reliable.

Henderson is much more reliable than Frazier. He’s the only IF who’s a league average hitter. Obviously a better and more versatile fielder than Frazier too. There’s too many guys now who are getting time they haven’t earned. No reason we can’t mix in two guys that are crushing Norfolk. 

[Sports Guy]

[Frobby]

21 minutes ago, Baltimorecuse said:

I should rephrase the question at least partially.  Would you mortgage the future to win the AL or World Seies if it meant collapsing, like so many have done, the following season.  

I would not, but I’m old enough to have experienced three World Series championships.  So, I care more about sustained winning than I do about one grab at the prize.  

Here’s another way to look at it: over the last 15 years, would you rather have been a fan of the Kansas City Royals or the Tampa Bay Rays?  The Royals won a World Seties, the Rays haven’t.  I’d rather have been a Rays fan, and it isn’t close.  

Going back to your original question, my realistic goal this year is to win the World Series.  That is completely realistic for about 15 teams, including the Orioles.  But I won’t be terribly disappointed if they don’t achieve that this year.   I will be very disappointed if they don’t make the playoffs, though.   

 

[maybenxtyr]

10 minutes ago, waroriole said:

Henderson is much more reliable than Frazier. He’s the only IF who’s a league average hitter. Obviously a better and more versatile fielder than Frazier too. There’s too many guys now who are getting time they haven’t earned. No reason we can’t mix in two guys that are crushing Norfolk. 

Henderson has a back issue. 

[waroriole]

Just now, maybenxtyr said:

Henderson has a back issue. 

That makes him unreliable?

[kidrock]

I just want to get some of the younger guys who have earned it up in the pros this year.  Most of those guys take some real time to adjust and I want to get it out of the way.  I have no issue ensuring that we get the extra year of service time, so I am good to be patient.  But at some point, I would rather the opportunity to win with the players if the future.

[Baltimorecuse]

25 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Why would they collapse and what is your definition of “mortgaging the future”?

 

How often have we seen teams gut their organization of young talent to win one big one.  Then they subsequently become mediocre teams.  Of course free agency and Rule 5 have made it difficult to build dynastic organizations.  

Edited June 7, 2023 by Baltimorecuse
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