The season is 40% over and the O’s are on pace for 102 wins…

[Frobby]

…And yet I feel the mood of the board is overwhelmingly negative.   Just constant whinging about roster construction, the cheap owners, the daily lineups, etc.

Me?  Quite honestly, I’m so happy with where things are that I have to pinch myself.   If Hyde sent the team onto the field wearing pink tutus, I’d say to myself “well, they’re 41-24, so he must have a good reason!”

Sure, I can quibble with various things, but I’m insanely happy.   Elias has done a great job overall, and so has Hyde.  You look at our team, you don’t really see a lot of players who are performing unrealistically well.   I’d say there’s as many guys who are underperforming as overperforming.  Yet, it all adds up to a team on pace to win 102 games.  If they play at their Pythagorean level the rest of the way, it’s 97 wins.  It’s a very good team, created by Elias and steered by Hyde, and I’m very happy with how the team is run and content to let the professionals do their jobs without believing I could do it better.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about anybody here who wants to dwell on what could be done better and express their opinions.  I’m just saying, stop and smell the roses some time, because they’re smelling really good.  
 

[Fiver6565]

2 minutes ago, Frobby said:

…And yet I feel the mood of the board is overwhelmingly negative.   Just constant whinging about roster construction, the cheap owners, the daily lineups, etc.

Me?  Quite honestly, I’m so happy with where things are that I have to pinch myself.   If Hyde sent the team onto the field wearing pink tutus, I’d say to myself “well, they’re 41-24, so he must have a good reason!”

Sure, I can quibble with various things, but I’m insanely happy.   Elias has done a great job overall, and so has Hyde.  You look at our team, you don’t really see a lot of players who are performing unrealistically well.   I’d say there’s as many guys who are underperforming as overperforming.  Yet, it all adds up to a team on pace to win 102 games.  If they play at their Pythagorean level the rest of the way, it’s 97 wins.  It’s a very good team, created by Elias and steered by Hyde, and I’m very happy with how the team is run and content to let the professionals do their jobs without believing I could do it better.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not complaining about anybody here who wants to dwell on what could be done better and express their opinions.  I’m just saying, stop and smell the roses some time, because they’re smelling really good.  
 

Great post!  I too am very content w/ the team.  Would like to see a couple more guys up from the minors, but otherwise very pleased.  After 2017-21, I don't understand how you can't be thrilled honestly.  Sure things can always be better, but goodness they can be so, so much worse.

 

For me its a game and its entertainment.  And this is a very entertaining, winning team.  I don't need a World Series champion (though I'd love it) - I need reasons to keep watching all season.  This team is providing plenty of that and then some.

[Hank Scorpio]

They could smell better.

[Sports Guy]

It’s great…but you don’t win anything for a good record 40% into the season.

The hand wringing over the roster is because most recognize that we have to upgrade the talent on the roster to legitimately contend in October. 
 

 

[Hank Scorpio]

I jest... obviously I'm overjoyed with the team's performance thus far. There are always quibbles, and I think the starting pitching could (and should) be upgraded. Perhaps that is as likely to happen with improvement from the existing lot, who knows. 

You're right, it's definitely hard to argue with 41-24. 

[foxfield]

Could not agree more Frobby.  I think many of us are just so used to sucking that they simply can't help miss the forest for the trees!

[foxfield]

The idea that the team cannot contend with the current roster is simply silly.  Should the team be looking for ways to improve?  Of course they should.  Teams behind them will certainly look to improve their chances of catching the Orioles. That is how things go.

But the idea that the third best team in baseball is uncompetitive as constructed is laughable.

Standing pat is likely not going to work either. But overall, it is hard to not see that Elias and Hyde are doing great work.  Even if you acknowledge that they hav not been perfect.

I too am loving the season as I am also loving the idea that the future appears bright.
 

Edit to add:

I think a better way to view this team with a much smaller scoring differential than others at the top, is that this is a talented team but one that isn't blowing people away.  That means the margin of error isn't huge.  I'm ok with that and think that there is room for improvement because of it...even if it also means the opposite is not out of the question.

Edited June 13, 2023 by foxfield

[Sports Guy]

1 minute ago, foxfield said:

The idea that the team cannot contend with the current roster is simply silly.  Should the team be looking for ways to improve?  Of course they should.  Teams behind them will certainly look to improve their chances of catching the Orioles. That is how things go.

But the idea that the third best team in baseball is uncompetitive as constructed is laughable.

Standing pat is likely not going to work either. But overall, it is hard to not see that Elias and Hyde are doing great work.  Even if you acknowledge that they hav not been perfect.

I too am loving the season as I am also loving the idea that the future appears bright.
 

Has one person said they are uncompetitive or is this just some bs you are making up in your head?

 

[LTO's]

The only damper on such an amazing start is the fact that they are still somehow 5 games out of first. They would be in first place in any other division and in some of them would have a pretty decent lead. Silver lining is I suppose this kind of demanding, pressure filled experience will only help the young guys on the roster going forward. 

[foxfield]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

Has one person said they are uncompetitive or is this just some bs you are making up in your head?

 

This board is full of posts saying the Orioles are not good enough to compete in the playoffs and those that say they may not even make the playoffs.  I am sure you have read them.

So no not one person...there are several.  Including posts by you that literally accuse people of performing sex on Elias for having the audacity to say he is doing a good job.

[Sports Guy]

5 minutes ago, foxfield said:

This board is full of posts saying the Orioles are not good enough to compete in the playoffs and those that say they may not even make the playoffs.  I am sure you have read them.

So no not one person...there are several.  Including posts by you that literally accuse people of performing sex on Elias for having the audacity to say he is doing a good job.

I think you are completely making this up, as I don’t recall one post where people have said they would be uncompetitive in the playoffs.

People doubt how far they will go as currently constructed and that is extremely fair to wonder but that is far different than saying they wouldn’t be competitive.

 

Edited June 13, 2023 by Sports Guy

[Sports Guy]

My issue with the team is that I think they are in deep trouble if either Cano or Bautista get hurt or start to perform just ok vs otherworldly.

The margin for error just isn’t that great. 
 

I think the young players will help with that and a move or 2 at the deadline could put them over the top.

But trotting out the guys we are now won’t work against the best pitchers and the best teams in the playoffs imo.

[forphase1]

I know I'm one of the complainers, but don't get me wrong,  I certainly am very pleased with this year and how things are going.  It's been so much more fun these past 180 games or so when the Os have been playing solid baseball versus what we had previously.  I'm loving every minute,  and am certainly 'stopping to smell the roses' quite often. 

BUT, now that we have 'arrived' so to speak, I want us to be as good as we can possibly be.   As I said in another thread,  some get an A on their report card and are happy and content while others still strive to do better and get an A+.  We are playing A level baseball,  and that is awesome!  I'm loving it!  But at the same time it appears we have the potential to improve upon that A by simply promoting a few kids from our talented pipeline and sitting some guys whose bats have gone very cold.  Most contending teams are soon going to be trying to trade to improve their MLB roster, and we should do that also.  But we have our own internal options to improve the team now, without needing to get help from another organization.  Just makes sense to do so IMO.  Advocating for those changes doesn't mean I'm not appreciative of what they have accomplished to date or that I'm not immensely enjoying things.  Just means I'm not content to see us not playing up to our full potential.

[foxfield]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

I think you are completely making this up, as I don’t recall one post where people have said they would be uncompetitive in the playoffs.

People doubt how far they will go as currently constructed and that is extremely fair to wonder.

 

Of course it is fair to doubt how far they will or can go.  There are very few players on this team with actual playoff experience.  This team could flourish down the stretch and gain steam...or it could falter.

But I will simply leave your idea above to the discretion of the readers here on the board and respectfully disagree.

The OP is about a general negativity in spite of 40% of the season complete.  I like to look at the fact that since Adley came last year the Orioles have played like one of the best teams in baseball.

Could they use stronger pitching?  Sure.

Could they use a MOO slugger?  Sure.

Could they use another strong arm in the pen?  Of course.

Do they need some of the guys here to improve?  You betcha.

Do they need to figure out how to integrate more youth to the big club?  Of course.

None of that changes what they have done and are doing.  Its a pretty sweet spot to be in...regardless of what is available at the deadline.  

[foxfield]

5 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

My issue with the team is that I think they are in deep trouble if either Cano or Bautista get hurt or start to perform just ok vs otherworldly.

The margin for error just isn’t that great. 
 

I think the young players will help with that and a move or 2 at the deadline could put them over the top.

But trotting out the guys we are now won’t work against the best pitchers and the best teams in the playoffs imo.

In other words, this team cant compete in the playoffs as constructed. Gotcha.