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

[Orioles Jim]

I think I’m still too scarred from 2005.

The apex was 42-28 (yes I realize we’re currently better than that) on 6/21/2005. My memory had us hitting our attrition sooner than that (we did go on a 6 game losing streak thereafter) but we actually didn’t dip below .500 until 7/30/2005.

Obviously this team is so much different than that team, in so many ways for so many reasons, but it does serve as a word of warning of how teams can still be a mirage even up to this point.

[interloper]

I think some of the anxiety/negativity is seeing how we're on pace for 102 wins but with our classic Orioles luck, it's coming in a year in which Tampa is on pace for, what, 110 (?) wins? And the rest of the division is above .500.

This causes us to look harder at any potential areas that would drag us down or keep us from keeping up this awesome pace. So we fixate on guys like Mountcastle, or Adley's lack of slugging, or Grayson/Hall disappointing, or what if Cano or Felix go down and the lack of replacements, etc etc. Waiting for the other shoe to drop with Frazier or Hicks or even Hays. Anxiously looking at the minors to give us a boost in order to keep pace.

The negativity is just fear and Orioles fans are keeping their heads on a swivel because it's a hyper-competitive year. It doesn't feel like we've been able to relax at all. Which is fun! But a bit stressful. 

But this is a great, talented team. There are some potential weaknesses and unproven assets that make us nervous. 

[Sports Guy]

What was the stat Brown gave the other day? I believe it was something like, the Os hadn’t won back to back games all season without at least one of Cano or Bautista appearing in the game.

Thats really my concern almost more than anything else. We are so reliant on those 2. I want to take some pressure off of them.

Edited June 13, 2023 by Sports Guy

[Baltimorecuse]

5 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

What was the stat Brown gave the other day? I believe it was something like, the Os hadn’t won back to back games all season without one of Cano or Bautista appearing in the game.

Thats really my concern almost more than anything else. We are so reliant on those 2. I want to take some pressure off of them.

The starters have to improve and go deeper or we need a couple of more arms in the pen.  

I said yesterday, and I'll say it again, this series is a real test of our starting rotation.  I think we've been through the softer part of our schedule.  

[emmett16]

5 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

What was the stat Brown gave the other day? I believe it was something like, the Os hadn’t won back to back games all season without one of Cano or Bautista appearing in the game.

Thats really my concern almost more than anything else. We are so reliant on those 2. I want to take some pressure off of them.

That is my biggest concern.  If one (or both) went down we would be in trouble.  I’d like to see them add an arm to the bullpen sooner rather than later.  I have to believe back end relief help is what they are/will be shopping for.  I’m still holding out hope that Hall & Rodriguez can contribute in a meaningful way which will help lighten the load.  

[Yardball85]

1 hour 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.  
 

A few things.  First of all, I have been immensely enjoying the ride so far through 65 games, and hope it continues.  I think it will.  But there are always ways the team can improve, whether it is player personnel, ownership decisions, managerial decisions, etc.  Perhaps since the team is doing so well, posters are going through the Orioles' decisions with a more fine toothed comb than usual, since it appears that each game might truly matter this year as to when and whether the Orioles make the playoffs.

[Jammer7]

1 minute ago, Sports Guy said:

What was the stat Brown gave the other day? I believe it was something like, the Os hadn’t won back to back games all season without one of Cano or Bautista appearing in the game.

Thats really my concern almost more than anything else. We are so reliant on those 2. I want to take some pressure off of them.

Also my biggest concern. We need to add an arm to the back end. I do like what I have seen from Baumann recently, overall. The pen needs some guys like Perez and Baker to return to form. Coloumbe has been great, but over-used out of necessity as well. A healthy 2022 version of Tate would be great, but I doubt he gets back there in 2023. Givens’ shoulder appears to be worse than they are letting on. The wildcard here, for me, is DL Hall. He could be a big difference maker.

[Sports Guy]

GRod is absolutely a wild card for me.

If he can get his head on straight and come back and be the guy we thought he would be, that is a huge boost to this team.

[interloper]

8 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

GRod is absolutely a wild card for me.

If he can get his head on straight and come back and be the guy we thought he would be, that is a huge boost to this team.

I have more faith that Means helps this team than Grayson. And I don't have much faith that Means helps this team. 

[interloper]

18 minutes ago, emmett16 said:

That is my biggest concern.  If one (or both) went down we would be in trouble.  I’d like to see them add an arm to the bullpen sooner rather than later.  I have to believe back end relief help is what they are/will be shopping for.  I’m still holding out hope that Hall & Rodriguez can contribute in a meaningful way which will help lighten the load.  

It's Elias' one job at the deadline. If he doesn't land a very, very good reliever, it's a massive failure on his part. Massive. 

[Tony-OH]

1 hour 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.  
 

The overwhelming majority of Orioles fans are pretty happy with this season, but this would be a pretty boring place if no one discussed anything. I think I understand the spirit of this thread, but you come across as Facebook-type poster who just believes the orioles must be right all the time. 

You received a lot of good rep for that and that's fine, but I'd rather have good constructive conversation then have everyone run around smelling the roses and telling everyone how sweet they smell right now. 

That would make this a very boring place if we followed your "advice". I also disagree that this place is constantly whining. I see a lot of really good discussions with points from all sides. Sure, there are some that will never be happy,  and that's their right, just like it's your right to feel all sunshine and rainbows no matter what happens.

I will say this though, you better not complain at all about anything the rest of the season. You've made your bed now lie in it. Everything is awesome, every lineup is perfect, every bullpen move is perfect and anyone discussing these things on an actual orioles discussion board should stay quiet or be called a whiner by Frobby.

I feel like you are telling people how to fan, and that is a really, really disappointing post from a longtime member of this board.

[interloper]

4 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

.

I will say this though, you better not complain at all about anything the rest of the season. You've made your bed now lie in it. Everything is awesome, every lineup is perfect, every bullpen move is perfect and anyone discussing these things on an actual orioles discussion board should stay quiet or be called a whiner by Frobby.

I feel like you are telling people how to fan, and that is a really, really disappointing post from a longtime member of this board.

This is a massive, hilariously bad interpretation of what Frobby wrote. Wow man. 

Where did he say every lineup is perfect, every move is perfect? That's so disingenuous. You're putting so many words in his mouth. If you can't handle one thread like this, then isn't that the same as you telling people how to fan? You don't have to comment if you don't like the thread. 

Edited June 13, 2023 by interloper

[Sports Guy]

3 minutes ago, interloper said:

This is a massive, hilariously bad interpretation of what Frobby wrote. Wow man. 

Where did he say every lineup is perfect, every move is perfect? That's so disingenuous. You're putting so many words in his mouth. If you can't handle one thread like this, then isn't that the same as you telling people how to fan? You don't have to comment if you don't like the thread. 

Nah I disagree. I think there was maybe some hyperbole by Tony there but overall, I think the tone of Frobby’s post is basically what Tony said and I believe the “read between the lines” stuff is as well.

Now, I don’t think Frobby believes nothing should be questioned but I do think that overall, he believes that we should just be happy and not question most of what’s going on..at least that’s how his post reads.

[Moose Milligan]

I wouldn't count on G-Rod or Hall for anything this year.  

[interloper]

2 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

Nah I disagree. I think there was maybe some hyperbole by Tony there but overall, I think the tone of Frobby’s post is basically what Tony said and I believe the “read between the lines” stuff is as well.

Now, I don’t think Frobby believes nothing should be questioned but I do think that overall, he believes that we should just be happy and not question most of what’s going on..at least that’s how his post reads.

He literally says:

Quote

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. 

Lol. And Tony somehow interprets that as Frobby telling everyone how to fan and not letting people have their criticisms. Give me a break. 

Edited June 13, 2023 by interloper