A few thoughts 100 games in (62-38)

[Frobby]

My first thought is, I never would have expected the 2023 team to win 62 of its first 100 games.

My second thought is, I’m amazed how consistent this team has been.  They’ve had four consecutive winning months.   In my thread where I track their performance every ten games, they’ve only had one 10-game segment where they were under .500, at 4-6.   And, as we know, they haven’t been swept in a series in over a year.   

My third thought is, please don’t wake me up from this sweet dream.  
 

[forphase1]

Other than maybe the '89 team,  this has been the most fun and enjoyable first 100 games of a season that I can recall.   Been loving almost every minute of it so far!

[maybenxtyr]

I'm not sure if it's because I watch and follow the team daily that I maybe underestimate them, but this has been beyond what I could have ever anticipated. There's really not any one guy or area where you can point to and make it make sense. 

 

This is nice.

[RZNJ]

They keep winning games where it seems like the momentum has shifted to the other team.   Over the last two years I often get the “there goes this game. This is not going to end well feeling” only to have the Orioles wind up winning.  It’s a good thing but hard to explain.  A large part of it is Bautista but it’s more than just Felix.   
 

 

[Too Tall]

They get breaks. They make their own breaks. It's been a REAL long time since I remember either. Can it continue? I don't know but this group seems special. Hope we are this "wowed" come October.

[TommyPickles]

This season has been so much fun. I just feel grateful.

[Sports Guy]

I’m still not convinced that they go far in the playoffs. 
 

I worry about too many aspects of this team when competing against the best teams in the spotlight.

I do think some of those worries can be alleviated with the deadline and just improvement by the young hitters but need to see it first.

[TommyPickles]

43 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I’m still not convinced that they go far in the playoffs. 
 

I worry about too many aspects of this team when competing against the best teams in the spotlight.

I do think some of those worries can be alleviated with the deadline and just improvement by the young hitters but need to see it first.

I agree with you, but the good news for the Orioles is the rest of the AL seems weaker than usual.

I think the 2022 Astros (106-56) and the 2022 Yankees (99-63) were better than any team in the AL this season. 

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

They keep winning games where it seems like the momentum has shifted to the other team.   Over the last two years I often get the “there goes this game. This is not going to end well feeling” only to have the Orioles wind up winning.  It’s a good thing but hard to explain.  A large part of it is Bautista but it’s more than just Felix.   
 

 

It’s a very resilient team.  Their last four wins, they blew a lead but came back to win.  They don’t get down on themselves when things go wrong.  

[Sports Guy]

Just now, Frobby said:

It’s a very resilient team.  Their last four wins, they blew a lead but came back to win.  They don’t get down on themselves when things go wrong.  

Hyde has a lot to do that with that imo.

[Bahama O's Fan]

This year's team has really raised the floor with a very complete roster. The players on our bench would be starters are quite a few other MLB teams

[Frobby]

47 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I’m still not convinced that they go far in the playoffs. 
 

I worry about too many aspects of this team when competing against the best teams in the spotlight.

I do think some of those worries can be alleviated with the deadline and just improvement by the young hitters but need to see it first.

They are not ideally structured for the playoffs, but essentially the playoffs are a crapshoot and I’ll worry about that if and when we get there.  

One thing I think is better about this team than the 2012-16 teams in terms of playoff construction is this team is not overly reliant on home runs.  When the weather gets cold and the ball isn’t traveling as well, this team will still find ways to get on base and scratch out runs.  

 

[DrungoHazewood]

9 minutes ago, Frobby said:

They are not ideally structured for the playoffs, but essentially the playoffs are a crapshoot and I’ll worry about that if and when we get there.  

One thing I think is better about this team than the 2012-16 teams in terms of playoff construction is this team is not overly reliant on home runs.  When the weather gets cold and the ball isn’t traveling as well, this team will still find ways to get on base and scratch out runs.  

 

What is ideally structured for the playoffs, and how do ideally structured teams do in the playoffs compared to teams that have similar regular season W/L records but that are less than ideally structured?

[Just Regular]

Tampa letting the division race reopen gives some hope even an opening round disappointment in the tournament will be more substantial.     A real division race and the opportunity to have the AL playoffs come through OPACY is the shiny new toy these last couple weeks.

I've mentioned before Adley as Peyton Manning, and the Year 2 breakout featured regular season domination surprising in its extent before the first of many tournament slips I very much hope these Orioles don't emulate.     It also began a long run of years of such brilliance the regular season was rendered moot.

One of Moneyball's nuggets was the Attriting Arms one, and we've (appropriately, in my view!) leaned heavy on Felix, Wells, Cano and Coulombe to get where we are.    So many guys on the Club are in exciting new territory out over their skis.    Its already too good to be true, but with these Wins in the bank, I hope a clear eyed look is taken how to staff the Club in October.

[Baltimorecuse]

I said here at the beginning of July, I'd be happy with playing .500 for the month.  I really underestimated our pitching.