I've never been more excited to be an Orioles fan

[Greg Pappas]

At 58, I have never been more excited about my team than I am right now.  I was pretty excited in '83 (naturally) as well as the late nineties, but this team is bursting at the seams with homegrown talent and has a "GM" that has done an incredible job building us into a winner with a talent pipeline that is second to none.  I have concerns about a number of things (ownership/cost restraints at the forefront), but in the big picture I'm amped to see where this goes in the months and years to come.  

How about you?  

[Sports Guy]

Same but, like you, ownership will always keep me more level headed about the future than I should be. 
 

If we had a real commitment from ownership, a 5-10 year run is very possible. Without it, we need more luck on our side than I would prefer to have to rely on.

[UMDTerrapins]

My son is 8 years old and a really good player for his age. It’s not lost on me how lucky I am that we finally put it together at exactly the right time for him. The ‘79 team won me over as a kid, and I was lucky enough to experience some great seasons/players. Give us new ownership and we could go on a crazy run. 

[Frobby]

It’s hard to compare my feeling as a 66-year old with how I felt:

- As a 9-year old watching the team win its first WS.

- As a 12-14 year old watching the team win 3 straight pennants.

- As a 15-16 year old watching a remade team win two division titles.

- As 20-26 year old watching the team slowly climb from good to great and winning a WS.

- As a 32-year old watching the “Why Not” team go from terrible to contender.

- As a 39-40 year old watching Pat Gillick and Davey Johnson assemble the wire to wire division winners.

- As a 55-59 year old watching Buck’s boys go to the playoffs three times after a LONG time in the wilderness.  

Somewhere in there, I grew up, went to college and law school, got a job, got married, raised three kids all the way to adulthood, and retired.  But when it comes to the Orioles, my excitement when they’re good or things are looking promising has never wavered.  I’m still basically that same 9-year old kid.  

I do think that Elias has put the team in a great position to not only excel for the next 5-7 years, but have sustained success if they continue to be well run, make good decisions and are given the support they need.  So yes, I’m as excited as I’ve ever been.  

 

[baltfan]

I was pretty damn excited in 1995 when we signed Alomar.

[Can_of_corn]

I didn't know enough to not be excited after 1989.

[Moose Milligan]

Hard to beat being excited as a teenager when they traded for Bonilla and signed Alomar.  Hard to beat being excited as a teenager going to Camden Yards for a playoff game against the Indians (Tony F'ing Fernandez ruined that, though).

Hard to be as excited during those times when there's still two months of baseball left.  But it is exciting, no doubt about it.  I feel like the next 5-6 years should be really exciting, too.

 

[RZNJ]

I am able to enjoy the wins and accept the losses much better as I’ve gotten older.  I’ve always enjoyed following the minor leagues just as much as the big team.  In this day of information and technology and the current state of the Orioles I can easily say this is the best time ever to be a baseball fan and an Orioles fan and the Hangout is a big part of that as well.   Go O’s!

[Billy F-Face3]

I've gotten to the point where I hate losing more than I like winning.

[Pickles]

8 minutes ago, Billy F-Face3 said:

I've gotten to the point where I hate losing more than I like winning.

That way lies madness- for a fan.

For a competitor that's actually a "healthy" attitude to have.

[Gurgi]

I would say i am more excited about our chances because before the internet following the farm teams was hard.  I would occasionally get Baseball America and read about ten guys and see them ranked.  Baltimore rarely had high ranked guys and most of them failed.  This is loaded team all through our minors.  With massive talent sitting in AAA.  The orioles could trade mountcastle, hays and santander in the off season and likely not miss a beat.  Its shocking really

[Billy F-Face3]

1 hour ago, Pickles said:

That way lies madness- for a fan.

For a competitor that's actually a "healthy" attitude to have.

Tell me about it. It's not been good for my mental health considerating I no say in how the team is run and have no control how the team does. It's literally something I can't control.

But I love the Orioles that much. 

[Aristotelian]

Agreed about ownership but I love this core group of young players, and have great confidence in the GM. We really didnt have either one for the 2012-16 run. Have to go back to the 97 team at least, and in hindsight I should not have been as excited about that team as I was. Definitely a great time to be an Os fan leading the division in August and set up very nicely to stay competitive for years.

[tntoriole]

8 hours ago, Frobby said:

It’s hard to compare my feeling as a 66-year old with how I felt:

- As a 9-year old watching the team win its first WS.

- As a 12-14 year old watching the team win 3 straight pennants.

- As a 15-16 year old watching a remade team win two division titles.

- As 20-26 year old watching the team slowly climb from good to great and winning a WS.

- As a 32-year old watching the “Why Not” team go from terrible to contender.

- As a 39-40 year old watching Pat Gillick and Davey Johnson assemble the wire to wire division winners.

- As a 55-59 year old watching Buck’s boys go to the playoffs three times after a LONG time in the wilderness.  

Somewhere in there, I grew up, went to college and law school, got a job, got married, raised three kids all the way to adulthood, and retired.  But when it comes to the Orioles, my excitement when they’re good or things are looking promising has never wavered.  I’m still basically that same 9-year old kid.  

I do think that Elias has put the team in a great position to not only excel for the next 5-7 years, but have sustained success if they continue to be well run, make good decisions and are given the support they need.  So yes, I’m as excited as I’ve ever been.  

 

Same age as you .. 1964 Brooks MVP season is in my memory too and Milt Pappas in 1965 — first games as a kid I went with my Dad. 
I have been blessed to have attended 1 gsme in every WS and now .. 40 years after the last one, both of my kids have grown up waiting on the promise of us going when they get there. 
Hope this is the year!! 

[Osornot]

9 hours ago, Frobby said:

It’s hard to compare my feeling as a 66-year old with how I felt:

- As a 9-year old watching the team win its first WS.

- As a 12-14 year old watching the team win 3 straight pennants.

- As a 15-16 year old watching a remade team win two division titles.

- As 20-26 year old watching the team slowly climb from good to great and winning a WS.

- As a 32-year old watching the “Why Not” team go from terrible to contender.

- As a 39-40 year old watching Pat Gillick and Davey Johnson assemble the wire to wire division winners.

- As a 55-59 year old watching Buck’s boys go to the playoffs three times after a LONG time in the wilderness.  

Somewhere in there, I grew up, went to college and law school, got a job, got married, raised three kids all the way to adulthood, and retired.  But when it comes to the Orioles, my excitement when they’re good or things are looking promising has never wavered.  I’m still basically that same 9-year old kid.  

I do think that Elias has put the team in a great position to not only excel for the next 5-7 years, but have sustained success if they continue to be well run, make good decisions and are given the support they need.  So yes, I’m as excited as I’ve ever been.  

 

What a great post! I am 2-3 years behind but remember all but the 66 win.  During the World Series in 1969 one of our teachers took us to the auditorium to watch one of the games.