Who do we want to start Game One of the World Series?

[Can_of_corn]

7 minutes ago, Baltimorecuse said:

Is pointing out they don't have a clear #1 to start a playoff series "disrespect"?  I don't think it is.

I do.  And the endless criticism of not bringing up x,y,z is pretty bad, too.  

You know that virtually every game we played in July we were the betting dog.  

So the people pointing out that for instance the 2014 Tigers had bullpen issues were just disrespecting them?

Got it!

I swear the Baltimore Inferiority Complex sure is something.

[sportsfan8703]

53 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

This board is hilarious.  First place in August after 5 years of largely crap and you're talking about Game One starters, World Series starters....you're like the dorky 9th grader who all of a sudden found a weight bench and can bench press the bar and got all cocky all of a sudden.  

It doesn't have to be game one of the WS.  That might actually not be our best starter depending on how the hypothetical ALCS plays out.  Our Game One starter for the playoffs is Flaherty, but then again we don't know how the regular season ends.  I'd rank them Flaherty, Bradish, Grayson.  

[Moose Milligan]

1 hour ago, Sports Guy said:

They could win 40% (or even a little less) of their games the rest of the year and likely still make the playoffs.

They are in.

 

1 hour ago, Frobby said:

Their odds are excellent, but I still have PTSD from some of the Orioles past epic collapses like 4-32 etc.  This team is much better than those ones and I’m not expecting a collapse, but I’m still taking nothing for granted.  Anyway, I want the team to finish strong and carry good momentum into the playoffs.  

 

1 hour ago, Can_of_corn said:

It's baseball, it can happen.

I don't see the value in pretending it can't.

Here's SG after his guarantee that the Orioles are in the playoffs 100%.

 

 

 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

Let's make the playoffs first before we start game planning the World Series.

[vab]

Man, you know it's going good when people start these kind of threads with two months left in the season. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

26 minutes ago, vab said:

Man, you know it's going good when people start these kind of threads with two months left in the season. 

It's good, but my superstitious side doesn't like tempting the baseball gods. Just keep winning series and beat up on a Mets team that's given up on this season.

[FlipTheBird]

14 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

It's good, but my superstitious side doesn't like tempting the baseball gods. Just keep winning series and beat up on a Mets team that's given up on this season.

If people chatting on message boards or Twitter could truly jinx anything, no team in the league would actually ever win the World Series. It'd just somehow have to get canceled every year. Or won by late-arriving extraterrestrials.

And to answer the question... as others have noted, since we don't have anyone that's head and shoulders above the rest, our "top" playoff pitcher will very much be whoever is dealing the best at that time. And truthfully I'd say it could be any of the five guys in the current rotation, with Kremer having the worst odds.

[Bemorewins]

5 hours ago, Can_of_corn said:

As opposed to a fan base that takes offense at every perceived slight because they are insecure and jealous?

I don't think either would be good. Obviously we all want the team to win and are excited about the present and possibilities of the future. But there is a way for us to enjoy it without becoming obnoxious, arrogant, entitled, or the type of fans like many Red Sox/Yankees/Dodgers fans who enjoy rubbing other team's fanbases' noses in it by doing things like chanting in their stadium, etc. 

I've always believed that the same people that you put down on your way up, you eventually meet them back on your way down. 

[AdamK]

An Oriole!

[Bemorewins]

4 hours ago, Baltimorecuse said:

Hey guys, my question was almost totally tongue-in-cheek.  I asked it because I'm sick of the lack of respect our pitchers are receiving, in fact, the whole team.  

Barring injuries, I think GR will be our best pitcher by October.  

I must not be observing/viewing/reading the same things as you are. But when I watch things like MLB network, Ben Verlander's show on YouTube, listen MLB network radio on Sirius XM, etc; I don't perceive any "disrespect" being lobbed in our direction. At most I have heard some analyst/on air personalities question our starters based on the fact that none of them (before the acquisition of Flaherty) had proven reputations of success over a single season (before this year). I think that's a legit thing to point out.

One thing I hear over and over is how smart Elias/Sig (our front office) are and how great they are at using advanced analytic. Bowden and Duquette were talking about that just this morning before they had Elias on. It was in reference to why they thought Flaherty was a good pick up for us and his effective use of the curveball yesterday. They both agreed that the Orioles analytics department is well ahead of were the St. Louis Cardinals are. Given the historical nature of how the two teams have operated over the last 25 years, I would say that is a tremendous compliment. 

[Sports Guy]

Tell me this group isn’t making the playoffs.

 

[Baltimorecuse]

8 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

I must not be observing/viewing/reading the same things as you are. But when I watch things like MLB network, Ben Verlander's show on YouTube, listen MLB network radio on Sirius XM, etc; I don't perceive any "disrespect" being lobbed in our direction. At most I have heard some analyst/on air personalities question our starters based on the fact that none of them (before the acquisition of Flaherty) had proven reputations of success over a single season (before this year). I think that's a legit thing to point out.

One thing I hear over and over is how smart Elias/Sig (our front office) are and how great they are at using advanced analytic. Bowden and Duquette were talking about that just this morning before they had Elias on. It was in reference to why they thought Flaherty was a good pick up for us and his effective use of the curveball yesterday. They both agreed that the Orioles analytics department is well ahead of were the St. Louis Cardinals are. Given the historical nature of how the two teams have operated over the last 25 years, I would say that is a tremendous compliment. 

I didn't say anything about disrespect, I just don't think they're getting the props they deserve.  

[Can_of_corn]

2 minutes ago, Baltimorecuse said:

I didn't say anything about disrespect, I just don't think they're getting the props they deserve.  

How is that different?

[Filmstudy]

In terms of who we WANT to start G1, it's an easy answer for me...Grayson. 

If he is the guy tabbed for G1 of the WS, that means his development/success has continued from these last 3 starts and I don't think it has to say anything bad about Flaherty, Bradish, Gibson, Kremer, Wells, Irvin, Means, etc.  If he is ready to start G1, it will be because he's clearly the best starter on his own merits.

[Bemorewins]

12 minutes ago, Baltimorecuse said:

I didn't say anything about disrespect, I just don't think they're getting the props they deserve.  

We are an upstart team, first time being a legit contender in more than half over a decade. Honestly almost 10 years since the last time we have been in first place this late in the season.

You don't think it is natural for some media/national pundits to be a little late to the party? Or be a little skeptical given how long we have been bad and in some seasons the worst team in the sport?

I can guarantee if we win in the postseason, we will have earned respect/props and will get it from there out.