This could be my favorite O's team ever....

[DocJJ]

I began following the O's when I was 8 years old in 1977 (yes, I'm getting old....).   I got to enjoy the '79 and '83 WS teams.  I loved the '89 Why Not? team.   I enjoyed the 1996 power house team and the surprisingly resurgent 2012 team and the dominating 2014 team.

 

But there is something about this team that just is so much fun.  The best defense I've ever seen, aggressive scrappy baserunning, timely hits.  And the collection of characters and back-stories- there are some really interesting characters on this team.  And the team chemistry seems like the best ever....

 

A joy to watch (on TV... I don't go in person because I'm the worst jinx ever and they always lose when I go in person... .)

[Frobby]

Well, it may be the best defensive O’s team you’ve seen, depending on when you really started watching as a kid, but it’s not nearly the best one I’ve seen.  The teams with Brooks. Belanger, Grich and Blair were the best.  And don’t sleep on the 2013 team, when Manny won the Platinum Glove and Hardy and Jones both won Gold Gloves.  That team was spectacular  on defense.

Now  is it the most fun team?   Like I said recently, experiencing a really fun year as it’s happening is better than remembering a past fun team.   So, I’m not going to try to compare them, I’m just going to enjoy what we’ve got while we’ve got it.

 

Edited September 12, 2023 by Frobby

[MCO'sFan]

I am older than you and remember the 69 - 71 teams but just barely. Ironically, some of the better O's teams were in the mid 70's that ran into the A's teams. 89 was one of my favorites too. I have found this team exciting and fun but I have also felt weirdly reserved like I was waiting for the bottom to fall out. It has kept me from enjoying it as much as I should. I was really disappointed with the 14 team for getting swept by the Royals.  I will be at Sundays game against the Rays. I am very much looking forward to the playoffs with no expectations but to just enjoy it. 

[Frobby]

4 minutes ago, MCO'sFan said:

Ironically, some of the better O's teams were in the mid 70's that ran into the A's teams. 

The ‘73 Orioles (97 wins) and the ‘74 team (91 wins) both won more regular season games than their A’s counterparts (94 and 90 wins).   But, they lost to the A’s in the ALCS.   It really rankles me to this day that the ‘72 - ‘74 A’s (277 regular season wins) won three straight World Series while the vastly superior ‘69 - ‘71 Orioles (318 wins) only won one.   I take some small solace from the fact that the 1998-1990 A’s won 301 games and only one World Series, and the 2001-03 A’s won 301 games but never even made it to the ALCS.   So, A’s fans suffered some of the experience of watching their teams lose to inferior clubs.  

[Spy Fox]

I had the most pure delight during the 2012 season, thanks to the combination of being totally out of the blue, the magical extra innings streak, and the fact that it was the first contending/winning season in my conscious fandom. (I was 20 then... and the 15 year losing streak had started right around when I was getting super into baseball as a little kid.)

But this season is also super special in a different way. The abundance of talent in the system, and the record-setting consistency of the MLB team, are both really incredible. 

[RZNJ]

This is the most fun season I can think of.   Winning is fun.  Winning with young players and cast offs is fun.   Winning with a team expected by many to be a 500ish team is fun.    Winning at the ML level while having a top farm system is fun.   

[Moose Milligan]

8 minutes ago, Frobby said:

The ‘73 Orioles (97 wins) and the ‘74 team (91 wins) both won more regular season games than their A’s counterparts (94 and 90 wins).   But, they lost to the A’s in the ALCS.   It really rankles me to this day that the ‘72 - ‘74 A’s (277 regular season wins) won three straight World Series while the vastly superior ‘69 - ‘71 Orioles (318 wins) only won one.   I take some small solace from the fact that the 1998-1990 A’s won 301 games and only one World Series, and the 2001-03 A’s won 301 games but never even made it to the ALCS.   So, A’s fans suffered some of the experience of watching their teams lose to inferior clubs.  

You know, when I met you, you didn't strike me as a really bitter person.  Far from it, actually.

[Pickles]

There's a real Esprit de Corps on this team that can't be denied.  It's real easy to root for them.

I don't think it's the best defensive team I've seen by any stretch.  2013 has been mentioned.  I'd go so far as to say last year's team was better defensively.

As far as "favorite" team, it's hard for me to beat 2012, because of the pure thrill of ending such a long period of misery.  By 2012 I had kind of come to accept that the O's would always be bad and irrelevant.  Forever.  Shedding that feeling was pure bliss.

There is no greater pleasure than the cessation of pain.

[MCO'sFan]

11 minutes ago, Pickles said:

There's a real Esprit de Corps on this team that can't be denied.  It's real easy to root for them.

I don't think it's the best defensive team I've seen by any stretch.  2013 has been mentioned.  I'd go so far as to say last year's team was better defensively.

As far as "favorite" team, it's hard for me to beat 2012, because of the pure thrill of ending such a long period of misery.  By 2012 I had kind of come to accept that the O's would always be bad and irrelevant.  Forever.  Shedding that feeling was pure bliss.

There is no greater pleasure than the cessation of pain.

You know, I thought about this on occasion. When I was a kid I got to root for the O's from 69 - 83 when they were the best team in baseball over that stretch. In many ways that's still how I view them emotionally. My three sons though grew up watching them lose except for the brief window from 12- 16. They have a much different perception of the team than I do and that's sad. 

[MCO'sFan]

28 minutes ago, Frobby said:

The ‘73 Orioles (97 wins) and the ‘74 team (91 wins) both won more regular season games than their A’s counterparts (94 and 90 wins).   But, they lost to the A’s in the ALCS.   It really rankles me to this day that the ‘72 - ‘74 A’s (277 regular season wins) won three straight World Series while the vastly superior ‘69 - ‘71 Orioles (318 wins) only won one.   I take some small solace from the fact that the 1998-1990 A’s won 301 games and only one World Series, and the 2001-03 A’s won 301 games but never even made it to the ALCS.   So, A’s fans suffered some of the experience of watching their teams lose to inferior clubs.  

It's ironic, I am a Steelers fan but I hate the Pirates with all my being. Two WS losses up 3-2 in 71 and 3-1 in 79. 

[o'sfansince1970]

Certainly my most enjoyable season. I was too busy in '83 to enjoy but I'm retired now. Thanks to VPN I can now watch all games too.

[btownoriole]

Great topic.  IMO favorite season is a combination of on-field success (and perhaps how surprising it is) and how it fits into your life.  For me '89 has always ranked highest simply because I was 18 and given Sunday season tickets as a HS graduation gift.  It was the first time I went to more than a couple of games in a season and the success of that team came out of nowhere.  Even now, 34 years later, there are memories from games I attended that feel as fresh as yesterday.

[DrungoHazewood]

This has been a great, fun team and an awesome year. So many likeable players. But mainly because of where my life is right now and the fact that I have so many competing things going on like teenage kids and their activities I doubt that this year will eclipse the 1989 and 2012ers. I just can't or don't watch every game like I did long ago. I certainly follow most games on the phone or the radio or whatever, but not quite the engagement like when I was younger.

But if I were 25 or 30 now I'm guessing it would be the top of the heap, especially if there's a good run in October.

[baltfan]

Been a fan for a similar period.  I am tremendously fond of the 1997 team with Robbie Alomar who was a joy to watch.  Don't sleep on how fun the 2012 team was with all of the comebacks after having lost for so long.  

[Sanfran327]

When the 2012 team broke the drought, that was my favorite O's team of all time. It threw a massive wrench into my wedding plans, as my fiance had rented out the Camden Club on the top floor of the warehouse for our reception, and they kicked us out with 3 weeks to go (October wedding), but it was one hell of a ride that summer. 

Then the 2014 team felt like they couldn't lose, which was a great feeling. We were steam rolling our opponents 5 nights a week and felt nearly invincible. Then when the 98 win Angels lost to the Royals in the ALDS, a WC berth felt like it was destiny. Terrible ending to that year, but that was a fun and likeable group of guys.

This year is on another level from both of those teams. Elements of each though, arguably the best of both. 2012 saw a lot of our own guys take the next step developmentally, and Buck taught that group how to finish games and win, but they just weren't quite good enough in the end. 2014 felt limitless, and that feeling has stuck with me ever since. This year is another one of those years that feels limitless, and it's because of our own guys. Whatever happens at the end of this year, all of the meaningful players will be back, and it feels great to know we'll be loaded up to do it all over again in 2024, with what will likely be an even better squad. 

But maybe above all else is the attitude with this team. You just never really feel out of a game with this group. Last night being a great example. Slow start, frustrating SP effort, but then we do what we're supposed to do to bad pitching and we just teed off on 'em. Gotta love it. We are going to make a lot of bullpens pay over the next 6 weeks.