No tears for me...this was a magical season

[Roy Firestone]

Ok so the Oriole Magic ran out. Ok it WAS disappointing we didnt have a better series...but no amount of handwringing or finger pointing will enter into my belief that this season was a season to remember, and hopefully, its just the start of great things, and great teams in the future . I loved some of the amazing comebacks...48 in all...I loved that every time it seemed we were finished...we werent...Mullins making that Seattle game something out of this world....temporarily saving the game with a catch, and then TWICE hitting a ball on the same at bat, out of the park to win. The amazing comebacks in Oakland..the Santander walk off HR vs the Yankees.A rejuvenated O'Hearn. And of course, stellar years from Gunnar, Bradish, and GROD. I'll never forget the nights when I stayed up late to watch the comebacks in Anaheim...and in Houston and what seemed like all kinds of places...All a fan can really ask is that their team competes and is entertaining...and oh, my, how this team competed and how they put on a great show..almost all the time. Yeah, you can lament, be sad, be angry maybe...of course we wanted this team to do better...but you know something? Our day is coming..and its not that far off...it may or may not be next year..but its coming.So no tears for me...this was one of the most memorable seasons I can remember and I have been watching this franchise for 60 years...I loved the ride...and frankly, the best is yet to come..Thanks boys!! And thank you folks on Oriole Hangout.

Edited October 11, 2023 by Roy Firestone

[Frobby]

Well said Roy.  And while this playoff series sucked, I hope it builds a fire under our players to keep working hard and come back even better next year.  

[OnlyOneOriole]

I agree it was a god year.  One year ahead of where I and almost everyone thought they would be.

 

This off season if there are no real additions though?  I am going to be disappointed. 

[Roy Firestone]

5 minutes ago, OnlyOneOriole said:

I agree it was a god year.  One year ahead of where I and almost everyone thought they would be.

 

This off season if there are no real additions though?  I am going to be disappointed. 

if it was a "god" year we would have won it all...but I think you meant a "good" year...

Edited October 11, 2023 by Roy Firestone

[OnlyOneOriole]

7 minutes ago, Roy Firestone said:

if it was a "god" year we would have won it all...but I think you meant a "good" year...

Yes GOOD haha.

[vab]

Agreed, probably the most fun I've had watching the Orioles despite this ending. Most Orioles fans would have given their left pinky toe to even get close to the playoffs two years ago let alone win the AL East with 101 wins. There's still a ways to go but great progress has been made. 

[EddeeEddee]

[Pulaski Highway]

This is the first time I’ve been seriously disappointed by the O’s.

Hear me out though, because, strangely enough, it’s a good thing when I say I’m disappointed.

“Good” in the sense that for the first time in the no-longer-shared-with-DC era, the Orioles EXPECT to win. Going down with a whimper was a massive letdown. We’ve waited patiently for this - quite frankly, more patiently than any of the other 29 teams, except maybe Pittsburgh.

I wasn’t old enough for the Memorial Stadium era, so almost my entire life this franchise has been in the cellar. I caught the very end of the stretch from 1960-2000 when this franchise had the highest winning percentage in the MLB.

1997 was the last “true” year of the old-school Orioles as a winning franchise.

Once the new “Angelos-style” bird on the cap came in 1998, this franchise’s identity took a nosedive.

NEVER FORGET!

Before 2012-2016 we suffered, in no particular order, through:

David Segui, Jason Johnson, Sidney Ponson, Jack Cust falling down on his way to home, Daniel Cabrera’s flash of potential that final night of the season in Yankee Stadium, Sidney Ponson again, Danys Baez, MASN disputes, the Nationals nuking attendance, Angelos’ notorious player physicals, Lee Mazzilli, Ty Wigginton as our lone All-Star, that year when they lost almost every single game in August and September, Sidney Ponson punching the judge, Mussina going to the Yankees, Matt Riley, Jay Gibbons, the seemingly endless stretch where the AL East standings were the exact same order every year, watching the Yankees win 5 titles and the Red Sox win theirs, getting no-hit by Hideo Nomo and Clay Bucholz, the Sunday losing streak, the doubleheader against Texas (you know which one I’m talking about), Sidney Ponson, Ray Miller, Sammy Sosa, Albert Belle, and about a million other things we want to delete from memory, and also Sidney Ponson.

When 2012 came around, that was the most fun I had with an Orioles team ever until this year. We were genuinely happy to be there, and people seem to forget before the season started “no one wanted to be our GM” and we were picked for last place.

No one seriously expected them to win it all in 2012, which made it sting less when Raul Ibañez and the Yankees took a break from clubbing baby seals to end our season.

2014, we did have expectations, but honestly without Machado, Davis, and Wieters in the playoffs, we didn’t truly believe the team could win. Yes, the loss to the Royals stung a lot, but it was as close as a sweep could possibly get, and seeing another long-suffering team in KC get to the WS made it feel like “hey, it is possible to win without a Brinks truck.”

2016 wasn’t the same. It never really felt like we were in the playoffs because of the one-game format, and almost was like we didn’t make it at all.

This 2023 team, however, felt SPECIAL. More special than any of those other three playoff teams.

It felt like the stars finally aligned - that Elias and Meijdal’s master plan is even more masterful than we could’ve hoped for. Even the Yankees and Red Sox were in the tank. We played BY FAR the hardest schedule of anyone in the MLB -  seriously, it was relentless, we didn’t play a team above .500 for like 2 months  then the first two losing teams we played were in the playoffs last year - and we had the BEST record in the league over that span. We expected to win EVERY night.

To come out and get shellacked by Texas was a complete buzzkill.

To make matters worse, Texas showed the rest of the league you can still ver much buy your way to the postseason. The Rangers are a group of mercenaries sprinkled with a few quality home-grown prospects.

Think New York and Boston are taking notes on how they can compete with the Elias Model during our window? The Yankees and Red Sox were furious at their results this year and will, without a doubt, aggressively spend in the offseason. Toronto has some serious talent and is quietly able to spend with the big boys. Tampa has proven they are a perennial contender.

It will not be an easy path in the coming years, and it felt like a golden opportunity this year with the rest of the AL East down for the count after the WC round.

That said, I am a HUGE believer the Orioles are the best set-up team to win this division in the coming years. We’ve still got a loaded farm system behind the young and improving roster that won us 101 games this season. I’d like to think our payroll has intentionally been kept lean to clear up space to sign these guys long term while leaving room for FA acquisitions to round out the club.

Like I said, it felt like the stars aligned this year, and that’s why I’m disappointed.

But it’s a good thing, because we all know this means winning baseball is BACK aim Baltimore.

I can’t wait for 2024 and beyond. For the first time in a looooong time I know we have a team capable of bringing a World Series title to Baltimore.

I just wish it was this year.

Counting down the days until Sarasota. Hopefully Lamar and our other birds can make the wait a little easier.

[TonySoprano]

 

[Roll Tide]

7 hours ago, Roy Firestone said:

Ok so the Oriole Magic ran out. Ok it WAS disappointing we didnt have a better series...but no amount of handwringing or finger pointing will enter into my belief that this season was a season to remember, and hopefully, its just the start of great things, and great teams in the future . I loved some of the amazing comebacks...48 in all...I loved that every time it seemed we were finished...we werent...Mullins making that Seattle game something out of this world....temporarily saving the game with a catch, and then TWICE hitting a ball on the same at bat, out of the park to win. The amazing comebacks in Oakland..the Santander walk off HR vs the Yankees.A rejuvenated O'Hearn. And of course, stellar years from Gunnar, Bradish, and GROD. I'll never forget the nights when I stayed up late to watch the comebacks in Anaheim...and in Houston and what seemed like all kinds of places...All a fan can really ask is that their team competes and is entertaining...and oh, my, how this team competed and how they put on a great show..almost all the time. Yeah, you can lament, be sad, be angry maybe...of course we wanted this team to do better...but you know something? Our day is coming..and its not that far off...it may or may not be next year..but its coming.So no tears for me...this was one of the most memorable seasons I can remember and I have been watching this franchise for 60 years...I loved the ride...and frankly, the best is yet to come..Thanks boys!! And thank you folks on Oriole Hangout.

How could you not be disappointed? I wouldn’t say I’m angry but I would’ve liked to see a better showing. My concern is Elias ability to persuade Angelos to spend some money as opposed to stealing it from the organization to line his pockets. 

[DrungoHazewood]

Great season. The tournament sucked.

[Shabadoo25]

Really proud of this team and it was so fun to watch.  Can't wait to see Holliday and others come join the fun next year.

Here's hoping we sign a Snell type in the off season but I'll believe it when I see it.

[Uli2001]

Well said, this was year 1. They need to keep knocking on the door, and eventually they will break through.

[Flash- bd]

Great stuff @Roy Firestone, really glad to see a post like this the day after the elimination, couldn't say it much better. Fantastic season and can't feel much more positive about this club and this regardless of yesterday's result. On to next season and let's secure another shot at this damned tournament! 

[Roy Firestone]

3 hours ago, Roll Tide said:

How could you not be disappointed? I wouldn’t say I’m angry but I would’ve liked to see a better showing. My concern is Elias ability to persuade Angelos to spend some money as opposed to stealing it from the organization to line his pockets. 

I DID write , "sure, it was disappointing" in my first line of the post.