To those of you who are too young to remember the glory years.

[foxfield]

There remains plenty of work to do.  But it struck me this morning, that what I feel right now.....is the closest I have been to feeling what I felt when I was a kid.  The Orioles were good last year.  They were already going to be good this year.  There was a lack of a certified TOR to take towards October....even if you believe fully in Bradish and Rodriguez.  And there were questions about if the Orioles could afford to compete even harder.

The last 48 hours or so have lifted this team into a different stratosphere.  I am not saying print the banners and schedule the parades...but the level of expectations with new ownership and a true ACE to lead the charge in 24 is something amazing.

Back in the old days, we expected to be good and we expected to compete for titles.  And most importantly, not JUST for this year.

For those of you who do not know what that felt like.

It felt a lot like the last two days.

[Orioles West]

I fall into the old dudes who were lucky enough to catch most of the glory years — and the last week or so has provided so much optimism — I had to jump back into the Hangout.

The Birds don’t have to go full on dynasty of my youth for me to have fun, I just want newer fans to know that fear AL East foes used to have for B’more, year in and year out.

All of the elements are lining up, a GM who rebuilt the infrastructure and talent to develop, and maybe a new owner who can keep some of the best of our newly home grown players.

[Frobby]

I had to laugh today when one of our posters said this was the most talented Orioles team he’d ever seen.  I’m old enough to have seen this team:

1B: Boog Powell 39.1 rWAR

2B: Davey Johnson 27.4 rWAR

3B: Brooks Robinson 78.4 rWAR

SS Mark Belanger 41.9 rWAR

LF Don Buford 36.2 rWAR

CF Paul Blair 37.7 rWAR

RF Frank Robinson 107.3 rWAR

C Andy Etchebarren/Elrod Hendricks 18.2 rWAR

SP Jim Palmer 68.5 rWAR

SP Mike Cuellar 26.9 rWAR

SP Dave McNally 25.5 rWAR

Bench: Bobby Grich 71.1 rWAR, Merv Rettenmund 20.0 rWAR

That’s like 600 career rWAR combined.  And I’m leaving off plenty of solid contributors.  

[DrungoHazewood]

34 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I had to laugh today when one of our posters said this was the most talented Orioles team he’d ever seen.  I’m old enough to have seen this team:

1B: Boog Powell 39.1 rWAR

2B: Davey Johnson 27.4 rWAR

3B: Brooks Robinson 78.4 rWAR

SS Mark Belanger 41.9 rWAR

LF Don Buford 36.2 rWAR

CF Paul Blair 37.7 rWAR

RF Frank Robinson 107.3 rWAR

C Andy Etchebarren/Elrod Hendricks 18.2 rWAR

SP Jim Palmer 68.5 rWAR

SP Mike Cuellar 26.9 rWAR

SP Dave McNally 25.5 rWAR

Bench: Bobby Grich 71.1 rWAR, Merv Rettenmund 20.0 rWAR

That’s like 600 career rWAR combined.  And I’m leaving off plenty of solid contributors.  

But you have to remember that Frank played his last game in an Orioles uniform when I was not quite four months old. And I'm 52.

The median age of an American is 38. The typical Orioles fan is really reaching deep to remember seeing Mike Devereaux play. Most folks don't remember the Why Not? team, much less seeing Merv Rettenmund and Don Baylor in the same outfield.

[Too Tall]

Just think of a year when the Orioles had four 20 game winners. FOUR!!!!!!!! You expected to win every game and you won many. Over a whole decade of winning. Twenty game winners are rare now - the game is different, but feeling your team has a chance to win every night is a privilege not many fans have the opportuity to enjoy. To those of you who have never had that feeling, I am so glad I'm still around to see you potentially have "that ride." 

[btdart20]

I'm not old enough.  But I will say I'm stoked that my kids will have some competitive teams to build their fandom around!

[Hank Scorpio]

4 minutes ago, btdart20 said:

I'm not old enough.  But I will say I'm stoked that my kids will have some competitive teams to build their fandom around!

I will annoy the crap out of my kids with "YOU DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD YOU'VE GOT IT!!!!!!!!"

I do feel confident that there's a better chance they'll be into baseball because the Orioles will be a competitive team for a decent chunk of time in their impressionable years. 

[Number5]

25 minutes ago, Hank Scorpio said:

I will annoy the crap out of my kids with "YOU DON'T KNOW HOW GOOD YOU'VE GOT IT!!!!!!!!"

I do feel confident that there's a better chance they'll be into baseball because the Orioles will be a competitive team for a decent chunk of time in their impressionable years. 

Did you walk 3 miles through the snow to school, barefooted?  Uphill!  Both ways!

[Hank Scorpio]

35 minutes ago, Number5 said:

Did you walk 3 miles through the snow to school, barefooted?  Uphill!  Both ways!

I walked about a half mile to the bus stop!!!!! 

We moved into the house I grew up in, so he's making that same trek I did. Get to steppin' kid!!!!

[EddeeEddee]

2 hours ago, Too Tall said:

Just think of a year when the Orioles had four 20 game winners. FOUR!!!!!!!! You expected to win every game and you won many. Over a whole decade of winning. Twenty game winners are rare now - the game is different, but feeling your team has a chance to win every night is a privilege not many fans have the opportuity to enjoy. To those of you who have never had that feeling, I am so glad I'm still around to see you potentially have "that ride." 

No team will ever have four 20 game winners again.  The only other team that did that were the 1920 White Sox.  But here's to hoping the O's can become a pitching factory again someday.

[Frobby]

8 hours ago, EddeeEddee said:

No team will ever have four 20 game winners again.  The only other team that did that were the 1920 White Sox.  But here's to hoping the O's can become a pitching factory again someday.

The Braves did have five 16-game winners back in 1998, which I consider to be as good or maybe even better accomplishment in the era of the five-man rotation.  

[Billy F-Face3]

I'm just glad there's some elder Orioles fans around to share experiences and stories of those old school Orioles legends. I always find it fascinating when I read you guys' memories. Back when it was The Oriole Way.

[Frobby]

10 hours ago, DrungoHazewood said:

But you have to remember that Frank played his last game in an Orioles uniform when I was not quite four months old. And I'm 52.

The median age of an American is 38. The typical Orioles fan is really reaching deep to remember seeing Mike Devereaux play. Most folks don't remember the Why Not? team, much less seeing Merv Rettenmund and Don Baylor in the same outfield.

Oh, I’m well aware.  To a 30 year old like my son, 1970 is as long ago as 1933 was for me when I was a 30-year old.  That was the year the all-star game was invented!   

Still, I have to wonder how many teams in the history of baseball had as much lifetime rWAR as those ‘69-71 Orioles teams.  I’d guess only a very small handful.  
 

[Jagwar]

I remember being incredulous as a 13 year old when the O's won 100 games... and didn't make the playoffs. 

[accinfo]

Just to join in with the old guys on this thread.  I was born in Oct 1959.  My first memory of baseball was the 1966 World Series.  From that point on until shortly after college in 1983 we were in just about every pennant race.  I certainly took it for granted.  My 36 year old who is a huge Oriole fan certainly has seen a different history than I did.   I don’t know in this modern era if we can have as sustained success like that but I haven’t been this optimistic it could be pretty good for another good run.