The worm has turned...

[boogidownoriole]

Fine.

Right path= possibilty to have our first .500 season in 8 years.

Not OMG WERE GONNA WIN 94 GAMES I JUST KNOW IT!!!!!

Baby steps. Don't put the horse before the cart. And I think the so called "negative" posters will be more receptive. We're fans but we need to be rationale too. Don't set up straw men if you don't want them knocked down.

Rock, you are a loser. When did I ever say we were gonna win 94 games? Why would you link me to that just cause you got a bone to pick with me? What kind of insecurities do you have with me? Let it out.....let it out

[Rockbird]

Rock, please stop already. I am not all giddy because of Bedards pitching. I am enjoying some positive press; I am enjoying hearing good things about our youngsters.

5 months ago we were all depressed, even me (read my threads), but things have improved so much. I dont get caught up in the moment but so many guys on this team make us feel good about the future.

Can you not agree with that?

What has improved?! 5 months ago we had a young staff with a lot of potential, major holes at several positions and were being ignored or ignoring the big name players on the market. Now...we've still got a young staff with a lot of potential, the potential for major holes at several positions if various stopgaps don't work out and well, no new star players to show. In fact we almost lost our biggest star player....but then again maybe I just dreamed that....because no one wants to not be in Baltimore anymore. Right?

[Cokeman]

Really. I enjoyed seeing Loewen hold his own against the US, but for the most part it's not encourgaing that Bedard can dominate SOUTH AFRICA for instance, it's just expected.

Boogie- the point is, we are all excited about the season starting up and anxious to see how our players do. We don't even doubt we might have a winning team. But it's really annoying when every little possibility of optimism is posted about and blown up and exagerated way more than it should be! It actually makes me and other fans, who DO want to be positive about the team, be overly negative to cut down on what we see as grating, flowering sentiment.

Just stay realistic. We're not wild card contenders until we are.

Consider the possibility that it is just as annoying and grating that some feel the obligation to jump on and destroy "every little possibility of optimism". It actually makes me and other fans, who DO want to be realistic about the team, be overly positive to cut down on the negativity.

[Rockbird]

Rock, you are a loser. When did I ever say we were gonna win 94 games? Why would you link me to that just cause you got a bone to pick with me? What kind of insecurities do you have with me? Let it out.....let it out

A) I appreciate the ad hominem attack. I would give neg. rep points but I'm not a reactionary like that so I won't. You're wlecome.

B) I'm talking in general of the flowery positive posters, many of whom have predicted upwards of 94 wins. You have predicted a playoff race. Not too different for a team that hasn't won in 8 years and barely improved.

C) I have nothing against you at all. I just wish you'd see how these overly exagerated predictions and sentiment actually take people like me who WANT to be optimistic about the team and yet force us to actually argue AGAINST the team just in the name of rationailty.

[TonySoprano]

I guess you didnt read Nomars quotes

Byrd? Please, who cares

I read Nomar's quotes; I guess you didn't really read my post. If we sign Byrd, then either we don't need to trade for Benson or we still get Benson and trade other arms for hitting. But who cares, right?

Just why is the perception, "gone?" I'm still waiting.

[Rockbird]

Consider the possibility that it is just as annoying and grating that some feel the obligation to jump on and destroy "every little possibility of optimism". It actually makes me and other fans, who DO want to be realistic about the team, be overly positive to cut down on the negativity.

But I AM realistic. I think this team has the potential to be a .500 team. THAT IS OPTIMISTIC FOR A TEAM THAT HAS BEEN A LOSER FOR EIGHT STRAIGHT YEARS! That's what people don't get. If we make it to that it's a milestone. Anything more would be extraordinairie so why suggest it?

[boogidownoriole]

A) I appreciate the ad hominem attack. I would give neg. rep points but I'm not a reactionary like that so I won't. You're wlecome.

B) I'm talking in general of the flowery positive posters, many of whom have predicted upwards of 94 wins. You have predicted a playoff race. Not too different for a team that hasn't won in 8 years and barely improved.

C) I have nothing against you at all. I just wish you'd see how these overly exagerated predictions and sentiment actually take people like me who WANT to be optimistic about the team and yet force us to actually argue AGAINST the team just in the name of rationailty.

You must have something against me because for one, you always challenge what I say and 2nd you try to say I came up with the 94 win post.

Be accurate when trying to trash someone

[boogidownoriole]

I read Nomar's quotes; I guess you didn't really read my post. If we sign Byrd, then either we don't need to trade for Benson or we still get Benson and trade other arms for hitting. But who cares, right?

Just why is the perception, "gone?" I'm still waiting.

Because our young guys are getting attention, because people have signed with this team and have had good things to say and because some have said good things even when they didnt sign.

you dont think the perception of the Orioles has changed in the last 5 months?

[boogidownoriole]

But I AM realistic. I think this team has the potential to be a .500 team. THAT IS OPTIMISTIC FOR A TEAM THAT HAS BEEN A LOSER FOR EIGHT STRAIGHT YEARS! That's what people don't get. If we make it to that it's a milestone. Anything more would be extraordinairie so why suggest it?

Noyou dont get it. Last year has NOTHING to do with 2006. Why dont you get that? What if Angelos decided to spend $200m this off season, would you still make that argument?

No you wouldnt. You need to make your arguments based on the 2006 Orioles vs. their competition. The 2006 Orioles are not battling the 2005 Orioles...when will YOU get that?

[Cokeman]

But I AM realistic. I think this team has the potential to be a .500 team. THAT IS OPTIMISTIC FOR A TEAM THAT HAS BEEN A LOSER FOR EIGHT STRAIGHT YEARS! That's what people don't get. If we make it to that it's a milestone. Anything more would be extraordinairie so why suggest it?

But, how does it hurt you to see such optimism...why do you feel the need to be overly negative to balance out that optimism? You can be as negative as you want to be, I just don't understand your rationale for it. I see negativity on here every day, but I don't feel an obligation to counterbalance it.

[Rockbird]

You must have something against me because for one, you always challenge what I say and 2nd you try to say I came up with the 94 win post.

Be accurate when trying to trash someone

A) I already said I have nothing against you. If you want to continue to be a whiny drama queen about it, that's up to you.

B) I don't believe I said you came up with it, I was grouping you together though. Sorry if I wasn't clear.

C) This is more to Cokeman. People can say what they want but it's just really frustrating when year after year it's the same thing. We have a disappointing offseason, people try to rationalise how we improved, list many intangibles that you just know will go our way, and then we disappoint and then the excuses begin for why "well who would have known that...", etc. I'm just saying you'd think after being a losing team for 8 years people would resign themselves that .500 is a vast improvement and something worth hoping for.

For lack of a better example, it's like if you have a child who gets Fs in school but has made some slight improvements and could get a C if things go right in his studies but instead the parents insist he has a chance at an A! It's not gonna happen. Why set yourself up for disappointment? Be happy with the C. It's better than 8 semesters of Fs.

[boogidownoriole]

A) I appreciate the ad hominem attack. I would give neg. rep points but I'm not a reactionary like that so I won't. You're wlecome.

/QUOTE]

Give me the negative points, because I will give them right back at you. In fact, I am the nice guy to not give you the neg rep points because I have a right to. You tried to lie and link me to the wrong post while all I did was come up with a positive post.

Please put me on ignore if you dont like me. I have done that with a couple of posters and I enjoy this forum better since.

[Rockbird]

Noyou dont get it. Last year has NOTHING to do with 2006. Why dont you get that? What if Angelos decided to spend $200m this off season, would you still make that argument?

No you wouldnt. You need to make your arguments based on the 2006 Orioles vs. their competition. The 2006 Orioles are not battling the 2005 Orioles...when will YOU get that?

Fine. I don't think the 2006 Orioles as presently assembled have any chance at being a playoff team in a division with the 2006 Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays as they are currently assembled. I feel they have a shot at being a .500 or slightly above team if they can avoid injuries and play up to their best abilities.

[boogidownoriole]

A)

For lack of a better example, it's like if you have a child who gets Fs in school but has made some slight improvements and could get a C if things go right in his studies but instead the parents insist he has a chance at an A! It's not gonna happen. Why set yourself up for disappointment? Be happy with the C. It's better than 8 semesters of Fs.

I dont think this off season was a failure. Again, everything is relative. How many teams have had a better off season?

[TonySoprano]

Because our young guys are getting attention, because people have signed with this team and have had good things to say and because some have said good things even when they didnt sign.

you dont think the perception of the Orioles has changed in the last 5 months?

The Tejada "trade me" business sure did a lot for our "perception" as well, much, much more so, imho, than the nice things Nomar or anyone else said. Therefore, my answer to your question is no. I think the perception will change when we have a winning season.

Markakis is turning heads. Loewen had one good game. Those are good things.