The bottom line is this. Management is placing $ over wins as far as importance this year

[24fps]

13 minutes ago, emmett16 said:

Pretty sure you're being funny, but if not hurling is an Irish sport.  Easily one if, if not, the most hardcore/dangerous/violent sports in the world.  If you ever find yourself in Ireland, go out of your way to watch a match.  Entertainment value through the roof.  I don't even know how to describe it.  It's kinda like rugby mixed with lacrosse played with clubs and a baseball.  

Shinty is an interesting Scottish variant that has a field hockey component as well.  Nowhere near as harrowing as hurling though.  But for sheer abject terror and brutality can anything beat high school hockey in New England?  I don't think so.

I wonder if the OP can speak to this from experience.

[Just Regular]

AL mostly off tomorrow, and we are 3rd in the league in run differential behind the two teams that played Oakland heading towards Grayson and Jared Jones.

[RarityFlaherty]

10 minutes ago, survivedc said:

Sure fine, there are more talented guys in the minors. Is the fact that they aren’t up here right now actually hurting the teams chances at a trophy?

I think it could help in the long run if we are able to move some of our depth in position players for pitching by the trade deadline. 

[RZNJ]

“We have had an easy schedule starting out.  At home against 2 terrible teams, and yet this team has lost all of its mojo.  They are dead.“

ELITE in 6 sports.  God really gave this guy a lot of gifts.  I wonder where he docked him?

[OnlyOneOriole]

Well the thing is the team was raking all pre season.   Mainly with the guys who are raking now.....except they are all in the minors.  The players know who the best players are.   To keep guys like Mateo and Hayes and Urias etc over those guys?

We see how the ML team is struggling to score.  Every win is important as we see the division we are in is going to be a bear this year, as it always is.  So to waste potential wins by not playing your best players for financial reasons?   Those being service time and guaranteed contract reasons?

I think it puts a bad taste in player's mouths. 

[OnlyOneOriole]

As far as my elite athlete statement?  I didn't say that to brag.  But to help express my point.   My dad was a pro baseball player and coached college baseball.  My mother was a college bball player.  So I always had the genetics.  I grew up since I was 4 years old playing team and individual sports.    Was all city baseball and basketball.  All state in HS tennis and played tennis on a big 10 college tennis team.  Got up to #2 singles.  Have played high level hockey since I was 5, including traveling teams in Canada when I was 12 and 13. 

Those days are beyond me now but as you can tell from my profile pic I still work out 5 days a week and am a PBA pro bowler who bowls on the West Coast.  Average 230 or so on a house shot, 218 on a sports shot. 

As I say I don't say all that to brag.  There are plenty of athletes better than me.  I only say that to show that I grew up playing high level team sports.  And if for example the coaches son or best friends son took a place on a team over someone more deserving?  And btw those are 2 real life examples that I had......then we talked about it in the locker room and it did hurt team camaraderie. 

[OnlyOneOriole]

17 hours ago, Mooreisbetter27 said:

Come on guys… we remember this guy from last year…

The thing is I nailed that thread.  I even said that the Rangers were my pick to end up winning it as to me they had the most talent.  And they did.

 

I also said that if the O's didn't make the playoffs, it was ok because the young guys were getting experience.  And now we see what they are doing this year (crushing it). 

 

So yeah, I nailed it. 

[OnlyOneOriole]

17 hours ago, SteveA said:

I'll start by saying I agree, and I would have Holliday at least up, maybe Stowers too if we could find a way.

But Elias has been running things this way for a few years.   We felt Mountcastle was kept down too long.   We all felt Adley was kept down too long.   We all felt Gunnar was kept down too long.   Now we all feel the same way about Holliday and others.

But obviously Elias slow plays guys.   Whether it's for $/control, or to give them additional development time in the minors, or to work on one specific facet of their game... I don't know.   But whatever the reasons -- it's what Elias does.   And it's kind of hard to argue with the overall results   The last two years we have significantly exceeded our preseason expectations.

I'm not saying Elias should be immune to criticism.   And I'm not even agreeing with him.   But at the same time, when you see someone do the same thing repeatedly and it is obviously a part of their strategy, even if we don't agree or even understand the reasons -- if the results are good, maybe it's time to just sit back and relax and enjoy it.

It's like the daily lineup.   All last season people complained about the lineup nearly every day.   And yes, I did too sometimes.   People felt inferior players were playing too much, or that the lineups were way too influenced by LH/RH splits, etc.   Yet we won 101 games.   In hindsight... does anyone really believe that if we had started the lineups that people wanted all year, we would have won more?   Would we have won 110?   115?   Kind of ridiculous if anyone really thinks that.

At some point, when you see the same strategy employed repeatedly, whether you agree with it or not, if it continues to get good results, maybe it's time to reconsider and give it a chance.

 

Really good post and I appreciate the calm and factual response.

[Too Tall]

This thread has been an interesting read. My only reaction is WOW! Holy Crap - WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Bemorewins]

8 minutes ago, OnlyOneOriole said:

As far as my elite athlete statement?  I didn't say that to brag.  But to help express my point.   My dad was a pro baseball player and coached college baseball.  My mother was a college bball player.  So I always had the genetics.  I grew up since I was 4 years old playing team and individual sports.    Was all city baseball and basketball.  All state in HS tennis and played tennis on a big 10 college tennis team.  Got up to #2 singles.  Have played high level hockey since I was 5, including traveling teams in Canada when I was 12 and 13. 

Those days are beyond me now but as you can tell from my profile pic I still work out 5 days a week and am a PBA pro bowler who bowls on the West Coast.  Average 230 or so on a house shot, 218 on a sports shot. 

As I say I don't say all that to brag.  There are plenty of athletes better than me.  I only say that to show that I grew up playing high level team sports.  And if for example the coaches son or best friends son took a place on a team over someone more deserving?  And btw those are 2 real life examples that I had......then we talked about it in the locker room and it did hurt team camaraderie. 

I'm not doubting any of the things that you say at all. But you listed more accomplishments in this post, than most people would who are applying for a job...lol

[OnlyOneOriole]

1 minute ago, Bemorewins said:

I'm not doubting any of the things that you say at all. But you listed more accomplishments in this post, than most people would who are applying for a job...lol

LOL I get that. 

[Sports Guy]

11 minutes ago, OnlyOneOriole said:

The thing is I nailed that thread.  I even said that the Rangers were my pick to end up winning it as to me they had the most talent.  And they did.

 

I also said that if the O's didn't make the playoffs, it was ok because the young guys were getting experience.  And now we see what they are doing this year (crushing it). 

 

So yeah, I nailed it. 

You said you didn’t think they were going to make it when they clearly were.  You weren’t right. You just looked stupid.

[Sports Guy]

6 minutes ago, Bemorewins said:

I'm not doubting any of the things that you say at all. But you listed more accomplishments in this post, than most people would who are applying for a job...lol

But he’s not trying to brag 

[NashLumber]

17 hours ago, glenn__davis said:

Wow.. is that the 1st Frobby curse word on the board? Lol

You mess with the bull, you get the horns! 

[OnlyOneOriole]

25 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

You said you didn’t think they were going to make it when they clearly were.  You weren’t right. You just looked stupid.

Except that isn't what I said.  I said WILL NOT win the WS in 2023 (and they didn't) and said MAY NOT make the playoffs in 2023.  May not and will not are 2 different things.....can we agree on that??  May not implies that they still have a good chance to.

To be exact, the OP headline was this....

 

The Orioles will not win the 2023 WS, and may not make the playoffs...and that is Ok

 

My OP quote in that thread was this and I would say it was pretty spot on.....in fact it was EXACTLY SPOT ON......

 

I have said throughout this year that anything the O's do this year is just a bonus.  Next year is the year I expect them to be very good.

I think their success this year has kind of led us fans into a fantasy that is not based in reality.

If you really look at their lineup, from starting pitching to relief to the lineup 1 through 9?  It is good, but not elite.

We don't have even one dominant ACE, let alone 2 like some teams.  Our relief pitching outside of Felix?  Very VERY average.

Our hitters?  Lots of good hitters who can get hot.  Some no names having career years.  And lots of first and second year players who get hot....and then  get not hot.  Which is what you expect out of first and 2nd year players.

When they play teams like LA or Atlanta or Houston?  Honestly I expect them to lose 2 out of 3.  Just what it is. 

So to expect them to win 3 series in the playoffs against those same type of teams this year?  I think that is asking a lot.

I would be very happy to win the division this year or even a WC.  I don't expect them to win a playoff series.  And as I said that is ok.

Next year? I expect a lot.

Edited April 4 by OnlyOneOriole