On a scale of 1-10, how excited are you about our Opening Day lineup?

[Old#5fan]

I can't do super ignore at work. Ignore just chops up the board something awful and you still see the quotes.

Look, I'm not doing anything wrong at all in this thread. I proposed a prospective wager. This is my prerogative just the same as it is his prerogative to do the stuff he does.

I hear what you're saying about lack of incentive on his side. I agree that my wager doesn't give him much payoff as I don't think I'm generally considered to be a particularly polarizing poster. For instance, I don't see people make comments about using ignore / super ignore about me multiple times per week.

So, I'm proposing a modification:

I'll put up $200 if Trea wins vs the win I originally proposed on my side. How about that proposal? Now he has true incentive. Good old fashioned cash... If he doesn't like that offer, he can propose one. Alternatively, he can just acknowledge to the board that his statement was hyperbole and he takes it back. That will suffice.

BTW, Frobby, I realize that rank in MLB in less than worthless as a metric. I was simply responding to what he wrote. His original statement was "above average offense" which seemed to mean he meant all of MLB. That was why I posted both versions.

Not only don't you think you are not a "polarizing poster" you act like it is your sworn duty to purge the OH of those whom you think fit that bill. People like you need to come down a peg or two. Your over-inflated level of self importance is right up there with anyone on this board. Makes me wonder if you are like this on every message board you try to post on? I cannot imagine that would make you many friends but tons of conflict.

[Old#5fan]

I can't do super ignore at work. Ignore just chops up the board something awful and you still see the quotes.

Look, I'm not doing anything wrong at all in this thread. I proposed a prospective wager. This is my prerogative just the same as it is his prerogative to do the stuff he does.

I hear what you're saying about lack of incentive on his side. I agree that my wager doesn't give him much payoff as I don't think I'm generally considered to be a particularly polarizing poster. For instance, I don't see people make comments about using ignore / super ignore about me multiple times per week.

So, I'm proposing a modification:

I'll put up $200 if Trea wins vs the win I originally proposed on my side. How about that proposal? Now he has true incentive. Good old fashioned cash... If he doesn't like that offer, he can propose one. Alternatively, he can just acknowledge to the board that his statement was hyperbole and he takes it back. That will suffice.

BTW, Frobby, I realize that rank in MLB in less than worthless as a metric. I was simply responding to what he wrote. His original statement was "above average offense" which seemed to mean he meant all of MLB. That was why I posted both versions.

Not only don't you think you are not a "polarizing poster" you act like it is your sworn duty to purge the OH of those whom you think fit that bill. People like you need to come down a peg or two. Your over-inflated level of self importance is right up there with anyone on this board. Makes me wonder if you are like this on every message board you try to post on?

[El Gordo]

Not only don't you think you are not a "polarizing poster" you act like it is your sworn duty to purge the OH of those whom you think fit that bill. People like you need to come down a peg or two. Your over-inflated level of self importance is right up there with anyone on this board. Makes me wonder if you are like this on every message board you try to post on? I cannot imagine that would make you many friends but tons of conflict.

I can remember when VAtech used to post here regularly. The general level of discussion was much higher then, not just because of him, but because of other informed and thoughtul fans who also contributed. With the advent of a number of trolls, that discussion has diminished IMO and many of those thoughtfull posters hardly participate at all, any more. I believe VAtech is frustrated with this turn of events as am I. But I still think he should send that $200 to me.

[rooster1]

Whoops, looks like I forgot to bring my violin to this soap opera they call the OH

[TonySoprano]

Please just put Trea on Ignore (or super-Ignore) and stop torturing yourself.

...and us.

There is a rule against trolling. Just saying....:scratchchinhmm:

If you go by the board definition of trolling, there's a lot of people who troll jtrea and his posts as well.

12. No Trolling. Discussing or disagreeing with an individual is fine, but constantly going behind their posts just to say something contradictory is trolling and is not allowed.

[TonySoprano]

Back on topic, I'm far more excited about our young guys (Reimold, Wieters, Markakis, Jones) rather than the bats Andy shopped for this offseason (Atkins, Tejada)

[RShack]

I can remember when VAtech used to post here regularly. The general level of discussion was much higher then, not just because of him, but because of other informed and thoughtul fans who also contributed. With the advent of a number of trolls, that discussion has diminished IMO and many of those thoughtfull posters hardly participate at all, any more. I believe VAtech is frustrated with this turn of events as am I.

We used to be able to have good conversations about pitching. VaTech's not a professional pitcher, but he knows more about it than I do. He's just PO'd because we can't talk about anything without running into an anti-O's troll who pops up in every thread, repeats the same old trolling crap, and then says, "Who? Me?". The only way around it is to get involved in a software arms race to block stuff, and VaTech says he can't do that at work. Now, you can say he should get over it, but it's not easy. The fact is that some folks reliably make threads worse and not better, and make those around them worse and not better too. While I might do that some of the time, I don't rely on exploiting a loophole in the no-trolling rule to relentlessly cram anti-Oriole knuckleheaded nonsense down everybody's throat. So, while I do wish VaTech could not let it get to him, I can't really blame him either. Everybody has their limits, it's just a matter of where they are.

[Mackus]

Back on topic, I'm far more excited about our young guys (Reimold, Wieters, Markakis, Jones) rather than the bats Andy shopped for this offseason (Atkins, Tejada)

I think that is something that everyone will agree with.

I was ambivalent as Atkins as a 3rd baseman, thinking that he was an ok sign but probably wouldn't be very good. As a 1st baseman, I think he's a bad sign. I suppose if they are really confident that Crow can do something with him and he can bounce back then it will be a good risk, but I think his chances of doing that aren't so great. I'm just hopeful that Snyder will get up here sooner rather than later and we can relegate Atkins to a backup role if he's not producing (although Wigginton and Atkins would be redundant on the bench).

[Miller192]

We used to be able to have good conversations about pitching. VaTech's not a professional pitcher, but he knows more about it than I do. He's just PO'd because we can't talk about anything without running into an anti-O's troll who pops up in every thread, repeats the same old trolling crap, and then says, "Who? Me?". The only way around it is to get involved in a software arms race to block stuff, and VaTech says he can't do that at work. Now, you can say he should get over it, but it's not easy. The fact is that some folks reliably make threads worse and not better, and make those around them worse and not better too. While I might do that some of the time, I don't rely on exploiting a loophole in the no-trolling rule to relentlessly cram anti-Oriole knuckleheaded nonsense down everybody's throat. So, while I do wish VaTech could not let it get to him, I can't really blame him either. Everybody has their limits, it's just a matter of where they are.

I'm not totally innocent but I've got better towards one particular pO5ter.

However, why can't you just roll your eyes and move along? If you don't have anything other than something negative to say about an individual, then it's better to just not say anything. You just make a situation worse by elevating it with "go-away" bets and the like.

It's baseball we are talking here. If you are going to let someone else's opinions make it frustrating for you, then maybe posting on this board isn't for you.

I don't know, I just feel that posters should just post and let the mods handle the moderating.

[Satyr3206]

I'm not totally innocent but I've got better towards one particular pO5ter.

However, why can't you just roll your eyes and move along? If you don't have anything other than something negative to say about an individual, then it's better to just not say anything. You just make a situation worse by elevating it with "go-away" bets and the like.

It's baseball we are talking here. If you are going to let someone else's opinions make it frustrating for you, then maybe posting on this board isn't for you.

I don't know, I just feel that posters should just post and let the mods handle the moderating.

I can live with that reasoning. In fact, I want to change my vote to a 10. And I predict a 162-0 season. With 3 Triple Crown winners and 2 Cy Young winners. All from the Orioles of course.:laughlol:

[Mackus]

I find it amazing that he posts yet another strongly stated opinion and can then just back away from it yet again w/o a care in the world while I look like the bad guy.

Most of us who would normally defend you have him at least on the board's ignore if not the Total Ignore feature, so we're just seeing your responses, don't really have any idea what the conversation is actually about or what new form of nonsense he's partaking in now.

Its a much nicer existence not having to deal with him at all, but it does leave that last few of those who are still trying to fight the good fight against his antics and nonsense sort of our on an island. I hope that you can update your browser at work and eventually join our side of not dealing with him. Eventually he'll just be talking to himself.

[McNulty]

If it makes you feel any better, I can't have super ignore at work either.

[chamdog]

Has a chance to be a close 2nd to the yanks in the east. If Scott can figure out how to stay consistant and hit 35-40 HR(which I think he's cabaple of doing) it could be the best.

[jdouble777]

I would agree completely with these predictions.

Roberts is a .280 hitter and we just don't know if Jones and Wieters can post .300 over a full season... it isn't likely.

Reimold and Pie hitting .300 is laughable... they aren't those types of players.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?playerId=6475

Pie hit .290 post All-Star break, he is only 24, he also cranked 7 HRs in that period, on only 145 ABs... most top of the order guys snag 600... 145 is 1/4th that amount which means if he could have continued that pace he would have been at 28 HRs... Typically, guys can lower that power a bit to coddle the average (don't tell Luke Scott though)... Is it likely, perhaps not, but plausible that Pie could hit .300, I think it not exactly laughable.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=3751&position=OF

Pie hit .362 in Triple A over 229 ABs in 2007, that was a while ago, but it does demonstrate he has the ability, he was 21 at that time.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/players/splits?playerId=28974

Reimold hit .299 on 179 ABs Post All-Star break, roughly a third of what he will have this season, considering he was a rookie I would think his 2nd half would be a better indicator of the future... If he can hit .279 on the entire season, as a rookie, with a partially torn achilles tendon I think .300 is not laughable.

http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=3441&position=OF

Reimold hit .394 over 109 ABs against Triple A last season as well...

[jdouble777]

I just don't get this post at all. I made a reasonable offer to him using his own position. Bets are not unusual at all on this board so it isn't like I'm out of line from that point of view. In the two posts I made offering the bet, there wasn't a single personal attack made on this poster. I did get a bit miffed by his response and called him Galahad and a martyr in my response which wasn't my best move, but I'm amazed so many of you buy his "who me?" act. I find it amazing that he posts yet another strongly stated opinion and can then just back away from it yet again w/o a care in the world while I look like the bad guy.

Whatever, no worries. As several other folks have pointed out, I now post very little anymore so I'm doing exactly as you've requested. Have a great day...

Yeah, I was pretty hyped when I herd the Miggy signing and could not wait to get on the board, found this post and started reading, saw the buzz culminating for a page or two and then BAM, buzz killer...

His reply to my reasons for why I think his rating was harsh made a bit sense, but we are spending a lot of our life talking about this team, maybe we should have their back...

I know we should taper our expectations and realize the Huff nosedive is going happen more often that not, but this is a lineup without Tike Redman, Jay Payton, Jeff Conine, Javy Lopez... We are talking about a group of serious hitters who are blue collar workhorses...

Here is the 2006 lineup, minus Markakis, Roberts, Tejada....not tooo much to be excited about:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/2006.shtml

For the first time in a long time our lineup does not become a dud after the #4 hitter, LOVE IT, CANNOT WAIT!

Fear the Birdland!