MacPhail to release web video for fans tomorrow

[Jagwar]

So it IS something we haven't heard before.

[is not] + [nothing] + [have not] + [heard]

[is not] + [nothing] = [is not nothing] = [is something]

[is something] = [haven't heard] = It's something we haven't heard before!

Ummm, I was told there wasn't going to be any math in this thread.

[ScottieBaseball]

That was a GREAT sweater vest. Other than that? It might have been cooler if the video would have involved Andy MacPhail fielding questions from the media at the end of that statement.

[Going Underground]

Exactly. While a few of us just want to complain about things they already knew/expected (everybody knows that .

Of course it makes no difference to most of us on this site. We're freaking hard core. I bet it does make a difference to a lot of casual fans though.

I appreciate that he made the effort. That doesn't mean that I excuse how we're playing or that it alleviates the need for us to make changes, but it takes guts to go on camera/in front of people and say the stuff he just said. I've been there. It is very hard to do. Good for him.

The casual fans probably don't even know MacPhail had a video. The casual fans are waiting for football season. You can tell by the next two days attendance, I bet 10,680 and 9,800.

[Dwight Schrute]

Exactly. While a few of us just want to complain about things they already knew/expected (everybody knows that trades aren't happening until June yet they act surprised), the real message here is that AM is putting his face in front of the fans and being accountable for where we are. I can't believe that anybody expected him to do anything except what he did here. This is a pretty amazing PR move IMO. I've never seen a GM go out of their way to address the fans directly like this. I'm sure it has happened in other cities, but I don't know about it if it did.

Of course it makes no difference to most of us on this site. We're freaking hard core. I bet it does make a difference to a lot of casual fans though.

I appreciate that he made the effort. That doesn't mean that I excuse how we're playing or that it alleviates the need for us to make changes, but it takes guts to go on camera/in front of people and say the stuff he just said. I've been there. It is very hard to do. Good for him.

This is BS. The Ravens sit in front of the media and answer whatever questions they want to ask them. Whether they went 13-3 or 5-11. Heck Bisciotti sat there and took questions from the media after he fired Billick. MacPhail puts up a video or goes on the Garceau show and lets gold old Scotty lob softballs at him for 10 minutes.

[Lucky Jim]

Honestly I was expecting nothing. I just don't see the point of the video, I guess. I don't think it was a particularly convincing message of calm. The things he was saying were rational, but most rational people probably already understood it all.

I don't think that video would do anything to assuage the doubts of irrational, impatient people. I would think it would have the opposite effect - and looking around this thread it seems it has.

I guess I could say I appreciate the gesture, but I think the video was pretty pointless.

I really don't think this was a message for "serious" fans. Serious fans are a very small part of the fanbase. Heck, there are people on THIS board who are remarkably uninformed.

Maybe it was pointless. I don't know. I know that various people yesterday argued that, whether or not it would have an effect, that firing Crowley was necessary because it couldn't hurt.

Many of those same people are going ape#$%& over this video. I ask, perhaps it was pointless, but what could it hurt?

[Sports Guy]

So, you were expecting him to say "I'm going to send X down, release Y, trade for Z, fire M, demote N, and sign A,B,C next offseason"? Really? Wow

We'll make changes and look for external changes when the trades start happening is all that a GM can say w/o tampering / showing his hand too much. He said that.

Oh, I am sure he will look for them...he just won't get it done..at least not in terms of bringing in anyone that truly impacts the team.

But that's ok, I am sure the usual apologists will come out and defend him.

[Dwight Schrute]

MacPhail has gone on TV with Thorne during the games twice this season to field questions that I know of. He just did the "suicide pact" interview last weekend. Now, he adds this. What exactly are you expecting him to do to field questions?

Do you call fielding questions from Thorne fielding questions from the media? How about speaking with someone who isn't a broadcast partner or employed by the team owned television network.

[PrivateO]

What were people expecting, exactly?

Seriously. If you expected him to say, "Hey, we just got Albert Pujols for Lou Montanez and cash considerations," you were crazy.

Exactly what I thought. People clamor for him to say something about the season, and he does (all he can to say), and criticism galore occurs.

[Going Underground]

MacPhail will meet with season ticket holders at the annual "State of the Orioles". I think it is around midseason.

[Don_Aase_Fan]

The casual fans probably don't even know MacPhail had a video. The casual fans are waiting for football season.

Or even worse, counting down the days until Training Camp.

[Miller192]

So, you were expecting him to say "I'm going to send X down, release Y, trade for Z, fire M, demote N, and sign A,B,C next offseason"? Really? Wow

We'll make changes and look for external changes when the trades start happening is all that a GM can say w/o tampering / showing his hand too much. He said that.

No, I just didn't see the need for him to go on camera and tells us why we have been bad for 2:30 of a 2:45 minute video.

Maybe you eat that stuff up.

[RVAbird]

I really don't think this was a message for "serious" fans. Serious fans are a very small part of the fanbase. Heck, there are people on THIS board who are remarkably uninformed.

Maybe it was pointless. I don't know. I know that various people yesterday argued that, whether or not it would have an effect, that firing Crowley was necessary because it couldn't hurt.

Many of those same people are going ape#$%& over this video. I ask, perhaps it was pointless, but what could it hurt?

Eh, I guess so. I suppose there is a small group of fans who aren't serious enough/tech savvy enough to peruse the message boards and blogs but are serious enough/tech savvy enough to stumble upon this video at orioles.com without any prior hype who might see it and think "I haven't been following the box scores or watching the games every day, but I guess what he's saying makes sense. Good to know they don't think it's a lost cause and that they'll address some needs externally if they have to."

I would wager there's probably a larger number of frustrated, tuned in fans who will see this video and get even more reactionary because it's not a magic message.

It's a PR move, but I don't think it was particularly productive. I dunno, I've already spent too many words on the topic so I guess I'll just say oh well and move on.

[Joe Orsulak Fan]

Do you call fielding questions from Thorne fielding questions from the media? How about speaking with someone who isn't a broadcast partner or employed by the team owned television network.

Don't you see, though, Dwight? This is essentially what he did today: Faced up to the non-Thorne public who is mad as hell. We're all mad as hell. But there's his face, on the computer, where we can project our anger.

I know some don't consider this accountability; I do. I sure as hell don't remember Beatigan ever subjecting themselves to public ridicule.

Andy earned some respect from me today. And if he earned respect from others, too, I hope he does not waste it.

[Mackus]

Do you call fielding questions from Thorne fielding questions from the media? How about speaking with someone who isn't a broadcast partner or employed by the team owned television network.

He does that all the time. He had the interview in the Sun the other day saying that they are going to make changes if guys can't get it going soon.

There isn't going to be a press conference with dozens of reporters firing questions at him every day. That's just impractical.

MacPhail didn't say anything important in that video, but what does everyone wanna hear from him? I'd rather just see what he does to try and fix things, and the first thing he's done is call up Hughes and Patterson. You've gotta go with internal options first, especially early in the season, just because there aren't any external options available.

[Lucky Jim]

Oh, I am sure he will look for them...he just won't get it done..at least not in terms of bringing in anyone that truly impacts the team.

But that's ok, I am sure the usual apologists will come out and defend him.

Sports Guy in January:

Nothing...He said he was going to look to acquire a big bat.

At the end of the day, what big bats were available this offseason? Holliday for sure...Guys like AGon and Fielder likely...but at what cost?

The cost would have been too much for us.

How anyone can hold this over his head is beyond me.

I am much more upset with the lack of movement in terms of getting a SS.

Quick question: would that "impact" move that AM didn't make be a SS who would help us now? Or are you going all the way back to when you think we should have signed Teix?