1-8.
What do I say to that?
BFD.
How can I say that?
The peripherals.
Fans are acting like this team is heading in the wrong direction because they started 6-3 last season and started 2010 1-8.
Is this team really worse than the 2009 version? Absolutely not. The reasons outlined in this post still apply. The starting staff is better, the overall talent on offense is better, there is help on the way, and soon, from the farm system.
Does anybody remember the stretch over April/May 2009 when the O's went 3-14? 3-14! Better or worse than this stretch we're watching?
Get a grip. Just because this stretch starts the season makes it no worse. Growing pains. We'll have 'em.
And quit bringing up 1988. Let Grandpa Blogger tell you something. This ain't 1988. I lived through 1988! It was my baseball Vietnam!
Through the first 9 games of this season, Baltimore has been outscored 49-27. In 1988, they were outscored 61-14! And heartbreaking losses? The loss in the Brian Matusz game the other night pales in comparison to watching Mike Boddicker throw a complete game and give up only one run (while striking out 10 and walking none by the way) only to lose 4-3 to the Royals! Eddie Murray and Billy Ripken made the errors to give up the unearned runs! Or how about watching Mike Morgan throw 9 shutout innings only to lose 1-0 to Cleveland in 11? And you're going to punk out over a 1-8 streak? Don't come to me for compassion! Man up or go get your pink Red Sox hat and join The Nation! Quit 'yer whining!
1988...come back to reality.
Anyway, around the Blog-O-Sphere...
Roar From 34 says it all in the title to this post: O's Fans Should Be Waving Rally Towels, Not White Flags
Dempsey's Army raises our standard with you Matt!
Chris at Baltimore Sports Life looks in great detail at the 1-8 streak
Dave Mc of Weaver's Tantrum ponders the arguments for and against a managerial change.
The Eutaw Street Hooligans offer a dose of calm in the face of Oriole fan panic
Camden Crazies goes deep into the numbers and finds that while things are bad, they aren't as bad as you think..
Showing posts with label 100 Losses. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 100 Losses. Show all posts
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Around the Oriole Blogosphere: Utter Collapse Edition
Before I start this edition of AtOB, I wanted to mention that Dempsey's Army has been nominated for a Mobbie for best Oriole blog at The Baltimore Sun. Please vote for us in the Oriole blog category if you feel so inclined.
But if you don't, please go vote for one of the other Oriole blogs I link to or that you may enjoy. It's a long suffering group and they all deserve some good recognition. Voting runs through October 9th. Vote early, vote often!
*****
Stacey at Camden Chat notes something about Brian Roberts' doubles explosion that I hadn't noticed:
Brian Roberts hit his 56th double of the year which is a record for most doubles by a switch hitter. Lance Berkman held the mark before him. It seems like a weird record to me.
In the midst of a 12 game losing streak and 100 losses looming, I'll take weird.
*****
Patrick Smith of Bugs and Cranks is ambivalent when it comes to Dave Trembley's future:
I’d love to write that I’d be outraged if they fired Trembley after presenting him with a stinkbomb of a team to manage. I really should be stumping for the guy and I’m not sure why I’m not. Numb, I guess, after 12 losing seasons.
*****
Dan at Camden Crazies examines Brian Matusz in the midst of a sweeping multi-post look back at the Orioles of 2009. He's a good man. And thorough.
*****
Matt Wieters Facts:
Matt Wieters Doesn't Take Pitches...He Shows Them Mercy.
Matt Wieters Forced Rick Astley To Give You Up, Let You Down, Run Around And Desert You.
Matt Beat Cancer..... Literally With His Bat. There Is No More Cancer.
*****
Orioles Card 'O' The Day highlights the birth of the Baltimore club and gives a tip of the cap to Bill Veeck.
On a side note, the other owners hated Veeck so much that when they heard he was trying to move the Browns to Milwaukee, they swiped the deal out from under him and allowed the Braves to move there instead in 1953. Baseball owners are and evolved breed, huh?
*****
Jay Trucker looks at the losing and the manager:
2 ½ years later, the team has played terrible fundamental baseball. The young guys have a chance to grow in 2010. Right now, it looks like the whole team is trudging to the end of the year. One way to start 2010 on a fresh page is to ax Dave Trembley. He hasn’t had a team with which to compete the last 2 ½ years, but he hasn’t taken the club a step forward by working with what he’s had during that time, either.
*****
It is a cruel mistress but at its root, baseball is still a beautiful game. Anthony at Oriole Post can still remind me of that as he always manages to catch some good action shots during the games at OPACY.
*****
Right Off Russell takes a look back at the 1989 "Why Not?" Orioles:
It was a year when everything broke right. Players had career years and late inning rallies were commonplace. The ‘89 O’s were a young bunch that scrapped and clawed for everything and almost pulled of an amazing worst to first turn around. And personally, it was truly magical. I had just jumped into sports fandom, sure I was aware of the Orioles, but 1988 was the first year I followed them with a passion. Nice timing, huh? Experiencing the ‘89 season only solidified the Orioles lifelong hold on me.
*****
If you don't like Roar from 34's Eutaw Street Chronicles, you hate America.
*****
100 losses? The Loss Column, ironically, says we shouldn't care.
In other words, these last five games of the season mean nothing. Whatever needs to be seen has been seen. Year three of the rebuilding process is already underway.
*****
The Wayward O is backing the manger. Here's Wayward O with more:
Wayward O is backing manager.
This losing streak (collapse) is because Baltimore is not real Baseball Team capable of playing full season.
It is not because Mr. Dave Trembley is bad manager.
*****
Weaver's Tantrum salutes the fine effort of Brian Roberts, even if it has been in vain. Regarding his doubles record for switch-hitters:
A lot of the guys on the single season doubles list are Hall of Famers. Brian is in good company. It seems unlikely that B-Rob can get to 60, tying Todd Helton's post-WWII record, but its not impossible. He can be forgiven for some selfish play at this point in the season. Forget about drawing walks or moving runners along, Brian. Go for the record!
But if you don't, please go vote for one of the other Oriole blogs I link to or that you may enjoy. It's a long suffering group and they all deserve some good recognition. Voting runs through October 9th. Vote early, vote often!
*****
Stacey at Camden Chat notes something about Brian Roberts' doubles explosion that I hadn't noticed:
Brian Roberts hit his 56th double of the year which is a record for most doubles by a switch hitter. Lance Berkman held the mark before him. It seems like a weird record to me.
In the midst of a 12 game losing streak and 100 losses looming, I'll take weird.
*****
Patrick Smith of Bugs and Cranks is ambivalent when it comes to Dave Trembley's future:
I’d love to write that I’d be outraged if they fired Trembley after presenting him with a stinkbomb of a team to manage. I really should be stumping for the guy and I’m not sure why I’m not. Numb, I guess, after 12 losing seasons.
*****
Dan at Camden Crazies examines Brian Matusz in the midst of a sweeping multi-post look back at the Orioles of 2009. He's a good man. And thorough.
*****
Matt Wieters Facts:
Matt Wieters Doesn't Take Pitches...He Shows Them Mercy.
Matt Wieters Forced Rick Astley To Give You Up, Let You Down, Run Around And Desert You.
Matt Beat Cancer..... Literally With His Bat. There Is No More Cancer.
*****
Orioles Card 'O' The Day highlights the birth of the Baltimore club and gives a tip of the cap to Bill Veeck.
On a side note, the other owners hated Veeck so much that when they heard he was trying to move the Browns to Milwaukee, they swiped the deal out from under him and allowed the Braves to move there instead in 1953. Baseball owners are and evolved breed, huh?
*****
Jay Trucker looks at the losing and the manager:
2 ½ years later, the team has played terrible fundamental baseball. The young guys have a chance to grow in 2010. Right now, it looks like the whole team is trudging to the end of the year. One way to start 2010 on a fresh page is to ax Dave Trembley. He hasn’t had a team with which to compete the last 2 ½ years, but he hasn’t taken the club a step forward by working with what he’s had during that time, either.
*****
It is a cruel mistress but at its root, baseball is still a beautiful game. Anthony at Oriole Post can still remind me of that as he always manages to catch some good action shots during the games at OPACY.
*****
Right Off Russell takes a look back at the 1989 "Why Not?" Orioles:
It was a year when everything broke right. Players had career years and late inning rallies were commonplace. The ‘89 O’s were a young bunch that scrapped and clawed for everything and almost pulled of an amazing worst to first turn around. And personally, it was truly magical. I had just jumped into sports fandom, sure I was aware of the Orioles, but 1988 was the first year I followed them with a passion. Nice timing, huh? Experiencing the ‘89 season only solidified the Orioles lifelong hold on me.
*****
If you don't like Roar from 34's Eutaw Street Chronicles, you hate America.
*****
100 losses? The Loss Column, ironically, says we shouldn't care.
In other words, these last five games of the season mean nothing. Whatever needs to be seen has been seen. Year three of the rebuilding process is already underway.
*****
The Wayward O is backing the manger. Here's Wayward O with more:
Wayward O is backing manager.
This losing streak (collapse) is because Baltimore is not real Baseball Team capable of playing full season.
It is not because Mr. Dave Trembley is bad manager.
*****
Weaver's Tantrum salutes the fine effort of Brian Roberts, even if it has been in vain. Regarding his doubles record for switch-hitters:
A lot of the guys on the single season doubles list are Hall of Famers. Brian is in good company. It seems unlikely that B-Rob can get to 60, tying Todd Helton's post-WWII record, but its not impossible. He can be forgiven for some selfish play at this point in the season. Forget about drawing walks or moving runners along, Brian. Go for the record!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Base Hits: The Long Road Home, Records Broken and Top Draft Picks Galore
I predicted that September would be ugly for the O's but after winning series' against the Yankees and the Rangers, you started to think that they would be competitive with the weaker part of their schedule. I was wrong the second time.
11 straight losses including sweeps at the hands of the Blue Jays and Indians have put 100 losses back on the table. It already has them in line for the 2nd overall pick in the 2010 draft.
Facing the Rays and the Blue Jays this final week, the Orioles are just about assured of getting the 3rd overall pick and have a great shot at the 2nd pick of the 2010 draft. My advice at this point: keep losing
*****
Also in this last week, Jeremy Guthrie has a chance to give up more home runs than anyone in Oriole history. He has given up 32, the record is 35. Unlikely, as Guthrie has pitched better in September but well withing reach.
*****
Speaking of records, it has been widely reported that Brian Roberts can reach 60 doubles this season. He has 55 with 6 games left so it is unlikely that he will reach 60. But 60 is kind of an arbitrary number. The real milestone is 58.
If Roberts hits three more doubles, he will have one of the top ten seasons for doubles since 1901. That's what I'll be looking for this last week.
*****
The Orioles and Sarasota have selected the firms that will renovate Ed Smith Stadium, the new Spring Training home for the team.
The plan is to "either tear down or renovate" the stadium after Spring Training 2010.
*****
Will Dave Trembley return in 2010? It's not looking good.
(Oriole GM Andy) MacPhail has said for months that the club won't make a decision on Trembley's option for 2010 until either the last weekend of the season or a couple of days after it ends...
MacPhail met with Orioles owner Peter Angelos last week to discuss Trembley's status, but he continues to say little about the situation...
MacPhail has talked repeatedly about the importance of avoiding a late-season swoon, which has became an annual rite for the Orioles. He made it clear Sunday that he isn't pleased with the way the club has played on its current 10-game road trip...
Macphail has also said that while the record counts, the management will have to examine underlying factors as well. Yes, they do.
But it's going to be hard to not fire Trembley at this point. That's not where Dave wants to be.
11 straight losses including sweeps at the hands of the Blue Jays and Indians have put 100 losses back on the table. It already has them in line for the 2nd overall pick in the 2010 draft.
W L GB
Washington 53 103 --
Baltimore 60 96 7.0
Pittsburgh 59 96 7.5
Kansas City 64 93 10.5
Facing the Rays and the Blue Jays this final week, the Orioles are just about assured of getting the 3rd overall pick and have a great shot at the 2nd pick of the 2010 draft. My advice at this point: keep losing
*****
Also in this last week, Jeremy Guthrie has a chance to give up more home runs than anyone in Oriole history. He has given up 32, the record is 35. Unlikely, as Guthrie has pitched better in September but well withing reach.
*****
Speaking of records, it has been widely reported that Brian Roberts can reach 60 doubles this season. He has 55 with 6 games left so it is unlikely that he will reach 60. But 60 is kind of an arbitrary number. The real milestone is 58.
If Roberts hits three more doubles, he will have one of the top ten seasons for doubles since 1901. That's what I'll be looking for this last week.
*****
The Orioles and Sarasota have selected the firms that will renovate Ed Smith Stadium, the new Spring Training home for the team.
The plan is to "either tear down or renovate" the stadium after Spring Training 2010.
*****
Will Dave Trembley return in 2010? It's not looking good.
(Oriole GM Andy) MacPhail has said for months that the club won't make a decision on Trembley's option for 2010 until either the last weekend of the season or a couple of days after it ends...
MacPhail met with Orioles owner Peter Angelos last week to discuss Trembley's status, but he continues to say little about the situation...
MacPhail has talked repeatedly about the importance of avoiding a late-season swoon, which has became an annual rite for the Orioles. He made it clear Sunday that he isn't pleased with the way the club has played on its current 10-game road trip...
Macphail has also said that while the record counts, the management will have to examine underlying factors as well. Yes, they do.
But it's going to be hard to not fire Trembley at this point. That's not where Dave wants to be.
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