The Baltimore Orioles Thread (merged)

[bobby jr]

As an Oriole fan, this has been a tough year. But I am greatly encouraged by the statement that Peter Angelos put out yesterday. Here is the link and a couple of paragraphs, but it is worth reading the full article.

I am glad Mr. Angelos has spoken out and promised a bright future, and this was definitely needed at this time in the history of the Baltimore Orioles.



http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/a...=.jsp&c_id=mlb


"There is a formidable challenge because of the size of their payrolls," Angelos said about the Yankees and Red Sox. "We would like to compete with them. We lost a couple of very close games to Boston and New York this week, and I think if we would have had our first-rate second baseman [Brian Roberts], 40 percent of those games would have been a victory, or perhaps even higher...

The Orioles are expected to be active in free agency and Angelos said he does not foresee trouble acquiring attractive free agents. In the past few years, Baltimore has been passed over by premium players for more fruitful contract offers, while others have noted the Orioles' lack of recent success and also the unenviable task of overcoming Boston and New York.

"We appreciate the fans' support [during the tough times]," he said. "And we're going to demonstrate our appreciation by winning. I have never heard of a player who refused to come to Baltimore to play when he's been offered a competitive contract. Baltimore is a great baseball town, with great fans, a beautiful ballpark and a good organization. We will get the players necessary to be successful."

[CTSoxFan]

"There is a formidable challenge because of the size of their payrolls," Angelos said about the Yankees and Red Sox. "We would like to compete with them. We lost a couple of very close games to Boston and New York this week, and I think if we would have had our first-rate second baseman [Brian Roberts], 40 percent of those games would have been a victory, or perhaps even higher..."

Wow. So a .400 winning percentage is Angelos' lofty goal going forward? Heh.

[DontHateOnNumber2]

As an Oriole fan, this has been a tough year. But I am greatly encouraged by the statement that Peter Angelos put out yesterday. Here is the link and a couple of paragraphs, but it is worth reading the full article.

I am glad Mr. Angelos has spoken out and promised a bright future, and this was definitely needed at this time in the history of the Baltimore Orioles.



http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/news/a...=.jsp&c_id=mlb


"There is a formidable challenge because of the size of their payrolls," Angelos said about the Yankees and Red Sox. "We would like to compete with them. We lost a couple of very close games to Boston and New York this week, and I think if we would have had our first-rate second baseman [Brian Roberts], 40 percent of those games would have been a victory, or perhaps even higher...

The Orioles are expected to be active in free agency and Angelos said he does not foresee trouble acquiring attractive free agents. In the past few years, Baltimore has been passed over by premium players for more fruitful contract offers, while others have noted the Orioles' lack of recent success and also the unenviable task of overcoming Boston and New York.

"We appreciate the fans' support [during the tough times]," he said. "And we're going to demonstrate our appreciation by winning. I have never heard of a player who refused to come to Baltimore to play when he's been offered a competitive contract. Baltimore is a great baseball town, with great fans, a beautiful ballpark and a good organization. We will get the players necessary to be successful."

He's right, Baltimore is a great baseball town. I just wonder if Washington will get as many premier free agents as Baltimore because earlier in the season I heard that the Nats were outdrawing the O's in attendance. Anyways, I wouldn't mind seeing a Yankees-Orioles ALCS.

[Kulish29]

I'll believe it when I see it. There mantra this year was, "We need pitching." What did they do? Why, go after offense of course. The Orioles are a franchise that looks as if it is beggining to go into a downward spiral, and it can be attributed to the very top of the orginization.

"We will get the players necessary to be successful." Hey, Pete, what "players" are you expecting to get this offseason? After about 3 or 4 players, there is a serious drop off in talent. Why dont you put some of that money into your farm system and scouting.

[bobby jr]

He's right, Baltimore is a great baseball town. I just wonder if Washington will get as many premier free agents as Baltimore because earlier in the season I heard that the Nats were outdrawing the O's in attendance. Anyways, I wouldn't mind seeing a Yankees-Orioles ALCS.

http://snap.stats.com/premium/sfa/st...ile=attendance


Baltimore 2,587,983 , average per game 32,349 number 5 in AL Attendence for 2005. Pretty good considering.

[weavershrink]

What's he going to do, sign Bernie Williams? Maybe Jim Thome? Joking aside, I could actually see him doing that.

[Mr. Mxylsplk]

Wow. So a .400 winning percentage is Angelos' lofty goal going forward? Heh.

Good reading.

[CTSoxFan]

http://snap.stats.com/premium/sfa/st...ile=attendance


Baltimore 2,587,983 , average per game 32,349 number 5 in AL Attendence for 2005. Pretty good considering.

Not to nitpick, but given that the Orioles were in first place for almost half the season, it's not a surprise that they sold a lot of tickets in that time frame. I imagine day-of-game sales plummeted as the O's fell in the standings, but the "false start" this year is going to make it that much harder to sell tickets next year. They will really need a splashy off-season, and I'm not even sure that the free agents are out there to do it.

Having said that, the Orioles WILL be a better team next year. They have a couple of nice young pitchers that are going to be a year older and a year BETTER (contrasted with the Sox and Yanks, whose staffs will simply be a year older, by and large). Maybe signing Burnett will be enough to raise this team to contention, but I bet O's fans will need a lot of convincing.

[Mr. Mxylsplk]

The Orioles had some tough injury breaks this year, and that always hurts a team. But hearing Angelos talk about making his team successful (and hearing a baltimore fan express optimism over that) is really most amusing. Here's a guy who consistently spends his team's money poorly. Whatever level of payroll the O's have, they almost always underperform compared to other teams around the league. I'm not sure what more a guy can do to prove he can't put together a winning team. But no skin off my nose if some want to believe that for some unknown reason he's finally figured it all out.

[ieddyi]

Not to nitpick, but given that the Orioles were in first place for almost half the season, it's not a surprise that they sold a lot of tickets in that time frame. I imagine day-of-game sales plummeted as the O's fell in the standings, but the "false start" this year is going to make it that much harder to sell tickets next year. They will really need a splashy off-season, and I'm not even sure that the free agents are out there to do it.

Having said that, the Orioles WILL be a better team next year. They have a couple of nice young pitchers that are going to be a year older and a year BETTER (contrasted with the Sox and Yanks, whose staffs will simply be a year older, by and large). Maybe signing Burnett will be enough to raise this team to contention, but I bet O's fans will need a lot of convincing.

The Rays will be MUCH better also. Toronto has a good offense and will have Halladay back. The division will be brutal next year- by far the best in baseball

[BronxByTheBay]

"There is a formidable challenge because of the size of their payrolls," Angelos said about the Yankees and Red Sox.

[scull567]

What's so funny?

[bobby jr]

What's so funny?

I didn't get it either. Seems like Angelos' statement was right on the money!

[BronxByTheBay]

What's so funny?

Peter Angelos complaining that he can't compete with other teams' payroll? The problem isn't money, the problem is spending it on sh*theads like Sammy Sosa and Sidney Ponson. Twice.

[Mr. Mxylsplk]

Peter Angelos complaining that he can't compete with other teams' payroll? The problem isn't money, the problem is spending it on sh*theads like Sammy Sosa and Sidney Ponson. Twice.

The most formidable obstacle to O's success can be found in Angelos' mirror.

[BobbyMurcerFan]

Peter Angelos complaining that he can't compete with other teams' payroll? The problem isn't money, the problem is spending it on sh*theads like Sammy Sosa and Sidney Ponson. Twice.

Bro, let me introduce you to Kevin Brown, Jaret Wright...

The Yankees payroll is a HUGE advantage.

[heyabbott]

Not to nitpick, but given that the Orioles were in first place for almost half the season, it's not a surprise that they sold a lot of tickets in that time frame. I imagine day-of-game sales plummeted as the O's fell in the standings, but the "false start" this year is going to make it that much harder to sell tickets next year. They will really need a splashy off-season, and I'm not even sure that the free agents are out there to do it.

Having said that, the Orioles WILL be a better team next year. They have a couple of nice young pitchers that are going to be a year older and a year BETTER (contrasted with the Sox and Yanks, whose staffs will simply be a year older, by and large). Maybe signing Burnett will be enough to raise this team to contention, but I bet O's fans will need a lot of convincing.

Did you see the crowds when the O's played Boston and New York? It was almost home games for both teams. When the Yanks and Boston come to Baltimore, the Orioles attract significantly more customers than any other dates. To be fair, when the good teams come to town, the home team should usually draw more but with the O's, at least half of the attendance roots for the visitors.

[Dooley Womack]

I didn't get it either. Seems like Angelos' statement was right on the money!

Albert Belle says hi.

[Workhorse]

Why do I have the feeling that this will become the Orioles equivalent of Duquette's "More Days in First Place" proclaimation?

[BronxByTheBay]

Bro, let me introduce you to Kevin Brown, Jaret Wright...

The Yankees payroll is a HUGE advantage.

You're joking, right? You think intoning Kevin Brown and Jaret Wright is either a.) proof that payroll provides an advantage or b.) disproves my point that the problem isn't spending money, it's spending money wisely?

I think you need to go back and either reread what I said or rethink what it is you're trying to say.

[Dooley Womack]

Bro, let me introduce you to Kevin Brown, Jaret Wright...

The Yankees payroll is a HUGE advantage.

You bring up the Yankee payroll a lot I notice, even in threads where it's not even the topic, i.e. my "scheduling" thread. Somehow you squeeze it into the conversation. I have two sincere questions: Do you resent the Yankee payroll? Also, what is your feeling about the Sox payroll?

[BronxByTheBay]

You bring up the Yankee payroll a lot I notice, even in threads where it's not even the topic, i.e. my "scheduling" thread. Somehow you squeeze it into the conversation. I have two sincere questions: Do you resent the Yankee payroll? Also, what is your feeling about the Sox payroll?

By the way, Dools:

Best. Av. Yet.

[Dooley Womack]

By the way, Dools:

Best. Av. Yet.

Thanks. It's not exactly subtle, is it.......

[Dooley Womack]

Angelos reminds me of that other moron, Tom Hicks. They overspend- sometimes their entire payroll goes to one player- and they often overspend for awful talent. When they get burned and eventually cut back they cry poverty and how they can't compete monetarily with the Yanks and Sox of the world.

You honestly fall for that crap, junior?

[ShaneTravis]

O's will finally see the light of day once Peter....

1) Leaves the team to his sons

2) Sells the team to a group led by Ripken

To go over each point by point of the errors of their ways the last 8 years would require an enormous amount of time. Instead of looking at the bad decisions---hiring two lame duck GM's,Sosa,Raffy,Ponson,inability for either GM to pull the trigger on any free agents that made a difference (pitching)...
The problems start right at the top and trickle down.

Singelton has said numerous times on Yes "The O's used to be the model of how to run a Baseball team, not anymore".