The Baltimore Orioles Thread (merged)

[heyabbott]

You're a fan of team A, what do you want the owner to do?

1. Rake it in and keep it

2. Rake it in and dish it out

Angelos is Bill Bidwell or Donald Sterling, doing just enough to maintain a strangle hold on bad without overtly throwing in the towel, while maintaining personally profitable franchises. Add to the angelos equation, monumentally stupid front office and personnel decisions. Fire Davey Johnson, and sign Albert Belle

[WHIP]

As an Oriole fan, this has been a tough year. But I am greatly encouraged by the statement that Peter Angelos put out yesterday.

You're so brainwashed. Good Lord this sounds like Fascist radio.

[BronxByTheBay]

You're so brainwashed. Good Lord it feels like Fascist radio.

"Dear Leader has said all will be well next season!!"

[WHIP]

You forgot some !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - bobby's not quite that calm.

[BronxByTheBay]

You forgot some !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - bobby's not quite that calm.

I meant to capture him during a more contemplative mood.

[Kulish29]

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?

Meanwhile, they continue to have crappy drafts and have a pretty bad farm system at that (BA Rank: 25. The Yankees are rated 24 just as a comparison). He'd be better served putting the money into the farm system and scouting.

I also love how he complains about the Yanks and Sox payrolls but yet makes a point of saying that he's going to spend the money to get, "the players necessary to be successful."

[Dooley Womack]

I also love how he complains about the Yanks and Sox payrolls but yet makes a point of saying that he's going to spend the money to get, "the players necessary to be successful."

Yup. His posts in this thread are loaded with ironies and inconsistencies.

[chanman7483]

"Dear Leader has said all will be well next season!!"

[Kulish29]

Yup. His posts in this thread are loaded with ironies and inconsistencies.

I'm not talking about bobby jr. I'm talking about Angelos.

[S2]

I sure hope the tough times are over. Since the end of June they have been downright horrible. I don't know their record during that time, but I'd feel confident in saying they have been the worst team in the East since then.

[hellonewman]

The Orioles are a franchise that looks as if it is beggining to go into a downward spiral,

Beginning? They haven't had a winning season since 1997.

[heyabbott]

By WILLIAM C. RHODEN
Published: September 28, 2005
BALTIMORE

WHILE Commissioner Bud Selig is investigating steroids and vitamin B-12, he should also investigate the Baltimore Orioles - for consumer fraud.

Until last night, when they finally beat the Yankees, the Orioles had been the embarrassment of the stretch drive. While the Mets, the Royals, the Tigers, the Blue Jays and the Devil Rays have done their part to upset the contenders, the Orioles have been the pin cushion of the playoff race, the American League punching bag, a runway for the Red Sox and the Yankees, a trampoline boosting aspirations in Boston and New York...
What's so bizarre about this is that Baltimore has ceded its ballpark to New York and Boston. Last weekend, Red Sox fans were so prevalent here that it looked as if they had rented out Camden Yards for a private party...Baltimore is suffering through its eighth consecutive losing season. Next year, Peter Angelos should consider putting his Orioles on the road full time - the baseball equivalent of the New Orleans Saints - and lease Camden Yards to other Major League Baseball teams. ... A franchise can have a bad season or two or three. But the Orioles have been overcome by a culture of losing. ... So how does Angelos regain the glory of a once-proud franchise?

Perhaps he should sell it.

As a result of the Orioles' lack of effort down the stretch, the Red Sox and the Yankees have a full head of steam heading into a weekend series in Boston that could prove pivotal.

[Slidemaster]

For the record, Bobby is the only Oriole fan I know that is encouraged. The rest of us are trying not to sob uncontrollably while we laugh at hearing the same nonsense for the 8th consecutive offseason.

[bobby jr]

Meanwhile, they continue to have crappy drafts and have a pretty bad farm system at that (BA Rank: 25. The Yankees are rated 24 just as a comparison). He'd be better served putting the money into the farm system and scouting.

I also love how he complains about the Yanks and Sox payrolls but yet makes a point of saying that he's going to spend the money to get, "the players necessary to be successful."

Of course Angelos has to spend money to get the players to be successful. What is the alternative, to stand on principle and challenge KC for the worst record in the AL? He is simply fighting fire with fire.

But Peter Angelos would prefer a level playing field. He has said as much in the past, "Let's have total revenue sharing then see where the Yankees and Orioles finish", or words to that effect. Angelos knows the Yankees payroll (currently about 3 times that of the O's) is a huge advantage.

Myself, I would prefer a NFL style salary cap. Really this is inevitable, as the big market-money teams continue to dominate, the small market owners are growing more and more unhappy. They are the growing majority of the owners, and either this upcoming contract or the next one, baseball will be shut down until the salary cap is imposed.

But getting back on topic, as an Oriole fans I am relieved that Angelos has chosen this time in Orioles history to speak out in this manner, to reassure the fans, to promise that better times are coming starting next year. He would not have said what he did, then let the Orioles go down the tubes in 2006.

His words are so strong, so clear, that Peter Angelos has put his reputation on the line here. The Orioles will be a vastly improved team next year.

[bobby jr]

By WILLIAM C. RHODEN
Published: September 28, 2005
BALTIMORE

WHILE Commissioner Bud Selig is investigating steroids and vitamin B-12, he should also investigate the Baltimore Orioles - for consumer fraud.

Until last night, when they finally beat the Yankees, the Orioles had been the embarrassment of the stretch drive. While the Mets, the Royals, the Tigers, the Blue Jays and the Devil Rays have done their part to upset the contenders, the Orioles have been the pin cushion of the playoff race, the American League punching bag, a runway for the Red Sox and the Yankees, a trampoline boosting aspirations in Boston and New York...
What's so bizarre about this is that Baltimore has ceded its ballpark to New York and Boston. Last weekend, Red Sox fans were so prevalent here that it looked as if they had rented out Camden Yards for a private party...Baltimore is suffering through its eighth consecutive losing season. Next year, Peter Angelos should consider putting his Orioles on the road full time - the baseball equivalent of the New Orleans Saints - and lease Camden Yards to other Major League Baseball teams. ... A franchise can have a bad season or two or three. But the Orioles have been overcome by a culture of losing. ... So how does Angelos regain the glory of a once-proud franchise?

Perhaps he should sell it.

As a result of the Orioles' lack of effort down the stretch, the Red Sox and the Yankees have a full head of steam heading into a weekend series in Boston that could prove pivotal.

Perhaps Mr. Rhoden should have considered that most of the Orioles games against NY and Boston were very close, and that the Orioles have had injuries, especially Brian Roberts. Here is what Peter Angelos had to say about this subject, from the link previously provided.

"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." "

[Mr. Mxylsplk]

His words are so strong, so clear, that Peter Angelos has put his reputation on the line here. The Orioles will be a vastly improved team next year.

I don't think anyone enjoys Kool-Aid as much as bobby.

[PlsDontTearDownY.S.]

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.

Yeah...you and the other birds fans were pretty happy and talking a lot back when you guys were in first...maybe the bad times are over...it can't get much worse than it is now.

[Yankeees]

Of course the bad times are over. The Orioles only have three games left.

[Archer1979]

Perhaps Mr. Rhoden should have considered that most of the Orioles games against NY and Boston were very close, and that the Orioles have had injuries, especially Brian Roberts. Here is what Peter Angelos had to say about this subject, from the link previously provided.

"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." "

If the Sox and the Yankees had healthy pitching rotations, Baltimore would be looking at a bigger deficit than they have now.

The "If" Game is a bad game to use this year.

[Tifoso]

If the Sox and the Yankees had healthy pitching rotations, Baltimore would be looking at a bigger deficit than they have now.

Exactly. Firing their manager was a mistake, too.

[heyabbott]

Exactly. Firing their manager was a mistake, too.

Starting with Davey Johnson in 1997

[CTSoxFan]

Perhaps Mr. Rhoden should have considered that most of the Orioles games against NY and Boston were very close, and that the Orioles have had injuries, especially Brian Roberts. Here is what Peter Angelos had to say about this subject, from the link previously provided.

"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." "

Again with this quote? Why is Angelos setting the bar so high...all the way up to a .400 winning percentage? How can you possibly take comfort in this? "This year, we could suck a golf ball through a garden hose...but next year, we're only going to suck moderately. The ten-year plan: we could be playing .500 ball by 2015!"

[Seth]

[QUOTE

The Orioles are expected to be active in free agency and Angelos said he does not foresee trouble acquiring attractive free agents.[/QUOTE]

That would be good for the Orioles, however from what I heard and read, this could the worst batch of free agents in years and seeing how Angelos has operated in the last couple of years, he'll probably overpay for more washed up players.

[jeterjuice]

The Orioles tough times will be over when Angelos sells the team

[Norman]

Of course Bobby is usually "spot on" with his analysis ....

"Way to go Sidney. You are coming back strong from a disappointing 2004 and off season troubles. Good game!"

"I still think it was a good move to bring Sosa here."

"Sammy had two hits and two runs last night plus a walk in the Orioles comeback win. I think he has turned the corner, sorry doom and gloomers, Sammy is back!"