Our Long Franchise Nightmare Is Over

[ofahn]

Eighty one wins. After fifteen years we will not have a losing season. There were times that I thought I might never see this day again. In the immortal words of Neil Diamond, voiced by Mickey Dolenz

I thought love was only true in fairy tales
Meant for someone else but not for me.
Love was out to get me
That's the way it seemed.
Disappointment haunted all my dreams.

Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer
Not a trace of doubt in my mind.
I'm in love, I'm a believer!
I couldn't leave her if I tried.

I thought love was more or less a given thing,
Seems the more I gave the less I got.
What's the use in tryin'?
All you get is pain.
When I needed sunshine I got rain.

Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer
Not a trace of doubt in my mind.
I'm in love, I'm a believer!
I couldn't leave her if I tried

[Zach]

There really is a magical feel to this team. Orioles Magic indeed!

[A_K]

Just bought a plane ticket to the Bay Area. I'll be at Saturday and Sunday's games.

[birdwatcher55]

HUGE road trip. Would love to go 5-3 here

[osforlife]

HUGE road trip. Would love to go 5-3 here

Is this a playoff team yet?

[Oriole85]

HUGE road trip. Would love to go 5-3 here

Every game is a big game from here on out. The second we are no longer playing "big," "huge," your word of choice games, were doing something wrong most likely.

[Old Sneakers]

We ended the string of losing seasons. However, there is a ton of work to do this off-season regardless of how well the team finishes this one. The starting rotation is at best a work of duct tape, bits of string and super glue. Arrieta and Matuzs have had horrible years and they were both supposed to become at the least work horses. First and second base need fixing as does left field.

I know this was intended to be a happy thread. However this is a franchise that is a long ways off from being an annual contender. There are a number of holes to fill yet and lots of places that should be upgraded outright.

[LA Detective]

The team that was on the field with Markakis and Hammell can compete with anyone. We are a different team since late July. We now are:
- a top defensive team. A big reason the SP has improved. We should do nothing to make us less than great on D
- We have a good offensive team. Starting right at the top. It is balanced and even though we dont steal, all but MW,MR and CD have ability to run the bases. And we have balanced power.
- I thought Hammell, Chen and Britton could match up and hold their own in the playoffs.
- We still have a great bullpen. Strop needs to pitch every other day to stay sharp. He will be fine.

For next year we take what we have and improve:
- 2b...at least someone who is great defensively and can bat at least .250
- figure out if MR is just hot or has improved. The next few weeks and the playoffs where the scouting reports get very tight will answer that question. If MR shows that he has made great strides, I see .250, 35 HRs...
- Machado will start working his way up the order. Our lineup just lacks one more Star type hitter in the middle. How quick he is ready for that will determine alot. Maybe as soon as next year? why not, Trout did it.
- We add Reimold. I wouldnt hand him anything until he proves he is Healthy and not rusty. Could add to the top of the lineup. I would be looking for him to mostly DH. We keep Mcclouth in LF..I like Davis...good problem to have if he is ready.
- We either go into next year with alot of SP depth and Bundy on the way or we trade some of that depth for an All Star type SP or All Star everyday type.

But we have arrived. Healthy we have a good team right now...It will be an interesting winter on what is done but we now have options and every reason to improve. There are only a few guys on the team who have played at a level that might not be repeated which is another encouraging element to being better next year.

[TuckerBlair89]

The crazy thing about next year is you get to potentially add Bundy and Gausman into the rotation at some point (Bundy sooner than Gausman probably).

That alone makes me very excited for next season.


As mentioned by a few guys, 2B is really the spot I worry about for next season. Andino is better off in a reserve role.
I think the bullpen will be fine once again next season. They have a ton of guys that can fill the roles for the pen.
Next year will need to bring more consistency. It remains to be seen whether some of these SP are flukes or not. Next year will give us a much better idea.

[ofahn]

It remains to be seen whether some of these SP are flukes or not.

This winter's crop of free agent SPs is almost unprecedented. We should be able to sign two quality pitchers with solid upside to ONE year contracts. I would prefer to do that and remain a contender than risk the season on the group we have now. If we buy the insurance we will have the time to properly evaluate our younger pitchers and weed out the pretenders just in time to welcome the next wave.

IMO the most important signing we can make this winter is a generous extension for Rick Peterson. Our pitching development and evaluation program needs some COMPETENT stability for a few years so we can get the best out of the talent we have. Just ONE year of that ludicrous Kevin Gregg contract would probably make Peterson happy for at least the next ten years. I'm not suggesting THAT kind of extension. I'm just showing how poorly we have spent the money. Too often, the focus is spending the money on what goes on the field. As our bullpen showed this year you can get a LOT more on field production by proper scouting, evaluation, and instruction.