Buck: "our intent & focus is on trying to catch the [Yankees]"

[Jordan Tuwiner]

https://twitter.com/masnRoch/statuses/2 ... 2662803457

#orioles lead wild card race, "but I'll say again, our intent and our focus is on trying to catch the team ahead of us." - Showalter

I have no doubts at this point that the Orioles can keep winning. But the Yankees win almost every single night the Orioles win.

It will be tough, but there is a lot of time left in the season.

[ofahn]

https://twitter.com/masnRoch/statuses/235933702662803457



I have no doubts at this point that the Orioles can keep winning. But the Yankees win almost every single night the Orioles win.

It will be tough, but there is a lot of time left in the season.

I don't think we have the HP to catch them but it will be interesting to see how the loss of Sabathia affects them.

[David]

I'm confident we'll make the playoffs. I hope we can catch the Yanks but I don't see it happening.

[Jordan Tuwiner]

I'm confident we'll make the playoffs. I hope we can catch the Yanks but I don't see it happening.

I don't either, but one can certainly hope with the way this season has gone so far.

[ofahn]

I don't either, but one can certainly hope with the way this season has gone so far.

I think that's there's an outside chance that we'll be chasing the Rays for the division in the last week of the season.

[birdwatcher55]

I applaud Buck for trying to keep his team focused on the big prize and if that gets you into the playoffs then life is good. But realistically I don't see us overtaking NYY

[birdwatcher55]

I would be shocked if that happens. Seems VERY unlikely

[Matt P]

As well it should be. They just need to worry about winning as many games as possible and let the rest take care of itself. The Yankees are basically a better version of the Orioles. They don't have as good a bullpen but we don't have as good a HR hitting lineup. The rotations are both pieced together now that CC is out again.

[dan72]

As long as we don't have a prolonged offensive slump we should have a chance to catch the Yankees. We also have to stay healthy. We can not afford any of our major contributors to go down. I'm already concerned about the loss of Patton. Additionally if we can get some offense from Reynolds that to would be a difference maker going down the stretch.
As long as our starters can continue to give quality starts we can continue to win.
The Yankees are due for a bad stretch.... There is no way they can continue to win at their current pace.

[Matt P]

Only 4 games back

[Jordan Tuwiner]

Only 4 games back

Absolutely amazing. Nova just went on the DL, too.

I don't wish for injuries but I think the Orioles will gladly take anything extra to help them win the division.

[dan72]

Buck has made a believer out of me. This team is playing with confidence, and when confidence and talent meet opportunity anything can happen. I've never been a big believer in the manager making alot of difference in the win column, after all it's the players that play the game.
I would bet that if someone were able to calculate Buck's WAR it would be in the +8-10 game range. I've gone to 20 games and watched nearly all the games to this point, I can not remember another manager in the last 25 years that has played his team better than Buck.

[birdwatcher55]

Bad loss Saturday. Catching the Yankees is a pipe dream

[osforlife]

The Yanks have alot of holes at the moment. After Soriano and Robertson, their bullpen is horrible. Logan is okay but after that it gets pretty bad. A-Rod, Tex, and Granderson have all expierenced injuries and are out at the moment. Of course, Cano/ Jeter have been outstanding and Chavez/Swisher have been solid. But Ichiro doesn't get on base, Martin sucks, Ibanez/Jones haven't been good. Their rotation is pieced together have CC and Kuroda. Personally, I don't think they even make the playoffs.