Are you getting excited yet?

by elktonfan on Apr 21, 2007 1:09 PM EDT Comment 17 comments

I know I am.
Last night, I had to go up to North Philly for a job. It was over at 8, so I tried to dial up 105.7, but got some classic rock station on the Jersey Shore instead of the O's game. So, I tried to listen for a score on the Phillies game and of course nearly fell asleep listening to Kalas and "Wheels", so it was the last resort to get 880 WCBS and our beloved John Sterling. Tuned in just as Veritek had tied it 2-2, and then heard A-Rod hit his 2nd of the night as Crisp did a back flip into the bullpen.
Finally, I heard the O's score and was excited that D Cab was still tossing and we were 2-2 in the 6th.
Finally, as I made my down I-95, I got the O's game somewhere around Wilmington.
I used to be able to hear WBAL at night all the way to New York on some evenings, so I'm not sure that I'm liking this switch to FM very much. Yeah it sounds better, but the reception outside of Maryland is not real good.
Anyway, back to the game.
Listened as D Cab walked the lead off guy in the 7th, and then proceeded to load the bases and get pulled. Manfra then cursed Parrish, saying he is NOT a situational pitcher, and he can get righties as well as lefties out. Next pitch- bullet off Melmo's glove and a 4-2 deficit.
So, I get home, and start talking to the wife. She's watching something, and heads to the bathroom. Turn the channel to check the score, and they had ties it up!
Then, great at bat by Corey and a clutch base knock. Bako lays it down, and they walk our lead off guy.
Melmo gets the walk, and then our own superstar in the making gets the grounder through the drawn in infield!
Man, this team is fun right now. In years past, I never ever would have expected us to come back on Toronto twice in the same game. We are actually playing heads up baseball, and being patient at the plate. Two nights ago they were patient with Kazmir, got into the bullpen, and scored late. Last night, they forced Burnett into a ton of deep counts and got into the Jays pen again.
Finally, they seem to be on the right path.

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I am liking.....

the ability to get to other teams bullpens.

But, on any given night, shouldn't a team expect to see a reliever by the 7th or 8th? Or, is it just that we have been SO BAD for so long that this fundamentally average skill has become cause for celebration?

Given the fact that when the bullpen door swings for US it usually indicates the other team is done scoring, th eoptimism is warranted in many cases.

But we've been used to bad baseball for so long, when this team does things that a decent MLB team should do, we treat it like the Second Coming.

"Mess with me, you're messing with the whole trailer park." - Jamie Walker

by duck on Apr 21, 2007 1:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I totally agree.

This is a basic formula for winning games for decent teams...we just haven't been decent for so long that it is like the second coming.
It's also a breath of fresh air that when we do get to the other guys bullpen, ours can usually hold the score where it is.
Truly these are basic fundamentals of baseball but we have lacked so many of them for so long, it certainly feels good to be the getter, and not the gotten.

Took off runnin' but I take my time...

by elktonfan on Apr 21, 2007 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

BJ

I didn't realize that the BJ's pen is so bad. I mean Shawn Marcum and Victor Zambrano are your best bullpen options.

by birdman on Apr 21, 2007 2:35 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

18-14

I'll get really excited if the Orioles can finish up their first 32 games 18-14. Last night began a stretch of 17 games against CLE, OAK, BOS, DET, and OAK. If we get to 18-14 then that'll put us on pace for 91-92 wins. It won't be good enough to win the East I think, but could you imagine being 18-14 on pace for 91 wins after the schedule the Orioles will have played in their first 32-games!!??

Let's go get Josh Towers!

by Baseball Savant on Apr 21, 2007 4:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

91-92 wins

would be incredible. Its too much to ask for the playoffs but I personally would be elated to win 82 games. Let's please remember though that this team has done this to us before, we're only 9-7 and until we're mathematically guaranteed a winning season, I wont feel comfortable. Hopefully management wont be scared to make a trade at midseason if we're still relevant.

by nittany lion on Apr 21, 2007 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

re:

If they make a trade to try to win something, fine. If they make a trade to try to win 82 games and it's something risky or just plain stupid (not a stretch for these guys), then I don't see the point. 82 and 78 are really the same number of wins and I can get equally excited for 2008 either way.

Catcher Paul Bako - for unclear reasons - seems to be a frequent target.

by SC on Apr 21, 2007 5:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

absolutely right

SC has then one down cold. The Orioles can't do anything stupid. Even if they win 91-92, they are out of the playoffs so in a way, winning 91 is as good as winning 78. It makes absolutely no sense to go out and trade somebody like Erbe, Beato, Liz, Reimold, Snyder, or Rowell just to help us win enough games to still not make the playoffs.

The thing is that this team can win now. The Yankees could be in disarray and no matter who we trade for, Boston will be hard to catch, but this team can win games the way it's set up right now.

Freakin' A let's get these guys!

by Baseball Savant on Apr 21, 2007 9:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

91-92 is close to a wild card

It's not a lock every year that the AL east division winner wins 100 games, or that the wild-card winner wins high 90s. With competition in the AL Beast more balanced, teams are going to beat each other up. Look at how craptacular the Yankees are right now. No one is going to run away with this division as they have in the past few years. I'd be surprised if anyone wins 100 games in the AL this year in general.

Boston clearly has the lock on running away if anyone does, but they are bound to run into injury issues with wakefield and schilling sooner or later, and they still don't have a solid bullpen.

Or, to put it a different way: in three of the last four years, the WC winner had 95 victories. That's a .586 winning percentage. Currently the O's have a .588 winning percentage.

I'm just sayin'.....

by zknower on Apr 22, 2007 10:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

BOS

They have the No. 1 bullpen ERA in the AL. We're second! Or last I checked that was the order.

Catcher Paul Bako - for unclear reasons - seems to be a frequent target.

by SC on Apr 22, 2007 2:17 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

really?

i admit i didn't check. i thought they had a bunch of guys with ERAs over 4.

by zknower on Apr 22, 2007 11:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I feel like they haven't been used much

With the exception of Papelbon. Their starters have been going much deeper in games than ours, that's for sure.

Everyone fits in a skillet.

by 2632 on Apr 23, 2007 7:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah but ...

If we are contending at the deadline I would like to see the team try to acquire a power bat. Just being involved in a pennant race would be great for the organization, and if were in contention we have to do our best to stay in the race. I'm not saying to trade Rowell or Erbe but if an opportunity presents itself to improve the team we need to take it. If we dont make the playoffs, sow what? When you havent been involved in a pennant race since 1997 91 wins is much different than 78.

by nittany lion on Apr 22, 2007 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

eh

That's all perception, though I'm not saying 91 isn't drastically different than 78, because it is. But 85 wins or so against 78? They could make the same move forward the next season off of either.

Catcher Paul Bako - for unclear reasons - seems to be a frequent target.

by SC on Apr 22, 2007 4:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

perception

"That's all perception, though I'm not saying 91 isn't drastically different than 78, because it is."

Unfortunately, perception can be important. It'll help attract free agents here. It may lead current players to sign extensions on a home town discount. It helps at the gates which aids the payroll. If the O's are within striking distance come July, I'm sure the O's will trade for a bat assuming Angeles doesn't nix a deal. I doubt they'll give up a Erbe or Rowell but everybody else is tradeable.

by birdman on Apr 22, 2007 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

the way i see it...

the season is already 10% over.

hell, that means we only have to do what we just did 9 more times!

and if you look at it from a glass overflowing perspective, we've already faced 2 cellar-dwellars, 3 playoff teams, and the 2nd place team from the east last year and we are 2 games over .500. not too shabby.

by daveh873 on Apr 21, 2007 5:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

this team is damn fun so far

I don't just mean the watching of games, though that has been a much better experience than last year's mess or the 2005 collapse or, well, most of the other teams since '97. This team has character and hope and even has me rooting for Base Knock Bako, something I could never do with Geronimo Gil. They're a team worth rooting for because they seem like they're trying, which has been an issue with recent O's teams, as we all know.

Catcher Paul Bako - for unclear reasons - seems to be a frequent target.

by SC on Apr 21, 2007 5:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Completely agree

I'm feeling this comment. This Orioles team is fun to root for. I'm excited to root for guys like Millar, Walker, Bradford, Bedard, Cabrera and even guys that have been horrible like Gibbons and Huff so far. I think it's hard not to root for a guy like Scott Williamson and it's hard not to root for a guy like Corey Patterson who really does have talent who got sort of screwed over in Chicago. Markakis & Loewen are great young guys to root for and B-Rob is our little scrappy hustler!

Also, how can anyone not be pulling for Parrish! We're 10-7 now! Let's sweep the damn Blue Jays!

by Baseball Savant on Apr 21, 2007 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs