Comments on: Springtime Storylines: Can Dan Duquette lead the Orioles out of the wildnerness?

By: randomdigits

randomdigits — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 17:11:07 +0000

The sad truth is McCourt left the dodgers in a better position then the O’s are right now.

By: Chip Caray's Eyebrows

Chip Caray's Eyebrows — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 14:39:56 +0000

“They could easily also crater, but no one really wants to talk about that Opening Week.”

When I read a sentence like this, it makes me wonder why you’d say the thought that a team could (operative word) be historically bad should be subject to mockery at all. If a team has to maximize every bit of its talent just to be average, I don’t know why it’s so far-fetched to believe it could have equally bad luck and go down as one of the worst ever.

By: wj4122

wj4122 — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 07:55:04 +0000

There was a worst owner and his name was McCourt. But hopefully something will happen that will help restore this historic franchise! My advice get a new owner….but that is easier said then done.

By: randomdigits

randomdigits — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:09:05 +0000

Jake starting opening day is more about matching him up with a not good Twins team and Pavano then it is about being team “ace”. Buck would rather give him an easier first start and pitch the other guys against the Yankees.

Same level of health a #1 gets maybe 2 more starts then a #4.

By: randomdigits

randomdigits — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:05:29 +0000

His sons are supposed to be even worse.

By: DJ MC

DJ MC — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:24:51 +0000

That depends on your definition of competitive. This team can easily end the season with 74-75 wins and enough answers to questions to make offseason moves with the goal of fielding a contender next season. They could also finish in the mid-60s and be ready to sell off everyone but Wieters and start again. But at least there’s a better chance of the former result than the latter this season than in past years.

By: DJ MC

DJ MC — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:17:49 +0000

No. Peter Angelos is a terrible owner of a baseball team. Donald Sterling is a terrible human being who is also a terrible owner.

There is a huge difference.

By: going4iton4th

going4iton4th — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 21:53:26 +0000

I’ll just echo everyone’s opinion on here and throw in how much you have to feel for Orioles fans. I mean They are excellent and loyal fans—Peter Angelos makes Donald Sterling look like Jerry Buss. When was the last time the Oriole farm system produced a good top of the rotation starter?

By: APBA Guy

APBA Guy — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 20:16:41 +0000

I have to disagree with you thinman. There is NO hope as long as Angelos is the owner.

By: DJ MC

DJ MC — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 19:55:26 +0000

Yes. To the point of open mockery.

The Orioles saw their worst-case scenario last season with the pitching, but managed to have a league-average offense despite missing Luke Scott and Brian Roberts for most of the season and getting nothing from Vlad Guerrero and Derrek Lee. They won 69 games.

To be historically bad (say, 105 losses or more) they would need a second complete failure from the pitching staff and a complete failure from the offense. Essentially, the 2001 club (which was 13th in runs scored and ninth in runs allowed and lost 63 games), only worse.

The pitching on this team isn’t going to be as bad as seems on the surface. Arrieta had a better spring than his ERA suggests. Matusz can be bad and still better than last year (and he looks like he’s on his way back to his 2010 level, at least). Chen and Wada are unknowns in America with really good numbers in Japan. Hammel is another Guthrie. Hunter is talented and appears to be at worst an innings-eater. Even Chris Tillman will be waiting in AAA looking like he has turned the corner back into a prospect.

This group certainly won’t be great, but they can be average as a group with some breakout performances. They could easily also crater, but no one really wants to talk about that Opening Week.

By: Chip Caray's Eyebrows

Chip Caray's Eyebrows — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:55:54 +0000

Would I be overdramatic to assert this team could be historically bad?

By: bmoreballers

bmoreballers — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:37:19 +0000

Manny machado Isn’t as good as this post makes him out to be

By: baseballisboring

baseballisboring — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:13:57 +0000

According to him, it’s he day he dies…ugh

By: Loose Changeup

Loose Changeup — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:12:05 +0000

Not one mention of Brian Roberts shooting for “Comeback Player of the Year.”

Your argument is invalid.

By: drewsylvania

drewsylvania — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:49:08 +0000

That’s a lot of ifs. The team might be competitive in, say, the NL Central, but not in the AL East.

By: rockthered1286

rockthered1286 — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:36:22 +0000

So we’re going to declare that Angelos is impatient? Seriously? Not the fact that he’s indecisive, takes zero initiative in FA or hiring new personel (waited until weeks into FA to bring Duquette on board) refuses to even consider upgrading any position on this team, and quite frankly is stuck in the 1990′s payscale mentality where’s he refuses to do anything but low ball offers to players so that he can say to the O’s fans “see? I tried!” If there is ONE issue with this team is Angelos. He is by far the most hated man in the Baltimore area. I truly don’t believe there is a single person in this area who can even tolerate Angelos. Hell, even the homeless around the stadium with their change cups hate him as they continue to see contributions decrease with the drop in attendance.

That being said, I love what Weiters is becoming, Jones still has upside to grow, Markakis is make or break this year, Reynolds will be better this year no doubt (lost weight and last year was an outlier in his poor D) and with a healthier Arrieta and Matusz, I’m thinking we’ll be right around last years numbers, if not a few games above it. There’s a lot more fight in this team than years past, and I think it’ll show.

By: drewsylvania

drewsylvania — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:31:54 +0000

Actually, Angelos has had no problem spending in the past. It’s who he spends on that’s the problem.

By: dowhatifeellike

dowhatifeellike — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 17:19:10 +0000

Duquette will have the freedom to do whatever he wants, as long as it doesn’t cost more. So, nothing.

By: drewsylvania

drewsylvania — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:57:00 +0000

Even if it were possible for Dan Duquette to lead this team out of the wilderness, Angelos wouldn’t let him.

By: Baseball Beer Burritos In That Order

Baseball Beer Burritos In That Order — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:53:19 +0000

Is Dan Duquette filing paperwork with the league office to get them out of the AL East? If so, maybe.

By: mybrunoblog

mybrunoblog — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:49:49 +0000

Peter Angelo’s has single handedly destroyed the Orioles franchise. IS there a worse owner in baseball? O’s fans just need to wait for the day he unloads the team.

By: thinman61

thinman61 — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:49:40 +0000

Not much hope for the Orioles as long as Angelos is the owner.

By: Old Gator

Old Gator — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 16:40:19 +0000

No.

But having said that, let me put in a plug for the new Cowboy Junkies CD, The Wilderness, out of which there is no sustainable aesthetic reason to want to be led.