Balt/Wash Baseball Thread...O's and Nats!!

[rockin'.baltimorean]

despite the outcome, it was still a wonderful season, guys...

....but I gotta' ask. I have to. How in the hell did you guys blow a 6-0 lead???

[Gsol]

I am proud of the Oriole's, they had a great season. They did better than anyone's wildest imagination. It will only get better. Looking forward to next season. For now Go Ravens.

[Balmurfan]

What a heck of a season, and one the team and fans should be extremely proud of! 2013... The year of the Oriole!

[yamota]

Well, that certainly was a hearbreaking way to end the season...but in any case, we went further than anyone ever expected, National League east champions *and* the best record in the league! NL rookie of the year, NL Manager of the year and Gio came this close to getting the Cy Young! Next year a new title perhaps? Dare I say? (Dare! Dare!) World Series Champions??...How much longer till spring training?

[hpal3]

Rest in peace Earl Weaver. He died at age 82.

[hpal3]

BALTIMORE (AP)
Earl Weaver, the fiery Hall of Fame manager who won 1,480 games with the Baltimore Orioles seemingly was engaged in nearly as many arguments with umpires, has died. He was 82.

Dick Gordon, Weaver's marketing agent, said Saturday that Weaver died while on a Caribbean cruise sponsored by the Orioles. Gordon said Weaver's wife told him that Weaver went back to his cabin after dinner and began choking between 10:30 and 11 Friday night. Gordon said a cause of death has not been determined.

The Duke of Earl, as he was affectionately known in Baltimore, took the Orioles into the World Series four times over 17 seasons but won only one title, in 1970. His .583 winning percentage ranks fifth among managers who served 10 or more seasons in the 20th century.

''Earl Weaver stands alone as the greatest manager in the history of the Orioles organization and one of the greatest in the history of baseball,'' Orioles owner Peter Angelos said. ''This is a sad day for everyone who knew him and for all Orioles fans. Earl made his passion for the Orioles known both on and off the field. On behalf of the Orioles, I extend my condolences to his wife, Marianna, and to his family.''

Weaver was a salty-tongued manager who preferred to wait for a three-run homer rather than manufacture a run with a stolen base or a bunt. While some baseball purists argued that strategy, no one could dispute the results.

''He was an intense competitor and smart as a whip when it comes to figuring out ways to beat you,'' said Davey Johnson, who played under Weaver in the minor leagues and with the Orioles from 1965 to 1972.

more: http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/E...Orioles-011913

[rockin'.baltimorean]

r.i.p. Earl.....

[micrip]

It was wonderful that Earl lived to see his statue unvieled in what is now our "Monument Park". I think our current manager, Buck Showalter, will carry on in the Weaver tradition. The torch has been passed...

[yamota]

Nah, no pressure, no pressure at all

[rockin'.baltimorean]

wow!! World Series??? And you say NO pressure?? Yeah right!!!!........lol

[pepperjack]

Good thing SI isn't really known for jinxing anyone...

[micrip]

....well, they did say there would be a parade in Baltimore, just before the Super Bowl. The jinx is a bit overrated. I think the legend got started way back in the '50's when a skier was on the cover and was badly injured the next week.

[Gsol]

A few weeks ago "Sports Illustrated" picked the Os for last. Today the NY Times sports reporters put the Os second and in the playoffs. They pick the Yanks for last. I am bullish on the Os this season, I go along with the Times' thinking.

[micrip]

Sports Illustrated has the O's finishing 4th, with an 82-80 record. The Sun's prediction (really the Tribune Co's consensus) has them 2nd, with the caveat that any team in the division could finish first except the Red Sox. Guess we will have to play the games to find out!

There is a compelling home and home series with the Nats coming up in June. Bet there won't be a ticket to be had by then!

Now for our preseason predictions. I'm going to go out on a limb and say they will finish with an identical record (93-69) to last year, or something close to it. Might be good enough for first place...might not.

[rockin'.baltimorean]

Originally Posted by Gsol

A few weeks ago "Sports Illustrated" picked the Os for last. Today the NY Times sports reporters put the Os second and in the playoffs. They pick the Yanks for last. I am bullish on the Os this season, I go along with the Times' thinking.

NY Times picked the Yankees to come in last?? Wow, shocking....

Well fellas, it's that time of year again, and our normal routine is when we've picked the O's to do well, the totally bomb & finish in the cellar, and when we pick them to do horrible (last year), we shock the world by finishing in 2nd & making the playoffs.

So, with that being said, I'm picking us to finish dead last (hopin' for a World Series visit......lol).

[Gsol]

I am going with the Os repeating last year's record 93-69. If anything their starting pitching should improve over last year, bullpen looks about the same. Hitting might improve, although I miss Reynolds, he struck out a lot, but, I believe, he had the highest RBI and played great at 1st base. I am not sure about Davis at at that position. So long as Roberts and Reimhold stay heathy we should do well hitting the ball. I am also concerned about fielding, the Os make to many errors, need to shore that up.

[pepperjack]

I think a lot of the error trouble was from the situation at 3rd. With Machado, they became a much better fielding team. Plus Hardy, Jones, Markakis, Roberts or whoever at 2nd should be a very solid group. First will probably be an issue, but who knows. Reynolds figured it out, maybe Davis can as well.

[micrip]

Those who criticized management for not making splashy signings are overlooking something: Roberts and Reimold are essentially additions to the team as they hardly played at all last year. Machado and McClouth were very late additions. If Duquette had signed these four as free agents before this season, people would be singing his praises.

Sometimes the answers lie closer to home. If those four all have solid seasons, the team will be much improved.

[rockin'.baltimorean]

great point. I really hope Roberts & Reimold can stay healthy this year..

[pfd103]

Originally Posted by micrip

Those who criticized management for not making splashy signings are overlooking something: Roberts and Reimold are essentially additions to the team as they hardly played at all last year. Machado and McClouth were very late additions. If Duquette had signed these four as free agents before this season, people would be singing his praises.

Sometimes the answers lie closer to home. If those four all have solid seasons, the team will be much improved.

Don't forget that Markakis was also hurt for last part of the season.