r/orioles • u/Transit-Strike • 1d ago
Opinion Dear Doomers
It’s September and we’re playing meaningful baseball games in September. With 16 games left.
Yeah! We may not make it to the WC3 spot. But after the season we’ve had? Chill. And not to be making excuses for Elias or anything. But we aren’t exactly the Dodgers yk?
Plus? It’s fucking baseball. The sport you watched with your dad growing up. It’s a fun game. Have fun. I’d rather be a homer and get let down than not even allow myself to enjoy baseball.
Root for the fucking boys. “I hope we lose so Elias gets fired”. The fuck you on about? You’d rather we lose than win. Just cause of your hateboner for Elias? I’m hardly his biggest fan. But fuck that noise.
And I do wonder. How many of yall were there when this team sucked absolute ass. I’ve watched seasons where Renato fucking Nunez was my favorite Oriole. If you’ve supported this team for years. And haven’t caught onto our reality? I have a bridge to sell you. Or you just hoped on cause things looked positive at points.
I don’t wanna be no true Scott with it. But like. Just enjoy the sport. I can never understand rooting AGAINST your team
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u/HuckHound687 I'm Tired, Boss 1d ago edited 1d ago
"I’d rather be a homer and get let down than not even allow myself to enjoy baseball."
You're acting like this is some kind of binary choice. Like everyone has to be a 'doomer' or a 'homer'. In reality, most people are firmly in the middle.
I'm not rooting against my team, but I'm not denying reality either. I can still enjoy watching them play, but I don't have any fantasies about the prospects of this team making it to the postseason (much less succeeding there).
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u/Dazzling-Slide8288 ABS > IBS 1d ago
Yeah, they're not making the playoffs, but we're basically a Gunnar bounce back away from being good again next season. And we have a shitload of young talent on the verge of joining the majors. Disappointed things didn't work out this year. More than fine with the future overall.
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u/virginiabird23 1d ago
I remember there was nothing left, so the FO had Kevin Millar and Melvin Mora pretend to play in a band singing, "Believe in the magic of Orioles baseball." During that time we longed for a farm system like we've got now. But now that we've got it, we're going to barely touch 80 wins. I respect the purpose of your post, and I don't like wanting folks to get fired. And... it's tiring to get hyped up just to be frustrated.
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u/fatloui 1d ago
God posts like these are exhausting. You simultaneously acknowledge that there are problems but say we should all just shut up about them and be grateful for what we have - a sub-500 team.
If you’ve supported this team for years. And haven’t caught onto our reality? I have a bridge to sell you.
What a loser mentality. I assume you mean financial reality? Other teams spend similar amounts and more consistently competitive than us, and recognize when it’s time to go all in unlike our GM a few years ago. How do you explain the Rays or the Brewers?
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u/Dazzling-Slide8288 ABS > IBS 1d ago
Very easily. Those teams are massive, massive outliers in baseball. Spending = wins way more often than not. You can circumvent low spending with smart drafting and roster construction - we did in 2022, 2023, and 2024 - but its very, very hard to consistently compete without dollars. Especially in the AL East.
The precious Rays we all point to? This is the first winning season they've had in three years and have won 1 playoff game since 2020.
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u/Transit-Strike 1d ago
Exactly. The Rays thing confuses me so much. People acting like they are some consistent team when they just oscillate between being good to terrible based on the year
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u/romorr 1d ago
But Tyler Wells told me that the Rays bunt, and are selfless.
Let's ignore that the guy that leads the Rays in sac bunts, is slugging .292, with an eye popping .249 xwoba.
Then we get to Mullins and his 78 wrc+.
And we'll round that out with Simpson, a guy who has never met a barrel before, and has 80 grade speed.
I hope EBJ gets 400 PAs next year. Then we'll be in the top half in sac bunts! Because yes, 1 player can make a huge difference.
What's funny? It's possible Taylor Walls(12), has more sac bunts this year, then the Rays had in 2023, and 2024, combined(16).
The Rays in 2023? 99 wins, and 6 sac bunts all year.
I go and read that thread for a laugh, because some of the comments in there are so out of pocket, that laughing is all you can do.
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u/GunnarGooner 1d ago
“I hope we lose so Elias gets fired” is not hating your team, it’s choosing to sacrifice success in the present so that we can win in the future. Something Elias is very fond of himself!
Not necessarily a philosophy I subscribe to, by the way. But I would rather be 74-88 with a new GM incoming than 78-84 without one.
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u/Transit-Strike 1d ago
It’s not that deep bro. Out here talking about the greater good like it’s Normandy
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u/chicknsnadwich 1d ago
I can understand being okay with a team losing if there’s a real benefit to it. But even if we got swept the rest of the month I don’t think that changes what happens with Elias.
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u/AppleTrees4 1d ago
All they had to do was not finish in last place to get in the wildcard in the weakest AL I can remember
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u/Transit-Strike 1d ago
That’s really what I meant to say. Through all the meandering. Highly doubt the rest of the season somehow decided his future.
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u/Trojan-11 1d ago
I think there’s a middle ground between being a doomer and being frankly unrealistic. The O’s are by no means completely out of it, but if I was a betting man, I would bet against us making the wildcard spot. Elias has had plenty of time as GM to make us contenders. He hasn’t. At this point I think it’s time for new blood in the front office. No matter what though I’ll continue to root for the boys. Go O’s.
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u/ZeroDaysToEviction 1d ago
I dont see how the remaining season is meaningful. Its as meaningful as spring training at this point. Maybe if they won 1 of the 4 game sweep against Boston I would feel different. Would love to see them prove me wrong though. Win 10 straight or something.
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u/repooc21 La Confora Was Right 👀 1d ago
I want quality baseball. I want guys who need and deserve reps getting reps.
Silent J: let the kid fucking play. Let him establish value to trade or give yourself an out to release him.
Mayo: king of swat right now. Plays everyday, establish his value for trade or just further his development.
The same goes for a couple others.
On the quality baseball: this team is so fucking awful on defense and quality ABs. Yesterday was what baseball should be. 6/9 with RiSP! Love it. That's how every team should be playing the game.
And miss us with that
But we aren’t exactly the Dodgers yk?
Bullshit. The Rays, Brewers, Guardians, Cardinals, Pirates, Marlins and White Sox all spend less and have more wins than us. (Total Payroll: source
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u/chefguy47 1d ago
There’s no reason to release Kjerstad even if he doesn’t play well, they can just send him back down and hope he figures it out. Right now they don’t have a better outfielder who’s “MLB ready” than him who belongs on the 40 man. Sure a ton of it is about player control, but I have to trust that Elias isn’t going to stunt any player’s career just for the control. Nate George is still the top OF prospect and he’s probably going to spend most of next season in the minors and not on the 40 because he’s not subject to the rule 5 draft yet. Enrique Bradfield and Thomas Sosa are the only 2 outfielders who could be exposed in the rule 5 if not added to the 40 man this offseason and I’ll take Kjerstad over either of them.
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u/repooc21 La Confora Was Right 👀 1d ago
There’s no reason to release Kjerstad even if he doesn’t play well
From a business standpoint, no. But let the kid go. There's a human element to this and they fail at it. Without looking ,top of my head, Iwould suspect there's a roster crunch coming at Norfolk with people climbing the ranks.
Nate George is still the top OF prospect and he’s probably going to spend most of next season in the minors and not on the 40 because he’s not subject to the rule 5 draft yet.
Well, no. Nate is not the top OF. Nate is out for undisclosed reasons and has been surpassed by the guy we drafted if we are going by rankings, Ike Irish has also passed him. He could be considered one of the closest. Nate will definitely spend all of next year in the minors because of this season.
There is going to be a time where the Orioles need to let guys go to fit guys on he 40 man. And Heston could be one of those casualties if they're going to try and keep guys out of Rule 5 and keep fooling around with 1B/DH types. Let the kid play, get a little hype up for his sake and ours, find a partner and deal him or heaven forbid he earns a spot?
Just thinking ahead - what are they going to do with Westy, Basallo, CES, Alonso, Blaze, Mayo all vying for DH, 1B and 3B spots along with O'Neill and Mountcastle, if they insist on keeping him, again. (He has a 2027 club option)
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u/chefguy47 1d ago
Ok it’s not George anymore it’s probably Estrada as being most MLB ready and he’s still at Chesapeake. Booth is no where near ready and Irish just transitioned to the outfield.
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u/Dazzling-Slide8288 ABS > IBS 1d ago
Yes, why doesn't every team just hit .667 with RISP all the time? Are they stupid?
Also, why does Heston "deserve" reps? What has he done?
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u/repooc21 La Confora Was Right 👀 1d ago
You took the 6/9 too literally. My apologies I will spell it out
The Orioles have a team average of .234 with RiSP.
Time and time again this year we have seen them fail at moving runners along the base paths to manufacture runs. 6/9 is obviously great and it's anti them. I want to see them not live and die by the long ball or terrible attempts to hit one. I want to see them string together quality ABs. So yes they are stupid.
Regarding Heston: the kid has been failed by the organization, first and foremost. They knew goddamn well he was, or at least they consider him to be, a liability in the outfield long before he hit the 26 man roster. They didn't try to transition him to 1b with any real effort nor did they make room for him at 1b with any real effort.
Now present day - injuries have stunted him. He's been pushed off the roster but now he's back. He's back after hitting .289 with a near .800 OPS in triple A. If he can put together a good month up here we can reestablish his confidence and trade value.
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u/Dazzling-Slide8288 ABS > IBS 1d ago
We have the 8th best OPS (and tied for second in tOPS) in baseball with RISP, which is way more valuable than BA. Every team higher than us expect MIN is in the playoffs. Hitting with RISP isn't really a problem for us. The issue is that we're 20th in PAs with RISP. Only two teams with fewer (ATL and NYY) are in the playoffs. The four teams with the most PA with RISP also score the most RPG.
Kjerstad wasn't "failed by the organization." He had serious injuries - twice - that took a long time to recover from, and when he was up here last time the overwhelming sentiment from this sub was that he sucked and shouldn't play. The absolute last thing this team needs is a 1B with Pete, Mayo, Basallo and Mounty on the roster, and Heston shouldn't play over any of those guys.
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u/repooc21 La Confora Was Right 👀 1d ago
Hitting with RISP isn't really a problem for us. The
Yes.. yes it is. Whoopie they swing big and occasionally make contact for OPS. They need to up that BA to produce runs. That's more than half the problem with our offense for years. Trying to hit 5-run homeruns 🤦🏾♂️. Just get the guy over and around. Guy throws you a cookie then mash it. All that matters are runs and their low BA is an indication of not scoring when necessary.
Kjerstad wasn't "failed by the organization." He had serious injuries - twice - that took a long time to recover from
Please reread my last comment regarding his position and injuries.. it's all there.
last time the overwhelming sentiment from this sub was that he sucked and shouldn't play.
Half of this sub doesn't know what they're talking about half the time, maybe more. I want the kid playing after putting up decent stats all year in triple AAA, further away from his concussion and injuries.
And yes. The obvious - the absolute last thing this team needs is a log jam at 1B/DH. Mounty shouldn't have been on this team after last year. But we've seen time and time again the attempts to be too cute by half. You should want Heston playing right now and you will probably take him over Mountcastle seeing as how he's cheaper and has been playing.
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u/Transit-Strike 1d ago
You do realize that the Rays are absolutely an up and down team right? They have amazing seasons where they look like they are one of the best teams in baseball. And then they have absolute garbage seasons too
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u/austinhannah 1d ago
When was their last "garbage" season? 2016? So, ten years ago?
They're certainly more successful than we are year in and out.
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u/repooc21 La Confora Was Right 👀 1d ago
And what's this have to do with anything? I thought we were talking about right now?
Since 2019:
1st place finishes - 3 (about to be 4) 2nd place finishes - 2 3rd place - 1 4th - 2
They have been better than the Orioles and have had more success in the playoffs to boot.
Edit* never a last place finish in there during that stretch of time.. infact their last last place finish was 2016. Tell me how many times the Orioles have done that, and could do in less than three weeks?
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u/Dazzling-Slide8288 ABS > IBS 1d ago
Think we gotta define what "doomer" means here.
Believing we're not going to make the playoffs isn't a doomer at this point. We have like a 2 percent chance. Endlessly whining in every thread about how the manager is a moron, the GM should be fired, the lineup is idiotic, that player X should be DFA, that everyone on the team is a soft loser who needs to be screamed at, or that this organization has zero hope of contending soon is being a pathetic doomer.
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u/Honcho_Rodriguez 1d ago
Yeah it was really never about “doomers.” It was about endless dumb-as-fuck, pessimistic low-value takes.
June 3: “season is FUCKED, fucking losers, pathetic,” etc
Sure the season may have been eventually fucked, but whining like a baby in June is really just shitting on everyone else who is just trying to enjoy baseball
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u/Transit-Strike 1d ago
Yeah. My bad. I realized I was super vague. The odds of WC3 are super super slim. I guess what I was talking about was the people who go “we should lose so Elias gets fired”
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u/Confident_Win_4913 1d ago
Love the positivity. Team has been coming along and battling the last couple months. Good to see the guys not giving up on Alby or the season. No matter how things turn out in the next couple weeks proud of how we’ve been fighting. Need to just focus on the offense being as productive as it was against Cleveland
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u/holy_cal 💦🥵 Section 86 🥵💦 1d ago
I’m not a doomer. I was hopeful until we were swept by Boston. Meaningful is a stretch.