I've been waiting for an article like this...

I was never worried about their run differential b/c I actually watch them play the games and it's just different. All season long I've heard "by the All-Star break, they'll be under .500" and "they'll never last long" and "they are just a two month special"

Well after an exciting comeback win last night, this article was written on ESPN and I knew if the Orioles kept it up, this type of article was going to be published.

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/27782/extra-lets-talk-about-the-orioles

What does it matter if you win 90 of your games by an average of 1 run and lose 72 of your games by an average of 3 runs?

To me what this screams is that the Orioles have great clutch hitting and a great bullpen and our starting pitching BLOWS. The only nights I'm not thinking about popping some Pepto is the night Chen or Hammel (on the DL) are on the mound and even they have rocky games.

I'm still fuming about the Orioles not trading to get a front line starter after 14 consecutive losing seasons and a legitimate shot at the playoffs. To me the only untouchable is Bundy, everyone else was fair game. Yes I would've traded Machado for a Cliff Lee, Josh Johnson, or Zack Greinke. A perfect trade would've been Machado, Arrieta, and a couple low level prospects for Hanley and JJ. I don't care if it's a one game playoff or not, the city of Baltimore needs this hope. And whose to say we won't win that one game playoff?

Anyway, it won't be a shocker if they don't make it. But I'm a believer now after so many incredible games (they all look humdrum to you in the box scores but any O's fan that watches the games knows what I'm talking about). I'm a realist, I know it's highly possible they don't make the playoffs. But they deserve some credit and Showalter is the front runner for manager of the year, IMO.

lol "clutch".

Hallsgator said:

lol "clutch".

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Why don't you share your knowledge and prove me wrong that they aren't clutch? Seriously, throw your stats at me. I got mine ready. Or are you just a waste of time?

markakis8 said:

Why don't you share your knowledge and prove me wrong that they aren't clutch? Seriously, throw your stats at me. I got mine ready. Or are you just a waste of time?

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Pine Tar said:

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You got nothing Richard. Seriously...I see nothing.

markakis8 said:

You got nothing Richard. Seriously...I see nothing.

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It seemed to not work for a few minutes.

As for the article, there is always someone that catches a wave and rides it every year in baseball. Since it is August and some of the top teams seem to be tried and other of the top teams seem to be putting it into over drive. But in the orioles case, they could be making a legitimate run for the payoffs, and having 2 wild cards this seao could surely help them.

Pine Tar said:

It seemed to not work for a few minutes.

As for the article, there is always someone that catches a wave and rides it every year in baseball. Since it is August and some of the top teams seem to be tried and other of the top teams seem to be putting it into over drive. But in the orioles case, they could be making a legitimate run for the payoffs, and having 2 wild cards this seao could surely help them.

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I agree, like I said, it's still highly possible they don't make the playoffs. I realize - with the team they have - their chances are slim. I honestly think with 2 more decent SP we would get in.

To this point, it's been their bullpen and late heroics that have kept them in it. I'm not sure how long those two will hold up. But you never know.

I think Schoenfield did a good job balancing the arguments in his article. The fact that only 4 teams in the history of baseball have made the playoffs while being outscored is a strong indicator that run differential is a key component in determining the overall strength of a team. However, success in one-run games (Baltimore is 22-6!) can overcome a poor run-differential over a certain sample size of games played. Strong bullpen + "timely"/"clutch"/"lucky" hits in key spots = competitive team.

markakis8 said:

Why don't you share your knowledge and prove me wrong that they aren't clutch? Seriously, throw your stats at me. I got mine ready. Or are you just a waste of time?

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You go from 0 to flame in no time flat.

markakis8 said:

But they deserve some credit and Showalter is the front runner for manager of the year, IMO.

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That would be Robin Ventura at this point.

30 games remaining against teams still in the wild card race and 14 against teams that lead the division. With only the Royals and Mariner sprinkled in between that are occasionally decent (Mariners did put a 20 spot up again the Rangers) All this against a team that was 500 in June and below 500 in July. The team needs to be more than average if they want to pull this off especially since every other team is still improving.

I manage a pokerroom in a casino from 2am-10am (meaning I watch repeated episodes of sportscenter and quick pitch). One of them last night showed that the O's 22-6 in one run games is the best win pct in history... think that's pretty "clutch" Hope they keep it up, they are a fun team.

cgilmo said:

You go from 0 to flame in no time flat.

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With certain people, that's key Chris. I read a lot on these forums and I can gauge most of the time what one means going off their previous posts.

Frow said:

That would be Robin Ventura at this point.

30 games remaining against teams still in the wild card race and 14 against teams that lead the division. With only the Royals and Mariner sprinkled in between that are occasionally decent (Mariners did put a 20 spot up again the Rangers) All this against a team that was 500 in June and below 500 in July. The team needs to be more than average if they want to pull this off especially since every other team is still improving.

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Ventura is in the discussion, sure. But don't you think a manager of a team expected to finish in the basement would get more recognition than a manager of a team expected to compete for a division title?

I will agree though, Ventura is in the discussion as is Bob Melvin.

bigbov said:

I manage a pokerroom in a casino from 2am-10am (meaning I watch repeated episodes of sportscenter and quick pitch). One of them last night showed that the O's 22-6 in one run games is the best win pct in history... think that's pretty "clutch" Hope they keep it up, they are a fun team.

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12 straight extra inning wins! I wonder what the record is.

markakis8 said:

Ventura is in the discussion, sure. But don't you think a manager of a team expected to finish in the basement would get more recognition than a manager of a team expected to compete for a division title?

I will agree though, Ventura is in the discussion as is Bob Melvin.

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As is Clint Hurdle

alifaxwa2 said:

As is Clint Hurdle

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He's NL though

Orioles definitely deserve credit this year, it good (and makes sense) that people are noticing.

markakis8 said:

With certain people, that's key Chris. I read a lot on these forums and I can gauge most of the time what one means going off their previous posts.

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how bout you leave stuff in other threads in other threads.

It becomes a problem if you can't do that as you muck up every thread you fight in. It's getting old really fast. See how I just ruined your thread?

markakis8 said:

Ventura is in the discussion, sure. But don't you think a manager of a team expected to finish in the basement would get more recognition than a manager of a team expected to compete for a division title?

I will agree though, Ventura is in the discussion as is Bob Melvin.

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If that were the case then I may agree, but it's not. Ventura was hired with absolutely no managing experience and then hired some other coaches with even less and has what some consider the best coaching staff around.. He took a team that finished third in one of the worst leagues in the AL. Has a bullpen that at one point every player or almost every player was in their rookie season and had several players that either left (Mark Buhrle, Juan Pierre, ect) or were questionable coming into the season (Dunn) and made no major pre-season moves.

Baltimore on the other than has a core group of young players that are ready and able, not to mention made several moves over the off season to pick up additional pitching yet can't get it together in a pitcher's park. This core group comes up against the RedSox who have had more injuries than any other team in baseball and who's pitching staff basically blows at the moment, the aging Yankees who have a questionable staff as well, the banged up Rays, and the whatever the hell the Blue Jays are doing. If they can't succeed in the AL East with how down every other team is in the AL East then how is this manager of the year material?

No to bad for a bunch of former Rangers . And any team that can potentially keep the Angels out of the playoffs I like.
You guys robbed us of Davis and Tommy Hunter (2 of my favorite former Ranges) for craptastic Koji.
I was hoping Davis would get it turned around and glad to see he did add him to the list of All-Star firstbaseman who left Texas.
Teagarden had a nice game winning hit a few weeks ago.
Hunter will hopefully do the same soon, he was cool the 2 times I have gotten to meet him and get an autograph. And he was clutch
for the Rangers for a couple of seasons. I was so ticked when the Rangers dealt him.