Orioles....part 2?

[hutch]

I like all four teams left....Right now I'd probably want KC against SF but the way the teams play will ultimately determine who I'm rooting for because I'm not married to any team....

I think the Orioles have no chance though..

I thought the Cardinals were very fortunate to get the win last night.....but losing Molina...I'd have to say its 80-20 for the Giants to advance...

Royals have completely outplayed the O's in every facet of the game....I don't see how you can't love their defense or players that weren't that impressive during the season feeling no pressure and stepping up big and being clutch.. meanwhile the O's have looked nervous and haven't really played to their potential...What's to love about that?

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

Tell me about it.  They're not at all what any team prepared for.  Decent starting pitching, sure, but not great.  A great bullpen though - no question.  Speed on the bases - sure.  Even a good defensive team, but I didn't think they'd be this good defensively. 

But this power surge?  Completely ruined the thinking of the later innings - get to the 7th and extra innings and you have a pretty good chance of hitting one out before they do and winning the game.  Or so the thought was before, you know, they games were actually played! 

Its almost as though "playoffs" are highly variable, rely on an absurdly small data size while ignoring an astronomically large collection of data points, and is in no way the fairest way to decide a champion in sports!

[hutch]

Tell me about it.  They're not at all what any team prepared for.  Decent starting pitching, sure, but not great.  A great bullpen though - no question.  Speed on the bases - sure.  Even a good defensive team, but I didn't think they'd be this good defensively. 

But this power surge?  Completely ruined the thinking of the later innings - get to the 7th and extra innings and you have a pretty good chance of hitting one out before they do and winning the game.  Or so the thought was before, you know, they games were actually played! 

Its almost as though "playoffs" are highly variable, rely on an absurdly small data size while ignoring an astronomically large collection of data points, and is in no way the fairest way to decide a champion in sports!

Spoken like a true "loser"! just kidding...

The playoffs are about who plays better in the playoffs... that simple....some teams step up and some can't handle it.. some have managers that know how to manage and some have managers that make mistakes the team can't overcome...some get a lucky bounce and some don't....I thinkk playoff baseball is just very different from regular season baseball... that's why Matt Williams seems like such a moron to me "going to continue to do what got us here..." blah blah blah.. so long Matt!

But yeah, for some reason in baseball the playoffs seem more variable and the longer they get the more variable.....but look at the NBA for example... the best teams seem to always make the finals.....

The world's most popular sport, soccer/football, the champion in every country but the US is determined by the regular season performance.whoever gets the most points at the end is the champion...that does seem a bit "fairer"....

[stevewizzle]

How do you not totally love this team, who plays like a true TEAM, has the best stadium in baseball, and really awesome fans.

KC players talking trash and the Orioles respond with class.

I hope they sweep the next 4 games.  F statistics.

this is pure throw-up material.

[K8teebug]

How do you not totally love this team, who plays like a true TEAM, has the best stadium in baseball, and really awesome fans.

KC players talking trash and the Orioles respond with class.

I hope they sweep the next 4 games.  F statistics.

this is pure throw-up material.

I grew up with the Orioles, and never stopped watching and going to games, unlike most now "orioles fans". So, maybe it is throw up material. But, I love baseball, and the Orioles. That's just me

[Got Haggis?]

I don't think the Royals really outplayed the Orioles....just some shitty luck on the O's part mostly.

[Nigel Tufnel]

In case they didn't show it on TV, Citizen Cope sang the National Anthem at Saturday's O's game.

[stevewizzle]

How do you not totally love this team, who plays like a true TEAM, has the best stadium in baseball, and really awesome fans.

KC players talking trash and the Orioles respond with class.

I hope they sweep the next 4 games.  F statistics.

this is pure throw-up material.

I grew up with the Orioles, and never stopped watching and going to games, unlike most now "orioles fans". So, maybe it is throw up material. But, I love baseball, and the Orioles. That's just me

fair enough. the overall fan base lost me when they started to head for the exits after the moose HR. it's playoff baseball, anything can happen.

[Julian, Bespoke SEXPERT]

But yeah, for some reason in baseball the playoffs seem more variable and the longer they get the more variable.....but look at the NBA for example... the best teams seem to always make the finals.....

The world's most popular sport, soccer/football, the champion in every country but the US is determined by the regular season performance.whoever gets the most points at the end is the champion...that does seem a bit "fairer"....

The NFL playoffs are literally the worst. Single-elimination featuring 40% of the teams in the league is absolutely no way to determine "the best football team," unless you have an IQ sub-70. Its indefensible.

As much as I hate soccer, you're absolutely right. You can't argue the best and most deserving team didn't win the title: it takes every data point during the season into account.

[K8teebug]

How do you not totally love this team, who plays like a true TEAM, has the best stadium in baseball, and really awesome fans.

KC players talking trash and the Orioles respond with class.

I hope they sweep the next 4 games.  F statistics.

this is pure throw-up material.

I grew up with the Orioles, and never stopped watching and going to games, unlike most now "orioles fans". So, maybe it is throw up material. But, I love baseball, and the Orioles. That's just me

fair enough. the overall fan base lost me when they started to head for the exits after the moose HR. it's playoff baseball, anything can happen.

I cannot tell you how angry I was and how much I wish Nick Markakis would have hit that ball to make them all sorry they left.

I did yell out "bye fair weathers!"

and was told to go f myself.

[shemptiness]

I don't think the Royals really outplayed the Orioles....just some shitty luck on the O's part mostly.

I mostly agree with this.  The Royals have made more plays and gotten more timely hits.  Were they bloopers, broken bat, seeing-eye hits?  Sure.  But they were also home runs.  They've been slightly better in both games.  Which, by the way, were both tied in the ninth inning. 

So maybe they got on a roll from the wild card game and have just kept the momentum going.  Maybe winning the division isn't all it's cracked up to be.   

[stevewizzle]

How do you not totally love this team, who plays like a true TEAM, has the best stadium in baseball, and really awesome fans.

KC players talking trash and the Orioles respond with class.

I hope they sweep the next 4 games.  F statistics.

this is pure throw-up material.

I grew up with the Orioles, and never stopped watching and going to games, unlike most now "orioles fans". So, maybe it is throw up material. But, I love baseball, and the Orioles. That's just me

fair enough. the overall fan base lost me when they started to head for the exits after the moose HR. it's playoff baseball, anything can happen.

I cannot tell you how angry I was and how much I wish Nick Markakis would have hit that ball to make them all sorry they left.

I did yell out "bye fair weathers!"

and was told to go f myself.

i was rooting for markakis there too, would have been incredible if he tied it up.

never understood the "leave early" mentality.  mid season, meaningless game that's running late and you got to work tomorrow? sure, head out early if you need to. but when fans "stick it" to their team by leaving early in a big game because they've lose hope, it's stupid.

[shemptiness]

No game tonight.

Game 4 is Wednesday at 4 and Game 5 now scheduled for Thursday at 4.

[K8teebug]

And tonight at 8pm.

LET'S GO ORIOLES

(I think I may be the only optimistic fan left)

[James Ford]

Before the series started, I was thinking I'd rather be the team with the three home games in the middle of the series.

To be the series winner, all you would have to do would be to split each of the two game series when you're away, and win the best of three series at home. Hence if you split the whole ALCS into three mini-series, you only have to win ONE of them.

Whereas if you're the team starting at home, you have to win TWO of the three miniseries (unless you sweep on the road, which is the least likely outcome of the three miniseries).

Still, I think the O's have decent shot at coming back and taking two of three in KC to at least return things to Baltimore. Maybe the extra day off will be a momentum stopper for the Royals.