Which team is the biggest surprse?

[rdnk]

Re: Which team is the biggest surprse?

Baltimore I thought would be better, but not this good.

I also expected Oakland and Houston to be complete garbage, and they haven't really been that bad, at least compared to the Twins.

[lonewolf371]

Re: Which team is the biggest surprse?

I thought the Orioles annually had a small period at the beginning of the season where they look like they might be competitive before spectacularly falling apart.

[wwharton]

Re: Which team is the biggest surprse?

I thought the Orioles annually had a small period at the beginning of the season where they look like they might be competitive before spectacularly falling apart.

They do but it doesn't usually last this long.

And the fall off usually includes injuries to key areas but they came into the season already like that, with Roberts still out, Britton still out, Matsuz still not showing life after his issues last year. And now lesser guys like Reimolds and Lindstrom are hurt and were off to great starts. It's pretty amazing they're still winning like this. Gotta give Buck some credit.

[lonewolf371]

Re: Which team is the biggest surprse?

They do but it doesn't usually last this long.

And the fall off usually includes injuries to key areas but they came into the season already like that, with Roberts still out, Britton still out, Matsuz still not showing life after his issues last year. And now lesser guys like Reimolds and Lindstrom are hurt and were off to great starts. It's pretty amazing they're still winning like this. Gotta give Buck some credit.

Ah so they're trying to be the 2011 Indians this year (i.e. color me skeptic that it lasts).

[wwharton]

Re: Which team is the biggest surprse?

Ah so they're trying to be the 2011 Indians this year (i.e. color me skeptic that it lasts).

Man, the last 15 years should be enough to make you skeptical of it lasting, lol.

My best case scenario (and something I actually believe more now) is that they're more like the Rays the year before they went to the Series. Young guys showed flashes of their potential and getting a taste of how it feels to be winning even though they couldn't hold it together for an entire season. The next year (and really ever since then) they are a legit contender expected to be in the hunt, and the organization has a winning mentality.

The biggest difference between now and 2005 is that there wasn't a feeling of that leading into anything in the future. This year, this is happening on the backs of young guys that seem to be approaching their potential.

[terpinheelland]

Re: Which team is the biggest surprse?

I remember all was good in 2005 until Palmeiro got caught for steroids, then the wheels just fell off after that and never came back on until now.

There were flashes like the end of last season but this year does feel different if they can get healthy it could get more interesting. Man there are a lot of guys on the DL this year for everybody, maybe it's just me though.

[cavhokie017899]

Re: Which team is the biggest surprse?

The O's may eventually fall back to some degree, but I do not see the fall of epic incompetence like they had in 2005. It does feel different this time, and while there are still some things to improve upon for sure, the talent base is better than it was then AND Buck is a much better manager than Lee Mazzilli was.

I mean come on!?!? Lee Mazzilli?!?! How many of us actually remember that POS, and how many non-O's fans remember him to boot?

Point being, we may not win the East, but we aren't going to be 25-30 games under .500, either.

[BunnyHardaway]

Re: Which team is the biggest surprse?

The O's may eventually fall back to some degree, but I do not see the fall of epic incompetence like they had in 2005. It does feel different this time, and while there are still some things to improve upon for sure, the talent base is better than it was then AND Buck is a much better manager than Lee Mazzilli was.

I mean come on!?!? Lee Mazzilli?!?! How many of us actually remember that POS, and how many non-O's fans remember him to boot?

Point being, we may not win the East, but we aren't going to be 25-30 games under .500, either.

And he was followed by the equally incompetent Sam Perlozzo.

'05 is reasons 1-999 why I'm trying not to get too excited, but I'm not seeing any possible malcontents or controversies, not to mention the fact that we have a few key guys injured (Reimold, Britton, Roberts) that could possibly come back soon.