Official Nationals and Orioles 2011 Thread

[SmootSmack]

Discuss

[Dirtbag59]

Orioles 2011 World Series Champions. Seriously Buck Showalter has them playing with swagger.

[Lotus]

Orioles 162-0!

[itvnetop]

Starting pitching and defense... once the new guys start hitting in the middle of the lineup, the O's are going to be even deadlier. The bullpen is still a bit iffy, imo... not sold on Gregg yet either.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag59

Orioles 2011 World Series Champions. Seriously Buck Showalter has them playing with swagger.

The Fighting Showalters I tell ya.

In all honesty, our starting pitching isn't going to be giving us 6+ IP all season, and our bullpen is suspect for sure. But I love our young arms in Matusz, Arrieta, Britton.

No one on our offense jumps off the page to me, but they are very solid top to bottom. I think Adam Jones could really build on his all-star season last year and kick it into beast mode for this team both in center field and at the plate.

Color me tickled that we've got baseball back (until June at least, which is when the Orioles' season seems to end every year).

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by GMScud

The Fighting Showalters I tell ya.

In all honesty, our starting pitching isn't going to be giving us 6+ IP all season, and our bullpen is suspect for sure. But I love our young arms in Matusz, Arrieta, Britton.

No one on our offense jumps off the page to me, but they are very solid top to bottom, and I think Adam Jones could emerge as a real star for this team both in center field and at the plate.

Color me tickled that we've got baseball back (until June at least, which is when the Orioles' season seems to end every year).

Actually at this rate I'm seriously trying to figure out who will win a championship first. The Caps or the O's.....make sure SCP doesn't see this post.

[Dirtbag59]

By the way are we all Oriole fans here or do we have a couple of people who have the Nationals as their top team. Me personally I love the O's above all but also pull for the Braves and Nationals (Kind of weird rooting for two teams in the same division but I've been rooting for the Braves since 92 when I was still living in Maryland).

[SmootSmack]

Respect the O's and their history and their seemingly bright future

But I'm a Nats fan. I grew up rooting for the Expos (not really sure why) so it helped when they moved to DC

[Monkeydad]

AL East 2011 Final Standings

1. Yankees
2. Orioles
3. Red Sox
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t-last. Blue Jays/Rays

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag59

Orioles 2011 World Series Champions. Seriously Buck Showalter has them playing with swagger.

They're stacked.

Last year they had a great young pitching staff and I thought one the best OF in baseball on paper with Markakis, Jones and Scott/Pie.

Now their infield is hugely upgraded with Reynolds-Hardy-Roberts-D.Lee with Weiters behind the plate and Vlad Guerrero at DH. They're seriously solid at every position in the batting order.

Kevin Gregg is a better closer than they've had since Chris Ray was healthy early in his career, before the fall.

Boston has an older, injury-prone staff with Beckett, Lackey and Dice-K. Papelbon looks like trash and Jenks surely won't be a solid closer (I'm a White Sox fan who suffered through him in the last couple of years). Their sluggers are getting really old (Youk/Ortiz/Varitek...)


I really think the Orioles will be contending for a Wild Card. I knew they had a bright future, but this offseason, they actually spent money and filled roster holes...that's just not Orioles baseball in the past decade. Good to see an actual focus on the team for once.

[mredskins]

I am a life long Red Sox fan but since 2004 I have been on the down low about my fanhood for them due to all the douche bags that have jumped on board the bandwagon.

I do also like the O's and hope they are the next Tampa of the AL East.

[Monkeydad]

Tampa is done. They've started their roster salary dump and should finish it up in the next year or two...they'll be like the Marlins...win and gut the team. I expect Upton to be gone next year, possibly Price and/or Shields.

Plus, Longoria is hurt now. They have no bats left. They have a total of 3 team Home Runs so far...1 by Upton, 1 by Sean Rodriguez and 1 by Zobrist. Damon and Manny are going to be a disaster...they're both done.

[ArtMonkDrillz]

The Nationals, despite their many MANY flaws are my baseball team. My dad and I have been to every home opener since they moved here and I'm one of the 26 people who regularly watches them on TV.
I think they're coming around and they could be pretty good in a few years but unfortunately last night they looked like the same old Nats.

As for the Orioles - I grew up liking the O's mainly because they were the closest team around, and how can anyone not like Cal? I still root for them (unless they're playing Washington) and I'm glad they're off to a good start.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by ArtMonkDrillz

The Nationals, despite their many MANY flaws are my baseball team. My dad and I have been to every home opener since they moved here and I'm one of the 26 people who regularly watches them on TV.
I think they're coming around and they could be pretty good in a few years but unfortunately last night they looked like the same old Nats.

As for the Orioles - I grew up liking the O's mainly because they were the closest team around, and how can anyone not like Cal? I still root for them (unless they're playing Washington) and I'm glad they're off to a good start.

Hey their TV ratings are up 100%!

Last night's game was so frustrating, nice job Werthless...sigh

[mredskins]

good read:

Baltimore Orioles not shocked by their fast 4-0 start to season - Jon Heyman - SI.com