Luck? Or whining about the Nationals' existence?

Time for the Plexiglass Principle to rear its head.

Most of them are about six feet tall.

Markakis: "Man, can you believe how lucky we were last year? Look at my teammates! We started Nate McLouth and Lew Ford in a playoff game in 2012! What is this, the Atlantic League? Seriously, any playoff team with Chris Davis batting 3rd needed divine intervention to get there. I'm certain we are going to head back to last place this year. I sure hope the fans aren't expecting much. I'm sure not."

So 'Suff' is Keith Law's new handle?

So 'Suff' is Keith Law's new handle?

You do get his point, right? He was being sarcastic. The point is, hey, what the hell do you expect Nick Markakis to say? That the team really sucks in reality and just got freakishly lucky, and that the fans are fools to hope for anything? It makes no sense to poke fun at Markakis for a conventional expression of pride in his team and their accomplishments.

It's probably a good attitude for the players to have, but there's a very real chance the Orioles will suck next year. I think it's more likely that they will be pretty decent and hang around the outskirts of the wild card race pretty late in the season, but I'm fully prepared for some serious regression.

@4 was hilarious, and I'd love to hear R. A. Dickey say something like it at his follow up press conference should he re-sign:

"I came back to New York because moving is a hassle, my book editor lives right across town, and the fans are great, but anyone who expects this team to contend really should have their head examined. It's been, what, twenty ####ing years since the club last had a single plate appearance from an OFer we developed who could actually hit?*** Fred and Jeff are broke, Alderson's mailing it in, and Ricciardi, the heir apparent, couldn't hack it on the comparatively small stage that is Toronto. Seriously, folks, what chance do we have?"



***Daryl Strawberry, believe it or not.

You have to decide the Mets giving up on Angel Pagan for cash (and not much cash) then two years later bringing him back for baseballs doesn't leave Pagan with his "homegrown" hymen sufficiently intact. After Pagan the best candidate is Butch F. Huskey.

Does any other team have a record this poor of developing OFers who can hit?

8 - To answer a rhetorical (?) question: Cubs go back to about the same year, with Joe Carter.

And please, make that Dickey quote happen.

@9--that far for the Cubbies? That's a loooong time.

Death, Taxes, Black Cloud.

We started Nate McLouth and Lew Ford in a playoff game in 2012!

That's what the Orioles are about to me. Finding guys I assumed were out of baseball and hitting them seventh.