Orioles swept by the Royals and suffer another quick postseason exit

43 comments

1. Leadership. Analytics do not replace the work. Analytics would've said DO NOT let Witt Jr beat you and what happens back to back ? Guys watching heaters right down middle. I'm sorry they have to get on same page and this means #1 starter and All Star catcher included

2. Heads need to roll. They need to consider firing Hyde after another early playoff exit. And we're due for a sub .500 record if we don't go out and spend on pitching this offseason.

3. Pete Alonso for Mounty. Terry Francona for Hyde or possibly Joe Girardi.

4. Just terrible that you lose both games 1-0 and 2-1 fashion when both of our pitchers play good enough to win. Shame to end the season that way.

5. Hi Connor from the UK. Thanks for the great podcast. Your analysis is always spot on. From a regular season (and UK) perspective, the Orioles were 7th this year. So arguably just underachieved by not making the AL Division Series. (Injuries probably a key reason for this.) Maybe last year was worse when O's finished 2nd, but didn't make the World Series? I expect the team will make the playoffs next year: and match the 69-71 Os as the only time the Os have made it 3 seasons in a row. (Difference of course is now 40% of teams get into the post season 'crap shoot'. When the Os last did it, only 16% of teams made it.)

6. The Orioles definitely blew plenty of opportunities, Cowser's infamous bat first and foremost. But they also just appear snakebit. Kansas City's winning run came off 2 infield hits and a blooper, we get victimized by our own park with 2 home runs basically anywhere else, this guy Melendez (who's supposedly a bad defender) makes a 5% probability catch, etc

7. This one was rough. Being in the ballpark, it felt like another regular season game. 😥I think there's definitely something to having that swag that makes the opponent know how bad they want this. Data and analytics can only take you so far. Even though it sucks, it was fun season. It's been fun to watch the O's succeed during the year and be in the conversation amongst the classically dominant teams. Just gotta get that over that playoff hurdle. Thanks for the coverage, Conner!

8. Bobby Witt came through for his team when his team needed him. Gunnar and Adley were nowhere to be found. Adley forgetting how to play baseball with a bat in his hand. This isn't the coaching staff that this young roster needs to get them to where they should be. I say "Thank you" to Hyder, and his staff, for getting this team to the point that it's at. But, this Ownership group needs to quickly realize that this team needs a staff better fit to this young roster or we are going to be looking at this same end to our season every year. The hitting coaches especially need to be launched into the sun. Our team, over the last 3 months, looked absolutely lost at the plate. Our hitting with RiSP was egregious.

9. My heart really hurts today

10. Just want to let you know how much I look forward to your pod episodes. I do appreciate the work and team love you put into your episodes. I stay up late many nights waiting for your commentary. Together, we’ll all wait until next year.

11. It became clear that the young talent on this team we thought were going to be superstars are nothing more than mistake hitters.
    They crush bad pitchers and mistakes.
    When facing quality pitching, they dont stand a chance. Not to mention they fail in big moments.
    And Gunnar is the worst fielding starting shortstop the Os have ever had.

12. Orioles have a lot of strengths as a team but coming up clutch in the big moments has not been one of them. And that's one of the skills the postseason tournament structure advantages. So, here we are

13. Connor very disappointing ending, but I appreciate you covering the Orioles all year! I look forward to starting my day listening to you each day. Still believe in this group, we will be back!!

14. Feel for you guys…Also feel bad for Corbin Burns..Im a Brewers fan and Corbin was one of my fav Brewers of all time..he pitched great in game 1…I thought he couldnt get any worse playoff run support as a Brewer the past few post seasons where the Brewers lost in identicle fashion to Baltimores last 2 post seasons…but they couldnt even give him 1 run…brutal..

15. Thnx Connor for all your terrific unbiased talk..Hopefully next year will be better…I think what signing of players will dictate what kind of a season they bring to us next year.

16. The O's are still the team I fear most in the division as a Rays fan. Crazy young talent. Losing early in the playoffs sucks but you'll be back strong next year

17. I miss the clutch hitting of the 2023 team and the small ball

18. Can we get Pete Alonso…

19. Gunnar has been a ghost since all star game. And we should have started mccann instead of rutschman he has been ice cold at bat for the longest time

20. Thanks Connor. Couldn’t have made it thru the year without ya!

21. I would trade Mountcastle so fast it would make his head spin…………oh wait a minute his head was spinning as he swung at another low and outside pitch. Probably be lucky to get a clean trashcan for him anyway. Conner I have been a loyal listener for the past 3 years and this is the most disappointed I have ever been, something about this team does not add up. They pitch great and the bats look awful, how many bad pitches can you swing at ? This team was obviously not going far anyway, but Hyde (and I am a big supporter of him) looked like he was missing something. His moves with the pitchers was pretty good just had zero offensive punch. Maybe after a week or so we can evaluate what the problem was but emotions are running high now. Offseason should be interesting with new ownership…………..potential is there but something is definitely off with the team chemistry ! Well rant over, Conner you do a great job and I love that you are well informed and put in the effort, it shows. Time to move forward and become the dynasty that our talent and ownership can bring us as fans. Great season , be better next year !

22. Is it time to question if the top rated O's farm system really that good. Top rated prospects Prieto, Ortiz, Stowers, & Vavra went elsewhere & didn't really hit that well. Norby did the best. Now it appears the ones they kept can't hit playoff level pitching either.

23. Connor thank you for the outstanding coverage this year. I always look forward to your recaps and enthusiasm for the O’s. This one hurt…I don’t know if it’s my general disdain for what the NFL has become and not feeling like I’m ready to turn the page to the Ravens but I was not ready for this season to end. I completely agree with your closing thoughts and said the same to my brother last night – we have the pitching, we have the talent, but we need a couple vets who don’t sweat when the going gets tough in October. I feel bad for the fans that yet again we went through a series in which Camden Yards didn’t really get to ever cut loose. Hopefully that catharsis is coming in 2025. Until spring training, thanks again!

24. The Reds did not become the big-red machine until they added Joe Morgan.

25. People forget Elias gave us 4 years of unwatchable baseball with teams that didn’t even win 50 games. It was to go for draft picks like Gunnar adley cowser and Holliday. It’s not working so far. Time for someone to be accountable

26. Watching the Cowser strikeout in the fifth made me wonder if the team hitting approach needs to be a little less guessing/anticipating what pitch is coming and a little more of "think less and wait for your pitch" approach. Think about how many times it seems like the hitters in the second half were in between, fooled or confused in an at but. They looked very uptight this series. Maybe they need to think less, relax and see ball, hit ball. These hitters have the talent and shown they can do it. It seems like it's a mental thing, a team approach or pressing.

27. Connor we tanked for 4 years to get draft picks. We have the talent, and yet we have Austin slayer and James McCann Abs in the playoffs. Front office needs to be held accountable

28. Royals are not a playoff team. But neither are the Orioles. O’s had bases loaded no outs and couldn’t score. That’s absolute bullshit.

29. That’s a 10 game playoff losing streak. We are regular season warriors but playoff pussies.

30. Pete Alonso. Power bat in the middle of the order and a guy with an edge. And a RH hitter

31. Postseason is the orioles kryptonite

32. Must fire Hyde. Should have bunted twice game one and should have started hot hitting E Rivera over ice cold Mountcastle

33. Hyde needs to go.

34. Overrated ballplayers! All they want is homeruns! Play the game the way it use to be!

35. Henderson's problem is his tongue is to long, spits to much!

36. You mentioned not having a tough guy/edge/emotion guy on this team, anyone else feel that Austion Hays was that guy in the O's dugout for '24, we didn't have the tough guy energy/emotion anymore beside Mccann and that's when the slide happened? Didn't think of that before.

37. Bro you guys had a few bad months not just two bad games 🤣🤣🤣🤣💀💀💀

38. Connor thanks for all you do. O's fan for a long time here and i feel after the O's blew out the Yankees in June after that game they played under 500 ball. Lost the division lead and made the wildcard. We had tons of injuries but i feel they have a good core of young players to build on. Good to see Eflin another year. He is good. Maybe Burnes will come back and add a few good hitters and we're there!

39. Prob shouldn't have moved the left field fence out so far if you wanna almost exclusively rely on HR's.

40. Orioles have a lot of Dave Kingmans, but no winners. They need to find players who know how to win, and players who will sacrifice for the team and not worry about personal stats. They don't play fundamental offensive baseball. We need WINNERS.

41. we need Juan Soto, we have no true middle of the order hitters.

42. Thanks for an awesome year Connor! Gonna miss watching the team and all your insights. Be well, rest up, let’s get back at it next spring!!! Go O’s!!!

43. Orioles were never good bunch of rookies