OnlyBucs

724F515C53595270584F5E58593D0 wrote: I feel like there's a pretty big "i told you so" crowd that just wants them to suck to validate their negative opinions about the organization.



I think those are probably ignorant of just how bad this team was with Littlefield in charge and conflate their down 2016 and 2017 with the factors that allowed for the 20 year string of losing seasons.



I'm not sold on this being a playoff team yet, but it's also hard to be a baseball playoff team, but they are a competitive franchise and just a prospect or two breaking the right way this season to get there (looking at Glasnow, Meadows and Keller).
I agree with everything you said, except I believe the FO mismanaged the 2016-2017 team as badly as any team has been handled. But I also have a bit of a sense that a lesson has been learned. We'll see, I hope!

5354424A4453141861464C40484D0F424E4C210 wrote: The mood on the board the past two days is pretty predictable but overall an undeserved over reaction: the team isn’t going to win at a .667 clip.  But I also think they’re better than .500.  So, do they go .550 and fight for a WC or sneak in closer to .600 and control their destiny? 



Two, three even four game slumps will be part of this season, but I don’t think we’re going to see those killer 6-7 game slumps. Good lineup, good bench. If the pen doesn’t blow many more games I think it’s going to be a fun season. I don’t expect them to play at a .667 clip either but I’m with you VA I can see them playing somewhere in the range of .500 to .550 ball the rest of the way. Just keep winning series, beat the bad teams you should beat like the Tigers next week here at home for example, and avoid the long 7-8 game losing streaks they are gonna be right there come August and September.

707761696770373B42656F636B6E2C616D6F020 wrote: I feel like there's a pretty big "i told you so" crowd that just wants them to suck to validate their negative opinions about the organization.



I think those are probably ignorant of just how bad this team was with Littlefield in charge and conflate their down 2016 and 2017 with the factors that allowed for the 20 year string of losing seasons.



I'm not sold on this being a playoff team yet, but it's also hard to be a baseball playoff team, but they are a competitive franchise and just a prospect or two breaking the right way this season to get there (looking at Glasnow, Meadows and Keller).
I agree with everything you said, except I believe the FO mismanaged the 2016-2017 team as badly as any team has been handled.  But I also have a bit of a sense that a lesson has been learned.  We'll see, I hope!






I don’t think half of you realize how poorly other teams are run.

I’m not saying the last two years were great, but look at the Reds.

did a rebuild and still have nothing, kind of the same with the Braves. The Rangers are a mess, as are the White Sox, and even the Royals since they won.

And don’t get me started about the Marlins

The bullpen is bad, Trevor might not keep his era under 2.00 and the offense probably isn’t this good, but I think this team is better than last years and has playoff upside.



The lefty’s are getting it done against righty’s and today the righties took it to a lefty.



You can hate the FO all you want, but this team is going the right way.

Things are going well all around. Unfortunately, I guessed 90 losses so I'm rooting for them to fall apart.



I haven't seen a pennant or WS in my lifetime, but I think we all can agree that being right on this message board is much more important than seeing a WS.



When we are under .500 by the end of May, I will not challenge the fandom of the FO supporters, since they have nothing to do with it.

202921303E440 wrote: Things are going well all around. Unfortunately, I guessed 90 losses so I'm rooting for them to fall apart.



I haven't seen a pennant or WS in my lifetime, but I think we all can agree that being right on this message board is much more important than seeing a WS.



When we are under .500 by the end of May, I will not challenge the fandom of the FO supporters, since they have nothing to do with it.


Trying to read between the lines, and taking a chance there is some seriousness to your post: it seems to me you've enjoyed the season as much as anybody. I don't see you as unfairly negative; I don;t think you want them to loss to prove anything (although there are definitely people like that on other boards I think). Your "cynicism" has been earned by the FO. it;s up to them to prove doubters wrong. For the most part, I tend to agree with your posts.



OTOH, if I totally missed your point then I repectfully :-X

1825223825224C0 wrote: The bullpen is bad, Trevor might not keep his era under 2.00 and the offense probably isn’t this good, but I think this team is better than last years and has playoff upside.



The lefty’s are getting it done against righty’s and today the righties took it to a lefty.



You can hate the FO all you want, but this team is going the right way.
Prior to opening day we were saying the only chance for success depended on a loty of "IFs." So far just about every one of those IFs has worked out except for middle relief. As long as this continues, they're in good shape.



The Dickerson deal changed everything. It gave them an All-Star bat in the middle of the lineup instead of some combo of Frazier/Luplow in LF and strengthened the bench by putting Frazier there. The bench is very deep and there's really no lineup Hurdle can put out there (even on Sundays) that looks weak. So his constant lineup tinkering shouldn't be a problem this year like it has been in other years. Taillon and Williams have built on last year. Nova has been solid. Kuhl finally had a good game yesterday. Brault is ok for a #5 and might improve. Back end of the pen is shaping up. It's been fun so far.

313620282631767A03242E222A2F6D202C2E430 wrote: Things are going well all around. Unfortunately, I guessed 90 losses so I'm rooting for them to fall apart.



I haven't seen a pennant or WS in my lifetime, but I think we all can agree that being right on this message board is much more important than seeing a WS.



When we are under .500 by the end of May, I will not challenge the fandom of the FO supporters, since they have nothing to do with it.


Trying to read between the lines, and taking a chance there is some seriousness to your post: it seems to me you've enjoyed the season as much as anybody.  I don't see you as unfairly negative; I don;t think you want them to loss to prove anything (although there are definitely people like that on other boards I think).  Your "cynicism" has been earned by the FO.  it;s up to them to prove doubters wrong.  For the most part, I tend to agree with your posts.



OTOH, if I totally missed your point then I repectfully :-X




I agree with you about this.  Hard to question the fandom around here at this point. 



Now there are certain people "out in the wild" that I'm pretty sure nobody will hear from until we hit a five game losing streak or so. 

4E73746E73741A0 wrote: The bullpen is bad, Trevor might not keep his era under 2.00 and the offense probably isn’t this good, but I think this team is better than last years and has playoff upside.



The lefty’s are getting it done against righty’s and today the righties took it to a lefty.



You can hate the FO all you want, but this team is going the right way.


Hate is a strong word, and I don't us it lightly. I feel I've been one of the biggest critics on here the past two years, but I don't hate any of them. The couple I know personally, just a small bit, I genuinely like. But I do hate the message the FO decided to spew beginning the winter between 2015 and 2016 seasons. It was mean-spirited, divisive and frankly not true.



I didn't hold them to wins and losses, in a sense they can't do anything but the best they can. If their "best" falls short then you won't see me being mean-spirited.



What I can hold them to, and do hold them to, is to shoot straight. Don't say "A" and then do "B" or nothing at all.



Just an old worn out example: I might "grade" a trade, but I won't complain too much as long as Neal does the best he can do. But don't send Frankie and his contract packing along with two prospects for a washed-up-never-was and tell me its a baseball move. That's the kind of stuff that causes someone like me to say "enough BS". I'm pretty sure that is a pretty representative fan position.



But I will say -your examples of total messes in other cities is helpful and generally correct: frankly, I'm amazed at the quality of team Neal has put together this year. Through most of the winter I didn't think there was a chance. I was wrong. And I'm glad to be wrong. And I'm glad for Neal. Thanks for pointing out that things truly could be much worse; you are absolutely correct that things actually look pretty good for the present and future. But I still wish they had a larger payroll!