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CBL-Commish · 08-31-2007, 09:46 AM

I'm not talking simply who has the worst record. I'm talking a combination of things:

- expectations due to market, park, payroll, etc.
- history
- underachieving players
- inept management
- low marginal wins per marginal dollar spent
- fan support

My vote goes to my favorite team, the Baltimore Orioles.

They have a payroll approaching $100M, yet are on the verge of their 10th consecutive losing season.

They're a mid-market team, and were a large market team before the Nats came to DC. They own their own regional sports network, MASN, and negotiated a sweethart deal with Selig to make money off the Nats' broadcasts. They're not a poor team by any stretch.

They collapse in August and September every year. It's a running joke in the national media to ask "what day did you have the O's slipping below .500 for good?"

They play in the AL East, which is a handicap. But despite having a payroll larger than the Blue Jays almost every year they have a worse record than the Jays almost every year.

In 1998 they sold out every game, and had for years. Now they're lucky to get 15,000 for a midweek game at Oriole Park. The only big crowds are when Yanks' and Sox' fans overrun the place.

The roster is busting at the seams with highly paid players at or around replacement level, and/or on the DL. Jay Gibbons, Jay Payton, Aubrey Huff, Kris Benson, Paul Bako, Danys Baez.

They've turned Leo Mazzone from "The Best Pitching Coach Ever" to "The Pitching Coach Whose Bullpen Gave Up 24 runs in a Game".

They gave up the most runs in a major league game since 1897.

They lose games in the most horrible, painful ways because they have a good rotation but an abysmal, embarassing bullpen. And that pen is/was full of retreads of retreads like Paul Shuey, Rob Bell, Baez, Scott Williamson, Todd Williams, and John Parrish.

They have two playoff appearances since 1983, and one involved Jeffrey Maier.

A group of fans staged a walkout protest during a game last year.

The team has a long history of winning and playing the game the right way from the 1966-1983 era, which has been systematically destroyed over the past two decades.

Anybody want to try to beat that?

08-31-2007, 09:46 AM	#1 (permalink)
CBL-Commish All Star Starter Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Maryland Posts: 1,322	Worst team in the majors? I'm not talking simply who has the worst record. I'm talking a combination of things: - expectations due to market, park, payroll, etc. - history - underachieving players - inept management - low marginal wins per marginal dollar spent - fan support My vote goes to my favorite team, the Baltimore Orioles. They have a payroll approaching $100M, yet are on the verge of their 10th consecutive losing season. They're a mid-market team, and were a large market team before the Nats came to DC. They own their own regional sports network, MASN, and negotiated a sweethart deal with Selig to make money off the Nats' broadcasts. They're not a poor team by any stretch. They collapse in August and September every year. It's a running joke in the national media to ask "what day did you have the O's slipping below .500 for good?" They play in the AL East, which is a handicap. But despite having a payroll larger than the Blue Jays almost every year they have a worse record than the Jays almost every year. In 1998 they sold out every game, and had for years. Now they're lucky to get 15,000 for a midweek game at Oriole Park. The only big crowds are when Yanks' and Sox' fans overrun the place. The roster is busting at the seams with highly paid players at or around replacement level, and/or on the DL. Jay Gibbons, Jay Payton, Aubrey Huff, Kris Benson, Paul Bako, Danys Baez. They've turned Leo Mazzone from "The Best Pitching Coach Ever" to "The Pitching Coach Whose Bullpen Gave Up 24 runs in a Game". They gave up the most runs in a major league game since 1897. They lose games in the most horrible, painful ways because they have a good rotation but an abysmal, embarassing bullpen. And that pen is/was full of retreads of retreads like Paul Shuey, Rob Bell, Baez, Scott Williamson, Todd Williams, and John Parrish. They have two playoff appearances since 1983, and one involved Jeffrey Maier. A group of fans staged a walkout protest during a game last year. The team has a long history of winning and playing the game the right way from the 1966-1983 era, which has been systematically destroyed over the past two decades. Anybody want to try to beat that? __________________ For the best in O's news: Orioles' Hangout.com Last edited by CBL-Commish : 08-31-2007 at 09:58 AM.