Leading Off

We’re back! Before we move into off-season mode, we review the Orioles’ 2023 season, the painful offseason departure, and MLB awards season.

Drink of the Week

Join us for the Drink of the Week, and let us know how you’re consoling yourself as you watch the O’s. Find us on Untappd

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This Week on the Twitters

#orioles closer Felix Bautista received 3 fifth place votes

— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) November 15, 2023

A 1914 Babe Ruth card, from Ruth’s days with the International League #Orioles, is being auctioned off.

It could end up as the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia ever. https://t.co/XRsSIfNlss

— Paul Mancano (@PaulMancano) November 16, 2023

Big news: Major League Baseball's competition committee has proposed reducing the pitch clock with runners on base from 20 seconds to 18 seconds, sources tell ESPN. The new rule could be implemented in time for the 2024 season. Details free at ESPN: https://t.co/Hx3VknVPYw

— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) November 15, 2023

.@carmeloanthony and @cedmull30 in the 🏠

🎟: https://t.co/U8SJjOKq2i pic.twitter.com/av57s61IvL

— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 15, 2023

Around the Bases

First Base: What was it all about?

1. The playoff format is jut fine (for now). The fact that it “didn’t work for us” is not a reason to support a change to the format.
2. We didn’t give the regular season enough credit – go buy that merch.
3. The loss sucked on o many levels.
4. But there are some silver linings in this dark cloud…

Second Base: Awards Season

The Orioles took home some serious hardware, and had some notable “honorable mentions” in major MLB awards.

Third Base: Real Needs

We’ll talk about specific players when (if?) the Hot Stove warms up, but we can at least identify where the Orioles’ leaky spots are. The team is stacked in so many ways, but it has real needs.

Home Plate: A Wonderful 2023 did not paper over…

A tremendous 2023 does not mean that everything is fine. The Orioles have yet to sign a lease (says the podcast that said that an MOU is “not nothing). Additionally, we have no reason to give ownership the benefit of the doubt that they are going to try to try. Are we too cynical in thinking that the O’s might trade away folks instead of paying them in arbitration? Are we too cynical in thinking that the O’s are very unlikely to spend any significant money in the free agent market?

Of course we’re not. This is Baltimore, gentlemen, the baseball gods won’t save you.

Fantasy Boss

Pop the champagne! Scott Magness has won his first ever Fantasy Boss competition! Inspired by “what nonsense would Jake pick?” Scott is the 2023 Fantasy Boss champion.

Blowing the Save

Most podcasts try to end on a high note – the perfect coda to a quality program. That’s just not our style. Each week, we’ll end on a weak note, blowing the save with an item that didn’t quite fit into the episode, or something they simply need to get off their chests. It’s our version of taking the ball and pulling a Kevin Gregg.

Your Turn

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