Now that our season is complete, final grades are due for the Orioles. This season must be broken into two separate semesters. April sixth to August second is designated Before Buck (BB), and August third to October third indicates the During Buck (DB) semester. The BB time period is differentiated by a 32-73 record, or a .305 winning percentage. Characterized by base-running snafus, maddeningly awful pitching, and an overall weeping and gnashing of teeth; the club was on pace for 113 losses, rivaling the '62 Mets for the worst season ever. The DB semester can be illustrated with nearly opposite statistics. A record of 34-23 with a .596 winning percentage showed a resurgent, motivated, and at times, scared young team that pieced together an idea of how to win baseball games. This report card will provide grades for both semesters structured by position.
Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun filled out a similar report card for the O's, but he was pretty harsh, handing out grades of C-, D, and F like roaches at a Phish concert...or candy. I'm not holding the Orioles to such an unattainable standard. Comparing the performance of Orioles players to those of the Yankees or Phillies is counterproductive, as I'll approach these grades on a more optimistic level. All high school kids aren't graded on an AP scale. Some teens find that pre-algebra, the third time around, interferes with extracurricular activities such as getting pregnant and working the night shift at Subway. You can't grade community college students on Ivy League standards or no one would graduate. That's why I'm treating the O's more like a bunch of glue-sniffing derelicts than the class president or the valedictorian.
Click on the Report Card to view it in original form.
Click on the Report Card to view it in original form.
No comments:
Post a Comment