ESPN’s Keith Law has been catching mad grief from Orioles fans on Twitter. His comments about the O’s have even sparked respected local media personalities to question why the disdain for one of the best stories in baseball.
I’ve never been one to whine about national media member’s biases because I feel that fans create them more than they are actually there. However, Law had nothing good to say about the Orioles in his most recent Baseball Today podcast on ESPN.
“There’s literally nothing that the Orioles can do to convince me that they are a good team,” Law ranted. “They’re like the eighth best team in the American League.”
The eighth best team in the AL is tied for the second best record.
“I can just tell you objectively — are they better than Oakland or the Angels, the Rays, Tigers, the White Sox, the Rangers, the Yankees? No, I don’t think they’re better than any of those clubs. I don’t think they’re better than a healthy Blue Jays club.”
If the Orioles have a better record than the Angels, Rays, Tigers and White Sox, how are they a worse team?
“It’d be nice if they outscored their opponents on the season,” Law suggested referring to the tireless run differential argument.
And he’s right, the Orioles have a negative run differential. -19 to be exact. However, their run differential against all teams except the Angels and Rangers is +44.
“Yeah they might make the playoffs, okay. I doubt it. I mean they’re inferior to all those teams I just listed.”
I’ve been guilty of battling him over Twitter, but let’s face it, he gets paid to make comments to rile up a portion of the fan base. He’s succeeded.
What’s he going to say, “The Red Sox suck”? That’s like saying the Pope is Catholic.
The all wise, Keith Law…shit canned by the Blue Jays after 4 years of ineptitude. Couldn’t even land a job with the Astros who, last I looked, were about 50 games under .500.
Yea, we should all listen to his advice and commentary.
Klaw quit the Blue Jays job, and was offered a job by the Astros but turned it down.
“Everybody’s against our team!” is the most pathetic fan pose ever. Grow the f up.
Wromg, Lou.
Law was basically asked to leave in Toronto, per Jim Duquette and other reliable sources.
And Law left Houston without an offer and withdrew his name from consideration, deciding to “stay at ESPN” when he was never offered a job anyway. When a team wants a guy, they don’t let him leave town.
Nice try.
Always make sure you know your facts before letting your jaws flap.
http://www.mlbdailydish.com/2011/12/30/2670115/houston-astros-interview-keith-law-of-espn
Look specifically at sentence two where Law was not offered a job. Again, if a team wants a guy, you don’t let him leave town.
And here is how Law departed Toronto, Lou.
http://bluejaysnews.wordpress.com/2006/08/20/ricciardi-calls-former-assistant-an-idiot-but-was-it-revenge/
if espn wasnt busy kissing the yankees asses they would fire keith law.
i couldnt agree more. im glad its finally being recognized.
You people can’t possibly think that the O’s have done what’s normally necessary to have the kind of season you’re having. Or at the very least, you’d have to agree that the success of the team is a bonafide Cinderella story. On paper there is absolutely no way on earth that this team should be making the playoffs. No way. Good on ’em all the same, but it is a complete statistical anomoly and against every odd imaginable. And I couldn’t care less about the Yankees or Red Sox.
you are right. all they do is win baseball games professor.
What’s with getting your back up? Seriously. Why the hell hasn’t this team been winning 100+ games for the last few years? Same management, same caliber of player on the field. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone in the league, let alone on planet earth, interested in listening to Dan Duquette’s book of MLB franchise management. But that’s part of the beauty of this run isn’t it?
The Orioles’ offense ranks 4th from the bottom in OPS+. They are 6th in ERA+. The Baseball Prospectus Third-Order Winning Percentage is .479.
They are 24-7 in one-run games. They are 21-22 in blowouts. They are the 7th-worst team in the majors in all their games decided by 3 runs or more. They are exactly a .500 team in games decided by 2 runs or more.
We can disregard run differential because of some blowouts but the fact is that in all their games decided by more than 1 run, they’ve been mediocre.
They are a lucky, mediocre team. Sometimes those teams make the playoffs. Sometimes those teams go deep in the playoffs.
Its funny how little u know what your talking about, more than one of those stats u listed are wrong , i guess its mediocre to be one of the only 2 teams to have 5 players with 20 hr or more, and that is with markakis injured, no reimold and machado only playing 40 some games, thats 3 more players with 20+ hr potential, i guess mediocre teams have the mlb saves leader, and a lights out bullpen, i guess its mediocre to have the fewest errors after the all star break, i guess its mediocre that the Orioles have thrived without their best sp, their best hitter, who is also a gg winner, along with injuries to other key players
If we take away one-run games and take away blowouts (margin of victory of more than 5 runs), the Orioles are 31-30.
is that you keith law? cut it out!
OriLOLEs!
Keith Law is the biggest tool in baseball. ESPN touts this guy as an ‘expert’, but his poor predictions go far beyond his horrendously bad calls on Baltimore this year.
He also predcited Arizona would be in the thick of things, and said PIttsburgh would collapse long ago. Pittsburgh is still well over .500.
Law also said Toronto would be good this year, and said John Jay (STL) would be exposed as an every day player (Jay is now hitting over .300).
Besides saying the Orioles would be in last place by the All-Star Break, Law has been wrong on numerous predictions. More than the average Joe you would talk to at the ballpark.
Law is a joke.
If you want Keith Law off Baseball Today, send an email to: baseballtoday@espnradio.com
I have been keeping a running list of ridiculous Law and Karrabel “BOLD” quotes……Too many to list right now. I too am aware that their job is to rile and engage conversation, but Cmon, give a little credit where its due, even when you are dead wrong (ie….O’s, Pirates, Phillies, DBacks, Hosmer, Rodney…..etc). Your record is the ONLY important stat after 162 games. Us fans know the Os are playing above their heads, but Law cannot cease to find any statistical angle to soften his original 90-95 loss prediction. He is an ARROGANT loudmouth……man these guys can dish it out but cant take it!
Sometimes you just gotta suck it up and say you’re wrong.
Law is a pompous ass clown from Harvard who has never been humbled in his life, I’m sure.
There’s an old adage that goes like this “There’s 3 kinds of lies…lies, Damned lies, and statistics.
Mr. Law, put your slide rule away, put your pocket protector on the table, and take your fancy Harvard sheep skin and open your eyes for once.
well keith you still have the jets….
“Keith Law eats my bird droppings.”
– baltimore o’s mascot