Admit it

I'll make this short because the Orioles don't deserve much more than a few minutes of thought right now.

One thing that has pissed me off over the last 10 years, more than the O's sucking, is fans who still act like they're better than the other perennial doormats in baseball.

Teams like the Devil Rays, the Royals, the Pirates and the Nationals.

(And that list was longer a year a few years ago, but the Tigers and Brewers can probably be safely removed from that list.)

Well, I got news for you. The Orioles are no better than those other teams.

In fact, the Orioles are probably even worse than those teams. For one, those other teams may suck year in and year out, but they don't have payroll of 95 million, which puts the O's at 10th in the league.

Here's the salaries for the other "doormats"

The Devil Rays - 24 million
The Nationals - 37 million
The Pirates - 38 million
The Royals - 67 million

So that right there tells you that those other teams have learned that you can suck for much less than 95 million. I'm willing to bet that those other teams don't lead their fans on each year by saying "things will be different next year, I promise" like Peter Angelos has done.

I'd also be willing to bet that those other teams have much better minor league systems as well. Yes, it's true that the O's do have some pitching talent at the major league level as well as down on the farm. But the offensive side of the system is still just that -- offensive.

The Orioles, from its major league roster down to its low-A ball affiliate in Delmarva, have a total of 6 players with 100 AB's and an OPS above .800 -- the barrier between above average and mediocrity.

Six!

Looking over the other teams lumped in with the O's each year and their players with 100 AB's and an OPS over .800...

Devil Rays - 12
Royals - 11
Pirates - 17
Nationals - 18

Well, it's official. I never want to hear anyone say "At least the Orioles are better than _______ " ever again.