To say the Baltimore Orioles are off to a disastrous start in 2025 would be an incredible understatement.
After posting back-to-back 90+ win seasons, Baltimore’s 2025 campaign has featured the worst starting rotation in baseball, underperformance from almost every member of the young core and the firing of manager Brandon Hyde.
Baltimore’s 16-32 record has them ahead of just the Chicago White Sox in the American League, and the fanbase has grown very frustrated with the way the front office has run this team seemingly out of what should have been a lengthy competitive window.
I know my disappointment for the O’s is shared with every other fan. Therefore, I thought it would be appreciated to collect input from some of the most passionate Birdland fans, those being Birdland Membership holders.
We talked with five Birdland Members to get their honest review of the season to see just how much it impacts their future as season ticket holders. Below are the quotes from each person, as well as a brief response to each statement.
Ben Everett (@BigBenn13 on X)
“Mike Elias botched this offseason,” said Everett. “He knew this club needed pitching and needed it desperately, and to only settle for Charlie Morton and Kyle Gibson was disappointing. Spend some money to supplement the core and extend guys. We’ve been deprived of that for a long time.”
Ben is absolutely spot on here. Buying season tickets is making a long-term commitment to the club, and Mike Elias and Co. have made zero indications of reciprocating long-term commitments in return.
Nobody on this team has been locked up long-term, and the only multi-year contract Elias has given out in his tenure has been the three-year, $49.5 million deal to Tyler O’Neill, which took all of one month to look like a disaster.
Scott Clark (@FibbyDottie on X)
“The 2025 Orioles are a complete disaster, and it stems from the negligent mismanagement of the front office,” said Clark. “Anyone with minimal baseball knowledge knew what the Orioles needed in the offseason to continue, and hopefully, take the next step in our recent success, and the front office failed. I’m a first-year Birdland member with the 13-game Sunday package. We are still in May, and there is zero chance I renew next season.”
Again, I have no issues with Scott’s vocal displeasure of this team’s direction.
All of us at The Baltimore Battery expected multiple big splashes in the pitching market, especially knowing Kyle Bradish and Tyler Wells would be sidelined for most, if not all, of 2025. Young cores are awesome, but spending money is the only way to survive in this league.
Scott, we don’t blame you for deciding against renewing your Sunday package.
Jason Swoboda (@swobobafett on X)
“I went from a 13-game flex in 2024 to a 29-game Black Membership this season because of the guaranteed Opening Day/postseason access,” said Swoboda. “It doesn’t appear that I’ll be needing the postseason portion this year. If there is no clear direction going forward, I don’t know if I’d make that same kind of commitment next season. Please, do what you have to do to win a championship in my lifetime.”
The negative thoughts continue from our Birdland Members, with Jason now being the second of the five members who we had reach out to us show reluctance to renew their membership.
Fans want to pay for winning baseball, and if you have zero desire to provide that, you’re going to have a hard time filling seats, like Jason’s.
Henry Riley (@marylandborn14)
“I have been a Birdland Member for three years and will only be renewing if the team appropriately gives way to the young guns: Henderson, Holliday, Mayo, Basallo, etc. by the end of the season,” said Riley. “Results are expected, vibes must be restored and accountability must be transfixed on the organization. Invest in the team, invest in the fanbase, invest in the culture of the city, and results will follow.”
Henry is now our third Birdland Member whose desire to renew is up in the air.
I do agree that if the team is going to struggle, they should at least embrace the youth movement. Let the fans watch the players that are going to be around for the long run so we can build real connections.
This organization has a lot of work to do to restore any trust with its fan base, but continuity with the product on the field would be a tremendous start.
Josiah Nusbaum (@JNusbaum820 on X)
“This is the unhappiest I’ve been as a member,” said Nusbaum. “Our perks were reduced this year because of the massive influx of season plan holders due to the success of the team. They look flat. They feel dead. I don’t know what the answer is. Letting go of Hyde was a good first step, but it wasn’t the final answer.”
So, for the record, I agree with everything said here by Josiah.
I was against the O’s reducing membership perks, as that was never going to go over well with your fans, and that is especially true when you follow up with a bad product on the field.
I was also a pro-firing Hyde guy, but that was obviously not going to completely right the ship. This is not a 2022 Philadelphia Phillies situation.
That concludes our article highlighting some of our Birdland Members’ opinions on the state of the team.
It is definitely worth noting that all five respondents were displeased with the team, which is very telling for where the rest of the fanbase is at.
All of us at The Baltimore Battery thank the participants for their genuinely heartfelt responses. Like all of you, we hope the organization can be saved.
What are your thoughts on the current state of the Orioles? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, X, Bluesky and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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