Are baseball’s most optimistic fans in 2024 devotees of the defending World Series champs (Texas Rangers)? Or the team that spent $1.2 billion this offseason (Los Angeles Dodgers)? Or the team that had a perfect optimism score last spring (Houston Astros)?
Nope, nope and nope.
Hope flows from Baltimore. The Orioles are the new No. 1 in the Hope-O-Meter, our annual survey of fan optimism. A record 22,000 readers participated in this year’s edition — thank you! — with written responses ranging in length from zero letters (Rangers fan Ryan: “💍”) to 5,446 (Guardians fan Dominic).
Yes or no: Are you optimistic about your team? The question can be answered in different ways. That’s by design. Maybe you’re hopeful for a World Series title, or maybe a rebuild getting on track. League-wide there was less optimism than in previous years; 64 percent chose “Yes,” down significantly from 75 percent in 2023 and even lower than the post-lockout 66 percent in 2022.
Keep in mind this survey opened just prior to the Giants signing Matt Chapman and Phillies extending Zack Wheeler, and well before the Dylan Cease trade, Gerrit Cole injury and Blake Snell signing, so those news items may not be reflected in fans’ voting. Below we’ve listed each team’s optimism score and precisely four reader responses, some of which were edited for clarity and length.
1. Baltimore Orioles: 98.7 percent optimism
2023: 85.3 percent (rank: 14)
2022: 6.8 percent (26)
Optimist Chris: Corbin Burnes and the Baby Birds.
Optimist Andrew: We won 101 games with the second-lowest payroll. Now that David Rubenstein has decided the O’s are his next great charitable cause, the rest of the AL better run scared.
Optimist Ben: I have World Series aspirations for this team. I’m more excited for the season to begin than I have ever been before. I’ve bought a ticket plan. We are so well positioned for the future. It makes me giddy. I’m so excited, it’s rubbed off on my wife. She bought herself a jersey!
Optimist Patti: I’m terrified. I’m much more comfortable with the “under-promise, over-deliver” status. A lot less knocking on wood.
2. Atlanta Braves: 98.5 percent optimism
2023: 98.3 percent (4)
2022: 99.7 percent (1)
Optimist Big Al: Three words. Ronald Acuña Jr. Two more. Alex Anthopoulos.
Optimist Zack: We have the best GM, player (no disrespect to Shohei Ohtani), and lineup in the game. It would be impossible not to be optimistic. That said, I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about this being the ’90s 2.0. Have to get another ring, no excuses.
Optimist Tripp: Am I optimistic? Does Dale Murphy belong in the Hall? Do I have a crush on Spencer Strider’s mustache? Hell yeah, brother.
Optimist Nick: My only reservation is that the Dodgers just spent a gazillion dollars (to be paid in full in a bajillion years). But I hope that gives them bad karma or something. Braves made smaller, but really intelligent moves.
3. Arizona Diamondbacks: 97.3 percent optimism
2023: 87.8 percent (12)
2022: 7.5 percent (25)
Optimist Dean: For the first time in years, I’m optimistic and feel validated in saying so out loud.
Optimist Mark: These boys are on a wagon ride to the Pacific to board a SHIP. And this isn’t no three-hour tour. This is a full-blown luxury cruise liner with The Weeknd headlining the daily concerts.
Optimist Preston: We got to the World Series, but our general manager was smart enough to understand we only won 84 games, were outscored in the regular season and were still obviously flawed. We shored up many of those concerns in the offseason, and ownership showed they are willing to invest in the team. And Corbin Carroll.
Optimist Nate: All our players are friends with each other. That’s why we beat the Dodgers and the Phillies. They can spend a billion dollars each but can’t put a price on friendship. If your team can’t get hot in October, it’s because they don’t have each other’s backs like we do. That’s all it…
This article was originally published by a theathletic.com . Read the Original article here. .