Orioles

s Notes

After eight weeks of rumors, Buck Showalter has been hired as the next manager of the Orioles.  I don’t expect the Birds to suddenly turn things around and finish the season with fewer than 100 losses (they’d have to go 31-29), but I do like Showalter’s experience; he’s led the Yankees, Diamondbacks, and Rangers to a combined .514 winning percentage over 10 seasons, winning 100 games with Arizona in 1999.  Nothing against interim manager Juan Samuel, but he hasn’t managed over 1,700 games in the big leagues.  I’m looking forward to seeing what Showalter can do with a full season as O’s skipper in 2011.

Continue reading "Buyer or Seller?"

n, and I figured it’s about time I write something about the my observations of the Baltimore Orioles. Of course, it’s all opinion and we all know what opinions are like. 

I look at the standings and the

Continue reading "One major observation after the Orioles' ..."

Mussina hasn’t been a member of the Orioles in eight years, but he was the team’s pitching staff in the 1990’s.  He became the staff ace as soon as he arrived, and won 147 games during his nine and a half seasons with the team.  He broke my heart when he left to sign with the Evil Empire, but the Birds had a bad habit of not scoring enough runs for their #1 pitcher and it was hard to blame him for leaving for greener pastures.

Continue reading "Say it ain’t so, Moose"

s first-ever 20-win season was long overdue.  He deserved it more than once as a member of the Orioles but didn’t get enough offensive support.  For those of you unfamiliar with Mike Mussina prior to his signing with the Yankees eight years ago, check out these stats:

Continue reading "20 wins for Moose"

e League.  It should come as no surprise that the A’s hitters are patient enough to make Orioles pitchers look bad (think Moneyball), but that is just Bad for Ball.

O’s Notes

Continue reading "A less than impressive feat"

Blasphemy, I thought. No moves for dem Orioles agian... Another let down at the trade deadine. Yes, I know the

O's have my some great trades, in particular the last two involving Bedard and Tejada, and yes I know they have

Continue reading "No moves from O's at deadline? Interesting....."

Sunday Bloody Sunday

If the Orioles are going to end their 10-year streak of fourth-place finishes, they’re going to have to learn how to win on Sundays, or learn to control the weather on Sundays so that they can arrange to be rained out every time.  After this past Sunday’s extra-inning loss to the Nationals, the Birds are 1-12 on Sundays and have lost 12 straight Sunday games.  Talk about a bad day.

Continue reading "My Midseason Report"

on, he has managed to put up even worse numbers - .239/.289/.372.  Part of the problem is that Orioles manager Dave Trembley for some inexplicable reason finds it necessary to start Payton a couple times every week, which only magnifies the team’s weak bench.  A fourth outfielder should be someone the manager knows can deliver in the clutch, a guy he calls on to pinch-hit for the pitcher or in the American League, for his offensively-challenged Gold Glove catcher or middle infielder.  Jay Payton is a far cry from a heavy hitter who puts fear in the opposing manager’s eyes.  On defense, he doesn’t make a ton of errors, but no major league outfielder does or else he’d find himself either a) at a new position or b) in the minors.  Payton doesn’t make any great plays, nor does he rack up outfield assists, as he doesn’t have a cannon for an arm and his limited throwing accuracy fails to make up for his lack of strength.

Continue reading "Time for the Birds to cut their losses, ..."

Who designed the Orioles’ schedule this year?  Given the unbalanced schedule, isn’t it odd that the O’s do not play Boston in April, but take two separate trips to the west coast (one to Seattle and one to Oakland) and their first and only trip to Texas before they play the Sox in 2008?  On top of that, the Rays visit Baltimore twice in the month of April.  What gives?  I know Baltimore and Tampa Bay are more evenly matched than Baltimore and Boston, but why do you think the

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Although it was accompanied by the usual foot-dragging - the delays that are so characteristic of this team and are a major reason why we're still going to be a joke franchise for a long time - we've traded Bedard.

Continue reading "Finally"

First, the following item isn't a guaranteed fact.  It's a rumor, but did appear on ESPN's rumor board, and certainly has the stench of truth... 

This one was to be a 7-for-2, with the O's giving up 2B Brian Roberts and SP Erik Bedard to the Cubs.  The other players involved are never named, and it's just as well, as it's being reported Angelos vetoed the trade.  Piniella is now telling the papers that he doubts there'll be any trade for Roberts (thanks for letting us go through the motions, though, Pete).

Continue reading "Roberts, Bedard Feel The Angelos Curse"