It looks like Rich Hill's day's are numbered, though it sounds like an easy solution at this point is to put him on the DL with shoulder tendinitis. At least that would buy the O's some time and they can deal with a roster move later, if necessary. If he's been hurt for awhile, let us know, so we can cut the guy some slack. If not, I have no problem letting him go. Aside from pitching poorly, Hill's been a complete professional and even apologized to the front office and his teammates after the game. I'm quite certain he's more disappointed than anyone, so I wish him good luck, in particular, if he's still playing in an O's uniform again.
The game itself was a horrendous way to start a homestand after the brutal road trip that was, and losing to a team that started the night at 38-59. Just brutal. This was a game that the O's have to find a way to win, and yet that flailed away at Soria in the 9th and went quietly, very quietly. Though I wasn't glued to the TV for the entire game, the two things that stick out in my mind are: Juan Samuel may be the worst 3rd base coach in the history of baseball. I'm sure he's a great guy and I remember him as a player, but when Reimold got thrown out at the plate to end the 5th, then saw the replay showing where Reimold was when Freel picked up the ball in LF, I wanted to scream. Reimold was still 5 feet from touching 3rd base, much less rounding it, when Freel fielded a hard hit ball in relatively shallow LF. What was Samuel thinking? Then I read this quote from Trembley from the Sun and think, "what is he thinking?" Maybe he doesn't want to call out Samuel in the media, fair enough, but since I don't know what Trembley said to him after the game, I can only be outraged at Trembley's comment about the play:
"Reimold has been a very good base runner," Trembley said. "It's still early enough in the game, and I think that's the right call right there."
Had Trembley seen the replay? Either way, it was a horrible decision to send him and it seems like Samuel has gotten more runners thrown out at the plate than in any year I can recall. My other question is why Trembley didn't PH for Izturis in the 9th. With Andino, Zaun and Pie on the bench, and Izturis struggling since coming back from the DL, I don't get it. Granted these aren't great options, but both Pie and zaun have been hitting the ball rpetty well in their last efw appearances, so how does it hurt you?
Finally, and I can't take credit for this as I read it from a poster on another blog, but why did Trembley even pitch to Billy Butler in the 8th? He's killed the O's, and it was a huge run to give up at that time in the game. As the season continues to spiral downward, I become less and less convinced that Trembley is the right man for this job. What makes it an even more difficult decision for the FO though, is that many of the young players who have come up could potentially be playing for an entirely new staff next season, and I am a firm believer in continuity. But, to continue the way things are going, would be a huge mistake in and of itself, and a betrayal to us, the fans, so McPhail may have no other choice but to make a change.
Well, at least we have Berken going tonight and Tillman facing Greinke tomorrow night. Things are looking up. Go O's
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
Sounders vs Chicago Fire
I went to the Seattle Sounders v. Chicago Fire soccer match on Saturday and as always, it's was a high-energy, raucous crowd at Qwest field, despite the disappointing result. The Sounders certainly had more quality chances than the Fire, but couldn't quite put the ball by Fire's keeper Jon Busch. He made a couple of outstanding saves in the 1st half and really kept the Fire in the game.
The most disappointing part of the game was when Lundberg got red carded early in the 2nd half, minutes after the Fire lost a player to a second yellow card. Now I know Lundberg is a good soccer player, but what I also know is that he rivals Blanco in the whining department, something I have zero patience for. Lundberg would rather argue with an official than try to chase down a ball an opponent just stole from him, as he did on at least two occasions in this match (and all of the 60 minutes he actually played!). So when he received a yellow card for diving, Lundberg as usual, jawed with the ref. Now I don't know whether he actually dove or was fouled, though it looked more like a dive than anything to me. What I do know however, is that under no circumstances do you say something to the ref that is going to get you thrown out of this game, a game that up to that point the Sounders were the better team and whose opponent just lost a man for the rest of the match. It was inexcusable, and to see the standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 32K as Lundberg was escorted off the field was nearly as disappointing as his red card. In a game that was this important and clearly winnable, level heads must prevail, and I hope Sigi made a point to tell Lundberg after the match, and shows him he means it when he sits his ass on the bench for the match against San Jose on August 2nd. Go Sounders!
The most disappointing part of the game was when Lundberg got red carded early in the 2nd half, minutes after the Fire lost a player to a second yellow card. Now I know Lundberg is a good soccer player, but what I also know is that he rivals Blanco in the whining department, something I have zero patience for. Lundberg would rather argue with an official than try to chase down a ball an opponent just stole from him, as he did on at least two occasions in this match (and all of the 60 minutes he actually played!). So when he received a yellow card for diving, Lundberg as usual, jawed with the ref. Now I don't know whether he actually dove or was fouled, though it looked more like a dive than anything to me. What I do know however, is that under no circumstances do you say something to the ref that is going to get you thrown out of this game, a game that up to that point the Sounders were the better team and whose opponent just lost a man for the rest of the match. It was inexcusable, and to see the standing ovation from the sellout crowd of 32K as Lundberg was escorted off the field was nearly as disappointing as his red card. In a game that was this important and clearly winnable, level heads must prevail, and I hope Sigi made a point to tell Lundberg after the match, and shows him he means it when he sits his ass on the bench for the match against San Jose on August 2nd. Go Sounders!
Friday, July 24, 2009
Does Brett Favre think he's bigger than the game?
He must with the way he is acting. Retire already, you are done. Are the Vikings really this desperate? And why is this such a huge story, since we all know his best days are years behind him. I'm just sick of these athletes making a huge deal about retiring, shedding tears in press conferences, and walking away for some period of time, only to return to great fan fare. I recognize that these athletes have ego's that are insatiable, but why the media drools all over this nonsense is beyond me. Retire already Favre, and let us get back to what is really important, the O's second half!
Second Half Swoon
Nearly every time the Yankees needed to make a big play, they did. In fact, aside from Swisher’s defensive gaffe, and he made up for it with two other great catches and a HR, when the O’s were putting pressure on the Yankees, they responded defensively. Why more emphasis wasn’t put on and credit given to Teixeira’s defense, when looking at how important a piece he is is just beyond me. I know he wasn’t going to sign with the O’s, and that was apparent when Boras never provided a counter offer to the O’s initial contract proposal. But it drives the point home that defense at 1B is a truly critical component in a playoff caliber team, and it has to be addressed in the off-season, somehow. I just don’t get why Luke Scott doesn’t take 250 ground balls at 1B every single day, but I digress! Teixeira’s a gold glover, will be for many years, and despite his brutal start, he’s back up at the top of nearly every offensive category. It kills me, really, but I am almost over it, just a few more years and I will be fully recovered…….
Here’s hoping the O’s get off to a good start tonight in Boston with Bergesen on the mound, and that if Tillman makes his debut next week as anticipated, he pitches better than last night. Go O’s
Here’s hoping the O’s get off to a good start tonight in Boston with Bergesen on the mound, and that if Tillman makes his debut next week as anticipated, he pitches better than last night. Go O’s
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Phils and All-Star Game
The Phils signed Pedro today and while I think it's a low risk high reward signing, and he sounds like he has been throwing very well, I don't think it's going to truly separate them from the other NL East contenders. I think he will help though. What would set them apart however is making a blockbuster trade for Halladay. The Phils have some players/prospects that should obviously interest the Jays (Happ, Marson, Donald, Carrasco to name a few), but to me the key will be to avoid extracting anyone from the ML roster in order to obtain him. To avoid trading Happ, they may just have to add a 4th, or dare I say 5th (see Bedard trade) player, and I am not sure the Phils are willing to do that, nor should they, necessarily. It will be interesting to see where Halladay goes, and personally, I hope they trade him to ANY team in the NL, and that whoever they get in return doesn't pan out. And by the way, I'm still mad at Cito gaston for not pitching Mussina in the All-Star game ehld at Camden Yards in 1993, and beating the Phillies in the same season, when all we could do was keep playing the Dead's "The Music Never Stopped" to keep the Phils rally going.
As for the All-Star game, I found it surprisingly entertaining, and quick (perhaps that was the best part). It was outstanding to see Adam Jones have two very good AB's and knock in the winning run on his sac fly. What still puzzles me about the game though is that there has not been an outrage by everyone (save perhaps Selig himself) that home field advantage in the WS depends on this game, yet it's still considered an exhibition game. It's just another bad call by Selig and it has to change. The All-Star game should be all about having fun, in particular for the fans, but also for the players. It's a brutally long season, and a 3-4 day stretch replete of stress should be mandatory (do you hear me Player's Association?). Don't get me wrong, I think any player who is selected to the game has an obligation to participate unless injured or some other reasonable excuse (like Pedroia, who was spending time with his wife who is pregnant), but I also ackowledge that players need a braak as well. That's why the WS home field advantage should NOT depend on it.
Personally, I think MLB needs to either go back to alternating home field advantage each year, awarding home field advantage to the team with the best record, or base it on overall W/L on interleague games, which I believe is typically finished prior to the All-Star break (if not then scratch this one). Come on Bud, pull your head out and change this back to truly being an exhibition game that is for us, the fans.
As for the All-Star game, I found it surprisingly entertaining, and quick (perhaps that was the best part). It was outstanding to see Adam Jones have two very good AB's and knock in the winning run on his sac fly. What still puzzles me about the game though is that there has not been an outrage by everyone (save perhaps Selig himself) that home field advantage in the WS depends on this game, yet it's still considered an exhibition game. It's just another bad call by Selig and it has to change. The All-Star game should be all about having fun, in particular for the fans, but also for the players. It's a brutally long season, and a 3-4 day stretch replete of stress should be mandatory (do you hear me Player's Association?). Don't get me wrong, I think any player who is selected to the game has an obligation to participate unless injured or some other reasonable excuse (like Pedroia, who was spending time with his wife who is pregnant), but I also ackowledge that players need a braak as well. That's why the WS home field advantage should NOT depend on it.
Personally, I think MLB needs to either go back to alternating home field advantage each year, awarding home field advantage to the team with the best record, or base it on overall W/L on interleague games, which I believe is typically finished prior to the All-Star break (if not then scratch this one). Come on Bud, pull your head out and change this back to truly being an exhibition game that is for us, the fans.
O's First Half Summary
Team Performance Overall Grade - C+
Pitching
McPhail did the right thing by staying away from high priced, mostly marginal FA's (save CC and Lowe, and perhaps Burnett, but with his injury riddled past I think the Yanks will get burned) and instead signed Eaton, Uehara and Hendrickson (though the plan was for him to be in the BP, where he is now and is pitching very well), Uehara, as well as Alfredo Simon, and trading for Hill to join the rotation with Guthrie. The Hill trade was low risk high reward (though how low the risk is yet to be determined both b/c Hill is still a work in progress, and I don't know who the potential pool of players going to the Cubs consists of). Simon pitched very well in Spring training and was cheap, and Eaton could have provided a veteran presence to a young/inexperienced rotation and also was cheap, but we saw how that worked out. With all the talent in the minors at EVERY level, McPhail did the prudent thing, even though the rotation has not been the teams strong suit, to put it mildly.
Here are some more individual comments about pitchers:
- Eaton is clearly done. It's too bad, but he is.
- Hendrickson - He's pitched very well as a reliever and is now 4-0 with a 2.79 ERA in the BP.
- Berken - He looks to me a long releiver or spot starter. Nice to give him a chance right now though, and we will see if they keep running him out there every 5days or he's replaced by Tillman or another young arm in the 2nd half.
- Hernandez - Just like most pitchers, when he has kept the ball down he's been effective. He too is probably more likely to wind up in the BP, but what a nice problem to have. I'd love to see his power arm in the BP with Sherrill, Johnson, maybe Hoey eventually, Mickolio, Sarfate?
- Bergesen - A Godsend, and he really looks like he knows what he is doing. Pitches quickly and throw strikes, and everything I've read indicates the team loves to play behind him. He's got good but no great stuff, however he has a great game plan and more often than not executes it. He really reminds me of Greg Maddux, though Maddux probably had considerably higher K number. Looking forward to seeing this kid continue to develop, as he is only 23.
- Baez - pleasant surprise though he has come abck down to earth, unfortunately, as I don't think he will command much in the way of a trade. Get something for him now and get rid of a little salary as well.
- Hill - The jury is still out on him but I am skeptical he will stick. Until he can consistently command his fastball he's going to struggle. Why ALL teams don't take more pitches early in games makes no sense to me. I think Statistically, the best game he threw was in Seattle in June, and they swung at anything and everything he threw. His breaking ball is an A+, but everything feeds off of the fastball. The nice thing though is this is his first year working with Kranitz, so perhaps we just need to continue to be more patient. Unfortuntaely, with the young arms in AAA and AA, his leash simply can't be long based on numbers alone. Here's hoping he makes the O's make a very difficult decision, perhaps allowing us to trade some of the surplus pitching to plug a long term hole at 3B, SS or 1B. Maybe he turns out to be a lefty specialist which would work too.
- Uehara - IMHO he's a relief ptcher right now and hopefully when he gets back from injury, we will already have Tillman up and he simply heads to the BP. He can still be a valuable arm in the pen, and again, this was a long term deal and first take on getting into the Asian market. I think it's been a success overall.
- Guthrie - Though he has had a number of quality starts, he's really done nothing to impress me this season. While of course there has been a lot of pressure on him, I've been very disappointed with his performance. His trade value isn't even very high so unless we are overwhelmed and can fill a position of need, he remains an O.
Everday Players
I think Scott and Bergesen are the CO- MVP's of the first half, and it was great see how well Reimold performed, though he is slumping a bit now, and how Wieters has come on as he ahs gotten more comfortable.
Here are some more individual comments about everyday players:
- Andino - what a great job he's done, and my guess is that the O's activated Izturis earlier than necessary b/c they want to see whether there is any interst in him at the deadline. - I think this is a good move, since we know Andino plays solid defense, and has a really good feel for the game (except bunting - why can't this team bunt?); I thought Izturis was unimpressive with the glove (that's why we signed him, no?) for the first month or so but played much better leading up to his injury. I’d chalk the slow start up to getting acclimated to a new organziation and working with a new 2nd baseman, changing leagues and just getting more comfortable. A very good signing IMHO, and if we can parlay it into another piece with a trade, even better.
- Jones - obvious improvement and needs to hit the ball to RF for him to be and remain a star (could pretty much say that about any hitter). He needs to keep his head in the game more as well, but I suspect he will do that. First time making the All-Star game is a great accomplishment and I hope it's one of a dozen, or so.
- Wieters - He should be playing 6 days a week, period. He's 23 and he can do it, so write him in the line-up a little more. His opposite field power really impressed me and with all the ridiculous pressure on him as the next big thing, I think he's done pretty well. One thing that he needs to improve on is recieving the ball on plays at the plate. As a buddy pointed out a few weeks ago (Heinze), it's clear that Wieters was taught to keep his mask on when recieving a throw for a play at the plate. This really seems to limit his ability to see the ball as well as required, and he needs to drop the mask. Obviously there is a risk of getting hit in the face, but that's a risk I'd be willing to take, as should the O's.
Pie - He's still been a positive acquisition and, at a minimum, hasn't become a problem in the clubhouse despite the O's signing of Wiggy after we traded for Pie and the unanticipated call-up of Reimold, which subsequently created far less playing time than he probably anticipated. Kudos to him for keeping his mouth shut and doing what has been asked of him.
Salazar - the guy can hit and he needs to stay on the ML team. He's so valuable, especially with all the lefties we have in our line-up and the fact that he can play both the IF and OF. We need to find spots to get him in the line-up 5 times a week, so figure it out McPhail
Andy McPhail has the team on the same course as he wanted at the beginning of the season; the Bedard trade and Tejada trades were nothing short of a smashing success, and the farm system is in very good shape. He gets an A in my opinion, but still has plenty of work to do, especially leading up to the deadline at the end of July.
I'm really looking forward to seeing Tillman called up and my guess is that Arrieta may get a September call, but I don't think Matusz. Matusz will likely be near his innings threshold for the season, so that may be the biggest reason, though I'd expect him in AAA soon after the break. He's been truly dominating and we need to see what he does at AAA this year so he is nearly ready to make the rotation out of spring training next year.
Nice to see Trembley recently address some of the issues we've seen all season, specifically relating to playing sound fundamental baseball, that there would be an emphasis on this in the second half and that lapses won't be tolerated. Great news indeed, but I am confused as to why he needed to be a spectator during his 2 game supsension to see some of these shortcomings. As fans, we've been noticing them all season, in particular the base running which has been truly atrocious. Night in and night out we give up runners on the base paths, shortening innings for the opposing pitchers and making things much more difficult on ourselves. I've never seen a worse base running team, and overall fundamentals (bunting, throwing to the right base or cut off man, etc) need to improve dramatically in the 2nd half or I believe it will cost Trembley his job (so does Alex). Sadly, I think it should. Trembley really needs to convince me that he IS the right guy to continue moving the O's forward, and he has his work cut out for him. I'm not convinced that he is the man to take the O's to the next level, but I am pulling for him.
Other personnel decisions to be made:
- what to do with Huff? (trade him then sign him back would be my preference)
- Luke Scott - can the guy play 1B? FT DH?
- How can Andino fit into the plan, beyond being a back-up? - I think the O's activated Izturis to see whether he is ready in the hopes of trading him. With Blake Davis back from injury and in AAA, and having ready that his glove is ML ready now, it makes sense to me to have Andino at SS and Davis back him up. If we can get something good for Izturis than I think we need to entertain the thought of trading him. And he's not too expensive so many teams could be interested.
I could go on and on but I am hopeful that we see a lot of positive things from the O's, despite the tough schedule ahead. If we can go, say 35-39 in the 2nd half (with I think 39 games against the AL East), I think this season would be a pretty big success based on all the young players we've started to integrate (and I'd win my bet with Mandalay Bay!). Here's hoping it happens. Go O's
Pitching
McPhail did the right thing by staying away from high priced, mostly marginal FA's (save CC and Lowe, and perhaps Burnett, but with his injury riddled past I think the Yanks will get burned) and instead signed Eaton, Uehara and Hendrickson (though the plan was for him to be in the BP, where he is now and is pitching very well), Uehara, as well as Alfredo Simon, and trading for Hill to join the rotation with Guthrie. The Hill trade was low risk high reward (though how low the risk is yet to be determined both b/c Hill is still a work in progress, and I don't know who the potential pool of players going to the Cubs consists of). Simon pitched very well in Spring training and was cheap, and Eaton could have provided a veteran presence to a young/inexperienced rotation and also was cheap, but we saw how that worked out. With all the talent in the minors at EVERY level, McPhail did the prudent thing, even though the rotation has not been the teams strong suit, to put it mildly.
Here are some more individual comments about pitchers:
- Eaton is clearly done. It's too bad, but he is.
- Hendrickson - He's pitched very well as a reliever and is now 4-0 with a 2.79 ERA in the BP.
- Berken - He looks to me a long releiver or spot starter. Nice to give him a chance right now though, and we will see if they keep running him out there every 5days or he's replaced by Tillman or another young arm in the 2nd half.
- Hernandez - Just like most pitchers, when he has kept the ball down he's been effective. He too is probably more likely to wind up in the BP, but what a nice problem to have. I'd love to see his power arm in the BP with Sherrill, Johnson, maybe Hoey eventually, Mickolio, Sarfate?
- Bergesen - A Godsend, and he really looks like he knows what he is doing. Pitches quickly and throw strikes, and everything I've read indicates the team loves to play behind him. He's got good but no great stuff, however he has a great game plan and more often than not executes it. He really reminds me of Greg Maddux, though Maddux probably had considerably higher K number. Looking forward to seeing this kid continue to develop, as he is only 23.
- Baez - pleasant surprise though he has come abck down to earth, unfortunately, as I don't think he will command much in the way of a trade. Get something for him now and get rid of a little salary as well.
- Hill - The jury is still out on him but I am skeptical he will stick. Until he can consistently command his fastball he's going to struggle. Why ALL teams don't take more pitches early in games makes no sense to me. I think Statistically, the best game he threw was in Seattle in June, and they swung at anything and everything he threw. His breaking ball is an A+, but everything feeds off of the fastball. The nice thing though is this is his first year working with Kranitz, so perhaps we just need to continue to be more patient. Unfortuntaely, with the young arms in AAA and AA, his leash simply can't be long based on numbers alone. Here's hoping he makes the O's make a very difficult decision, perhaps allowing us to trade some of the surplus pitching to plug a long term hole at 3B, SS or 1B. Maybe he turns out to be a lefty specialist which would work too.
- Uehara - IMHO he's a relief ptcher right now and hopefully when he gets back from injury, we will already have Tillman up and he simply heads to the BP. He can still be a valuable arm in the pen, and again, this was a long term deal and first take on getting into the Asian market. I think it's been a success overall.
- Guthrie - Though he has had a number of quality starts, he's really done nothing to impress me this season. While of course there has been a lot of pressure on him, I've been very disappointed with his performance. His trade value isn't even very high so unless we are overwhelmed and can fill a position of need, he remains an O.
Everday Players
I think Scott and Bergesen are the CO- MVP's of the first half, and it was great see how well Reimold performed, though he is slumping a bit now, and how Wieters has come on as he ahs gotten more comfortable.
Here are some more individual comments about everyday players:
- Andino - what a great job he's done, and my guess is that the O's activated Izturis earlier than necessary b/c they want to see whether there is any interst in him at the deadline. - I think this is a good move, since we know Andino plays solid defense, and has a really good feel for the game (except bunting - why can't this team bunt?); I thought Izturis was unimpressive with the glove (that's why we signed him, no?) for the first month or so but played much better leading up to his injury. I’d chalk the slow start up to getting acclimated to a new organziation and working with a new 2nd baseman, changing leagues and just getting more comfortable. A very good signing IMHO, and if we can parlay it into another piece with a trade, even better.
- Jones - obvious improvement and needs to hit the ball to RF for him to be and remain a star (could pretty much say that about any hitter). He needs to keep his head in the game more as well, but I suspect he will do that. First time making the All-Star game is a great accomplishment and I hope it's one of a dozen, or so.
- Wieters - He should be playing 6 days a week, period. He's 23 and he can do it, so write him in the line-up a little more. His opposite field power really impressed me and with all the ridiculous pressure on him as the next big thing, I think he's done pretty well. One thing that he needs to improve on is recieving the ball on plays at the plate. As a buddy pointed out a few weeks ago (Heinze), it's clear that Wieters was taught to keep his mask on when recieving a throw for a play at the plate. This really seems to limit his ability to see the ball as well as required, and he needs to drop the mask. Obviously there is a risk of getting hit in the face, but that's a risk I'd be willing to take, as should the O's.
Pie - He's still been a positive acquisition and, at a minimum, hasn't become a problem in the clubhouse despite the O's signing of Wiggy after we traded for Pie and the unanticipated call-up of Reimold, which subsequently created far less playing time than he probably anticipated. Kudos to him for keeping his mouth shut and doing what has been asked of him.
Salazar - the guy can hit and he needs to stay on the ML team. He's so valuable, especially with all the lefties we have in our line-up and the fact that he can play both the IF and OF. We need to find spots to get him in the line-up 5 times a week, so figure it out McPhail
Andy McPhail has the team on the same course as he wanted at the beginning of the season; the Bedard trade and Tejada trades were nothing short of a smashing success, and the farm system is in very good shape. He gets an A in my opinion, but still has plenty of work to do, especially leading up to the deadline at the end of July.
I'm really looking forward to seeing Tillman called up and my guess is that Arrieta may get a September call, but I don't think Matusz. Matusz will likely be near his innings threshold for the season, so that may be the biggest reason, though I'd expect him in AAA soon after the break. He's been truly dominating and we need to see what he does at AAA this year so he is nearly ready to make the rotation out of spring training next year.
Nice to see Trembley recently address some of the issues we've seen all season, specifically relating to playing sound fundamental baseball, that there would be an emphasis on this in the second half and that lapses won't be tolerated. Great news indeed, but I am confused as to why he needed to be a spectator during his 2 game supsension to see some of these shortcomings. As fans, we've been noticing them all season, in particular the base running which has been truly atrocious. Night in and night out we give up runners on the base paths, shortening innings for the opposing pitchers and making things much more difficult on ourselves. I've never seen a worse base running team, and overall fundamentals (bunting, throwing to the right base or cut off man, etc) need to improve dramatically in the 2nd half or I believe it will cost Trembley his job (so does Alex). Sadly, I think it should. Trembley really needs to convince me that he IS the right guy to continue moving the O's forward, and he has his work cut out for him. I'm not convinced that he is the man to take the O's to the next level, but I am pulling for him.
Other personnel decisions to be made:
- what to do with Huff? (trade him then sign him back would be my preference)
- Luke Scott - can the guy play 1B? FT DH?
- How can Andino fit into the plan, beyond being a back-up? - I think the O's activated Izturis to see whether he is ready in the hopes of trading him. With Blake Davis back from injury and in AAA, and having ready that his glove is ML ready now, it makes sense to me to have Andino at SS and Davis back him up. If we can get something good for Izturis than I think we need to entertain the thought of trading him. And he's not too expensive so many teams could be interested.
I could go on and on but I am hopeful that we see a lot of positive things from the O's, despite the tough schedule ahead. If we can go, say 35-39 in the 2nd half (with I think 39 games against the AL East), I think this season would be a pretty big success based on all the young players we've started to integrate (and I'd win my bet with Mandalay Bay!). Here's hoping it happens. Go O's
Friday, July 10, 2009
Gourds and Shinyribs 7/9/09
I'm not sure whether this is in the correct order but I think all the songs they played are here. Tt was an outstanding show indeed. Super high energy and it looked like the boys were really having a good time. In particular, it was great to see Jimmy enjoying himself and it appears he's trying to kick that cigarillo habit again which ain't easy, so keep up the good work Jimmy! Val, Ray and I went over to the Tractor to pick up Val's bags that were left there last night (Val or Ray could explain that but all things point to Stano!) and the band seemed pretty good. They were heading to lucnh and then making their way to Portland, on a truly spectacular day out here in the PNW. Thanks to the Gourds and Shinyribs (who put on a brilliant show last night) for two outstanding nights and hope the shows in Portland are fun and memorable. It was great to meet some new folks here and look forward to the next time...
Cheers
Earl
Tractor Tavern 7/9/09
Country Love
Yoli
Pushed Her Down
Out On the Vine
A Few extra Kilos
Fossil Contender
Collections
Pill Bug
Pine Island Bayou
Terbox
JCWSF
Everybody's Missing the Sun
Magnolia
Illegal Oyster
Dooley
Omaha
Ants
Thurman
How Will u Shine
TTT Gas
Encore
I Come Up
All the Labor
Flavor
Jorge
Oh Sister
Cheers
Earl
Tractor Tavern 7/9/09
Country Love
Yoli
Pushed Her Down
Out On the Vine
A Few extra Kilos
Fossil Contender
Collections
Pill Bug
Pine Island Bayou
Terbox
JCWSF
Everybody's Missing the Sun
Magnolia
Illegal Oyster
Dooley
Omaha
Ants
Thurman
How Will u Shine
TTT Gas
Encore
I Come Up
All the Labor
Flavor
Jorge
Oh Sister
Thursday, July 9, 2009
O's and Gourds, what a Wednesday!
What a day indeed, with the O's comeback victory and the Gourds show a the tractor. The end of the O's game was reminiscent of several O's games of recent memory, so it was nice to be on the winning end this time. Brutal loss for the M's though, and with their 4 game series starting against the rangers tonight in Seattle, they need HUGE things from Felix to help them forget about yesterday's debacle. The way the 9th inning unfolded was unbelievable, and one of the many reasons that I think baseball is the greatest game of all. I can't get enough of it! I only wished that I had been sitting their with Mark and Kev. Maybe next time……
A bunch of us met at La Carta in Ballard for some gerat food and our favorite margaritas, then headed to the Tractor for the show. I thought it was a pretty small crowd even though it was a Wednesday, maybe 250 at most. Baby Gramps was outstanding, hilarious and truly entertaining, and he serenaded us after the show just for good measure. That guy is a character, and tonight the infamous Shinyribs opens. I hope he's as good as Baby Gramps!!!!
I thought The Gourds lacked some energy last night, and I am not sure what Jimmy's problem was, but he was in an awful mood. He spent much of his time both before and after the show with huge headphones on, and wasn't particularly friendly to anyone. It's too bad b/c I always enjoy chatting with him, but perhaps after a good nights sleep and relaxing day today, he will be in top form tonight. A couple of the highlights for me were Web Before You Walk Into and Clear Night, one of the encores. It was a show that was exempt of all your typical crowd pleasers, but a good show nonetheless. And, Stano recorded it and was there in all his kind glory. Thanks Stano, and I always appreciate the shows I attend even more when listening to them after wards, so I can't wait to hear it? Have you mastered it yet? What are you waiting for! Anywho, I fully expect tonight to be more lively and a bigger crowd with the band having more energy, and it to be a greatest hits type of show. So, my guess is we here the likes of Lower 48, Cracklin's, Jorge, Ants On A Melon, Flavor On Yer Tongue, Plaid Coat, All the Labor, Jericho, Whiskey In A Jar and many others! What Shelby and I haven't heard in ages is Blood of the ram, and I need to see Kev stomping those feet and Claude pounding the keys tonight!!! BTW, Claude LOVED the Natty Boh shirt we got him so we are thrilled about that. It should be a blast and we have a bigger crew, so more tomorrow. I'll post the full set list after it's posted to the Gourds Blog. Looking forward to the O's having the day off and the Gourds show tonight. Go O's! Go Gourds!
A bunch of us met at La Carta in Ballard for some gerat food and our favorite margaritas, then headed to the Tractor for the show. I thought it was a pretty small crowd even though it was a Wednesday, maybe 250 at most. Baby Gramps was outstanding, hilarious and truly entertaining, and he serenaded us after the show just for good measure. That guy is a character, and tonight the infamous Shinyribs opens. I hope he's as good as Baby Gramps!!!!
I thought The Gourds lacked some energy last night, and I am not sure what Jimmy's problem was, but he was in an awful mood. He spent much of his time both before and after the show with huge headphones on, and wasn't particularly friendly to anyone. It's too bad b/c I always enjoy chatting with him, but perhaps after a good nights sleep and relaxing day today, he will be in top form tonight. A couple of the highlights for me were Web Before You Walk Into and Clear Night, one of the encores. It was a show that was exempt of all your typical crowd pleasers, but a good show nonetheless. And, Stano recorded it and was there in all his kind glory. Thanks Stano, and I always appreciate the shows I attend even more when listening to them after wards, so I can't wait to hear it? Have you mastered it yet? What are you waiting for! Anywho, I fully expect tonight to be more lively and a bigger crowd with the band having more energy, and it to be a greatest hits type of show. So, my guess is we here the likes of Lower 48, Cracklin's, Jorge, Ants On A Melon, Flavor On Yer Tongue, Plaid Coat, All the Labor, Jericho, Whiskey In A Jar and many others! What Shelby and I haven't heard in ages is Blood of the ram, and I need to see Kev stomping those feet and Claude pounding the keys tonight!!! BTW, Claude LOVED the Natty Boh shirt we got him so we are thrilled about that. It should be a blast and we have a bigger crew, so more tomorrow. I'll post the full set list after it's posted to the Gourds Blog. Looking forward to the O's having the day off and the Gourds show tonight. Go O's! Go Gourds!
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
O's Bats Come Alive, Umps Need a Refresher
Obviously it was great to get a win last night, though we very well could have knocked Bedard out in the first when he was still getting adjusted to being back on the mound. That being said, the team showed a lot of character after the blown call in the first which cost them a run, and with Guthrie having some health issue yet unknown to me (I read this morning he had flu-like symptoms and was woozy).
As Shelby and I sat and watched the first inning, we were both pretty sure that Reimold should have scored from 2nd when Gutierrez' throw to home bounced off the mound and went out of play. But, since Trembley's repeated arguments and the umps subsequent summit to discuss the play didn't change the outcome of the initial ruling, thankfully I have a copy of the MLB's Official rules. So, without consulting an attorney to interpret said rules, which IMHO are frequently ambiguous, I believe the Rule is 7.05(g) which states:
Each runner, including the batter runner may, without liability to be put out, advance - two bases when, with no spectators on the playing field (how hilarious is this!) a thrown ball goes into the stands, or into a bench (whether or not the ball rebounds into the field), or over or under or through a field fence, or on a slanting part of the screen above the backstop, or remains in the meshes of a wore screen protecting spectators. The ball is dead. When such a wild throw is the first play by an infielder, the umpire, in awarding such bases, shall be governed by the position of the runners at the time the ball was pitched, in all other cases the umpire shall be governed by the position of the runners at the time the wild throw was made.
Reimold was on the 3rd base side of 2nd base when the throw was made, and clearly should have scored. As Trembley was quoted in his post-game press conference, for the umpiring CREW to not know this rule or interpret it correctly is inexcusable, and they should be held accountable. Fortunately for the O's it didn't matter, but that's not the point. Whether Trembley's rant inspired the team I don't know, but I loved his comments after the game, defending his team and how hard they play on a daily basis. I trust that this team IS playing as hard as they can if the manager demands that, whether it always looks like that or not. Maybe that's just me drinking the cool-aid…. The team and Trembley need to have a chip on their shoulder though, and maybe this will become more evident as the season progresses. Winning games is the only way to convince other teams (and me) that we are constantly improving and to gain respect around the league, but I am hopeful that this game proves to be just the tonic the O's need to continue developing. Facing Felix today is no small task, but if we get a good start from Hernandez and Luke Scott has another 7 RBI's, we just may be able to win a series on the road. Go O's!
Edit- Looks like it's Vargas on the mound for the M's today. Although I am tired of facing lefties, this is still far better than facing Felix. Go O's!
As Shelby and I sat and watched the first inning, we were both pretty sure that Reimold should have scored from 2nd when Gutierrez' throw to home bounced off the mound and went out of play. But, since Trembley's repeated arguments and the umps subsequent summit to discuss the play didn't change the outcome of the initial ruling, thankfully I have a copy of the MLB's Official rules. So, without consulting an attorney to interpret said rules, which IMHO are frequently ambiguous, I believe the Rule is 7.05(g) which states:
Each runner, including the batter runner may, without liability to be put out, advance - two bases when, with no spectators on the playing field (how hilarious is this!) a thrown ball goes into the stands, or into a bench (whether or not the ball rebounds into the field), or over or under or through a field fence, or on a slanting part of the screen above the backstop, or remains in the meshes of a wore screen protecting spectators. The ball is dead. When such a wild throw is the first play by an infielder, the umpire, in awarding such bases, shall be governed by the position of the runners at the time the ball was pitched, in all other cases the umpire shall be governed by the position of the runners at the time the wild throw was made.
Reimold was on the 3rd base side of 2nd base when the throw was made, and clearly should have scored. As Trembley was quoted in his post-game press conference, for the umpiring CREW to not know this rule or interpret it correctly is inexcusable, and they should be held accountable. Fortunately for the O's it didn't matter, but that's not the point. Whether Trembley's rant inspired the team I don't know, but I loved his comments after the game, defending his team and how hard they play on a daily basis. I trust that this team IS playing as hard as they can if the manager demands that, whether it always looks like that or not. Maybe that's just me drinking the cool-aid…. The team and Trembley need to have a chip on their shoulder though, and maybe this will become more evident as the season progresses. Winning games is the only way to convince other teams (and me) that we are constantly improving and to gain respect around the league, but I am hopeful that this game proves to be just the tonic the O's need to continue developing. Facing Felix today is no small task, but if we get a good start from Hernandez and Luke Scott has another 7 RBI's, we just may be able to win a series on the road. Go O's!
Edit- Looks like it's Vargas on the mound for the M's today. Although I am tired of facing lefties, this is still far better than facing Felix. Go O's!
Rodrigo Lopez, back in MLB
Good for the Phillies for getting a nice star out of Rodrigo Lopez two nights ago. While he certainly had some success in Baltimore, he always seemed more like a 4A player to me. MO's fans will also remember that wen he wasn't performing well, talk of going to the bullpen spurred comments from Lopez that he was only interested in being a starter. I'm glad that's his current role in Philly, b/c that's a fan base that expresses their displeasure as strongly as any. Good Luck!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Another Lost Night at Safeco Field
Well another lost night here in Seattle as the O's looked helpless against Washburn. They hit the ball hard several times but right at guys, however it was a game that never seemed in doubt for the M's. They are now 5-2 against the O's this year, and in games I've attended at Safeco, the O's are 0-3. Good times! While Bergesen didn't pitch nearly as well as last Wednesday's game against the Sox (remember that, 5-1 O's lead heading to the ninth, only to los 6-5 in 11), the ball that Woodward hit to LF over Reimold should have been caught. He was very tentative going back o it, and from the angle I saw it, from centerfield, it was a ball he simply has to catch. That pretty much ended any hope of the O's winning the game with the way Washburn was throwing.
It was still a great night with Shelby and a bunch of good friends, and 2 hr 15 minute games are right up my alley.
My only complaints were that the scoreboards weren't working, making it difficult to keep track of the game, in particular, because we were with friends who we don't see often enough. My other complaint, and this is more personal, was as I was walking up the CF bleachers in my orange Mr. Boh shirt and Goonie Bird hat after the M's got the final out, a Mariner fan yells at me "the O's Suck!" While of course it pissed me off, it was more disappointing than anything. What does that accomplish? For me it's just a really poor reflection on the individual. At any rate, it's not the first time I've felt that way leaving an M's game (in fact the first 10 O's v M's games I attended at Safeco, the O's lost!), but there just is no place in baseball, or any sport really, for that behavior. It didn't spoil a great night out at a wonderful ballpark. Here's hoping the O's get on Bedard early and often tonight and get back on track. Go O's!
Also, below is a link to an ESPN article written by Jerry Crasnick on the O's outfield being the envy of baseball. Nice to see we are getting some very positive national pub!
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=4309422
It was still a great night with Shelby and a bunch of good friends, and 2 hr 15 minute games are right up my alley.
My only complaints were that the scoreboards weren't working, making it difficult to keep track of the game, in particular, because we were with friends who we don't see often enough. My other complaint, and this is more personal, was as I was walking up the CF bleachers in my orange Mr. Boh shirt and Goonie Bird hat after the M's got the final out, a Mariner fan yells at me "the O's Suck!" While of course it pissed me off, it was more disappointing than anything. What does that accomplish? For me it's just a really poor reflection on the individual. At any rate, it's not the first time I've felt that way leaving an M's game (in fact the first 10 O's v M's games I attended at Safeco, the O's lost!), but there just is no place in baseball, or any sport really, for that behavior. It didn't spoil a great night out at a wonderful ballpark. Here's hoping the O's get on Bedard early and often tonight and get back on track. Go O's!
Also, below is a link to an ESPN article written by Jerry Crasnick on the O's outfield being the envy of baseball. Nice to see we are getting some very positive national pub!
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=crasnick_jerry&id=4309422
Monday, July 6, 2009
Gourds, Tractor Tavern, Seattle, WA July 8 & 9
Aside from the O's being in Seattle and Shelby and I just returning yesterday from a great trip to the East Coast, where the O's went 1-1 in games we attended (the loss being the "Bergy Disaster" in last Wednesday afternoon's matinee against the Red Sox), our favorite band plays two shows at The Tractor Tevern in Seattle. Should be a couple of barnburners, as they always are, so you'll probably here more about that this week than the O's. Unless of course the O's can get it going on the road, something that has not come easily to them this season....
More Learning To Win, Or Not
Below is an entry from Peter Schmuck's Blog in The Baltimore Sun from today that echoes my sentiment from weeks ago about the O's and learning to win. While I saw very little of the Angels v O's series, and missed the utter meltdown in Friday night's debacle, I think Jim palmer makes a very good point. It's exceedingly frustrating to watch pitchers get 2 strikes on batters yet not be able to put them away; hitters not taking advantage with big hits and two outs or simply making productive outs early in an inning.
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/schmuck/
July 5, 2009
Lost weekend
The Orioles should have won three of the four games in Anaheim, but they don't know how to win. Jim Palmer told me that a month or so ago, pointing out their penchant for stalling after an early scoring rally as proof of a lack of "killer instinct." Never has that been more true than the last five days, during which they have lost three games in which they held a four-run lead at some point.
I don't have the numbers at my fingertips, but I'm guessing the percentage of games major league teams win when they take a four-run lead is pretty high. The Orioles have held a four-run lead in four of their last five games and won just one of them.
Obviously, that's because they have some real pitching issues, one of which is an uncanny ability to give runs right back after the offense explodes. In each of the past two games, the Orioles have taken a four-run lead in the top of an inning only to allow three in the bottom of the same inning. That meshes not-so-nicely with the nasty habit of scoring a handful of runs early and then letting the pedal off the metal.
Now that I'm through with today's rant, I have a confession to make. When the Orioles got ahead 4-0 today, I headed out to the cinema.
Why? Because I've already seen this movie too many times.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Back to me
Almost a dozen years of losing makes it difficult to learn "how to win", but I believe the talent level is approaching the point where we should be expecting this team to win, certainly more than it has been. I've also previously noted that the O's record in one run games isn't bad (and follower Alan has given me a hard time for this), but the last two games against the Angels, losing 11-4 and 9-6, were 1 run games when the team melted down. In fact, we had 4-0 leads in each of them, and pitchers couldn't throw strikes and fielders couldn't catch the ball.
I was pleased to read that Trembley called the entire team out, and specifically called out some of the older veterans, including BR, and I hope the message was clear. It will be three tough nights in Seattle, but here's hoping Bergesen throws well again, and Trembley stays in the dugout come the ninth inning and a 4 run lead. Go O's
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/schmuck/
July 5, 2009
Lost weekend
The Orioles should have won three of the four games in Anaheim, but they don't know how to win. Jim Palmer told me that a month or so ago, pointing out their penchant for stalling after an early scoring rally as proof of a lack of "killer instinct." Never has that been more true than the last five days, during which they have lost three games in which they held a four-run lead at some point.
I don't have the numbers at my fingertips, but I'm guessing the percentage of games major league teams win when they take a four-run lead is pretty high. The Orioles have held a four-run lead in four of their last five games and won just one of them.
Obviously, that's because they have some real pitching issues, one of which is an uncanny ability to give runs right back after the offense explodes. In each of the past two games, the Orioles have taken a four-run lead in the top of an inning only to allow three in the bottom of the same inning. That meshes not-so-nicely with the nasty habit of scoring a handful of runs early and then letting the pedal off the metal.
Now that I'm through with today's rant, I have a confession to make. When the Orioles got ahead 4-0 today, I headed out to the cinema.
Why? Because I've already seen this movie too many times.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Back to me
Almost a dozen years of losing makes it difficult to learn "how to win", but I believe the talent level is approaching the point where we should be expecting this team to win, certainly more than it has been. I've also previously noted that the O's record in one run games isn't bad (and follower Alan has given me a hard time for this), but the last two games against the Angels, losing 11-4 and 9-6, were 1 run games when the team melted down. In fact, we had 4-0 leads in each of them, and pitchers couldn't throw strikes and fielders couldn't catch the ball.
I was pleased to read that Trembley called the entire team out, and specifically called out some of the older veterans, including BR, and I hope the message was clear. It will be three tough nights in Seattle, but here's hoping Bergesen throws well again, and Trembley stays in the dugout come the ninth inning and a 4 run lead. Go O's
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