By Jeff Pilson, on March 11th, 2011  Day one of the 2011 Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball tournament started with a roar but went out like a lamb as 3 of the 4 games were for the most part mismatches. And judging by the sparse crowds on hand in Greensboro, the fans must have seen it coming.Or maybe the poor turnout was more the result of fans not wanting to make the effort to watch the bottom 8 teams, of a conference that has clearly seen better days, slug it out. As I mentioned, beyond the first game of the day the fans did not miss much.
Game 1 – Miami 69, Virginia 62
For more than three-quarters of the opening game the scoreboard seemed to indicate that the ACC had done away with the shot-clock. It is hard to believe that a game played as raggedly as this one ended up being one of the more stunning comebacks in league tournament history. Stunning comeback, or colossal choke jobs, either way Miami put on a inspired 10-0 run in about 30 seconds of play to tie Virginia in the waning moments of regulation. Virginia trailed at the half, but slowly took control of the game in the 2nd half and held an eleven point lead with around 4 minutes to play. Miami seemed like they were dead int he water at that point, having shot just 4/24 up until that point in the half. Miami kept fighting and Virginia kept fumbling. Missed free throws and sloppy turnovers kept Miami in the game and even gave them a shot at the lead in regulation. Despite Miami missing a free throw that could have won the game in regulation, the Cavaliers had no answer for the ‘Canes in OT. READ MORE >>>
By Jeff Pilson, on March 9th, 2011 In 2009, the Baltimore Orioles called Chris Tillman up in late July to give him a taste of pitching against big league hitters and to begin to evaluate the capabilities of the young right hander. Understandably, the 21-year old showed some flashes but often struggled to get guys out. In 2010, Tillman was given the opportunity to win a job in the starting rotation, but he was inconsistent in the spring and the club felt it best to get him more seasoning at the AAA level. Tillman dominated at Norfolk and quickly earned a call-up in late May. Again, Tillman appeared to be over-matched and unable to locate his pitches and repeat his mechanics well enough to be an effective starter. Tillman was again sent to Norfolk, then recalled again by the Orioles in September and finished the ’10 season in the Orioles rotation.
So the question is, what exactly do the Orioles have in Chris Tillman? Unfortunately, the answer to that question is still to be determined. Tillman, who is still a highly regarded young pitcher, came to Spring Training with what seems like less of a chance to make the Opening Day rotation than he had last year. With Brian Matusz, Brad Bergesen and Jake Arrieta emerging as the three most reliable young arms in the organization, and the acquisition of veteran Justin Duchscherer, there seems to be little room in the rotation for Tillman. The health of Duchscherer is a variable that can affect the chances of Tillman breaking camp with the Orioles, as would a rough spring by either of the big three mentioned above. But at this point Tillman seems to have his ticket punched for AAA again. READ MORE >>>
By Jeff Pilson, on March 4th, 2011 The sentiment on Baltimore Sports Report and among most other NFL fans is that Roger Goddell’s proposal to expand the NFL schedule to 18 games is a bad idea. The commissioner has been campaigning for the idea on the basis of the fans and players not wanting so many pre-season games. Goddell’s 18-game schedule would provide more of what the fans love and allow more money making opportunities for NFL owners, some of which would trickle-down to soon to be cash strapped players.
The main opposition to the adding of 2 regular season games is the increased wear and tear and added injury risk to the players. Fan and players have both voiced this concern and it should not be taken lightly as more and more evidence comes forward about the long term effects of repeated collision impact to the brain and other body parts. After all, what fan wants to see their team’s starting left tackle go down with an injury while trying to secure home field advantage in a week 17 game? The added games will mean more injuries and could therefore mean less star power come play-off time. READ MORE >>>
By Jeff Pilson, on March 3rd, 2011  If we were to come up with a title to describe Brian Matusz’ season in 2010 it would probably be “A Tale of Two Brian’s.” Much has been made of Matusz’ stark turn around when Orioles manager Buck Showalter took over. Pre-Buck, Matusz was 3-11 with a 5.46 ERA. Post-Buck, Matusz dominated with a 7-1 record and a 2.18 ERA. So what made the difference for Matusz? He was wildly inconsistent for almost two-thirds of the Orioles season, but when Showalter took over Matusz went on a run that exceeded most of our expectations. How much credit can we give to Showalter? And more importantly, which Matusz will show up in 2011?
You could argue that Showalter’s mandate that Orioles pitchers be more aggressive inteh strike zone made a huge difference for the 6’5″ lefty. As a highly touted first round pick fromteh University of San Diego, Matusz was known for having a bevy of pitches in his arsenal and as a guy who could command all them. Some felt that his best pitch was his change up. It is often the case that young pitchers, that fall in love with their off-speed offerings have increasing trouble commanding their fastball. Part of Showalter’s message to Matusz may have been that he needs to be able to command his fastball in order to be successful in the big leagues. Confident in what his new skipper was preaching, Matusz improved his fastball command under Showalter. His increased aggression with the fastball made it easier for Matusz to work off that pitch with the rest of his aresenal. READ MORE >>>
By Jeff Pilson, on March 2nd, 2011 The position of back-up catcher for any team is not the most glorious spot on any roster. The same can be said for the position on teh Baltimore Orioles, but it is also one position that seems to be up for grabs in 2011. In the spring of 2010 C Craig Tatum managed to outplay veteran Chad Moeller, and somewhat surprisingly won a roster spot with the Orioles. Tatum showed similar offensive skills as Moeller, but his defensive ability behind the plate won him the job. While Tatum did well as a receiver in 2010, his bat may have slightly outshown his ability to control opposing running games. Tatum finished 2010 with a .281 batting average, not a world beater with the bat by any means, but he only threw out 7% of opposing base stealers.
| Year |
Age |
Tm |
Lg |
G |
PA |
AB |
R |
H |
2B |
3B |
HR |
RBI |
SB |
CS |
BB |
SO |
BA |
OBP |
SLG |
OPS |
OPS+ |
| 2009 |
26 |
CIN |
NL |
26 |
77 |
68 |
3 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
10 |
.162 |
.250 |
.221 |
.471 |
26 |
| 2010 |
27 |
BAL |
AL |
43 |
126 |
114 |
11 |
32 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
21 |
.281 |
.349 |
.316 |
.665 |
83 |
| 2 Seasons |
69 |
203 |
182 |
14 |
43 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
15 |
1 |
0 |
19 |
31 |
.236 |
.312 |
.280 |
.592 |
61 |
| 162 Game Avg. |
162 |
477 |
427 |
33 |
101 |
12 |
0 |
2 |
35 |
2 |
0 |
45 |
73 |
.236 |
.312 |
.280 |
.592 |
61 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| CIN (1 yr) |
26 |
77 |
68 |
3 |
11 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
10 |
.162 |
.250 |
.221 |
.471 |
26 |
| BAL (1 yr) |
43 |
126 |
114 |
11 |
32 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
9 |
1 |
0 |
12 |
21 |
.281 |
.349 |
.316 |
.665 |
83 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The 27 year old Tatum was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2004 draft by the Cincinnatti Reds and debuted in the big leagues in 2009. Tatum played in 26 games for the Reds in ’09. He did not show much with the bat but threw out 36% of base stealers in limited duty. Tatum was claimed off of waivers by the Orioles in November of 2009.
Tatum’s main competition for the back-up cather role comes from Jake Fox. While Tatum did well to hit .281 last year, he only slugged .316 and drove in just 9 runs in 114 at bats. Tatum has more experience as strictly a catcher, but Fox can play more positions defensively and has more power in his bat. The desicion may come down to whether Buck Showalter considers Fox’s bat and versatility more valuable than Tatum’s ability behind the plate. It seems unlikely that the Orioles will keep both players to start the season. Tatum will have to show tha the is more capable of throwing out runners than last year this spring and also prove that his ability with the young Orioles pitchers is too valuable for him to be left off the opening day roster.
By Jeff Pilson, on February 28th, 2011 With a chance to notch a signature win, against a ranked opponent, the Maryland Terrapins came up painfully short against the North Carolina Tarheels in Chapel Hill. The Terps needed a win to bolster their NCAA hopes and put them firmly int he mix of “bubble” teams. Now Maryland must win their final two conference games and go on an extended run in the ACC Tournament. In a game that was close for much of the first half, Maryland could not keep up with the size and athleticism of the surging ‘Heels.
Maryland did get strong perfomances from Terrell Stoglin and Jordan Williams, but got little production from their upper classmen. Stoglin set a creer high in leading the Terps with 28 points. Stoglin hit shots from all over the court and had Carolina on their heels (pun) with his quickness. Williams led Maryland with 19 boards, also a career high, and chipped in 16 points and 3 blocks. Despite the production, Williams, who was apparently battling a stomach bug, struggled against the length of the Carolina bigmen. Even with big nights out of Stoglin and Williams, the Terps were no match for North Carolina. READ MORE >>>
By Jeff Pilson, on February 18th, 2011 In many ways the Baltimore Ravens defensive line played the way they were expected to in 2010. Despite some early struggles, the unit again helped the Ravens hold opponents below 4 yards per rushing attempt. They brought consistent effort and toughness and controlled the line of scrimmage more often than not. While the line as a unit typically shows well against opposing running games, they also struggle to generate consistent pocket pressure from anyone not named Haloti Ngata. This is not surprising considering that the group as a whole lacks the athleticism needed to generate a consistent pass rush. Instead they rely on size strength and good technique to occupy blockers and bottle up opposing running games. This helped keep the Ravens in many games and generally made life difficult on the Ravens opponents, but the lack of a pass rush from the defensive line showed up big time in many late game situations.
NT Haloti Ngata -Before the season even began Ngata started receiving high praise. The terms “best defensive lineman” and “best defensive player” were heard when discussing the Ravens top play-maker up front. For the most part Ngata did not disappoint. He took his game, from an already high level, to the next stratosphere. Ngata improved significantly as a pass rusher, collapsing pockets and often beating double teams. Ngata did seem to slow late in the year with a nagging knee injury, but he was a dominant performer who may not have reached his best yet. The Ravens have already placed the franchise tag on Ngata for the 2011 season, and I am sure they will look to lock him up with a long term deal. READ MORE >>>
By Jeff Pilson, on February 12th, 2011 Prior to the 2010 season the Baltimore Ravens overhauled their receiving corps. The off-season included trading for WR Anquan Boldin, the free agent signings of Donte Stallworth and TJ Housmanzadeh, and the drafting of WR David Reed and TE’s Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta. The consensus was that the Ravens had significantly upgraded positions of weakness and now they had the types of weapons that would allow the offense to become one capable of big plays, putting teams away with 4th quarter drives and leading the Ravens to the Super Bowl. While the Ravens pass offense was improved, and QB Joe Flacco put up the best #’s of his career, the offense as a whole often stalled and the new acquisitions did not lead to much more wide open, explosive offense.
You can argue whether or not it was the offensive scheme, lack of pass protection, lack of quick decision making by the QB, or lack of speed by the receivers that did the Ravens in this year, but let’s take a closer look at the individual seasons by the Ravens receivers and tight ends. READ MORE >>>
By Jeff Pilson, on February 10th, 2011 The play of the Baltimore Ravens offensive line in 2010 was at times…offensive. Pardon the pun, but for a group that has been considered a strength of the Ravens over the previous two seasons underachieved in a major way. It is easy to make the argument that this unit was the most disappointing for the Ravens in ’10. So what happened? What led to the Ravens running backs only being able to run the ball for 3.8 yards per carry, and to Joe Flacco being sacked 40 times in the regular season?
I wish I could point to a rash of injuries, forcing a slew of back-ups into action. Or, the Ravens having to rebuild the line after personnel losses, but the lines struggles can largely be pointed at the loss of one player. There have been many rumors that the Ravens had been dissatisfied with the work ethic of tackle Jared Gaither. With the emergence of rookie tackle Michael Oher in 2009, the Ravens felt they needed to hold an open competition for the left tackle position. Gaither had held the spot for the previous 2 seasons and was hopeful that the Ravens would reward him for his efforts with a long term contract. Gaither began to skip out on voluntary work-outs and seemed to be upset by the developments and the lack of the Ravens interest in extending his contract. Gaither then got injured after showing up under weight in to training camp, or he decided to sit out the year in protest. Either way, Gaither’s unavailability forced a major shift of the offensive line. READ MORE >>>
By Jeff Pilson, on February 4th, 2011 According to Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles have agreed to a 1 year, $8 million deal with free agent DH Vladimir Guerrero. The merits of this move have been hotly debated on Baltimore Sports Report, as well as on sports radio shows and other forums. Now we will get to see whether or not the aging slugger has much left in the tank. He certainly adds another veteran bat to a line-up that appears to be significantly improved over 2010. Vlad has a proven track record of being a run producer and will likely man the 4 spot in the Orioles line-up. The move also creates more depth and line-up flexibility for manager Buck Showalter.
I am a bit surprised that the Orioles increased their offer as much as they did. The club’s initial offer was reported to have been in the $3.5 to $4 million range, with incentives that could have earned Guerrero up to $5 million. Perhaps the reports were erroneous, or perhaps the Orioles saw an opportunity to add the slugger to their line-up and felt they needed to up their offer to get a deal done. Either way this move will please some who called for his signing, and disappoint others who felt that Guerrero adds little to the club.
What is your verdict? Did the O’s pay too much? Or were they smart to get the deal done?
By Jeff Pilson, on February 3rd, 2011  Rumors have been swirling that the Orioles and their fans will soon know whether or not free agent DH Vladimir Guerrero will be joining the club. I have found it interesting that the debate over signing Vlad has been so polarizing. In reading some articles in the Orioles blogosphere you would think that Orioles fans are generally not in favor of signing Vlad, or at least pursuing him more aggressively than they have. Camden Crazies, Dempsey’s Army and Camden Chat all wrote articles recently and more or less came to the same conclusion….signing Vlad would not significantly improve the Orioles. But if you were at the Orioles Fanfest on Saturday most fans were in favor of getting a deal done for Vlad. While I do not believe that Guerrero is by any means the missing piece between a run at the wild card and finishing in 4th place, not do I believe he is likely to reach or exceed his numbers from 2010. I do believe that signing Vlad makes the Orioles a better offense, it increases the optimism of a starving fanbase and it creates greater depth for a team that has seen lots of injuries among the positions that will be affected most.
Why would the Orioles not add Guerrero? Certainly there are financial concerns and I agree the club should not bid against themselves. They are the only likely option for Vlad right now and I do not have a problem if they have made their best offer for Vlad. There are also concerns that Vlad does not have much left, despite his good numbers of a season ago. Guerrero’s knees are reported to be in bad shape, he can no longer play in the field and is a liability on the bases. Camden Chat felt signing Vlad would not be a good idea because he would destroy any chance that Nolan Reimold receives significant playing time with the O’s. READ MORE >>>
By Jeff Pilson, on February 1st, 2011 Just a week after the Baltimore Ravens signed PK Billy Cundiff to a 5 year deal, the team did the same with P Sam Koch. The Ravens have now locked up significant members of the special teams units for the foreseeable future. Koch is coming off what could be considered his best year as a punter in which he averaged 43.6 yards per punt and knocked a career high 39 kicks inside opponents 20 yard lines. Here is what Koch’s agent Steve Mudder had to say about his client and his new deal:
“I can tell you that Sam is very pleased with the contract and he is excited to be staying home in Baltimore for at least another five years,” said Steve Mudder, Koch’s agent. “Sam is a Raven to his core, and this long term deal is what he has wanted ever since his rookie contract expired after the 2008 season.”
“He is excited to continue playing for coach [John] Harbaugh and coach [Jerry] Rosburg — you can’t stress enough the value and stability they offer to a specialist like Sam and their role in his development as an elite punter in the NFL,” Mudder said. “He knows what they expect from him and what their standard of excellence is, and that certainty is added comfort.” READ MORE >>>
By Jeff Pilson, on January 24th, 2011  In what is perhaps one of the worst bluffs in recent memory, Carson Palmer recently requested to be “traded” out of Cincinnati this off-season. Sources close to Palmer insist that if the Bengals QB is not traded, he is willing to “retire.” I have no doubt that Palmer would like to be out from under the dark cloud that is the Cincinnati Bengals, that he is fed up with the losing, the missteps of his teammates and dealing with a pair of wide receivers that are more about branding themselves than winning football games. But let’s face facts, Palmer is not going to walk away from the $50 million that he is owed over the next four years.
Palmer is trying to force the Bengals hand, but he is leaving the team between a rock and a hard place. Palmer has little trade value because of his large contract and questions about whether or not he is a top tier QB. The Bengals also have stated that Palmer is in their plans as the QB of the present and future. Unless another team is willing to make a foolish trade, there is no way Palmer gets moved. READ MORE >>>
By Jeff Pilson, on January 18th, 2011 According to Jamison Hensley on the Sun’s website Ravens defensive coordinator Greg Mattison is leaving to take the same position at the University of Michigan. Secondary coach Chuck Pagano has been promoted to take Mattison’s place. Pagano has been the Ravens secondary coach since 2008.
Many Ravens fans have campaigned for Mattison’s removal, despite the fact that he guided the Ravens to top 10 finishes in overall defensive rankings during his 2 seasons as the Ravens defensive coordinator. The top 10 finishes can be seen as a lowering of standards for defense in Baltimore, but you could also argue that Mattison has as little defensive talent to work with since the 2003 season. Critics felt Mattison was not as aggressive or as unpredictable as his predecessor, Rex Ryan. Declining sack and turnover totals would lend credence to that argument. In 2010 Mattison’s defense also struggled to protect 4th quarter leads despite it’s high overall ranking. The question that will likely go unanswered was whether Mattison made the move because he saw the writing on the wall that he would be replaced this off-season, or if he truly felt like he could not pass up the chance to try and restore a declining Michigan program. READ MORE >>>
By Jeff Pilson, on January 6th, 2011 Entering the Wild Card Play-Off Round against the Kansas City Chiefs, I wish I had a pulse on what the Ravens are capable of offensively. Week 17 against the Bengals was another clunker. Fortunately, the Bengals seem to give the Ravens and QB Joe Flacco more trouble defensively than most other teams. I feel like last week was a case of a team having another’s number, but I uncertain that an underachieving group can right itself for the play-offs. The Ravens can either open things up and attack on offense, or they can limp through one, maybe two games on offense. Does this team have what it takes to make the plays they will need on offense? It is a question we have been asking all season. It is finally time for some answers. READ MORE >>>
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Day one of the 2011 Atlantic Coast Conference men’s basketball tournament started with a roar but went out like a lamb as 3 of the 4 games were for the most part mismatches. And judging by the sparse crowds on hand in Greensboro, the fans must have seen it coming.Or maybe the poor turnout was more the result of fans not wanting to make the effort to watch the bottom 8 teams, of a conference that has clearly seen better days, slug it out. As I mentioned, beyond the first game of the day the fans did not miss much.
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