The Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox just got done a series at Fenway Park last weekend and the O’s were only able to take one of the three games. Even that one game though, was a struggle for the O’s to win. This weekend there will be a rematch, of sorts, for the Birds.
Friday night, David Hernandez, who pitched well on Sunday, but was non-decisioned, will oppose John Lackey. Lackey always has a way of shutting down the O’s, but Hernandez has been pretty good this season. Hernandez (0-3) has been far better than expected this season and is walking fewer batters.
Saturday night, the Orioles are likely to recall Brad Bergesen from Triple-A Norfolk and he will face Daisuke Matsuzaka. Bergesen has been nothing short of bad so far this season, but seems to have gotten his stuff back from his quick trip to the minor leagues. Matsuzaka will be making his season debut.
On Sunday afternoon, Kevin Millwood will have his hands full against Josh Beckett. Millwood has been very good for Baltimore and will try and shut down Boston’s lineup.
For the O’s to win the series, they need to get their offense needs to get going. The offense has struggled with situational hitting and power through the first 22 games. Also, the defense will need to get better. After starting the season very well on defense, the play in the field has gotten shoddy forcing extended innings and more pitches thrown by the pitching staff.
I'll be there tonight and tomorrow.
My only wish is for the Orioles not to embarrass the fans.
Hopefully they can get the bats going.
Z Man — Love the youthful optimism!!! I'm just not sure there are too many places to look…Markakis has not improved year over year…Jones hasn't done a whole lot since mid-year, 2009…Miggy is a lot closer to my age than yours…Atkins ain't in Coors Field anymore…Sweet Lou isn't the answer…Nor is the SS…Luke Scott, God Love Him, is what he is…Maybe Shiela knows of something I'm missing until we go and get Adrian Gonzales or Hanley Ramirez before their Contracts expire in 2011?
The Orioles need a a big free agent for sure. I think Gonzalez gets scooped up by Boston, but how about Prince Fielder? That solves your problem at first and you hope that Josh Bell pans out.
Bruz, you listed all the Orioles down falls and your right, but here's how I see it. Markakis provides solid defense and .300 avg and 20 homers consistently, Jones has a lot to live up to, Miggy and Atkins are stop gaps, Luke Scott is a bench player. There's a lot of weight on Jones' shoulders, but people think he's the real deal.
I'd like to see a big bat and some solid pitching from the bullpen, they're getting good starts. But I would keep them in the game longer than 5 and a third.
San Diego is 14-8 and in first place…they aren't giving up Gonzo any time soon.
It's April.
Mark saw the game of the year!
On Fri, Apr 30, 2010 at 10:04 PM, Zach Wilt <zach.wilt@gmail.com> wrote:
It's April.
Somebody better remind Ol' Bruz that Miggy, old though he may be, still managed a hunnert and ninety-nine hits last year!!! How 'bout De'm O's, Hon!!! Glad this will quell the Trembley Must Go rants for a little bit…In just another week and a half the schedule eases up and they can make their slow and steady climb back to 70 Wins!
Somebody better remind Ol' Bruz that Miggy, old though he may be, still managed a hunnert and ninety-nine hits last year!!! How 'bout De'm O's, Hon!!! Glad this will quell the Trembley Must Go rants for a little bit…In just another week and a half the schedule eases up and they can make their slow and steady climb back to 70 Wins!
You know, I’ve always liked Miggy. I know he got a bad rap just before he left the first go-around, but I think he’s a gamer. And as evidenced last night, he’s a guy that doesn’t shy away from the big situations. I know he’s not the long term answer and 2468 will have something to say like “oh, now he thinks Miggy should be the 3rd baseman for the next 10 years…” but in the short term, I think they picked up a solid major leaguer who wants to win.
The Orioles walked TEN batters including McDonald (Red Sox #9 hitter) THREE TIMES.
Atkins is a joke. Anyone wanna revise their opinion of that pickup?
Tejada is the only guy playing with heart.
Jones would've had a triple in the 10th if he decided to run instead of thinking the ball was foul.
Speaking of Mr. Jones. Looks like he got a lesson from Luke Scott in how to handle criticism.
What a moron.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/…
Mark – I guess I saw and still see Atkins the way you see Stallworth. They didn't invest in a multi-year deal, so they cut him loose at the end of the season if he doesn't work out.
Stallworth cost 950 grand and will be a role player at best. He will be the 4th or 5th option behind Boldin/Mason/Heap/Rice/Dickson etc…..
Atkins was given 4.5 million to START on a team that was supposedly being judged on wins and losses.
I don't see those situations as being all that similar.
I wasn't a big fan of Miggy his last couple years here, but he's changing my mind. Two clutch hits last night. Sure he's not a number four hitter and hopefully the O's will address that this off season. But I'm liking his play so far.
I was surprised to see how quickly the O's scooped up Atkins, but I don't think they expect him to be their guy…especially if he keeps playing the way he has this first month.
Ty Wigginton could definitely be trade bait for bubble teams though. Not sure how the two relate, but I think it's funny considering his play last year.
If neither works, you cut your losses. At least Atkins has produced at the highest level.
And lets not get into comparing MLB salaries to NFL. You know better than to go down that path. In relative terms, 4.5 million is chump change in the MLB.
Also, when my complaints were at their peak, it's when it looked like Stalworth was their answer.
Mark,
I've posed this question to you before and you took it the wrong way. I am in no way challenging you with this question, not in the least.
If you are the O's GM this offseason, what wold you do? What FAs are out there you look to? Where do you see the holes that need to be filled?
This is not meant to be smart, challenging, confrontational. none of those things…just like to know your thoughts.
Mark et al…
This just in…Garrett Atkins is a career .600 hitter versus Josh Beckett, although in limited at-bats. He is NOT in the lineup today!
Way to do your research, Trembles!
I fire the entire coaching staff to start.
The #1 need is a big bat preferrably at 1st base. They also need to acquire a fairly high quality starter. I assume Millwood will be gone whether by a trade or w alking in the offseason. This team cannot just hope that all of the young arms will pan out.
SS and 3B are both major holes as well. Sorry, but I'm not just buying what some people are in Bell.
People keep hyping Brandon Snyder as well. Whatever.
MacPhail has stripped the payroll down to 65 million and used this notion that it's all about the young guys etc…. I refuse to buy it and I think what we are seeing backs me up.
I will say it again. This team has plenty of money and resources. We are not the Royals or Pirates yet they act like it.
The entire infield is a problem to be honest. Roberts' back could be chronic.
For them to sell the current roster as something that can compete in the AL East was laughable to me.
The whole organization is still a complete mess in my opinion.
Did you see my note on Atkins? 6 for 10 versus Beckett but on the pine today.
Why do you want to Fire Trembley, he's such a student of the game? (There's my sarcasm for today)
Zach – Miggy is changing your mind because you follow STD like a puppy dog… Anything he does you follow… Its like your Father/son or something…
Look, the 1st base problem is not one at all. In a couple of years Wieters HAS to be there because he is too tall to be playing catcher. His knees/legs will go real quick. Put him at 1st next spring and look for a catcher. Now, you need a whole new infield other than 1st.
Also, don't think Jones is going to be here long. I've notivced the way he has run his mouth the season that he's a prima donna and will crave the lights of a big city, NY or Boston.
Again, this team is a joke and although STD likes him, McPhail is the reason. Why is Trembley still here? Why? He is in over his head. You see this team in the dugout along with Trembley and there is no interaction between players and they sit there like logs, expresionless. Trembley sits by himself with no emotion or anything. I used to see Torre standing near the rail talking to players and such but Trembley looks dead.
You know I don't even want to say "I told you so" because now I'm getting to the point of really being pissed about this team. There is no defending anyone on this team!
STD said what FA's should they sign. They don't have to sign any, trade for an Adrian Gonzalez. And don't say they don't want to give up their talent.
Think about this… seriously… Gone this year at the trading deadline or as FA's will be:
Tejada
Izturis
Guthrie
Millwood
Lugo
Atkins
Wiggenton
and these will probably be done:
Roberts
Koji
Gonzalez
That is starting over with all new players at 1st, 2nd, SS, 3rd, #1 & #2 starting pitchers, possibly closer, 2 extra infielders (one of which is doing good, Wiggenton)…
And really, there is no one in the minor leagues that you can plug in those holes that you are high up on.
Right now, they should bring up Arrieta and Tillman and plug them in the rotation. Let them get a friendship going with Matusz so that they can have a comraderie much like Palmer, McNally and Cuellar had.
2488
It's as if people think this tema is young when in reality a ton of the everyday players are old and on their way out of here.
There are a select few who still have the wool pulled over their eyes and believe there is some sort of master plan that will bring this team back to prominence.
Nah, I don't agree with everything. For instance, I don't see the big deal in sitting Atkins, who is ice cold, even though he's traditionally hit well against Becket.
This year everyone is hitting well against Becket and the O's bats are hot. Who are you gonna sit to bring Atkins into the line up?
Tom Verducci in SI said:
Baltimore appeared to moving forward with young players such as Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Matt Wieters and Brian Matusz. But, according to one rival executive, their model was flawed. "They took good young players and surrounded them with non-tenders, veteran guys who can't play," the executive said. "It's a brutal combination."
The Orioles' investments, meager though they may be, in players such as Garett Atkins, Mike Gonzalez, Miguel Tejada, Julio Lugo and Cesar Izturis have not advanced the club. Look at their roster: they have few valuable commodities any other team would want. And Wieters, Jones and Markakis (five home runs combined) have exhibited little power.
In 12 previous seasons, all of them losing ones, the Baltimore Orioles have lost 1.7 million paying customers from their attendance, or 47 percent of the house.
In other words they went cheap and it shows.
It's so pathetic.
So they have "very few valuable commodities any other team would want", but you are suggesting they trade for Gonzalez?!?!
He said look at their roster, not their entire organization.
Big difference.
Orioles have some chips to play with down on the farm. Of course, they'll most likely keep them all, see a few pan out, and be left out of a big trade to address immediate needs.
OK, so they went cheap, but isn't it fair to say that the entire organization was (some think still "is") in disarray? Brian Roberts is the only every day player this organization produced in 25+ years. It's much deeper than the big league team, this is like tearing the house down to the foundation and starting over. The whole organization has been mismanaged for 25+ years, not just the last 12.
Enough to convince a team to let go of Gonzalez? I can't see it.
STG
I dunno what kind of time frame you are willing to give this organization.
I really don't. They HAVE the money and resources and don't use it.
They have the ability to rebuild faster than many other teams yet they still suck.
They keep stringing the few fans they have along by pretending to have a plan.
They absolutely have the ammo to pull off a trade like that.
It would cost them alot of this "massive potential" that they Orioles have on the farm in terms of starting pitching.
But MacPhail won't do it because he believes in growing the arms and buying the bats.
Of course, he buys garbage like Atkins and old band aids like Tejada.
It's just the same old song and dance.
Again, not being an ass, just asking…
What would your trade package look like?
STG
I don't get it. Atkins was brought in to START at a position that needs to produce runs. He sucks and sucked last year in Coors field.
And you are WAY too smart of a football fan to think that Stallworth was somehow the Ravens answer. It was a minor signing from the get go.
I'm well aware of the differences in the salaries in both leagues. But the fact of the matter is 4.5 million is 4.5 million. That's real money being shelled out for a terrible player.
Stallworth got the veteran minimum. THAT is a true no risk situation.
Atkins being brought in to start on a team we were told wasn't rebuilding and ready to win is far more risky.
Of course, that's if anyone actually believed this bogus plan in the first place.
Tillman or Arrieta/Snyder/Erbe. That's just off the top of my head.
There are a bunch of combinations that could get it done.
But again, it won't happen.
Exactly!
They have a ridiculous amount of holes that need to be filled through the farm system and free agency.
And it's not getting done.
I guess I'm more patient than most. I want a winner just like everyone else, but quite honestly I see holes at nearly every infield position, 3-4 holes in the rotation, and the need for a whole new bullpen. We're not sure about the outfield, outside of Markakis, so there's probably 2 holes there too.