When you win you’re happy. When you lose you point blame.
We’re only 12 games into the season, but the Boston series has made me a little upset with Orioles Manager Dave Trembley.
Our starting pitching sucks, there’s no hiding it. But everyone knew that. Our bullpen however has talent, if they don’t get burned out.
The skipper needs to extend his starters. 4 2/3 from Guthrie and 4 from Eaton isn’t going to cut it. In fact it’s going to kill your bullpen. Relief pitchers can’t be expected to pitch 5 innings of the game, it’s going to wear them down and Trembley has been criticized for doing that before.
On Saturday’s game against Boston umpire Doug Eddings had a huge strike zone. Oriole hitters were rolling their eyes and getting called strike 3’s from garbage pitches. Brian Roberts even made a comment to the man in blue after his first at bat.
Trembley came out and exchanged words about Eddings’ “interpretation” (and I use that word loosely) of the strike zone. Then he went back in the dugout and watched as his hitters were forced to swing at balls out of the zone.
After a bad loss on Friday, Trembley shouldn’t have taken any garbage from Eddings. What have you got to lose? Go out there and tell him he can’t see, that he sucks, kick some dirt and tell the ump your players are getting screwed. If nothing else it lights a fire under your players and motivates them. Why not tell him off?
Sunday really frustrated me. Down 2-0 in the 8th inning, after arguably the best start by any Oriole pitcher this year, Trembley sat Koji Uehara brought and in George Sherrill. After 7 innings from Koji I think he deserved that spot on the bench, but bringing in Sherrill makes me mad. Why would the manager bring in a closer in the 8th when he’s only down 2 runs? That, to me, looks like you’ve thrown in the towel on this game. I want to see the O’s play to the last out, and they typically do, but why should they when Trembley puts the closer in during the 8th inning of a game that could easily be won by Baltimore?
I’m not calling for his head. I don’t want him fired. I just wish things would turn around I see a couple ways that Trembley could have possibly changed the outcomes of the past three losses.
Your right about the fire for one thing. Trembley could stand to be less even keel. This whole town in fact. Its been a dozen seasons since this team has so much as seen .500 ball, I think that calls for kicking dirt every now and again. Earl did it, and we never thought less of him. Hell, Earl did it when we were winning sometimes.
Keeping in mind, its not entirely Trembley’s fault, its a different era, and people are expected to be so darn sensitive to each other. The league would probably fine him for kicking dirt, its just obscene. Peter Angelos, if your reading, call Trembley today, tell him, his fines are covered and if we are loosing past the 6th inning in the next game, he had better get thrown out, find something to fight over. In fact, tell him if he does anything short of throwing a water cooler onto the field, he’s fired. Its good baseball, its entertaining for the fans, it fires the players up, I think the mark of a good manager is getting thrown out in about 10% of your games.
Then after the games, its always this straight unemotional face, I am kinda sick of it. Remember Ted Marchibroda coaching the Ravens first couple seasons, it was like the same thing, it was like “Golly gee, we lost, that’s just the wall the ball bounces I guess” – No angry emotion. When you loose three in the row on the road, and your pitchers get pasted in two of those games, you had better ignite a fire under someones ass if you plan on keeping your job.
Trembley, at your next press conference after a loss, would it kill ya to yell a little?
On a side note, I have always thought the whole “closer” single role methodology was a little overrated. Few guys really fit that role perfectly. I’m thinking Eck/Rivera/Lee Smith, and even then, if you had a situation in the 7th inning, bases loaded, one out, tie game, why not have your best guy ready to hit the mound to get you out of that jam? So I won’t criticize Trembley for that, I don’t think it was a give up move, he actually wanted to keep it close and work Sherill at the same time, which makes some sense to me.
Bullpen overused, yes, without a doubt, hang the starter out there a couple extra innings, even if performing poorly, make him do his job, and hopefully you weed out the guys with a winner mentality by seeing if they will hang in there. Using the pen too much, we agree, how and when to use your “closer” I could have a fundamental baseball argument on that all day long (and probably never convince anyone but myself). I just think the idea of having a specific guy to fill that role is overrated, unless you have a remarkable talent for that exact purpose. God bless Shrill, has done well for us, but he is not Eck in his prime, or Mariano Rivera.
But back on point, the main issue is for Trembley to show me something out there. Just sitting in the dugout with that blank stare and rubbing your chin, and making a few no brainer observations when miked up will not get it done. Lets seem some fire, lets see some emotion, lets smile and cheer when we win, lets scowl and curse when we loose. Say that’s not your style? Then you should have never been promoted. The manager has a responsibility to inject some attitude into the clubhouse. Its time for Trembley to step it up himself. Baltimore deserves it.
I am going to be contrary here and disagree about the Trembley showing some energy and unbridled passion.
But before I do, please keep in mind that I was unable to watch or listen to the games for the most part this weekend.
The time for Trembley has not yet come to get fiery. I believe that his players need to show him a little more something before he gets out there and does it.
As far as Angleos fronting him money for fines, I’m thinking no way. Angelos doesn’t strike me as that guy.
I believe it also has to do with his expectations. Trembley’s bar has not been set high with the pitching staff therefore, he seems to have more wiggle room.
I just want to see some signs of life. Trembley shouldn’t have accepted a 4 game sweep…even if it is to Boston.
I want to see some fire some flare. Get angry, don’t sit there and tell me that things “didn’t go our way.” Make them go our way.
I like Trembley and I like the future of the Orioles. I think he could be a great fit here, but don’t accept a poor effort. Yell and make things happen. Anyone can make a lineup card and take out pitchers, but a manager that motivates is a rare commodity in baseball.
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From what I have read and heard, it seems like the O’s went in and got it handed to them.
I see what you mean about getting fired up but why now?
Trembley is a player’s coach and I have every reason to believe that when the time comes for him to get fiery, he will respond.
You are frustrated and have every right to be. You want more from him….not yet from me…
HaillaTiels slullyron
Trembley finally got angry, and I loved it.
He argued the balk, nearly walked back to the dugout, and I was yelling the whole time “get back over there and get tossed!!” He obliged the fans, showed some energy.
Good goin Dave, let them know we are not going to take it lying down anymore, and perhaps some of that competitive, productive, angst ridden energy will flow down to the players.
I just want to see some signs of life. Trembley shouldn't have accepted a 4 game sweep…even if it is to Boston.
I want to see some fire some flare. Get angry, don't sit there and tell me that things “didn't go our way.” Make them go our way.
I like Trembley and I like the future of the Orioles. I think he could be a great fit here, but don't accept a poor effort. Yell and make things happen. Anyone can make a lineup card and take out pitchers, but a manager that motivates is a rare commodity in baseball.