Orioles causing a stir in S. Korea and in fans...

So to catch you up in case you haven't been following the Orioles moves this offseason and any headlines they have been linked to. The Orioles signed 17 year old South Korean, Seong-Min Kim to a Minor League contract. So what's wrong with this you ask? Shouldn't be anything wrong with this. I mean the Orioles and all clubs sign guys right out of high school to play in the minors. In fact outside of the US, Canada and Puerto Rico players can be signed at the age of 16.  Well the problem is that the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) and the Korean Baseball Association are crying foul. Apparently they said that the process in dealing with Korean players is for the ball club to contact MLB and MLB will contact the KBO to negotiate with the player. The KBO filed a letter of protest against the Orioles with MLB and the Orioles have since apologized for the move. Strike one against the Orioles and no harm no foul right? Well the KBA has plans to ban O's scouts and Seong-Min Kim has been banned from ever playing South Korea again and also banned from ever coaching in South Korea as well. Now it looks as though MLB is going to void Kim's contract with the Orioles.
Now when I first started writing this I was a bit angry that MLB was voiding the contract and the KBO's over-reaction to all of this. That was stemming from my perspective as a fan, and now that I've taken some time to think it over it's the right thing to do. The Orioles and Duquette know the rules when contacting and signing foreign players. I mean come on as involved internationally as Duquette has been he definitely knew it was a no-no to do what he did. So it appears MLB will suspend the signing for 30 days by voiding the contract and the Orioles will also be fined by MLB. My only hope is that during that time Kim doesn't get signed by another team. Not because I think he is the next coming of Nolan Ryan, but because he has talent and can be a part of the rebuilding of our minor league system.

Spring training starts this weekend. This time every year I always feel like that guy who is so enamored with a hot girl that only comes around when she wants something. Once she has you following her like a puppy dog she leaves you broken and emotionally drained, but you know months down the road you see her again and fall right back into the trap. That's just what the Orioles do to all us fans. Every April they come back around wearing that appealing outfit saying "...but we've changed! See look at all the improvements we've made! Trust us we're moving forward and will get better." We fall for it every year, and every year we will continue to hang our heads when we're left watching all the other couples (teams/fans) go on to bigger and better things come October. Damn you Orioles!!! Yes even through all that you put us through we'll come back and defend all your flaws.

Am I Hearing You Right?

So I've heard a couple things lately that have had me shaking my head. First is the rumor that the Orioles could be interested in Manny Ramirez. All I have to say about this possibility is NO NO NO. I don't want Manny being Manny in Baltimore. Hearing what some of his former teammates had said we don't need him in our locker room and around our young guys. We need to build chemistry in our clubhouse and rally around each other and don't need him being a distraction. Not only that when and if he comes back he's immediately missing 50 games due to his previous suspension.

Second of all in regards to the Peyton Manning rumors. One place he could possibly land may be with the Redskins. So being surrounded by Skins fans I'm hearing majority of them saying they don't want him. Alright I can see this if you're getting and good young QB who is going to be your future but unless you get Luck or RG3 you'd be crazy to pass on him. Especially since last year you had 2 back up QB's fighting to be a starter. You've got tol be kidding me if you're a Skins fan and you don't want Manning. Alright I'll add one stipulation in this whole conversation. IF he's healthy. If he is you've got to be crazy not to want him for a couple years. Heck if we didn't have Flacco I'd be hoping that we got him, but who am I. I am happy to see that since I started writing this I just saw on twitter that Duquette has come out and said its doubtful Ramirez is an Oriole this year.

Orioles Approaching Spring Training

So with the pitchers and catchers about to hit the field down in Florida to start the spring training there hasn't been huge signings so far. I mean the Orioles watched as the Angels, Marlins, and Rangers threw money around like they hit the PowerBall jackpot. In my honest opinion I think the O's are doing the right thing. Would I have liked to see the likes of a Prince Fielder wearing the cartoon bird on his hat and Baltimore scrolled across his chest? HECK YEAH! I also thought this was the year to pull off such a deal because of the fact that the Red Sox and the Evil Empire (Yankees) have their first basemen in place. So you're not competing against the big spenders of the league. So again would I have liked to see one of those big names come to Baltimore? Yes, BUT we have much bigger things to take care of in Baltimore and this organization. For the longest time now we have had the need to boost our minor league system. You can buy all the big names you want but those big names are in their prime and are on a clock before they are done. When that happens you need to have someone coming up behind them. Heck even the Yankees and Red Sox who buy their bats still have guys in their system that can take over in the future. I know he isn't making huge deals but I'm liking what Dan Duquette is doing. We are getting more involved in the international market which we as an organization is late to the party. Every other organization had vamped up their international scouting years ago and the ones who have been winning have tapped into the Dominican and a few from the Asia market. So I'm glad we are finally getting more involved.
The guys we have been signing are guys that have upside to them and improves areas that we were weak in last year. Last year our pitching staff had control issues. They couldn't get deep into games and our bullpen was over used.  Duquette is looking at certain stats where we were weak and getting guys who can improve those areas. In addition the guys who don't stick in the majors this year give us depth in our minors, and depth that is better than what we have down on the farm.
I'm excited about the future of this club. It's just going to be another down year as far as standing though.

Goodbye 2011-2012 NFL Season

Well with the Ravens not in the big game I got the outcome I was hoping for with the Giants winning. There was just no way I was going to pull for the Patriots. Not only because they beat us but I'm just tired of the Patriots winning and Brady and Belichick this and that.
Speaking of the Ravens I didn't have a chance to post anything between our loss and the SB mostly due to personal life scheduling and honestly I had to take some time to get over the dropped passes and whatever you call that poor excuse of a kick. Unlike most in Baltimore though I'm not putting this loss on Cundiff and his botched field goal kick  There were dropped passes by Dickson, an inexcusable false start by Dickson and many other factors that lead up to that loss. Anyway before I start to get worked up again I'm just going to leave it alone and move on. The offseason will be starting up before we know it and it will provide us with plenty to talk about. Now we move on to the rest of the NHL season and MLB which is quickly approaching. So I'm going to switch gears now and get into baseball mode. So long 2011 NFL season you weren't very pleasant to us here in Bmore this year but when has the NFL ever been good to us. My fault it wasn't the NFL that has a history of hating on Baltimore mainly Paul Tagliabue. I will close this post with just one question for Mr. Taglibue. Do you still believe Jacksonville was a better fit than Baltimore for an NFL team or should we stick to what you thought we did best "build museums"? I think you'll find your answer in comparing the two attendance records there Pauley boy.