Thanks O's!!!

Now that I've had some time to cool off and put that series with the Yankees behind me I can post this. I can't stand the Yankees and that organization. Some would say well that's because of their history and their dominance. I disagree. You see I hate the Steelers but there is some sincere respect for the team and their organization. As for the Evil Empire I don't respect a team that has a payroll two to three times that of most teams in the league, and shame on MLB for not leveling the playing field. With that payroll and talent you should win.
Enough of my rant. I'm proud of the boys of Bmore! After finishing 69-93 nobody gave them a chance to make it this far. For good reasons to. I mean who goes from 69 wins to 93 in one season especially when you've had 14 losing seasons? Well now you can say the 2012 Orioles that's who. What was the difference you ask. Well how about a bunch of guys that were cast offs. Guys that were released and had down seasons and traded. Guys from the likes of Omar Quintanilla, Jim Thome, Nate Mclouth, Jason Hammel, and Joe Saunders. Throw them in with a bunch of young guys in the rotation and 20 year old third basemen and some key leaders in Jones, Markakis, and Hardy and it turned into a winning recipe. Not sure what happened to the bats but if they didn't cool off when they did we could be talking about a team set for the big stage. I can't complain though. After waiting and agonizing for 14 years this team was fun to watch and sparked that fire in all of Bmore. 2012 O's we're proud of you and thank you for this season. It was a blast, but you're not done. Keep building, keep scrapping, and let's get ready for 2013. This wasn't our year but I think we sent a message to the AL East. The Birds are back and we are no longer taking a back seat to anyone anymore!

Orange Koolaid Anyone?

Alright so I've been drinking the orange Koolaid for a while now this season, and I have got to know. If you weren't drinking it before are you drinking it now? If not then, WHY THE HECK NOT? Let me break this down for you. Right now the Orioles sit at 62-53. At this exact point last year we were 45-72, 2010 we were 41-75, 2009 47-67, 2008 58-62. Heck let's look back to when we last won the division in '97 at this point we were 73-42. That's only 9 games away from where we are right now and we finish that season 98-64. Look we have 47 games left in the season and we sit 5 1/2 games out of first place behind the Evil Empire and currently in the second wild card spot behind the Rays. Say we split the remaining games and go 85-77. When was the last time we finished in contention this late in the season and over .500? Heck tell me at the beginning of the season if someone told you we would finish with that record you wouldn't be laughing at them and saying "Yeah right". So I ask you again "Why aren't you drinking the Koolaid yet?"
Can this team tank the remaining 47 games? Sure. I mean they have a tough schedule left. Heck the rest of this month we have the Red Sox, Tigers, Rangers, Blue Jays, White Sox, and Yankees. Can we lose some of those games? Yeah, but I think we have proven this year that we can hang with these teams, and in years past we have finish strong in September playing the role of spoiler. Which lets face it that's all we had to play for.
The moves we have made this season aren't flashy, and big name signings but seem to be exactly what is needed. We needed to fix our fielding woes since we lead the league in errors. It seems we have done that in picking up and putting McLouth, Quintanilla, and Ford in the field. You add to that bringing up Machado and our fielding has been much improved.
That brings me to my next topic here. I was concerned with the bringing up of Machado because in years past we have brought guys up and they never panned out. Now I'm not about to crown the guy a Hall of Famer, but he has been quite impressive. In 4 games he is hitting .375 with 3 HR 7 RBI's and 5 runs scored. Heck in the 6 hits he's recorded he has the 3 HR's a double and a triple (which was his first major league hit). So 5 of his 6 hits have been for extra bases. There's been the haters saying yeah but it was against the Royals pitching. Yeah well who else put up those kind of numbers this past series? Yup keeping looking because no one did.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Orioles Magic is back. This team is in competition to make a push for the off season. Will we go far? Probably not but who knows. That's why they play the games right? I said it last post, I haven't even been following the Ravens training camp because I'm fixated on the O's. We have never had an Orioles team in competition and a successful Ravens team. It looks as tough we may have that now. Football season is right around the corner, but until then LET"S GO O'S!!!

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.