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!

This IS September right?

It is hard to believe but it is September and Orioles are tied for first place with the Evil Empire Yankees. I mean this is September right? For the past 14 years whenever Sept we were already ramped up for the season because the O's were well out of it. This is nice! This I definitely can get used to. As I'm writing this the O's are up on the Blue Jays and the Rays are up on the Yankees. If things continue which I hope they do. The O's will be in sole possession of first. Then we go into a 4 game series at home against the Yanks. This could be a great weekend. Think I might go out and buy some crabs and sit back with a Natty Boh and enjoy!

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!!!

Still out there?

Alright so it's been some time since my last post. To be exact my last post was back in March. You had the NFL season close and the end of the season buzz started to fade. Giving way to the increasing excitment to the start of the MLB season. I have to apologize for the break. We've been busy with summer stuff and the start of our product review blog which has taken off faster than we could have imagined. So I've been spending some extra time with that. Also honestly I've been enjoying this baseball season that the Orioles have provided us. I keep saying I hope the Orioles can keep this up and not let things slide like they ave in seasons past. So far they haven't let me down. My hopes for a strong finish continue to grow since in years past they have played the role in beating teams with winning records. The problem was we already had 80-90 loses by then. I like the little acquisitions they have made in Thome and Quintanilla. Just bringing a guy like Thome with his personality and experience your giving these young guys something they haven't had since Kevin Millar was in town. Wei Yin Chen has been a great surprise coming over considering most of the talk before the season was about Wada. Then you had Hammel who was lighting it up on the mound until he was injured. Hoping he can make it back and give us a little extra push. Alright am I drinking the orange cool-aid? YES and by the pitcher full at that. After 14 straight losing seasons I have been dying to see this team back in the mix and I think that time has come. I'm not saying they're taking it all but it's nice to be back in the mix.
Now that football season is about to get going I will definitely be more active. The Ravens have their first preseason game this week and I will try to break down some of the things I see in that game. I'll tell you what. In the past couple years I would have been all about football since the O's are usually out of it but this year I have been all baseball.
Please excuse any grammar or spelling errors as I'm typing this on my phone while I'm waiting for my wife at the park and ride.

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.

Orioles Offseason This & That

There's been a lot of buzz this off-season surrounding the Orioles and surprising (can you feel the sarcasm) most of this buzz isn't painting the organization in a positive light.


Let's start with the first piece of bad press they received, it came with the celebration and unveiling of the Brooks Robinson statue.

Let me just say congratulations to a great man and Orioles legend!  

With that said now let me say, SHAME on you Orioles!  When you think Orioles you think Brooks, Cal, Palmer, and you had NOTHING to do with this at all?  Not only did you not contribute any funds to it, nobody from your organization showed up to celebrate the unveiling?  It's not like you had to go far it's right across the street from your stadium and warehouse.  Which brings up my other complaint.  How is this not on the property of the stadium?  I understand Babe Ruth is from Baltimore but the man was only in the Orioles organization for 5 months in 1914, and we sold him.  He is most known for being a Yankee.  So instead of celebrating on of your own like a Cal, Brooks, or Palmer you have a statue in honor of a YANKEE.  Whatever as long as Angelos is the owner of this team things like this will continue.


Let me take a breathe and calm down a bit and talk about the next piece of news with the Orioles and that's the departure of President of Baseball Operations Andy MacPhail.  It doesn't matter what title you give let's just say GM because that's what he was.  Some criticize his player moves or lack there of some would say.  I for one think that Andy did what he could player wise, and the moves he made were good ones when they were made.  I emphasize player moves because I feel more should have been done with the organization as a whole.  You can bring in good and upcoming talent as he did, but it does you no good if you're not developing that talent and that's where MacPhail failed I believe.  Then you have international scouting and this was MacPhail's response, "We're still not head over heels in international scouting."   Really?  How has that worked out for your minor league system?  So I wouldn't say that MacPhail was a complete failure but had some areas he should have done better in.  Although the areas he dropped the ball in may hurt us in the long run in trying to be competitive sooner rather than later.


With the departure of MacPhail the way the Orioles were talked about in the media on this candidate and that candidate declining to be interviewed and you had Tony Lacava who turned down the job to stay as the Assistant GM in Toronto.  I think this was the biggest blow to the Orioles because you had a guy who was rumored to be your leading candidate turn down your offer to be your GM to stay as an Assistant GM.  So the Orioles go out and hire Dan Duquette as their new executive vice president.  Again doesn't matter what the title is he will be the GM, fall guy, scapegoat, whatever.  I'm not sold that anyone can come in and do anything under the Angelos ownership.  In his one on one interview with Steve Melewski his answer to one of the questions, answered may biggest question.  When asked if he has the assurance that he can make any moves whether it's signing players or hiring and firing staff his response was " I have the assurance that I'm going to be here to build a competitive and winning team."  Hmm, am I reading too much into this statement?  Don't get me wrong I hope he comes in here and turns things around, but until I see moves made and changes put in place I'll stand by my thinking that until Angelos goes we'll remain the same.
I'll stop my complaining now, but I feel we have a right to be a bit upset and pessimistic.  14 years of losing records has given us that right.

My closing O's thought's 2011

So I have to admit originally I was upset with the O's winning these last 2 weeks because I was looking at next year and wanted the best possible draft position we could get.  With that said I have to correct my rant against the O's days ago.  The past couple of series to close out the season were pretty fun, and to end it all the way we did last night knocking the Red Sox out of the playoffs put the icing on the cake.  I have another disclosure, I stopped watching last nights game in the bottom of the 9th with 2 outs knowing it was over.  I mean come on the highly acclaimed favorites since the season began to win it all with 2 outs in the bottom of the ninth.  With so much on the line and the Rays playing in extra innings against the Yankees.  There was no way they were going to lose this game, and there was no way this Orioles team was going to score 2 runs with 2 outs and no one on base.  So it was my surprise when I awoke this morning and saw that the O's pulled it off.  This will tide us O's fans over until next season.

Now that this season is over let's start looking to next year.  MacPhail is more than likely packing it up and will no longer be our GM.  So who's going to fill that slot?  There's many rumors that Buck Showalter is the clear favorite for the position.  I'm teetering on wanting a younger more proven "GM" in that position.  I'm not saying Buck can't get the job done, but I would rather see him in the dugout and a true GM running the front office stuff.  I could be wrong, and Buck could do a great job.  Heck if he gets the job I HOPE he does a great job and turns this thing around.  I know it will never happen but Cashman's contract is up.  I'm just saying.
Once the GM situation is straightened out we REALLY need to look at our scouting and minor leagues.  I threw both scouting and minor league coaches together because one or both of these areas are failing.  How can NONE of our position players pan out over 10+ years?
Maybe I'm just rambling aimlessly, but then again these are just my crazy thoughts.