A Guide To Orioles Spring Training
Filed under: MLB, baseball, following the locals, sports
If you are like me, a person whose love affair with baseball has gone a little stale since the hometown team has declined, the words “pitchers and catchers report” can set off fleeting moments of hope. This year, I am keeping the faith that the MacPhail Plan begins to bear more fruit and that fans like me can see future pennants and championships in the distance (not up close; they aren’t quite ready for that yet). That said, it’s spring training! Time to breathe deep and drink the orange and black kool-aid! Ok, if you’re not quite at that state yet, here’s a guide to spring training, O’s style.
This year the Orioles will set up camp in Sarasota, which is a marked improvement over the Fort Lauderdale site. While Ed Smith Stadium isn’t brand new, it will be new to the Orioles. The former home of the Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds will now serve as the spring home base for the Orioles, and with renovations and improvements due to be made and completed by next spring training, the Orioles will finally look the part of a first-class organization down in Florida. You can learn all about the new home by visiting this page on the Orioles’ website (in addition to purchasing some tickets for spring training games and travel packages to get you there).
Today marks the first day of the 2010 Baltimore Oriole season, as the likes of Brian Matusz, Jeremy Guthrie, Chris Tillman, new acquisition Kevin Millwood and Matt Wieters will be heading down to Sarasota to build (or in some cases improve) on their 2009 seasons. The rest of the squad (assuming there are no issues with things like visa problems and other minor quibbles) is scheduled to be present by February 23rd. The pitchers and catchers are scheduled to have their first workout on Thursday; the first workout for the full squad will be on the 23rd. If you are heading down, you can watch the practices free of charge, at least until the spring games begin. Once the games begin you can only watch practice if you have a ticket. The Orioles will begin their spring schedule with a home game against the Tampa Bay Rays. You can find the complete spring schedule here. The O’s won’t play the Nationals this year in spring training either at Camden Yards or Nationals Park, but will see old familiar foes Boston and the New York Yankees several times.
So, as I sit with my tall glass of Oriole kool-aid, I am looking forward to improvements by the Orioles. Is it too much to ask for a possible .500 season? I’m old enough to remember Cal Ripken squeezing the last out of the 1983 World Series; will I live long enough to see the Orioles return to respectability? Another chapter in the long-running saga begins in Sarasota in a few hours. Go O’s!
At BSR: Quarterbacks
Filed under: ACC, MLB, NCAA Tournament, NFL, baseball, basketball, blogs, college basketball, football, sports, websites
This week at the Baltimore Sports Report, I try my hand at some analysis of the quarterback position for the Baltimore Ravens. Of course, most of that analysis begins and ends with Joe Flacco, but there are some points I make about Troy Smith and John Beck as well. This is yet another part in a continuing series where the writers at BSR have reviewed all positional groups on the team. You can find my post here. In the past week, the writers have taken a look at the Ravens’ special teams, linebackers and the offensive line. There’s even a post about last week’s State of the Ravens press conference. Now that football season is over, you can have a look back at the season that was through these and other posts.
However, that’s not all you can find at BSR. The site recently got an interview with Amber Theoharis, who just might be the busiest female sportscaster in the market. Also, features are starting to pop up on Baltimore’s other birds, the Orioles. Find out how our writers feel about the offseason moves as spring training approaches. There will be features and opinions thorughout the season, so stay tuned. There will be Terps coverage as well as we get closer to the ACC Tournament and March Madness.
If you are a fan of Baltimore sports, do yourself a favor and check out the Baltimore Sports Report (not because I said so, and not because my work shows up there from time to time-okay do it for both of those reasons). Do it because it’s a great site for getting a fan’s perspective on Baltimore sports (and be sure to comment).
Random Sports Thoughts 7
Filed under: MLB, NBA, NFL, baseball, basketball, college basketball, football, sports
Around and about in the world of sports:
- Congratulations to the seven members of the newest class of the NFL Hall of Fame: Jerry Rice, Emmitt Smith, John Randle, Rickey Jackson, Russ Grimm, Dick LeBeau and Floyd Little. Rice and Smith were no-brainers of course, and the other candidates deserved their nods as well. There is a backlog of great players that are eligible for the Hall; it will take some time to get all of them in. I would just like to put in a few words for Grimm. Given the fact that the Hogs were one of the best offensive lines of the last 25-30 years, it’s actually about time one of them got some recognition by the Hall.
- There was talk last week of the NCAA opting out of their contract with CBS and possibly expanding the NCAA basketball tournament from it’s current 65 team format to 96 teams. Okay, let me get this straight. No action is necessary for a college football playoff, but the greatest college event ever needs to break up the current format to let more teams in? I don’t think so…this thing reeks of a money grab. Not to mention, that if they really want to fix the tournament they should get rid of the play-in game, or at the least let the last two at-large teams play in that game. Don’t put a small school automatic qualifier in the game-they deserve the opportunity to have the full tournament experience much more than some BCS school mediocrity. Not to mention, if the tournament did include 96 teams, most if not all of those spots would be to BCS schools with unimpressive resumes.
- The days are growing short leading into spring training for another baseball season, and I wonder what exactly will the Orioles look like this year. I’ll have more to say about them as the season gets closer, but it has been a pretty quiet offseason for Baltimore’s baseball birds. For some fans, it has been too quiet. I’ll reserve judgement until things get going, but once again, I am hoping for progress. I’m not expecting a worst-to-first season, but at least be competitive past the All-Star break, and if possible, make an approach to .500.
- Gilbert Arenas was suspended for the remainder of this season, and has probably seen his last days as a member of the Washington Wizards. Has there been a more stunning fall from grace? Arenas was once the prince of the city; his blog was popular and his skills on the court made fans sit up and take notice. His absence serves as just a symbol of the Wizards’ season; where they were counting on him to finally be healthy enough to play, he ends up missing another large chunk of a third consecutive season. I don’t see how the Wizards can keep this core of players together, with Arenas surely gone it may be time for Ernie Grunfeld (or someone else) to blow this team up and build it back from the ground up. It will definitely be interesting to see how the Wizards proceed from here.
A Wish List For My Teams
Filed under: MLB, NBA, NCAA Football, NFL, baseball, basketball, college basketball, college football, following the locals, sports
Since it is Christmas Eve, I thought I’d take the time to write out a few wishes that I have for my favorite teams Most of these can’t be completed for Christmas, but are more long-term wishes that I will hopefully see come to fruition over the coming months.
For the Baltimore Orioles:
- A plan that makes the O’s competitive in 2010. I think I’ve given up hope on making the playoffs next season, but something other than a last place finish would be great.
- An effort to pry Adrian Gonzalez out of San Diego. If you’re looking for a power-hitting corner infielder, he fits the bill.
- Failing at #2, please find the following: some players with pop in their bats to play first and third base, a healthy complete season out of Adam Jones, and at least one frontline starter. Regarding the frontline starting pitcher, he may already be in the fold, but finding one, anywhere would be terrific.
- Hope. All we want is some hope that things will get better (a very common wish).
For the Baltimore Ravens:
- Playoffs! Of course, it may not be a long run when or if you get there, but still, I’d like to see you there-preferably while the hated Steelers stay home!
- Ozzie Newsome, please, please please find some playmakers…on both sides of the ball. While you’re at it, find some depth on the defense, the old stalwarts aren’t getting any younger. If Demetrius Williams is the playmaking wide receiver we all wanted around draft time, his grade is an incomplete. Dominique Foxworth has only recently been the cornerback we thought we were getting.
- Not much else, so there really isn’t a third wish.
For the Washington Wizards:
- It may be time to admit that this plan of Ernie Grunfeld’s isn’t working. To be fair, Flip Saunders needs at least one season to see what he can do with the parts he’s got, and it would be nice if those parts could stay healthy. Grunfeld fired Eddie Jordan because he didn’t win enough games at the start of last season, even though he didn’t have Gilbert Arenas healthy. Now Arenas is healthy and still the Wizards aren’t winning.
- Can someone on the Wizards brain trust teach these players how to play defense? The song still remains the same, this club doesn’t play defense worth a damn. Unfortunately, I don’t think any changes are going to be made to increase the importance of defense, so the Wizards are going to have to rely on outscoring foes yet again.
- Ted Leonsis, you are poised to take control of the Wizards. Please follow the hallowed footsteps of Abe Pollin and yet build upon the great foundation he laid. While Mr. Pollin was only able to witness one NBA title for his franchise, here’s hoping you can do what is needed to really build the team up for contention in the seasons to come.
- See Wish #4 for the Baltimore Orioles.
For the Maryland Terrapins (football and basketball):
- Ralph Friedgen, the ball is in your court. There has to be improvement in the football program immediately. 2-10 seasons are not going to cut it. Somehow, someway, you and your staff (those of whom are still around) have to find the players that will bring Maryland football back, if not to Orange Bowl or BCS levels, then at least to respectability. Goodness knows, Terp fans would like a diversion in the fall other than waiting for…
- Gary Williams and the basketball squad. Thank you for showing the fan base that indeed, you can coach. If you can take a team that had as minimal talent and no real inside presence to the second round of the NCAA tournament, imagine what you can do with this year’s team. I would advise you not to get close to the NCAA tournament bubble or suffer any losses “supposedly” beneath your level, though, or the squawking about whether or not you’ve lost it will begin anew.
- For both of you: recruit, recruit, recruit! You don’t necessarily have to get the best one and done players, but you do have to get some players in order to compete with the powerhouses. Maybe even a few victories against them wouldn’t hurt (that’s for the football team).
- See Wish #4 for the Orioles and Wizards.
Do you agree with the wishes? Do you have some you would like to add? Put them in the comments. Hope everyone out there has a very Merry Christmas!
Rooting For Goliath
A few days late, but I’m going to put this up here anyway…
Now that baseball season has come to an end, congratulations are in order for the New York Yankees, victors in the World Series over the Philadelphia Phillies 4 games to 2. In a lot of ways, this was the inevitable outcome of the baseball season; the team had the best record in the majors and was favored to win by pundits when the playoffs started. As a fan of the Orioles, it pained me to write those last two sentences, so I guess that qualifies me as a Yankee hater. By that definition then yes it’s true.
The Yankees, as presently constituted, are in a no-win situation. When they win, they are supposed to win. When they lose, they stink because all the talent they had didn’t get the job done. Rooting for the Yankees (and I have several friends that do) is like rooting for Goliath. They are supposed to win, because they have the advantages-the highest payroll, the amount of money they can spend on free agents and the ability to acquire talent unlike any other team in the sport. At times, that ability to acquire high-priced help often comes at the expense of building the farm system, but when your yearly mission is “World Series or bust,” letting the farm lie fallow every once in a while is worth it if championship hardware is being brought home season after season. However, just because the Yankees have those advantages, it hasn’t always meant a championship is forthcoming.
This World Series win is the first for the Yankees since 2000, when they beat the New York Mets. In fact, since that win the Yanks have only been in the World Series twice: in 2001 against the Arizona Diamondbacks and in 2003 against the Florida Marlins. In the other years, they were either knocked out of the playoffs or as in last season, didn’t even make the playoffs. After that “debacle” Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenner sons (Hank and Hal) decided to open up the coffers and lured in three pricey free agents: C.C. Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett. Given the results of the season, you could say it was money well spent.
A lot of Yankee hate focuses on their ability to outspend other teams to get talent like Sabathia, Teixeira and Burnett. But last I checked, there is no cap on salaries, or on how much individual clubs can spend to produce a winning team. Basically, the Yankees use their advantages to build the best team money can buy and it works, from time to time. But it isn’t foolproof. The Yankees aren’t breaking any rules, so other clubs will just have to outwork, outscout and develop their own talent better than they have been.
As an Oriole fan, you hope that means building up the farm system with players that on talent alone, can bring the club up from the depths to which it has descended, and once that talent has matured, being able to keep it long-term before teams like the Yankees can pry that talent away from your squad. Naturally, it’s a lot harder than it sounds. As for this bunch of Yankees, they are getting older so the window may be closing. Hideki Matsui, the Series MVP, may not be back. The core of home-grown talent-Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera are all in their 30s and aren’t getting any younger. I’m not a student of the Yankee farm system, but I don’t know if the replacements of these cornerstones are already in the pipeline. Of course, it may not matter, if Goliath can keep rolling along, picking up hardware year after year.
Thoughts On The MLB Postseason
Technically, Wednesday is the start of what I like to call the “real” baseball season. However as I sit down to write this post, a tiebreaker game for the American League Central division is in progress between the Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins. The game is now tied at 5 in the top of the twelfth inning, with the winner having to pack and hustle over to the Bronx to meet the New York Yankees. Even though this game is supposed to be like a regular season game, because it decides the winner of the division, it feels like a playoff game.
The playoffs are the reward for surviving the long grind of the baseball regular season. In the American League, all eyes are on the Yankees. This was a team (and is always) built for the World Series or bust. It’s hard to believe, but the Yankees are in something of a drought when it comes to World Series wins. They haven’t won a Series since 2000, and haven’t even been since 2003. In fact, last season was the first time in a great while that the Yankees missed the postseason completely. But they are back now, and based on regular season performance, the Yankees have to be considered the favorites to win the Series this year. Then again, the Yankees are almost never the underdogs. To my mind, the winner of the Tigers-Twins game is going to be a sacrificial lamb for the Yankees; I’m hoping they at least make them work for the wins if they don’t beat them outright. If the Yankees get by that series, past Yankee kryptonite exists on the other side.
Between the Boston Red Sox and the Los Angeles Angels, they have the experience of beating the Yankees in the postseason. Of course, those were past seasons. Before they can even begin to entertain playing the Yankees, they have to find a way to get by each other. This series looks great and I’m thinking it will go the full five games. These teams look to be very even at first glance. So even, I’m not sure I can pick a winner. Recent postseason history suggests that the Angels are going to have trouble with the Sox, so I’ll follow along and pick Boston…which sets up another guaranteed ratings getter…Yankees and Red Sox series. The Red Sox started the season beating the Yankees on the regular, until the Bronx Bombers turned the switch on and started beating the Sox like a drum. Regardless, it should be a good series.
In the National League, it looks like four evenly matched teams, where anyone can win. St. Louis has Albert Pujols, plus the one-two punch of Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright. The Colorado Rockies have been, if not the hottest, one of the hottest teams in the majors. Los Angeles has Manny Ramirez and the old experienced hand in Joe Torre guiding the way. All of them are accompanied by the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies, who seem vulnerable in their bullpen. If the season series are any indication, St. Louis will meet the Phillies in the NLCS. But with teams this close together, anything can happen.
No matter who wins, I’m looking forward to the games, if not the late hours.
Update: Minnesota defeats Detroit 6-5 in 12 innings, in what felt like playoff atmosphere. If the rest of the postseason carries these types of thrills, bring it on!
Orioles: Is Tanking Acceptable?
Filed under: MLB, baseball, blogs, following the locals, sports
Found this recent post from Right Off Russell’s jpilson rather interesting, particularly in light of the fact that the Baltimore Orioles have now made it official: a dozen consecutive losing seasons. His central question in the post asks whether or not you are a good fan if you are rooting for the Orioles to lose as many of their remaining games as possible (as of this writing, there are fourteen games left, counting tonight’s matchup against the Boston Red Sox). The reasoning behind having the Orioles lose is that with more losses, the Orioles could possibly move up the draft board to get the top pick or a higher pick in next year’s draft. However, the flip side of the argument, advanced in the comments by Sadler, is that when a team is consistently losing, it makes it that much harder to bring the fans back. Evidence of this could have been easily seen this past week as the O’s hosted the Tampa Bay Rays at Camden Yards. The average announced attendance for four-game series was 11,297. Of the games I watched, I don’t think quite that many people were there, unless they were disguised as empty seats.
Losing games to better your position in the draft is something that I’ve heard frequently in regard to NBA teams, whereas the more team loses, the better chance they get to land the top pick in the next NBA draft. However, while the chances may increase in the form of additional ping-pong balls in the hopper for the NBA draft lottery, there is no guarantee of getting the top pick. Should the Orioles do the same? Certainly it doesn’t hurt in terms of securing a better draft position, and since the club isn’t going anywhere in October anyway, what could be the harm? Conversely, the Orioles made the decision to bring up some of its young talent it had acquired either by draft, trade or other means, to the big club to see what it had. On that score, you could say that the Oriole season was a success, if not so much in the won-loss column. I don’t think anyone would say that Nolan Reimold, Brad Bergesen, Matt Wieters, Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman haven’t acquitted themselves fairly well in their first taste of the majors. That alone gives the fan base (at least those who are still fans and aren’t distracted too much by the other Baltimore birds) some hope for the future.
As it stands at the moment I type this, the Orioles are tied with the Kansas City Royals for the third-worst record in the majors, behind the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The question then becomes, should the Orioles lose as many games as possible (without it being considered tanking) to get a better draft pick? I think the Orioles should play out the season with the thought of winning games, if for nothing else to build the confidence of the young players they have already invested in and brought up to the club. I’m not a big follower of the baseball draft, but I can’t imagine there is a wide gap between the top pick and the third or fourth pick in the draft. Of course, that depends on the players available to be drafted. Playing to lose is not the best option for these O’s, in my opinion. The previous eleven seasons of losing has already brought the Orioles quite a few high draft picks over the years, even as the fan base dwindles and it gets harder and harder to fill the Yard (unless the Yanks or the Sox are coming to town). Certainly they will have another after this season.
Should the Orioles lose to win (a higher draft pick)? Let me know in the comments.
“A Year With A Purpose”
Filed under: MLB, baseball, following the locals, sports
The above quote was made by Andy MacPhail, Baltimore Orioles GM, basically speaking on what the 2009 season is about for the ballclub. With football just days away from being meaningful in town and the Orioles all but virtually ignored, there is something to be said for the club’s approach to the season. There is still reason to be optimistic for the future, even though the present seems as dispiriting as ever.
Those of you who come here often and bother to read my Orioles posts are probably saying, “here he goes again, another post about keeping the faith.” If it sounds like I’m in the tank for that approach, it’s because I am. I have to be. The other approaches have done what, exactly? Hopefully, some of you out there feel the same way, if you are fans of the orange and black. We have seen all manner of seasons where fans were convinced the O’s were “one piece away” from contending for the playoffs, only to be rewarded with yet another fourth-place finish in the toughest division in baseball. Yes, the toughest. Sure the Yanks and Red Sox get all the love, but with the rise of the Tampa Bay Rays and Toronto’s Blue Jays being appreciably better than the O’s in recent seasons, there are no cakewalks in the division for the O’s. Of course, the Orioles have been a cakewalk for everyone else in the division; but hopefully in the not too distant future, that is about to change.
Under MacPhail’s guidance, the approach has been to grow pitching. It was obvious at the beginning of the season, pitching was not yet a strength of the club. Remember the rotation at the start of the season? Jeremy Guthrie, Koji Uehara, and three nobodies that had to be run out to the mound just to fill the spots. Look toward spring training next season. Fans could see Guthrie, along with the likes of Brad Bergesen, Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman, David Hernandez, Jason Berken, and a few other names filling out pitching spots. They have had to take their lumps this season, but they have also learned quite a bit. With MacPhail being careful not to overwork them, as well as some bad luck (Bergesen was emerging as the ace of the staff before he was injured), the kids are being groomed to usher in a new era of Oriole baseball. Add in position players like Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, Nolan Reimold and Matt Wieters, the Orioles have a young core that, if it stays healthy and produces as expected, may eventually compete with the likes of the Yankees and Sox and other great clubs in the American League.
Tom Boswell in his column yesterday in the Washington Post, speaks to what I believe to be true at present regarding the Oriole situation:
Baltimore knows baseball. And it appreciates the homegrown approach. Few towns would relish such delayed gratification. This one may.
Truer words were never spoken. We have to have that hope. At least there is some, after a dozen losing seasons.
High Scorers: It’s September
Filed under: MLB, NCAA, baseball, blogs, college football, football, high scorers, sports
…and people all across the land are ready for football. This edition of High Scorers begins with a post by Ken Masenda from the Ed the Sports Fan blog, who tells us why September is “The Greatest Month of the Year.” After seeing all the emotion and energy fans I have met on Twitter and friends I know personally have expended gearing up for any football, I would have to agree with him. Masenda briefly touches on the incident that occurred after the Oregon-Boise State matchup on Thursday night. If you haven’t seen it, here it is:
Now, to me, it looks like the Boise State player may have taunted or said something to Oregon’s LeGarrette Blount, and Blount reacted. Admittedly, he reacted badly and Blount has since apologized. However, the word has been handed down that Blount, a senior, has been suspended for the remainder of the season. Suspend him sure, but for the remainder of the season? My guess is, with the increased emphasis on sportsmanship (starting with the opening game handshake), Blount was made an example of what will happen when your emotion goes overboard. That was one hell of a right hand, though.
Pigskin Loving Lady is counting down the days till the NFL season begins. Let me tell you she isn’t alone. While her post does not have any comments as yet, I’ll bet you there are millions of folks out there feeling the same way she does (myself included).
Molly at MD Bird Lover reminds us all of the people who have worked so hard over the course of the last few weeks trying to make it on an NFL roster. This post wants us to remember that as the NFL preseason comes to a close, remember how hard they have worked chasing the dream. Today marks cut down day in the NFL, when a lot of players will be let go as teams get down to the mandated 53-player limit. For many, it may be the end of that dream of playing in the NFL.
Large Tuna at The City That Reeds reminds all fans (particularly Ravens fans) that the record a team gets from its preseason games means absolutely nothing as far as being a predictor of regular season results. The Ravens had a particularly good preseason in terms of wins and losses, going 4-0. Ravens historians will love to point out that during the Super Bowl season of 2000, the Ravens also went 4-0 in preseason. Of course, last year’s Detroit Lions also went undefeated in preseason; how did that work out for them last year? Wins and losses only count when the season kicks off, starting September 10th.
The NFL Chick! (now a video star, check here), checks in with another of her “sitchoazzdown” posts; this time Michael Crabtree and Adam “Pacman” Jones are featured. There is also one hilarious rant about a television that is just too funny. Let’s just say that I’m glad it’s not my house-we have one that size in our kitchen!
Lots of keyboard pounding in response to the Washington Post series on the Washington Redskins and their practice of suing fans who can’t afford their ticket packages. Steelergurl (who obviously isn’t writing about her team in this post) weighs in with her opinion, which I happen to agree with. She also has the links to the Post stories in her piece. Additional takes on the topic are offered by John Feinstein (who happens to write for the Post also) and the Stet Sports Blog. Great stuff all around.
Finally, are you weighed down by all the football references above? Well, baseball is winding down the regular season and building up steam toward its playoffs. For Oriole fans, it’s another season out of the mix (no surprise there). Many fans have probably dismissed the Orioles to begin following the Ravens. Zach at the Baltimore Sports Report reminds fans why the Orioles deserve your attention, even if the season isn’t going the way you might have hoped. He lets us know that these September games for the Orioles actually matter, even more than Ravens preseason games, as the future of the ballclub may be on display in these last few weeks. With the September callups and lots of young players filling out the lineup, the look of the team may be changing before your eyes, and not just on the field. This may be something of a referendum on Manager Dave Trembley as well.
Last, but not least, I want to give some shoutouts. First, to MKRob’s Sports Blog, thanks for your support, as always. While I’m sorry you were not the winner of the BlackWeblogAwards.com Best Sports/Recreation blog award, you are still a winner here with MP. Second to @SidelinePass on Twitter, for her website Sideline Pass (of course!). It’s a great idea, and if there are any female readers who just so happen to browse by here, check the blogroll and give Sideline Pass a look-see. They will be getting up and running soon, to help those “football widows” to get into the game that we love so much. And third, a shout out to the GelaTrish Chronicles blog…thanks for the link and your comments. Thanks for reading what I have to say, I’ll be looking forward to following you throught the football season with your “Bed-Stuy Beasts.”
Dave Trembley: Should He Stay Beyond This Season?
Should Dave Trembley be the Oriole manager next season? (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
With the football season ramping up, it can be difficult to pay attention to the other major sports entity in Baltimore. The Orioles have been in a post All-Star game funk, having won just eleven of thirty-seven contests since the break. During the swoon, it was announced that Dave Trembley would remain the manager through the remainder of the season. It’s a move I agree with, even if the results aren’t exactly showing that he should. After all, it’s not totally his fault the club is losing games. However, many mangers have been fired or released when their clubs have performed as poorly as the Orioles have since the break. I don’t think that letting Trembley go now serves any purpose, other than to have the young players who will be here when he is gone needing to heed a new voice in the dugout.
If Trembley has lost the clubhouse, or isn’t managing up to Andy MacPhail’s standards, then you let him go. Apparently there isn’t enough evidence for MacPhail to make a change. However, with all the young talent either already at the major league level or on the way up, would the club be better served by a new, perhaps more established, manager? I’m not sure I’d want to get on that bandwagon. There are no expectations right now for the Orioles or Trembley to have a winning ballclub. However, when next season begins, I believe fans, as well as the Oriole front office, will be looking for improvement. If that improvement isn’t seen, or isn’t happening fast enough with the talent at the club’s disposal, Trembley may be shown the door, in my opinion.
So how long should Trembley get? Should he even be given the opportunity to manage the club at the beginning of next season? If you have an opinion, leave it in the comments.
Twitter: @mindpinball
- @LivSexyNJ Oh no...more madness Round 2! I have WVU in the elite 8.
- C'mon BMore, Stand Up! (or at least give a good effort)...#MorganStateBears
- @SidelinePass good morning co-music librarian...thanks for the #FF.
- @ninerchick05 shoot. I read that article and STILL picked Texas. I watched Wake all season. Thought TX could put it together for one night.
- You get...the finger! RT @ninerchick05: Them FTs...Texas played to lose today :middle finger to Rick Barnes and Texas:
- @niclake13 Dino gets off the schneid...as a reward, he gets Kentucky.
- @niclake13 the Texas talent doesn't always play together very well though.
- @niclake13 TX may be garbage, but there's a load of talent on that squad. Wake has talent too, but it doesn't always show up.
- @ninerchick05 here ya go: http://tinyurl.com/ybcktyj
- @niclake13 what reason was that? Dino Gaudio is 0 for postseason. At least Rick Barnes has won a postseason game.
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- Former Pimlico general manager Charles John 'Chick' Lang dies March 19, 2010Former Pimlico general manager remade the Preakness Charles John "Chick" Lang, the longtime general manager of Pimlico Race Course who transformed the Preakness into a premier spectacle, died Thursday at 83. Mr. Lang died of what his family said were natural causes at The Pines, a nursing home in Easton. […]
- ORIOLES SPRING TRAINING Guthrie's ugly preseason mirrors '09 March 19, 2010Orioles right-hander posted 10.56 ERA last spring, led AL with 17 losses By all accounts, Jeremy Guthrie's 2009 preseason was nightmarish, and it bled into what became his worst season as a big leaguer. But after Thursday's disaster against the Blue Jays at Dunedin Stadium, his numbers this spring look eerily similar to those in 2009. […]
- NCAA MEN'S TOURNAMENT Seeing triple: UM aims to stop the 3 March 19, 2010No. 4 seed Maryland must tame 13th-seeded Cougars' outside shot Sophomore guard Sean Mosley (St. Frances) signs autographs after the Terps' practice Thursday in Spokane, Wash. Mosley and the fourth-seeded Terps know they can't allow the 13th-seeded Cougars, who make 8.3 3-pointers a game, to get hot from beyond the arc. […]
- ORIOLES SPRING TRAINING Reliever Uehara hurts left hamstring March 19, 2010Right-hander had similar problem in '09; backup catcher Tatum hurt The Orioles had hoped it would be easier to keep pitcher Koji Uehara healthy by moving him to the bullpen, but his chronic hamstring problem cropped up again during the fifth inning of Thursday's ugly, 13-3 exhibition loss to the Toronto Blue Jays at Dunedin Stadium. […]
- NCAA MEN'S TOURNAMENT Bear of a schedule toughened Morgan March 19, 2010Bozeman says his team is physical, just like West Virginia Bozeman says his team is physical, just like West Virginia […]
- Lacrosse: The pressure's on again for Hopkins' Boyle March 19, 2010Senior attackman expects to face rival's best defenseman when Syracuse comes to town Two of the most storied programs in college lacrosse will take center stage Saturday night when 11-time and reigning national champion Syracuse visits nine-time titlist Johns Hopkins for a showdown under the lights at Homewood Field. […]
- Video: Terps' road to tourney March 18, 2010[…]
- O.A.R., Zac Brown to play Preakness InfieldFEST March 19, 2010
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