The first day of the rest of your offseason
Here we are, settling into our first day without Orioles baseball, wondering how we'll make it through the coming months until pitchers and catchers report for spring training.
It's still in Fort Lauderdale, right?
Since the doors to School of Roch opened on Aug. 1, you've been subjected to 443 entries (not including this one) and responded 4,032 times. Nice pace we're on, don't you think?
I appreciate the kind words that have flowed since the final out yesterday. No need to thank me. It's been my pleasure. And there's more where that came from.
As I learned long ago, there's really no offseason in baseball, and certainly not in Baltimore. I couldn't get away from the beat during my years at The Sun, no matter how hard I tried. Same with everyone else who joined me. We tried to catch our breath in October during the playoffs, though that was tricky if we were covering them.
Anyway, it's been fun here at MASNsports.com. And I promise to file my first entry each day a little earlier than the one you've just stumbled upon. Schools are closed in Carroll County today, so the adults who don't have real jobs got to stay in bed.
The White Sox need a victory over the Tigers today to force a one-game playoff against the Twins tomorrow. Former Severna Park resident Gavin Floyd pitches for the White Sox, Freddy Garcia for the Tigers.
Weren't they once traded for each other?
Is this the circle of life, with red seams stitched across it?
Gotta be honest here, I didn't know Freddy Garcia was still pitching. And if I'm the Twins, which would be a neat trick, I'd be preparing for a game tomorrow.
The winless Rams fired head coach Scott Linehan this morning and replaced him with defensive coordinator Jim Haslett. But I'm sure he'd be happy to know that I'm 9-3 against the spread heading into tonight's Ravens-Steelers game.
I took the Ravens +5 ½, against my better judgment. We have no idea how Joe Flacco will respond to a nationally-televised game in a hostile environment. We don't know if he can lead a fourth quarter comeback. We know so little about him. But the Steelers are missing some key players and I'm banking on a field goal game.
I'll clean out my notebook and talk more Orioles in my next post. I desperately need a shower and an intervention, because I made an ill-advised Taco Bell run last night. I'm so ashamed. But the first step is admitting that you have a problem, which I've done.
I'll be right back.
Thanks for all the great work during the season Roch. That week in between you leaving the Sun and me finding the new blog was horrible.
I just ask that you please keep us updated during the offseason; if MacPhail farts in the warehouse, we wanna hear about it. More importantly, I think everyone wants to know how the kids are doing in Arizona and Hawaii and what free agents the Orioles are planning on pursuing, and what lazy veterans... cough Ramon cough... might be jettisoned in a trade.
Again, thanks for all your hard work, the 10,000 remaining O's fans will be reading.
There has to be better places to go for an indulgence than Taco Bell. You get what you pay for, and then keep paying.
I 100% agree with KG. Thanks for everything this year and every other miserable September that you've been blogging. As a fan living outside of the Orioles viewing area, it's hard to come by actual Orioles news other than the two sentences available on ESPN. I'll contend that the only reason 10,000 fans are left is because of this blog and letting us laugh at our misfortune.
If the past few offseasons are any indication of this year, I have no doubt that we'll be kept entirely aware of anything that's going on. I'm entirely grateful for that and want to say thanks in advance for all the work you'll do to keep us optimistic this offseason.
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Thank you, John. This blog wouldn't exist without such a loyal and enthusiastic fan base. I look forward to many more years of blogging bliss at MASNsports.com. Glad to have you with us. - Roch
You must have had the Volcano Taco. It's aptly named.
Hope MacPhail spends on some pitching. Tex would be nice but 2 starters and a major league shortstop are necessities.
Thanks for keeping us informed on everything.
Roch, you don't have a problem, you just have a hobby.
Speaking of admitting that you have a problem. Here I am, thinking about the Hot Stove and what it will mean for next year....Maybe, Roch, you should offer an AA/NA equivalency course over the offseason.
My name is OBoy, and I am a Birdaholic.
HAHA...sound like my friends and I...11 pm Taco Bell runs, followed by 24 hour Walmart fun!
But for me...try and find out how Brians leg is doing after that nasty hit in the 6th/7th inning. (yeah BIG Brian Roberts fan here!) I did see him get in his SUV yesterday, but I didn't want to bombard him, like everyone else..patience pays off..
Well off to Class!
Becky from Lutherville, but in Essex
Becky- Someone asked Brian in the parking lot how his leg was, and he said it was fine and it wasn't broken.
Hey Roch,
Just wanted to say thanks for your blog...i love this type of forum...hopefully our O's will make the right moves in the off-season to further the rebuilding process. I've been an O's fan all my life and always will be. However, being a Cowboys fan as well, you probably won't want to hear my unsolicited opinions on football :), so I will spare you and all the other readers.
Roch On!
"Schools are closed in Carroll County today, so the adults who don't have real jobs got to stay in bed."
Hey, sports blogger, are you making fun of my teaching job?
Thanks Terry D. cause one of the girls told me that he broke his fibula (wait that was me) his tibia...
I'm SUPER SUPER happy he didn't break it and that he can start training in AZ.
No problem Becky, glad to help.
(Gives Roch the saddest puppy eyes ever, and says "pretty please Roch, tell the upper management at MASN to hire me for my stellar work at reporting player injurys.) :)