When it rains...
Everybody and everything seems to be working against the Orioles, including themselves.
If it isn't another bases-loaded walk, and the Orioles could open a road-side stand with their surplus, it's a throwing error - this one by Jim Miller in the bottom of the ninth that allowed Alex Cora to score the winning run in the Red Sox's 5-4 victory.
Miller fielded Jacoby Ellsbury's bunt, spun and threw wide of third base. Aubrey Huff gave it a slight wave, not making much of an effort because he had no chance to knock down the ball and keep the bases loaded.
Cora led off with a single. Never a good idea to allow the leadoff hitter to reach base, but it happens. But how do you explain Coco Crisp's bunt that rolled foul, then suddenly kicked back into fair territory? Even the dirt is conspiring against this club.
The umpires didn't do the Orioles any favors, which sounds like sour grapes, but actually could be a running theme this season, for whatever reason. Hitting coach Terry Crowley was ejected after the top of the ninth. How often do you see that happen?
The bullpen, including emergency starter Lance Cormier, was solid until the seventh. Jamie Walker and Rocky Cherry didn't do the Orioles any favors. And Miller went from clutch to clunk.
It's becoming much harder to imagine Walker making this club next season, unless the Orioles determine that he's still pitching hurt. He's been scored upon in six of his last seven outings and has surrendered four homers in his last four innings.
In a bullpen with so much inexperience, he's supposed to be the reliable, steady veteran. A calming influence. So what's going on here?
He's pitching hurt and setting a bad example.
D. Cabrera has been trying to pitch when he is hurt.
Maybe Trembley is on Valium. Can't come up for an explanation for Walker continuing to get the call.
Walker is so awful. Why do the orioles continue to pitch him? Hes so useless. Fool me once...
Walker is done. His stuff just isn't major league quality. If he's pitching hurt then that was a bad decision. Time for him to go.
I've been saying for a while the Umps have been doing a terrible job this year. Looks like they graduated from the Helen Keller school of umpiring. I find it very odd that Crowley gets ejected and Trembley doesn't say much to the Ump after that.
Anyway, off to the hurricane preparations. Let's see I need Rum, Vodka,..............................
How about this? The OF is set for '09, putting Payton out to pasture and Montanez in his place. Keep Guthrie and maybe Johnson and the rest of this team is up for grabs...manager and coaches included. I go waaaaaaaaaaaay back with this franchise and I'd like to see some Major League baseball played in September very soon.
This is what is wrong with Trembley. He is a decent manager with a line up,except Jay Payton, but he has no clue with a bullpen. He needs to let his pitching coach handle that and stay away from those decisions. Walker should never come in unless we have an 10 run lead! Cherry has been used too much lately. Let the young guys try. Miller sould have came in when they had the 4 run lead, in the 7th.
Seriously? Seriously?!? My busy afternoon didn't leave any time to listen to the game, but I heard the results on the radio on my way home from work. I'm fine with the whole rebuilding effort, but why does this happen year after year? I don't get it.
Losing is one thing...but it grinds on a team (and their fans!!!!) to continue to do so in the most embarrassing fashions!
Hopefully Bowie fairs far better tomorrow night when I go to the game...I need to see some playoff baseball that involves the good guys for a change.
I have never felt that Trembley is a good manager once the game starts. I have felt from the beginning that his strengths are writing the lineup and dealing with his clubhouse. For this he should be commended as this team has never quit despite frequent injuries and an incredible amount of early deficits. Also I think it is unfair to fault him for a pitching staff that performs poorly no matter whom is given an opportunity. We are building for the future and the only 2 pitchers who would make a contender's staff are Guthrie and JJ.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: Unwatchable.
Jim Miller should not be on this team. Jamie Walker should retire this week. I've never seen an entire organization walk batters the way we have over the past half-decade. It doesn't matter who's managing and who's coaching the pitchers. The results are always the same.
Walker isn't the only pitcher that continually serves up homers...Fernando Cabrera is doing the exact same thing. The problem is we don't have any other pitchers to throw out there. When you consistently have your starters go 3 innings the bullpen becomes really really overused. There is a huge reason why teams want to knock starters out of the game early, and we are seeing it to the maximum this year.
Thankfully, we have younger pitchers in the organization that are very talented and are growing steadily: Erbe, Arrieta, Tillman, etc.
I think next year we will see a much better team on the field to tell you the truth, and when some of our younger hitters grow up just that much more we all will see a much better product on the field. I'm dying to see the rotation when Arrieta Tillman and Bergesen get up to the majors, and throw in Albers and Patton, and don't forget we still have Guthrie. Then in the outfield you'd have Reimold/Montanez, Jones, and Markakis, billy rowell at 3rd and Luke Scott/Brandon Snyder at first and dh, and Weiters at catcher, things will start looking a lot better, then add Matusz (if hes as good as people say) either in the pen or in the rotation and we seriously will start winning. Trembley is a great manager, but this isn't poker and you can't fold the 2 7 off suit like you may want.
Why, why, why, can't they put Walker on the DL and call it an undisclosed injury?
Or just release the dumb bastard and be done with it?
The same can be said for Payton. Come on, play Lou and Jones at the same time. Once upon a time, our pitching was pretty respectable, and we all thought we could make a run at Mark Teixiera.
Uh-huh, not anymore. This time, we NEED to go after free agents, rule 5 picks, and draft picks in the off-season for PITCHING. Because this is happening year AFTER year, where we pathetically lose games by August and September.
This has been the mantra of the Orioles organization: Do things, just a little bit too late!
They finally draft pitchers and a catcher, and then make some genius trades for Jones and Sherrill and Scott. Keep going! Bring up the Bowie starters for the rest of the season (September). Who else is gonna be the "Starter"? Walker? Give me a break. Cormier? Miller?
I mean, come on, the Orioles are just using the bullpen and nobody in the bullpen can say they're a qualified starter. Hello...... Earth to Dave, you have four capable starters already in Bowie who are actually in the playoffs. Why don't you just let them pitch for practice after the playoffs end?
Sorry. I've begged them to call up Miller for a month and a half. Don't ever listen to me. Will Trem ever let him in another game? Wow!!What will happen next? Let's see if Andy has any tricks left. Jones, Nick and thats it.
I'm glad I was working today and didn't see how this mess ended. I can deal with the losing because I know we're still headed in a good direction with a solid plan. What I can't handle is losing game after game due to errors. That really drives me nuts. I don't care if Miller isn't an ace closer but when the team "gives you an out" you better make sure you get it. I'm about to go FundaMENTALs!