Mound chatter
If you're a fan of the movie Bull Durham, you must love the scene where the pitching coach visits the mound to see why the game is being delayed, gets the rundown of all the issues, and ends up advising the players that candle sticks make a nice wedding gift.
I'm reminded of this after reading about the exchange between pitcher Brett Myers and Single-A Piedmont pitching coach Rod Nichols in 2000.
Myers, then a 19-year-old Phillies prospect, was in a bases-loaded jam when Nichols trotted to the mound. Here's how Myers recalls their conversation:
Nichols: "Check out that hot-looking girl over by the dugout."
Myers: "Where?"
Nichols: "Right over my right shoulder."
Myers: "Oh, I see her."
Nichols: "Go get 'em."
Nichols patted Myers on the shoulder and returned to the dugout.
Recalling that exchange this week, Myers said, "I was like, 'What?' I looked at the catcher and he just shrugged and ran back to home plate. And I got out of the inning and I was like, 'I don't know what you told me out there, but I didn't worry about the bases being loaded anymore.' He just made the game fun and kind of relaxing a little bit.
"I thought that I'm not really supposed to be thinking about that crap. I'm supposed to be thinking about getting people out, you know? I guess it was just to relax me. Maybe he picked that up in my personality."
When Myers, the Phillies' Opening Day starter this year, was demoted to the minors after going 3-9 with a 5.84 ERA through the end of June, he was reunited with Nichols at Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Upon his return to the majors, Myers went 7-2 with an 1.80 ERA during an 11-game stretch.
If you were ranking the top three pitching coaches in Orioles' history, is it safe for me to assume that you'd have George Bamberger No. 1 and Ray Miller No. 2? So who's No. 3?
I've heard stories of how manager Earl Weaver once visited the mound when Jim Palmer appeared to want out of a game, asked him if there was anybody better in the bullpen (of course there wasn't), and told Palmer he wasn't going anywhere. And considering that pitch counts weren't such a big deal back in those days, it seemed like a wise approach.
Orioles prospect Tim Bascom could use a little counseling these days. His ERA rose to 18.90 in two starts in the Hawaii Winter League after he allowed eights runs (seven earned) and four hits, with three walks, in 1 1/3 innings in a 9-1 loss to Honolulu.
Third baseman Tyler Henson singled, doubled and scored a run.
If you're a fan of the Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds and attend their games at Perdue Stadium, you might be interested to know that they're adding a Speed of Pitch display. They're also resurfacing and relining the parking lot.
Rather than raise ticket prices to offset the rising operation costs, the Shorebirds will charge $3 for parking next season. But season-ticket holders won't be charged, and mini-plan holders will pay only $1.
its about time. the shorebirds used to have a speed display out over right center but it never worked. i remember seeing Liz pitch here a few years ago and he kept hitting 99 and i thought "this kid is amazing" then the bullpen came in and they were hitting 99 too and i knew something was up. ive heard about padding the gun for the home team but thats a bit much
"Andy MacPhail would probably blow a gasket if he saw me hanging around there. But I'll try to gather some comments once they're done. - Roch"
My response to that question is---
It's a helluva lot better than seeing Dave Trembley get stone-faced in the dugout and not raising some hell most of these days. I think the Orioles need some kind of personality, like the Angels or Cubs or Rays or whoever has. The Angels are calm, confident, and fiery. You can see it in their manager and players.
I didn't really see that in our team this year. Sure, they were emotional and calm, but they weren't confident or fiery. Maybe it was because of our pitchers leading in ERAs, walks, hit batters, and who knows what else.
when are the Winter meetings, and is media allowed in at some point?
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Early December. Media will meet daily with Andy MacPhail. - Roch
Bull Durham was a Ron Shelton Project about one person. Craig Arnold. X Oriole farm pitcher. Md born. Slugged an ump. etc. He was the original wild thing. TRUE! Very TRUE. Shelton was an Oriole and saw Arnold do his thing but would never admit it was about Arnold. What a chump.
$3 for parking?? In Salisbury?!
Scr*w that! I'm parking in the church across the street!
The Shorebirds need new a scoreboard and video screen before the parking lot though.
I would have Harry Brecheen rated #3 as far as pitching coaches go.In fact I'd have him ahead
of Miller.