Spring training news
I know this is a few days late, but I can't believe that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donavan McNabb had no idea that NFL games could end in a tie.
I'm pretty sure they got rid of the penalty kicks in the '80s.
The Orioles have released their spring training schedule, and yes, they're returning to Fort Lauderdale Stadium. But enjoy it while you can.
Their first exhibition game is Feb. 25 vs. the New York Mets. They'll play 19 games at home and face seven different opponents before breaking camp. They'll face the St. Louis Cardinals eight times and the Florida Marlins seven.
They'll also face the Tampa Bay Rays once in Fort Lauderdale, which is unusual. And in preparation for the World Baseball Classic, they'll host the Dominican team on March 4.
The last exhibition game in Florida is April 2 against the Mets in Port St. Lucie.
At last check, the Orioles remain enthusiastic about the progress being made by their young pitchers who underwent surgery, including Troy Patton, Jim Hoey and Chris Ray.
"Basically, they've been fine after the instructional league," said David Stockstill, director of player development. "I was there until the end of it, and they were pitching in simulated games. Everything is going very, very well. There have been no problems. They've been working on their conditioning since they left. It's more of a conditioning period now as opposed to a throwing program, which we'll start after the first of the year. There haven't been any setbacks since instructional league.
"Ray threw in a game at the end and was throwing very, very well."
Encouragement spreads to one of the veterans, Danys Baez, who showed up for two separate stints and pitched in simulated games.
"He's made progress. He threw very well," Stockstill said.
Stockstill confirmed that Baez has expressed interest in working out as a starter, even if the right-hander is more likely to remain a reliever.
"He's a strong man, strong body," Stockstill said. "That will have to be discussed and we'll see where that goes."
I remember when career reliever Chuck McElroy made his first two major league starts late in the 2000 season. He was ready to make a full-time move into the rotation the following season, but made only five starts among his 18 appearances before the Orioles released him in July.
The Padres signed him four days later and he appeared in 31 games, all in relief, before retiring.
He'll forever go down as one of the nicest guys who ever wore a uniform. That's what I actually remember most about him. Pleasant and upbeat beyond belief.
I remember being so bummed when the Orioles dealt Jesse Orosco to the Mets for McElroy in December 1999. Orosco was extremely popular with the media, and we knew nothing about McElroy. Turns out they came from the same mold. But only Orosco has a plaque in his honor mounted in the home bullpen.
Roch,
Every time you get all nostalgic on us, you chime in with, "He'll forever go down as one of the nicest guys who ever wore a uniform." Wouldn't it be easier to just call out people who were Schmucks (some pun intended toward Peter).
Weiters should start the yr in AAA. That was my stance last yr & it remains so. He can be brought up in June or July...just when a very motivated Hernandez (in his walk yr remember) is dealt to a contender in need of a C due to injury or whatever. There is bound to be a need or a team looking to improve there C spot. THAT is the best scenario for the O's, getting maximum return on Hernandez & in letting Weiters get the pro experience he needs. The O's are not going to contend this yr, so what's the rush on dealing Hernandez OR rushing Weiters.
NO WAY I would give Burnett a Dempster type of deal. See above concerning contending.
McNabb's not knowing the rule about OT & Ties ranks right up there with Coach Gibbs calling a second time out last year & getting a penalty that cost the Skins a game.
Last ST in Ft.L. Roch ... travel with the team to Zero Beach this yr. & get used to that s l o w e r pace & the blue plate specials.... I doubt the adult entertainment establishments are quite as plentiful there either :-), unless you count the 60 yr olds on the beach....
Don't write off Baez yet. I know he was a fav whipping boy but he is a proven reliever who has closed too. He is a better possibility than some of the guys there the last 2 yrs. If he & ray can rebound, that bullpen is much better than last yr. I for one hope they get rid of Walker, he looks done. He couldn't top 80 last yr. You don't drop 8-10 mph in one yr for no reason. I'd give McElroy OR Orosco a shot over him....
Roch: "I know this is a few days late, but I can't believe that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donavan McNabb had no idea that NFL games could end in a tie.
I'm pretty sure they got rid of the penalty kicks in the '80s."
That's funny! Made me laugh out loud!
Any word on which, if any, Orioles will be participating in the WBC this spring? I still blame the WBC for D-Cab's bad start a few years ago since he couldn't work with Mazzo all spring.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Haven't seen a roster at this point, but you can be sure the Orioles will be represented. Hopefully, they won't lose their entire rotation again. - Roch
I haven't heard much in the way of extensions for Roberts and Markakis, lately. Any word from the warehouse on either of them (other than it's slow going according to Nick)?
Thanks, Roch,
Kevin
Houston, TX
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
That's about it, Kevin. There have been talks, but nothing substantial that I'm aware of. I'm hoping to have more on that later this week. - Roch
A cheap one year answer to the O's SS situation from Richard Justice writing in Houston Chronicle.......
The Astros finished last season with a payroll of around $100 million after the acquisitions of Randy Wolf and LaTroy Hawkins. To keep that team together for 2009 would cost about $120 million.
Miguel Tejada? Wade probably would trade him in a heartbeat, but he’ll make $13 million in 2009, and that’s a big number for a 34-year-old shortstop with diminished range and who had three home runs and a .312 on-base percentage after the All-Star break.
Cecil Cooper could begin the season using a closer-by-committee unless Wade acquires someone before opening day. That Cubs-Marlins trade is another reminder that Wade’s first priority is to get the minor- league system rebuilt. In the long run, nothing else is more important......
As we saw with Mora, a player can have a rough half season and then bounce back and have a spectacular half. Give Miguel enough rest and DH him at least once a week and things could work out. At first thought I would consider offering the Stros Albers even up for Miguel, but that is probably the O's giving up to much unless the Stros wanted to kick back some of the $13M.
I had hoped the O's would have moved their ST site. I'd like to go to ST, but I won't go until the majors and minors are in the same city.
Roch- No more "one of the nicest guys in baseball" remark... You use it far too often. How about some of the meanest guys in baseball for a change?
Regarding the Baez/McElroy comparison, I think we're dealing with different scenarios.
1. The 2000 Orioles were the first year of a totally disastrous stretch wherein Angelos and Syd Thrift completely gutted the team and ran out a squad of minor leaguers. They'd compare to last year's Nationals. No team with any designs on competing would put Chuck McElroy in the Opening Day rotation.
2. Danys Baez has given the Orioles nothing, but he's shown flashes in the past. Perhaps he was never great, but he has been very good. He definitely has more natural talent than McElroy.
3. There is some history of good-but-not-great relievers getting it right in the starting rotation. Derek Lowe, Justin Duschscherer, Ryan Dempster and Braden Looper come immediately to mind. So does Fausto Carmona, although he fell off again last year.
If I'm the Orioles, I give Baez a legitimate chance to make the rotation. He's needed more there than in the bullpen, where we've already got Sherrill, Ray and Johnson to close out the back end of games. Plus if Walker is healthy, Beird continues to improve, Hoey is ready to compete, Jim Miller reprises his '08 performance, etc. we might have a logjam there.
Won't be the case in the rotation.
So how tough would it be to get a Roch Kubatko autograph at spring training?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Not tough at all...if you don't mind camping out the night before. OK, seriously, it couldn't be easier. - Roch
As for Wieters, I think the O’s should proceed slowly, but not too much so. We’re seeing signs of him tiring, though he is still playing well, so it might not be a complete stretch to say he may stumble even slightly in spring training. So, I would think it might be in the best interest of everyone to see how he does in the spring. Making him the Opening Day catcher now just seems like too big of a rush for a guy who has spent just one full season in the minors. I’d still make him earn it by blowing away expectations in spring training, and I’d be aggressive and be ready with a long-term contract offer not long after he makes his debut here.
Of course, what the club does or doesn’t do with Ramon Hernandez plays a big factor in this. We know Hernandez won’t be content with a backup role, and the club would be better off most likely dealing him. Perhaps he’d be motivated if he and Wieters were battling for the starting job (or if Wieters is breathing down his neck waiting to be called up from AAA). But anyone with two brain cells can see what’s coming—Wieters is the future and Hernandez is the past. Ramon must know he’s not long for this team.
Is it just me, or did there used to be "previous" and "next" links at the top of each post? How come they're not there anymore?
This is for all the wannabe "editors".... For Roch to start listing all the buttheads & Aholes in baseball wouldn't be hard, vastly time consuming yes, but not hard. Leave the guy alone, it's his blog, his right to pick what he wants to say about whom, if you don't like it, go read someone else's blog.....
Roch,
Can you confirm Ken Rosenthal's report that Mike Mussina is retiring from baseball?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll file an entry as soon as I'm off the air with MASN. Very soon. - Roch
Roch
PTBNL for Bradford???
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Are you messin' with me, Amber? ;-) Still don't know. Andy MacPhail said we might not find out until the winter meetings. - Roch
How come the Orioles never play at night at Fort Lauderdale Stadium? If I remember correctly, they used to play one or two games at night, but the past couple of years all of the games have been during the day.
Roch,
Do you know if Sammy Sosa is on the DR World Baseball Classic roster?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sorry, I haven't seen any rosters. - Roch
Jeff no night games in Ft L bec/ potter is at a blue plate special for dinner by 4 PM & in bed by 8 PM....