The century mark
60-95.
Seven games remaining.
The math is simple. The Orioles must win three games to avoid 100 losses on the season, if that sort of thing is important to you.
Ninety-nine, 100. Not sure it really matters.
"Ever since (Wade) Davis threw the complete game against us, it's been a rough 10 games for us," manager Dave Trembley said after today's 9-0 loss to the Indians. "When the game turns hard in one direction, it really has a way of snowballing and getting out of line. And that's what's happened.
"The way I'm looking at it is, we're getting out of this series, we go to Tampa, there will be some sunshine and warm weather, it's another environment, it's an opportunity for us to turn this thing around in our favor. And the only thing you can look at is, tomorrow starts a winning streak for us and let's see how many game we can win coming down the final week of the season."
Trembley said he doesn't sense that the team is "uptight or playing out of control."
"It's just that, everything follows suit on how your pitching goes. I would agree that it certainly would make it a whole lot more fun coming back in the clubhouse when you win. You have to take the perspective that tomorrow's another day and let's give it our best shot and let's believe that we're going to get it done."
I thought they'd get it done on this road trip with games against Toronto, Cleveland and Tampa Bay. I honestly believed they'd win at least two of the series.
Meanwhile, I'd like to thank the gambling "expert" on 105.7 The Fan today who kept insisting that the Titans were a lock at + 2 1/2. I originally took the Jets, but changed my pick before kickoff.
Jets 24, Titans 17.
And let's not overlook Houston running back Chris Brown, who fumbled into the end zone as the Texans were about to tie Jacksonville, after an earlier touchdown was nullified by offensive pass interference. I had the Texans -4.
What a day.
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Categories (click for archive)Roch Kubatko | Roch Kubatko Orioles |
This team is dead....no one ALIVE
The Orioles Magic Number now has dropped to FIVE!
A team which is FREE FALLING in every Aspect!
Thanks ANDY McFAIL
But his plan is making progress
Keep drinking the kool aid and tell yourself that. Come next All Star Break....who will be laughing....OLE PETE when the P/L statement comes in!
Hey Rock, doesn't Trembley remember that they won't be playing in that warm Tampa weather, but rather in a dome?
I don't mind losing 100 if the Pirates would have the decency to win a few so we could move up in the draft. But, no, all they do is lose, lose, lose.
Bryce Harper and the #1 pick are out of our grasp because we are 7 games behind the Nationals for that pick. As bad as it looks we unfortunately can't suck enough to catch up and the Nationals can't play decent enough to get us close.
But...
We are only 1 game behind the Pirates for the #2 pick and that is absolutely within our grasp.
No trading for a legit clean up hitter, no Sano, no Chapman, no any top international prospects, no top free agents, no to anything pseudo exciting.
That just leaves the draft for us O's fans.
So hopefully with the #2 pick we catch lightning in a bottle like we did with Matusz and Wieters.
DT Said ~~~
Ever since (Wade) Davis threw the complete game against us, it's been a rough 10 games for us," manager Dave Trembley said
Well DT...isnt it your job to prepare your team? Isnt it your job to motivate your team? Isnt it your job to keep your team focused?
DT....your days are numbered. Hip Hip Horay...Hip Hip Horay!
And everyone will be saying those three same words when the day comes in which they run Andrew McFail and his plan out of town!
HIP HIP HORAY
This team is not prepared, focused or motivated. This team has thrown in the perrenial towel! SHOWER TIME
Roch I will tone done my previous posting since I see it wasnt posted.
Jim Hunter said
"You gotta love the McPhail family. The Grandfather is in the HOF, the father is in the HOF and Andy has done wonderful things here"
Jim HUNTER...WHERE IN THE HECK IS YOUR HEAD? Nevermind I am getting sick thinking right now.
Are sports announcers on a year to year contract? If so, Ole Jimmy is trying hard to Impress DANDY ANDY
Brothaaaaa....for the love of all that is decent....is there anything close to an ignore feature or a posting limit on the horizon. I can't takes it much longer. The idiot with the multiple personalities....is almost always the first on to post to your entry, and then 5, 6, 7, 8 posts per entry sometimes...always multiples...same old s**t like SPAM!! Love reading...and there are posters on here that can be really funny and insightful..but man Roch....what's the deal????
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All I can do, for now at least, is offer the same suggestion. Don't read the people you don't like. I don't understand why so many people are grappling with this concept. I am, however, going to look into limiting the number of duplicate entries. If it's just the same ol' rippage over and over, I might need to start deleting them. But until then, just skip the names you don't like. - Roch
OC Jay said:
Hey Rock, doesn't Trembley remember that they won't be playing in that warm Tampa weather, but rather in a dome?
September 27, 2009 4:23 PM
_____________________________________________
He isn't talking about playing conditions, genius!
Hey Haarisburg muppet and Stanley: In the last entry I posted about: The bullpen, Adrian Peterson, the MVP race, Hendrickson, and finally.......today's loss. 5 posts. 5 different topics. Based on your philosophy, I guess anyone who posts multiple entries in a blog post should be banned.
Maybe YOU should be banned for being a rotten apple.
Go back to reading Weekly Reader.
Thank God for the Ravens. Love the Lions putting it to the Foreskins today too. If only the Bungles could find a way. DT one step closer to flipping burgers. It's all good.
This is the exact collapse that the team needed to avoid to save Trembley's job. I like him, and I obviously want him to succeed...but he will not be retained.
"The Orioles will need a setup man and a closer. They could use a veteran starting pitcher and still lack a powerful bat in the middle of their order."
From The Sun...........October 1, 2007.
Two years later.......same problem. WHERE IS THE PROGRESS ANDREW?
I read a rumor that Trembley (if he is not renewed), will be offered a job within the organization. If that is the case...who would we get to replace him? Surely they would want a bigger name, so that might leave Jauss out. Dempsey has interviewed 3 times before, Murray has no ML experience, Johnson isn't coming back. Any ideas from anyone (especially you Roch), but trolls...just pass on the question, you have no credibility.
Roch, The only one I know who passionately cares about the O's reaching the 100 loss mark is Jack, who'll be sorely disappointed if the team does even one game better. He sees it as a kind of benchmark to validate his season-long attacks and gloating at Oriole failures.
Because he's so pumped about this, has frequently been carping about it as a more-or-less fait accompli for the past month, should the O's reach his goal, I'm afraid he's going to be even more insufferable than he already is! (I know that some readers are going to challenge this as being impossible. LOL)
If that occurs, instead of just quietly wandering away from this blog until next season, he'll probably be more bellicose and less logical than ever during the offseason. It will give him all the more reason to believe that his usually off the mark criticisms are golden.
So, with this in mind, I'm begging the Orioles to eke out three more wins-that's only three out of seven games, so they don't even need to go .500. Is that too much to ask? If everything falls right, they should be able to take at least one game out of four at Tampa. Then, returning home, they'd need to win two of three against the Blue Jays; that's conceivable, too, since they've handled Toronto pretty well at OPACY.
Speaking of Toronto, I wanted to get your take on Wieters' monster blast there the other night. One of the Jays' TV announcers said that it's been a long time since he'd seen a ball hit that high and far to right. I know this is total speculation, but my question for you is this: If you take that blast, move it to Camden Yards and a bit more down the line, do you think it would have had a chance at reaching the Warehouse? (I'm guessing it makes Eutaw Street easily.)
Oh, BTW, nice call on the Tribe outscoring the Browns; I just hope neither you nor your readers were betting on the Ravens to pitch a shutout. Flaco's has really sparked that offense. He's quickly emerging as one of the best QBs in the league and the best in Raven's history.
Common Sense, Regarding losses, I agree with you that it really doesn't matter much whether it's 99 or 100 in the sense that a losing season is a losing season, but in baseball, which is so statistically obsessed, it does matter in a way. Just as a team that's nearing 100 wins at the end of the season would like to reach that mark, so teams don't want to get to 100 losses. It's the difference between having a winning season, or a winning season of historic proportions and likewise for losing seasons, because once the century mark is reached, people start saying something like: "Today the [team name] became only the [ordinal number] team in major league history to record 100 or more [wins/losses] in a season." or "For the [ordinal number] time in franchise history the [team name] has record 100 or more [wins/losses] in a season."
I think with players there's a certain pride factor in avoiding that many losses, even if they're in a rebuilding year like the Orioles. It's like today's game, in a way. The O's went into the ninth trailing the Indians 9-0, so the likelihood of a comeback was barely existent, but I guarantee to you that there was the mindset in the O's dugout that at the very least they wanted to push a run across the plate to avert the shutout.
So glad WJZ has gone back to showing NFL games! I remember when they used to skip the second game of a doubleheader to have some cheesy Ravens postgame show where Marty " I've got $10, does that buy me a good time?" Bass is sitting at some bar talking to drunk Ravens fans.
Roch dave was quoted as saying he doesn't think this team is playing uptight or out of control, please is he kidding me. This team is so damaged at this point in time they might need a doctor to evaluate the players after the season. Really roch dave really goes way out of his way protecting this team.I truly can't rememember a complete train wreck like this.This plan and this team is so flawed it's beyond words.
I HOPE THEY DON'T LOSE 100 GAMES TO ME 99 OR 100 LOSES THERE IS A DIFFERNCE
Roch,
I am starting to interpret messages from readers requesting two certain individuals be removed from posting on this site. The positive building block within this blog is the diversity of knowledge and comments. Thus, I don’t always agree with Jack and/or Brummie, I do see their point, and tend to agree with some of their points of interest at times.
To bar Jack and Brummie from posting based on the principle some of the readers are not in agreement with the opinions they share, goes against everything we as Americans stand for.
The first example which comes quickly to mind is the situation we recently experienced in Iran during the elections. The outside world (fans) only received reports censored or approved from the State Run Media outlet, IRNA Press TV. A sports world where all we hear is about how great this organization is ran, will tend to discredit your classroom while driving many fans away.
Fellow O's fans, believe it or not, freedom of speech is a good thing. And the wonderful element about this right is...if you don’t like it, you skip it! There are veterans who fought for your freedoms, don’t ever give one of them up because you don’t feel like hitting the down arrow on the keyboard!
~~ Ted ~~
Roch,
You said "...But until then, just skip the names you don't like. - Roch".
Can I include:
Mora
Bass
Henn
Baez
Albers
Sarfate
Lambert
in that list?
Brummie,
We played A.Peterson on both teams today (Baltimore Fighting Magpies and Baby Fighting Magpies). Favre ended as a hero, but killed us with an interception depriving Peterson of potential carries and a TD on that drive. Then, the Vikings fell behind; forced to pass, again depriving A.P. of touches."Seriously displeased" does not begin to describe my condition.
Markakis voted Orioles' MVP for 2009
Thursday, 24 Sep 2009 14:07:00 EDT
The Orioles have spoken, and they've chosen Nick Markakis as their Most Valuable Player in an informal but comprehensive polling of the clubhouse.
Markakis edged Brian Roberts by a single vote.
Fellow Students,
If you want the entire story, go to Orioles page on MLB.com, and find Spencer Fordin's article.
Schoolman lamented:
"Meanwhile, I'd like to thank the gambling "expert" on 105.7 The Fan today who kept insisting that the Titans were a lock at + 2 1/2. I originally took the Jets, but changed my pick before kickoff.
Jets 24, Titans 17.
And let's not overlook Houston running back Chris Brown, who fumbled into the end zone as the Texans were about to tie Jacksonville, after an earlier touchdown was nullified by offensive pass interference. I had the Texans -4.
What a day."
Schoolman,
I think it is time for you and Battling Bob Lancione to hook-up for a brew or two. BBL could coach you up; explain just what you are dealing with when it comes to point spreads and NFL games. Yes, he's your man; but, you may have to wait until after he is arraigned.
The following is offered tongue-in-cheek and it is not meant to be taken seriously by any person, living or dead who is named in this satirical riff, or by anyone who reads it.
FROM THE EARLY EDITION OF THESUN.COM, SEPTEMBER 27, 2009:
Early this morning, FBI agents executed an arrest warrant for Bob Lancione, a.k.a. Battling Bob, believed to be the mastermind behind an aggressive and dangerous gambling ring operating in 30 cities, which have NFL franchises.
A federal judge in Baltimore issued the warrant based on evidence gathered by an FBI forensic cyber-analyst in the Baltimore field office, who had been tipped-off about suspicious posts on an Internet sports blog frequented by blancione, Bob Lancione, Bob, and Battling Bob Lancione.
The posts were under the username blancione, a cleverly disguised form of Bob Lancione. Lancione wrote messages, which revealed a deep understanding of gambling and the manipulation of point spreads; knowledge beyond the average, naïve fan’s ability to comprehend.
Pursuant to a warrant, MASN and its employee Roch Kubatko, were compelled to turn over all of Lancione’s posts and his email address. The Baltimore office, in conjunction with the U.S. Attorney for Maryland, quickly amassed enough evidence to convince a judge to issue the arrest warrant.
Kubatko, a Baltimore-based blogger for MASN gave up Lancione like a bad habit.
Kubatko turned over a collection of Bob Lancione’s posts on different topics in which Lancione consistently displayed an arrogant, aggressive, and, in some posts, an accusatory style.
These posts enabled the FBI to create a profile of a made-blogger who threatens violence to keep dissenters in line; a man needy for recognition and obsessed with everyone acknowledging that he possesses insights unknowable by ordinary people; a man who believes he is smarter than a sixth grader, and feels compelled to proclaim it.
In a few posts, Lancione was particularly boastful about his discovery that media outlets were conspiring to keep secret the true ineptness of the Orioles; unfortunately, his credibility suffered because he misclassified MASN as a news organization, not realizing that MASN and its employees exist to maximize interest in the Orioles and the Nationals.
In a related development, there have been rumors that the Ravens 2000 Lombardi Trophy was stolen late Friday night, September 11th, from the Ravens’ complex at One Winning Drive. In its place, according to an anonymous source, a note was found urging Coach John Harbaugh to beat the point spread in the home game against Kansas City, or suffer the permanent loss of the trophy. “SUN” columnist Mike Preston saw the tropny on display in the main lobby last week, but Preston has no recollection about the weekend of the Chiefs game.
The Ravens refused comment and have been referring all questions to NFL Security.
"Dave Trembley said after today's 9-0 loss to the Indians. "When the game turns hard in one direction, it really has a way of snowballing and getting out of line. And that's what's happened."
Things might snowball when you are approach a peak but when you barely got off level ground it is hard to blame something for snowballing. DT just is out of his league when it comes to handling personnel and making strategic decisions. AM didn't help him with trading some players but you still need to show some thought in managing a game and I just don't see it. The number of times he left guys on the bench instead of pinch hitting for the SS or didn't bunt late in the game (and I'm not a big proponent of bunting or stealing) is sad.
Certain guys just install confidence and leadership in a clubhouse or on a team, they are hard to find but are worth searching for. They establish a process and accountability for the team which this team hasn't seen in a decade plus.
Say the O's go 61-101 this season. Then next year they go 69-93. Then in 2011 go 75-87. Isn't that improvement? Yes, but it's still losing. Then in 2012 go 80-82, by that time it would be 15 straight years of losing. But it's improvement. Do you really think most will see it as improvement? I didn't really think my losing is losing post would get this kind of response. I love this organization. I think MacPhail is great for this team. I like the trades he's made. I like the fact he signed Nick and Brian to contract extentions. He's rebuilt the minor league system. He's drafted well. If this team hadn't lost Jones, Bergensen, and Reimold to injury, I think this team would have been better. If Sherrill and (maybe) Huff hadn't been traded, I think this team would of been better. Those trades might have made the team better for the future. Trading for a prospect or drafting is not an exact science. You have to take a chance. NO ONE in any sport NO matter how highly touted they are is definitely going to succeed. As far as signing free agents goes, there is no guarantee there either. Tex wasn't signing here no matter what we threw at him. AJ was over priced for a guy hadn't won more than 12 games in a season (despite being in the league since 99) until last year. Some bash the Wiggy signing. How? He's put together a solid season despite being a bench player half the season. The Hendrickson signing? His starts haven't been great but his work out of the bullpen has been good. Signing free agents just to say they did it makes no sense. AM didn't sign Mora to a contract extention and give him a full no trade clause. He didn't sign Gibbons to a contract extention. He also didn't give those bad contracts to Baez, Walker and Bradford. He got rid of Bradford, Walker and Gibbons. This off season he'll get rid of Mora and Baez. Once he gets rid of others GM's (Pres. of BB operations) trash and hopefully DT, that's when I'll start holding AM to his plan.
Roch, You and I are on the same (Web) page with regard to not reading the entries of certain people who post on this list. Let them post all they want -- we don't have to read them. I haven't read any posts by Jack or Brummie in months. There are a couple others whose posts I don't read either. On the other hand, there are several people whose posts I look forward to reading because they are well-reasoned, informative, entertaining, or some or all of the above. And, of course, I always read your lessons because they are all of the above.
Jack,
No one agrees with you. You are in your own world with all this whinning. Its not Mr. MacPhail. It takes more than 2 yrs to rebuild the minors leagues and then take care of the parent team, but you are clueless about running a baseball team or you would be doing it. You and your alter egos will forever be in the dark. The MacPhails have been successful everywhere and in everything they touch, but really that is the problem, that is why you hate them so much. Your a Cubs or Twins supporter and hate that he left.
Business are in business to make money, baseball teams as well as any major sports teams want to win and make money. Mr. MacPhail has done this at both Chicago and Minnesota. To me and so many here, not a few, most here would love to see you leave, that will not happen while we keep feeding into your rants. An ignore button would be good, but to me you don't exist anymore, like when brummie post, now I just ignore him, so will I ignore you. If we all do this and never feed your rants, you will go away.
Hey Roch,
do you know if the Micheal McCreary show is on any of the news channels anymore? I always liked him and his perspective (I know its not an O's question, but really, what is left to be said that hasn't already been said 1000 times).
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I haven't seen it listed anywhere. - Roch
Well, I was wrong. I expected the Orioles to post a solid second half record, and better last season's 68-93 record. I challenged Brummie to a bet back in July, he ignored it until we'd lost another 20 games, then playfully brought it up again. He still wouldn't accept the bet, since that would mean three months of not posting the same tired garbage and smarmy crap, but I said I'd still take a sabbatical regardless of what he did. So for the next three months, I'm just a reader. Despite claims to the contrary, I know there are lots of smart people posting who realize that MacPhail's strategy is correct: we need the farm system first, and we've come a long way in that regard.
Thanks Roch for a wonderful job keeping us informed. Alarming to do the simple math of your 3000 posts in about 13 months and realize that means 7 or 8 a day. Great, great work.
Schoolman,
Your advice to pass over posters who annoy to distraction is sound -- theoretically and practically. However, it is easier said than applied because there is a hard-to-ignore, car-wreck-like fascination that often captures my attention when I see the names of students associated with toxic posts; what idiocy or contemptible piffle is he guilty of this time?
I have tried the Roch/ocj approach: scrolling and, ideally, ignoring their posts. I have tried shaming and embarrassing them in an effort to contain their terror-like attempts to destabilize this blog -- all to no avail.
I wrote earlier that they are the human equivalent of cockroaches -- they are survivors, undeterred by all attempts to crush them; however, they will be quarantined ultimately, isolated as more and more loyal students of the School of Roch figure out how to scroll them, or just laugh at their impotence as opinion-makers. Someday, even Brian will express contempt for them.
Trolls, vampire-bloggers, and angry imitators - I'm not going anywhere, and I feel confident that, when their batteries are sufficiently recharged, the students who staged a protest walkout will return to school.
WMdFan said:
"... 'nattering nabobs of negativism' ... ."
WMDF,
Nicely done. I guess that alliteration from Old Spiro is his most well-known quotation. The boy was only a few payoffs from becoming president. Whew!
Does it matter if a pitcher wins 19 or 20 games in a year? Does it matter if a hitter gets 99 or 100 RBI's in a year or 2,900 or 3,000 hits in their career?
Baseball is a numbers game and 100 losses is one of those numbers than any team or manager should want to avoid. No it doesn't matter much in the final say of things but it's a milestone that the O's should want to avoid.
Roch,
Here's a question for you. Do you ever get sick and tired of covering the Orioles. Especially in September when the games don't matter and they keep losing. Please answer honestly. Thanks.
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I wouldn't go to that extreme. I still enjoy baseball, and the season allows me to hold onto summer as long as possible. I'm not a big fan of sleet and freezing rain (I'm told there's a difference). But it can be a grind, for sure. WInning is a lot more fun. And that's my profound statement of the day. - Roch
Jim Dandy to the rescue said:
I read a rumor that Trembley (if he is not renewed), will be offered a job within the organization. If that is the case...who would we get to replace him? Surely they would want a bigger name, so that might leave Jauss out. Dempsey has interviewed 3 times before, Murray has no ML experience, Johnson isn't coming back. Any ideas from anyone (especially you Roch), but trolls...just pass on the question, you have no credibility.
--------------------------
I'd like to see Andy MacPhail reach back to his Minnesota roots and get Tom Kelly to manage this team. I absolutely do not have any use for Bobby Valentine, or Buck Showalter. I really don't have much use for Tony LaRussa either, despite his successes. I agree with those who say that the next manager of this team needs to be one with experience, and I don't believe that it necessarily has to be an "organizational guy". We see how well that's worked out recently.
Improvement is just not limited to record. Are they improved from previous seasons at the catcher position? How about Matusz, Tillman and Bergensen in the starting rotation? How about Reimold and Pie in LF? Yes, I think most would say so. The minor league system is much improved. I think they're alright at SS. Jones had an improved season. Nick and BRob were on the mark from what they have done before. At the same time the bullpen stunk. Part of that was trading Sherill to get Bell and Johnson was so they could try to improve in the immediate future at 3rd and 1 more good pitching prospect couldn't hurt. Mora had a drop off from last season, so 3rd base took a step back. They traded Huff, but it was like he was producing, so 1st base also stepped back. The bench of Wiggy, Zaun/Moeller, and Andino along with Aubrey, Turner and Fiorentino later was decent. Overall I think they took a few steps back not only record wise but overall. At the same time I think it will take 1 power hitter (1st base), 1 decent, veteran starting pitcher and a reliable closer to get to the improvement I think that we all want to see.
AM convincing Tom Kelly to return to managing with the O's would be another stroke of genius on his part!
What a day? I'm an Orioles and Oakland Raiders fan. Let's see, Orioles lose 9-0 and Raiders lose 23-3. Not only was it a bad day, but it's been too many bad years in a row!
We are talking about reaching a 100 losses? This is pathetic. We should be talking about reaching a 100 wins. Like the Yankees have. But, this will never happen to this organization. As long as Angelos owns this team and refuses to spend the money. We are in the wrong division, for that. Who really thinks a decent free agent will come to this losing team? And now, we are not going to trade anyone decent either, for a good player. So, where do you think we will be this time next year? You got it, O's fans. Looking at another 100 loss season. And the season after that............O's fans we need to get smart. We are being taken for granted and fed a bunch of lies.
Where is the improvement this year? No, we didn't expect to win and go to the playoffs. We didn't progress. We have regressed. We now, need a closer that we didn't need 6 months ago. What a joke.......and it goes on.
Roch-
We wanted to get more talent on this team. See, it was our plan all along to get the higher draft pick.
Strategy. See, if we lose 100 games for 14 straight years, we can get 5 starters and 9 position players.
See, its a strategy.
One of these years, the Ravens are gonna win more than the O's.
Roch-
Actually, the Ravens have won more than the O's this month.
The Orioles are simply not ready for prime time and unwatchable. It is so bad that I have to laugh sometimes. I found myself waiting for the buckets of confetti and pratfalls because this cannot be reality. Hopefully this changes in a few years-surely it has to. You just cannot continue, year after year, to expect people to pay money and follow a team that has no chance of winning. Thank God for football season.
Roch:
For the first time ever I am rooting for the O's to lose and Pirates to win. That way we can move up to the second pick in next years MLB draft. I am guessing the Nats take that HS/Juco catcher from Nevada at 1, who would be the possible best college pitcher at 2 or 3?
FIRE TREMBLEY
Roch,
I rarely comment either...I believe this is my second ever...but I'll make the same statement that I've seen a few others make. I really enjoy reading this blog and love your work but I too am frustrated seeing the same comments over and over and over by the same two guys.
I understand I don't have to read what I don't like, but I like to scan the comments after I read your entry. I usually read the ones that you respond to and just skim the rest. Even using that method, it's tough to ignore the guys we're talking about here because they dominate the comments of every single post every single day and say the exact same thing every single time. Plus they like to use caps lock to emphasize the point they've made over and over and over, so the eye can't help but fixate on it.
I'm for freedom of expression as much as the next guy, but could you maybe consider a 'comment per post per reader' limit? Or invoke a 'don't repeat the same thing over and over and over' rule? Thanks so much for all the great insight. Really do enjoy the blog, just struggling with the comments.
Roch,
Just wanted to remind you that I have you penciled in to call into my sports talk show at UMD next Monday, October 5th at 8:15 p.m. The number to call is 301-314-9979. We'll talk some O's on the show. If you can't make it on that day, we can have you on another day. Thanks for doing this.
Luke
Hey Roch and Company,
Pretty late to join in as the Greene Turtle has me working too much,lol
But.
Praise God for the Ravens and our civic pride.
But as a 58 year old who gaged his life by Memorial Stadium in the summer
let it go
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change'
Baseball is 1920's
Money,money
Ok yeah , Tampa has a decent year.
Here and there yatta ,yatta
Oh the great Marlin story, yuck
Sell there kids yearly to highest bidder
The baseball of my youth is over.
I am a baseball guy. Love the Orioles with all my sports heart.
And we have a good plan. GM. and up and comers. To be mostly second rate forever.
Forever in AL East. Its simply not going to be good. Maybe a whacked out Yanks,Sox, bad year via injuries
But until they change the structure, its simply over.
Over and out.
And don't get me started on Camden Yards dimensions whicxh destroy
DESTROY PITCHERS, young and old.
Oh what a night
late December back in
60 whatever
70's too
Roch, if it makes you feel any better, I had the Niners moneyline...
Swept by Indians, O's hit a new low
Losing streak reaches double digits as O's fall to 35 games below .500
Sun Headline
There is no one which this headline bothers more then me. I have been a die hard O's fan since 1966. But these are the headlines which the jounalist need to put forth. These are the headlines which the fans need to see to ignite that inner fire to make Ole Pete and his side puppet do something or else...SELL the Fricken Team!
Enough losing...it is time to purchase one to three QUALITY free agents to suppliment the young talent we have here in order to make a run at respectability!
HEY PETE...HEY ANDREW .....Time to get off the pot and get the heck out of the bathroom! DO SOMETHING
Coming back from NC yesterday scanning the radio dial for football games and realized that --- Hey! Let's see what the Os are up to!! Tried several usual Os stations, then went to back up stations, and couldn't find them.
And then I found the Skins...
Not sure the Os loss would have been any less painful, huh?
I kinda hope they lose 100+ because there is no way they could justify bringing Trembley back if that happens. I like Trembley as a person, but have never felt he was any good at in-game management. With the improved talent base we will have going into next year, we need a manager who can push these guys to the next level. I don't want next year to be a little better than this year, I want it to be a lot better.
Also, why not go for the #2 overall draft pick? With Bergy, Matusz and now Tillman done for the year, what would winning another game do for us anyway? The only starter left who could even be a starter for us next year is Guthrie and we may decide to trade him if we sign Lackey.
Bottom line: winning is overrated for the rest of the season. Losing in the short term will help us more in the long-term.
We are now 1 game ahead of the pirates for the #2 pick in the draft. If we can avoid winning the rest of the way that would be fine with me. Winning now doesn't matter folks. Let Tremblay play Mora ( maybe bat cleanup ) the rest of the way. Same with Wiggins. Luke must also keep his cold streak going, same with Markakis. Heck with the young guys. Tremblay should be given the choice of Delmarva or Fredrick if he wants to keep managing. He has proven he can't handle a major league pitching staff. He is a nice guy. But as the saying goes "nice guys finish last".
we are living in the shadow of the failure to sign teixeira
as long as we don't compete for talent, this will go on and on
the 2009 orioles didn't even amount to a true mlb team capable of playing out a full season
Guys, Jack and Brummie are borderline tards. But, enough with the ignore feature.
This is the USA. Just don't read them. We don't want this to turn into the Orioles Hangout. Stalin had less of an Iron Fist with free speech.
Just pass on by. Kind of like what I do with Oprah. Although it is pretty hard to miss her.
I agree that Trembley is not a very good motivator, and makes really dumb calls, but, how has Macphail failed? He has only been here 2 years, and he came into a train wreck.
We now have a gem behind the plate that we set the record for. We spent more on talent last draft then EVER on lower high ceiling picks. We have consistently had 4 or 5 guys in Baseball America's top 100.
next year we may have even more.
He locked up the 2 legits MLB players for long terms. That is a feat in itself when you think of how terrible we have been. Most players don't want to play for perennial losers.
I mean, if they crap the bed this offseason, and we do this again next year, or the year after, then we can bitch. But, I don't see how you can be so hard on him at this point.
He said we were the high bidders on 2 pitchers last offseason and they went elsewhere. I assume 1 was Garland, who has been less than par. And the other had to be Looper who gives up more HR's than, well, Guthrie.
Relax. Give him this offseason to get us over the hump.
If we are saying the same things next year, then we can talk.
Appreciate your efforts Roch, but its September 28th...does anyone have an ounce of interest in the Orioles anymore?
I only wish the Orioles had the Cleveland Browns on their schedule this week.
I honestly expected us to be playing well in September, I just wonder how we'd be doing if Jones, Bergesen, Matusz, Sherrill were still on the team. The injuries are unfortunate and the trades were necessary for long term progress and at least we get a high draft pick. They are horrible right now and I'll admit I've stopped watching them entirely. I do honestly feel though that the way the way the current roster is playing right now is no indication of how the team will perform come Opening Day next year. Look at all the talent that will be injected back into the team next spring.
The person I feel sorry for is Roch. He is trying everything within his heart to stay positive. But how do you comeback after a road trip like that and post a positive blog?
Keep your head up Roch. Your work is greatly appreciated!
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Thanks. I'm beginning to spike my coffee. That helps. - Roch
I have some good news, folks!
Want to feel better about the Os?
Well, go on over to washingtonpost.com and check out the comments in response to Mike Wise's article on the Redskins loss to the Lions!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/27/AR2009092703391_Comments.html#
Many of the fans' postings make Brummie and Jack's appear tame by comparison! These folks are really upset and they're only 3 games into the season!
Is anybody still paying attention anymore? 100 losses is inevitable, because to do otherwise would require the team to go 3-4, which is a .429 winning percentage, which is nearly impossible for this team. I liked their odds better when all they had to do was go 3-14. If they lost the last 7 games and finished with 17 straight losses and 102 for the season, I would not be surprised at this point. Way to completely tank at the end here, guys. The “playing in the tough AL East” excuse doesn’t fly when you just got swept by the Indians, one of the other worst teams in baseball who play in the weak AL Central.
I like to use the Oakland A’s as an example because I would say on paper they and the O’s have a somewhat similar makeup. Yet, in the A’s last 30 games, they have gone 20-10, clearly finding something to play for, and now stand at 75-81. When they were 55-71, they could’ve easily just sleepwalked through the rest of the season piling up losses, but they didn’t. The A’s often are a team that seem to get more out of what their level of talent indicates they will. The O’s are a team that never does. Why?
Now, with the schedule almost completed, we can look forward to the offseason and free agency. The usual calls will be, the O’s better sign a pitcher, a hitter, relief pitchers, etc., but what chance do they have of signing any premium player when they’ve just posted 100 losses and their 12th straight losing season? If you had your choice of teams to play for, why would you sign on to such a situation in what are likely your prime playing years, even if that team decided to pay you a bit more? Because the young pitchers here have potential, or Josh Bell might be a power-hitting third baseman in 2011? I know anything can happen, but it’s hard to not be pessimistic about this situation. It seems like we’re set up for a letdown similar to previous years. The O’s strike out on the best players and maybe sign a few middle-of-the road players who’ve had a good season in recent memory. In case you haven’t been paying attention, “middle of the road” doesn’t cut it.
At this stage I would suggest the O's take the remainder of the year off and let the Ravens play baseball wearing the Orange and Black.(except the Sunday games, we can just take a forfeit on that one day.)
Let Flacco pitch and Troy can relieve.
Of the remaining 51 players I am sure we can assemble the needed number to play at least as well as the stiffs have been maaquerading around in the O's uniforms.
I would rather see football players that have a passion for sport and a passion for preparation than the current crop of baseball players that are obviously playing out the string.
When I read how Harbaugh runs a training camp at the Castle then see how O's managment has spent years negeotiating the best deal for ownership as to a spring training facility it shouts that the O's management view spring training ss meaningless.
When Ozzie and company see a problem they fix it. When the O's see a problem they spend years explaining it.
Does anyone doubt that if Steve Bisciotti owned the O's and Angelos owned the Ravens that the O's would be perenial contenders and the Ravens would become the doormats of the AFC north?
I realize that the rules of baseball are different than football, salary cap and draft importance. But successful people learn the "rules" of the game they play then become successful. Baltimore doesnt have the market of the Cowboys nor the Redskins but they are smarter.
As in any organization winning starts at the top. It always has and always will.
Dave Said
Appreciate your efforts Roch, but its September 28th...does anyone have an ounce of interest in the Orioles anymore?
Dave, keep your head up. It hasn't always been like this. It will change in time. The more pressure you apply as a fan, the better your chance will be to see change.
Go Orioles!
sheets,
Say it ain't so! If you are planning to monitor, why not leave the door open for a post now and then? The more that rational and reasonable students don't participate in class, the percentage of agenda-driven posts increases; magnifying their disruptive affect on this blog
Schoolman and Fellow Students,
Peter Gammons, the world's most unlikely rock musician, recently suggested a solution to the unfair financial advantage of the Yankees primarily and other franchises to a lesser degree. Gammons thinks that MLB should add one more wild card team to the playoffs in both leagues.
It is not a salary cap, but I'm all for it; what say you, Schoolman and student posters?
Steve V. said:
Roch,
Here's a question for you. Do you ever get sick and tired of covering the Orioles. Especially in September when the games don't matter and they keep losing. Please answer honestly. Thanks.
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I wouldn't go to that extreme. I still enjoy baseball, and the season allows me to hold onto summer as long as possible. I'm not a big fan of sleet and freezing rain (I'm told there's a difference). But it can be a grind, for sure. WInning is a lot more fun. And that's my profound statement of the day. - Roch
Schoolman,
What would your answer have been if Steve V. hadn't beseeched you to answer honestly? If you had been permitted to concoct your dream, less-than-truthful-reply, what would you have said?
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Word for word. - Roch
The funniest thing about reading Jack and Brummie's rants recently is that Jack, at least, seems thoroughly convinced that MacPhail can do something RIGHT NOW, at game #155, that will save the franchise from its destiny. I've always thought you were a coward, Jack, since you have never, ever responded to one of my thirty or so challenges to actually tell us what you would do in MacPhail's place. Now, it's confirmed that you are also delusional. Makes sense, really, once you think about it. Don't think too hard, though, it's just Jack.
Of course, we could go all conspiracy-theory and suspect that all of the Orioles feel like Mora did in August and secretly hate Trembley. They are intentionally playing poorly to lose games. Hernandez and Berken are intentionally throwing hanging curveballs and letter-high fastballs even though they know they are going to get rocked. The team thinks that if they play badly in September, that Trembley will get fired, and they'll get to have a new manager next season. How's that answer to why they O's are losing, JACK? Seems just as reasonable as any one of your multitude of "MacPhail is the only person at fault" posts.