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i liked albers when we first got him, but he seems to take for granted that he will make this team. im sure he is working out hard and maybe wants to take a relaxed approach to this offseason and not concentrating on pounds but getting in better shape. But i am pretty sure if i was a major leauge player and a chief concern of your managers' was that you need to lose some weight, i would be losing some damn weight. no excuse for albers to come to camp in top physical shape. if a 31-32 year old brian roberts can make a point to go all the way out to arizona and train hard for a few months, no reason why a 25-26 year old albers couldn't. probably drawing a lot from his comments but he should have a fire under his butt right now to do everything that he can to make this club.

A mediocre player given to us by our dear Front Office.

Albers has struggled for most of the time he has been here and now he is overweight and out of shape. When the manager has to tell a player via the media that he is out of shape, you know there are serious tensions and communication problems in the clubhouse.

Albers has no place on this team. He was part of the problem last year, not the solution. Whenever he came into tight games where the O's led, I called my Dad and told him "game over, the O's are going to lose."

But our fearful leaders will continue to hold a spot on the roster for Albers because they cannot admit a mistake and will not cut their losses.

Morning, Roch.

It would seem that arriving at ST in top physical condition is a no-brainer. Perhaps there are union rules against this but I'd certainly be in favor of some required fitness levels (weight, % of body fat, stamina) ~ you don't pick up a bat or glove until you achieve them. Presumably these can be tailored to the indvidual in the same way they establish the oft-used "incentive-laden" contract. What do you think?
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Some contracts have included weight clauses. I believe Javy Lopez's contract did, for whatever reason. - Roch

I think this interview drives home the fact that Matt Albers shouldn't be a pro baseball player. He's going to "try" to get off the Mexican food. He's not too fixated on a specific weight?

He should become a bowler with this attitude. This is professional sports. His diet and physical conditioning should be more than a "try real hard" situation. I don't hear that garbage coming out of Brian Roberts' or Adam Jones' mouth when they are in top flight conditioning programs in the offseason.

Get this guy off the team and replace him with somebody with heart. This guy has "ungrateful for the opportunity he's been given to have a dream job" written all over him.

Money says his laberal tear issue comes up again during the offseason. I got one in my right shoulder from improperly powerlifting and guess what the 2 doctors told me...sure you can do physical therapy instead of shoulder surgery and you'll be fine unless you plan on being a professional baseball player.

This guy avoids the surgery then avoids any semblance of conditioning last year. Cut him now...save the time on the inevitable. No heart - poor conditioning - no thanks.

Brummie, Brummie, Brummie... would you please do some research? To say, and I quote, "Albers has struggled for most of the time he has been here", that's just not truthful. He was good for the entire 2008 season and the first two months of 2009.

I've said it before, I'll say it again (despite it falling on deaf ears); when you have to resort to lies to support your one and only point, then your point has no merit.

Good morning, Roch:

I have a few questions for Brummie. Brummie, why are you an Oriole Fan? While I agree with you that Matt Albers needs conditioning, what makes you believe that there are "serious tensions and communication problems in the clubhouse?" Are you privey to inside information. If so, journalistic integrity DEMANDS that you release your sources. At the same time, what the hell makes you so negative about everything when it comes to "your favorite team."

While I understand that all of us are tired of the losing seasons, why not stop your constant bitching about it and pick another favorite team? Real fans want to enjoy this bog, and Roch does a heck of a great job in bringing it to us.

Thanks Roch. And a Happy Thanksgiving to ALL.

Thanks for the interview Roch...this is the kind of off season stuff that only you can bring us, very much appreciated. When Albers was pitching well in '08, he was lights out, lets hope he can regain form, I know I will root for him, and, I like singing the theme from "Two and a Half Men" when he comes in the game.
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Awesome! I made that comparison and a friend thinks I'm crazy. - Roch

Brummie_Oriole said:

"When the manager has to tell a player via the media that he is out of shape, you know there are serious tensions and communication problems in the clubhouse."

...at least we haven't resorted to making overarching blanket statements based one situation (which we all know very little about). Oh, wait...nevermind.

However, I don't necessarily disagree with you; Albers is a mediocre player, who (if the offseason goes well) probably won't be good enough to be on the team. I personally think that's a sign of improvement.

Roch said:

Some contracts have included weight clauses. I believe Javy Lopez's contract did, for whatever reason. - Roch

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Conditioning was always an on-again, off-again issue for Javy while he was here in Atlanta.

Dummie is teachers pet that's why he's here with nothing but negative comments mabye things change in 2010 we'll read.

It would be good to see Albers rebound. Before he was injured in 2008, he pitched well in the bullpen and the team went south after he went down (surely a coincidence since that team stunk on many levels). The funny thing about his 2009 is that his strikeouts were up and his home runs allowed were down, but he his walks and hits allowed were decidedly up. Obviously, if he could work on the latter two, he might be decent again.

Back to the previous post--really, who the heck gave Miguel Cabrera that first place vote? Joe Mauer had a spectacular season, even missing the first month, and there wasn’t much question as to who the best AL player was.

If money/signability were no object, I’d take Mauer over Wieters. This is no knock on Wieters but more looking at what Mauer has done so far. Mauer is a current elite catcher who, while it’s very early in his career, looks like he’s headed to Cooperstown, and Wieters is a possible future elite catcher who hopefully looks like Mauer in a few years. I’ll take proven over potential any day as long as the proven guy isn’t too old (Mauer is just 26). If you had both players to choose from, though, it’s like being a kid in a candy store.

At least you didn't title this entry "Hey, Hey, Hey...." ;-)

It would be nice to see him return to 2008 form before that blasted labrum issue. Did he mention how his shoulder is holding up?
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He says it's fine. He's always insisted that he only gets the usual soreness, like every other pitcher, and that the labrum tear isn't an issue. - Roch

I think the Orioles have really screwed Albers. He got bounced around all year, sometimes not because of his performance. He has the arm of a starting pitcher, but they have forced him into this reliever role. If you actually watch him pitch, his ball moves all over the place, and he was throwing 95 a lot of the time. Just another example of the O's mismanaging a pitcher with a lot of upside. I wouldn't be surprised if he ended up somewhere else and became a pretty good starting pitcher.

Roch-
Miguel Cabrera's on the trade block. Thoughts? 26 and owed 125 through 2015.
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Would cost too much. Sure, I'd like him in the lineup. Who wouldn't? But at what cost? - Roch

roch
Do you think Minnesota will lock up Joe Mauer and what kind of deal do you think it will take?

I dont think Matt Albers is a bust. I think AM saw a Double A pitcher that went 10 -2 with an almost sub 2.00 ERA in 06 and was just establishing himself in ML in 07. He just needs to get in shape, throw strikes and please NO MORE WALKS!
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My guess is he stays in Minnesota. It's a natural fit, and he might even give them a hometown discount. - Roch

Roch,

Rumor has it that Miguel Cabrera is on the trade block, for the right price of course. I may be in the minority here, but I say GO GET HIM! At first thought you might say, "It would take way too many prospects". I would tend to agree at first, but this is clearly a salary issue more than anything else.

What do you think Roch...and others?

Rick
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Don't know what the Tigers would want in return, but if it's Matusz/Tillman, I don't see the Orioles going there. - Roch

Roch-
Miguel Cabrera's on the trade block. Thoughts? 26 and owed 125 through 2015.
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Would cost too much. Sure, I'd like him in the lineup. Who wouldn't? But at what cost? - Roch

Roch,

Would cost too much money? Or too many top prospects to get in a trade? He should have a weight clause in his contract...

Thanks Darrin
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Both. We don't know what the Tigers would want in return, but if it's Matusz/Tillman, the Orioles are going to pass. - Roch

Matt is a little heavy. Yes. He pitched well that way and badly that way. Early Winn won 300 games that way, David wells was worse when he threw a perfect game. CC is not exactly svelte of body. Maybe it's his weight or conditioning, but maybe something else (injury, focus). Getting in better shape would be good for him, but it is no guarantee it will turn him into Cy Young or even the old Matt Albers. I think he knows what is at stake for him, and he pays the price or reaps the rewards of his decisions. He did not have the surgery everyone thought he should and still pitched in the majors again. Patton chose surgery and still has not made it back to the majors. Not saying either was right or wrong decision. That may take more time to determine. It just bothers me that we are all so critical of everything these guys say or do. Unfortunately, I am guilty of it too at times. Most are doing the best they can; some are more gifted than others. Those of us with lesser talent for baseball always seem to think we would not squander the opportunity. Guess we won’t get a chance to find out.

Brummie. Really? Really? I guess the front office failed in both the Tejada and Bedard trades in your eyes. You really make no sense. Ok take Albers out of the Tejada deal and we still pulled off a good trade. Think then post.

Matt has shown those flashes of brilliance. Because of that he deserves a chance to find a spot on a pitching staff filled with holes. Should another team express interest in him, I would see what we could get without hesitation. Matt does not deserve a spot on the staff he must earn it.

OK. Way off subject here, but we need to make a serious run at some of the players on these cash strapped teams. One name more so than others, MIGUEL CABRERA.

He fits everything we're looking for. A right handed, power bat that plays corner infield. Instead of trying to find a stop gap until Snyder is ready, this guys is the answer. Trade Snyder, and a couple of good but not great prospects to get him. He makes so much money that the Tigers will except less in return for prospects in order to move his contract.

If your reading, and I know you are, take the shot.

I don't get a professional athlete that can't keep himself in shape. Thats there job, its all they have to do. They have every resource at there finger tips. Its just sheer laziness. I don't expect all of them to look like Adonis, but come on, at least don't look like "a big fat tub of goo!" And come on, 205 lbs, who they trying to fool? Matt, next time put both feet on the scale.

Brummie_Oriole said:

A mediocre player given to us by our dear Front Office.

Albers has struggled for most of the time he has been here and now he is overweight and out of shape. When the manager has to tell a player via the media that he is out of shape, you know there are serious tensions and communication problems in the clubhouse.

Albers has no place on this team. He was part of the problem last year, not the solution. Whenever he came into tight games where the O's led, I called my Dad and told him "game over, the O's are going to lose."

But our fearful leaders will continue to hold a spot on the roster for Albers because they cannot admit a mistake and will not cut their losses.
November 24, 2009 8:38 AM

__________________________________

If anyone knows mediocrity, it's all you.

MEMO TO MR BASEBALL BRUMMIE/JACK:

So you would rather have Miguel Tejada back with the O's? Even if Albers is a bust and obviously Mike Costanza isn't going anywhere, but you don't think getting Luke Scott, Dennis Sarfate and Troy Patton for B12 Tejada wasn't a good trade? You're such a boorish negative person who never has anything good to say about anyone without getting the childish dig in to MacPhail and the front office. Yeah, Tejada would have sure made a difference on the Orioles the past couple years wouldn't he? Thank God you don't run the Orioles because in all honesty, you know squat.

woelps - most people are saying 5-7 years, $20 million per. According to Fangraphs, he's been worth an average of $22 million per year (if he were being paid as a free agent) for the past 5 seasons, not counting his defensive abilities / intangibles / the symbolic benefits of locking up a hometown star. He's also been improving over that time period - between 2008 and 09 (even taking the injuries into account) he was a $32 million player.

As for Albers - it's all about the control. He's not really a power pitcher in terms of strikeout rates, so he can't afford to walk 4+ batters per nine innings, which he's doing right now. If he can get the walks down, he induces enough groundballs that he would be a nice middle reliever / right-handed specialist type guy. Relief pitchers are so inconsistent from year to year - it wouldn't surprise me if his ERA was 7 next year, nor would it surprise me if it was 2.

Dummie, you're a real jerk.

Really could use that Dummy Block Button Roch.

Albers is a nice talent. We need him in our pen. Besides his weight, I think we over used him a bit last year. He was just coming back from labrum surgery & was probably thrown into the fire a bit due to our horrendous starting pitching. We need you Matt, get it together !

Oh, he's right the Mexican food is unreal down there. Not as good as San Diego but excellent.

For some reason I take Albers comments to mean he doesn't think weight is that big of a deal so I doubt we will see a big change.
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"Albers said he hasn't set a specific weight as a goal, "but losing 10 pounds would probably be good." He was listed at 205 to begin the season, but he didn't finish there. That much was apparent.

"As long as I work out, I'm not really fixated on the weight," he said."

I have to agree with Brummie on this one. Albers is marginal at best. Division winners are not made up with players of this caliper. When will the front office realize this while making the necessary adjustments in their plans?

For those of you keeping score at home:
- Torn labrum
- 5.51 ERA
- Out-of-shape

Why is this guy taking up space on the 40-man roster?????

Roch, you say Cabrera is too expensive, but he fits what the Orioles are looking for exactly, a RH slugging 1B man signed to a LT deal and at 26, he's young enough so that he's yet to reach his prime years and will do so when the Orioles plan to be competitive.

He's signed until 2015 when he'll be 32, so you get him for all his prime years, unlike a contract with Teixeira where he's locked up until he's 36. And he's averaged 33 HR with a .925 OPS per season for his career.

MacPhail said he wouldn't give up our younger players for a short term solution, but Cabrera isn't a short term solution, so he should be a viable target.

His, personal issues aside, acquring Cabrera is a move that could jump start this franchise and fanbase and hopefully a move MacPhail will make.

BTW, your title is a tease. I was hoping you were welcoming Matt Holliday to the fold !!

There were significant stretches of time when Albers was a true fireman and the most valuable reliever on the team, called on in different situations and pitched the team out of jams. His injury and weight were a big problem. He should be guaranteed nothing, including no shot at all. He could still be a valuable commodity.

I liked the Dye-dea, until I saw the last couple years stats. He probably won't give us the 30+ HR we are looking for.

Mauer v. Wieters? (brain exploding)

jedd -- Certainly we would give the farm for Ad. Gonzalez without the extension, but consider that even if we offer a ridiculous extension, it may look like chicken feed in two years, when Gonzalez should still be at his prime, and when the economy will most likely be much more favorable for a prime free agent. Which is to say, the O's could "overpay" and Gonzalez/his agent still might pass, even if we and the Padres agreed on the players. Yes, we have to spend the money, but somebody else has to take it. We can overpay to a point, and if Gonzalez/his agent want to leave that on the table for what they believe will be better pastures...thems the breaks.

Happy Thanksgiving to Roch and Everyone!

Hey Roch, just wondering if you caught this article in the Sun?
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-sp.orioles20nov20,0,2361869.story

It is from a few days back, but somehow I missed this in the shuffle. To summarize Connolly and Zreibec mention these names as actual targets:

3B: Adrian Beltre, Pedro Feliz (both names I saw mentioned by you)
1B: Nick Johnson, Hank Blalock, Carlos Delgado (first time I saw Johnson mentioned as an interest by the Orioles.)
SP: Braden Looper (1st time I saw his name, they were interested last year I think), Randy Wolf (again, they were interested in him last season), Jon Garland (1st time I saw his name, and I guy I want them to get), and then possible injury reclaims like Bedard, Harden, or Sheets.
CP: Fernando Rodney, Billy Wagner, Mike Gonzalez

Now, for the 3B they list these guys as the top choices for the Orioles, but say the 1B and starting pitchers are just "options." For the closers they say the Orioles would gladly add one for the right price.

Any legs to these names or are they just doing what MLBTradeRumors did with Dye and just picked out names because they seem like a fit for what the Orioles want? Seems to me like they are coming out and saying that some of these guys are actual targets. With your closeness to the club, I figured you would know.
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Don't know where they got the names, but most of them make sense. Just not sure whether all of those names came from a source within the org, or if some of them are speculative. - Roch

jedd --

Sorry about the alleged English I started you with. You get my meaning. Happy Turkey Day...

Was Berken really this bad?
anti cy young?

AL LES SWEETLAND AWARD: Jason Berken, Baltimore

Sure, as you probably predicted, I originally had Kansas City's Luke Hochevar as the Sweetland Award winner. And he probably deserves it -- what a weird year he had. What a weird career. You probably know all this: Hochevar was picked by the Dodgers with the 40th overall pick in the 2005 amateur draft -- he dropped that low, apparently, because everyone knew that he and his agent Scott Boras wanted big-time money. Then, unsurprisingly, he refused to sign with the Dodgers because, yes, he and his agent wanted big-time money. The twist came when he briefly appeared to fire Boras and he apparently signed with the Dodgers. Only then he went back to Boras and he did not sign with the Dodgers.

Then he went to pitch some independent ball, and he went back in the draft, and then in a total shocker the Royals (who did not officially have a GM in charge at the time) made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2006 amateur draft. Weird stuff. It didn't help that the draft turned out to be talent rich: Others to go in the first round that year include: Tim Lincecum, Evan Longoria, Clayton Kershaw, Max Scherzer, Chris Coghlan and Joba Chamberlain.

The Royals sent Hochevar to Class AA, where he was utterly mediocre. This prompted a promotion to Class AAA, where he was no good. He was called to the big leagues in 2008 and he went 6-12 with a 5.51 ERA. The Royals saw progress.

But 2009 was weirder than all of that. It was a year when Hochevar shut down the Cincinnati Reds on 80 pitches, had a 13 strikeout-zero walk game against Texas, threw a nine-inning, three-hit gem against the White Sox and tossed seven scoreless innings against the Twins. Beyond that he had six quality starts. So that's 10 good-to-great pitching performances. His other 15, however, were ATROCIOUS. He was 2-11 with two no-decisions, if you care about such things. His ERA was 10.82. He gave up 16 home runs in those 15 games. The league hit .376 against him in those games.

So, I had that all planned out... you can tell because I had all those paragraphs written (and, dammit, I wasn't about to let them go to waste). But then I decided that I really could not give the award to Hochevar. These things are becoming way too Royals-centric. The Royals were not even the worst team in the league.

So, I gave the league another look. And finally I took one look at Jason Berken's season -- it was remarkable. Berken was only a rookie, and there is reason to believe he still has a bright future ahead of him, maybe in the bullpen. So I'm not writing off his future by any means.

But this one year -- wow. He made 24 starts in his rookie season. And I will now give you the best baseball stat you will see today.

The league -- the whole league -- hit .327/.384/.522 against him.

Basically, the whole league was an MVP candidate when Jason Berken was on the hill.

More: With runners in scoring position, the league hit .354/.415/.514. With the bases loaded, the league hit .529 against Berken. So the league was also clutch against him.

Now, we all know that much of what happens to a pitcher is luck-related and defense-related. The league had a very high .344 batting average on balls hit in play. And despite Adam Jones' Gold Glove -- or perhaps because of it -- many stats suggest that the Orioles were a below-average defensive team. Then again -- like with the McCloskey -- no one wins a Sweetland Award alone.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_posnanski/11/19/anti.awards/1.html#ixzz0Xo89PiDr
Get a free NFL Team Jacket and Tee with SI Subscription

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/joe_posnanski/11/19/anti.awards/1.html

Roch,
I know you're probably getting hit with lots of comments about Miguel Cabrera, but here's my two cents.

MacPhail has said he doesn't want to trade valuable young pieces for a player we'd only control for 1-2 years. Well, Cabrera is locked up till 2015. Yes its a big contract, but maybe taking on the full amount could mean a more favorable deal than a Gonzalez package would require, something like Snyder, Pie/Scott, Hernandez might be a start, with Arrieta replacing Hernandez if need be.

His alcohol issues scare me more than his weight, but I think its worth the risk plugging him in our lineup. He's clearly the bat we need.

Do you think the O's would even consider this?
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No way you're getting Cabrera without surrendering one of the top young pitchers. I wouldn't get my hopes up. - Roch

Roscoe,

You have to take chances and spend money. I haven't seen either in a while with the Orioles.

You make the trade - with or without the extension - the team becomes better immediately.

And you have first crack at re-signing him. Yes, he has to want to stay...but it's very seldom that the player doesn't take the most money on the table and in this economy now, offering a massive extension may be taken because of the uncertainty of the future.

The current downturn in the economy could work in our favor in that regard just as much as it could work against us. Once again a chance. The good teams take chances. And when they don't pan out they don't go "hey we aren't taking chances for another 12 years until there are 30 fans in the stands."

We have a glass jaw when it comes to rolling with the punches in the "taking chances" department.

I like Brandon Snyder...I like Bell. Especially Bell. I haven't seen Snyder's stats show me he is going to be a power hitter in the middle of the lineup. He may very well be a Laroche like 1st baseman. Good as a complimentary piece - not as a power hitter. Bell could be great. "Could be" is the prime word there.

Adrian Gonzalez IS great and is guaranteed to be the clean up hitter we need. You trade for him and if you don't do the other things to make the team great around him - he'll walk in 2 years.

If you do make the team around him great and you pay him like serious teams play serious players - he'll stay.

With the lineup we'll have with him we'll be very formidable. With the young pitching staff we have we'll only need a couple of arms. Now we will lose Tillman in that trade probably. And we'll lose other pieces that will hurt. No getting around that. That's what taking chances is for. Red Sox didn't cry when they lost Hanley Ramirez when Beckett brought them a world series. They'll just get him back in a trade in a year or so.

I love the Orioles and I know you do too Roscoe. I think we just disagree on this one point. I'm very happy with how we restocked the system and I politely disagree with people that think we are that many pieces away from contending. I think we are one big hitter and one-two legit pitchers away which we may already have on staff if they mature.

So my preference is to make the trade and take the chance. It'd certainly be more excited than the over the hill names we are going to get linked with in the next couple of months.

I am so glad to hear DT spoke to him about conditioning. Also good to see that he is following through with a program. Sounds like the boys are putting in the offseason effort. We just need the front office to make some moves.

Is no gnus is good gnus?

Have you heard the rumor we're involved in a three team deal where we get Pujols, the Cards get Teixiera and we give the Yankees Wigginton and Liz? I hear the deal is in place but we have to wait 32 days after February ends for the official announcement.

I'm begging everyone here, please! The only thing worse than seeing one of Brummie's bile ridden posts is seeing someone else say "I have to agree with Brummie on this.." It's like throwing gas on a fire (or maybe more like lighting a fart). You can make the same point without acknowledging Brummie.

Thanks... Bill

Thanks for the feedback Roch. I was wondering the same thing, where they got the names and if this was just pure speculation on their part. They don't say "from a source close to the situation we hear the Orioles are interested in..."

But they also don't simply say that these guys "could be a fit because..."

They seem pretty sure about the 3B names.

Roch,

The more things change, the more things stay the same.

It's a blog about Matt Albers working out, while many other players are still resting, and half of the comments are reactions to a few attention seeking posters.

Seriously Roch, something needs to happen with an ignore feature.

Roch,

Any chance that Cabrera, Lowe (not sure I want him) or others could be had in a Rios like salary dump? The Blue Jays aren't the only team with budget issues . . . could our ability to add salary and give some talent (not our best) put us in the right place at the right time?
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I think Rios was an exception, but there's no way to give an answer with 100 percent certainty. Would just be a guess. - Roch