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Roch, although the team came into spring training with almost all positions decided, it seems like a new story line might be developing around these three issues:
1) The left fielder can't run full out
2) The DH doesn't want to be the DH
3) The new first-baseman isn't impressing anyone with his work around the bag

Is there anything to this, or am I just making stuff up because it's a boring camp?
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Atkins hasn't been bad around the bag. He's just getting reacclimated to the position. The other two things you listed are definite issues so far, but we're about halfway through spring training. Still time for Reimold to be running at "full full speed." We'll see what happens with Scott. Certainly worth monitoring. - Roch

Decent lineup if they do not drown upon arrival...wow what is up with B Rob..sounds like he is a bit flustered...hope it no tbad news you find out.

Roch,
Weather.com says the rain is going to end by noontime down there.
Don't like hearing that Brob is avoiding you guys.
It's not indicative of good news.
Hopefully he was just playing with you.

uh oh.
i'll be sitting on the edge of my rotating, wheeled office chair waiting to hear more about b-rob this morning!
thanks again for the updates, roch.

I have been suspended for a week.

I wish to humbly apologise to you for my criticisms and negative attacks on your censorship policy. Earl's post last Friday set me over the edge and instead of responding to him, I wrongly attacked you and your blog.

Like before, I will continue to try to keep my criticisms on topic and constructive and will accept deletions when they come along.

Again I am sorry and I have learned my lesson.

Where is the "true cleanup" hitter which Andy said would be a off season priority?
Where is the "front of the rotation" starter which Andy said he would secure this off season.

Instead we "the fans" have to settle for a dwindling talented 3rd baseman who came cheap so he is now annointed our first baseman

We also settled for a 3 month rental on another dwindling talented back of the rotation type pitcher.

Fellow fans, this roster has more question marks and holes then a pound of swiss cheese.

I stand by my predictions of 90-92 losses for the season!
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This one gets through, Paul. But again, you couldn't resist insulting me with your follow-up post, could you? You thought you were being somewhat clever, but I'm not that dumb. I caught it. You're a real piece of work. - Roch

Brummie, you're a grown man. Stop acting like a child. The Boy-Who-Cried-Wolf apologies are as embarrassing as your general approach to commenting.

Days like this must be deadly for you. Thanks for your hard work. It's been great reading. I really hope Millwood is one of these guys who just switches into gear when the real games start. You never know how quickly the young pitchers may arrive, but it will be hard for the O's to be competitive if Millwood doesn't have it. Glad to hear, though, that Roberts may have turned a corner. There's your most indispensable Oriole.

Anthony from Kent Island,

Just wanted to say great job down in Florida Roch!!
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Thanks Anthony. How's the weather in Kent Island? Is it raining sideways like it is here? - Roch

Roch,

I think several people are beating a dead horse over Garrett Atkins and first base. Aside from last season, he's had a distinguished career and plenty of experience at first and third base. Here's a summary of this amateur experience:

http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/atkins_garrett00.html

It should be obvious that he's not "learning" a new position.

Jim Carter

Any idea when the first round of cuts are coming? Maybe after Sunday's B game?
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I'll pass it along as soon as I find out. - Roch

Hey Roch,
Do you talk to other bloggers for other teams? Is there as much negativity in other blog camps with meaningless spring training games? Sure, there is some cause for worry with Nolan and BRob and injuries, but seriously, in-game spring training results are really not worth anything (except for fringe players and those fighting it out for the open bullpen roles). Everyone needs to relax!
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You'll find similar concerns and reactions with other teams, especially the ones that haven't won in a while. - Roch

Those are some very good questions Paul. Millwood has looked terrible this spring. What if this continues into the regular season?

What is plan B, Andy, if yet another veteran pitcher implodes here in Baltimore?

Let's hope Berken and DH are staying loose and sharp, because I'm sure by June Millwood will be blaming his struggles on some phantom "injury" just like Hill did last year.

Roch, the 72 year old dude who sort of attacked you was long windily wrong in several spots. I thought you handled him correctly and as gently as you could. Kudos to you as I probably would have fired back a little more. But your way was correct. AM is doing a fantastic job and I am excited about our future. BTW, I am 73 and have been following the Orioles since they were in the International league.
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Thanks. I just find it amazing that some people think they're only allowed to praise the ownership and front office here, and they can only predict 100-win seasons for the Orioles. I just can't condone behavior that drives fans away from this blog. And it was beginning to happen. I'd rather ditch a few bad apples and save the orchard, or something like that. - Roch

A Brummie post at 9:39, A Paul Post at 9:46..Brummie/Paul and what ever name you are going by these days, It's time for you to grow up and stop with this crap. Do you actually think that there is one person on here who does not know that you are the same person? Come on now, Who do you think you are fooling with this crap?

Roch,

They are calling for 2 - 4 inches of rain over the weekend in MD. I think I have ducks swimming in my backyard!!

-- Much as I like reading this blog, you should take the day off when the game is called. We can go without our fix for 18 hours. I think. Maybe. Unless you find out what the deal is with Roberts' back. Or if a roster move gets made. Or...or...ahhh to heck with it. Go watch a film or something. Or eat some seafood.

Brummie, Paul -

You guys are ridiculous. I too am frustrated with the O'd progress, and I'm sick of always hearing "Next Year." But stop for a secound and take a deep breathe.

Outfield is set - Nick, Jones, Nolan/Pie Did you want andy to sign some big name player would would block any of them? Nolan will get better and Pie and fill in until he is ready.

1st Base - We missed Tex last year, i'm still bitter about that, but who would have been a better fit this year? We took a flier on Atkin's lets give it a month or to before we torch him.

3rd Base - We got a cheap fix for a year, then maybe Bell is ready and if not the 3rd base FA's look to be better next year. There weren't many options this year

SP - Millwood was low risk, we gave up Ray - who i remember Brummie dissing last year. His a leader, i look at him as a Sutcliff type. I'm hoping he makes our young guys better. Is he an Ace? No, but we weren't spending Ace money this year. Talk to me next year, if we don't spend the money next year then we have something to complain about.

The O's have made terrible big money FA signings dating back to the late 90's - They have been both bad on the field and bad on the wallet. Angelos and the front office has always blamed that dead money on why we don't go after big names. Do you want to give them that excuse again.

hmmmm, I wouldn't say Pie passed Montanez & the "playing field" was not quite level... the untimely injury didn't help either. Anyway Pie has the flash, Montanez is steady, that tends to taint the opinions. One has instincts too, the other...not so much.

William in OP,

I have been a regular here since Roch's Sun days. That wasn't fair busting on Roch, he does the best he can IMHO & has a somewhat thankless task here. You were too rigid in your thinking too where his handling of discourse goes. He has many , many basement dwelling loons to tolerate here & he gives us great info despite that handicap. I think many of the bloggers here would be a tad scary in person, not out of fear, but of dread in being in their company.

I tend to agree with you on the ownership issue to an extent, but don't lump Roch in with them. Also, I still say the warehouse has a flunky assigned to reading these & reports in! :-)

Roch,

I also have to comment on the gentleman who said that your "opinions solely support this ownership and front office". I hear that comment so many times on 105.7 The Fan. Its just an excuse for these people to throw out there when they don't agree with what you or the guys on the radio or anybody have to say.

2nd, he mentions Angelos's "wallet" being the winner?? He couldn't be more wrong. Angelos has spent money. I think during the late 90s and early 00s, he was in the top 10 - 15 teams that spent money on the team. He was just spending that money in the wrong place. And what about the $30 million dollars going into the spring training facility after this season?? Does WilliamOceanPines think that the $30 million will just appear one morning?

Some good pts Vegas Al

Don't know what possessed me, but for the first time in about a year, I actually read one of trollboy's posts. It's a classic of smarmy unctuousness. Uriah Heep would be proud.

Now watch as he loads up that slingshot in his back pocket, the little weasel. How I'd love to pop him. Please don't be fooled by this act. We've seen it a thousand times.

As for our 72-year-old gentleman, well, I've been an Oriole fan longer than you have and have followed Roch just as long, and I find your point of view about the content of this blog mystifying, bordering on daffy.

I don't know how you do it, Roch. I really don't.

Mike said:

A Brummie post at 9:39, A Paul Post at 9:46..Brummie/Paul and what ever name you are going by these days, It's time for you to grow up and stop with this crap. Do you actually think that there is one person on here who does not know that you are the same person? Come on now, Who do you think you are fooling with this crap?
March 12, 2010 10:21 AM

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Notice the same spacing of sentences? The same cliches' like "what's plan b Andy?", the same typos, same use of lower case 'lol' etc. Besides, that basement in "berlin" can only hold one person.

Paulie/Brummie; Where is the exact quote from MacPhail saying he was going to get a "true cleanup hitter" and/or "front of the rotation" starter? Please post the EXACT quotes from MacPhail, not something you made up him saying because of your excessive whine, or something the media wrote the O's needed. Show the EXACT quotes and sources pinning those EXACT comments to MacPhail. No doubt they originated from the basement in "berlin."

Roch, I am hoping that you'll be able to give us a candid evaluation of Wigginton's work at second base from your observations today.

Frankly, this guy scares me out there. My opinion comes out of watching him play a couple of games there. Did not see fluid. Made the plays, but made them look hard. Looked at saw balls go by that I think he could have made a better effort at.

But, then again, I was comparing his stats to Roberts for last year, and they don't say much of anything. At least not anything negative. Roberts: FP .984, RF 4.57, ZR 5.48. Wigginton: FP 1.000, RF 4.35, ZR 5.95.

Roch--You could probably take a 72-year old inside the octagon and give him a whuppin. You could make him tap out while screaming, "GIVE ME BACK MY SON!" Ok, enough of that as I'm experiencing the looongest day ever and don't know where my mind is wandering to.

Everyone--We should all have opinions and disagreement is a good thing, as it gives us an opportunity to have intelligent discourse on a subject we all obviously care about in the Baltimore Orioles. I have my doubts about certain positions and issues going on like anyone else, but it's freaking March!!! If winning were easy, everyone would do it. It takes time to put together championship teams and we'll see whether we are on the right course, so how about enjoying the games and seeing how it pans out once it matters? I like to think that sports bring people together instead of driving them apart. Remember, 29 teams get it "wrong" every year. It is what it is...there's no "Cleanup Hitter Tree" to pluck off a bigtime HR threat or an Ace Pitchers R Us store to go shopping in to round our the roster.

I know that Roch doesn't need anyone sticking up for him, but I get all of my Orioles news from him on this site before anyone else reports it. I don't think we should tick off the one guy busting his hump (Roch Kubatko. What a guy!) to give us this info. Don't poke the bear people...don't poke the bear. Stay dry out there and have a great weekend!

had the game been scheduled for this side of the state it would be a rainout. pouring here since at least 4:00 this morning. i mean pouring. worst winter weather here since i moved here in 1988.

Hey Roch, regarding the post from the 72 yr old, when he said you were "quick to isolate" some posters, I stopped reading his post right there. If he had been a TRUE reader of the blog, he would know that you have the patience of Job (I'm sure your Daughter appreciates that!). Keep on keepin' on Brothaa.

I forget...which end of the Rangers' rotation was Millwood on last year? Didn't they win almost 90 games? I think Andy described Millwood as a front-of-the-rotation guy AFTER he acquired him, and that is an accurate statement based on last year.

I love the guys complaining about no "true cleanup hitter." Do they realize how few 35+ homer guys there are now. There isn't one for every team (especially when you can count on the Yankees having a handful of them). It's not like the Cardinals offered Pujols for Pie. Next year Prince Fielder, Carlos Pena, and a number of other big boppers will hit free agency. Taking a chance on Adkins until then was a smart move.

Roch, I predict the team ERA will drop a run per game this year...but if Brob can't go full speed all year, I fear our team run production could drop close to one run a game....Do you have any idea whar our runs scored to team ERA was last season?
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I don't have those numbers handy. Sorry. - Roch

Why is anyone really surprised that the Brummies posting on here have written off Orioles individually and collectively? After all, Brummie declared Hobgood a wasted pick and a bust before the kid graduated high school, signed a contract or took the mound as Oriole property. Never mind actually seeing the kid pitch. He based his opinion on the writing of baseball media . . . the same media he refuses to credit when they speak highly of Oriole prospects. So why would he wait til, ohhhh . . . the first pitch of the regular season when he can condemn criticize and demean right away?

Stop trying to reason with this guy and just treat him like the pest he is, backhand, swat and smack his nose with a rolled up newspaper. And who cares if Paul, Brummie, Jack are all the same person? OR if ten different people post as Brummie? You all give this guy too much respect and thought. When an insignificant gnat bites you, you dont think, you dont generate a plan, you squish it.

How are you? and cheap ampicillin and http://ampicillinfda.eventbrite.com/#647 cheap ampicillin and >:-] and

StevO's - 741 runs and 5.15 ERA per this link:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/BAL/2009.shtml

741 runs divided by 162 games is 4.57 runs per game