Pondering and wondering

Do you ever wonder: *Why some fans and posters here keep asking if the Orioles are going to sign more players? Haven't the O's indicated they are pretty much done at this point. It doesn't mean something can't happen but it seems unlikely. But still fans wonder if the O's are talking to Johnny Damon, Hank Blalock, Jarrod Washburn and on and on. *If anyone cares about the payroll disparity in baseball besides the O's, Rays and Jays. Those three teams have to beat out the Yankees and Red Sox over 162 games, not in a short series in October, which is much more realistic. *What Bud Selig was thinking when he allowed World Series home field advantage to be determined by the All-Star game winner. Was he even thinking at all? *When we will hear more sports-talk about the Orioles on the Baltimore radio airwaves. There are some local hosts that are very informed and up to date about baseball, but it seems to me the number is much smaller than it used to be. Hosts can't use the excuse that no one cares, just look at how this website and others have blown up over the Birds. In my opinion, the fans just want a host that knows what he is talking about, they don't want tricks and/or bells and whistles, but we don't have a lot of that right now, save for a few instances. *Why when a local reporter (including Roch and myself) might point out something positive the Orioles have done, fans do read it and comment on our thoughts. But when a writer or analyst from out of town comments positively about the club (often echoing comments we've already written here) the fans rush to the message boards and get all excited about it? *Why all this snow just seems to make us want baseball season to get here even faster. *Why some can't wait to rip the Orioles for dwindling attendance and for the first time since 1988, the Orioles have had back-to-back season home attendance under two million. Major League attendance was down 6.5 percent last year. Orioles' attendance was down 2.5 percent from the season before. But they have also topped 1.9 million in home attendance for 21 straight seasons. They have had losing records in 15 of those years. Some would be impressed that the O's have drawn that many fans with all the losing. The passion for baseball in Baltimore remains strong. *How many players will make their Major League debuts for the Orioles in 2010? Will we see Jake Arrieta, Brandon Snyder, Josh Bell and/or Brandon Erbe? Last season, nine players made their big league debuts with the O's (Bergesen, Berken, Hernandez, Matusz, Reimold, Tillman, Turner, Uehara and Wieters).