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Orioles

The beauty of Earl Weaver in midsummer

Nestor Aparicio

I had a long conversation with an old friend about Earl Weaver earlier today. We talked about the you tube classics — the argument with Tom Haller and the “off the record” Coaches Corner with Tom Marr, which I’ve linked below for a Sunday morning coffee laugh. My old pal and I laughed about the memories of watching Earl rip up rulebooks and kick dirt onto umpires. And how he invented the modern game. And how different baseball was when we were kids. Later this evening, I received a link from a friend to read Tom Verducci’s latest missive regarding The Earl Of Baltimore and how he was the “Copernicus” of the modern game of baseball and sabremetrics and MoneyBall. The story is here…and it’s fabulous! Meanwhile, enjoy some Sunday viewing and laughs and memories below… [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-4FSRYagc[/youtube] [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YKxf3OkpJc&feature=related[/youtube]

Orioles’ future on display Sunday

Luke Jones

The Orioles may be approaching the All-Star Break in a familiar position—out of contention—but their promising future will be on display Sunday afternoon, both in Baltimore and St. Louis. Rookie right-hander Brad Bergesen—the Orioles’ biggest surprise of the first half—will take the hill in the Orioles’ final game before the break, but two other young pitching prospects will highlight their talents before a national television audience in St. Louis. We’ve heard the numerous reports about the Orioles’ “Big Three” of Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz, and Jake Arrieta, but how many fans have actually seen them pitch? Probably not too many. We’ll get the chance to see Tillman and Matusz on Sunday, as the two prospects will take part in the Futures Game at 2 p.m. on ESPN2.  Arrieta participated in last year’s game.  The annual contest features some of the most promising minor leaguers in baseball. The 21-year-old Tillman—one of the key pieces acquired in the Erik Bedard trade—appears to be the next in line for a promotion to Baltimore, pitching to a 7-5 record and a 2.50 ERA with Norfolk.  The Triple-A prospect was recently rated as Baseball America’s eighth-best overall prospect in its midseason report. Tillman, 6-foot-5,  is

Orioles option Hernandez to Bowie, recall Izturis

Nestor Aparicio

Surprise, surprise! The Orioles have optioned rookie righthander David Hernandez to Double-A Bowie in order to reinstate shortstop Cesar Izturis from the disabled list. While it might seem a little “funky” demoting a kid like Hernandez, who is clearly among their better starters, it makes sense with the All Star break coming and getting him some more “work” in during the down time in the bigs. It also gives them time to move a player in a deal. So, at least the Orioles are “active” in mid July and Andy McPhail is a bulldog. More to come…

Trembley suspended for comedy show in Seattle

Nestor Aparicio

While I thought it was funny — Dave Trembley doing his best Piniella-Weaver tantrum in the first inning on Tuesday night in Seattle — apparently Bud Selig and the boys at the MLB office weren’t laughing. Today, Trembley was given a two-game suspension by the poobahs and will miss tonight and tomorrow night’s games at Camden Yards against Toronto. Bench coach Dave Jauss will serve as acting manager for a few days and those who are “done” with Trembley will get their wish for at least a few days. By the way, it’s kinda crazy they could suspend Trembley when he was RIGHT on the call. But who says MLB is fair? Apparently, the reason he was suspended wasn’t necessarily the outburst as much as admitting to the media afterward that he continued to manage the game from the bench. Aren’t we in a silly era when they still “throw out” managers who we all know are managing by proxy somewhere? Trembley apparently declined an invitation to sit in the press box tonight. I suppose he’ll manage by “text” from somewhere in the owner’s box with a shrimp cocktail, a crab cake on crackers and a tie on next to

Trembley tossed, Luke Scott muscles up as the “forgotten man”

Nestor Aparicio

On a day when ESPN.com ran a gigantic story about the great future of the Orioles’ outfield of Adam Jones, Nick Markakis and Nolan Reimold, it was Luke Scott who looked the present tense in Seattle as he devoured Mariners’ pitching for three hits and seven RBIs last night at Safeco Field in a 12-4 win. Dave Trembley got tossed in the first inning after a Scott double and apparently told Scott “hit one out for me” and Cool Hand Luke answered with the biggest game of his career and the biggest individual effort since Ramon Hernandez’s 7-RBI night in Seattle back in 2006. The video of Trembley’s ejection is here. It almost looks like he was trying to “stir it up” and get thrown out early in this one, even though he was clearly right on the call. After Scott’s double, the throw from the outfield toward the plate nicked the pitcher’s mound and took a wild bounce into the stands at Safeco. The lead runner should’ve been awarded home but wasn’t. Trembley went nuts! Meanwhile, starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie was lifted in the 3rd inning with a bout of dizziness. Here’s the full game story and box score

Orioles had one more hit than you and I last night

Nestor Aparicio

The Orioles lost again last night while you were asleep. Sure, you were probably awake when it started and thought (like I did) that with Brad Bergesen on the hill at least the game stood a chance of getting over before Conan and Letterman. Alas, hasty baseball was played — the game ended in 2:09 — but the game moves a helluva lot quicker when you don’t threaten any offense. Last night in Seattle, Mariners pitcher Jarrod Washburn came about as close as you can get to a perfect game, allowing just one single to Nick Markakis in the fourth inning and cruising to a complete game 5-0 win over the Orioles at Safeco Field. The Orioles got ONE HIT last night. Hard to win like that. “He probably pitched one of the best games in Major League Baseball all season,” Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. “Give the guy credit. He was on his game, and boy, he certainly pitched a gem.” “Let’s give credit where credit is due,” Trembley said. “Washburn pitched a great game. I mean, come on. … He completely dominated the game. That’s as good of a game as I’ve seen pitched against us all year.”

Orioles update: They’re still in last place

Nestor Aparicio

While we were all busy following the tragic death of Steve McNair over the weekend the Orioles were still busy losing and playing bad baseball. It seems like the franchise goes further into the witness protection program when they play on the West Coast but all of the mistakes and lousy pitching hasn’t been lost on me. I actually watched all of the late-night garbage over the Fourth of July weekend. Where to begin? Well, they’re still in last place at 36-46. They managed to cross the official “midseason” point in the cellar. They still manage to regularly find ways to blow big-early game leads. And, thankfully for me, Jim Palmer is still employed by MASN so I can actually have a few chuckles with my unending yield of losses after midnight. Palmer continually called it “bad baseball” and reinforced his opinions with many facts, observations and criticisms that would qualify as comedy after midnight if it weren’t so sad. I think he’s almost bored with it and was more interested in making funny faces with Gary Thorne than watching the Orioles blow one more game after a decent starting effort. I could itemize the entire weekend and point specific

Orioles’ July will be pivotal on different levels

Luke Jones

Any baseball fan will tell you the 162-game schedule is filled with peaks and valleys.  You’re never as good as your highest point—such as a nine-run comeback win—or as terrible as your lowest moment—like a five-run blown lead in the ninth inning. This year’s World Series champion is bound to undergo at least a five- or six-game losing streak, and even the worst team in the majors—I’m talking to you, Washington—will manage to win five or six games in a row at some point this season. The difference between the good teams and the not-so-good teams in Major League Baseball is an ability to heighten the peaks while shortening the dark valleys. The Orioles’ last two games are a perfect example of how exhilarating—and sobering—the game can be in less than 24 hours.  After completing the greatest comeback in franchise history Tuesday night, the club collapsed in the ninth inning on Wednesday, blowing a 5-1 lead in an eventual 6-5 loss in 11 innings. How will the Orioles respond to these two polarizing contests?  If we look at the club’s body of work this season, the west coast trip—and the month of July—will not be pretty. From the pleasant 6-3

It’s about time for Dave Trembley to go…

Nestor Aparicio

Being on the radio every day over the years I’ve had the sad fortune to listen to more than my fair share of “fire the manager/coach” calls from knee-jerk reactionaries on a mission to be a public “coach killer.” In general, it’s just not my style to call for the firing of a skipper. In fact in my 17 years on the radio – from Johnny Oates to Davey Johnson, from Phil Regan to Sam Perlozzo, from Mike Hargrove to Lee Mazzilli – I’ve never gone on the air in any fashion and said, “Fire the manager.” (Not even for Mazzilli, who was such a freaking train wreck that it was reprehensible.) But, today, I’m strongly toying with the idea that it might be getting close to the time for Dave Trembley to exit. I’ve watched the first three months of the 2009 version of the Orioles. They lack consistency in virtually every aspect of the game. They even lack consistent effort, Tuesday night’s miracle notwithstanding. They’re in dead last place and going nowhere anytime soon. They run the bases like Jeff Stone on certain nights. The mental mistakes and ill-placed errors are maddening at times. But, for me, the

Red Sox-Orioles Facebook News Feed

Luke Jones

If you’re not familiar with the phenomenon that is Facebook, this won’t be the blog for you. Anyone keeping an eye on the popular social networking site while watching the Orioles’ miraculous comeback victory over the Red Sox on Tuesday night inevitably saw a variety of angry wall messages and statuses (10-1) that gradually transformed into reserved hope (10-6) and, finally, jubilation (Orioles win, 11-10!). While viewing all of these messages, I imagined what the Facebook news feed would look like describing this wild game and the various people involved.  It might go a little something like this: * 24,000 Boston fans are attending the event “Red Sox vs. Orioles at Fenway Park South.” * 7,969 Baltimore fans are attending the event “Getting Drowned Out by Obnoxious ‘Sahx’ Fans in My Home Ballpark.” * Adam Jones created the group “Outfield Walls Hurt.” * Orioles fans ended their relationship with Rich Hill. * Dave Trembley left the group “Give Your Pitcher the Quick Hook.” * Luke Jones says it’s time to watch old episodes of The Office while keeping an eye on the game. * John Smoltz’s status:  “I really hate rain delays.” * Rich Hill’s status:  “I’m doing a rain

Ohhhhh what a comeback: Oriole Magic percolates at The Yard after the rain…

Nestor Aparicio

It isn’t hype to say that a miracle happened at Camden Yards tonight. It isn’t hyperbole to say that this was truly the greatest comeback in Orioles history. It really was. I’m sure this morning many of you will awake to read this and say what most of the city (or the few who were watching to begin with will say): “They were losing 9-1 when the rain came. How the hell did they win that game?” Well, the box score will tell you all about the comeback — an amazing display of perserverance that saw them get five runs in the 7th inning and five more in the 8th to overcome the Red Sox in an 11-10 win before a stunned contingent of mostly Red Sox fans, who stayed to celebrate what looked to be a rout at 10:45 p.m. after a lengthy and wet rain delay that came in the fifth inning. In the 7th, Aubrey Huff, Nolan Reimold and Luke Scott heroics were all upstaged by Oscar Salazar’s big home run off of Hideki Okajima. In the 8th, it was Nick Markakis’ big two-out shot off the left field wall that highlighted a firestorm offensive display against

5 W’s and 1 H

Luke Jones

31-62. No, it is not the Washington Nationals’ current record (22-51), but it’s the Orioles’ record against the Boston Red Sox at Camden Yards since 1998. And despite what many would have you believe, the fans donning pink and green Boston hats and representing The Bandwagon Red Sox Nation haven’t hurled a single pitch or hit a single home run in those 62 losses. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as frustrated as anyone to see Camden Yards invaded by Red Sox or Yankees fans 18 times every season, but pleas to Orioles fans to buy those tickets are a waste of words.  Nothing will change until this becomes a winning organization again. Because of their strong national following, the Yankees and Red Sox have a strong representation wherever they go, whether it’s in Baltimore, Kansas City, or Los Angeles.  The only way to contain—not eliminate—the number of Red Sox or Yankees fans is to field a winning team that fans want to pay to watch. Just look at the Ravens’ annual war with the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium.  In the years in which the Ravens are competitive and in the playoff hunt, the number of Steelers fans is considerably

5 W's and 1 H

Luke Jones

31-62. No, it is not the Washington Nationals’ current record (22-51), but it’s the Orioles’ record against the Boston Red Sox at Camden Yards since 1998. And despite what many would have you believe, the fans donning pink and green Boston hats and representing The Bandwagon Red Sox Nation haven’t hurled a single pitch or hit a single home run in those 62 losses. Don’t get me wrong, I’m as frustrated as anyone to see Camden Yards invaded by Red Sox or Yankees fans 18 times every season, but pleas to Orioles fans to buy those tickets are a waste of words.  Nothing will change until this becomes a winning organization again. Because of their strong national following, the Yankees and Red Sox have a strong representation wherever they go, whether it’s in Baltimore, Kansas City, or Los Angeles.  The only way to contain—not eliminate—the number of Red Sox or Yankees fans is to field a winning team that fans want to pay to watch. Just look at the Ravens’ annual war with the Steelers at M&T Bank Stadium.  In the years in which the Ravens are competitive and in the playoff hunt, the number of Steelers fans is considerably

Despite improved talent, O’s still making same old mistakes

Luke Jones

When looking from afar, it seems nothing has changed this year from the last 11 seasons of baseball.  Stuck in last place with a 32-39 record, the Orioles appear destined to complete their 12th-straight losing season of baseball. But despite the lack of improvement in the win-loss department, anyone paying close attention this season can see the improved talent level at several key positions. The outfield of Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, and Nolan Reimold appears set for the future, and Matt Wieters—you may have heard of him by now—may be the new face of the franchise if numerous scouting reports from all around baseball are legitimate. And, of course, there’s the pitching.  We’ve already seen promise from Brad Bergesen and David Hernandez, and a plethora of arms waits at Triple-A Norfolk. While the talent level is vastly improved from the teams of the past decade composed entirely of over-the-hill veterans and undeserving young players, a major problem still plagues the Orioles despite the promises made by manager Dave Trembley two seasons ago. Stressing the importance of playing the game the right way, we heard reports of the team taking infield practice before games and focusing on fundamentals in spring training.

5 W’s and 1 H

Luke Jones

The Orioles certainly didn’t show the Phillies any “Brotherly Love” by completing a three-game sweep this weekend. I attended the first two games of the series on Friday and Saturday night and had a great time.  Citizens Bank Park may lack the charm of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, but the wide-open concourse is an excellent feature for those wanting to grab a snack or cold beverage without missing a pitch. It was a pleasure meeting many of the rabid Orioles fans on the WNST/Miller Lite Bus Trip, and it was even better high-fiving and celebrating the closing moments of Saturday night’s comeback win with them! Here are the 5 W’s and 1 H for the week: 1.  Who will be the best player not named Blake Griffin to come out of this year’s NBA Draft? The 2009 NBA Draft takes place on Thursday night, and the Los Angeles Clippers have already committed to taking power forward Blake Griffin (Oklahoma), the surest thing in this year’s draft class, with the No. 1 pick. After Griffin, there is plenty of talent but many question marks.  From Connecticut’s Hasheem Thabeet to international point guard Ricky Rubio to Davidson’s Stephen Curry, there is

5 W's and 1 H

Luke Jones

The Orioles certainly didn’t show the Phillies any “Brotherly Love” by completing a three-game sweep this weekend. I attended the first two games of the series on Friday and Saturday night and had a great time.  Citizens Bank Park may lack the charm of Oriole Park at Camden Yards, but the wide-open concourse is an excellent feature for those wanting to grab a snack or cold beverage without missing a pitch. It was a pleasure meeting many of the rabid Orioles fans on the WNST/Miller Lite Bus Trip, and it was even better high-fiving and celebrating the closing moments of Saturday night’s comeback win with them! Here are the 5 W’s and 1 H for the week: 1.  Who will be the best player not named Blake Griffin to come out of this year’s NBA Draft? The 2009 NBA Draft takes place on Thursday night, and the Los Angeles Clippers have already committed to taking power forward Blake Griffin (Oklahoma), the surest thing in this year’s draft class, with the No. 1 pick. After Griffin, there is plenty of talent but many question marks.  From Connecticut’s Hasheem Thabeet to international point guard Ricky Rubio to Davidson’s Stephen Curry, there is

Orioles get Philthy in Philly, complete sweep with 2-1 win

Nestor Aparicio

The Orioles are still in last place but completed an inspired weekend of road baseball, finishing a three-game sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies in the City of Brotherly Love. Today, it was Jeremy Guthrie’s turn to step up with a big outing and Adam Jones and Brian Roberts driving in the key late-inning runs to beat the Phils 2-1 after a huge comeback on Saturday night on the heels of a great start by Brad Bergesen. Roberts has been the difference maker the past two days, stepping up as a veteran leader for a team trying to dig out of the AL East basement. The Orioles have now won five in a row and take their final Interleague turn of the season south to South Beach and a three-game set meeting with the Marlins on Tuesday night. Complete coverage at WNST.net here…

A funny, memorable night in Philadelphia…

Nestor Aparicio

I’m just getting my sea legs under me on a Sunday afternoon from a long night of rain, baseball, cheese steaks, hideous Philadelphia sports fans and Miller Lite drinking with the Orioles and 50 awesome orange Kool Aid drinkers at Citizen’s Bank Park. We had a blast! (And that was before the fireworks from Gregg Zaun and Brian Roberts…) The video is just about done and I’ll get it up onto wnsTV so you can check out all of the mayhem. It was a funny, funny evening with lots of laughs, twists and turns and an a memorable outcome for the Birds. I had at least 500 Philadelphians “remind” me that they’re the World Champions, many on video. It was as much fun as I’ve had at a ballgame in a long time. The video will tell some of the story… Is that an orange broom in a red ballpark or are you just happy to see me?

Bergesen goes distance, emerging as a true ‘Ace’ for Orioles

Nestor Aparicio

It’s still a bit too early to put Brad Bergesen on the Mike Mussina track as the franchise’s first potential “ace” in a decade but yesterday’s effort at Camden Yards has started some buzz about the lanky righthander’s recent work. The complete game, five-hit, 11-2 victory over the Braves yesterday should come as no surprise. The word on Bergesen’s command began in Florida at spring training and has become evident with his work since his call-up from Norfolk. He pitches quickly. He throws strikes. He mixes speeds. And, with much more consistency than most young pitchers of this generation, he finishes games. He’s what the throwbacks would call a “bulldog” or a “gamer.” In an era of starting pitchers who generally feel “victorious” about six decent innings of work and turning the keys over to the bullpen, Bergesen is indeed a Jim Palmer-esque throwback with his psyche and longevity. He won’t be throwing double-digit complete games every year in the bigs like ‘Cakes, but yesterday was an impressive afternoon of pitching. Bergesen, who threw 112 pitches and appeared to be laboring a bit in the 9th inning, has taken a few of his own lumps during his first six weeks

5 W’s and 1 H

Luke Jones

The Orioles’ team-wide offensive drought has mercifully come to an end, as Orioles’ hitters accumulated 21 runs and 41 hits over the weekend in their series win over the Atlanta Braves. As is often the case, the Orioles’ offense starts with Brian Roberts at the top of the order.  The second baseman went 6-for-10 over the weekend, driving in four runs, walking three times, and stealing two bases. The offense will try to keep it going against the New York Mets who were trampled by the cross-town rival Yankees on Sunday, 15-0.  Luckily, the Orioles will not face Johan Santana, though the southpaw gave up nine earned runs in the series finale in the Bronx. The series begins Tuesday with Jeremy Guthrie (4-6, 5.52 ERA) taking the ball against the Mets’ Mike Pelfrey (4-2, 4.68 ERA). Here are the 5 W’s and 1 H for the week: 1. Who would have thought rookie Brad Bergesen would be the Orioles’ best starting pitcher when pitchers and catchers reported to Ft. Lauderdale in February? In his last four starts, Bergesen is 3-0 with a 1.69 ERA and averaging eight innings per start.  The right-hander continues to throw a heavy sinker, keeping the

How to write your own Orioles blog

Luke Jones

As much as we all love the Orioles here in Baltimore, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to write about them, particularly during this recent team-wide offensive slump. After all, there are only so many adjectives for describing the same disappointing play we’ve seen over the last two weeks—not to mention the last 12 years. In an effort to have some fun,—something lacking in Orioles games lately—I’ve created an Orioles blog template for you to write your own game recaps.  It works just like the old Mad Libs you used to play with your friends.  I’ll give you some key word choices to make before putting them in the rest of the article. And remember, no cheating! Here it goes: 1. A ranking (i.e. second, third) ______________ 2. Day of the week ______________ 3. MLB team other than the Orioles, or make up another like “Sister Catherine’s School for the Blind” ______________ 4. A random baseball score (i.e. 7-1) ______________ 5. Adjective for bad ______________ 6. Another score smaller than your first choice ______________ 7. Choose Luke Scott or Nolan Reimold ______________ 8. A current Orioles starting pitcher ______________ 9. Adjective for bad ______________ 10. A current Orioles non-pitcher ______________ 11. A

Another listless effort at the Yard, O’s fall 6-3

Luke Jones

Another missed opportunity and another series loss. Despite jumping out to an early 2-0 lead, the Orioles fell to the Seattle Mariners, 6-3, losing two out of three in their return to Camden Yards. The wait for the Orioles’ offense to snap out of its two-week long funk is nearly as long as the seventh inning bomb Russell Branyan hit off Brian Bass that still hasn’t landed yet. The pitching has performed—or not performed—just as we expected entering the season.  Despite ranking 13th out of 14 American League teams in ERA (5.17 entering Thursday night), young pitchers such as Brad Bergesen and the recently-demoted David Hernandez have shown glimpses of hope.  The bullpen has been solid—and at times, exceptional—when starters have been knocked out early over the last few weeks. What we didn’t foresee was the mediocre performance from the Orioles’ bats, expected to be a strength in 2009.  The offense ranks ninth in the American League, hitting .264 entering Thursday.  Orioles’ hitters are batting just .222 in the month of June, leading to the recent collapse into the lonely, deep cellar of the AL East. So, how did the Orioles respond tonight with a chance to gain a much-needed

Rain drops Koji: Birds lose to Mariners 6-3

Nestor Aparicio

My new favorite Oriole, Matt Wieters, was the featured Bird tonight but didn’t play. Koji Uehara looked pretty good until the rain came. The Orioles lost again. Mired in an offensive slump, tonight’s Birds lineup was another head-scratcher with Ty Wiggington, Gregg Zaun and Robert Andino at the bottom of the order. To their credit (and perhaps Dave Trembley, who filled out the card) they combined for 3 of the Orioles’ 7 hits tonight in a 6-3 loss. Uehara gave up three runs in the sixth inning and another in the fifth, while Brian Bass pitched 1 2/3 of rocky relief. Uehara looked like he was affected by the rain and Trembley’s postgame indicated that as well. He said the hamstring wasn’t an issue. The Mariners got a big night from Russell Branyan, who hit a home run off Bass further than any ball I can remember, landing the last row of the bleachers below the scoreboard in deep, deep right centerfield. They called it 450-feet. They said it’s the sixth furthest shot in the history of Camden Yards. I don’t believe it. It looked like it was at least 475 and was just amazing. The Orioles had a semi-rally

The O's are "Wacco for Flacco"

Luke Jones

If you’re heading down to Camden Yards tonight, you just might see the Orioles’ director of scouting Joe Jordan donning a purple Joe Flacco jersey. No, the Ravens quarterback isn’t switching sports—though baseball was his second best game—but you might see his brother at the hot corner in a few years. Earlier today, the Orioles used their 31st round selection to take third baseman Mike Flacco.  The younger Flacco (22) had a great year at CCBC-Catonsville this season, hitting .399 with 14 home runs and 51 RBIs in 46 games.  At 6-4 and 220 pounds, it’s clear that Joe is not the only athlete in the family blessed with size. Realistically, this is little more than a good public relations move on the Orioles’ part, but why not take a shot on him in the 31st round?  If he somehow makes it to the major leagues in a few years, it would be a marketing goldmine for both of Baltimore’s professional teams. I briefly spoke to Joe after practice concluded in Owings Mills on Tuesday, and the Flacco family was very excited about Mike’s draft chances and mentioned the Orioles were interested. If the Orioles are really on top of

The O’s are “Wacco for Flacco”

Luke Jones

If you’re heading down to Camden Yards tonight, you just might see the Orioles’ director of scouting Joe Jordan donning a purple Joe Flacco jersey. No, the Ravens quarterback isn’t switching sports—though baseball was his second best game—but you might see his brother at the hot corner in a few years. Earlier today, the Orioles used their 31st round selection to take third baseman Mike Flacco.  The younger Flacco (22) had a great year at CCBC-Catonsville this season, hitting .399 with 14 home runs and 51 RBIs in 46 games.  At 6-4 and 220 pounds, it’s clear that Joe is not the only athlete in the family blessed with size. Realistically, this is little more than a good public relations move on the Orioles’ part, but why not take a shot on him in the 31st round?  If he somehow makes it to the major leagues in a few years, it would be a marketing goldmine for both of Baltimore’s professional teams. I briefly spoke to Joe after practice concluded in Owings Mills on Tuesday, and the Flacco family was very excited about Mike’s draft chances and mentioned the Orioles were interested. If the Orioles are really on top of

Bird watching & no hoisting of goblet in Pittsburgh

Nestor Aparicio

10:42 p.m. — Bring on Game 7! The Pittsburgh Penguins have been plenty feisty daing back to Game 7 in Washington, D.C. in what feels like a lifetime ago. It wasn’t the most exciting first period in Stanley Cup history, but the third period tonight at The Igloo was spectacular. Action, back and forth and up and down the ice. The game almost was tied with just 13 seconds remaining on a close one. It was Stanley Cup magic. The Penguins and the city of Pittsburgh are 60 minutes away from a second civic championship in five months. Disgusting! Meanwhile, Brad Bergesen did a nice job tonight against Seattle. The Birds won 3-1. Nolan Reimold hit a big fly. Melvin Mora had one interfered with in the first inning. It was a good, necessary win for the Birds. 8:40 p.m. — I’m in the midst of a typical spring night of wearing out the “previous” on my Comcast remote as I go back and forth between the Orioles-Mariners and Red Wings-Penguins. The sky is a beautiful blood orange over downtown tonight and the Orioles game has been strange and the Red Wings look poised to hoist Lord Stanley’s chalice on

Orioles take Matt Hobgood with No. 5 overall in MLB Draft

Nestor Aparicio

The pick is in for the Orioles (and wow, is the MLB Draft weird on TV, seeing Bud Selig playing the role of commissioner!) and they’ve selected RHP Matt Hobgood, a high schooler from Norco High School in California. Hobgood’s a beast, at 6-foot-4 and 245 pounds and was a helluva hitter as well. He’s been compared to a young Goose Gossage by Baseball America. He’re an excerpt from the L.A. Times: “I’m ecstatic,” Hobgood said. “I don’t know what to say. This is about all the hard work, blood, sweat and tears. I’m so happy they pulled the trigger.” Despite hitting 21 home runs, Hobgood said the Orioles have told him he was selected to become a pitcher. He has a 95-mph fastball and, all season, people didn’t know whether he’d be a pitcher or a hitter at the professional level. “Somebody has figured it out,” he said. “I’ll sneak in some batting practice.” As for how long it will take him to sign, Hobgood said, “It shouldn’t take long. I’m ready to sign.” He also won the Gatorade High School Player of The Year. This is a picture from yesterday’s ceremony. Via the power of youtube, we no longer

Top 10 Reasons Why the Orioles Can’t Win on Sundays

Luke Jones

Any Orioles fan paying attention to Sunday baseball—and if you haven’t, I envy you—knows how putrid the team’s fortunes have been dating back to last season. The Orioles were an astonishing 3-21 in Sunday games last season and are trying to top that mark with a 1-8 record so far in 2009. While most will point to Dave Trembley’s tendency to use Sunday as a day to rest several starters, I decided to dig much deeper into the issue to determine why the Orioles cannot win on Sundays. From the home office in Glen Rock, Pa., I bring you the Top 10 Reasons Why the Orioles Can’t Win on Sundays: 10.  The good Lord said to rest on Sundays, and darn it, we’re going to do it! 9.  Felix Pie keeps forgetting to pick up the Sunday doughnuts.  Can’t that guy do anything right? 8.  The Orioles have some very serious U2 fans in the clubhouse: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbNuIqiVPbU[/youtube] 7.  As a nod to Dugout Club sponsor Chick-fil-A, the club has decided it is also closed on Sundays.  The pesky issue of the other team continuing to show up still needs to be resolved.  Not to worry, the same individuals handling the

Orioles: Shut out, swept & headed home on 5-game losing streak

Nestor Aparicio

Bad pitching has become a hallmark of the 2009 Orioles but this weekend’s bizarre meltdown in Oakland has solidified the basement in the AL East for the Orioles who have a lot of problems coming back to face the Mariners here at Camden Yards on Tuesday. Today, Rich Hill didn’t make it out of the first inning, walking four and hitting another Athletic en route to a three-run first inning that held up for the duration in a 3-0 loss to complete the sweep at the hands of the A’s. Strangely enough, the A’s only had two hits yet still manhandled the Orioles despite amazing relief pitching from Brian Bass, Matt Albers and Jim Johnson who were nearly perfect. The Orioles are now 24-33 and deeper in the basement than they’ve been in a while at 9.5 games back. Some lowlights: The Orioles offense managed just five hits off of Vin Mazzaro today. They scored just five runs in Oakland and surrendered 18 runs on the weekend. Matt Wieters (0-for-4 today), who created mass hysteria and a one-weekend run on the orange box office last weekend, is now officially “slumping” in his big-league debut. He’s 4-for-28 and hitting .143. Adam

O’s Offense, Hill take the usual Sunday beating

Luke Jones

The Orioles completed a 1-5 road trip with a 3-0 loss to the Oakland Athletics on Sunday afternoon. Oakland rookie Vin Mazzaro was outstanding, stifling Orioles hitters for 7 1/3 innings and scattering five hits.  He is now 2-0 and has yet to allow a run in 13 2/3 innings of major league work. Here are a few thoughts, as the Orioles will make their way home to start a three-game series with the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday: – The good vibes of Matt Wieters’ major league debut last Friday have quickly faded away.  The rookie catcher is hitting .143 (4-for-28) and has yet to drive in a run.  The Orioles are 2-7 since Wieters was promoted. – To say the Orioles are slumping offensively would be an understatement.  The offense has managed just 13 runs in their last eight games.  I don’t care if you have the 1971 starting rotation; you’re not going to win many ballgames with that output. The hitters’ approach at the plate varies from listless to trying to hit a five-run homer with the bases empty.  It’s painful to watch, quite frankly. – Who would have thought Brad Bergesen would be the team’s most reliable

Birds and turds and Sunday musing…

Nestor Aparicio

Where are my U.S. Soccer fans? Who was watching the game last night? If you’re among the many who would say, “What, there was a soccer game last night?” it’s time to awaken to World Cup season. Yep, Uncle Sam’s boys played last night in apparent silence across America for the sports team that represents us to the World on the grandest stage every four years. And last night’s was a qualifier, no less. On American soil, in Chicago at Soldier Field. And, in embarrassing fashion, the stadium looked more like Red Sox fans at Camden Yards as most of Honduras found its way to the Windy City. They announced the crowd at 55,000-plus and it easily topped 35,000 Hondurans in the house on a gorgeous night there. The U.S. got behind early (again) but found a way to escape with a 2-1 victory all but guaranteeing their safe passage to South Africa next June for the World Cup. Drew Forrester (who has forgotten more about soccer than I’ll ever know) has a full account of the game here… As many of you know, I’m a bit of a dweeb for World Cup soccer and I attended the Germany “Copa

Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy: Birds give finale away in 3-2 loss to Seattle

Nestor Aparicio

While we’re all drinking the orange Kool Aid these days in hopes of “better days ahead,” it’s losses like last night’s in Seattle that keep anyone who appreciates good baseball scratching our heads in disgust. After a series of boneheaded baserunning blunders and mental mistakes, the Orioles finally succumbed to the Mariners in a 3-2 loss at Safeco Field when Adrian Beltre hit a seeing-eye single past Cesar Izturis off Jim Johnson in the 9th inning to win the game. Aubrey Huff – allegedly a veteran – not only got picked off of third base by Mariners catcher Rob Johnson in the sixth inning to kill a rally but was also caught stealing in the ninth to thwart any chance of a go-ahead run. To his credit, Huff faced the music afterward, telling The Sun: “There’s no reason to get picked off right there. That’s just a stupid rookie mistake by a veteran guy. It can’t happen. There’s no reason for me to be off the base that much. If Wieters gets a hit, I’m scoring anyway. It was really, really stupid.” At least he’s showing some accountability for his losing behavior. Perhaps sometime soon someone will ask Dave Trembley

Orioles fall 3-2, lose series to Seattle

Luke Jones

UPDATE:  The Orioles missed a golden opportunity to take a road series on Wednesday night, losing 3-2 on a walk-off single by Adrian Beltre in the bottom of the ninth inning .  The Seattle third baseman drove in all three runs for the home team. An outstanding effort from Brad Bergesen (see below) was wasted as the Orioles could only score two runs on 10 hits.  Having two runners picked off and another caught stealing certainly won’t help you win many ballgames either.  Baserunning continues to be an Achilles heel for this team. Luke Scott continues to be the only hitter doing much of anything lately, driving in both Baltimore runs. The Orioles (24-30) are off Thursday before starting a three-game set in Oakland on Friday. ***** 12:20 – The Orioles’ offensive struggles continue tonight as they’re tied 2-2 in the eighth inning. Brad Bergesen has pitched a heck of a ballgame.  Manager Dave Trembley left himself wide open for criticism by leaving the rookie starter in the game with the bases loaded and two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but Bergesen got Adrian Beltre—who hit a two-run homer in the third—to ground out to end the rally.

Brady Anderson weighs in on Angelos’ reputation

Nestor Aparicio

It’s been a little while since I’ve spoken with Brady Anderson but the last time we chatted we had a very spirited debate regarding Peter Angelos’ contributions to Baltimore sports. Today, Anderson wrote an op-ed piece for The Baltimore Sun. Clearly, a lot has changed since Brady Anderson rolled his roller blades through the droves of people who gathered at the Inner Harbor every day for Orioles games back in the halcyon days of Camden Yards and competitive baseball. And let’s be honest: Angelos trumped his own general manager 10 years ago when he gave Anderson a $30 million contract. Brady has millions and millions of reasons to be loyal to Angelos. But, nontheless, it’s an interesting read.

Rich Hill looked like McNally or McGregor; Birds win 1-0 in Seattle

Nestor Aparicio

12:26 a.m. — George Sherrill threw three straight balls to start the ninth inning but did his best Don Stanhouse escape, ultimately shutting the door on the middle of the Seattle order as the Birds defeated the Mariners 1-0 in a hastily played, well-pitched “old time” ball game. Rich Hill was extraordinary, going seven innings and allowing just two hits while retiring the final 14 Mariners in order before exiting to perfect relief from Jim Johnson and Sherrill. It’s a good homecoming for Adam Jones, who scored the lone run of the game. 1-0 games don’t happen too often. Savor them! It was a great night to stay up late watching baseball. 12:18 a.m. — Rick Dempsey: “You never would’ve thought that the Orioles could get pitching this good!” An odd thing to say, but Dempsey is great for these one liners. And for the record, about two weeks ago I would’ve agreed with him. This team is finding energy from the young pitchers. That much is obvious! 12:14 a.m. –We’ve come a long way from the days of waiting for The Baltimore Sun and the little black boxes on the front page, haven’t we? Jim Johnson has pitched a

5 Ws and 1 H

Luke Jones

Despite a disappointing end to the four-game series with Detroit, it was encouraging seeing an energized crowd at Camden Yards this weekend. Matt Wieters may be off to a slow start at the plate, but that won’t dampen the enthusiasm for the 23-year-old catcher.  National pundits are calling him the most hyped prospect since Bo Jackson. It was clear the organization was going to bring up the rookie to debut in front of the home crowd, but a west coast trip might be the best thing for him.  It allows Wieters to simply play baseball without the bright lights of Camden Yards or the primetime audience.  I look for him to start showing what he’s capable of doing at the big league level during the trip, but will many Orioles fans be watching late at night? Here are the 5 Ws and 1 H for the week: 1.  Who will win the NBA Finals?  It’s not the highly anticipated Cavs-Lakers series, but the Orlando Magic continues to prove the doubters wrong.  Dwight Howard is a man possessed down low, and it’s doubtful the Lakers will have anyone to stop him—short of Andrew Bynum using six fouls and hoping Howard falls

Matt Messiah has arrived…now will the wins follow?

Nestor Aparicio

It was a fun weekend to be a real Orioles fan. The kind where the joy of baseball, if it’s ever mattered in your life at any point, comes back in a rush. Sure, all of the steroids and losing and empty nights at Camden Yards have taken their toll over the past 12 years, but the Orioles finally can say they are in the business of “selling hope.” You know why? Because, this time, the fans actually believe in Matt Wieters and what the Orioles are selling. How do I know? Because they announced the three-game crowd this weekend at 108,000 people and for once it didn’t look like they were padding their numbers. The Orioles are selling hope. The Orioles are selling youth. The best minds in baseball say they’re on the right path. The fans are buying the hype and – for the first time – the tickets to the games. People dropped everything and ran to the ballpark this weekend to see the orange Messiah in person. Yes, it was a fun weekend despite the gruesome pair of losses on Saturday and Sunday (not to mention any flaming criticism of manager Dave Trembley, who befuddles many

Winning with Wieters

Luke Jones

It’s hard not to smile tonight if you’re an Orioles fan. Matt Wieters made his major league debut, Brad Bergesen pitched a gem, and Luke Scott said, “What’chu talkin‘ ‘bout, Willis?” twice tonight, as the Orioles won their fifth game in a row by defeating the Detroit Tigers, 7-2. The big story of the night was obviously the debut of the No. 1 prospect in all of baseball, and he delivered—just not with the bat.  The young catcher called a great game to help Bergesen pitch one of the best games of any Orioles pitcher all season long. Bergesen pitched 8+ innings, scattering seven hits while striking out three and walking none.  After several promising starts that fizzled with struggles in the fifth or sixth inning, it was encouraging to see him work so deeply into the game. Scott continues to annihilate Tigers pitching, hitting a grand slam in the third inning and a solo shot in the fifth, both off Tigers starter Dontrelle Willis.  Four home runs in two games against Detroit.  When the streaky Scott is locked in, his power is as good as anyone else in baseball. It was great to see 42,000 people give a rousing

Somewhere over the Warehouse…and the rainbow!

Nestor Aparicio

Matt Wieters gets tested on the first play of the game. He goes 0-fer at the plate. Brad Bergesen goes eight strong innings. Luke Scott jacks two home runs onto the flag court and drives in five runs. The stadium is packed with orange hopefuls, young and old, and the weather even held off as the Orioles beat the Tigers 7-2 in one of the more “Magical” nights in the history of Camden Yards. Dave Trembley said it perfectly: “Good for our team. Good for our fans. Good for our city.” That about sums it up. And truly is a blog where a picture is worth a thousand words: The Orioles beat up on Dontrelle Willis and have now won five in a row. Brad Bergesen and Luke Scott both got the Adam Jones’ “shaving cream pie in the face” treatment with a frightened Amber Theoharis. Oh, and as Matt Wieters came to bat in the third inning, I snapped this photo above from my seats in Sect. 86 in left field. I also threw together this video: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj7N-xn14R4&feature=channel_page[/youtube]

“Welcome Matt” Party is at The Nest at 5 p.m. (I scored a pair!)

Nestor Aparicio

With gallons of orange kool aid in both hands (not to mention ice cold Bud Light) we will be holding a “Welcome Matt Wieters To Baltimore” celebration (and coronation) at The Nest on Pratt Street at 5 p.m. Friday. Please tell your friends on Facebook, Twitter, etc. to drop by and raise a civic toast for Messiah Matt at 6 p.m. at the main bar! It’ll be a Kodak moment! A generous listener “donated” a pair of seats and off to Birdland we go looking for a “defining moment” and Matt Wieters’ first big-league at bat. If he’s THIS special, I want to say “I was there” like every other fan who has been loving the Orioles since 1973 or beyond. I will be on the air from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. and we’ll be running the Coors Light King of Baltimore Sportstalk finale from Padonia Station from 4 til 6. Thyrl Nelson will be in at his usual time with the Mobtown Sports Beat. Special thanks to the mystery guy for the tickets. (I hope they’re upstairs with all of the rowdy kids!) Special thanks to The Nest for hosting a party on short notice. Come early, say

5 W’s and 1 H

Luke Jones

31-62. No, it is not the Washington Nationals’ current record (22-51), but it’s the Orioles’ record against the Boston Red

5 W's and 1 H

Luke Jones

31-62. No, it is not the Washington Nationals’ current record (22-51), but it’s the Orioles’ record against the Boston Red

5 W’s and 1 H

Luke Jones

The Orioles certainly didn’t show the Phillies any “Brotherly Love” by completing a three-game sweep this weekend. I attended the

5 W's and 1 H

Luke Jones

The Orioles certainly didn’t show the Phillies any “Brotherly Love” by completing a three-game sweep this weekend. I attended the

5 W’s and 1 H

Luke Jones

The Orioles’ team-wide offensive drought has mercifully come to an end, as Orioles’ hitters accumulated 21 runs and 41 hits

The O's are "Wacco for Flacco"

Luke Jones

If you’re heading down to Camden Yards tonight, you just might see the Orioles’ director of scouting Joe Jordan donning

5 Ws and 1 H

Luke Jones

Despite a disappointing end to the four-game series with Detroit, it was encouraging seeing an energized crowd at Camden Yards

Winning with Wieters

Luke Jones

It’s hard not to smile tonight if you’re an Orioles fan. Matt Wieters made his major league debut, Brad Bergesen

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