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Training Camp Preview: 5 Under-the-Radar Players

Luke Jones

With only a week to go until the first practices for the Ravens’ quarterbacks, rookies, and select veterans, it’s time to consider what players flying beneath the radar could play a major part in the 2009 season. Undoubtedly, injuries will occur, and the coaching staff will look to the next man waiting to step into a larger role.  One can simply look back to last season to see how critical it is to have these types of players. Fullback Le’Ron McClain, safety Jim Leonhard (now with the New York Jets), and guard Chris Chester were little more than afterthoughts entering training camp but went on to make major contributions to an 11-5 season that ended with the Ravens coming up short in the AFC Championship. Who are this season’s players currently flying under the radar that could be key contributors this season? Here are five names to keep an eye on this summer: 1.  Chris Carr Though this free-agent signing lacked the local appeal of Domonique Foxworth (Maryland and Western Tech) or the pedigree of Matt Birk (six Pro Bowl selections), Carr will play a critical role with special teams and the secondary. The fifth-year defensive back provides exceptional return

REPORT: Orioles to ditch Fort Lauderdale for Sarasota in 2010

Nestor Aparicio

Because the Orioles have had many, many “false alarms” over the past 15 years, I’m personally taking this one with a grain of salt but several media outlets are reporting that they’ll finally be moving their spring training facilities from the dump in Fort Lauderdale to Sarasota beginning February 2010. Here are the initial details according to the Herald Tribune of Sarasota: SARASOTA – Sarasota County and the Baltimore Orioles have reached a tentative agreement for the team to do spring training at Ed Smith Stadium for the next 30 years. An agreement that will go before the Sarasota County Commission on Wednesday would bring the team to Sarasota for spring training starting in 2010. The $31.2 million deal will be funded with local tourism tax revenue and more than $7 million in state money. The agreement calls for the Orioles to pay all operating and maintenance costs at Ed Smith for the term of the lease. The county and Orioles will contribute equally to a capital maintenance and repair fund. The deal also includes: A proposed Orioles and Cal Ripken Baseball youth academy at Twin Lakes Park. And promotion of Sarasota County in the Baltimore Washington metro area. “This

Wide receiver update: Ravens to work out D.J. Hackett and 3 others

Luke Jones

After Derrick Mason abruptly announced his retirement last week, the Ravens will try out former Seattle Seahawks and Carolina Panthers wide receiver D.J. Hackett on Friday. Hackett was invited to try out during OTAs but chose to work out with the Houston Texans instead.  The 28-year-old caught 13 passes for 181 yards and no touchdowns in 2008, his only season in Carolina. He has 118 receptions and nine touchdowns in his five-year career. The other three receivers set to work out have not been identified at this time. With Mason and coach John Harbaugh scheduled to meet this week, it figures to be an interesting time in Owings Mills leading up to the start of training camp at McDaniel College next week. Quarterbacks, rookies, and selected veterans will report on July 27.  WNST.net will bring you live reports, audio, video, and blogs from Westminster. luke@wnst.net

Complete recap of the Terrell Suggs/John Harbaugh Press Conference

Luke Jones

Terrell Suggs downplayed the importance of signing one of the richest contracts in NFL history, but there was no mistaking how seriously the Ravens wanted to keep the Pro Bowl linebacker in Baltimore. Facing a 4 p.m. deadline, Suggs and the Ravens agreed to a six-year, $63 million contract Wednesday morning, eliminating the possibility of Suggs playing under the franchise tag for a second straight season.  The 26-year-old linebacker is relieved to continue his career in Baltimore. “I consider myself a player of the fans,” Suggs said.  “I play for them.  I love the cheers that I get when I’m running out of the tunnel, and I’m just glad that we finally got back to football, and that they wanted me [in Baltimore] and I wanted to be there.  Ozzie [Newsome] and everybody, we all wanted the same thing, and we just had to agree on the little stuff.  Both sides compromised a lot, and now we came to an agreement” The deal includes $33.1 million in bonus money, second only to Peyton Manning’s bonus from a deal signed in 2004.  Suggs now becomes the highest-paid linebacker in the history of the NFL, though he was quick to downplay the

Suggs continues his double talk over camp

Nestor Aparicio

Today is the day. Either Terrell Suggs agrees to the deal the Ravens have put forth and becomes a long-term signee or he’ll be franchised at 4 p.m. and will have to suffer with a second year of detainment and a $10.2 million payday in 2009. After telling The Los Angeles Times that training camp is “overrated” two weeks ago, Suggs told Jamison Hensley this in this morning’s fishwrap: “The fans want to see me in training camp on time, and I want to be there on time.” A change of heart? Perhaps…but who can blame him about training camp? Not many are fond of the necessary evil. But here’s the key fact for the day: there’s a contract for about $30 million in guaranteed money sitting on the table awaiting his wet signature. Of course by signing the current multi-year deal the Ravens are offering, it would indeed mean that he’d need to be in Westminster in 12 days. Suggs told the world two weeks ago that the deal was “close” to a long-term agreement. One thing is for sure: the deadline is now close and we’ll know more by the end of the day. Either way, Suggs will

Let the wide receiver speculation begin

Luke Jones

The surprising news of Derrick Mason’s retirement—even if it’s a negotiating ploy—has sent shockwaves through the city of Baltimore, especially for the large portion of Ravens fans that had already been clamoring for an impact receiver during the offseason. While many are making the comparison to Steve McNair’s abrupt retirement in April 2008, the Ravens had more time to prepare in that situation.  If Mason goes through with his intentions to retire, the Ravens will have to treat it similarly to how they dealt with Jamal Lewis’ season-ending knee injury in the early stages of training camp in 2001. Denver Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall and Arizona Cardinals receiver Anquan Boldin will undoubtedly come up as potential replacements for Mason, but it’s highly unlikely we’ll see either player reining in passes from Joe Flacco. Neither the Broncos or Cardinals are in the business of doing the Ravens any favors, so unless you’re willing to surrender multiple first-day picks, forget either one.  With Mason’s retirement, these teams will view the Ravens as being backed into a corner, so the asking price would be even higher. The other obstacle continues to be the salary cap.  Mason’s retirement would save $3 million in space,

Ploy or legit? Derrick Mason shocks everyone, “retires” on his agent’s website

Nestor Aparicio

UPDATED 9:11 p.m. — In a turn of events that can only be deemed “shocking,” Ravens wide receiver Derrick Mason announced his retirement from the NFL via a website called JockLife.net at precisely 5 p.m. tonight. This much is assured: Ozzie Newsome and the Ravens had NO idea this was happening. And privately, they aren’t as concerned about the announcement as the fan base has been over the last few hours. Honestly, it smells more like a negotiating ploy than a legitimate retirement and Mason’s agent has already responded to the initial purple response of “no response.” But, one of two things is happening: 1. Mason’s “retirement” is 100% sincere and the death of Steve McNair has affected his desire to play… or 2. His agent, C. Lamont Smith, who owns the website that “released” the news is angling to get Derrick Mason the final pay day that he cried out for in another story on the same website back in March. See that piece here… “For any player to retire, he has to send a letter to the NFL stating this. Derrick Mason has not done that,” said Kevin Byrne, the Ravens’ senior vice president of public relations. Before

5 W’s and 1 H

Luke Jones

The first half is in the books, and the Orioles are right where most of us thought they would be—last place and out of contention. While it’s certainly been frustrating watching the Orioles’ inconsistent play, the club has also provided some excitement with the greatest comeback in club history—against the Red Sox, no less—and the unveiling of rookies Brad Bergesen, David Hernandez, Nolan Reimold, and the much-hyped Matt Wieters. The 40-48 record and last-place standing does not reflect the positive strides made in the first half of the season.  Yes, there’s still a long way to go before we’re talking about the Orioles contending with the three heavyweights in the AL East, but as more youngsters join the fold, it’s easy to see this organization is in much better shape than it’s been at any point since 1997. Will it be enough to put the Orioles back in the playoffs in the next few years? Only time—and the willingness to acquire missing pieces via trades and free agency—will answer that question. It will be interesting to see how active general manager Andy MacPhail will be as the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline approaches.  Aubrey Huff, Luke Scott, Danys Baez, Jeremy

5 W's and 1 H

Luke Jones

The first half is in the books, and the Orioles are right where most of us thought they would be—last place and out of contention. While it’s certainly been frustrating watching the Orioles’ inconsistent play, the club has also provided some excitement with the greatest comeback in club history—against the Red Sox, no less—and the unveiling of rookies Brad Bergesen, David Hernandez, Nolan Reimold, and the much-hyped Matt Wieters. The 40-48 record and last-place standing does not reflect the positive strides made in the first half of the season.  Yes, there’s still a long way to go before we’re talking about the Orioles contending with the three heavyweights in the AL East, but as more youngsters join the fold, it’s easy to see this organization is in much better shape than it’s been at any point since 1997. Will it be enough to put the Orioles back in the playoffs in the next few years? Only time—and the willingness to acquire missing pieces via trades and free agency—will answer that question. It will be interesting to see how active general manager Andy MacPhail will be as the July 31st non-waiver trade deadline approaches.  Aubrey Huff, Luke Scott, Danys Baez, Jeremy

Ray Lewis calls McNair “a king” in eulogy

Nestor Aparicio

Yesterday Ray Lewis had one of the toughest jobs any man can have – burying a friend and trying to put into words the significance of a relationship and a life that ended far too early. Steve McNair’s death – no matter your feelings regarding the situation, circumstances and salacious details of his decisions and subsequent murder – is a tragedy. For his wife. For his kids. For his friends. And for the NFL and the Titans and the city of Nashville. Yesterday, Ray Lewis began his lengthy speech by calling Steve McNair “a king.” In a passionate display, Lewis referred several times to their battles on the football field and said that he and McNair became friends “through fury.” He also implored McNair’s four sons to “walk with your head high.” Below is the unedited, nearly eight-minute version of the speech from Mississippi: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQVxW0kIkYs[/youtube]

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

Remembering Steve McNair

Luke Jones

With the tragic news of the passing of Steve McNair on the Fourth of July, it’s difficult to contemplate his legacy, both in the NFL and here in Baltimore. McNair will not only be remembered as the man who helped lead the Baltimore Ravens to their best regular season record, a 13-3 mark in 2006, but also as a worthy adversary playing for the Tennessee Titans. Prior to the league’s switch to the current AFC North division format in 2002, the Ravens’ fiercest AFC Central rival was the Titans with McNair and running back Eddie George leading the way.  The tenacious McNair was a feared opponent for the Ravens’ vaunted defense, breaking Baltimore hearts in the 2003 Wild Card matchup at M&T Bank Stadium. My favorite memory of McNair will always be his preseason debut as the Ravens’ quarterback against the New York Giants in 2006.  Though McNair played only one series, he led the team on an 80-yard drive, culminating with a 6-yard touchdown run. The electricty in M&T Bank Stadium—for a preseason game no less—was palpable and set the tone for what would be a memorable 13-3 regular season.  After witnessing quarterback after quarterback fail to lead the

Any memories of Steve McNair?

Nestor Aparicio

Obviously a very sad day here for anyone who cheered for Steve McNair or knew him. Obviously, he made quite a mark with the Baltimore fans just six months ago when he co-hosted our fan party in Nashville. This is a place to post memories. Post below and we’ll get them onto the site… Also, if anyone has any pictures they took from that night we’d love to get them (NASTY@WNST.net) and post them here on the site. Here’s the video from our night with McNair at Limelight in Tennessee back in January: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWIhXSp07UQ[/youtube]

Latest updates on Steve McNair murder here…

Nestor Aparicio

UPDATED 4:54 p.m. — Nashville police have now confirmed Steve McNair’s death was indeed a murder. More at The Tennessean including: “A Sunday morning autopsy revealed that McNair was shot four times – twice in the head, twice in the chest. His girlfriend, 20-year-old Sahel Kazemi, died of a gunshot wound to the side of the head. A semi-automatic pistol was found on the floor under her body. But it will take many days of interviews with their families and friends and witnesses who saw McNair out on the town Friday night before police will rule whether the deaths were a murder-suicide or a double homicide. “While it is clear McNair’s death is a homicide, the police department is not classifying Kazemi’s death, pending further investigation and interviews with persons who knew her and McNair,” police spokesman Don Aaron said at press conference this afternoon. “We can’t be close-minded,” Aaron said. “All scenarios are on the table.” The autopsy showed the two had died in the early hours of Saturday morning, hours before their bodies were discovered by a friend of McNair’s who had a key to the Second Avenue condominium. Police are still waiting for the results of ballistics

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

Where does Ray Lewis rank among the greatest players of the decade?

Luke Jones

Leave it to “The Worldwide Leader in Sports” to jump the gun on an otherwise interesting promotion for the network this week. We’re still over two months away from the start of the 2009 season—the last season of the decade—but ESPN.com has decided it’s time to hand out its NFL all-decade honors.  I guess we don’t need to bother playing this season. The Ravens were well represented with Ray Lewis and Ed Reed being named to the all-decade defense while the first draft pick in franchise history, Jonathan Ogden, was the lone Raven on the all-decade offense.  Fullback Lorenzo Neal was also named to the team, but his one season in Baltimore hardly constitutes him as an all-decade representative for the Ravens. The Ravens were also ranked the fifth-best team of the decade. ESPN closed out the week by revealing their top 25 players of the decade on Friday, and this is the list with which Ravens fans are sure to take issue.  Lewis, the only player to win the NFL Defensive Player of the Year twice this decade, ranks only ninth, behind defensive ends Jason Taylor (fifth) and Michael Strahan (eighth). With all due respect to Taylor and Strahan,

Four down, two to go for the Ravens

Luke Jones

The Baltimore Ravens have signed third-round pick Lardarius Webb to a three-year contract with a reported $530,000 signing bonus. The Nicholls St. defensive back is the Ravens’ fourth draft pick to sign a contract, joining linebacker Jason Phillips, tight end Davon Drew, and running back Cedric Peerman. The remaining unsigned picks are offensive tackle Michael Oher (first round) and linebacker/defensive end Paul Kruger (second round). Considering the Ravens typically have not negotiated with their draft picks until July, the chance of both Oher and Kruger reporting to training camp on time appears likely. If Oher would sign prior to July 27, it would mark the third year in a row in which the Ravens have signed their first-round pick before the start of training camp.  The Ravens’ last two first-rounders were quarterback Joe Flacco (2008) and guard Ben Grubbs (2007).

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?

Ravens rookies a big hit at The Barn

Nestor Aparicio

Seven of the Ravens rookies for 2009 joined the WNST crew at The Barn last night for a Miller Lite event packed with purple fans and laughs. We’ll be running the audio on AM 1570 over the next few days and the audio vault here at WNST.net and video platform of wnsTV will also have the evidence. We did brief conversations with different sets of guys, most of whom drove together from Owings Mills not knowing what to expect when I accosted them an invited them to Carney for what has become an annual event. Paul Kruger and Jason Phillips did the first segment and admitted to being “lost” from time to time in the early going back in April. Next up with was kicker Graham Gano (who admitted to being nervous because of the “public speaking” angle of live radio) and running back Cedric Peerman, who talked about Al Groh’s pro set offense at Virginia. And finally, the trio of Lardarius Webb, Jason Cook (an undrafted free agent fullback who has been very impressive in OTAs) and Davon Drew joined me to close out the evening with some laughs. Webb provided the best comedy of the evening with some

Notes from Ravens Rookie Camp

Luke Jones

The Ravens’ newcomers have a final opportunity this week to get acclimated to the NFL before reporting to McDaniel College for training camp on July 27. The offseason OTA schedule concludes this week with a rookie camp, allowing coaches to work more closely with the team’s six draft picks and numerous rookie free agents vying for a regular season roster spot.  “It’s obviously a different atmosphere and tempo because the vets aren’t here,” coach John Harbaugh said.  “It’s a little slow.  We take a little more time between reps.  I don’t want to say it was more teaching, because there is a lot of teaching when the [veterans] are here, too.  But it was a little more fundamentally-oriented, a little simpler with the calls, but they did a good job.” The rumors circulating about Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall were a hot topic at the training facility in Owings Mills.  The disgruntled receiver wants to be traded, and the receiver position is an area of concern with Derrick Mason (shoulder), Mark Clayton (foot), and Demetrius Williams (ankle) all slowed by injuries this offseason. Earlier in the offseason, the Ravens explored a trade for Arizona wide receiver Anquan Boldin, but the Cardinals’

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

5 W’s and 1 H

Luke Jones

The first half is in the books, and the Orioles are right where most of us thought they would be—last

5 W's and 1 H

Luke Jones

The first half is in the books, and the Orioles are right where most of us thought they would be—last

Remembering Steve McNair

Luke Jones

With the tragic news of the passing of Steve McNair on the Fourth of July, it’s difficult to contemplate his

Any memories of Steve McNair?

Nestor Aparicio

Obviously a very sad day here for anyone who cheered for Steve McNair or knew him. Obviously, he made quite

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

Notes from Ravens Rookie Camp

Luke Jones

The Ravens’ newcomers have a final opportunity this week to get acclimated to the NFL before reporting to McDaniel College

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

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