Gameday Thread: White Sox at O's, 08/01

It can't possibly get any worse... can it?  Can it even say consistently this bad much longer?  Please, No.

This series has truly shown what happens when the best TEAM in baseball plays games against the worst TEAM in baseball. I emphasize team because that is exactly how Chicago has amassed their MLB best record this year @ 68-35, while we flounder @ 51-53. The last time these two teams played each other was the weekend of May 12-15. We split those games, after losing the opening pair we won on both Saturday and Sunday. When that weekend ended, we were 24-13, and the pale Hose were 27-11. So, we were exactly 2-1/2 games behind the best record in baseball, and our record was the same as the Cards @ 24-13. We had the same basic roster we do now, and we now sit 17-1/2 games behind the Chi Sox. So, in a quick 2-1/2 month time span we have fallen 15 games from our previous postition. Yeah, we had some serious injury issues to work thru, especially Bedard ( who was on his way to a Cy Young type season before he got hurt ) and Javy, but the collapse of our season really began when Mora hurt his hammy in Toronto. That game, and his subsequent trip to the bench, started our tailspin. The chemistry and teamwork seemed to die during his absence, and we have never gotten it back. To me as a long time O's fan, there is something really wrong with this group of players. There is a bad seed or two in the clubhouse, and it is destroying the team. I don't know if it's Shamu and his attitiude, but to hear that he is now refusing to even speak to the manager after his pitching coach demands it tells me more about this team then the stats do. You can't become this bad on the field if everything is A-OK off of it. Baltmore is a small town as far as the media is concerned, and we do not have the glow of major media breathing down the players necks all of the time. I don't think our local baseball writers are being square with the fans as far as the teams' dynamics and personalities are concerned. I have personally managed large teams of folks for many years, and I will guarantee that when a whole team is flailing this badly, and they have proven they have the talent and energy to compete and win at high levels, there is a cancer in the team that must be removed. Could it be Mazilli doesn't have any control over the group? He's a manger, and it is his job to manage. If I was him, and I did my job as poorly as he is doing right now, I would be fired, and so would all of you. He manages a TEAM. TEAMS perform well under good leadership. Even TEAMS with marginal players perform with good leadership. Where I work, leadership is determined by how many followers you have, and the amount of passion they have for following you. Say what you want about the other "manager" in town, but Billick's players believe in him and play hard for him most of the time. Even over the past couple of years when injuries and rookie quarterbacks were the norm, the Ravens believed in the team and thr system enough to be competitive. Right now, I don't thinkt he O's could win a 3 game series against any team in baseball! Right now, it my opinion, Mazilli needs to be fired immediately. Put Dempsey in as manager, and have him DFA whoever is causing the turmoil. There needs to be a seriuos "pick em up and shake em by the ears " mentality here. These guys are being paid millions to do their job, which is to play baseball. Right now, they are stealing paychecks. Somebody needs to send a message and fire someone. NOW. B&F, if you're listening, if you are not going to try and improve the team you have now, then get rid of the guy that is supposedly leading it. He's not doing his job..and the collapse of this team is Lee's fault. HE HAS TO GO.

But according to several sources in the media, Raffy has tested positive for steroids. Right now there is nothing official from MLB, but keep your ears open today and we may know more.

Anyone trying to watch this game?  CSN has home shopping on.

Cabrera walks the leadoff guy on 4 pitches, wild pitches him to 2nd, and scores on a liner to get higns started. Another day, another loss. Oh well, at least we know Palmiero won't play poorly today.

When was the last time an O's pitcher got the first out of the inning on the first pitch... Go Danny.

No one would blame the rest of the O's for losing 20-0 today.

I am feeling a range of emotions right now. Mad at Raffy for cheating, especially because I had defended him and said I never thought he had done it. Sad for the rest of the team and the fans, who are going through the same emotions and are going to have to hear about this from other team's fans for the next 5 years. Nervous that this will set us on the road to losing another 20 games in a row.

This absolutely sucks.

A two out hit..> Go B-rob.

Would salvaging a game from this series be any kind of jolt for this team... or do you think they might consider it a "lucky win?"

Danny has gone further today our previous two starters combined.

oh man, just when you think things couldn't get any worse.  I guess perjury charges may be forth coming.  

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-palmeiro01,1,4434773.story?coll=bal-sports-baseball

Crap. Just get out of this freakin inning.

6 decently strong innings...  He's been kind of off and on this game, last inning being an off inning, do you bring him back out next inning?  I might think so.

Hitting BJ Surhoff, after Cabrera hit Perzinsky (spelled wrong, I know).

Can't watch, was it intentional? No warning first?

Maybe a good brawl will  put some life back in this team.

Is Raffy still allowed to fight?

they're going to get swept.

Here comes Jorge

...GAME OVER...

bring up Rakers and never, ever play Jorge again.

This is ridiculous.

the thorough pounding we all expected...  We need a tourniquet.  Quite literally need to stop the bleeding.  Where's the fork, this team is done.

To the plate... come on B-rob.

They play just well enough to keep us interested, but in the end, the result is the same.  When will we learn?

that Mr. Ryan he decided to join us again.  Way to go BJ.  You know a 12 game win streak wouldn't hurt right now.  We did it last year of course it was followed by a 13 game losing streak, but I have a selective memory.

Byrnes Double, Mora Single-Byrnes to third, Miggy 2RBI Double, Javy ground out to the right side-Miggy to 3rd, Sammy Popout to Third, and Gibbons Homerun Robbed.  Game over.

Commense Consuming

"Time to start consuming mass quantities."

Best thing I've heard all day. Still got an hour and 40 minutes more of work ... ugh.