Wednesday Bird Droppings

by Camden Chat on Nov 25, 2009 7:00 AM EST in Open Threads Comment 46 comments

Matt Albers working on his conditioning
Matt Albers is near Houston for his off-season work, with about two dozen ballplayers. He admits Mexican food is good, but bad for you. Kinda like shots after midnight, Matt. Actually, it's almost exactly the same. -duck

Steve Melewski ponders O's needs
He comes to the conclusion the Orioles need a stud pitcher more than a bat. Unless John Lackey is a possibility (he's not), I'd disagree with that assessment. -duck

O's sign reliever Hinckley to minor league deal
"The Orioles have signed left-handed reliever Mike Hinckley to a minor league deal with an invitation to big league spring training." He had a 4.66 ERA last year with 11 walks in 9.2 IP with the Nats. Yet in 2008, he made 14 appearance and didn't give up a run. Looks like more spaghetti's getting tossed at a wall. -duck

MacPhail talks about the corners
Pretty good stuff. Neither Bell or Snyder will start 2010 with the O's, but it'll be up to them to prove their ready during the season. Short term options at the corners, but they don't want anyone too young. -Stacey

Hendrickson update.
He and the O's still hope to get back together for 2010, but in the meantime he tied the knot. Congrats, Hendo! -Stacey

Messrs. Mooney, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs offer their compliments to Professor Snape and request that he keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's Open Threads.

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MacPhail has consistently

Stated that he wants to, “Buy the bats, and grow the arms.” (I think that’s it, or if not it’s pretty close)

So, why would we take that approach? Sure, I would like to have a decent veteran pitcher rather than someone like Adam Eaton, but how many options are out there? Bedard, maybe, but does he want to come back to Baltimore?

I don’t see MacPhail trying that strategy. Buy the bats.

by DCO'sfan on Nov 25, 2009 7:22 AM EST reply actions

But where?

Is it really worth spending money for a guy to warm Bell’s seat? I can see first base as a possibility because it seems pretty unlikely that A. Reimold will play first or B. They’ll be satisfied Luke/New Aubrey’s production. It all really depends on how Snyder does.

I now have a blog: http://justanotherbaltimoresportsblog.blogspot.com/

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Nov 25, 2009 8:27 AM EST up reply actions

Maybe...

But he was tearing up AA this past year. I’d like to see him in Norfolk and even spring training before we jump to any conclusions about how good Bell is going to be.

What do we do, then, if he’s not ready?

And I doubt that Aubrey or Luke’s production will satisfy anyone.

by DCO'sfan on Nov 25, 2009 9:18 AM EST up reply actions

I think that Wiggy can do the job for as long as he's needed.

I now have a blog: http://justanotherbaltimoresportsblog.blogspot.com/

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Nov 25, 2009 9:58 AM EST up reply actions

I don't

Wiggy is a utility player. His value is in his ability to play multiple positions, but that doesn’t mean he plays them well. He’s not very good at 3B, and he’s pretty average at the plate. And there is no guarantee that Bell will go tearing through AAA. Snyder tore up AA and then got stuck at AAA, and had 100 OPS on Bell.

by CoachOfEarl on Nov 25, 2009 11:20 AM EST up reply actions

Sorry

That wasn’t clear…when I say, “Why would we take that approach,” I meant the approach Melewski wrote in his blog entry.

by DCO'sfan on Nov 25, 2009 7:23 AM EST reply actions

the problem is

a “stud” pitcher isn’t what the O’s will get. They don’t come to Baltimore and there aren’t many of them out there.

Some Day, Matt Wieters Will Make The Cooperstown Crowd Laugh By Talking About The Time He Batted Behind Melvin Mora And Luke Scott. -Keith Law via Matt Wieters Facts

by Stacey on Nov 25, 2009 8:27 AM EST up reply actions

And my problem is

I don’t want the O’s spend A+ and on a B- pitcher. I want either a “stud” or put the money somewhere else, like improving the bullpen.

I now have a blog: http://justanotherbaltimoresportsblog.blogspot.com/

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Nov 25, 2009 9:03 AM EST up reply actions

Correction

I don’t want the O’s to spend A+ money on a B- pitcher.

I now have a blog: http://justanotherbaltimoresportsblog.blogspot.com/

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Nov 25, 2009 9:05 AM EST up reply actions

whatever the bullpen

If the starting pitchers start going deeper into the games the bullpen will be fine. That’s not a place to invest a lot of money. You know what happened last time that was the O’s philosophy.

Some Day, Matt Wieters Will Make The Cooperstown Crowd Laugh By Talking About The Time He Batted Behind Melvin Mora And Luke Scott. -Keith Law via Matt Wieters Facts

by Stacey on Nov 25, 2009 9:14 AM EST up reply actions

I agree

the spaghetti approach is a smart one when it come to building the bullpen. Outside of Boston, where they collect hundreds of closers, most every other team has built good bullpens on a shoestring budget, and it’s worked out as long as the starting staff doesn’t implode every other day.

"I like baseball, movies, good clothes, whiskey, fast cars ... and you. What else you need to know?"

by Andrew_G on Nov 25, 2009 12:09 PM EST up reply actions

Walker, Baez, and Bradford

From 2007:

Said a National League general manager: “With fairly aggressive spending on the heels of prolonged losing, they still have questions about corner offense. Also, their bullpen is not high-end. In the end, it seems like a lot of spending for mediocrity.”

The Orioles dismiss the criticism.

“I don’t pay any attention to it,” Orioles Vice President Jim Duquette said. “We did what we thought was the best for the club.”

You’ll notice Jim Duquette doesn’t work here anymore.

"(Brock Lesnar) is never in good spirits and he's not in good spirits now." - Dana White

by duck on Nov 25, 2009 9:32 AM EST up reply actions

I thnik it'll be different

We have a different front office then we did in the beginging of 2007, a smarter front office then we had in 2007. Andy knows what he’s doing a lot more then Jim Duquette. I have faith he’ll make the right moves and not make silly errors like what was made in ’07.

I now have a blog: http://justanotherbaltimoresportsblog.blogspot.com/

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Nov 25, 2009 9:57 AM EST up reply actions

I'm pretty sure spending a lot of money to shore up a bullpen is always 'a silly error'

The position is just too volatile to commit a lot of money to anyone but the really top-shelf relievers

by kba26 on Nov 25, 2009 11:14 AM EST up reply actions

also

why would a stud ace pitcher come to a town that has a history of losing and ain’t spent serious money in 15 yrs almost besides the tejada tdeal i think the albet belle deal soured angelos

by chuckthefan on Nov 25, 2009 9:02 AM EST reply actions

[Why] would a stud ace pitcher come to a town that has a history of losing and ~~ain’t~~ [hasn’t] spent serious money in [almost] 15 yrs ~~almost~~[,] besides the tejada tdeal[.] i [I] think the [Albert] [Belle] deal soured [Angelos][.]

you’re welcome.

by kba26 on Nov 25, 2009 11:20 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs

ROFLMAO

"I doubt he could reach [second base]...mostly cuz his fucking arm was in Aybar's nuts." – twistedlogic

by zknower on Nov 26, 2009 10:21 PM EST up reply actions

The Albert Belle deal

didn’t cost us near as much as everyone seems to think. There were some sort of clauses in there that kept Pete from having to shell out all of the money once Belle got hurt.

by sickuvitall on Nov 26, 2009 9:30 AM EST up reply actions

I think it was a seperate insurance policy the team took out on the contract.

Belle still got paid, just not by the Orioles.

by kba26 on Nov 26, 2009 12:11 PM EST up reply actions

The Albert Belle deal didn’t cost us near as much as everyone seems to think.

Yes, it did. He signed a 5 year, $65M contract. He put up on great season and another average season. For that amount of production, we paid him $26M. So far so good. Then the next three seasons, we paid him $11.7M to take up a spot on the 40 man roster. So for $37.7M, we paid Belle for one great season and another season where he put on OPS of .817 (nothing special for a RF/DH). That’s not money well spent.

Vizzini: Let me put it this way. Have you ever heard of Plato, Aristotle, Socrates?
Man in Black: Yes.
Vizzini: Morons.

by birdman on Nov 26, 2009 2:28 PM EST up reply actions

Agree w/ Andy

I applaud his decision to keep Bell and Snyder in the minors until they prove they are ready. Snyder did not hit after his promotion last year, and Bell has, I believe, not played at the AAA level yet. If they rake like Reimold did last year, then they will be in Baltimore shortly. If they don’t, then we need options at the corners. Personally, in the meantime, I would stick with Wiggy, Luke and Aubrey unless a much better short term option becomes available. This means that I would not sign someone like Feliz, whose offensive numbers won’t be better than Wiggy’s. In fact, Feliz and Mora are equivalents. This is a long way of saying, don’t make a move just to show a new face to the fans.

by BaltoBen on Nov 25, 2009 10:07 AM EST reply actions

Im still a fan of Chone Figgins....

Figgins… any takers??? Annnyyyyonnne?

::taps microphone::

Is this thing on?

by Wieters Wieners on Nov 25, 2009 10:19 AM EST reply actions

I'm behind the wheel of the Figgins bus

Problem is, it ain’t going nowhere. Figgy is looking for 4 years, and the O’s aren’t gonna give it to him.

by CoachOfEarl on Nov 25, 2009 11:21 AM EST up reply actions

I wouldnt mind giving him 3 years and putting him in the 2 hole.

Him and Roberts would be deadly on the basepath.

by Wieters Wieners on Nov 25, 2009 11:28 AM EST up reply actions

They totally would be

I’d lead off with Figgy, since Bobs has the doubles power, and Figgy is a walk/single guy with a little more speed.

by CoachOfEarl on Nov 25, 2009 12:28 PM EST up reply actions

figgins

i would do a 4 yr deal he is versatile and could fill in. when others are ready to come up from aaa.

by chuckthefan on Nov 25, 2009 9:04 PM EST up reply actions

4 years???????

by O'sFan21 on Nov 26, 2009 10:32 AM EST up reply actions

i would also

sign jason giambi to a 5 year deal and then we would have a power hitting first baseman in the prime of his career plus his mustache was pretty nice and i also think that sidney ponson should get another shot he wasn’t that bad a few years back and while we are at it lets just sign a bunch of people who will do nothing for us yeah i like that i am the nicest

by sickuvitall on Nov 26, 2009 12:52 PM EST up reply actions

Stacey

Have you downloaded the FNL episodes for this year?
We are four episodes in and I am a HUUUUGE fan.
4 charactars gone, but we added about 5-6 new ones that I like. You’ll be a big fan of the new kid “Luke”, I just know it.

by Wieters Wieners on Nov 25, 2009 10:24 AM EST reply actions

I downloaded the first two

But haven’t watched them yet. I’ll get to it soon so we can talk about!

Some Day, Matt Wieters Will Make The Cooperstown Crowd Laugh By Talking About The Time He Batted Behind Melvin Mora And Luke Scott. -Keith Law via Matt Wieters Facts

by Stacey on Nov 25, 2009 11:19 AM EST up reply actions

HURRRRRY!!!!

And download all four, what the heck are you waiting for!??

by Wieters Wieners on Nov 25, 2009 11:27 AM EST up reply actions

I just got caught up in other stuff

I’ll probably catch up over the long weekend.

Some Day, Matt Wieters Will Make The Cooperstown Crowd Laugh By Talking About The Time He Batted Behind Melvin Mora And Luke Scott. -Keith Law via Matt Wieters Facts

by Stacey on Nov 25, 2009 11:29 AM EST up reply actions

What other stuff?

There is a new one on tonight…
Thats it… on Monday Im going to start blowing secrets… lol

by Wieters Wieners on Nov 25, 2009 11:32 AM EST up reply actions

I don't know, stuff

I’m sure once I start I won’t be able to stop. Coach Taylor will pull me right in.

Some Day, Matt Wieters Will Make The Cooperstown Crowd Laugh By Talking About The Time He Batted Behind Melvin Mora And Luke Scott. -Keith Law via Matt Wieters Facts

by Stacey on Nov 25, 2009 11:33 AM EST up reply actions

The new kid Luke will pull you right in.

You’re going to have to get him and Felix Pie bunkbeds..

by Wieters Wieners on Nov 25, 2009 11:35 AM EST up reply actions

oh now I have to watch it

Is that the kid being played by the kid who was Wallace in The Wire? Or someone else.

I have to start making crap for Thanksgiving tonight but maybe I can squeeze a few episodes in.

Some Day, Matt Wieters Will Make The Cooperstown Crowd Laugh By Talking About The Time He Batted Behind Melvin Mora And Luke Scott. -Keith Law via Matt Wieters Facts

by Stacey on Nov 25, 2009 11:46 AM EST up reply actions

Nope... thats "Vince"

I just looked up his profile. Luke was on Lipstick Jungle, 30 Rock, Law & Order (Criminal Intent).

He’s really growing on me. Im just glad we finally got rid of Jason Street… his story had run out.

by Wieters Wieners on Nov 25, 2009 11:51 AM EST up reply actions

I was bored last night and reading thewaywardoriole

He calls Markakis “nicky poo” and he calls Wieters “weet weet”

and I imagined a situation of Kakis batting 3, and Wieters 4, and saying Nicky-poo-weet-weet. You know, similar to a bird.

The stock market will never recover, our armies will never again be #1, and our children will drink filthy water for the rest of their lives - HST

by the fix is in on Nov 25, 2009 11:00 AM EST reply actions

Wayward O

is a fucking wordsmith!

by sickuvitall on Nov 26, 2009 9:32 AM EST up reply actions

Long term possibility

The fact that you have a prospect there is a nice issue to have, but if you could make the right deal, you could go ahead. We are not limited to a short-term deal, but we have the ability to look in the short term because of what we think we have behind them.

Veeery interesting. This might be Andy-speak for ‘we don’t want to scare away the guys who don’t want to feel expendable but might be’.

by CoachOfEarl on Nov 25, 2009 12:34 PM EST reply actions

Topps Rookie Team includes Nolan

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091125&content_id=7716252&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb

Did I miss this posted somewhere else?

by O'sFan21 on Nov 25, 2009 12:40 PM EST reply actions

More importantly

Wieters (.288, .753 OPS) is passed over for Omir Santos (.260 AVG, .688 OPS) as the all-rookie catcher. Huh?

After reading the comments on Roch’s post, it seems to be BS card-manufacturer politics. Matt signed an exclusive deal with Razor while he was in the minors, so Topps can’t put him on their cards until next May (365 days after his ML debut), so they won’t even bother designating him an All Star Rookie. Ugh.

"The United States is the New York Yankees of countries...powerful and respected until the year 2000." - Homer J. Simpson

by Brotz13 on Nov 25, 2009 12:44 PM EST up reply actions

Wow didn't even notice that Matty got left off.

That’s pretty ridiculous if that’s the reason why.

by O'sFan21 on Nov 25, 2009 12:51 PM EST up reply actions

Topps doesn't have MLBPA licensing

Upper Deck does have said licensing, meaning they have access to someone as soon they’re on the 40-man, Topps does individual contracts with each player, which is why you’ll find non-MLBPA players like Millar and Jamie Walker in Topps products, but not Upper Deck.

"I hate making excuses. If I suck, then I suck. And I suck. That's the way I'm playing. If you suck, you suck. You have to take responsibility in this game. Right now, that's the way I feel. Yes, I suck." - Jose Guillen/quote of the year

by getxstoked on Nov 25, 2009 4:51 PM EST up reply actions