Halloween Bird Droppings

by duck on Oct 31, 2010 8:18 AM EDT in Open Threads

I met him, fifteen years ago. I was told there was nothing left. No reason, no conscience, no understanding; even the most rudimentary sense of life or death, good or evil, right or wrong. I met this six-year-old child, with this blank, pale, emotionless face and, the blackest eyes... the *devil's* eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him, and then another seven trying to keep him locked up because I realized what was living behind that boy's eyes was purely and simply... Open Thread.

Texas won, too lazy to link.

Orioles Pumpkin Carving | orioles.com: Fan Forum
Get your choice of 4 free stencil overlays for an Orioles-theme jack o'lantern. Really.

Harper hits first pro homer in AFL game | MLB.com: News
Scottsdale won, and apparently no Orioles prospect did anything worth mentioning.

Contract Crowdsourcing Results: First Baseman | FanGraphs Baseball
The folks at FanGraphs let their readers speculate on what the market will be for free agents. Here's the results for first basemen.

Connor a top candidate for O's pitching coach | orioles.com: News
I know this is a bit old, but I missed it. And I wasn't aware Rick Kranitz was a goner.

Schmuck baseball playoff expansion - baltimoresun.com
Peter Schmuck's not a fan of expanded playoffs. So, at least I agree with him on that topic.

Orioles Insider: Orioles agree with Adair as bullpen coach
Rick Adair is your new bullpen coach. So cash in those bets, folks. I had Rick Dempsey. Don't know what I was thinking on that one.

Orioles Insider: C.J. Wilson on Buck Showalter
Jeff Zrebiec talked with C.J. Wilson this summer, just before the Orioles hired Buck Showalter as manager, for his memories of the field boss. He's got nothin' but love for his former skipper.

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Comments

Wo, there are a lot of 1b's out there this winter

With that many, it seems inevitable one will relocate to b-more. We ought to crowdsource the likeliest candidates. I think I would be more interested in who you think it will be than who you want it to be. But both questions are interesting.

by snotboogie on Oct 31, 2010 10:05 AM EDT reply actions

So many options so little production

I’ll take a stopgap for a year though. Not an Atkins stopgap please.

"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law

by Reddrummer9187 on Oct 31, 2010 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions

I'm a Derrek Lee booster

assuming he is not offered arbitration. If he is, my plan (and my top preference anyway) is to move Scott to first and either DH Reimold or sign a guy like Johnny Damon or Jim Thome.

No offense, but....ENOUGH WITH THE FIELDER/GONZALEZ TRADE PROPOSALS.

by Andrew_G on Oct 31, 2010 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Cartoon Bird Pimpkin Carving

What an epic ass pain! Broke 2 of the little carving tools. The beak looks wired shut b/c I had to hold it in place with a nail. The worse it got, the more I drank and the more I drank the worse it got….

by Fahrenheit 451 on Oct 31, 2010 10:10 AM EDT via mobile reply actions

Make that "pumpkin"

by Fahrenheit 451 on Oct 31, 2010 10:11 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

So the night was a success then, right?

The worse it got, the more I drank….

"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man." ~ The Dude

by PBR me ASAP! on Oct 31, 2010 10:20 AM EDT up reply actions

Well, I thought so...

And in the clear light of day, the pumpkin doesn’t look as bad as the scowl from the wife. Apparently, I became a bit of a dick about the situation..

by Fahrenheit 451 on Oct 31, 2010 10:32 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

i sure hope baseball doesn’t expand any more into october …. it will do to the game what has already been done to hockey and nba …. (further) neuter the drama of the regular season

The lie of baseball is that it's a level playing field.

by thewaywardO on Oct 31, 2010 10:12 AM EDT reply actions

Sweet, I made Uni Watch!

I’m in the uni tweeks section.

"Breathe if you hate Duke." - Brenda Frese

This represents everything I hate about the Yankees.

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Oct 31, 2010 10:22 AM EDT reply actions

I carved my Orioles pumpkin yesterday

I did the “Orioles” one

"Don't mess with us with us, We're like the "U" in the 80's" -Snoop Dogg

by Zachary Beard on Oct 31, 2010 10:30 AM EDT reply actions

I'd advise you distance yourself form Miami.

"Breathe if you hate Duke." - Brenda Frese

This represents everything I hate about the Yankees.

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Oct 31, 2010 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Have you ever heard of the term “Thick and Thin”? Besides, If we would have started Morris at QB the whole game we would have won. God I hate Jacory Harris…

"Don't mess with us with us, We're like the "U" in the 80's" -Snoop Dogg

by Zachary Beard on Oct 31, 2010 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions

You wanna make a sig bet for the game this week?

"Breathe if you hate Duke." - Brenda Frese

This represents everything I hate about the Yankees.

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Oct 31, 2010 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Sure

Shoot.

"Don't mess with us with us, We're like the "U" in the 80's" -Snoop Dogg

by Zachary Beard on Oct 31, 2010 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Simple, whoever teams' loses, the other guys picks the sig for a week.

"Breathe if you hate Duke." - Brenda Frese

This represents everything I hate about the Yankees.

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Oct 31, 2010 10:58 AM EDT up reply actions

What do you mean?

"Don't mess with us with us, We're like the "U" in the 80's" -Snoop Dogg

by Zachary Beard on Oct 31, 2010 11:01 AM EDT up reply actions

If the U wins, you pick something funny, say "I for my sig

If the Terps win, I pick something funny say “Hannah Montana forever!” for your sig. And we have to have that sig for a week.

"Breathe if you hate Duke." - Brenda Frese

This represents everything I hate about the Yankees.

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Oct 31, 2010 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions

Nevermind the subject line.

"Breathe if you hate Duke." - Brenda Frese

This represents everything I hate about the Yankees.

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Oct 31, 2010 11:11 AM EDT up reply actions

And If they both win?

"Don't mess with us with us, We're like the "U" in the 80's" -Snoop Dogg

by Zachary Beard on Oct 31, 2010 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions

They play next week, IIRC

"Breathe if you hate Duke." - Brenda Frese

This represents everything I hate about the Yankees.

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Oct 31, 2010 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions

and If they both win?

"Don't mess with us with us, We're like the "U" in the 80's" -Snoop Dogg

by Zachary Beard on Oct 31, 2010 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions

I still think Adam Dunn is our best option at 1b

I would rather use him as DH but anyone is better than what we have at 1B

"Don't mess with us with us, We're like the "U" in the 80's" -Snoop Dogg

by Zachary Beard on Oct 31, 2010 10:31 AM EDT reply actions

I think Dunn has gone on record as saying he doesn't want to DH

And I think that his defensive prowess would be about equal to Garrett Atkins’ hitting skills. Not really sure we want him. Now if we could get him to agree to just DH, that would be another thing.

by DJAY on Oct 31, 2010 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Dunn's rep as a defensive butcher is a bit overblown.

Yes, he was putrid as an outfielder, but he was quite serviceable at 1B last year. He ain’t Pujols or Youklis over there with the glove, but he isn’t terrible either.
My problem with going after Dunn is that he is a Type A FA. I’m very reluctant to see the O’s give away their 2nd round pick 2 years in a row for someone who will not have a long term place with the team. Signing Crawford or Lee would be worth losing the pick; not Dunn though.

"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man." ~ The Dude

by PBR me ASAP! on Oct 31, 2010 12:32 PM EDT up reply actions

CC

Crawford is a a nice player, but no way worth what he is going to get. His career OPS+ is 107.

Regarding first base, I think a key question is how serious are the Orioles about getting in on either Adrian Gonzalez or Prince Fielder.

Librarians are hiding something

by dfa on Oct 31, 2010 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions

I can't wait until we give Fielder $25M a year and it sets this franchise back to 1998.

Please, please, please don’t let us pay that fat slob!

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions

I could have sworn

I saw that he was a type-B free agent?

"Don't mess with us with us, We're like the "U" in the 80's" -Snoop Dogg

by Zachary Beard on Oct 31, 2010 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions

That was just a projection.

The official rankings were released earlier this week.

"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man." ~ The Dude

by PBR me ASAP! on Oct 31, 2010 1:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Link?

"Don't mess with us with us, We're like the "U" in the 80's" -Snoop Dogg

by Zachary Beard on Oct 31, 2010 1:38 PM EDT up reply actions

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2010/10/official-elias-rankings.html

"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man." ~ The Dude

by PBR me ASAP! on Oct 31, 2010 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Not a very deep free agent market huh?

"Don't mess with us with us, We're like the "U" in the 80's" -Snoop Dogg

by Zachary Beard on Oct 31, 2010 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions

You're right. He's getting better with the glove

UZR for 2009 was -35, worst in MLB. This year, he was -1.1, better than Pujols, Howard, Fielder and Duscheiera.

by DJAY on Oct 31, 2010 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions

[insert UZR argument]

by kba26 on Oct 31, 2010 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

No thanks

by DJAY on Oct 31, 2010 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Rick Adair?

Is he any good?

"Don't mess with us with us, We're like the "U" in the 80's" -Snoop Dogg

by Zachary Beard on Oct 31, 2010 10:34 AM EDT reply actions

Who else was in the crowd yesterday for all the Stewart/Colbert business?

I hope you heard and saw more than me.

America was a farting country. - Ragtime, E.L. Doctorow

by Eat More Esskay on Oct 31, 2010 11:36 AM EDT reply actions

Yeah it was fun

But not really much for the actually seeing what was going on.

You never know when someone is gonna sneak up on ya at the dolphin show! -wrb1990

by Stacey on Oct 31, 2010 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions

I got there really early

So I could see and hear pretty much everything. I was really lucky.

Where are my shoelaces?

by DCO'sfan on Oct 31, 2010 2:54 PM EDT up reply actions

Top 6 in the Pick 'Em League (minus WW who forgot to make his picks)

All have identical early game picks.

by kba26 on Oct 31, 2010 12:02 PM EDT reply actions

Haha...jus saw that

Only difference between all of us really are SD/TEN and PIT/NO

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Oct 31, 2010 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Actually

Sea/Oak and Ari/TB are pretty evenly split too

by kba26 on Oct 31, 2010 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Those too

The only picks separating me from Larry the Leader are SD/TEN and PIT/NO tho.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Oct 31, 2010 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions

And I think I blew MNF with only 52 points again

I apparently have some disorder that does not allow me to pick above 60 points.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Oct 31, 2010 12:34 PM EDT up reply actions

Everyone is expecting a barnburner on MNF

watch it end up being one of those sloppy-ass games that ends up 15-12 or something.

"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man." ~ The Dude

by PBR me ASAP! on Oct 31, 2010 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions

That was kind of my thought.

I figured almost everyone would pick high because HOU is 5th in rushing and IND can’t stop the run, IND is pass-happy and HOU can’t stop the pass, and of course you’ve got two great QBs. I took the middle ground-ish hoping I’d get lucky.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Oct 31, 2010 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions

I dont see how Peyton Manning goes against the worst pass defense in the league

and doesn’t throw at least 3 TDs

by kba26 on Oct 31, 2010 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Really suprised DEN was almost unanimous

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Oct 31, 2010 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions

One person picked SF

but I’m surprised it was that one sided too. I figured that one’s pretty much a toss-up.

by kba26 on Oct 31, 2010 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Only two people picked Cincy.

I like Miami, but Cincy is not pushover.

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions

And Cincy just went up 7-0

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions

But they're awful at home

And Miami hasn’t lost a road game yet.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Oct 31, 2010 1:31 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm the only person that picked Carolina and the only one to pick Green Bay.

I could have a great week or a shit week.

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Here's hoping its shit!

;-)

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Oct 31, 2010 12:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Hey, eat shit.

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions

I could use a winning week after forgetting to make my picks a few weeks back.

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Hahaha!

I play to win the game!

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Oct 31, 2010 1:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Wow, only one to pick GB?

I think thats more surprising than Denver over SF

by kba26 on Oct 31, 2010 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Jets are overrated.

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 12:56 PM EDT up reply actions

I think they win today at home

but i’m not that confident that i would’ve expected to be near unanimous

by kba26 on Oct 31, 2010 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Oh ok, I see what you're saying.

I thought you meant that you were suprised anyone picked GB.

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions

This may be the most boring NFL week in a long time for me

no eagles or ravens, everyone at the top of the pick ’em league has the exact same picks for the early games, and half my main fantasy team doesnt play until monday night.

by kba26 on Oct 31, 2010 1:35 PM EDT reply actions

I know. And the U lost so I have nothing going for me this week.

"Don't mess with us with us, We're like the "U" in the 80's" -Snoop Dogg

by Zachary Beard on Oct 31, 2010 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

You can thank UVA for that one :-)

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Oct 31, 2010 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions

In one league, I've got only 1 player in the early games

And I’m winning by 2 points!

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Oct 31, 2010 1:57 PM EDT up reply actions

I won my game last week

after the 4pm games (technically he still had a shot with 2 players in the 8:30 game) and I still had 3 players in the monday game.

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 1:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Guy I'm playing has 4 players right now

And with my 1 player, I’m still winning.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Oct 31, 2010 2:01 PM EDT up reply actions

My opponent started 5 injured players.

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Its only four

but four more have bye weeks. The only points he will get is from Minnesota’s defense.

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 3:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Not sure if this has been posted yet, from mlbtraderumors:

MLB.com’s Brittany Ghiroli tweets that the announcement of the Orioles’ coaching staff is being held up by Don Wakamatsu. He’ll be their bench coach unless he lands a managerial gig elsewhere.

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 1:53 PM EDT reply actions

Pitching Coach

Do the Orioles have a pitching coach? Does it matter?

Librarians are hiding something

by dfa on Oct 31, 2010 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I assume it's gonna be Mark Connor

No offense, but....ENOUGH WITH THE FIELDER/GONZALEZ TRADE PROPOSALS.

by Andrew_G on Oct 31, 2010 2:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Dallas is just flat-out bad.

"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man." ~ The Dude

by PBR me ASAP! on Oct 31, 2010 1:53 PM EDT reply actions

No scoring in any of these games.

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 1:56 PM EDT up reply actions

Also this:

SATURDAY: Newman passes along another report (via Twitter) saying that Nakajima hasn’t given up on being posted just yet. He wants to meet with Seibu Lions management again and try to get them to change to their minds.

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 1:54 PM EDT reply actions

I think he just really wants to be an Oriole

Librarians are hiding something

by dfa on Oct 31, 2010 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions

I think he wants to get paid.

The stache is back!

by Knubles and Bits on Oct 31, 2010 2:22 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

The back-and-forth on this is killing me.

"You can't sit on a lead and run a few plays into the line and just kill the clock. You've got to throw the ball over the damn plate and give the other man his chance. That's why baseball is the greatest game of them all." -- Earl Weaver

by Vuff on Oct 31, 2010 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions

I can't believe I forgot to make my picks

I mean, I’m near the bottom anyway, but this certainly isn’t going to help. I got zk’s email reminder at like 12:20 and was like, “crap!”

You never know when someone is gonna sneak up on ya at the dolphin show! -wrb1990

by Stacey on Oct 31, 2010 2:23 PM EDT reply actions

For those who particularly appreciated the link to the '70 team interview,

you’re welcome! Glad I could help. I was actually at that game, but missed most of the interview and couldn’t hear the rest.

As a bonus, an “MLB Network Remembers” for the 1970 WS just went up, here.

by Vuff on Oct 31, 2010 2:26 PM EDT reply actions

Dude, you totally made my weekend with that. Thanks, again.

by DJAY on Oct 31, 2010 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions

I really dont understand how the Cowboys are this bad

by kba26 on Oct 31, 2010 3:09 PM EDT reply actions

Me either

Its killing me….

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Oct 31, 2010 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions

At this point,

they’re such a non-threat to make the playoffs that i want them to start winning just so they dont get a really high draft pick.

by kba26 on Oct 31, 2010 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Seriously

Like they need a top pick.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Oct 31, 2010 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions

by DCO'sfan on Nov 1, 2010 7:27 AM EDT up reply actions

Sarcasm.

"Breathe if you hate Duke." - Brenda Frese

This represents everything I hate about the Yankees.

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Nov 1, 2010 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Apparently the Orioles have asked permission to speak to Wayne Kirby

Wayne Kirby as our outfield coach?

by LoveForTheGame13 on Oct 31, 2010 3:28 PM EDT reply actions

David Garrard = Fantasy Stud of the Week

so far, anyway.

"Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man." ~ The Dude

by PBR me ASAP! on Oct 31, 2010 3:53 PM EDT reply actions

LOL Redskins.

"Breathe if you hate Duke." - Brenda Frese

This represents everything I hate about the Yankees.

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Oct 31, 2010 4:20 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Seriously

benching McNabb? Thanks, Shanahan. We all know Donovan reacts oh so well to being benched.

"things like locig and prrofreading are actually valued here" - zknower

by daveh873 on Oct 31, 2010 11:52 PM EDT up reply actions

bird dropping for tomorrow

Profile on Tillman’s mechanics.

http://www.baseball-intellect.com/whats-wrong-with-chris-tillman/

Your mother.

by birdman on Nov 1, 2010 1:12 AM EDT reply actions

good stuff

The Orioles have been touting their technological advances video stuff (as do other bad teams), but it does make me wonder how the info is being used.

Librarians are hiding something

by dfa on Nov 1, 2010 2:12 AM EDT up reply actions