Ides of March Bird Droppings
by Camden Chat on Mar 15, 2010 7:00 AM EDT
in Open Threads
101 comments
Note: Today's 1:05 p.m. Spring Training game vs the Red Sox is not being broadcast on TV or radio so we're not going to create a separate game thread for it. A good place for updates are Roch Kubatko's blog and Brittany Ghiroli's Twitter, as well as the ever popular box score refresh (feel free to share in the comments!)
From Yesterday's Game
Matusz shuts down powerful Phillies as O's win, 4-3 - baltimoresun.com
Brian Matusz continued with his strong spring, allowing one run on three hits while striking out two. Matusz now has 12 Ks and 0 BBs on the year. Not too shabby. Adam Jones and Nick Markakis each had two hits. -Stacey
More on Matusz
Not only did he have zero walks yesterday, Matusz reminds us that he also never went to a three ball count. -Stacey
Dinks and dunks do in Johnson
Jim Johnson had a tough time, but was victim of some bad luck. Will Ohman continues to be effective. -Stacey
Lame Birds
Mike Gonzalez has a stiff back
O's closer Michael Gonzalez recorded two outs in Saturday's "B" game vs. the Marlins before exiting with lower back stiffness, but he said Sunday that he didn't think the injury was serious. -Stacey
MacPhail talks about Roberts
Andy MacPhail sounds less confident every day and continues to look for options in case Brian Roberts isn't ready to start the year. -Stacey
Reimold on a good schedule
Diamond Dave is confident that Reimold is fine, they're just taking it slow because they can. I want to believe that some injury isn't that bad, might as well be this one. -Stacey
Aubrey's injury
Michael Aubrey exited Saturday's game with a tight groin and is still feeling it. He's day-to-day. -Stacey
Pie's shoulder progressing
Felix Pie will do exercises today and hit and throw tomorrow, hoping to return to the lineup soon. He's been bothered by shoulder tendinitis. -Stacey
And The Rest
More genius from the wayward oriole
The long awaited Nick Markakis Blingee is unveiled. -Stacey
On Pi Day, one number 'reeks of mystery' - CNN.com
It's a shame that Felix's shoulder has been hurting, because yesterday was, in fact, π day. -zk
O’s spring training: The 25 who will make it (#15) | WNST
Chad Moeller is #15. -Stacey
Today in Camden Chat History
2005 - SC ponders Matt Riley's future
2006 - Eddie Murray is the 4th Greatest Oriole of all time.
2007 - Benson's done, for good this time.
2009 - WBC Open Thread and NCAA Tournament Selection
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O's lineup (from Roch):
Jonathan Tucker CF
Justin Turner 3B
Lou Montanez LF
Luke Scott DH
Ty Wigginton 2B
Jeff Salazar RF
Brandon Snyder 1B
Craig Tatum C
Pedro Florimon SS
Brad Bergesen RHP
Also scheduled to pitch: Chris Tillman, Mark Hendrickson, Cla Meredith and Alfredo Simon.
Bergy and Tillman aren’t getting much run support today…
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
But...b-but...
I was told that Lou Montanez can hit and I should deal with it.
"The United States is the New York Yankees of countries...powerful and respected until the year 2000." - Homer J. Simpson
Holy cow
that lineup is just terrible. I thought there was some rule about needing to play three starters in every game? Or does the pitcher count, too?
Bedard says he doesn't care and thinks goals are pointless.
yea
technically we have two starting pitchers….so luke scott makes three. plus you dont think lou is gonna start this year????
by twistedlogic on Mar 15, 2010 9:34 AM EDT up reply actions
I'd put even money on Wiggy starting at 2nd on Opening Day
and at 3rd before the year is out.
by fishoutawata on Mar 15, 2010 12:23 PM EDT up reply actions
yeaaaa
lou battin third! hes movin up in the world. DWI.
by twistedlogic on Mar 15, 2010 9:33 AM EDT up reply actions
i think that listening to Rob Dibble makes me dumber,
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
by Stacey on Mar 15, 2010 9:14 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
"if Jesus Flores can`t stay healthy the Nats might want to think about drafting a catcher this year."
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
by Stacey on Mar 15, 2010 9:19 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
"a lot of people don't like Marlon Byrd, but I do. you know why? because he's a baseball player."
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
by Stacey on Mar 15, 2010 9:21 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I pretty much avoid listening to him whenever possible.
I may have to put the radio on during O’s/Nats games this year.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
They put him on the morning show on xm
essentially ruining my drive to work. Stay tuned for my newest project at the web address http://robdibbleisaneffingmoron.blogspot.com
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
I'm deeply disappointed
You didn’t actually register that blog.
"The United States is the New York Yankees of countries...powerful and respected until the year 2000." - Homer J. Simpson
Seriously.
It’s not even like you’d have to write much. Just transcribe or copy-paste what he says and upload it. The stupidity is quite apparent.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
ha ha
It’d be easy in the sense that the material writes itself, but the volume alone would be enough to make it a full time job.
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
Hahahaha
Touché.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
I went ahead and registered it
Just in case. I’d hate to decide that I want it only to find that someone snatched up what is sure to be a very in-demand blog name :-)
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
I warned you last week
I’d link, but I’m on my phone.
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
by duck on Mar 15, 2010 10:58 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Oh I know
every time I turn on the radio in the morning I’m prepared to be pissed off.
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
Took the advice of a CC commenter
and am now downloading baseball podcasts to listen to on the way to work. This Week in Tech isn’t going to cut it by Opening Day.
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
Did you find any good ones?
I poked around a little the other day and couldnt come up with any that seemed really worthwhile. Maybe i’ve just been spoiled by two hours of World Soccer Daily every day.
I'm going try FanGraphs weekly podcast
I’ll start there.
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
If you want I can record myself saying a bunch of crap
and send it to you.
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
It would be infinitely more interesting
than Rob Dibble
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
That's it!
I’ll start downloading your appearances at WNST and I’ll just listen to those! :)
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
If you want
to listen to who’s gonna fill in for Brian Roberts and hear me get mocked for loving Felix Pie. I feel like that’s all we ever talk about.
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
I'm totally serious, by the way
RealPlayer lets you download any audio and convert it to iPod/iPhone audio and add it to iTunes. I’m totally doing that 3X a week now.
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
First round of cuts are in
according to Britt Ghiroli: Erbe, Patton, George, Hinckley, Gabino, Lebron, and Spoone.
I’m surprised that Lebron got sent down so soon and mildly surprised that Arrieta remains and that Erbe went to AAA camp. Other than that, no surprises. I had almost forgotten Patton was even in camp.
Bedard says he doesn't care and thinks goals are pointless.
I would have liked to see more of Spoone
It should be interesting to see what he can do now that his shoulder is all fixed up. He’s probably a lost cause, but he could become someone to watch and maybe end up in the bullpen at the MLB level. All we got from him in ST was 1 inning with 1 walk.
I'm gonna assume that he's done
until proven otherwise. I’d be thrilled to be proven otherwise, but he just lost basically two years, and his numbers before his injury weren’t very good. I mean he has a career 4.9 BB/9 and 7.4 K/9, and only played 11 games at AA so far. These are not the numbers of a top prospect pitcher.
Bedard says he doesn't care and thinks goals are pointless.
Yea, i'm sure you are right
I just like they kid and his name is awesome. I want Chorye Spoone in the majors so he can walk in from the bullpen to Soundgarden. It’d be great.
Too bad we won't get to see more of Lebron.
I’m still pissed that they decided to play that interview during his inning a while back. Oh well.
And he’s being sent to AA? I suppose 27.1 IP at that level really isn’t all that much, even though it didn’t seem like he had much left to prove. Is it safe to assume he’ll reach AAA pretty quickly if he still looks as good as he did last year?
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
Over at MLBTR
execs were polled on the best and worst moves of the off-season and the Orioles appear twice:
The Millwood trade was mentioned as an option for best move…for the Rangers.
The Atkins deal was mentioned as an option for the worst move.
That seems a little crazy to me. I wasn’t happy with the Orioles offseason, but there’s no way Garret Atkins is a worst move than Jason Kendall or Aubrey Huff or Pudge Rodirguez. Those are epic fails, Atkins is more like a “that’s dumb but whatever” move.
Similarly, the Rangers shedding the contract (and ERA) of Millwood isn’t even in the same ballpark as the Cliff Lee trade or the Reds getting Aroldis Chapman. Getting rid of an overpaid league average starter <<< acquiring a top starter.
Bedard says he doesn't care and thinks goals are pointless.
This goes to show
that execs hold differnt things (money, mainly) in higher regard than we do, and other things (like winning and putting together a good team) much lower than us. Atkins was “bad” because we spent money for nothing really and Millwood was “good” because they saved money. At least thats how I see it.
Remember that when MLB talks realingment or balanced schedule or whatever Selig’s crack group of navel gazers comes up with to change baseball. The teams that get the Yankees and Red Sox and their bandwagon fans like those extra dates with larger crowds. (And yeah, I firmly believe the bump in attendance due to the unbalanced schedule has been a bright spot for Angelos that counter-balanced owning a pathetic team).
Millwood for the Rangers
I don’t really know how that’s a good move. I mean, they got back Chris Ray and saved themselves $6M that they then used to sign Harden. The Rangers went with ceiling, of course that ceiling has once thrown over 150IP, versus a guy who should throw 200. And Chris Ray sucks.
The Garrett Atkins signing was doubly pointless because not only does it waste at bats for other players, it comes at the expense of a guy who sucks. Still though, I fail to see how 1 year deals would qualify as terrible moves.
Librarians are hiding something
Who is it in the press that calls on me?
I hear a tongue, shriller than all the music,
Cry ‘Caesar!’ Speak; Caesar is turn’d to hear.
"I doubt he could reach [second base]...mostly cuz his fucking arm was in Aybar's nuts." – twistedlogic
That's about the only thing I had to read in tenth grade that I remember enjoying.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
Definitely one of the better ones!
"I doubt he could reach [second base]...mostly cuz his fucking arm was in Aybar's nuts." – twistedlogic
I just noticed
that Matt Wieters’ eyes are closed in the first picture I posted, so I changed it. I hate pictures of myself with my eyes closed. Enjoy Wilfredo Perez instead.
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
Can we just clone Eddie Murray?
I guess we’d have to rapidly age him to his early twenties, too, but it’d sure take care of our 1B problem.
But seriously, he’s on my short list of “Orioles players I wish I’d been able to watch in their primes.”
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
How about Boog?
I’m re-amazed (that’s a word, right?) every time I take a look at his career. The dude was damn good. I’d take him all over again right about now.
Yeah, Boog would be sweet, too.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
From Britt Ghiroli's twitter
Trembley said Roberts replacements if needed would be: Wiggy, Andino and Turner. Not clear on who would get the bulk of 2b time.
Way to give us some new information, Dave.
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
O's get a run in the first on 2 hits and a Luuuuke SF.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
In the bottom of the first
The RS loaded the bases against Bergesen after getting two outs, but he didn’t allow a run. 21 pitches, 13 strikes.
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
that's our 3E1N!
"I doubt he could reach [second base]...mostly cuz his fucking arm was in Aybar's nuts." – twistedlogic
Top 2: Snyder doubled and Tatum got plunked, but no scoring.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
Bottom 2: Better for Bergy; 1 H (bunt single), 1 GO, 1 FO, 1 SO. 9 pitches, 7 strikes.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
LUUUUUUUUUUKE
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
Wakefield made him look foolish on an 0-1 knuckler, and Scott walked out of the batter’s box and pounded the barrel end of his bat into the dirt. He worked the count to 2-2 before hitting his first home run.
how'd the Red Sox get their run?
I don’t see it.
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
Luke, don't hit so well while you're DH.
You’ll give Trembley the wrong idea.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
tell me again why we didn't have a gamethread? ;)
"I doubt he could reach [second base]...mostly cuz his fucking arm was in Aybar's nuts." – twistedlogic
Because it's not being broadcast
Hasn’t ESPN taught you anything? If it’s not on TV, it doesn’t exist.
Some people tell me UMd had a bad year at football this year. I disagree. Almost none of their games were on TV, therefore this season didn’t exist.
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
oh so true
In one game as a freshman at Miami, Wieters hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to put the Yellow Jackets ahead, then pitched the bottom of the ninth for the save. On that day, the God nickname was bestowed. - Sports Illustrated
by BaltimoreSportsFan on Mar 15, 2010 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions
BECAUSE I SAID SO
and because I don’t like jumping between two threads.
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
Top 3: A 3-RBI shot by Luuuke and three singles (RBI Florimon) make it 5-0 O's.
9 hits in three innings.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
wait...i though it was 4-1 before
wouldnt that make it 5-3?
by twistedlogic on Mar 15, 2010 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions
that was a mistake
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
Bergy's done
3 IP, 41 pitches, 5 hits, 2 runs
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
oh my bad
2.2 IP
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
I've seen worse
Considering the injury he’s coming off of, I’d say he’s doing fine.
"The moment you stop thinking you're the best, it's time for you to get out the game." -'King' Mo Lawal
I've also seen worse
cough*Kevin Millwood
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
27 of those 41 were strikes.
Much better than his last outing, from what I recall.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
Claw got the last out in the 3ed on one pitch
Now Tillman is in for the 4th.
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
Tillman's through 2 scoreless.
Got into a two-on, no-out jam in the fifth, but got out of it. Lots of flyouts, though.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
Top 6: Against Okajima, looks like Florimon tripled and Turner drove him in with a single. 6-2 O's.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
but scoreless so far
it aint pretty, but it gets the job done
by twistedlogic on Mar 15, 2010 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions
Roch's saying he gave up a two-run homer in the sixth. Boxscore's being slow.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
Tillman's done.
2.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 1 HR. Not pretty.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
O's win 8-4
Two in a row!
This just in: adorableness on the rise, family copes with child getting schooled. Film at 11. -daveh873
Phillies Nation
had a post discussing just how good Jimmy Rollins is, but they don’t give Cal nearly enough credit. The author says he’d take J-Roll over Cal, and seems even less enthused about Ripken in some of the comments. I felt obligated to respond, especially regarding Cal’s defense, so I did some research. I thought what I found might be of interest, so I’m copying it below.
I don’t comment here much, but I have to say I think you’re underrating Cal a whole lot.
His bat doesn’t look that great compared to, say, Jeter, but you have to remember that the first half of his career was played in the much more pitcher-friendly years of the ’80s. And he still is a better hitter than Rollins by any measure. Stolen bases are the only category in which Rollins beats Ripken. If nothing else, compare their career OPS+: 112 vs. 97. So Ripken was an above-average hitter for his career, including his waning years, while Rollins has been a slightly below-average hitter and hasn’t started declining yet (we hope).
And Cal’s defense was sorely underrated. For example:
Fielding Runs Above Average (TotalZone) per 1,250 innings at SS:
Mark Belanger: 18.6
Ozzie Smith: 13.1
Cal Ripken, Jr.: 10.4
Omar Vizquel: 7.1
Jimmy Rollins: 4.2
Alex Rodriguez: 2.0
Miguel Tejada: -4.5
Derek Jeter: -7.7
(taken from Baseball-Reference)
Heck, you can even look at Range Factor. Cal got to more balls than Jimmy does: 4.73 per 9 innings, compared to Jimmy’s 4.26.
I think J-Roll is fantastic, and none of this is intended as a slight against him. But I feel the need to point out just how great Ripken was, especially since he played on a declining Baltimore club for most of his career, and his skill was largely overshadowed by the streak.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
by Vuff on Mar 15, 2010 7:05 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Hell yea!
It’s wierd to say, but Cal doesn’t get enough credit for how good he was. Alot of people look at the streak and think that’s how he made his name. Looking at his stats without any perspective can be a bit misleading as well. He played a large part of his career in the pre-juicing (we think) era. The guy was a beast, especially at SS. J-Roll is great, but i’d still take Cal over him any day of the week.
Frontloaded career
Part of the issue might be that a couple of Cal’s very best seasons were near the beginning of his career so 1) people might not remember them as much, and give too much weight to the mediocre to bad ones in the late ’90s and early 2000s; and 2) even his very good seasons in between might seem a little disappointing given the high standards set by 1983 and 1984.
And, of course, the offensive context issue that you mention is key. I think you did a good job setting the record straight without being obnoxious.
by Joltin Joe Orsulak on Mar 15, 2010 7:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah, there's definitely something to this.
After his ridiculous 1991 (162 OPS+ !), he was a pretty average bat, except for his injury-shortened 1999. So it would be easy to miss or forget everything from ‘84 to ’90, when he was a solidly above-average bat — okay, a couple of average seasons in there — accompanied by excellent defense at a premium position. I can’t tell whether (a) the streak has just made people forget how good he was for his first ten years, or (b) after ‘83, the Orioles just weren’t doing much, so people knew Cal was good, just not exactly how good.
Weaver's Fourth Law: Your most precious possessions on offense are your twenty-seven outs.
on a related note
If you compare Ripken and Jimmy, I’ll take Jimmy’s total offensive game over Ripken’s power. In the field, Cal would catch any ball he could get his hands on, and so can Jimmy. The difference is that Jimmy gets his hands on more balls.
I think it’s pretty obvious Garrett Atkins will have a better year than Mark Teixeira. You know, objectively speaking.
Librarians are hiding something
His bat doesn’t look that great compared to, say, Jeter, but you have to remember that the first half of his career was played in the much more pitcher-friendly years of the ’80s. And he still is a better hitter than Rollins by any measure.
Also, OPS+ accounts for historical context. Cal was a much better hitter than J-Roll.
Bruce Springsteen rules.
That they are
I mean, there isn’t even an argument to be had. Even if you don’t adjust for when they played, Ripken’s numbers are still better virtually across the board (including runs). I think I would just link to baseball reference and be done with it. There is no argument to be had unless you want to be preaching intangibles or some unprovable BS (and i’m pretty sure Cal would win on that too, unless you give points for cockiness).
if you start talking about intangibles
then derek jeter CRUSHES. its not even CLOSE.
by twistedlogic on Mar 15, 2010 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Well...
He crushes intangibly. If you get crushed by something intangible, does it really crush you?
if a tree falls in the forest
does anybody hear it?
by twistedlogic on Mar 16, 2010 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions
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