Tuesday Bird Droppings
by duck on May 11, 2010 7:10 AM EDT
in Open Threads
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PrintA Look at the AL Rookie Race | FanGraphs Baseball
The guys and gals at FanGraphs still have faith that Brian Matusz will end up as AL Rookie of the Year. -duck
The Mariners Prove Two Points
Neal at The Loss Column talks about the Mariners firing their hitting coach and wonders if the same might work for the Orioles. -Stacey
10 guys who could wind up on trade block - FOX Sports on MSN
Ken Rosenthal identifies possible trade pieces at the deadline including our very own mentor, Kevin Millwood. -Stacey
The Problem with Bell
Weaver's Tantrum takes a look at Josh Bell's recent surge in AAA and what might be holding him back. -Stacey
Beneath the Surface: Frederick Keys Update
Camden Depot talks up the Keys and specifically the good year so far from LJ Hoes. -Stacey
Hard throwing Cooney off to great start at Frederick
Steve Melewski profiles 24 year old closer Brandon Cooney. -Stacey
Commetary: For Griffey, Mariners, end is near
Not Orioles related, but it just makes me sad. Watching Ken Griffey, Jr. last year made me sad and I was bummed when he came back. -Stacey
Report: Ken Griffey Jr. to retire or be released sometime this month - HardballTalk
Seems The Kid was nowhere to be found on the bench during the late innings of a game last week. That's because he apparently was sleeping in the clubhouse, according to two players. Hey, when you're 40, you need your naps! -duck
Pretty in pink...but
Matt Wieters wanted to wear a special chest protector to honor his mother on Sunday but the MLB told him no. Boo MLB. -Stacey
O's power trip leads to Eutaw St. - baltimoresun.com
Lefty hitters—for the Orioles and opposing teams alike—love it when their dingers clear the flag court and land on Eutaw. -zk
AL East a learning curve for young O's arms | orioles.com: News
If our rookie hurlers can make it in the AL East, they can make it anywhere. Wait. Is there a song about that? -zk
Orioles Insider: Orioles observations and opinions
Jeff Zrebiec likes Corey Patterson, but even he thinks we need to check ourselves on the "C-Pat will spark the offense!" talk. -duck
Orioles Insider: Corey Patterson's waiting, not wishing
"I’m hoping to keep with my approach and keep working hard and, for me, that’s all you can do. I won’t believe anything until it happens." Plan it happening somewhere around 1 p.m. today, Corey. -duck
The Schmuck Stops Here: Orioles: Smokin' aces
The good news? Seattle is struggling. The bad news? We get not only Felix Hernandez, but Cliff Lee as well. -duck
John Smoltz falls short in bid to qualify for U.S. Open - HardballTalk
So even future Hall of Famers get the yips, too. -duck
Opera Vivente gives "The Magic Flute" by Mozart a Baltimore makeover - baltimoresun.com
"Typically, when the character of Papageno the bird-catcher makes his entrance in Mozart's beloved opera "The Magic Flute," he's carrying a cage and sporting a few feathers himself. When he appears in Opera Vivente's new production of the work, Papageno's most avian feature will be the word on his shirt — "Orioles." And don't be surprised if he's hoisting a Natty Boh. This isn't your father's "Magic Flute," hon." -zk
IN THE MINORS: Norfolk lost 4-3 as Corey Patterson went 2-for-3 with a triple and Jake Arrieta went 7.0 IP with 2 earned runs (3 total) and 5 walk with 6 Ks (EDIT: Apparently, I can't read a box score before 7 a.m.), Bowie lost 5-4 as no Baysox player got more than 1 hit while Steve Johnson went 6.0 IP and didn't allow a run with 6 Ks and 4 walks, Frederick won 7-2 with Xavier Avery going 2-for-5 and Kyle Hudson going 3-for-4 and Billy Rowell had 3 RBI, and Delmarva lost 4-3 with Steve Bumbry going 2-for-3. -duck
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Are there people who think that Corey Patterson will spark the offense? Who are these people? SHOW YOURSELVES!
not sure its a "spark"
but a trade between CP and Lou would be the way I look at it. I just dont feel like dealing with his crap any more. And I don’t look at it as him coming in to start. Just an upgrade on the bench. At the end of the day I’m not sure any of it will make a difference. The only spark will come from the current 25 man roster.
Deal with it?
"Real Orioles don't pout. Real Orioles don't gloat. Real Orioles just win."
by NewYorkOriole on May 11, 2010 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions
heh heh
"Real Orioles don't pout. Real Orioles don't gloat. Real Orioles just win."
by NewYorkOriole on May 11, 2010 11:23 AM EDT up reply actions
More like Corey can swing
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
by Reddrummer9187 on May 11, 2010 11:28 AM EDT up reply actions
Not me
I don’t think Patterson will spark this offense. However, the bar for leadoff on this team is so low, he might do better. Sad to take “Better than horrible”, but that seems like where this team is, especially at leadoff
John S West Jr
by Adam double bubble on May 11, 2010 7:27 AM EDT reply actions
I thought they always were
It’s all they’ve ever had at Yankee stadium, dating back to at least the early 90’s when I went for the 1st time. I always hated Utz for just that reason. Hell, they even had a huge billboard in Yankee stadium. It apparently went up in ’96.
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
I know that as well
and apparently they started near Baltimore. I always knew them as the Yankees chips growing up though. Their pretzel rods are awesome though.
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
According to Wikipedia
Snyder’s of Hanover tried to buy Utz, but the FTC denied the acquisition. Would have been a chip and pretzel POWERHOUSE. Snyder’s Nibblers are awesome. Utz makes good Salt and Vinegar chips.
Don't you work in Baltimore?
Is this dude easily angered and constantly irritable? I would be if I had that commute.
I actually work south of Baltimore
A fair number of people that I work with live over the PA line because it’s so much cheaper up there.
i think it was more mid-90s when they were introduced
i moved to nyc in ’88 and utz did not exist up there then, and for quite a few years after.
then all of a sudden they descended on gotham one year in an all out ad blitz which included a ton of signage at MFY stadium.
i had serious cognitive dissonance. on the one hand, i was all, “YAY! I CAN HAZ SOUR CREEM CHIPZ AGAIN?”, and on the other, I was like, "fuck you yankees. these chips are baltimore pride, and you don’t get to co-opt them. "
"I doubt he could reach [second base]...mostly cuz his fucking arm was in Aybar's nuts." – twistedlogic
So YOU are the one!
You were the first lolcat! You’re famous!
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
Utz Sour Cream and Onion chips and the Old Bay crab chips are orgasmic.
I can forgive them their poor choice in advertising venues
Make the world a better place; punch a Yankee fan in the face!
by PBR me ASAP! on May 11, 2010 9:07 AM EDT up reply actions
Utz is actually the official snack food of Chase Utley.
"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
I bought that shirt for my best friend
only in light blue. CC shirts are awesome, but if you wanna see some killer blog tees, check out thefightins.com’s store. They have some damn cool stuff for phillies fans.
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
Unfortunately, they don't seem to have this one anymore.
But yeah, their store is pretty awesome. “Use Stairs in case of emergency” was pretty classic.
"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
Yea, I was trying to find it to link in here as well
That was by far the coolest shirt. I’m glad I got it for him when I did.
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
Time for Tillman?
My initial thought would be Albers out – Hernandez to the bullpen – and Tillman up. But tonight we see DH against a struggling Seattle offense but opposing Cliff Lee. If he tanks, I see no reason why this move should not be made. But a loss doesn’t necessarily mean he’s out of the rotation. How many more starts do you see DH making based on the way he is pitching now? Are we convinced CT has solved any issues he had during the spring to lose his job in the first place?
His 1st 3 starts were good, not great, but he was done in by almost zero run support. The 2 starts vs. Boston were a bit of a regression, 4 K’s : 8 BB’s. Then he got crushed by the MFY. He needs to find his control. Walk fewer, strike out more. That being said, I’d give him 2 more starts. If he can’t find success against Seattle and Cleveland’s anemic offenses then it’s time to bring Tillman up.
Make the world a better place; punch a Yankee fan in the face!
by PBR me ASAP! on May 11, 2010 9:13 AM EDT up reply actions
I can see that
I just never thought that DH was a long term solution in the rotation; just filler until Tillman was ready. I like the transition Berken has made, and I hate to lump the two together, but I think DH can be just as successful. Plus I see it as an opportunity to get Albers out of the pen.
i'd rather have DH then Guts
call me crazy, but I think Guts could be used as trade bait by the time Tillman’s ready.
What up?
by snakethejake on May 11, 2010 11:44 AM EDT up reply actions
guts is better than DH.
but that is saying my poo stinks less than your poo. tillman will be in the rotation before guts is taken out.
Why does nobody think DH can be a decent long-term starter?
He throws 95 with decent movement and not horrible off-speed pitches. Walks seem to be his big problem, so if he can get some control I don’t see why he can’t be a perfectly serviceable #4/#5.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
Eh
this year he’s really been fine other than the walks. And I take last year with a grain of salt – lots of pitchers do really bad their first year in the bigs.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
if DH is "fine" minus some walks
than Guts is “Super”. I still think he is a good pitcher – thus the reason I want him in the pen. I just think there are better options behind him for the rotation.
well sure - Guts is definitely a MUCH better pitcher right now
but he’s 31 and DH is 25. I don’t care much about right now since we suck.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
sure
that’s why they’ll be #2 and #3 (behind Matusz).
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
certainly the way it looks now
I just think it’s possible, based on stuff and makeup, that DH is just as likely, if not more likely, to stick long term as Bergy is.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
I know you're not high on Bergy.
Do you think it would be accurate to say that while Hernandez has a higher ceiling, Bergy has a higher floor? I’m bearish on Hernandez due to his control issues, but that seems to be his main obstacle, while Bergesen would have to be Greg Maddux command-wise to have a higher ceiling than #5 (maybe, maaaybe #4) starter. At the same time, though, Hernandez’s control issues could make him completely ineffective even as a bullpen guy, while I’m pretty sure that worst-case, Bergy would be a good long reliever.
"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
That’s an interesting way to think about it and probably true. At first I thought you know that’s probably pretty accurate, but then again if Bergy’s worst is what we saw in his first few starts of this season I’m not sure his floor is any higher than DH’s…
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
Yeah, that's true.
I’m fairly sure that those starts were an aberration, but I can’t exactly assume that.
"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
I don't know...
I have been able to see 3E1N pitch a few times and can say, personally, he scares the living hell out of me every time he pitches.
It’s been mentioned before, but his K/9 numbers aren’t impressive, and for a guy that lacks the “stuff” of a DH (meaning a FB consistently above 90 mph), if he can’t keep his sinker/2-seamer down, he’s very hittable.
I was present at his last start before being sent down and his first start back, and I didn’t see a tremendous difference, other than the fact that the Rays put guys on base before they hit their home runs.
by TerroristFistJab on May 11, 2010 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions
I know what you mean,
but early-2010 Bergy and 2009 Bergy looked like two completely different pitchers to me. And his sinker wasn’t sinking at all until his last start with the Twins, which means he was basically throwing a straight 89 mph fastball accompanied by overuse of a league-average(?) slider. That last start versus the Twins was the first time he actually looked like the guy I loved watching last year.
"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
yeah
i loved knowing when bergy pitched it should be a win. he will get there. he is not fantasy flashy but he works quick and gets the job done. He pitches with a rhythm and just got flustered early on. I think with his confidence back he can adjust better to hitters trying to break that.
Very true..
And he’s so young that it’s irresponsible to just give up on him.
I was pretty shocked when they sent him down, I thought they’d give him the opportunity to pitch his way out of it up here, but maybe it was for the best.
by TerroristFistJab on May 11, 2010 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Do you think it would be accurate to say that while Hernandez has a higher ceiling, Bergy has a higher floor?
One guy walks too many batters, Bergy puts too many balls in play. I guess Bergy’s floor is higher assuming you have a good defense behind him.
I came to camdenchat and all I got was this lousy avatar.
He could be,
but it seems like he’d need a pretty major improvement in control/command.
"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
definitely
I guess he could be one of those guys who just never gets it…
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
I've always DH could be serviceable
He has decent stuff with some good movement. I recall Dennis Eckersley saying last year that this kid could be OK if he develops the confidence to throw strikes. I dunno if it is confidence or just plain control issues (wow – an Orioles pitcher with control problems), but it hasn’t happened. DH in the bullpen will be yet another guy that walks the first batter. I still keep waiting and now thinking I’ll be waiting months from now when he’ll be frustrating coming from the BP after Tillman is up.
That's a good point.
We have enough mop up guys in the bullpen with Hendo and Berken – does anybody really want another one and one who can’t throw strikes consistently?
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
but they do
in tillman. that was what I started out with. if DH gets lit up by Seattle and then cleveland than he is no good and he needs to go. I have seen enough. if tillman is lights out and DH does alright than bullpen for DH and bring up tillman.
I guess
I’d like to see him get a few more starts at AAA.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
i do too
he is up against buffalo later this week. they seem to be a decent team, so we can see how he fares.
but yeah I’d love for him to come up and take DH’s place. Maybe AAA would actually be better for DH than the BP. He really needs to figure out his control and I don’t see irregular pitching from the BP helping with that very much. Best case scenario in my mind is he goes down to AAA and learns how to throw strikes and dominates and then is ready to take somebody’s spot if there’s an injury or a trade (along with Arrieta of course).
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
i think that has been a debate as well
if the pitcher is on the verge – do you use the pen or AAA. I think he is good enough to go to the pen (becasue the would involve albers leaving – addition by subtraction). maybe he does well – maybe he comes out and walks the first 3? who knows.
Well I think it depends on the type of pitcher – I really don’t think going to the bullpen to figure out command issues makes much sense. If you’re problem is going through the lineup more than once or you’ve only got two usable pitches it’s fine while you work on your 3rd on the side. But if you’re having trouble throwing strikes I don’t see how going to the pen and pitching on a much more irregular schedule is going to help anything.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
True...
Although I honestly expect the wheels to come off the 3E1N express before Tillman gets called up, so the point may be moot. I think DH has proved himself worthy of being given a Berken and left in the rotation so long as he doesn’t completely turtle up.
Another thing about the Bergesen v Hernandez debate (as I think the suckier of the two will be sent to the pen for Tillman), Brad has come down with a super-bug strain of gopheritis, much worse than Guts from last year.
Guthrie HR/9 2009: 1.58
Hernandez HR/9 2010: 1.15
Bergesen HR/9 2010: 2.45
Amazingly, when Guthrie was on his way to giving up 35 home runs last year, his HR/FB% was around 11%. 3E1N this year is trucking at 15%. Small samples being what they are, Brad’s not missing bats at all (his K/9 is down from 4.7 to 2.9) and I think he may be of greater long-term value in the pen.
by TerroristFistJab on May 11, 2010 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions
easy there
id give bergy a few more starts before pulling those numbers out. yeah he sucked it up the first 3 games but you cannot ignore last year.
Oh I know...
It’s just that I thought it was interesting to compare the YTD info against Guthrie’s forgettable 2009.
Problem is, for a pitcher like Brad to succeed, he just simply cannot give up a high % of FB’s, which has been his problem so far this year as compared to last.
His limitations as a pitcher are pretty obvious, but that does not mean at all that he can’t be successful in a back of the rotation role or even out of the bullpen.
by TerroristFistJab on May 11, 2010 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions
like i said above
he went up against some good hitters that know how to get pitchers out of a rhythm. He just fell victim. he’s a young kid and will learn to adjust.
ehhh
I definitely don’t think that’s the case. His stuff just wasn’t good. It was slow, flat, and poorly located. I don’t think it had much to do with the hitters he was facing at all.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
Oh I don't hate him..
I just think we should have lowered expectations. His 3 something FIP last year was probably the best you’ll see out of him. He’s beaten some good teams, but gotten smacked around by bad teams. In other words, he’s in his first full season after an injury and we should be patient.
by TerroristFistJab on May 11, 2010 2:51 PM EDT up reply actions
His 3 something FIP last year was probably the best you’ll see out of him.
his FIP (4.10) and xFIP (4.42) were above 4 last year.
I came to camdenchat and all I got was this lousy avatar.
Yeah
I realized I looked at his ERA rather than his FIP. I think that makes the case even stronger that 3E1N may never replicate last year.
by TerroristFistJab on May 12, 2010 2:36 AM EDT up reply actions
I didn’t say I hated him – I just don’t think him sucking this year had anything to do with other teams “throwing him off his rhythm.” His pitches were just bad.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
my point is
he knows how to pitch. we saw it last year. I saw how DH pitched last year and so far this year. RIGHT NOW, Bergy belongs in the rotation and DH does not. But as of now – i would rather buy a ticket to a game bergy is pitching over a game DH is pitching.
I don't know.
That’s starting to sound more like a personal preference of who you like to watch pitch rather than an assessment of who is a more effective pitcher. Because really Bergy (ERA+ of 58) has been HORRIBLE this season, so if we’re talking “right now” I don’t think he belongs anywhere. One could easily argue that DH (ERA+ of 74) doesn’t belong either, but to say that Bergy does and DH doesn’t wouldn’t make much sense to me. Last year is starting to be a pretty long time ago…
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
bergy has improved this year?
have we been watching the same games?
by twistedlogic on May 11, 2010 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions
sorry - based on starts this year
since his first start of this year he has shown improvement over the previous start. DH has not – in fact he has got worse.
Not really
Bergesen got progressively worse over his first 3 starts (fewer innings, more BBs, more runs, etc). His 4th start was just slightly better than the previous 3, and then his last start was good. I don’t really think that shows a pattern of improvement.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
his fourth start was better than his third
by definition, that is improvement….
by twistedlogic on May 11, 2010 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions
So...
by that logic – Luke hit a HR the other night. Does that mean that he’s much improved since it was better than his previous AB?
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
if you're going AB to AB
philly o’s was only talking about starts this year.
by twistedlogic on May 11, 2010 4:01 PM EDT up reply actions
well yeah
but what’s the difference between comparing one start to one start and one AB to one AB?
My point was that one good start doesn’t show improvement.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
if you're comparing it to one other start it does
why you’d ever do that, i have no idea, but thats what it means
by twistedlogic on May 11, 2010 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions
We definitely disagree there. I don’t think one good start is evidence of any trend at all. Same as I don’t think that one good AB, or string of 4-5 ABs (that guys like Luke, Lugo, AJ, Atkins have had at certain points before returning to total suck) is evidence of anything.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
but you cannot ignore what he did last year
so I am assuming he has not forgot how to pitch thus he will continue to improve. DH has never showed me the success that bergy had last year. so I am skeptical of DH doing well as (i am assuming) you are skeptical that bergy will go back to his 09 form.
Sure - he was great last year.
But I’m talking purely about this year – DH has been much better and I don’t think either of them has shown any significant trend one way or another yet.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
but that's what trend is
you have to account for the past and you have to make assumptions. that is why i said we disagree.
Again
with the “hate on him” line. I don’t know where that’s coming from. I’m talking strictly about his performance and comparing it to DH.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
Thinking someone is at best a 4th pitcher
isn’t exactly “hating” on him. O’sFan21 has a point here.
"Oh, and Joe? If Brian hits any of your delicate millionaires, know that he meant it." - Stacey
forget the "hate" part
im not saying bergy is the best pitcher alive. i am saying that in my opinion – bergy is better the DH. that is all.
I don’t really think one start counts as improvement. Nor does one start count as getting worse. DH’s two previous starts were 5.1 innings and 2 ERs against Boston and 5 innings and 3 ERs against Boston. I’ll take that from my number 5 starter ever single time out against the 3rd best offensive team in the AL.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
I don't know if anyone saw it...
but they showed the Wieters chest plate, and it was actually pretty awesome.
What up?
Jerry Reuss has a Flickr acount, he has a lot of old pictures up from 1988.
Some nice shots of Memorial Stadium, and also a good one of all of the Orioles’ batting helmets.
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
Arrieta actually had 5 walks. (so he is still doing it like that)
His Line:
7 ip, 4 h, 2 er, 5 w, 6 so, 1 hbp
I swear I need an editor
Like the 7.9 IP? :)
"Oh, and Joe? If Brian hits any of your delicate millionaires, know that he meant it." - Stacey
So...
Opposing pitcher is a lefty ace? Check.
Our pitcher has been struggling? Check.
Our offense is pretty terrible right now? Check.
This game is gonna suck. But at least their offense is pretty awful, too.
"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
That's impressive.
"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
The real question for this game is
What inning will Griffey fall asleep in? I’m thinking the second.
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
by Reddrummer9187 on May 11, 2010 10:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Beat me to it...
I think I read somewhere (Deadspin, Yahoo?) that there was actual rumblings coming out of Seattle that Griffey was going to be sent packing or asked to retire at the end of the month.
I can sorta understand how you can fall asleep in the clubhouse, particularly if you aren’t playing that night. I don’t understand how Keith Hernandez passed out in the booth without some sleep aid in the form of a fifth of Jameson.
by TerroristFistJab on May 11, 2010 10:30 AM EDT up reply actions
I swear, does anyone even read the links?
"Oh, and Joe? If Brian hits any of your delicate millionaires, know that he meant it." - Stacey
Usually
the links are blocked by my company’s IT filters. It’s going to be a sad day when SBN gets marked for death.
by TerroristFistJab on May 11, 2010 10:51 AM EDT up reply actions
but you get a tshirt if you go to the game!
by twistedlogic on May 11, 2010 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh snap that's tonight!
Enjoy the game, Stacey! Bring me back something nice!
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
yeah, fuck you very much, daveh ;)
"I doubt he could reach [second base]...mostly cuz his fucking arm was in Aybar's nuts." – twistedlogic
Hey!
Personal attack! Personal attack!
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
preexisting rapport!
"I doubt he could reach [second base]...mostly cuz his fucking arm was in Aybar's nuts." – twistedlogic
1B option
This may sound crazy, but hear me out…
I’m pretty sure Victor Martinez is going to be a free agent after this season. The Red Sox probably won’t let him go, but he may test the market. He’s 31 now, but does anyone think it’d be worth a shot to go after him as a 1B? I like him more than Pena mainly because he can play catcher (not very well, but he’s a catcher none the less). If we signed him as the every day 1B he could also basically be the backup C. We could carry an extra guy like Hughes on the bench instead of Tatum. If Wieters needs a day off, you move V-Mart to C and put in Hughes (or whoever) at 1st. This could also be done mid-game in case of injury without negative effect (unlike if you were to DH Wieters and start Tatum, where moving Wieters to C would make you lose the DH). He’d add offense on a daily basis and an average backup 1B is much more likely to produce some hits than a normal backup C.
Anyway, just a thought. Any comments?
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
Well, it would happen this offseason
meaning we could see what Snyder does the rest of this year before making a decision. I personally don’t see Snyder being great. I think he’ll make it to the bigs and he’ll get some playing time. I just never see him being a real quality answer at 1B.
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
yeah - i hear ya
especially after his start so far. I just don’t want another 1 year deal at 1B. If snyder doesn’t pan out than they REALLY need to find a long term solution. I would assume that would be via trade.
I could dig it
I would prefer to waiting another year for a FA. Prince Fielder and Adrian Gonzalez are two obvious names, Kelly Johnson, Dan Uggla or Rickie Weeks could be attractive names or if he goes back to pre-injury form Conor Jackson could be an intersting idea. Roberts will be 34 that year and help up the middle could be needed, or a high OBP guy at least. If the price on V-mart is reasonable it could be worth it though.
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
by Reddrummer9187 on May 11, 2010 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions
Cost
I figure his price will be high, but I figure the price tag on guys like Fielder and Gonzalez the following year will be astronomical. Again, I doubt it will happen, but it’s just a thought I had. Thought it was an interesting alternative to praying for Fielder/Gonzalez/Pujols or for Snyder to actually be a big league bat.
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
We could obviously benefit from a huge hitter
Replace our lack of 1B production with Gonzalez and suddenly our offense looks way different. Although they would probably want to see that the pitchers are turning out before that happens. Its a long ways away, and who knows, maybe we end up with Rendon and then we stick out Snyder or somebody else for a few years until he’s ready. Something does need to change at 1B though and i’m also a skeptic on Snyder.
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
by Reddrummer9187 on May 11, 2010 11:09 AM EDT up reply actions
V-Mart will likely be cheaper than the Big 3 at 1B
and he could, could I say, put up a reasonable facsimile of their numbers.
"Oh, and Joe? If Brian hits any of your delicate millionaires, know that he meant it." - Stacey
We've got the money, no?
Let Petey worry about the cost.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
Sure
but taking a guy like VMart at a (maybe) cheaper price than the 3 !B’s out there the following year might allow for another decent sized free agent signing. Also, signing VMart means we arent stuck hoping we can land one of the big three (or whichever ones actually make it to free agency).
Again, I don’t think it will happen, and I don’t even know if it’s the best case scenario, but it’s another way to go.
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
Yeah
it’s not a horrible idea. I’d like to see if VMart can continue hitting well throughout this season – I am sort of expecting him to slow down (not for any real logical reason – just seems likely to me).
If we sign Adam Dunn to DH, VMart might become even more attractive because Dunn’s power at DH would make up for the gap between the big 3 and VMart.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
I dunno about VMart slowing down
he just heated up after a slow start. He has a line of 250/308/375 (thats a .683 OPS). His career line is 297/369/462 (.832). I’d imagine he’ll come close to those numbers, but maybe a bit under (he hasn’t played a single game at 1st this year. Catching so much might bring him down a little).
Signing Dunn and VMart would be amazing. Even if AJ never hits like we thought he would, that would still be one killer lineup:
B-Rob (S)
Nick (L)
Wieters (S)
Dunn (L)
VMart (S)
AJ®
Reimold/Pie (R/L)
Bell (S)
Izturis? (S)
Yes, that’s 5 switch hitters (4 if Bell gives it up)
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
And Bell definitely needs to give up switch hitting
"Oh, and Joe? If Brian hits any of your delicate millionaires, know that he meant it." - Stacey
I would imagine that
At his age he is going to want to lock on long term and probably want way more money than AM is willing to offer. That being said, I wouldn’t mind having him at first, but I don’t think it will happen.
Insert something witty here.
by Knubles and Bits on May 11, 2010 10:56 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Fuck Martinez!
He’s already breaking down. And he’s likely to decline fast given the aging curves for catchers. There’s a reason why the RS didn’t even approach him about an extension.
I came to camdenchat and all I got was this lousy avatar.
This may be true
He has been splitting time between C and 1B for the past 4 years to keep him off his knees a bit though. Last year was the first time he really played significant time at 1st (he played 70 games there last year, only 22, 30, and 10 in 2006-2008)
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
I don't think he'll enough for a 1B
He’ll be an average 1B given a normal decline. That’s fine. I just wouldn’t shell a lot of money for a him. 2 years at best.
I came to camdenchat and all I got was this lousy avatar.
Is that the new "Bird Droppings" picture from now on?
It seem’s quite familiar…
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
You try being creative at 6:45 AM on a day after no game :)
"Oh, and Joe? If Brian hits any of your delicate millionaires, know that he meant it." - Stacey
You are correct, sir!
"Oh, and Joe? If Brian hits any of your delicate millionaires, know that he meant it." - Stacey
what do you teach?
It’s the Ric Flair Theory of baseball – To be the man, you gotta beat the man. -duck
by Parkinglotninja on May 11, 2010 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions
The History of Napa Valley's White Zinfandels
I came to camdenchat and all I got was this lousy avatar.
and Ammo Recognition 101
"Oh, and Joe? If Brian hits any of your delicate millionaires, know that he meant it." - Stacey
How long will Bell have to go hitless against lefties
before the organization forces him to give up switch hitting??
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
This whole thing confuses me.
Was he ever any good at batting from the right side? Has he ever tried hitting lefties while batting lefty himself? It just seems like it’s this giant glaring flaw, and I’ve never really heard anything about how they’re trying to fix it. And what little we have heard was the one Bowie coach (I think) saying that Bell really didn’t want to work on hitting from the right side, which was less than encouraging to hear.
I figure they have all year to work with him, whichever way they decide to go, but they should probably make up their minds soon. If they decide that he should always bat from the left side, he needs to have ample time to get used to it, I’d imagine.
Is there any real reason for him to stick with the switch-hitting? I just wonder why he’s stuck with it for so long when, by all accounts, he just doesn’t look good batting from the right side.
"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
I can’t find any career minor league splits for him online which is kind of annoying, but I gather that he’s always sucked as a right handed hitter.
My guess for the reason that he’s probably stuck with it is that he’s just really uncomfortable batting lefty against lefties. I was a left handed hitter and absolutely hated batting against lefty pitchers, so I can sort of feel his pain there, but at some point enough is enough when it’s your career.
Yeah I would hope that they’ve given him x number of PAs to figure it out or stop switch hitting, but who knows.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
Here:
http://www.minorleaguesplits.com/cgi-bin/pl.cgi?pl=458679
And I think that being 0 for 13 against lefties is… wait for it… an awfully small sample.
To be understood is to be a prostitute. ~ Fernando Pessoa
Hm...
If you look at it year-by-year, I guess I can see why they might be trying to stick with switch-hitting; he had a few years where he was decent against lefties and good against righties, rather than the really extreme split we’ve seen lately.
"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
yeah 08 was solid/good
09 and now 10 have been rough…
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
This is probably a make or break year for that
Let him figure it out before he faces ML pitching.
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
by Reddrummer9187 on May 11, 2010 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions
So
It’s beginning to look like no baseball in Baltimore tonight. This storm seems to be moving pretty fast, but I’m no meteorologist.
Insert something witty here.
by Knubles and Bits on May 11, 2010 1:04 PM EDT reply actions
you have more credibility on the subject of weather prediction
since you are not a meteorologist.
Ha
As I was typing that I was thinking to myself, “not like a meteorologist would know either.”
Insert something witty here.
by Knubles and Bits on May 11, 2010 2:09 PM EDT up reply actions
I have tickets to tomorrow's game.
They say thunderstorms. I would love for a nice day-night doubleheader.
Think I’ll get my wish?
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 May 11, 2010 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions
The forcast =
SCATTERED thunderstorms.
This is probably a good thing.
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 May 11, 2010 2:24 PM EDT up reply actions
The rain is here to stay.
It won’t let up all of today
The Orioles maybe won’t play
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 May 11, 2010 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions
OT
does anybody know if university bookstores buy back solutions manuals and study packets that came packaged with the books?
you will waste more money trying to sell them back
then what you will get. online would be a better option.
well for the textbooks sure
but i want to know if they’ll take the solution manuals too. almost all of the ones i have are out of print anyways so you cant sell them online.
by twistedlogic on May 11, 2010 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions
use half.com
somebody taking a summer session will pick it up and you cut out the middle man.
I came to camdenchat and all I got was this lousy avatar.
i've got all of the books on half and amazon now
i was really hoping to dump those stupid solutions manuals and “study” packets too tho.
by twistedlogic on May 11, 2010 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions
Why the fuck would the Skins be interested in Westbrook?
don’t they already have 5-6 elderly running backs???
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
They're trying to make everyone in philly as miserable as possible
I know a few people who will literally cry at the sight of McNabb handing off to Westbrook in redskins jerseys.
i'm a skins fan
and i will cry at that sight as well
"I doubt he could reach [second base]...mostly cuz his fucking arm was in Aybar's nuts." – twistedlogic
Yeah I think the Philly fans might cry during pre-game lineup announcements
We, as skins fans, will cry during the actual game.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
The way I look at it...
Danny has finally reached the third stage of a Syphillis infection and is so nuts that he just has to field a line up consisting only of All-Pros from 2004 – 2007.
by TerroristFistJab on May 11, 2010 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions
how many effective 31 year old running backs are there in the league?
pass
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
Not really.
Portis is going into his age 29 season and is no longer effective. Johnson is entering his age 31 season and hasn’t been effective in 4-5 years.
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
And if your point
was that there are guys on their roster who USED to be effective, what does that have to do with my question about effective 31 year old RBs?
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
depends on much money he wants and how much of a role player he's willing to be
Westbrook could be a good addition to a lot of teams assuming the expectations are managed correctly.
The Skins figure the Eagles regularly made the playoffs in the recent past
and the Eagles best offense weapons during most of that period were McNabb and Westbrook. The Redskins are almost guaranteed to maker the playoffs now!
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
Interesting
http://interactiondesign.sva.edu/images/projects/Die-Hard-Index_big.png
Rub some $100 bills on it, you sell-out. -duck
Seems like a very poor way of doing this
Ignoring the fan costs part of the equation; they are simply multiplying the home winning % by the percentage of the stadium sold out. The difference between great teams and poor team’s winning percentages is only about 20%, so going from a 400 to a 600 record would be a 50% improvement. I would guess that a teams performance year over year has a lot more of an effect than 50%.
I mean, if Baltimroe was coming off their 12th consectuive winning season, I would expect attendance to be a lot higher than 50% more than it is today.
"Hey Yankees... you can take your apology and your trophy and shove 'em straight up your ass!" --Tanner Boyle
by BirdFanInPhilly on May 11, 2010 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions
So are we gonna get this one in tonihgt?
And more importantly, did Stacey head out to the game and collect my winnings?
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
i think the better question is
who is going to collect MY winnings?
by twistedlogic on May 11, 2010 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions
So someone is going to be collecting your life?
Are you drunk?
"You accept mediocrity and you get mediocrity." - Adam Jones, Son!
Game should go off fine.
It’s stopped raining out to the west and I’m not sure any more is coming in. Hasn’t been heavy rain since 3 o’clock or so – and they can certainly still have OPACY drain in light rain.
Gonna be cold there tonight. Hope everybody there’s dressing warm!
I'm ready for a straight jacket. - Joe Angel, 4/17/10 (O's record: 1-11)
by Eat More Esskay on May 11, 2010 6:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Is it going to rain every T-Shirt Tuesday?
That’d be pretty odd if does. 2 rainy Tuesdays down, 4 to go.
Everyone thought Baltimore was three easy wins and we got our ass kicked three times. - Dustin Pedoria, After the Red Sox got swept by the Orioles.
by BaltimoreSportsFan on May 11, 2010 6:37 PM EDT up reply actions
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