Thursday Bird Droppings
by duck on Jul 15, 2010 8:28 AM EDT
in Open Threads
Email
PrintAll-Star game gets worst television ratings of all times - HardballTalk
Fewer than one out of every 13 American homes with televisions tuned into the All-Star Game. Apparently, that means 12 out of 13 American homes were watching "The Deadliest Catch" along with me on Tuesday. I'm gonna miss Capt. Phil.*
All-Star Break Orioles News and Notes | Baltimore Sports Report
BSR gives their take on the state of the team and what's to come.
O's looking to turn the page and the corner | orioles.com
The Orioles look to improve on their dismal first half. Who would have guessed?
Orioles Insider: Explaining the Orioles' midseason grades
Jeff Zrebiec explains his report card.
2010 Orioles looking to avoid matching futility of 1988 Orioles - baltimoresun.com
They may have won four in Texas, but they're still on pace to lose more than the 1988 team.
The Tatum question - MASNsports.com
The Orioles are 10-9 when Craig Tatum starts at catcher. Read into that what you will.
Orioles 1st Half Rankings - 2131 & Beyond
These are, well, first half rankings of the O's. Dude wasn't lying in his headline.
Sources: Dodgers Request Outright Waivers on Reliever George Sherrill -- MLB FanHouse
"Struggling Dodgers reliever George Sherrill seems destined for the minors, as major-league sources confirmed to FanHouse..."
Jon Heyman makes a funny - NOT! - HardballTalk
"The WAR folks like Yunel apparently. I know this, Bobby Cox hated going to war with this guy.-- Jon Heyman, slamming sabermetrics and Yunel Escobar in one beautifully facepalm-inducing tweet." Wow, Jon Heyman is as stupid as we thought he was.
IN THE MINORS
Norfolk was off for its league's All-Star Game (yes, omitting the name was Intentional), Bowie was off as well, Frederick was postponed and will play a double-header today, Delmarva won 8-1 as the team had three home runs, as Kenny Moreland retired 17 of his last 19 hitters, Aberdeen lost as the IronBirds couldn't make it four wins in a row, falling to the Vermont Lake Monsters 6-1, Bluefield lost 8-3, and the GCL Orioles won 9-4.
PCL All-Stars vs. INT All-Stars - July 14, 2010
Jeff Salazar of the Norfolk Tides went 0-for-1 in his only plate appearance.
Promoting players - MASNsports.com
Andy MacPhail and John Stockstill explain their reasoning behind a player's promotion timetable.
Quick note...from now on, unless someone else's name follows a blurb, assume I clipped it. It's just easier that way. -duck
*Yes, I actually do know ratings represent the percentage of all households with televisions, and shares represent the percentage of all homes with TVs in use at the time. I do. Work with me, people.
109 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
The Vermont Lake Monsters?
Man I love me some minor league team names!
"This is the Nineties, Bubba, and there is no such thing as Paranoia. It's all true."~Hunter S. Thompson
Erie SeaWolves - personal favorite
shouldn’t it be Erie LakeWolves? I agree – also some of the MLB clubs from the early years are great too.
Yeah, like the Boston Beaneaters. That one has always stuck in my head.
"This is the Nineties, Bubba, and there is no such thing as Paranoia. It's all true."~Hunter S. Thompson
by PBR me ASAP! on Jul 15, 2010 9:15 AM EDT up reply actions
Macon Whoopie
BWHAAHHAHAHHAHAHAH!!!!!!
by Wieters Wieners on Jul 15, 2010 8:57 AM EDT up reply actions
Favorites
MudHens, Iron Pigs, Cyclones, Beavers
Fire Julio Lugo.
I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you... what else you need to know?
College team also
Richmond Spiders & UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs come to mind
"Farily tales start 'once upon a time'. Fishing stories start 'this ain't no bullshit'."
- Cap'n Phil Harris
The Orioles are 10-9 when Craig Tatum starts at catcher. Read into that what you will.
CUT WIETERS!
"[The] dictionary is the only place that success comes before work." - Vince Lombardi
by BaltimoreSportsFan on Jul 15, 2010 8:49 AM EDT reply actions
Challenge on Top Chef last night involving blue crabs
probably would have turned it off if the only guy to use Old Bay didn’t win
So, I got this yesterday...
"I'd like to do something. We all would here," he added. "As I've said before, you just don't want to do anything stupid that you're thinking in May, 'What in the God's green earth was I thinking about?'" - Andy MacPhail 12/8/09
that's awesome...
I’ve always wanted to get one..
What up?
by snakethejake on Jul 15, 2010 8:57 AM EDT up reply actions
my commitment, my conviction
lyrics from one of my old band’s songs
"I'd like to do something. We all would here," he added. "As I've said before, you just don't want to do anything stupid that you're thinking in May, 'What in the God's green earth was I thinking about?'" - Andy MacPhail 12/8/09
nice work.
Yours makes my O’s tat look kind of…..pedestrian. I have the late-‘90s era bird on my right shoulder. The orange has faded almost entirely, but when they get back to the playoffs I’ll have it touched up.
There's a love affair! Between you and the team! You're the reason we win (when we win) and you know what the magic MEEEEEEANS!!!
That's not fair
If I know my peep-holes around here, aren’t you Asian? I don’t know any Asians with pale legs, although maybes that’s just me lacking diversity in my life.
Bring back Andino.
by WestcoastO'sFan on Jul 15, 2010 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions
I also look shockingly young for my age
People routinely miscalculate my age by 10 years.
Don't mess with the bull, young man. You'll get the horns.
Oriole tattoos are the shit.
Me and my bro both got one last summer. I Wayward’s avatar, except it’s not waving. It’s just standing there. My brother got the current logo that debuted in 2009. It says “poo-tee-weet?” which I think is cool because of the Slaughterhouse Five reference and also, Weet could totally be a nickname for Wieters.
My brother’s tattoo was done at a $100 limit, and there are no feet. It’s kind of funny how bad that tattoo turned out,
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 Jul 15, 2010 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Thats pretty sweet....
Ive been wanting to do something like this…. just on a higher budget.
by Wieters Wieners on Jul 15, 2010 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions
I have my own Slaughterhouse Five ink on my shoulder
and I promised myself an Orioles tattoo if they ever go back to the World Series. They don’t even have to win it. I’m not greedy. Don’t know what I’d get, though…probably something in black and white. I’m not a big fan of the fading colors.
Fire Julio Lugo.
I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you... what else you need to know?
Is that a Malcolm X hat he's wearing?
"things like locig and prrofreading are actually valued here" - zknower
Hey, the Orioles haven't lost for 7 days straight, oh yeah!!
"[The] dictionary is the only place that success comes before work." - Vince Lombardi
by BaltimoreSportsFan on Jul 15, 2010 9:03 AM EDT reply actions
According to word, this is how Ubaldo should be spelled
Uvalde
"[The] dictionary is the only place that success comes before work." - Vince Lombardi
by BaltimoreSportsFan on Jul 15, 2010 9:29 AM EDT reply actions
write up on our third round pick - Dan Klein
http://www.mlbbonusbaby.com/2010/7/15/1570439/3-85-baltimore-orioles-dan-klein#storyjump
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
Thats crazy about Sherrill
Looks like they didn’t realize he was a LOOGY last year when they handed us Josh Bell and Steve Johnson. Even with his disastor of a year this year, lefties were only OPSing .695 against him. So he’s still a quality player to have on your roster. Just not deserving of his $4.5M salary.
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
Any chance the Os bring him back?
"I'm from Maryland, and no one can beat me!"
by John Stephens on Jul 15, 2010 10:09 AM EDT up reply actions
They’d have to pick up his salary, right? I don’t think they’ll do it with The Great Gonzo so close to coming back.
Unless Kranitz thinks he knows EXACTLY what’s wrong with Georgie’s mechanics and he can quick fix it and trade him again….but that’s probably a super longshot.
I have no idea how salary stuff works in baseball
So I will take your word for it. Just curious
"I'm from Maryland, and no one can beat me!"
by John Stephens on Jul 15, 2010 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions
I’m far from expert on it, too, but Zreibec’s blog article seems to imply they, rather than the Dodgers, would be paying him.
http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/2010/07/report_dodgers_put_sherrill_on.html
well
If we claimed him off waivers they could dump his salary on us. If he is DFA’ed then he would be paid the league minimum and since his pay will be the same anywhere, you would assume another team would realize a decent LOOGY has its value, especially when rosters expand to 40
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
by Reddrummer9187 on Jul 15, 2010 10:42 AM EDT up reply actions
LOOGY?
"[The] dictionary is the only place that success comes before work." - Vince Lombardi
by BaltimoreSportsFan on Jul 15, 2010 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions
left-hander one out guy
Fire Julio Lugo.
I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you... what else you need to know?
Thanks.
"[The] dictionary is the only place that success comes before work." - Vince Lombardi
by BaltimoreSportsFan on Jul 15, 2010 10:40 AM EDT up reply actions
Ha you fixed the BSR blurb
First thing this morning it said ‘state of the team wand’. Made me laugh thinking of Markakis as some kind of Gandalf-type wizard….
"Real Orioles don't pout. Real Orioles don't gloat. Real Orioles just win."
I watch so much MMA
I think I subconsciously was referencing Wanderlai Silva. WAR Axe Murderer!
"Overdrive the sound and make it sound pretty rude." - Jimmy Page
by duck on Jul 15, 2010 10:25 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Dood....try some Tylenol P.M.
"This is the Nineties, Bubba, and there is no such thing as Paranoia. It's all true."~Hunter S. Thompson
by PBR me ASAP! on Jul 15, 2010 10:29 AM EDT up reply actions
or even dood for that matter
"I have seen the future and his name is Matt Wieters." Keith Law
by Reddrummer9187 on Jul 15, 2010 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions
What about homeskillet?
Baltimore is Baltimore. That's kind of what I know. - Manny Machado, 6/7/10
by Eat More Esskay on Jul 15, 2010 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Ranger? Slugger? Tiger? Sport?
Fire Julio Lugo.
I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you... what else you need to know?
maude?
At all hazards, a man must keep up appearances. Dignity, I say. Dignity above all, Governor. Hear, hear!
-Det. William "Bunk" Moreland
by j.q. higgins on Jul 15, 2010 2:41 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
What question?
The question of whether or not we should bench Matt Wieters so we can play Craig Tatum and his 71 OPS+?
I’ll answer that Question: No.
Fire Julio Lugo.
I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you... what else you need to know?
his intangibles are off the board!
but then, so are everyone else’s.
Fire Julio Lugo.
I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you... what else you need to know?
he would suck you know what if Boras told him to.
Don't mess with the bull, young man. You'll get the horns.
by birdman on Jul 15, 2010 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Driving into work today
I heard one of these saber geeks on the radio. And the host asked, “what’s the point of telling the pitcher that the batter can’t hit a slider low & away on Thursday day games in the 2nd half of the season after coming back from a rain delay of 90 minutes or more when the pitcher can’t throw a slider low & away?”
"Fairy tales start 'once upon a time...'. Fishing stories start 'now this ain't no bullshit...'."
- Cap'n Phil Harris
Let's look at this deeper
Setting aside the long-term developmental issues since if we include them then it becomes especially stupid to ponder starting Tatum over Wieters, let’s just ask “Will we win more games with Tatum than Wieters in 2010?”.
First, the offensive contributions. Wieters has a .298 wOBA and a -1.31 WPA in 77 games. Tatum has a .297 wOBA and -0.29 WPA in 24 games. So that’s really close in offensive contributions (and a lot closer than I thought it would be). Tatum has a .283 BABiP, Wieters a .291, and neither of them has really set their basemark for career BABiP yet, but perhaps Tatum has been slightly unlucky. But we’ll have to call this a draw, more or less.
Defensively, Wieters has tossed out 14 of 47 baserunners and allowed 1 passed ball. Tatum has thrown out 2 of 18 base stealers and allowed no passed balls. Advantage Wieters.
Perhaps you subscribe to the theory that catchers have a great impact on their pitchers. Wieters has “allowed” 16 wild pitches while Tatum has been the backstop for 9 of them (in 171 innings, compared to Wieters’ 599.1). Advantage: Wieters.
The 19 games featuring Craig Tatum, Starting Catcher, have seen the Orioles go 10-9. They allowed 82 runs in those games (4.32 runs per game). On the season, the O’s have allowed 5.3 runs per game. Setting aside how much the catcher’s influence on pitching performance has been debunked, the Orioles have allowed fewer runs when Tatum catches than when he doesn’t.
This is due in part to his last four games, wherein the Orioles allowed a total of seven runs. Take out those games, and the average sits at 5 runs per game, much, much closer to the mean. So, if you’re saying Tatum is a better game-caller than Wieters, you’re living and dying on Matusz’s gem in Boston on the Fourth, Tillman’s gem in Texas, and Arrieta’s effort in Texas.
Let me ask you: how much of the credit for those games belongs with the catcher? How little of it has to do with the pitcher? Does Tillman deserve so little credit as to say that if Wieters had been back there, he would have collapsed against the Rangers? And how much credit do you attribute to a Rangers team that was obviously struggling offensively?
Fire Julio Lugo.
I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you... what else you need to know?
Well, I think the more interesting number...
…in that pointless Roch post is that the O’s are a combined 8-4 when Rhyne Hughes starts at either first or DH. Promote him!
To be understood is to be a prostitute. ~ Fernando Pessoa
Oh the other hand
Those were interesting numbers you posted too. Thanks.
To be understood is to be a prostitute. ~ Fernando Pessoa
I should also mention
the defense apart from the pitcher and catcher, which has been absolutely putrid. Adam Jones turning singles into triples, Corey Patterson headbutting the ground, Scott Moore and Ty Wigginton’s adventures at second base, Izturis’ step backwards in the field, Tejada’s adjustments.
The Texas games with Tillman and Arrieta (which I did not watch much of, because I was at a Wedding in Pittsburgh…at an amusement park. It was a very bizarre weekend in many ways) saw the Orioles commit 0 errors and hold the Rangers to a .214 BABiP (which, maybe that’s attributable to the offense, but the defense was converting balls in play to outs at a strong pace).
Fire Julio Lugo.
I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you... what else you need to know?
It was fun, though
I love amusement parks (though my Rollercoaster-hating girlfriend does not) and really can’t get enough of them. We spent many summers adventuring in King’s Dominion, Busch Gardens, Cedar Point, DisneyWorld, and Hersheypark, but I haven’t been to anything in years (outside of a very, very good trip to Orlando last October) mostly because I don’t have anyone to go with anymore. Kennywood was surprisingly fun and helped scratch that itch.
Fire Julio Lugo.
I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you... what else you need to know?
Heh
it does seem like a lot of work to come to an obvious conclusion, doesn’t it? But, hey, if someone lobs softballs at me I will try to crush them out of the park.
Fire Julio Lugo.
I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you... what else you need to know?
Os Scouting
Many of us noticed that the Os have roughly half of the scouts employed by our competitors in the AL east. AM temporized, suggesting that all the other teams have misdiagnosed the need and have too many scouts. Sounds like a flimsy rationalization to me. I, for one, would like to know which scout or scouts looked at Atkins last year and concluded that he was a good free agent signing. It was clear from spring training that Atkins was completely washed up. No bat speed. No power. Perhaps is we had a few more scouts they could have taken a closer look at Atkins and saved 4 million dollars.
I'll say what I said in ST
when Garret Atkins hit his only home run of the pre-season: If all he does is get wind-aided dongs against the Yankees in exhibition games, then he deserves a contract extension.
In all seriousness, I can totally buy MacPhail’s excuse that he was trying to swing for the fences with Atkins. Buy low, pray for the best. That’s not the worst strategy ever. I don’t know what’s wrong with Atkins – he’s only 30 years old and guys his age just don’t drop off as quickly as he did. I can buy that strategy. But for that kind of insane money? That was always my real problem (and remains a concern): MacPhail either completely misread the market, or he felt the need to be stupidly overaggressive (not his strength) and overspend for overvalued quantities.
Fire Julio Lugo.
I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you... what else you need to know?
Bargain-hunting might make sense
for a middle of the road team, for which a successful reclamation project might just lift them to the next level. It makes no sense for a rebuilding team in need of a strong veteran presence to jump-start the kids. I like MacPhail, and think overall he has done a lot of good for the team, but Atkins was just a dumb idea any way you slice it, and that is on him.
by fishoutawata on Jul 15, 2010 1:34 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm not following you
what do you mean by “jump-start the kids”? And don’t discount the value of hitting on one of these bargains. It’s how the Rays ended up with a lot of years of production from Carlos Pena, or how the Red Sox got David Ortiz, or – perhaps more appropriately – how the White Sox got Alex Rios.
The problem, of course, is that the Orioles weren’t buying low on Atkins. They buying middle. Five million dollars isn’t chump change.
Fire Julio Lugo.
I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you... what else you need to know?
Perhaps the greatest personal ad I've ever seen:
“Fannie Mae with troubled assets, bored with Freddie Mac, seeks well-regulated stimulus package from counterparty too big to fail. No cash for clunkers.”
NYRB, 7/15/2010
To be understood is to be a prostitute. ~ Fernando Pessoa
SBN first half review
A fun read. O’s get mentioned in the top five disappointing teams.
5. Baltimore Orioles. The O’s have Matt Wieters. The O’s have Adam Jones. The O’s have Nick Markakis, and Chris Tillman, and Jake Arrieta, and Brian Matusz. And the O’s have the worst record in baseball. I get that the competition is stiff. They still shouldn’t be as bad as they are. The key to participating in a hopeless division race is to at least pretend like you have a prayer for a little while
http://www.sbnation.com/2010/7/15/1570005/2010-mlb-season-review-baseball-recap
Oh and now we’re warming up Uehara. He’ll die. He will actually DIE if he pitches in this heat. -KenDixonFanClub
I found this list particularly amusing, but i'm not sure why
Top Five Laziest Hanley Ramirezes
1. Hanley Ramirez
2. Hanley Ramirez
3. Hanley Ramirez
4. Yunel Escobar?
5. Hanley Ramirez
by kba26 on Jul 15, 2010 2:15 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
It’s official
We can root for wins again! This is not saying he still can’t come back next season and play well. But maybe now he drops to the second pick…at which point the O’s will take him.
UPDATE: Team USA officially announced this afternoon that Rendon has a fracture-dislocation of his right ankle and will miss the rest of the summer.
amen..
All this next year’s draft business is breakin’ my heart.
What up?
by snakethejake on Jul 15, 2010 4:03 PM EDT up reply actions
"Fracture-dislocation" does not sound like fun
Nor does contemplating how much money such an injury might cost you at draft time. I’ve always thought that injuries must be incredibly psychologically difficult for big-time athletes, above and beyond the physical pain and work involved in coming back.
by Joltin Joe Orsulak on Jul 15, 2010 3:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Same ankle he hurt last year...
….although that wasn’t a break.
Still, I’d expect he’ll be ready for the NCAA season. Lost, by the way, in Rendon’s injury last night is that Sonny Gray combined with two relievers on a no-hitter.
To be understood is to be a prostitute. ~ Fernando Pessoa
tell him to rub some dirt on it and get his ass back on the field.
Don't mess with the bull, young man. You'll get the horns.
yeah, what a quitter
Fire Julio Lugo.
I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars, whiskey, and you... what else you need to know?
If you please...
NEVER link to THAT blog on this site again.
"Overdrive the sound and make it sound pretty rude." - Jimmy Page
The stories I could tell about the guy who runs that site.
He’s from your neck of the woulds, and brings every negative stereotype of the area with him. Including not-so-jokingly referring to knowing people in the Mafia to threaten those he doesn’t like. Dude is an absolute tool.
"Overdrive the sound and make it sound pretty rude." - Jimmy Page
neck of the woods - stupid auto-correct
"Overdrive the sound and make it sound pretty rude." - Jimmy Page
Why on earth would auto correct change a word to woulds?
is woulds even a work? And you didn’t even type this on your iphone! I call shenanigans.
Oh and now we’re warming up Uehara. He’ll die. He will actually DIE if he pitches in this heat. -KenDixonFanClub
There was an recipe in the Times the other day for some kind of gazpacho
I can’t remember what kind. Cool story huh.
Bring back Andino.
by WestcoastO'sFan on Jul 15, 2010 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions
What is the deal with the "SBN Roundtable" on the side
I’m reading through it. There is Ty Wigginton mention.
Bring back Andino.
by WestcoastO'sFan on Jul 15, 2010 6:59 PM EDT reply actions
Fan Shots
continually get dominated. Sucks to be a fan shot.
Bring back Andino.
by WestcoastO'sFan on Jul 15, 2010 7:12 PM EDT up reply actions
It's an ad
Oh and now we’re warming up Uehara. He’ll die. He will actually DIE if he pitches in this heat. -KenDixonFanClub
That was great.
"[The] dictionary is the only place that success comes before work." - Vince Lombardi
by BaltimoreSportsFan on Jul 15, 2010 9:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Camden Chat
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
Official Sponsor of Camden Chat GameThreads
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
