Benson having elbow examined

by Scott Christ on Jul 27, 2006 4:10 AM EDT in News & Rumors

So that's great. Not that Benson is so awesome, but now there's a lessened chance of trading him, which I care much more about.

Benson has been a great example of this year's Orioles team. He's not THAT bad, but he's bad enough that it's pointless, and the best you can hope for is to get something out of his decaying career that might benefit us in the future. Of course, our brainless front office, headed by our moron owner, probably won't allow anything useful or worthwhile to actually happen, even so far as trading Miguel Tejada for a package that could pay huge dividends in the near future no matter which team it's from, so what are we rooting for anymore? We are loyalists, to be sure, and no, I'm never, ever, ever going to change the baseball team I root for, but goddamn, doesn't it make you think what the point is? Of course it does, you're human, and so am I, and so is everyone, except Angelos, who is a superhero villain at this point. He's so insanely stupid about this franchise that it boggles the mind. My mind is literally boggled at this point. I have no idea what to say anymore, because what am I gonna do? Hype you up for the games with the Royals? Surely we are all on the edge of our seats for these momentous matchups. And when we play the Red Sox or Yankees or Tigers or White Sox or Twins or any other decent team, I'm so half-hearted at this point that I can't even get up for THOSE games. I'm cheering on a dead body and wearing my stupid O's cap around town and being like, "Check it OUT, everybody!"

I love this team, I swear to God I do, but unless a Tejada trade goes down or we get Shealy or something, who cares? I'm being totally honest. Yes I'll post the game threads and talk about goings down, and I hope that you'll all be here to share in my misery, but come on already. I just want one decent team sometime, even if it's like that Royals team from a few years ago that was a mere tease for their tiny and ever diminishing fanbase.

Look, man, though, right, like, here's what I'm saying -- the Tigers are 68-33. The Tigers are 68-33. At some point, we can do it. I just want to know WHEN.

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I long ago...

...changed my rooting pattern. I try to no longer let the previous game's outcome affect my life in any way.

I still go to the Park, but more to teach my sons a love for the game. We root like heck for the Birds, then go home and forget about it until the next game we have tickets for.

It's a lot easier this way.

by howie14 on Jul 27, 2006 10:38 AM EDT reply actions

Words of Wisdom...

...howie14, words of wisdom.

"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 means." - Orioles Magic by Dick Steiner

by Jonnypops on Jul 27, 2006 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, good advice.

I actually have what I call a "sports anger management problem". I'm really very calm and unflappable in every other area of my life, but I'm out of control with my yelling at the TV during football season. Not quite as bad with baseball, since with a game every night I don't have to wait as long till "we'll get 'em next time", although as the O's began their record-breaking crash last year, I got pretty bad.

I sometimes have trouble remembering that "It's just a game" played by guys I'll never meet, and it has no bearing on whether my mortgage gets paid. Atlthough I tell my self my life would be measurably better if the O's win the WS or I see my team win the Superbowl, I'll still have all the same problems I did before.

Baseball's cool because even if your team sucks, being at the game is usually intrinsically fun -- you're sitting outside on a hot summer evening drinking beer. I enjoy going to games where I don't have any rooting interest, wheras I think in football, because of the more intense environment, it's really only fun if you're a big fan of one of the teams. I went down to the Ravens/Packers MNF game last year, which was cool, but as a fan of neither team, it wasn't worth staying and freezing my ass off for longer than the first half.

I always am sort of curious why people care this much -- too much in some people's case (like mine) -- about something that doesn't really affect thier lives.

Welcome to Baltimore, where it's always Year 1 of a 5 Year secret rebuilding plan.

by BrianS on Jul 27, 2006 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Good points!

I hate to quote Nestor Aparicio because I don't like him very much, but he used to say-and I'm guessing it wasn't his original thought-that we all just root for laundry.

Baseball is indeed a little less like that then other sports. Baseball is watching the left fielder look around at the crowd betwen pitches, it's venders chattering to sell beers and dogs, it's teaching my kids why Boog is out there selling sandwiches and HOW TO KEEP SCORE.

We go to minor league games whenever we're on vacation and also go to Schuerholz Park regularly to watch TowsonU play.

I also go to Ravens games and only take my kids to the preseason because the rooting (I am a Ravens fan) is way too intense at a regular season game for me to take the time explaining the action to them, as I can with baseball.

I'll continue to be a baseball and Orioles fan, no matter if they never are good again. I can separate my love of the game from the outcomes a lot easier than with other sports.

by howie14 on Jul 27, 2006 1:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Disagree

Trading Benson should be one of our last moves. It should be done if we're blowing up the team, yes, because he's not part of our future. But if we're going to strike a middle ground for now, Benson is a good stopgap pitcher who we have at below-market value for a while. I'd keep that piece unless we're going to throw away the whole puzzle and start over, which we're probably not.

So for now we should be looking to trade R/J Lopez, Conine and Millar. The next step would be Tejada, and THEN guys like Benson.

by punkrawka on Jul 27, 2006 11:38 AM EDT reply actions

Listen maybe the losing has made

you lose your mind but Benson is a highly replaceable overpaid BAD PITCHER. For our team he is our second best but on most any other team he is a 4th, 5th starter. He is old and this is his peak so why not trade him for something young, its a lot more fun to watch a young crappy team then an an old crappy team who you know will just get worse. So fuck this 'Good stopgap' shit and look at what he's actually done and what he's done in the past and realize he sucks.

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by Larry Bigbie3 on Jul 27, 2006 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Big start for Lopez

Though team officials are not discussing it, it's possible that Benson's status could have an impact on the team's decision to trade Rodrigo Lopez . Several industry sources have labeled today's start by Lopez a big one in determining his future with the Orioles.

As and O's fan, and therefore natural pessimist, this can only mean one thing...

Benson's arm is in the middle of falling off, only to be reattached this winter, which will inevitably lead J/O PA to think we need to keep the current shitty pitching just as it is since we are down one starter. Lopez will be taken off the trading block, and locked down til he's 80 and his arm eventually falls off, leading the way to 50 more years of less-than-mediocre baseball and a rise in the B-more suicide rate.

"We SUCK AGAIN!!!" -Rob Schneider, Waterboy

by dayzd toe on Jul 27, 2006 11:47 AM EDT reply actions

I would like

the hurt Peter Angelos.

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by Larry Bigbie3 on Jul 27, 2006 11:49 AM EDT up reply actions

I would hope that

today being a big start for his future with the Orioles means "If he pitches well, we can probably trade him. If he blows goats, we're stuck with him."

If he pitches well and they decide to keep him because of it, well, that thought made me throw up in my mouth a little.

Welcome to Baltimore, where it's always Year 1 of a 5 Year secret rebuilding plan.

by BrianS on Jul 27, 2006 11:54 AM EDT up reply actions

If he pitches well

we keep him, if he doesnt he goes to the bullpen.

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by Larry Bigbie3 on Jul 27, 2006 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Same Article

Tejada ignoring talk
With a smile on his face, Orioles shortstop Miguel Tejada said that every time he turns on the television, he learns of another trade rumor involving his leaving Baltimore. The rumors bothered him earlier this season, but he is learning to block them out.
"It's out there," Tejada said. "I just watch my name all the time. I mean, what can I do? There's nothing I can do. They put it out there.

Question for Tejada. Who is this "they" who publicly started the talk?

The secret to winning is consistent, enlightened management. -Tom Landry

by drj on Jul 27, 2006 12:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Hat

I've mostly been wearing my Terps hat.

The secret to winning is consistent, enlightened management. -Tom Landry

by drj on Jul 27, 2006 12:11 PM EDT reply actions

Oh, like that's better

Like the FB and basketball teams have been any better. Even field hockey's starting to tank, and men's and women's lacrosse are going downhill (HOW do you lose to UMAss in men's LAX?).

Friedgen's on a death watch for his job, and Gary's been coasting for years and his lack of recruiting will catch up with him if it hasn't already.

I'm afraid we're in for the same sort of heartbreak from the terps, although the wrestling team may surpirse a few in the ACC now that VaTech's imploded.

So, was Lee May as bad as I remember? FOR NEWS ABOUT Bayside (MD) Conference HS Wrestling, go here.

by duck on Jul 27, 2006 12:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Re:

They are not the O's and with the current media quips about the stupid/inept/clueless/whatever baseball franchise, I don't need to hear the stupid questions from the blow sox fans that surround me.

Yeah, I'm hoping for a b-ball turn around. It's not just Williams. The University has to buy into building up the program as well. My pet theory is they pulled in the reigns a bit after 2002. Perhaps it was channeled towards the women's program. Now that is done, maybe we'll see the Terps rebound a bit.

The secret to winning is consistent, enlightened management. -Tom Landry

by drj on Jul 27, 2006 12:43 PM EDT up reply actions

You wanna root for MD basketball

I'd stick with the women's team. They're actually good AND their season tickets are only $50!

by Stacey on Jul 27, 2006 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions

as much as i agree with everyone above

I live in Boston and wear my O's cap everyday

by exitfare on Jul 27, 2006 1:24 PM EDT reply actions

I wear the old

oriole hat, the GOOD one with the smile and cartoonish look.

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by Larry Bigbie3 on Jul 27, 2006 1:29 PM EDT reply actions

That's the hat I wear...

...the new one sucks and perfectly reflects the team it symbolizes. Safe, boring and mediocre at best. The cartoon bird was, quirky and kind of bizarre but it was a perfect fit for the City of Baltimore. The new hat is a perfect symbol for Harborplace.

"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 means." - Orioles Magic by Dick Steiner

by Jonnypops on Jul 28, 2006 11:03 AM EDT up reply actions

OK

I'll go back to wearing my cartoon bird O's hat. If you want quirky, I found a hat with the '55-'62 shoulder patch bird. It get's stares and people occasionally ask where it originated.

The secret to winning is consistent, enlightened management. -Tom Landry

by drj on Jul 28, 2006 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions

That one...

...is truly bizarre, to the point of being scary. I mean who the hell ever thought this was a good idea?

Of course I'm longing for the say where they bring this back for the alternate cap logo...

...and this for the road jerseys...

"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 means." - Orioles Magic by Dick Steiner

by Jonnypops on Jul 28, 2006 11:36 AM EDT up reply actions

If you're waiting for PA to bring back...

the word Baltimore on the road jersey, I hope you packed a lunch. You're in for a bit of a wait.

So, was Lee May as bad as I remember? FOR NEWS ABOUT Bayside (MD) Conference HS Wrestling, go here.

by duck on Jul 28, 2006 1:59 PM EDT up reply actions

A lunch?

Hell, I'm having Biddle Street Catering send over two trucks. But seriously, why is this man so ashamed of where he's from and where he lives and practices law? It's just sad.

"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 means." - Orioles Magic by Dick Steiner

by Jonnypops on Jul 28, 2006 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Shame has nothing to do with it

It's just about money. He's trying to appeal to a broader market. Baltimore has a negative connotation to those that don't love it as we do. The O's are broadcast in 7 seven states and Pete wants them to feel like it's their team, not the team of some filthy hole in Maryland.

"I'm a big dumb asshole with herpes and I eat babies" - Peter Angelos

by BleedingOrange on Jul 28, 2006 3:10 PM EDT up reply actions

Ahgh!

The old Baltimore logo(s) kicked trucks of ass so why not just keep it, if Angelos is thinking what you think he is thinking it is very stupid, everyone still knows its Baltimore and why would other states even care, they arent going to start rooting for a terrible team just because the word Baltimore and the old happy Orioles bird are gone, infact with those they might even start to like the O's, that old Oriole was pretty damn cool.

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by Larry Bigbie3 on Jul 28, 2006 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Lawyer

he just doesn't want any lawsuits from birds because the logo isn't anatomically correct. Everyone is on the PC bandwagon.

"We SUCK AGAIN!!!" -Rob Schneider, Waterboy

by dayzd toe on Jul 28, 2006 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Not me

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by Larry Bigbie3 on Jul 28, 2006 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions

You mean the cartoon bird?

The current logo is a throwback to the one used when the Orioles came here in '54. The cartoon bird wasn't brought in until the mid to late 60's.

I like both and wish they would use the cartoon for home and the current one on the road. And get rid of those ridiculous cursive "O's". Awful.

And for the record, Angelos didn't get rid of "Baltimore" on the road jerseys. The owner before him did.

Hats

"I'm a big dumb asshole with herpes and I eat babies" - Peter Angelos

by BleedingOrange on Jul 28, 2006 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Even that bird is

more carefree and cartoony though.

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by Larry Bigbie3 on Jul 28, 2006 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions

I thought EWB...

...got rid of the Baltimore road jerseys, not Jacobs. Williams was a Washingtonian "fixer" lawyer extraordinaire who WAS ashamed of the City of Baltimore and had contemplated on more than one occasion of moving his team down to DC the same way the Bullets were moved out of Charm City. Also I even like those super old hats more than that "ornithologically correct" piece of crap one.

"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 means." - Orioles Magic by Dick Steiner

by Jonnypops on Jul 28, 2006 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Let's go with that

since I'm far too drunk to look it up. I'm one of the few that likes the ornithologic designs. I just don't like the orange bills. But I do miss the cartoon bird, and Pete would be cashing in if he brought it back. The 80's are suddenly hip. I don't know why.

"I'm a big dumb asshole with herpes and I eat babies" - Peter Angelos

by BleedingOrange on Jul 28, 2006 10:08 PM EDT up reply actions

The 80's never were hip, never will be.

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by Larry Bigbie3 on Jul 28, 2006 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions

But '80s METAL will never die!

SLAYER! SLAYER! SLAYER!

So, was Lee May as bad as I remember? FOR NEWS ABOUT Bayside (MD) Conference HS Wrestling, go here.

by duck on Jul 29, 2006 3:15 PM EDT up reply actions

ornothologically correct bird sucks

It equates to the Peter Angelos era of loserdom. He may as well pick a more accurate cartoon bird that mirrors the bufoonery. Something like this

The secret to winning is consistent, enlightened management. -Tom Landry

by drj on Jul 28, 2006 11:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Since we are

all

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by Larry Bigbie3 on Jul 28, 2006 11:46 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL...

...I love it. But my girlfriend made a good point about it. Is Gonzo actually a bird?

"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 means." - Orioles Magic by Dick Steiner

by Jonnypops on Jul 29, 2006 12:39 AM EDT up reply actions

the thought never crossed my mind

I always assumed he was some kind of vulture. I searched a little and it seems he's some ambiguous species.

The secret to winning is consistent, enlightened management. -Tom Landry

by drj on Jul 29, 2006 9:33 PM EDT up reply actions

why would

you take more than 10 seconds of your life to search that?

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by Larry Bigbie3 on Jul 29, 2006 11:18 PM EDT up reply actions

curiousity

I'm pretty sure you've done a bit of looking into some offbeat/stupid subjects. I'm a bit reluctant to ask for a list. ;-)

The secret to winning is consistent, enlightened management. -Tom Landry

by drj on Jul 30, 2006 11:17 AM EDT up reply actions

I bet bestial necrofeltching is one of them.

"I'm a big dumb asshole with herpes and I eat babies" - Peter Angelos

by BleedingOrange on Jul 30, 2006 11:26 AM EDT up reply actions

Nice to see

LB3 is having such a positive impact on us all...

"I'm going down three times, and I'm only comin' up twice..." -Hank Williams Sr. (Was he an O's fan?)

by duck on Jul 30, 2006 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions

I dont know but I just

found out Tom Waits and Nick Drake are musical influences of Trent Trezno and read up on lucid dreaming, no fucking joke. Imagine how fucking scary it would be to have a lucid nightmare, everything appears REAL, although you do realize your having a dream but it would be scary as shit. And what if on top of that you had a bad LSD that fucked up your brain forever and your enitre life was one bad trip and you end up cutting your balls of and feeding them to your dog before your knell over and bleed to death. What if your balls suddenly shrivled up and fell off, what if you all of a sudden had an erection and it wouldnt stop and you had to go the doctor and they had to drain the blood for your penis out and what if you put cocaine on your penis and it got in your body and you had a raging boner you could light a match off of and it wouldnt go away and you didnt want to go to the doctor because you were embarassed and soon your whole body started to get infected and you lost all your reproductive organs and several fingers/toes and were blind???? What if.

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by Larry Bigbie3 on Jul 31, 2006 12:06 AM EDT up reply actions

Brother, you're preaching to the choir.

I sure miss my junk. I'm getting better at reading brail, though.

"I'm a big dumb asshole with herpes and I eat babies" - Peter Angelos

by BleedingOrange on Jul 31, 2006 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions

i had that one

when i was younger, but i ditched it when they switched the logo.

the guys in spank rock wear the cartoon bird a lot

by exitfare on Jul 27, 2006 1:33 PM EDT reply actions

Benson

At least with a Benson start, you know he'll give a chance to win. I can't remember too many start, if any, where Benson left the O's in a huge hole early on.

"Look, man, though, right, like, here's what I'm saying -- the Tigers are 68-33. The Tigers are 68-33. At some point, we can do it. I just want to know WHEN."

Everyday I look at the Tigers and I throw up. What happened to them is what should have happened to us. Benson should be our Kenny Rodgers (vet pitcher providing a solid performance), Bedard and Cabrera should be have been our Robertson and Bonderman (two young pitchers who step it up). Bedard has finally got his act together after a horrible May and early June but Chen and Lopez have killed us (obviously). I'm not asking them to pitch like Verlander but couldn't one of them managed to pitch to an ERA umder 5. Their bullpen is deeper despite having Todd Jones as their closer but there isn't a huge difference. Jones, Zumaya, Rodney and Walker aren't that much better than Ray, Britton, Latroy and the Todd. Offensively, again the Tigers are better but not by a lot (BAL OPS .756 DET OPS .788). It's their damn starting pitching that explains why the Tigers have the best record in the AL and why the O's suck.

by birdman on Jul 27, 2006 2:47 PM EDT reply actions

We really arent that close

their bullpen is tons better same goes for the starting pitching and they are better enough then us with the bat.

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by Larry Bigbie3 on Jul 27, 2006 3:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Tigers versus O's

Yes, I admitted the Tigers' pen and offensive is better. I'm just saying that isn't a huge difference. Check the stats.

Ray is almost as good as Zumaya in comparable innings.
Britton is just as almost good as Walker in comparable innings (actually Britton has pitched a bit more).
Hawkins is better than Jones.
Rodney is better than Williams.
Their filler guys are so so or bad (Grilli, Colon, and Ledezma) just like us (Williams, Birkins, Chen) although no one is quite as bad as Chen.

And offensively, their OPS is a bit better, consequently they've scored more runs. But again the difference isn't huge. Like I said before, it's their SR that creams us and that's why their record is awesome and ours isn't.

by birdman on Jul 27, 2006 5:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Bullpen....

I know we're about to trade LaTroy, but our bullpen is only a pitcher or two away. LaTroy in the 8th and Chris in the 9th is rock solid - it's just about a gauranteed win when we have the lead and those two pitchs those innings, respectively (and before you start, LaTroy came in in teh 7th last night).

It's the MIDDLE relief that's killing us. And Britton isn't that horrible, and The Todd has his uses. It's getting starters that can get to through the 6th reliably that will help a ton.

So, was Lee May as bad as I remember? FOR NEWS ABOUT Bayside (MD) Conference HS Wrestling, go here.

by duck on Jul 27, 2006 5:54 PM EDT up reply actions

bullpen

"LaTroy in the 8th and Chris in the 9th is rock solid."

LaTroy is ok but I wouldn't say he's rock solid in the 8th. He does have an ERA over 4. And to put him in the same league with Ray Ray is unfair to Chris.

by birdman on Jul 27, 2006 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions