Roch posted a projected O's lineup, too, over at his Sun blog. Let's see what Roch is thinking.
I took the advice of one reader and Googled the words "Marisa Miller" and "iPod." My vision's still blurred, but I'll try to write this entry.
When is the last time Roch got laid? For the record, it's a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, in the nyood, with her arm covering her upstairs naughty bits and an iPod giving shield to her bojingo. My mind, of course, will wander to the email conversation. "Dude, Roch, you gotta check this out! Fuckin' Google it, dog!" And the rest is wetnap history at a Baltimore Sun desk.
He also has the same starters that I figure on, so we'll skip his lineup. It's probably what I'd guess, too.
I noted that Payton could platoon in left if he's not traded. Tike Redman could play center. Freddie Bynum could play center. Paul Blair could come out of retirement. But for now, I've got Payton in center while waiting for the Orioles to make another move.
Was Corey Patterson so bad?
Well, yeah, that's the thing. Corey Patterson was so bad. Jay Payton wouldn't be here, either, if they hadn't given him a second year on his deal. Tike Redman and Freddie Bynum are both a lot less expensive than Patterson, who isn't going to be a key member of anybody's next good team, let alone this franchise's.
The first four spots in the rotation were easy: Erik Bedard, Jeremy Guthrie, Adam Loewen and Daniel Cabrera. The winner of the fifth slot would be determined in a steel-cage match involving Garrett Olson, Brian Burres, Troy Patton, Matt Albers and Hayden Penn. Radhames Liz can hand out towels at the end before reporting to Norfolk.
Matt Clement might not be such a gamble afterall.
How does Matt Clement figure in to any team that's rebuilding? Don't these assholes get excited about rebuilding? Then, it turns out the team sucks (no shit), and they want to sign Matt Clement, who is 33 years old and hasn't pitched in a year and a half, and hasn't been effective since 2004, and even that season he faded, badly, down the stretch, helping to brutalize the Cubs' playoff hopes. Matt Clement stinks and it's game over for him.
Meanwhile, Olson and Patton are both legitimate prospects who would hardly be hurt by a year on a major league staff, it's been said repeatedly that Burres will be in the bullpen, and even Albers and the much-maligned Hayden Penn are better "gambles" than a washed-up injury case.
He is right about the bullpen, I'll give him that.
Look, the team is going to suck, bad, and we kind of have to bite down and accept it. That was my point earlier. We are going to be horrible. This is a season where I say forget optimism. Do not even bother. It's going to be butt fugly out there. Grin and bear it. It's hopefully for the best.