Tillman may have made last start Sunday - MASNsports.com
Roch says: "Tillman may be shut down after today's start. Manager Dave Trembley dropped a few hints during the last homestand. The right-hander has one start remaining, but Trembley could opt to go the bullpen-by-committee route. I'm not sure who's next in line to enter the rotation, but Lambert or Chris Waters would make sense." Oh, goody. I'm sure that will work out well. -duck
Good news on Pie - MASNsports.com
"Orioles manager Dave Trembley told reporters in Cleveland that outfielder Felix Pie's injury isn't as serious as they first believed. Pie will rest for a few more days and could return to the lineup next week. "We thought it was going to be a whole lot more severe than what it was," Trembley said." Stacey, you can take the candles out of your windows now. -duck
Source: Tampa Bay Rays interested in Chicago Cubs outfielder Milton Bradley - ESPN Chicago
"It appears that there's more than a little interest in Chicago Cubs right fielder Milton Bradley. A source with knowledge of the situation said that the Tampa Bay Rays are very interested in bringing the beleaguered outfielder to Florida." Tampa Bay, you might want to re-think this one. -duck
Rays shut down J.P. Howell - Newsday.com
"J.P. Howell has struggled recently and the Rays have decided to shut down the lefthanded reliever. Howell has pitched 156 innings the past two seasons. That is the third highest among relievers in that span." So we got that going for us in this upcoming series, which is nice. -duck
Dimaond Dave looks on the sunny side - MASNsports.com
"The way I'm looking at it is, we're getting out of this series, we go to Tampa, there will be some sunshine and warm weather, it's another environment, it's an opportunity for us to turn this thing around in our favor. And the only thing you can look at is, tomorrow starts a winning streak for us and let's see how many game we can win coming down the final week of the season." Uh, Dave? Going on the road to play a team that had lost 11 in a row before they swept you last week probably isn't the best way to break out of a slump. -duck
O's relievers failing to show they belong in majors -- baltimoresun.com
"The hope was that the additions would bolster a tired bullpen and give several pitchers an opportunity to show that they belong at the major league level. What it has done instead is reveal a lack of organizational depth in that area and likely made several necessary offseason roster decisions much easier to make." Don't even bother making the "small sample size" argument. The current crew is bad, and probably won't get better. So we will try AGAIN next year to find 6 or so decent relievers... -duck
Swept by Indians, O's hit a new low -baltimoresun.com
"Perhaps it's impossible for a team that is more than 30 games under .500 and has been playing mostly meaningless contests for months now to hit rock bottom in the final days of a 162-game season. But leave it to the Orioles to find a way." Wait, the O's are still playing? Hadn't noticed. -duck
Orioles-Rays Preview - CBSSports.com
"This season won't be as memorable as last year's run to the AL East title and their first pennant, but if the Rays win four of their final seven, they'll become the eighth major league team to win 180 games over two seasons after losing 180 in the previous two years." Let's just say I'm hoping they don't get it. -duck
I am nothing special; just a common man with common thoughts, and I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten. But in one respect I have succeeded as gloriously as anyone who's ever lived: I've loved Open Thread with all my heart and soul; and to me, this has always been enough.