First Base in Major League Baseball is defined as the biggest power position of any of the eight fielding positions. Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, Adrian Gonzalez are just of the same of the power bats that define the position. This season, every Major League team except for one, the Baltimore Orioles, has at least one home run from their first base position. The combination of Garrett Atkins and Rhyne Hughes has yet to produce one single round tripper twenty nine games into the season in a combined 153 at bats. Not only have they failed to hit a home run but they only have nine extra base hits and 10 runs batted in combined. Suddenly, Aubrey Huff’s 72 home runs in three and half years in Baltimore, doesn’t seem so bad.

Prior to this season Garrett Atkins had a nine home run, 48 rbi campaign for the Colorado Rockies. His reward, was four million dollars and the starting 1^st base position for the Orioles. By no means was Atkins the long term answer at 1^st base for the team, and nobody expected him to be, but his declining numbers, in the thin air of Colorado, should have been a sign that his better days were behind him. Atkins hit 29, 25,21 and nine home runs in his last four seasons in Colorado and got benched during the 2009 season.  Colorado is known to be a hitter friendly ball park and Atkins had a lot of protection in the Rockies lineup. Those things could not be overlooked as major contributors to his stellar home run and RBI numbers in the three seasons prior to the 2009 season. Huff on the other hand, played in Camden Yards, which is not as hitter friendly as Coors Field and he had no protection in the Orioles lineup. What exactly did the Orioles thing Garrett Atkins could give them that Huff couldn’t? Moreover, what distinguished Atkins from the likes of Adam LaRoche and Russell Branyan who had better seasons, on worse teams and in tougher ballparks? 

Would the Orioles offense be a juggernaut with LaRoche, Huff or Branyan? Certainly not, but they definitely would not currently be the only team in baseball without a home run from their first baseman. 

Andy MacPhail has made a lot of good acquisitions during his tenure in Baltimore, but paying Garrett Atkins four million dollars to play first base for the Orioles this season, was not a good one.

The days of Boog Powell are long, long gone, but given Atkins ineptitude this season, Orioles fans like myself are longing for the days Aubrey Huff. Something I am sure nobody though they would say.

The best thing you could do Garrett is to give back you four million dollars so the Orioles can use that to sign Prince Fielder or Adrian Gonzalez, but instead, I am sure you will continue to pick up your paycheck in a ski mask, because you are robbing the Orioles.

Where’s Aubrey Huff when you need him? 3,000 miles away playing for a playoff contender, that’s where. 

Starting a collection to raise enough money to bring in a legit first baseman- The Little Roman

Rick Krivda, Rocky Coppinger, Daniel Cabrera, and Matt Riley are just a few of the “can’t miss” pitching products that were supposed to make the Orioles legitimate contenders in the AL East. However, these guys were more known for their inability to pitch at the major league level then for their success. These guys are not alone, not just for the Orioles, but for all of baseball, as we have seen prospect after prospect not live up to the hype. The problem is obvious. Certainly these guys have the stuff to make it to the major league level, but most lack the most important thing required to make it in the major leagues: mind set.

Brian Matusz has been touted as the next future ace of the Orioles rotation, and has been impressive since he came up last season. While Matusz has the raw ability and stuff to make it in the major leagues, the most impressive aspect about him is his mind. He pitches, he doesn’t throw; and most importantly, he doesn’t let mistakes by his team in the field or struggles by his offense effect the way he pitches.

Matusz won his first start of the season and then took a lead into the 8th inning before giving up a few runs and watching the bullpen fail to bail him out. In most cases, losing a lead like that and ending up on the short end of the stick would phase young pitchers, but not Brian Matusz. Instead, he toed the rubber on Sunday in Oakland with his team enduring a nine game losing streak, and he dazzled.

The Orioles found numerous ways to lose games during their nine game losing streak, so people would have understood if Matusz came out tight, felt the pressure, and just tried to the throw the ball by hitters. However, Matusz pitched. He changed speeds, challenged hitters, worked inside and out as if he was pitching for a team that was 11-1 instead of 1-11. With a 6-3 lead in the game, Matusz induced a lazy fly ball that should have been an easy out. However, a misplay by Adam Jones caused the runner to reach with a single. With two men on base I texted some of my friends, saying “here we go again” as I fully expected that mistake to open the flood gates to a big inning . However, I forgot who was on the mound. Matusz didn’t let that mistake phase him and he got another out before eventually being pulled.

Numerous pitchers have come up with lots of fan fare only to be gone before anyone even knew their name. Pitching is more then just about how good a fastball or change-up or slider you have. It’s about your ability to pitch with the pressure or battle when things aren’t going well. It’s more mental then anything, and that is where Brian Matusz excels.

His mind, not his arm is why Brian Matusz is going to be so good.

My food tasted better this morning thanks to that O’s win- Marco “ the little Roman” Romanell

During the first couple years of the Andy MacPhail tenure, we heard that wins and losses don’t matter, but rebuilding the team the proper way does. This season however, MacPhail publicly stated that this season, the team, and Dave Trembley would be judged on wins and losses, and that was the only thing that mattered. Eight games into the season the Orioles stand at 1-7, and are already five games behind the division leading Blue Jays. I know it is only the second week of the season, but given the Orioles tough schedule for the rest of April and the first couple weeks in May, it does not look like it is going to get better any time soon.

So when will MacPhail reach his breaking point and start letting go of people who aren’t producing? Who knows, but at the rate things are going, it may be sooner than expected. If the Orioles are 5-25 thirty games into the season or somewhere in that neighborhood, expect MacPhail to start cleaning house before he loses whatever fans the Orioles still have left. Even it does not change anything, it will at least show he is making a legitimate effort to win.

Why isn’t Dave Trembley managing like his job is on the line?
Someone may need to alert Dave Trembley that his job is to win baseball games, and if does not start doing that soon, than he will be out of a job. Certainly he can make excuses and point to the fact that Brian Roberts is hurt, the middle of the lineup isn’t producing, and the bullpen has blown four games this season. But, it is his job as the manager to fix these things and push the right buttons. If the lineup is not producing, shake it up. Move people up and down in the order, bench players, send a message that says you are in it to win it and won’t tolerate poor performance. If you do this and the players don’t produce, it is on them, not you. If your 12 million dollar closer is not producing, why continue to bring him in the game in the 9th inning when you have other pitchers who are having success?

Trembley is managing by the book and playing it too safe. The Orioles do not have the horses to compete with the top teams so shaking things up may be a way to compensate for that. I would have more respect for Tremblay if he made a major shake up that didn’t work, than just seeing him trot Albers out in the 7th, Ohman out to face a lefty, Johnson in the 8th then Gonzalez in the 9th and listen to him say “it’s not my fault the players couldn’t get their jobs done.” If you’re going to accept this kind of managing, you might as well just run a contest that lets a different fan manage the team each game, or hire a 12-year-old like the Twins did in the movie “Little Big League” because when you manage by the book, it doesn’t really matter who is at the helm.

Comments:

You can’t just assume the Orioles offense is going to turn it around:
Prior to the season, Oriole fans exuded a ton of optimism about this version of the Baltimore Orioles. The main reason for this, as many stated, was because of the offense. The statement “I am not worried about the offense” was seemingly uttered from every person who called into any sports talk radio show. Outside of Nick Markakis and Miguel Tejada, who has a track record that shows they are going to consistently produce? And can you rely on to hit that 3-run homer late in the game, when the Orioles are down by two runs? Nobody.

As much as I love Adam Jones, Nolan Reimold and Matt Wieters, I will not be ready to anoint the Orioles offense as a strength until they show me they can consistently put up numbers. Another problem is that your two most proven hitters, Markakis and Tejada, will likely produce the fewest number of home runs of any #3 and #4 hitters combined in the division. To make things worse, the Orioles table setter Brian Roberts, and his 50 doubles and 25 stolen bases a year, are sidelined for at least the next two weeks. This will probably mean that the heart of the order will often come to the plate with nobody on base, leaving very few RBI chances. Hitting solo home runs won’t win you many games. This will be even more evident when the Orioles face the Yankees ,Rays, and Red Sox and score three runs on nine hits while those three teams will hit two home runs with runners on base, and win the game.

I don’t believe the Orioles offense will be this anemic all season, but I believe runs will be at a premium for 162 games, especially if Tejada is the home run and rbi leader.

The bottom line is that another season is already getting away from the Orioles. Can the Orioles heat up and compete over the next month? Will the O’s be 10-15 games below .500 by May 15? Should Tremblay just quit and save himself from further disgrace?

Marco Romanell – good thing Ryan is betting on these jerks and not me.

Masters: Which do you think is the better story: celebrating the victorious return of a golfer that left the PGA tour because he cheated on his wife, or celebrating the 3rd green jacket for a player that left the tour to be with his wife while she battled breast cancer?

I think it was divine intervention at Augusta this past weekend. Phil Mickelson played some of the best golf I have ever seen in my life. His shot during the final round on the 13th hole was epic. Phil not only handled the pressure, but thrived and conjured up his best play.

The whole world had to be extremely moved as “Lefty” hugged his wife after walking off the 18th green a winner. In my Masters preview, I was hopeful that Tiger would use spite as a catalyst for success. However, the real emotional story was Phil Mickelson and his wife. It seems like only yesterday that Phil was labeled as the best player “never to win a major”. Moreover, how many affluent, country club and silver spoon individuals can capture the affection of so many Americans that otherwise typically embrace the blue-collar underdog?

NHL: The Washington Capitals won the first “Presidents Cup” trophy in franchise history by posting the best regular season NHL record. The 121 points earned by the Capitals is the most EVER for a non Original-Six hockey team. The Caps will play Montreal in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs, and this is the million dollar question: Do the Caps have the defense and goal-tending required to hoist the Stanley Cup?

UFC: Dana White is furious in the aftermath of UFC 112. After watching Frankie Edgar pull off a historic upset to capture the UFC lightweight crown, White sat and watched Anderson Silva prance, dance, and run from Demian Maia in a battle for the Middleweight championship.

This is my take on both fights: B.J. Penn must have been injured before his loss to Frankie Edgar. B.J. was not himself, and entered the ring with a wrap on his knee. Because he made excuses following the “Grease-gate” loss to St. Pierre, I am sure Penn was reluctant to bring up the injury at post-fight interviews for fear of being criticized again. I will tip my hat to Edgar for being quicker, and for putting together a good game plan; but he shouldn’t have beaten a healthy B.J Penn. The Lightweight division will get interesting in the next 18 months, as one of my favorite fighters, Kenny Florian, will certainly get the first shot at the title. Can you say Florian vs. Penn II in late 2011?

This is my take on the Anderson Silva debacle: most fans think that Silva should apologize to them and Dana White for “The Spider’s” ridiculous display on Saturday night in Abu Dhabi. I think the UFC should apologize to Silva for failing to produce even one fighter that can remotely challenge him at all. Maia had ZERO chance of threatening “The Spider”, and I think that he is simply bored and irritated that over the course of his Octagon career, not one single fighter has given him a real fight. Chael Sonnen, a friend of the show, will likely get the next shot at Silva and the Middleweight belt. Reached for commentary post-fight, Sonnen said that it was his “moral obligation to beat up Anderson Silva.” Sonnen is a warrior and will not be afraid to stand and bang with “The Spider”. Hopefully he can present Silva with a viable challenge, so that fans get to see Silva perform at his best. Sonnen has been very outspoken and critical of Silva, so it should give “The Spider” a reason to give his best. If Silva moves up to Light Heavyweight full time, it is conceivable that a bigger fighter with heavier hands could stun him with a shock knockout. But I doubt it….

MotoGP: Nine-time champion Valentino Rossi won the 1st race in the 2010 Moto GP season with a victory in Doha, Qatar. Australian Casey Stoner, who has won this race the last three years running, crashed out after grabbing the lead 10 laps into the race. The race was tightly contested, but Rossi remained undaunted and made no mistakes in taking the checkered flag. Americans Nicky Hayden and Ben Spies (the latter is in his first year on the GP circuit), each put forth a great showing and just missed the podium, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively.

MLB: Last but not least, the Orioles are just AWFUL. Mike Gonzalez took ALL the wind out of this team’s sails, and the Birds are now 1-5 and facing the most difficult stretch of their season. The O’s may very well be 10 games below .500 by mid-May. New faces, new expectations, new Spring training facility—same old results.

And for those of you that think the Orioles have good offense, think again. Let me reiterate that Toronto walked our #3 hitter to get to our clean-up hitter! What a joke…This team has ZERO power, and will have to win National league-style games with suspect pitching and erratic defense. The O’s cannot hit with runners on base, and Tejada offers ZERO protection to Jones & Markakis, who are both off to horrible starts themselves.

By the way, how do you feel about Jones blowing a bubble right before he dropped the ball in the 1st inning against Toronto, on Opening Day?
Typical O’s.

Woodman – at least I have the NHL playoffs & NFL draft to cheer for

I would be remiss if I didn’t write an interactive piece regarding Oriole closer Mike Gonzalez. The new orioles closer seems to be a magnet for 9th inning drama. Oriole fans used to call former closer George Sherrill “Mr. Excitement.” Maybe fans should call Gonzalez “Mr. Heart Attack.” I have seen Melrose Place season ending episodes with less drama.

Can someone please figure out who scouted this guy? I don’t like his stature, his demeanor, his delivery, his stuff, or his velocity. Frankly, I don’t think the guy is any good. A quick peek at his career stats startled me for a moment: 2.62 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, more strikeouts than innings pitched (333-282), and only 1 walk allowed for every 2 innings pitched. However, last season as a closer for the Braves, Gonzalez blew 7 saves in 17 attempts. Regardless of what his history would suggest, he doesn’t attack the strike zone, isn’t intimidating, and gives me zero confidence that he can do the job of a major league closer.

While I am piling on the O’s, can I please reiterate my skepticism regarding the Oriole offense? Last night the Rays walked Markakis to get to our clean-up hitter. Think about that for a second…..I know it created a righty/righty match-up, but would the O’s walk Zobrist to get to Longoria? How about walking Teixiera to get to A-Rod? Tejada hitting clean-up for the O’s is a complete joke. Hopefully if Atkins or Reimold can continue to produce, they can give the O’s a lift in the middle of the line-up.

On a positive note, top of the rotation starters Kevin Millwood and Jeremy Guthrie gave the Orioles a chance to win in their respective season debuts. Future ace Brian Matusz uncharacteristically walked five batters and struggled to get through five innings. But, even when he was not at his best, Matusz still struck out seven and surrendered only two hits and two runs in collecting his first win of the season. Also, Matt Wieters seems to be picking up where he left off last year and is on track for a very good season. This town needs one of it’s young stars to live up to the hype! The bullpen aside from Gonzalez has been solid, and the Orioles defense (aside from not having a 100% healthy left fielder) has been good. Matusz picked off two runners with the help of solid 1st base play from Garrett Atkins. I still have my doubts about Atkins, but he has played well this season including a big two RBI single yesterday which broke open the game. Furthermore, Oriole fans shouldn’t worry about Nolan Reimold duplicating his offensive output from last season. Reimold can flat out rake.

The Orioles open their home schedule today against the Blue Jays with Brad Bergesen on the hill. Hopefully the Oriole bats will come to life so Gonzalez won’t have to close another tight game. My heart can’t take it.

What are your first impressions of the O’s this season?

Woodman – diehard O’s fan for life.

The anticipation and excitement of Opening Day has been hanging in the air for months. Oriole fans want, need, and expect this year to be different from the last 12; but after watching the game last night, maybe Oriole fans should prepare for more of the same.

The Oriole hitters produced 3 solo home runs, but went 0-11 with runners in scoring position.

Kevin Millwood produced an excellent first start as an Oriole and got outstanding bullpen help, until new Oriole closer Mike Gonzalez blew the save by allowing two runs in the bottom of the ninth.

Garrett Atkins failed to deliver an RBI with runners on 1st and 3rd and no outs, and later tried to score on a ground ball from third with one out and was thrown out at the plate.

As much as Oriole fans want this year to be different, I am nervous that it will be more of the same. If an Oriole starter does well, the bullpen will blow it. If the Oriole bats are hot, the pitching will give up 10 runs. This franchise needs a definitive moment to usher in a new era. The Oriole roster is full of players that make it worthwhile to make a trip to Camden Yards, but whether that translates into wins remains to be seen.

Ten Things for 2010:

10. Over/Under on Jeremy Guthrie remaining in the Oriole starting rotation after May 31st?

9. Over/Under Miguel Tejada hitting 10 Home Runs. By the way, he is the Oriole clean-up hitter. I am going with under.

8. Over/Under 11 wins for future Oriole Ace Brian Matusz? Will Matusz win AL Rookie of the Year?

7. Over/Under 2 the number of Oriole hitters that will have an .400 OBP?

6. % that Dave Trembley will be the Oriole manager after 2010.

5. Over/Under 12 blown saves for Oriole closer Mike Gonzalez? Over/Under 30 blown leads by the Oriole bullpen?

4. Over/Under 4 the number of Orioles who will hit 20 or more Home Runs?

3. % Garrett Atkins is even on the Oriole roster August 1st?

2. Over/Under 27 road wins?

1. Over/Under 74 wins for the season?

The Oriole season is one day old and I am already sick to my stomach. Maybe the Mayflower vans that moved the Colts in 1983 should stand by to move this garbage Oriole squad out of Charm City.

The Orioles have the most difficult schedule in MLB the first 40 games of the season. Oriole fans know that the team will swoon and lose 40 of 45 in August/September. We can only hope that last nights game will not be an indication of the month to come.

Woodman – crossing my fingers, but not expecting much

Why does finishing the season at .500 get people excited? I know the Orioles have suffered through 12 straight losing seasons and fans want to put an end to that streak, but what does it really mean?

You either make the playoffs or you don’t. Period. Do you think that finishing .500 will give you bragging rights to your college buddies that are Yankee and Red Sox fans?

Even if the Orioles won 100 games with donkeys like Millar, Conine, Daniel Cabrera, Sydney Ponson, Adam Eaton, Chris Gomez, and a number of other bush league jokers in the last 10 years, I still wouldn’t have fully embraced the team. More important than a .500 record is the reality that we have a team of players that we can root for and enjoy watching. Would you buy the jersey of any Oriole player other than Markakis or Roberts in the last 10 years?

How about going to Camden Yards to watch Brian Matusz, Matt Wieters, Adam Jones, Nolan Reimold, Chris Tillman, along with Nick, BRob, and Miggy? Are they worth the price of admission, and would you buy their jerseys? Of course you would!

Any realistic Oriole fan knows that this team will fall short of finishing .500 this year. But I GUARANTEE that you see marked improvement on the baseball field and that it will be fun to go to the Yard to watch these young studs play. It is a lot to ask of these young players to develop into every day major league players AND learn how to win all in the same year. MacPhail did a great job bringing Millwood, Atkins, and Miggy into the team to help mentor the young players. Hopefully these veterans can produce on the field as well.

I am tired of waiting. I am tired of always looking ahead to next year. I want results now. I want to win now. I don’t want excuses. I am tired of lip service by the Oriole front office. But, Andy MacPhail IS turning things around and building the organization and parent club into something we can be proud of every year. The Orioles have a nucleus of young, dynamic talent that will make the team an attractive free agent destination. When was the last time Baltimore was an attractive free agent destination? Don’t you think Prince Fielder would look at these young arms and picture himself in a lineup with: BRob, Jones, Markakis, Fielder, Weiters, Reimold, Bell, etc.? A rotation with Britton, Matusz, Tillman, Arrieta?

Everyone needs to get over the .500 fixation and just appreciate the young players the Orioles will send out to represent Charm City as they restore the pride to this once great organization. Also, can we please fill up the Yard with Oriole fans and send Red Sox Nation, Yankees fans, and any other away team fan back home where they belong? These young guys need our support and need our cheers, not jeers from some douchebag Red Sox fan.

Woodman – we aren’t finishing .500 this year, so get over it

Orioles fans have many questions for the worst owner in sports

Oriole fans and their continued frustration with majority owner Peter Angelos has been the #1 hot button topic on Baltimore sports talk radio for the last ten years.

Oriole fans have no confidence that Peter Angelos will ever spend the money required to compete with the Yankees and Red Sox in a cash rich AL East. Things are so bad in Charm City that Orioles fans have begun to wonder even IF Angelos was willing to spend the money, would a high profile free agent want to come to Baltimore and lose 90-100 games every year?

As I have said many times before the Orioles will need to overpay for a legitimate free agent. That is the penalty for being a terrible franchise. Looking ahead to 2010, money should be no object as the Orioles have already shed close to 28 million in payroll from 2009: Melvin Mora (8 million), Aubrey Huff (8 million), Danny Baez (7 million) and Jamie Walker (4.5 million). These players were typical of the Orioles triple threat: bad, old, and expensive. The 2010 Oriole payroll is currently hovering around 45 million. Just to put that in perspective, A-Rod made 33 million himself in 2009. Oriole GM Andy McPhail has assured the fans the front office will be active and willing to spend on the right free agents. We shall see.

Most fans agree on the Oriole priorities this offseason: closer, veteran starter, power hitting corner infielders.

The following closers are available in free agency and would make sense in the Orioles bullpen: Mike Gonzalez (Atlanta), Jose Valverde (Houston), Billy Wagner (Boston), and Fernando Rodney (Tigers). Flamethrowing reliever Joel Zumaya (Detroit) is also available and could be converted into a closer. There is no doubt that the Orioles struggled to close games after trading veteran lefty George Sherill to the Dodgers. However, the Orioles may have found their third baseman of the future in Josh Bell who came to Baltimore via Los Angeles in the deal for Sherill.

Bell is a 6’2″, 230 lb switch hitter who has experienced success at every major league level. In 33 games at AA Bowie, Bell’s stat line was a robust: .289 avg, 9 HR and 24 RBI.  Bell is on track to start the 2010 season in Norfolk with the Orioles first baseman of the future Brandon Snyder. Snyder was a AA All-Star in 2009, but struggled after his call up to AAA Norfolk. Both players are expected to see their first major league action after the All-Star break in 2010. Both should be ready to contribute every day by opening day 2011.

Due to the expectation that youth will be served by 2011, the Orioles do not need a long term solution at the corner infield positions. The top free agents currently available at 3B are: Chone Figgins (Angels), Troy Glaus (St. Louis), Adrian Beltre (Seattle), Pedro Feliz (Philly), Garrett Atkins (Colorado), and Mark DeRosa. I think Troy Glaus would be a great 2 year player in Baltimore and would give the O’s a home run threat and veteran presence in the club house. It is documented that the Orioles have contacted Mark DeRosa’s agent. Pedro Feliz has also been rumored as a possible fit in Baltimore.

The notable players available in free agency at first base are Carlos Delgado (Mets), Hank Blalock (Texas), and Adam LaRoche (Atlanta). Even though Blalock has been injury prone every season except his contract year, his left handed stroke could do damage to the short porch in right field at Camden yards. Michael Aubrey came to Baltimore via Cleveland last year and may be the best defensive option at first base. Aubrey hit better than expected for the Orioles the last two months of the season but is not the quintessential power hitter the team desperately needs in the middle of the line-up.

This brings me to the last area of need for the Orioles: veteran starting pitcher. The big name pitcher who will ring the register of free agency this year is John Lackey. However, I think the Orioles should look elsewhere to fill the need for a top of the rotation starter. How about former Oriole Erik Bedard?

How about this for irony: the Orioles reload their franchise by getting Adam Jones, Chris Tillman, and Josh Bell (via George Sherrill) in a trade for Bedard. This cost the former Mariners GM his job and was one of the worst trades in MLB history. Bedard has struggled through two injury plagued seasons in Seattle and will not command the pay day he would received two years ago. We basically could bring Bedard back to Baltimore for half the price and still keep Jones, Tillman, and Bell!! How about a rotation of Bedard, Matusz, Guthrie, Bergesen, and Tillman? Is that better than an opening day rotation of Guthrie, Uehara, Rich Hill, Mark Hendrickson, and Adam Eaton?

Oriole fans need to start clamoring for management to bring Bedard back to Baltimore. It would make for a great story and Bedard has familiarity with the team and hitters in the AL east. C’mon Peter Angelos, fork out some cash and bring some excitement back to the great fans in Baltimore!  They deserve it!

If I were GM I would be active and try to add Bedard, Rodney, and either Blalock or Glaus. What would you do this winter if you were the Orioles GM?

woodman – still look at the picture of Cal & Eddie drinking Dom P everyday.

The Good:

Nick Markakis – despite playing on a terrible team and receiving very little protection in the line-up, Markakis continues to grind it out and put up solid numbers. He has proven that he is durable and dependable as an every day player. Defensively, Nick has a cannon and is always at the top of the league in assists. Offensively, he has faded a bit down the stretch and will need a blistering final week to reach .300, 20 HR’s, 100 runs and 100 RBI. But, once the Orioles pick up a legitimate clean-up hitter, Nick will be a lock to achieve these numbers every year. Nick is one of the Orioles marquee players and is the right fielder of the future. One negative from 2009 is a lowly .343 OBP.

Adam Jones – Adam (the lone Oriole All-Star and Gold Glove winner) turned the corner in 2009 and solidified himself as the Orioles starting center fielder. The light switch went on for Jones around 500 career major league at bats, and he proved that he can produce consistently at the plate. Adam was on track for a monster season before a knee injury ended his season prematurely. Jones is a graceful defensive player who can cover a lot of ground. He also showed flashes of power and may be a reliable 25 HR guy for the next 10 years. Jones’s .335 OBP needs to improve, but like Markakis, needs a true power hitter in the middle of the line-up to ensure that he will see better pitches.

Nolan Reimold – came out of nowhere to solidify himself as the Orioles everyday left fielder. I think most Orioles fans were skeptical that he could continue his early successes. But, he proved his skeptics wrong and played steady baseball for most of the year. Nolan has great poise and is a very patient hitter. He plays the game as if he has been there before and has some legitimate pop in his bat. Reimold is a throwback Oriole that has a workmanlike quality to his game and I am confident he will continue to improve. Also, considering his lack of experience in LF, Nolan made a lot of progress defensively this season as well.

Felix Pie – emerged late in the year to give Oriole fans confidence that he can be a reliable 4th outfielder. Pie improved dramatically in every area of his game and I think he has truly begun the process of fulfilling his vast “potential.”

Brian Matusz – to the pleasant surprise of many Oriole fans, Matusz was called up in July and gave the Orioles a number of quality starts down the stretch. The process of understanding all of the in-game adjustments at the big league level has begun. Matusz logged enough innings to see what he is going to have to do to be successful at this level. As the top Oriole pitching prospect, I thought they would shelter him from the big leagues until 2010. But to my surprise, the O’s gave him the call-up.  Matusz has great control and should be a staple in the Oriole rotation for years to come. By getting the experience this season, it should help accelerate his development into a reliable top of the rotation starter.

Chris Tillman – is still a work in progress, but I saw enough good things to be optimistic. Tillman has chronic first inning troubles and moments where his pitches catch too much of the plate. But, he has a smooth delivery and a vicious 12-6 hook. Tillman’s fastball sometimes lacks the subtle movement required to consistently get out big league hitters. But, this is all a part of the education of pitching in the big leagues. It is a process for any pitcher to have confidence to use all of their pitches. But from what I saw, Tillman can consistently throw his curve ball for strikes. Even though he is young, the organization has said that Tillman has the mental capacity and work ethic required to become a solid major league starter. Because of the valuable experience gained by playing in MLB this season, Tillman should be ready to hit the ground running in 2010.

Matt Weiters – it would be difficult for anyone to live up to all the hype that surrounded Weiters in the lead up to his major league debut. But fanfare aside, Weiters has continued to work on all facets of his game and has recently emerged as a force for the Orioles. Weiters is learning the art of calling a major league game and is continuing to develop along with the young Oriole starters. Weiters has been throwing out runners and showing flashes that he may be a dependable player behind the plate. I never worried about his offense, and am not surprised he has heated up at the plate over the last month. Needless to say, the sky is the limit with this guy and I can’t wait to root for him in 2010.

Brian Roberts – what can I even say about Roberts? He broke the franchise record for doubles in a season and put up close to career best numbers across the board. Even though he loses year in and year out with a terrible team, Roberts continues to saw the wood and show what being a professional baseball player is all about. I pray there is a day where Roberts can celebrate being a winner in Baltimore.

The Orioles farm system – Norfolk, Bowie and Frederick are much more competitive than they have been in many years. The Orioles have found a way to field a terrible major league team in conjunction with a minor league system that has been devoid of prospects. Those days are over. McPhail has stockpiled a number of good players and the organization is deeper than it has been in a long time. Many of our top prospects were called up this year, but we have a number of solid prospects still in the pipeline including Jake Arrieta, Troy Patton, Brandon Erbe, and Brandon Snyder to name a few.

The Bad:

No real power in the middle of the lineup

No power in our corner infield spots.

Nobody on the team is even close to the .400 OBP demanded by Earl Weaver.

We don’t score enough runs.

The Yankees and Red Sox are not going to stop spending money anytime soon. And, the Rays have a young, solid major league team along with a wealth of minor league prospects. The AL East is going to be a buzzsaw for the foreseeable future.

The Orioles will probably lose 100 games.

The Ugly:

Our starting rotation for the majority of the year. I am just going to have selective memory loss when it comes to recounting the Oriole opening day starting rotation in 2009. What an absolute trainwreck. Even if Bergesen, Tillman, and Matusz get racked every start in 2010, I would much rather root for these guys instead of those other donkeys.

Jeremy Guthrie – simply terrible the entire year and this guy is the Orioles #1 starter. Oriole fans need to look no further to realize why this team is horrid. Who would you put your money on to end a losing streak: Guthrie? or Sabathia, Lester, Halladay, Verlander, Grienke etc? I think you get the picture.

Any closer not named George Sherrill. Johnson, Ray, and Baez couldn’t close the deal with a prostitute on the Block, let alone a major league game. This is a glaring need this offseason. The aforementioned pitchers are much more effective in set-up roles.

Dave Trembley – I like him as a person and he sets a good example for the younger players. He preaches fundamentals and has tried to restore some resemblance of the Oriole way. But, with that being said, as the Orioles continue to build a better roster and try to compete in the coming years, they need a better in-game manager. Period.

Camden Yards – the Orioles seem like the visiting team when they play their biggest rivals. The invasion of Yankee and Red Sox fans into the Yard is nothing short of sickening.

Verdict:

We need a closer.

We desperately need a power hitting corner infielder. Every team needs a 30+ HR stud to offer protection for the rest of the line-up. Also, in the dog days of summer, 3 run HR’s go a long way to surviving and competing in 100 degree heat.

We need to overpay for a high profile FA. When you are a terrible team you have to bite the bullet and overpay for someone. That is the penalty for being a terrible franchise. The first step to restoring the fan base and image of the franchise is for ownership and management to show that they are serious about getting better.

We need a veteran journeyman starter who can help groom our young pitchers as well as give us a bunch of quality starts. We need someone who can eat innings and help preserve the bullpen. Young pitchers tend to struggle going deep into games, so, the O’s need a good innings eater.

The Orioles have a number of solid parts that will provide the foundation for the next decade. But, they need to spend money and bring in a few more thoroughbreds if they ever hope to compete in the AL East. All Oriole fans want the 2009 season to end. However ,I am truly excited about rooting for this team next spring. I know it is hard to keep the faith, but I promise that the Orioles will not suck forever. Long live the memories of Cal & Eddie.

woodman – Orioles fanatic for life even if Angelos is the worst owner in all of sports.

Ticket Prices in the AL East:

Yankees- $2625 – $14

Redsox-  $325-$20

Blue Jays- $210-$9

Rays- $210- $10

O’s- $135- $9

The O’s stack up pretty nicely when it comes to ticket prices in the AL East. We have (mostly) the cheapest tickets around and while 99% of the time that is great news, when the New York Redsox and the Boston Yankees (parapraxis) come to town it really begins to chap my ass.  The Orioles took note long ago that getting a ticket in Fenway is pretty difficult, and seeing how the team’s fans travel well. The O’s hiked up the ticket prices for the Yanks/Sox and called them “Prime games” to make a bit of extra money. Is this fair? I’m not sure.  Part of me hates it because I think it drives some of the O’s fans away. A usual $9 seat becomes $15, a great $27 seat near the field all the sudden becomes $40. I have heard endless complaints from fans on both sides. Yankee fans complain that we hike up the prices even though they come down to Baltimore and spend money in the city, fill the seats and eat our food, while O’s fans say we price them out of even coming to the Yard. The other troubling part is a lot of O’s fans are buying up those seats and then scalping them for almost double the price to willing Sox/Yankee’s fans. My struggle continues when I think, hell, if O’s fans aren’t packing out the stadium; let’s raise the prices even more for these intruders. Let’s charge them $50 for cheap seats. They will still pay, and the O’s would reap the benefits in the long run. 

Don’t think that I don’t realize the O’s are officially out of it, but it is hard to watch a team die in front of your eyes, but for me it’s even harder to watch another team dominate your stadium. 

I guess my point is, if you are sick of seeing signs like I have seen this week “The House the Yankees Built,” bring a few of your friends to the park with an O’s shirt on and try to have a good time despite the disaster on the field. One day, if we dream hard enough, tickets will be impossible for Yankees/Redsox to come by.

 Additional note: When it isn’t a “Prime Game,” our best seats (the ones one row off the field) don’t get any higher than $135. $135 wouldn’t get you on top of the green monster or get you on the bottom level anywhere near the plate at Yankee stadium.  You could sit in the very best seat at The Yard for 19 games for the same price as the same seat at Yankee stadium for one game.

~ Gordon Southard, for the preservation of Camden Yards