The Baltimore Orioles Thread (merged)

[Stache Fan]

According to this poll in the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles should be considered heavy favorites to win the East with 64% of a totally objective poll picking the O's:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/b...5089,post.poll

Sorry O's fans, but this is pathetic. I would at least acknowledge if the Yankees had no shot. But the Orioles???

[spyglass]

The (Results Not Scientific) thing in the bottom right corner cracks me up...

[LongtimeNYYFan]

The Orioles ST home at Ft. Lauderdale and the minor league facility in Sarasota are in terrible shape. 3 teams have refused to play there and the Red Sox even offered to pay bus fare to relocate the games there to a better facility. I like the part about the weight room being in a leaky tent in the parking lot. Welcome to the show, big leaguers! What an embarrassment!

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/b...3.story?page=1

[Mr. Mxylsplk]

According to this poll in the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles should be considered heavy favorites to win the East with 64% of a totally objective poll picking the O's:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/b...5089,post.poll

Looks like bobby jr. figured out how to write a voting bot.

[crstoner97]

Guthrie, Uehara, Hendrickson, Eaton, Simon

Sherrill
Ray
Johnson
Walker
Sarfate
Albers
Baez or Bass

Rich Hill will be in the rotation before the end of April.. Hendrickson will go to the pen, and Walker possibly released.

Brad Bergesen likely to take Eaton's job by the end of April as well.

Roberts 2nd
Jones CF
Markakis RF
Huff 1st
Mora 3rd
Scott DH
Zaun C
Pie LF
Izturis SS

Moeller, Wiggington, Freel, Andino

Some conjecture Wieters will not be up until June (Super 2), but most believe he will be promoted April 17th (O's in Fenway that night) when the Orioles gain the extra year of elgibility.

http://baltimoresportsandlife.blogspot.com/

[Mark19]

Guthrie, Uehara, Hendrickson, Eaton, Simon

Sherrill
Ray
Johnson
Walker
Sarfate
Albers
Baez or Bass

Rich Hill will be in the rotation before the end of April.. Hendrickson will go to the pen, and Walker possibly released.

Brad Bergesen likely to take Eaton's job by the end of April as well.

Roberts 2nd
Jones CF
Markakis RF
Huff 1st
Mora 3rd
Scott DH
Zaun C
Pie LF
Izturis SS

Moeller, Wiggington, Freel, Andino

Some conjecture Wieters will not be up until June (Super 2), but most believe he will be promoted April 17th (O's in Fenway that night) when the Orioles gain the extra year of elgibility.

http://baltimoresportsandlife.blogspot.com/

I imagine you'll be seeing a lot of Scott and Wigginton cycling through DH and LF given that Pie may not be capable of producing at the ML level.

[crstoner97]

http://baltimoresportsandlife.blogspot.com...ting-state.html
http://baltimoresportsandlife.blogspot.com...confidence.html
http://baltimoresportsandlife.blogspot.com...-and-goals.html
http://baltimoresportsandlife.blogspot.com...ding-final.html

[crstoner97]

I imagine you'll be seeing a lot of Scott and Wigginton cycling through DH and LF given that Pie may not be capable of producing at the ML level.

Scott and Wigginton will get plenty of playing time... but I'm hoping for 400+ plus at-bats from Pie either way.

In a year where you can not contend, getting regular at-bats for the 24 year-old who has the chance to be part of the future core is a necessity.

Pie - Turned 24, Feb 8th

2008 AAA age 23 - 335 at-bats, 802 OPS, 96 hits, 20 doubles, 5 triples, 10 homers, 55 rbi, 11 steals, 7 caught stealing, 54 k's, 23 walks, 287 avg, 336 onbase, 466 slugging

2007 AAA age 22 - 229 at-bats, 973 OPS, 83 hits, 9 doubles, 5 triples, 9 homers, 43 rbi, 9 steals, 6 caught stealing, 40 k's, 19 walks, 362 avg, 410 onbase, 563 slugging
2007 & 2008 combined MLB stats - 260 at-bats, 615 OPS, 58 hits, 11 doubles, 4 triples, 3 homers, 30 rbi, 11 steals, 1 caught stealing, 72 k's, 21 walks, 223 avg, 284 onbase, 331 slugging

Pie 2009 Projected - 270 batting avg, 12 homers, 60 rbi, 738 OPS, 320 on-base, 418 slugging, 35 walks, 140 k's, 20 doubles, 7 triples, 15 steals, 7 caught stealing

[Shanghai Bob]

From Abe's blog:

Monday: LHP CC Sabathia (17-10. 2.70 in 2008) for the Yankees vs. RHP Jeremy Guthrie (10-12, 3.63), 4:05, YES, WCBS 880
Wednesday: RHP Chien-Ming Wang (8-2, 4.07) vs. RHP Koji Uehara (6-5, 3.81 for Yomiuri Giants), 7:05, YES, WCBS 880
Thursday: RHP A.J. Burnett (18-10, 4.07) vs. RHP Alfredo Simon (0-0, 6.23), 1:35, YES, WCBS 880

What is the likelihood of the Yankees dropping a game here? Guthrie got rocked against the Yanks in his sub par spring training. Uehara (whom I used to watch in Japan) is way past his prime and I know nothing about Simon (maybe somebody can enlighten me here). That lineup you guys just posted also doesn't look too scary. 2 out of 3 has to be par for the first series.

[NYYjer]

About Alfedro Simon from espn.com-
"formerly decent prospect with the Giants and Phillies (he was once traded with Ricky Ledee), Simon will apparently stick as the Orioles' No. 3 starter after posting a sub-2.00 ERA this spring. He got hit hard with the O's during a fall call-up last season, and he's long been homer-prone and relatively ineffective throughout his minor-league career. It's very tough to imagine him being able to survive long in an AL East rotation."

[ny]

Good luck to the O's in their quest for a 10th 4th place finish in the past 12 years

[Mark19]

About Alfedro Simon from espn.com-
"formerly decent prospect with the Giants and Phillies (he was once traded with Ricky Ledee), Simon will apparently stick as the Orioles' No. 3 starter after posting a sub-2.00 ERA this spring. He got hit hard with the O's during a fall call-up last season, and he's long been homer-prone and relatively ineffective throughout his minor-league career. It's very tough to imagine him being able to survive long in an AL East rotation."

If the 2009 Yankees are anything like the 2008 Yankees, he'll probably go 7 innings with 2 earned and 8 Ks

[aeromac76]

If the 2009 Yankees are anything like the 2008 Yankees, he'll probably go 7 innings with 2 earned and 8 Ks

We're not, so lets rock this friggin guy..

[bobby jr]

Good luck to the O's in their quest for a 10th 4th place finish in the past 12 years

I like the way the standings look this morning!

Orioles on top of the AL East. The way it used to be when I was growing up.

W L % GB
Baltimore 1 0 1.000 -
Toronto 1 0 1.000 -
Boston 0 0 - 0.5
Tampa Bay 0 0 - 0.5
New York 0 1 .000 1.0

[Reggie Smith]

I like the way the standings look this morning!

Orioles on top of the AL East. The way it used to be when I was growing up.

W L % GB
Baltimore 1 0 1.000 -
Toronto 1 0 1.000 -
Boston 0 0 - 0.5
Tampa Bay 0 0 - 0.5
New York 0 1 .000 1.0

You can pretty much guarantee every time ny opens his trap and pours a beer down it, good things usually happen to whomever he's crapping on.

[Yankeeah]

I like the way the standings look this morning!

Orioles on top of the AL East. The way it used to be when I was growing up.

W L % GB
Baltimore 1 0 1.000 -
Toronto 1 0 1.000 -
Boston 0 0 - 0.5
Tampa Bay 0 0 - 0.5
New York 0 1 .000 1.0

If somehow it rains from today until September 30th in every MLB city the Orioles will make the playoffs. It's their only chance!

[bobby jr]

The Yankees may not have an easy time of it this series after all. They have to face Koji Uehara in game two, and I understand he has not good, but great, control.

There is a new feeling at the warehouse this year. Angelos has loosened the purse strings to sign Markakis and Roberts, and there are potent hitters in the lineup.
The pitching should be improved over last year too.

Sports Illustrated picked the O's to go 80-82 this year. I think they can break .500 and this will be a winning season for the team.

[effdamets]

The Yankees may not have an easy time of it this series after all. They have to face Koji Uehara in game two, and I understand he has not good, but great, control.

There is a new feeling at the warehouse this year. Angelos has loosened the purse strings to sign Markakis and Roberts, and there are potent hitters in the lineup.
The pitching should be improved over last year too.

Sports Illustrated picked the O's to go 80-82 this year. I think they can break .500 and this will be a winning season for the team.

This is actually realistic and I agree!

[justtxyank]

Sports Illustrated picked the O's to go 80-82 this year. I think they can break .500 and this will be a winning season for the team.

[zff4]

The pitching should be improved over last year too.

Farther from the truth you cannot get. The pitching will be excreble. If not for all year then certainly up to the deadline. I"m not sure how any rotation is improved with the likes of Eaton and Hendrickson.

Pirates could be worse. Maybe.

[Mark19]

Farther from the truth you cannot get. The pitching will be excreble. If not for all year then certainly up to the deadline. I"m not sure how any rotation is improved with the likes of Eaton and Hendrickson.

Pirates could be worse. Maybe.

Uehara has a chance to be above average if everything breaks right, Guthrie is good and then you have the question marks.

That all being said, they still have the best rotation in the BW region.

[jeterdaman]

I like the way the standings look this morning!

Orioles on top of the AL East. The way it used to be when I was growing up.

W L % GB
Baltimore 1 0 1.000 -
Toronto 1 0 1.000 -
Boston 0 0 - 0.5
Tampa Bay 0 0 - 0.5
New York 0 1 .000 1.0

You turn those standings completely upside down and that is how the year will end.

[Why Not?]

You turn those standings completely upside down and that is how the year will end.

No way. The Red Sox will probably get a game or two finished by the end of the season.

[R.V.47]

Seems like the Os have started hot every year since about 05 but the cream always rises to the top in the AL East.

[Why Not?]

This is actually realistic and I agree!

I think 80-82 is optimistic. The important thing is progress. The back of the rotation is hopeless and they are going to get crushed. But that really doesn't matter. What matters is how well Tillman/Matusz/Arrieta do on the farm, how well Adam Jones (and Felix Pie) develop, how quickly Wieters becomes what everyone thinks he will become. Also, what can we get for guys like Scott, Huff, Sherrill and Guthrie at the trade deadline.

This will hopefully be a very different team in September.