My blogs can now be exclusively found at http://www.armchairgm.com
Username = Baltimoresports247
Monday, July 30, 2007
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Big Time Oops for Ookie (The Michael Vick Indictment)
Yesterday around 5:45 ESPN reported that Michael Vick has been indicted on "conspiracy to travel in interstate commerce in aid of unlawful actvities and to sponsor a dog in an animal fighting venture." I'm sitting here reading this 19 page indictment, and I've got news for #7...you've gotta spend a ton of money to get yourself out of this one.
This isn't smuggling a bong (oops, I mean "designer water bottle") through an airport or flipping your adoring fan base the bird after a game...this is some serious stuff. This is especially serious considering that Vick has been the face of the NFL, which puts him in a higher regard than Adam "Strip Club" Jones and Chris Henry...he was on the cover of Madden, has tons of endorsements (if Nike doesn't drop him I'm never buying another pair of Jordans)...this guy is chalked to make the 2nd highest salary this year. Not to mention he plays in a big market city like Atlanta, a team that represents and is cheered for by the entire dirty south. If you're a sponsor, do you drop him? I sure as hell hope so. If you're Arthur Blank, do you keep this guy on your team?
I hope you wouldn't...and before you start crucifying me for saying that, here are some excerpts from the 19 page indictment, which suggests Vick a.k.a. Ookie (sweet nickname dude...) is the king pin of a dog fighting ring called "Bad Newz Kennels."
The indictment tells us that Purnell A. Peace, a.k.a, P-Funk/Funk (again, another clever, intelligent nick name ::cough cough::) consulted Vick after a female pitbull had lost a fight. After the consultation, P-Funk proceeded to soak a dog in water and electricute it...
Other statements from anonoymous witnesses include accounts of dogs being hanged, drowned, and at least one account of a dog being slammed to the ground repeatedly in order to "execute" the losing fighter.
The NFL office has made a statement which implied that they're going to hold off on handing down a suspension to Vick until everything is settled in court...if that's the case, then why has Pacman been suspended for the entire year? This certainly seems like a double standard to me...and causing a fight at a strip club is a much lesser offense than holding a domestic dog's head underwater until it stops kicking...I know that his entourage has been connected to shootings, but it looks as though Jones himself hasn't been connected to the shootings/murders.
By the looks of this indictment, #7 has been personally connected to fighting dogs and "executing" them in ways that the U.S. government wouldn't allow for murderers and rapists on death row.
Not to say that an animal has as much rights as a human...but for God's sake, there a 4 year old kids who have donned that #7 jersey, and these allegations literally make me sick to my stomach knowing that no matter what happens, Vick will probably still start for the Falcons this year.
Hopefully he won't (c'mon, Arthur Blank, do the right thing), but he probably will. Like most of the celebrities that buy their way out of trouble, Vick will start throwing suitcases of money at scum-bag lawyers who will put their morals aside (if they have any) to get him out of this mess. After reading this indictment, that would put a big, swollen, black eye on the NFL. Roger Godell needs to suspend Vick; that is, unless he's making an exception for one of the poster children of his organization.
And, please, read this indictment ...
By: Alex Thomas
Intern, 1570 AM WNST, Baltimore
Sports Night with Michael Popovec
6-8 PM weekdays, click the link to listen live
cross-published on http://www.armchairgm.com
This isn't smuggling a bong (oops, I mean "designer water bottle") through an airport or flipping your adoring fan base the bird after a game...this is some serious stuff. This is especially serious considering that Vick has been the face of the NFL, which puts him in a higher regard than Adam "Strip Club" Jones and Chris Henry...he was on the cover of Madden, has tons of endorsements (if Nike doesn't drop him I'm never buying another pair of Jordans)...this guy is chalked to make the 2nd highest salary this year. Not to mention he plays in a big market city like Atlanta, a team that represents and is cheered for by the entire dirty south. If you're a sponsor, do you drop him? I sure as hell hope so. If you're Arthur Blank, do you keep this guy on your team?
I hope you wouldn't...and before you start crucifying me for saying that, here are some excerpts from the 19 page indictment, which suggests Vick a.k.a. Ookie (sweet nickname dude...) is the king pin of a dog fighting ring called "Bad Newz Kennels."
The indictment tells us that Purnell A. Peace, a.k.a, P-Funk/Funk (again, another clever, intelligent nick name ::cough cough::) consulted Vick after a female pitbull had lost a fight. After the consultation, P-Funk proceeded to soak a dog in water and electricute it...
Other statements from anonoymous witnesses include accounts of dogs being hanged, drowned, and at least one account of a dog being slammed to the ground repeatedly in order to "execute" the losing fighter.
The NFL office has made a statement which implied that they're going to hold off on handing down a suspension to Vick until everything is settled in court...if that's the case, then why has Pacman been suspended for the entire year? This certainly seems like a double standard to me...and causing a fight at a strip club is a much lesser offense than holding a domestic dog's head underwater until it stops kicking...I know that his entourage has been connected to shootings, but it looks as though Jones himself hasn't been connected to the shootings/murders.
By the looks of this indictment, #7 has been personally connected to fighting dogs and "executing" them in ways that the U.S. government wouldn't allow for murderers and rapists on death row.
Not to say that an animal has as much rights as a human...but for God's sake, there a 4 year old kids who have donned that #7 jersey, and these allegations literally make me sick to my stomach knowing that no matter what happens, Vick will probably still start for the Falcons this year.
Hopefully he won't (c'mon, Arthur Blank, do the right thing), but he probably will. Like most of the celebrities that buy their way out of trouble, Vick will start throwing suitcases of money at scum-bag lawyers who will put their morals aside (if they have any) to get him out of this mess. After reading this indictment, that would put a big, swollen, black eye on the NFL. Roger Godell needs to suspend Vick; that is, unless he's making an exception for one of the poster children of his organization.
And, please, read this indictment ...
By: Alex Thomas
Intern, 1570 AM WNST, Baltimore
Sports Night with Michael Popovec
6-8 PM weekdays, click the link to listen live
cross-published on http://www.armchairgm.com
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Ichiro, Hafner ink new deals: What does this mean for future star MLB free agents?
With Ichiro Suzuki and Travis Hafner signing new lucrative contracts and the big names that are approaching free agency in the next couple of years, this decade is going to mark another salary explosion in professional baseball. Whether it’s contract extensions or testing the market, the free agents that are on the horizon are going to break the bank. I wonder how long it’s going to take until Brinks trucks are backing up into A-Rod’s driveway and dumping a few tons of gold bullion onto his front lawn.
Ichiro just signed a four year, $100 million contract. Personally, I really like Ichiro and was looking forward to maybe seeing him in an O’s uniform in center field. I know I was kidding myself, but a guy can dream, can’t he? But 100 mill may be a bit much, especially with all the money he was guaranteed through the last 3 seasons. Yes, I know he can run the bases, play solid defense, and has the best batting average since 2001, but when was the last time you heard someone paying that much for a lead-off hitter? Seems a bit too steep for me.
Travis Hafner, at the ripe age of 30, just inked a four year, $57 million contract extension that will keep him in an Indians uniform until 2012, with a club option through 2013. Wow…I mean I know the guy hits a lot of home runs, but he’s only batting .262 with a .397 OBP this season, and at age 30, his best years could be behind him (relax, people, I’m not saying that they are, I’m saying it’s a possibility). Call me crazy, to me that’s not worth $57 million.
So, A-Rod, Torri Hunter, Carlos Zambrano, and Adam Dunn must be licking their chops right now. These MLB A-listers will be free agents in 2008 (A-Rod can opt out, and probably will from what I’m hearing from Scott Boras). Can you imagine what teams will pay for A-Rod? I guarantee he will make at least $30 million per season with his new deal. C’mon, Peter Angelos, break out that check book!
And look at this list in ’09! Just to name a few: Johan Santana, Vladimir Guerrero, C.C. Sabathia, Erik Bedard, Jason Bay, Dan Harren, Matt Holiday, Reed Johnson.
These next few years could mark the next salary explosion in professional baseball, the first of course being in the 90’s. In 1990, the average cost of a 25 man roster was about $14.5 million. Today, it’s approaching $70 million. Looking at these recent signings and with big name free agents on the horizon, within the next decade, look for it to jump again.
By: Alex Thomas
Intern, 1570 AM WNST, Baltimore
http://www.wnst.net
Ichiro just signed a four year, $100 million contract. Personally, I really like Ichiro and was looking forward to maybe seeing him in an O’s uniform in center field. I know I was kidding myself, but a guy can dream, can’t he? But 100 mill may be a bit much, especially with all the money he was guaranteed through the last 3 seasons. Yes, I know he can run the bases, play solid defense, and has the best batting average since 2001, but when was the last time you heard someone paying that much for a lead-off hitter? Seems a bit too steep for me.
Travis Hafner, at the ripe age of 30, just inked a four year, $57 million contract extension that will keep him in an Indians uniform until 2012, with a club option through 2013. Wow…I mean I know the guy hits a lot of home runs, but he’s only batting .262 with a .397 OBP this season, and at age 30, his best years could be behind him (relax, people, I’m not saying that they are, I’m saying it’s a possibility). Call me crazy, to me that’s not worth $57 million.
So, A-Rod, Torri Hunter, Carlos Zambrano, and Adam Dunn must be licking their chops right now. These MLB A-listers will be free agents in 2008 (A-Rod can opt out, and probably will from what I’m hearing from Scott Boras). Can you imagine what teams will pay for A-Rod? I guarantee he will make at least $30 million per season with his new deal. C’mon, Peter Angelos, break out that check book!
And look at this list in ’09! Just to name a few: Johan Santana, Vladimir Guerrero, C.C. Sabathia, Erik Bedard, Jason Bay, Dan Harren, Matt Holiday, Reed Johnson.
These next few years could mark the next salary explosion in professional baseball, the first of course being in the 90’s. In 1990, the average cost of a 25 man roster was about $14.5 million. Today, it’s approaching $70 million. Looking at these recent signings and with big name free agents on the horizon, within the next decade, look for it to jump again.
By: Alex Thomas
Intern, 1570 AM WNST, Baltimore
http://www.wnst.net
Monday, July 9, 2007
The State of the Orioles
With Bud Selig giving a State of the Union address tomorrow, I feel it appropriate to address and make suggestions for the floundering Baltimore Orioles.
VP’s of Baseball Operations Jim Duquette and Mike Flanagan said last year that they have put a plan in place to make the Orioles competitive in two to three years. At this rate, that will not happen. We have a solid core of young players (Roberts, Markakis, Guthrie, Bedard), but half of them will probably be in different uniforms in the coming years. Erik Bedard hates it here and his contract is up soon. Andy MacPhail HAS to make a trade this season to calm the wolves, so he’ll have to trade somebody. Hey, you’ve gotta trade talent to get talent, and I’m not necessarily opposed to that. Recently, I had the state of mind that all four of those guys are untouchable, but now I’m beginning to think that the only one who can’t be traded is Jeremy Guthrie (yes, even Nick Markakis).
The Orioles line up is littered with aging veterans who are past their prime, such as Melvin Mora, Aubrey Huff, Miguel Tejada, and Jay Gibbons. I’m beginning to think that Jay Gibbons may have been involved the steroid scandal. Of course, this is purely speculation, but has anyone else noticed that his forearm and bicep size have shrunk (not to mention his batting average and power numbers)? We need to drop these guys like a bad habit and quick…it’s time to clean out the Warehouse and get some value in the process.
With the minor league system being a complete travesty, besides J.R. House and Matt Weiters, and Weiters isn’t even signed yet, the O’s are going to need to make a splash in the free agency market. But is this offseason the time to do it? We’re not going to win next year either, so I say wait until 2009 to make some serious moves in free agency. Look at the available players in ’09…Vlad Guerrero (we should have him anyway), Andruw Jones, John Lackey, Jake Peavy, Brad Penny, Johan Santana, Jason Bay, Adrian Beltre, Miguel Cabrera, Matt Holiday, Magglio Ordonez (maybe…I think he has an option that season), Reed Johnson. Wow…mark my words, the 2009 baseball offseason will be the most interesting few months in sports EVER. Not to mention, the contracts of Tejada, Huff, and Mora (among others) will be up, so that will give us an opportunity to clean house. Obviously, the O’s won’t sweep up all of those guys, but they should make moves to get 3 or 4 young talented free agents in ’09.
In short, the State of the Union is pretty crappy, but it can be fixed, and it SHOULD be fixed because the fans of Baltimore deserve it. Remember, Peter Angelos won’t live forever.
We NEVER stop talking Baltimore Sports on 1570 AM WNST.
http://www.wnst.net
click to listen live anywhere in the world
VP’s of Baseball Operations Jim Duquette and Mike Flanagan said last year that they have put a plan in place to make the Orioles competitive in two to three years. At this rate, that will not happen. We have a solid core of young players (Roberts, Markakis, Guthrie, Bedard), but half of them will probably be in different uniforms in the coming years. Erik Bedard hates it here and his contract is up soon. Andy MacPhail HAS to make a trade this season to calm the wolves, so he’ll have to trade somebody. Hey, you’ve gotta trade talent to get talent, and I’m not necessarily opposed to that. Recently, I had the state of mind that all four of those guys are untouchable, but now I’m beginning to think that the only one who can’t be traded is Jeremy Guthrie (yes, even Nick Markakis).
The Orioles line up is littered with aging veterans who are past their prime, such as Melvin Mora, Aubrey Huff, Miguel Tejada, and Jay Gibbons. I’m beginning to think that Jay Gibbons may have been involved the steroid scandal. Of course, this is purely speculation, but has anyone else noticed that his forearm and bicep size have shrunk (not to mention his batting average and power numbers)? We need to drop these guys like a bad habit and quick…it’s time to clean out the Warehouse and get some value in the process.
With the minor league system being a complete travesty, besides J.R. House and Matt Weiters, and Weiters isn’t even signed yet, the O’s are going to need to make a splash in the free agency market. But is this offseason the time to do it? We’re not going to win next year either, so I say wait until 2009 to make some serious moves in free agency. Look at the available players in ’09…Vlad Guerrero (we should have him anyway), Andruw Jones, John Lackey, Jake Peavy, Brad Penny, Johan Santana, Jason Bay, Adrian Beltre, Miguel Cabrera, Matt Holiday, Magglio Ordonez (maybe…I think he has an option that season), Reed Johnson. Wow…mark my words, the 2009 baseball offseason will be the most interesting few months in sports EVER. Not to mention, the contracts of Tejada, Huff, and Mora (among others) will be up, so that will give us an opportunity to clean house. Obviously, the O’s won’t sweep up all of those guys, but they should make moves to get 3 or 4 young talented free agents in ’09.
In short, the State of the Union is pretty crappy, but it can be fixed, and it SHOULD be fixed because the fans of Baltimore deserve it. Remember, Peter Angelos won’t live forever.
We NEVER stop talking Baltimore Sports on 1570 AM WNST.
http://www.wnst.net
click to listen live anywhere in the world
Sunday, July 1, 2007
MLB All-Star Game: Stars and Snubs
Cross-published on http://www.armchairgm.com/
Stars: These guys deserved the vote, but most of them flew under the radar this season despite playing great baseball.
Michael Young, SS, Texas Rangers: Batting .293 and playing spectacular defense, he also leads the Rangers in hits and extra base hits. He also seems to be the most clutch hitter on this struggling ball club. He only trails Sosa in the race for the team lead in steaks. Jeter was a good pick to start the mid-summer classic, regardless of the voting strength of Yankees’ nation, but Young is having a great season and is not being properly acknowledged by the general public.
Brian Roberts, 2B, Baltimore Orioles: The lone O-bird to make the All-Star Roster, Roberts is batting .327 and is 3rd in the league in stolen bases, and is better than the top two (Reyes and Pierre) in CS. He also leads the O’s in hits and runs scored, so he is one of the bright spots of a struggling franchise. Placido Polanco is having a better season and deserves the start, but it’s good to see Roberts on the roster.
Jorge Posada, C, New York Yankees: Why is Pudge starting the All-Star game? This just boggles my mind, especially because of the perennial pull from Yankee’s nation in voting. He leads all starting catchers in BA, he’s 2nd in RBIs, slugging, and HR, and is a better defensive catcher than Victor Martinez (who leads all offensive categories that he is second in, and he isn’t starting the All-Star game either). Perhaps Martinez deserves the nod because, at the time, the Indians are in first place in the AL Central, but Posada is a better catcher defensively and has comparable numbers in all offensive categories (except in RBI where Martinez clearly has the upper hand, but he doesn’t bat in a nearly 200 million dollar club house where he isn’t overshadowed in the lineup)
Snubs:
Sammy Sosa, OF, Texas Rangers: Certainly Sammy deserves all of the scrutiny that goes along with the Steroid Era in baseball, but remember, he has been hitting against pitchers who have been juiced as well. I don’t want to defend or advocate steroid use, but pitchers in this era are just as much, if not more at fault, than the big-name home run hitters like Big Mac, Bonds, Sosa, etc. We cannot crucify Sosa and Bonds without holding the same witch-hunt for pitchers like Roger Clemens, who is just as old, probably older (I’m not going to research birthdays), as these other guys. For some reason, people do not want to associate big-name pitchers with steroid use…I guess it’s because of nostalgic purposes…spare me. The pitchers in the game who are setting records in the Steroid Era, like Clemens and Trevor Hoffman, should be under just as much scrutiny as Bonds and Sosa…but they aren’t, for whatever reason, and that’s sad. Maybe it’s because Cy Young’s record of 511 wins is untouchable (wait, wasn’t Gehrig’s record untouchable?) or the fact that (for the most part) pitchers don't get the same press coverage…but I don’t want to advocate this B.S. notion that pitchers aren’t as much at fault as other ‘roid users, although some experts have pointed the finger more at the pitchers than the hitters. Regardless, remember that Young pitched in the dead-ball era, which had its own problems (see the 1919 Black Sox)…but, I digress…someone who has reached the 600 HR milestone, .255 BA, 63 RBI (tied for fourth), .476 slugging, 14 HR, should be in the mid-summer classic, at least as a reserve…think about all of the other players who used steroids and didn’t hit 600 HR.
Jeremy Guthrie, SP, Baltimore Orioles: Call me a homer, but Guthrie deserved an All-Star nod. No, I didn’t expect him to make the roster, but it’s a shame that he wasn’t awarded this opportunity. Just look at the numbers. 2.63 ERA, which, last I checked, was second-best in the AL. Yeah, his record is 4-2, but that does not show his dominance of this league. He is the king of the no-decision and has more movement on his two-seamer than Chris Brown has in “Stomp The Yard” (yeah, I like that movie). To have that low of an ERA and not having gaudy win numbers in 12 GS and 18 G shows that as a fact. His run-support has been awful, and he should be 13-1 going into the All-Star break. Leyland really dropped the ball here.
Dmitri Young, 1B, Washington Nationals: Don’t wanna leave the National League out here, although I’m not as fluent in the NL as I am with the AL, so I’m sure I missed someone here (if I did, please correct me). “Da Meat Hook” deserved the nod this year, as he is third in the NL in batting average. He’s also slugging .502, hitting an unprecedented 21 doubles and 37 RBI on a crappy team. His RBI numbers would be higher if he weren’t playing for the AAA knock-off that is the Washington Nationals.
Orlando Cabrera, SS, Los Angeles Angels: This one really stands out to me. He is hitting .337 (4th in the AL), has 9 stolen bases, 48 RBI, 5 HR, and 110 hits. He also has less errors than starter Derek Jeter, and he's on a first place team. Why isn't he on the roster?
I’m sure there are others (like Jimmy Rollins: .283 BA, 14 HR, 37 RBI, .513 slugging...I gotta be honest, I just don't like the Phillies)…these are just a few that jump off the page to me…your comments/thoughts are welcome…please comment or email me at athomas3@washcoll.edu
Oh, and Melvin Mora was safe...look at the tape.
Stars: These guys deserved the vote, but most of them flew under the radar this season despite playing great baseball.
Michael Young, SS, Texas Rangers: Batting .293 and playing spectacular defense, he also leads the Rangers in hits and extra base hits. He also seems to be the most clutch hitter on this struggling ball club. He only trails Sosa in the race for the team lead in steaks. Jeter was a good pick to start the mid-summer classic, regardless of the voting strength of Yankees’ nation, but Young is having a great season and is not being properly acknowledged by the general public.
Brian Roberts, 2B, Baltimore Orioles: The lone O-bird to make the All-Star Roster, Roberts is batting .327 and is 3rd in the league in stolen bases, and is better than the top two (Reyes and Pierre) in CS. He also leads the O’s in hits and runs scored, so he is one of the bright spots of a struggling franchise. Placido Polanco is having a better season and deserves the start, but it’s good to see Roberts on the roster.
Jorge Posada, C, New York Yankees: Why is Pudge starting the All-Star game? This just boggles my mind, especially because of the perennial pull from Yankee’s nation in voting. He leads all starting catchers in BA, he’s 2nd in RBIs, slugging, and HR, and is a better defensive catcher than Victor Martinez (who leads all offensive categories that he is second in, and he isn’t starting the All-Star game either). Perhaps Martinez deserves the nod because, at the time, the Indians are in first place in the AL Central, but Posada is a better catcher defensively and has comparable numbers in all offensive categories (except in RBI where Martinez clearly has the upper hand, but he doesn’t bat in a nearly 200 million dollar club house where he isn’t overshadowed in the lineup)
Snubs:
Sammy Sosa, OF, Texas Rangers: Certainly Sammy deserves all of the scrutiny that goes along with the Steroid Era in baseball, but remember, he has been hitting against pitchers who have been juiced as well. I don’t want to defend or advocate steroid use, but pitchers in this era are just as much, if not more at fault, than the big-name home run hitters like Big Mac, Bonds, Sosa, etc. We cannot crucify Sosa and Bonds without holding the same witch-hunt for pitchers like Roger Clemens, who is just as old, probably older (I’m not going to research birthdays), as these other guys. For some reason, people do not want to associate big-name pitchers with steroid use…I guess it’s because of nostalgic purposes…spare me. The pitchers in the game who are setting records in the Steroid Era, like Clemens and Trevor Hoffman, should be under just as much scrutiny as Bonds and Sosa…but they aren’t, for whatever reason, and that’s sad. Maybe it’s because Cy Young’s record of 511 wins is untouchable (wait, wasn’t Gehrig’s record untouchable?) or the fact that (for the most part) pitchers don't get the same press coverage…but I don’t want to advocate this B.S. notion that pitchers aren’t as much at fault as other ‘roid users, although some experts have pointed the finger more at the pitchers than the hitters. Regardless, remember that Young pitched in the dead-ball era, which had its own problems (see the 1919 Black Sox)…but, I digress…someone who has reached the 600 HR milestone, .255 BA, 63 RBI (tied for fourth), .476 slugging, 14 HR, should be in the mid-summer classic, at least as a reserve…think about all of the other players who used steroids and didn’t hit 600 HR.
Jeremy Guthrie, SP, Baltimore Orioles: Call me a homer, but Guthrie deserved an All-Star nod. No, I didn’t expect him to make the roster, but it’s a shame that he wasn’t awarded this opportunity. Just look at the numbers. 2.63 ERA, which, last I checked, was second-best in the AL. Yeah, his record is 4-2, but that does not show his dominance of this league. He is the king of the no-decision and has more movement on his two-seamer than Chris Brown has in “Stomp The Yard” (yeah, I like that movie). To have that low of an ERA and not having gaudy win numbers in 12 GS and 18 G shows that as a fact. His run-support has been awful, and he should be 13-1 going into the All-Star break. Leyland really dropped the ball here.
Dmitri Young, 1B, Washington Nationals: Don’t wanna leave the National League out here, although I’m not as fluent in the NL as I am with the AL, so I’m sure I missed someone here (if I did, please correct me). “Da Meat Hook” deserved the nod this year, as he is third in the NL in batting average. He’s also slugging .502, hitting an unprecedented 21 doubles and 37 RBI on a crappy team. His RBI numbers would be higher if he weren’t playing for the AAA knock-off that is the Washington Nationals.
Orlando Cabrera, SS, Los Angeles Angels: This one really stands out to me. He is hitting .337 (4th in the AL), has 9 stolen bases, 48 RBI, 5 HR, and 110 hits. He also has less errors than starter Derek Jeter, and he's on a first place team. Why isn't he on the roster?
I’m sure there are others (like Jimmy Rollins: .283 BA, 14 HR, 37 RBI, .513 slugging...I gotta be honest, I just don't like the Phillies)…these are just a few that jump off the page to me…your comments/thoughts are welcome…please comment or email me at athomas3@washcoll.edu
Oh, and Melvin Mora was safe...look at the tape.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
It's time to stick a fork in the Yankees, Clemens...was Perlozzo actually the reason for the O's ineptitude?
Cross-published on http://www.armchairGM.com
If the New York Yankees get swept by the lowly Baltimore Orioles tonight at Camden Yards, the Yankees season is officially over. As of now, they sit 11 games behind the Red Sox, and they're lucky it's not more than that as Boston just got swept in Seattle. They also sit 8.5 games out of the Wild Card, with Detroit and Cleveland sharing the lead. The Tigers and the Indians are better teams than the Yankees are this year, so I can't see them overtaking the wild card. They'll also have to leap-frog the Blue Jays, Twins, A's, and Mariners.
Roger Clemens is also finished. He is 1-3 with a 5.32 ERA...not exactly worth $17 million (or whatever ridiculous amount they're paying him to suck). His splitter is totally ineffective. Batters are recognizing it out his hand and are just not swinging at the ball. Maybe he's tipping that pitch, but his splitter not working is one of the reasons why he had NO strikeouts last night in Baltimore. Speaking of pitching last night, Erik Bedard, although he IS a jerk, stepped on the throats of the Bronx Bombers last night. He made Derek Jeter look silly (twice) and his curveball was absolutely disgusting.
Back to the Yankees...the bullpen is atrocious. As an O's fan, that's certainly an example of the pot calling the kettle black (cliche alert), but at least the O's 'pen can throw the ball over the plate (most of the time REALLY over the plate). With runners at first and second, Scott Proctor walked back-to-back runners on Tuesday night to allow the walk-off run. The starters and set-up pitchers blow leads and do not allow themselves to get to Mariano Rivera. The Yankees are dead last in the majors with 9 saves on the season...who would have thought that would happen back in April?
The roster is aging, their starting pitching is not all that good, the bullpen is terrible, and recently, they can't hit the ball. That spells danger when trailing by 11 games in the division.
Dave Trembley
Was Sam Perlozzo REALLY the reason for the Orioles problems? At first, I thought he did not deserve to get the axe, but look at the statistics. Interim manager Dave Trembley has a .625 winning percentage and the bullpen hasn't blown the game yet under his management (give it time). The players have responded to his challenges and coaching style. They're more interested in the games, and that's obvious by the mood in the dugout. Most of the time, the players are standing on the top step of the dugout and have their heads in the game. He has shaken up the line up a bit, and that has seemed to spark a few bats. Yeah, it's only been 8 games, but if they continue to play the way they're playing right now, the O's are looking like they might be able to finish near .500 this season. Maybe this guy knows what he's doing...we'll see.
If the New York Yankees get swept by the lowly Baltimore Orioles tonight at Camden Yards, the Yankees season is officially over. As of now, they sit 11 games behind the Red Sox, and they're lucky it's not more than that as Boston just got swept in Seattle. They also sit 8.5 games out of the Wild Card, with Detroit and Cleveland sharing the lead. The Tigers and the Indians are better teams than the Yankees are this year, so I can't see them overtaking the wild card. They'll also have to leap-frog the Blue Jays, Twins, A's, and Mariners.
Roger Clemens is also finished. He is 1-3 with a 5.32 ERA...not exactly worth $17 million (or whatever ridiculous amount they're paying him to suck). His splitter is totally ineffective. Batters are recognizing it out his hand and are just not swinging at the ball. Maybe he's tipping that pitch, but his splitter not working is one of the reasons why he had NO strikeouts last night in Baltimore. Speaking of pitching last night, Erik Bedard, although he IS a jerk, stepped on the throats of the Bronx Bombers last night. He made Derek Jeter look silly (twice) and his curveball was absolutely disgusting.
Back to the Yankees...the bullpen is atrocious. As an O's fan, that's certainly an example of the pot calling the kettle black (cliche alert), but at least the O's 'pen can throw the ball over the plate (most of the time REALLY over the plate). With runners at first and second, Scott Proctor walked back-to-back runners on Tuesday night to allow the walk-off run. The starters and set-up pitchers blow leads and do not allow themselves to get to Mariano Rivera. The Yankees are dead last in the majors with 9 saves on the season...who would have thought that would happen back in April?
The roster is aging, their starting pitching is not all that good, the bullpen is terrible, and recently, they can't hit the ball. That spells danger when trailing by 11 games in the division.
Dave Trembley
Was Sam Perlozzo REALLY the reason for the Orioles problems? At first, I thought he did not deserve to get the axe, but look at the statistics. Interim manager Dave Trembley has a .625 winning percentage and the bullpen hasn't blown the game yet under his management (give it time). The players have responded to his challenges and coaching style. They're more interested in the games, and that's obvious by the mood in the dugout. Most of the time, the players are standing on the top step of the dugout and have their heads in the game. He has shaken up the line up a bit, and that has seemed to spark a few bats. Yeah, it's only been 8 games, but if they continue to play the way they're playing right now, the O's are looking like they might be able to finish near .500 this season. Maybe this guy knows what he's doing...we'll see.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Girardi declines O's offer...
Former Marlins manager and NL Manager of the Year, Joe Girardi, has declined the O's offer to become the new manager of a struggling team. "It was just not the right time," said Girardi. Who can blame him? This team is the laughing stock of the MLB...
Regardless, Baltimore Orioles fans wanted Girardi...if he was to come to town, that meant that the O's were going to clean house (finally), trade the cancer that is Miguel Tejada, among other under-achieving veterans (like Erik Bedard), and bring in new, fresh, young talent, which this team is in DESPERATE need of. Maybe they will still do that, but who is next in line to manage the Orioles? And will the fans be excited for or support the new manager?
Reports are circulating through the local Baltimore sports media, from sources such as 1570 WNST and The Baltimore Sun, that former O's manager Davey Johonson, as well as Dusty Baker, are in the mix for the heir-apparent to Sam Perlozzo, who shouldn't have been fired in the first place...but that's beside the point. We STILL have 3 GMs (MacPhail, Flanagan, and Duquette). I don't care...from the bat boy to the manager, it's time to clean house next season.
But, with this breaking news, Dave Trembley will probably remain manager for the rest of the season. Which I'm OK with...if Girardi wouldn't take this job, let's give Trembley a chance. He's a guy who has managed a ton of minor league games, and was recently described by several baseball people as one of the top five available managers to take over one of the MANY vacant managing positions that will become available either after the All-Star break or certainly before next season...let's see what he's made of.
Anyway, you heard it here first...stay tuned for more Baltimore sports news...
http://www.armchairGM.com
Regardless, Baltimore Orioles fans wanted Girardi...if he was to come to town, that meant that the O's were going to clean house (finally), trade the cancer that is Miguel Tejada, among other under-achieving veterans (like Erik Bedard), and bring in new, fresh, young talent, which this team is in DESPERATE need of. Maybe they will still do that, but who is next in line to manage the Orioles? And will the fans be excited for or support the new manager?
Reports are circulating through the local Baltimore sports media, from sources such as 1570 WNST and The Baltimore Sun, that former O's manager Davey Johonson, as well as Dusty Baker, are in the mix for the heir-apparent to Sam Perlozzo, who shouldn't have been fired in the first place...but that's beside the point. We STILL have 3 GMs (MacPhail, Flanagan, and Duquette). I don't care...from the bat boy to the manager, it's time to clean house next season.
But, with this breaking news, Dave Trembley will probably remain manager for the rest of the season. Which I'm OK with...if Girardi wouldn't take this job, let's give Trembley a chance. He's a guy who has managed a ton of minor league games, and was recently described by several baseball people as one of the top five available managers to take over one of the MANY vacant managing positions that will become available either after the All-Star break or certainly before next season...let's see what he's made of.
Anyway, you heard it here first...stay tuned for more Baltimore sports news...
http://www.armchairGM.com
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