Quick Hits: Early O's News...

Morning everyone! I am outside Border’s Books and Music in White Marsh, Maryland waiting in eager anticipation to get Cal Ripken’s autograph. I just got his book, “Get in the Game” and I’m about to open it up and read it.

The Orioles beat the Royals again last night 8-1, thanks to the great pitching of the team’s ace Erik Bedard, and the big bats of Aubrey Huff and especially Nick Markakis who hit a grand slam in the 8^th inning to put the game out of reach. Paul Bako and Brian Roberts also contributed to the offense, as they drove in one run each.

Erik Bedard pitched 6 innings of quality baseball and struck nine, while Chad Bradford, Danys Baez and Brian Burress closed out the game.

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Baltimore Sun writer, Jeff Zrebiec has a recap of the game, as does the Washington Post’s Jorge Arangure.

According to Roch Kubatko, Hayden Penn had been placed on the minors’ DL as precaution right now, as he’s having soreness in his right forearm.

Jorge Arangure has more on the Orioles, as Sam Perlozzo might bring up a hitter from the minors to shore up the bench, and the options may be Jon Knott, or J.R.House, but at the moment, Knott is the leading candidate. Jeremy Guthrie is expected to start for the Birds on Sunday. In the same piece, Ramon Hernandez may or may not come off the DL on Monday, and the O’s are impressed with Steve Trachsel so far.

Keep in mind, it is expected to rain pretty bad on Sunday, so the game might be postponed.

As the crowds keep dwindling at the Yard, the focus needs to return to getting the fans back and making Baltimore a special place once again to view a game. John Eisenburg believes the Orioles have to win to bring the back fans.

Well, in all honesty, I think things have a changed a lot, and I think the connection between the team and fans have been altered quite a bit. I think there’s a lot more to than wins and losses, it’s about athletes being a part of the community and the visceral aspect --- I think the team has lost it.

The best way I can describe is that it seems like the players are in it for the money, and seem not to want to take a part in the community, unlike the men of the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s.

I don’t know, I think it is just a general change in the culture at large.

Spencer Fordin of the Orioles.com has a piece on Aubrey Huff and how he is a notoriously slow starter. Huff needs to get in gear sooner rather than later, as the team really needs his bat in the offense.