Luke Scott At The ESPN Zone in Downtown Baltimore: April 30th, 2008

The newest member of the Orioles, and perhaps now an instant fan favorite with his now infamous cat-call “Luuuuukkkkkkkeeeeee”, today spent some of his afternoon at the ESPN Zone in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.

He held a Q&A and an autograph session for fans during the lunch hour in the busy city.

A seemingly humble and reflective man, Luke talked about his life in the minors in the Astros organization, his road to the majors and his personal experiences along with perseverance have shaped his time in the big leagues.

A main of faith; he told the crowd upon being called to the majors, he broke down and cried.

In the past few weeks, I gotten to see him up close on the field, and we all as fans can agree, he’s had a hot start to the 2008 campaign and is nothing but a welcome addition to the organization,

Although he’s 29, and is in no shape or form still a prospect – he knows all too well that being in the majors is a not a right – but a privilege, and he intends to stay here.

All in all, he is extremely likable, and very personable. I knew based on what I have read about him, he’s a down to earth individual, and what you see with Scott is what you get,

The Q&A portion went on for about 20-25 minutes with sports personality, Tom Davis, and fans that were able to play hooky from work or visit the ESPN Zone during their lunch hour got to get their memorabilia signed and get some face time with Luke.



O’s Outfielder Luke Scott at the ESPN Zone; April 30th, 2008

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles; Balto., Md - April 29th, 2008

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Baltimore Orioles; Balto., Md - April 29th, 2008

Luke Scott At The ESPN Zone in Downtown Baltimore This Wednesday at 12PM!

Although he's been in town only a few weeks, Luke Scott has become a fan favorite amongst hardcore fans of the Orioles.

The oufielder, who's tied for the AL lead with nine doubles, will be the second Oriole to participate in the ESPN Zone's series of eight O's Q&As.

The Q&A will begin at 12 p.m. (doors open at 11:30 a.m.) and will be hosted by an Orioles broadcaster once again. Fans will be invited to answer team trivia to win Orioles tickets, take part in a Luke Scott autograph signing, and enter to win an autographed Orioles DreamSeat recliner, which will be given away after the final Q&A event of the season.

Remaining Q&As will take place on the following dates: May 28, June 17, July 1, July 22, August 26 and September 9.

Go support the team & shout out for Luuuukkkkeeee!

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The First Place Rays and O’s Tango At The Yard This Week...

The Rays are in town, and they are seemingly not the same Tampa Bay team we’ve seen in the past.

The future is now with this team from the looks of it.

Currently tied atop the division with us and the Red Sox, they’ve done nothing but win the past two weeks, they swept Boston this weekend and the Jays before that.

Keep in mind, we are seeing a different Baltimore team than had been fielded in the past as well. I would have never said years ago that the Orioles and Rays might play in a series that may be worth something — but it is now.

Then again, we’re still in April, so take the previous comment for what is worth.

>>> Read More at Oriole Magic...

White Sox and O's Game Suspended: The Rundown and Quick Hits...

Starter Daniel Cabrera allowed two runs on four hits with two strikeouts; however, he had seven walks and hit a batter over 6 1/3 innings for Baltimore.

Cabrera's counterpart on the mound, Javier Vazquez was solid in the start for Chicago, giving up four hits, allowing one run while fanning seven over eight full frames.

The Baltimore Orioles had multiple chances to put the White Sox in the late innings; however, in the bottom of the 11th, George Sherill gave up a solo homer to Chicago’s Juan Uribe to tie the game — again — 3-3.

Huff getting tossed from the game for losing his temper was stupid, Melvin Mora being picked off at first by Bobby Jenks, as well as Adam Jones (as much as I love the kid) made a foolish turn at third and got himself out to end the ninth.

Out of mercy, the game was suspended in the 11th inning.

This road trip must bite for Baltimore, but they have played strong and competitive baseball, thus, we could not ask for anything more from them. At this point, I'm a little concerned about the bullpen as they pretty have been in every game -- we are talking about eight games in a span of seven days.

Well, the trip is over --- for now, and they're glad about it.

About the conditions during the game -- it was deplorable. I got home around 5:30 and just by chance I turned on the TV caught them playing. I wondered in my mind why is this game going on? Could they not have covered the tarp, um like 2 hours earlier?

I can understand why the umpires wanted the game played, but at some point you have to use common sense and avoid the risk of injury. Imagine if someone had been hurt — that could have affected things in a big way for either team.

The Sun's Dan Connolly wonders if D-Cab has turned the corner; however, in yesterday's game, the old Daniel made an appearance, but despite the numbers, he had a relatively solid start, though it could have been much worse.

Meanwhile, Rock Kubatko wonders how yesterday's game will be made up and ponders about Garrett Olson. Spencer Fordin reports that Olson is relishing the chance to start today and prove himself in the majors.

WNST's Matt Bender thinks this week's series at home will be huge for both the Rays and Orioles who are shocking baseball right now with their supremacy in the AL East; Camden Chat's SC reviews the game yesterday as does the Orioles Hangout site; Ben from Oriole Central was not impressed with Cabrera; HRB has a note about stupid fans who want to run the field and the Roar From 34 goes over what Trembley said last week about the Seattle incident; The Wayward O had a note about the Nationals' new ballpark; & Weaver's Tantrum really likes D-Cab.

Money Can't Buy You Love Or Wins: Barry Zito Headed to San Francisco's Bullpen

Wow, $126 million doesn't get what it used to; in fact, it doesn't get what you want. In the worst case of larceny ever in sports -- the infamous Barry Zito and his nine figure deal is heading to the Giants' bullpen.

Oh, it's heartache and pain in the City by the Bay...

Barry Zito was demoted to the bullpen Monday by the San Francisco Giants, who hope the former ace can correct his problems by working in relief.

Zito, who only 16 months ago signed a $126 million, seven-year contract with the Giants to lead their rotation, was informed of the move in a meeting with manager Bruce Bochy.

The left-hander has lost his first six starts this season and has a 7.53 ERA that jumped considerably after Zito was tagged for eight earned runs in a 10-1 loss Sunday to Cincinnati.

Well, San Francisco can't just cut him and eat their money -- that's lunacy. At this point, the Giants hope the southpaw can work through his issues.

It may be a long summer in the city by the bay. Nine figures for a mop-up man?

Roger Clemens: A Lying, Cheating Man?

Oh, should we be so shocked? Well, it looks like he was getting it on with country star Mindy McCready for at least ten years while married.

A lot of people (not only athletes) do this stuff behind their wives all time; it's always the matter if they are caught or not. Lest we forget, Clemens in the public eye, so this is going to make news. Boy is he screwed...

Read the New York Daily News piece...

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About Yesterday: Orioles Lose to White Sox, 6-1

The Baltimore Orioles are still in first place in the American League East, tied with the Rays (who would have thought about this scenario in Spring Training); however, their visit to the Windy City has not gone as expected.

Our Orioles lost their second game in a row, as Paul Konerko went 2-for-2 with a pair of solo home runs as the Other Sox beat us, 6-1 on Sunday.

Jose Contreras (2-2) threw 6 2/3 innings, in his second start of the year against Baltimore, gave up on run on five hits, striking out and walking three.

Out leadoff hitter, Brian Roberts, looks to be out of his slump as he went 2-for-3 and drove in Baltimore’s only run.

Melvin Mora & Nick Markakis both had hits; meanwhile, Jeremy Guthrie (0-3), was the hard luck loser – again – as he gave up three runs on five hits in five innings of work.

Now, only if Guthrie had run support…

Daniel Cabrera, coming off two great outings, will serve as the stopper today as he squares off against Javier Vazquez as Baltimore goes for the split in the series.

After today’s game, which will be played at 2:05 today, they fly back home for a brief three game set against the Rays.

About Last Night: O's Lose Second Game of Doubleheader, 6-5

This year, there's something plainly different about the Orioles. After Brian Burres' brilliant outing in the first game of the doubleheader yesterday, Baltimore clawed back into the thick of things; however the White Sox won in the end, 6-5, thanks to a Brian Anderson single with the bases loaded.

Mark Buehrle gave up three runs on three hits over six innings for the White Sox, but came away with a no decision. Bobby Jenks (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth to pick up the win.

Anderson finished 2-for-5 with two RBI, while Nick Swisher (who seemingly always punishes the Orioles) belted his third home run for Chicago. A.J. Pierzynski and Carlos Quentin each had two hits and scored a run.

Steve Trachsel was off, and was charged with five runs (only four earned) in 3 innings of work. The Oriole bullpen shut down the White until Bierd's appearance in the ninth inning.

Luke Scott went 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Ramon Hernandez knocked in a pair of runs. Kevin Millar hit his 4th homer, and Melvin had two hits and an RBI.

Baltimore is playing right now, and the score is tied 1-1.

Let's Play Two; Baltimore Beats the Chi-Sox, 5-1; Burres Goes Eight Shut-Out Frames...

Well, the Orioles keep on rolling. Brian Burres threw eight shut-out innings as Baltimore beat up on the White Sox, 5-1.

White Sox starter John Danks, who was locked in a duel with Burres for the first part of the game and was perfect for five innings, gave up an Adam Jones' sixth-inning single. Thereafter, Guillermo Quiroz broke open the game with a two-run home run.

Baltimore added three runs in ninth and it was capped off by Brian Roberts' two-run double. Chicago had a chance to come back as they loaded the bases in the ninth, as Matt Albers was extremely shaky. Trembley summoned George Sherrill into the game, and he allowed a run to score by hitting a batter with the bases loaded; however, he got the hot Joe Crede to pop up to right and the game was over.

More on the game from the Washington Post & Baltimore Examiner.

The Orioles play again at 7:05 ET. Good ol' Steve Trachsel takes on Mark Buehrle.

James Baker of Oriole Magic gives a preview of the series.

As we know, Adam Loewen is on the DL, and Peter Schmuck believes that the youngster should rest up and heal before even returning.

Despite the O's success in April, they have a lot of holes to cover on the pitching front.

However, Matt Albers is happy in his current role.

If any of you saw the Seattle game on Thursday and the fan incident in the latter half of the game, you've got to see the quotes that Roch Kubatko has in his latest post on his blog from Dave Trembley. I guess Trembley is hardcore after all, though what he said sounds like something circa 1979.

Spencer Fordin from the Orioles MLB site has more on Trembley's words.

Bill Ripken and an envoy from Ripken Baseball will be headed to China again to spread the word of baseball with the Olympics coming up.

I'll be gone for perhaps much of the weekend, so posts may be few and far between. I'll be headed out to cover ultimate fighting tonight, and then time with the boss on Sunday along with the Cubs game on Sunday in Washington.

Talk to you all later.

Photo Gallery: Chicago Cubs vs. Washington Nationals; Nationals Park, Washington D.C.; April 25th, 2008

Chicago Cubs vs. Washington Nationals; Nationals Park, Washington D.C.; April 25th, 2008

Adam Loewen On The 15-Day DL

It sucks for the big kid; however, one could tell something was really off with him. After seeing him labor yesterday, it was not good. It's too bad that he might have another setback, and I would not be surprised if it's related to his arm problems in 2007.

For the short-term, the loss may not eally impact the Orioles that much; however, long term, the loss of a youngster who has had flashes of brillance, but has struggled to maintain some consistency may be the question.

From the Baltimore Sun: "The Orioles announced today that they have placed left-handed pitcher Adam Loewen on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow soreness. Infielder Eider Torres was called up from Triple-A Norfolk to fill Loewen's spot on the roster.

Loewen, a 24-year-old left-hander who gave up five earned runs and lasted just 2 2/3 innings in the Orioles' 8-7 victory over the Seattle Mariners last night, acknowledged after the game what some of his teammates had suspected while watching him labor through the second shortest outing of his career.

When he was removed from the game, Loewen complained of forearm discomfort in his pitching arm that he claims is unrelated to the stress fracture in his elbow that required surgery last June."

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Photo Gallery: New York Mets vs. Washington Nationals; April 24th, 2008

Photo Gallery: New York Mets vs. Washington Nationals; April 24th, 2008

O's Win Last Night, 8-7; Wither Loewen?

Last night, the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Seattle Mariners, 8-7, in the Emerald City to take their second series in a row. Brian Roberts went 2-for-4 and made the difference by homer in the eighth inning to break up the tie. Chad Bradford (2-1) got the win in relief, while George Sherill earned his league-tying eighth save.

Rookie Adam Jones had a big night as he was 3-for-4, with a huge bases-clearing double in the seventh to rally Baltimore.

The Baltimore Orioles came back to lead in the seventh; however, Ichiro Suzuki belted a two-run homer to tie the game until Roberts’ heroics.

For Seattle, Jose Vidro added a pair of RBI, while Yuniesky Betancourt had three hits and scored twice.

Mariners’ starter, Jarrod Washburn gave up two runs on six hits in five innings in the no decision and was in line for the win until the bullpen coughed it up. Sean Green (1-1) was dealt the loss as he gave up the game-winning run via Roberts’ homer.

Since we were on the topic of Cabrera yesterday and his sudden success, how do you all feel about Loewen? Once again he got hit hard, and the tall lefty ended up on the bench after a short outing (2 2/3 innings) where he gave up five earned runs. I am going to give him some slack because of his competitive nature & coming back from injury; however, he has not sense of command on the mound and he’s just leaving everything over the plate.

Loewen has not given me enough to believe in during the first month of the season. At this point, I figure it would not hurt to give him a few more chances starting, but at some point (assuming he does not improve), when is the white flag raised? Do we send him to the bullpen, or let him work out his issues in the minors?

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Teixeira: Is He Good For The Orioles?

Over the past several years, the topic of slugger Mark Teixeira has been one that has been on the forefront of Baltimore Oriole fans.

The issue of him ever playing for us is one I have always wondered about. Yes, he'd look great in an O's uniform and a move to get him here would no doubt appease a certain segment of fans, but I'm going to give my opinion, just because I'm trying to be realistic to anyone who cares to read what I type.

As much as I like Teixeira, the bidding will be ridiculous in the off-season and he'll be in reach of the same five or six teams in every marquee deal.

Everyone may want the hometown boy, but in the state the Orioles are in, they cannot and should not devote the financial resources to him at all. If we somehow finish above .500, let's take another look at him; however, as most are projecting, the Orioles will be in the second division.

Do you think he would want to spend his prime earning years in Baltimore, who are not projected to contend anytime soon, or play for one of the New York teams, Boston, or a California team? Do you think me would want a situation here akin to what he faced in Texas?

Right now, the rebuilding of the Baltimore Orioles is far more important than signing a slugger to perhaps a nine figure contract the next off-season.

I say pass unless a miracle happens.

Quick Hits: O's Beat M's, 3-2; Cabrera Is Looking Good; Happy, Fun, Yankee Criticism and Bashing...

The Baltimore Orioles last night defeated the Seattle Mariners, 3-2, in a razor tight game which saw a consistent and focused Daniel Cabrera not walk anyone in eight innings on impressive work.

In the eighth inning, with the score tied 2-2, Nick Markakis hit a solo homer, his only hit, that made all the difference.

Baltimore snapped their two game losing skid, and have played well within the last week, winning four out of six.

Melvin Mora had two hits; one, a triple, and the other knocked the other Oriole run home.

Meanwhile, George Sherrill came to save the game and is now a perfect 7 for 7 in save opportunities this season.

Raul Ibanez finished 2-for-3 with an RBI for the Mariners, who saw their two-game win streak come to an end. Jose Vidro brought the other Seattle run home.

Mariners’ starter Carlos Silva was touched for two runs on six hits over six innings in a no-decision. Ryan Rowland-Smith took the loss, his first of the year, by giving up a run in one inning of work.

The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Examiner, Orioles.com & Orioles Hangout have a recap of the game last night.

The Orioles are waiting for Adam Loewen to prove himself; meanwhile, D-Cab was nothing but great last night and Roch is thinking that he’s finally got the message in his head; Nick “the Stick” may have been striking out quite a bit for the first part of the season, and also last night, but he did hit a homer to send Baltimore to victory; and at last, the bullpen is looking solid – real solid.

Jim Johnson has looked beyond good out of the bullpen & and Pressbox’s Craig Heist has on article on the right-hander; Amber Theoharis notes the obvious – our Orioles are nothing like the Yankees, but she notes that we as fans stood up to the New York uprising this weekend at the Yard; Allen McCallum reviews the start of the season and reminds fans that the Orioles are rebuilding for a better future.

Jim Henneman thinks the Yankees’ ship is sinking – I agree with this, as I figure New York will be over .500 anyway, I think they have to come to a realization that at some point the team needs to rebuild and forget about signing veterans who will inevitably break down.

Quick Hits: The Game Last Night, A Quick Roundup, "Wild" Bill...

The Baltimore Orioles hung in strong against Seattle; however, the eighth inning did them in. With the score tied, 2-2, Mariners’ designated hitter, Jose Vidro did the Birds in last night with a single that drove in runs off starter Jeremy Guthrie.

In the end, that made the difference as Seattle downed Baltimore, 4-2.

Guthrie, who started the game for Baltimore had a solid outing, but took the loss as he allowed four runs – three earned – on the evening.

Seattle reliever J.J. Putz came off the disabled and earned his second save of the season.

Starter Felix Hernandez gave up two runs on six hits in seven innings of work.

Both of Baltimore’s runs came off a Kevin Millar RBI and Aubrey Huff solo home run.

Here are recaps of the game from the Washington Post, Baltimore Sun, The Baltimore Examiner, & Orioles.com site.

MASN’s Amber Theoharis has her thoughts from last night, as does the Orioles Hangout.

Meanwhile, Adam Loewen is not hurt, despite the concerns about he attempting to come back from his injuries & he’s working extra hard. Francisco Cabrera and Freddie Bynum are rehabbing.

Chris Ray is on the mend, but in the meantime, he’s got a new hobby – restoring a recently purchased 1992 Mustang GT. Speaking of the bullpen, they are glad to have Matt Albers in the fold, and so far this season, it’s been a great relief.

The Baltimore Sun’s Rick Maese has a great piece on the site today on a group of Oriole fans who decided to honor “Wild” Bill Hagy last weekend when the Yankees were in town.

The Roundup; MacPhail; News; Around the O's Blogosphere

If you all get a moment, check out the MASN Sports website and listen to the "Orioles Insider Roundtable". I heard it while on my break here in the office and both Steve Melewski and Dave Johnson interviewed Andy MacPhail.

I like Andy's perspective on the team so far, and it seems that he's pleasantly surprised at the team's start, the job that Dave Trembley is doing, and how the talent he acquired are developing. While the Orioles are over .500, I'm going to be cautiously optimistic to see how things go -- especially during their road trip and see how the Orioles do.

It is needless to say that the Orioles are doing very well.

Then again, we are only about an 1/8 through the season.

If Baltimore gets into a hole and starts slumping, expect the trade talks to start up once again with the usual suspects.

However, if there's some small shred of a miracle that the Orioles are around or even over .500 by June, the equation may change substantially.

Despite the positivity by a lot currently in the media, most of the national media believes that Baltimore will crash back down to earth and show who they supposedly should be.

• The Baltimore Sun's Roch Kubatko has a wonderful piece on George Sherill, and how he made it to the majors. Jay Payton isn't grousing like he has at every other stop before the Orioles about his playing time.
  
• Davis Steele is happy that Girardi turned down the Oriole manager job last season, and that the team found a better fit.
• Brian Roberts is starting to get out of his slump; Dave Trembley will stay with 13 pitchers, putting at risk his bench; George Sherill and Adam Jones return back to Seattle this week; & the Washington Post's Mark Carig takes a look at the Baltimore running game.
  
• The Orioles.com beat writer Spencer Fordin has a mailbag out, and ponders about Alex Cintron.
  

Around the Blogosphere: MASN's own Amber Theoharis is happy that the contingent of Yankee fans did not take over the Yard as much as they did in year's past, and the Orioles hot start is a reason for that; SC of Camden Chat has an excellent roundup of what's going on in the minors; Birds in the Belfry has their thoughts on the rebuilding; The Orioles Insider thinks that Alex Cintron will be called up sooner rather than later; Ben of Oriole Central has his thoughts on Cabrera.

HRB of Dempsey's Army thinks this road trip could make or break the Orioles and we'll see what they are made of; The Wayward O has his thoughts on Frank Thomas.

WNST's Drew Forrester thinks the Orioles need to ramp up their PR efforts, although he gives them credit for improving; Rex Snider thinks that Joe Girardi took the wrong job (the Yankees) and Nestor Aparicio wonders if the O's should go after Frank Thomas.

Frank Thomas = Pass

There has been some chatter online on various forums and blogs amongst fans about the possibility of acquiring slugger Frank Thomas. As most of us fans know already, he was released Sunday by the Blue Jays due to his unhappiness with being a part-time player, and lashing out at Toronto management.

Being that he’s available, Oriole fans wonder if he could very well compliment a lineup that lacks a significant power threat, aside from possibly Nick Markakis.

However, as much I and many in Birdland are intrigued by his power and his lofty career numbers — I’ll pass on him.

He might have made for a good, affordable signing circa 2005; however, we have basically two DH’s now with Kevin Millar and Aubrey Huff. As much as I know in my mind, he could easily outslug both of them, even as he is going into his 19th year in the majors, Baltimore does not need him.

Read the rest of this entry »

The Idiot File, Steinbrenner II Contributes His Infinite Widsom: Thinks Joba Should Start...

Ah, Hank -- you're making life great for baseball fans in general. If George got he angry or wanted to speak, he at least had a point; this kid just speaks off the cuff.

Here's his latest rant, and he wants Joba Chamberlain to start...

“I want him as a starter and so does everyone else, including him, and that is what we are working toward and we need him there now,” said Steinbrenner. “There is no question about it, you don’t have a guy with a 100-mile-per-hour fastball and keep him as a setup guy. You just don’t do that. You have to be an idiot to do that.”

This dude is trying to be like good, old dad. Hank, you have to realize, there's a reason why Cashman was hired -- to run a baseball team.

For Christ's sake, Hank. We are only twenty games into the season, and Joba seems to be doing just fine as a setup man. How do you his success with translate into the starting rotation? So when he gives up his first three-run homer, will you call him a fat toad?

Hank, just shut up and let your baseball people do their job.

The WWE Wants Us To Smackdown Our Vote?

Ok, I have seen it all. I know wrestling gets a huge and important demographic, but I didn't know the candidates for President were so desperate. Vince McMahon is no dummy, and this really, really confirms it.

When I heard that the WWE wanted the candidates to speak, I thought Obama, McCain and Clinton would blow it off. Boy, was I wrong...

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The Baltimore Ravens Supporting The Orioles

Steve McNair, former Ravens QB threw out the first pitch on Friday night, and on Sunday new coach John Harbaugh did the same, and Rex Ryan caught it.

It goes without saying, two the big sports teams in the Baltimore area should be supporting one another.

For most right now, the Ravens are number one in fans' hearts despite a lackluster season, and perhaps they might help to give the Orioles a little shot in the arm in terms of PR and just general support.

The Birds are established enough to do it on their own, but the help of an NFL team could only help, not hurt the franchise.

Rocking & Rolling; The Mariners On The Docket Out West...

Despite the dire predictions and doom and gloom of some in the local & national press, as well as others, perhaps even myself -- the Orioles are playing well.

In light of yesterday's 7-1 loss to the Evil Empire, Baltimore is playing some exciting baseball and on Friday and Saturday, when they won, the offense came through and did the little things right. You can't also discount what the bullpen has done, especially, Jim Johnson, who has been a huge surprise, a good Daniel Cabrera on Friday, and Brian Buress' gutsy performance on Saturday night.

Roberts may be in a slump, but Luke Scott is still hot, Jones is starting to come around at the plate, Mora is still a bunting machine, and Markakis is the "man".

I'm still enjoying the ride waiting for a fall, but so far so good. Although a lot of the media are riding the wave of the Orioles' nice run, I'm being cautiously optimistic.

This team still has a lot of unproven talent, lack of starting pitching depth, and as well, an offense with little power. It's fine to play NL-style ball -- I love it -- however, at some point, the law of averages will catch up and the natural laws of baseball will take shape.

At this point, the players if they keep on hustling will take Baltimore as far they wish to go.

They've got a brutal road trip, where they are basically on the road for the next three weeks, with one break in late April/early May when they are home against the Rays. Will this kill the run? Again, their margin of error is very low, but if they keep doing the little things right and do not make mistakes, they have a chance to win more than they lose.

If they go over .500 for this road trip, I'll have to rethink the state of the Orioles.

First, we go to Seattle...

Seattle Series Matchups:

Tuesday: Jeremy Guthrie (0-1, 4.38) vs. Felix Hernandez (2-0, 1.47)
Wednesday: Daniel Cabrera (1-0, 5.16) vs. Carlos Silva (3-0, 2.79)
Thursday: Adam Loewen (0-1, 6.32) vs. Jarrod Washburn (1-2, 3.50)

At this point, I'd be elated if the Orioles took two out of three in this series. The first game is the most intriguing to me, as we take on King Felix again. Hernandez was nothing short of lights out against us in Baltimore two weeks ago -- that is until the Seattle bullpen imploded. That game was not a fluke, as Felix is one of the best young talents in the game. Guthrie has pitched sold this season; however, the Oriole lineup is up against a tall order facing the phenom.

Let's hope for an off-night by Hernandez.

In terms of the rest of the series, Silva has looked good, but has been awfully beatable in the past and it should be a godsend to him that he plays in Safeco. In terms of Baltimore, in game two, it depends which Daniel will show up -- if he shows what he did against New York on Wednesday in the Emerald City, it will be a long night for Seattle.

Game three features Adam Loewen, who struggled in the first inning on Wednesday's loss to the White Sox; however, he settled down and found his way thereafter. He'll need to focus on the task at hand and work on his command. If he does, not only will the Orioles have a chance to win, but he'll gain a lot of confidence (not that he lacks in it at all).

Seattle is finding it's way at the plate, and it will be up to Baltimore pitching to keep them at bay.

Photo Gallery: New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles, April 20th, 2008

Photo Gallery: New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles, April 20th

Clearing Out the Archives: Orioles Fan Fest; March 29th, Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Baltimore, Md...

Orioles Fan Fest; March 29th, Oriole Park at Camden Yards - Baltimore, Md...

Clearing Out the Archives: Photo Gallery: Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals, April 12th, 2008

Photo Gallery: Atlanta Braves vs. Washington Nationals, April 12th, 2008

Steve McNair

I’ll admit I’m a Redskins fan, but it was good to Steve McNair out throwing the first pitch. Despite my allegiance, he was a warrior, and I wish him the best in whatever he does in his life after competitive football.

Although he was in bad shape in 2007-08, the year previously, he was nothing short of amazing as he led the Ravens to 13 wins and earned the love of fans.

Happy trails, Steve.









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Photo Gallery: New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles; April 19th, 2008; O's Trash Yankees, 8-2

Photo Gallery: New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles; April 19th, 2008

If you have not had a chance to go out and see the Orioles -- do so. I went out the Yard last night and it was a good night to be a fan.

So we are only into the first weeks of the season, and it would be silly to assume that we'll finish as winners and start printing out playoff tickets; however, the Orioles are playing inspired baseball and this is a team to rally around.

Daniel Cabrera has a solid game, as he went six innings and gave up two runs; plus, Melvin Mora and Jay Payton each drove in a pair of runs in a seven-run, sixth inning as well, Nick Markakis and Luke Scott added two hits and an RBI apiece for Baltimore to trash the Yankees, 8-2.

Yankee starter, Phil Hughes was solid for five innings, and then just fell apart -- thereafter, the bullpen did not make things better -- in fact, they opened up the flood gates.

Despite actually having a losing record this past week, the Orioles are off to a strong start and are actually now watchable. I'm going to hold myself back from saying we're great, but so far, I'm enjoying this first month of the season and seeing the team play well and fight through most games.

I'll say it again, Andy MacPhail is looking like a genius with his moves in the off-season.

Ah, what a great night to be an Oriole fan.

O's Beat Sox Thanks To Jones' Walkoff Hit, 6-5; The Evil Empire is in Town: The Roundup and Blogosphere...

As we are in the third week of the season, I know one thing -- this team is a lot better than that was last year and I'm upping my win total to 70 for the 2008 Baltimore Orioles.

The law of averages may perhaps take over, but so far, it's been good.

On Thursday night, the Orioles had their backs to a wall -- however, they fought back against Bobby Jenks (my god is he huge -- he needs to go a Nutri-System diet or something) as the Orioles scored two in the ninth and Adam Jones had a game-winning hit in the 10th inning to give Baltimore the win, 6-5.

The bullpen, which has been a tad shaky this week, pitched four scoreless innings and got the win. Jeremy Guthrie was solid -- until the top of seventh inning where he gave back to back home runs to get the hook. He allowed four runs, three earned, on six hits over six innings.

Nick Markakis hit a two-run homer for the O's to start the comeback on Thursday night.

Well, this weekend, we get the Evil Empire in town. After playing their epics at the Yankee Stadium against the Red Sox the past two days, they roll into Baltimore and hope to keep pace with the Red Sox.

Matchups:

Friday: Phil Hughes (0-2, 9.00) vs. Daniel Cabrera (0-0, 5.94)
Saturday: Ian Kennedy (0-1, 8.74) vs. Brian Burres (1-1, 5.40)
Sunday: Andy Pettitte (2-1, 3.38) vs. Steve Trachsel (1-2, 5.65)

All the Yankee pitchers in this series coming up aside from Pettitte have struggled. Despite that, the Oriole pitching may have to be on top it's game as it is facing one of the most prolific offenses in baseball.

Posada is on the bench, Chamberlain is still away with his dad, and a few guys have been struggling in that lineup, but the Yankees are looking to make up ground and beat up on a team they have owned for the past several years.

The Orioles will need to have more nights like Thursday, and get on the board early. They'll need contributions from everyone, or it will be a very long weekend.

***

The Baltimore Sun has a recap of last night's game; & Rock Kubatko is giddy about the comeback and fight the team showed; there's more from the Examiner and Washington Post.

It's needless to say, Adam Jones is the centerpiece of the new look Baltimore Orioles, and this week he's started to show his potential; meanwhile, Melvin Mora is playing like a new man, especially at the hot corner. As well, callup pitcher Jim Johnson has been great in relief.

Craigs Heist of Press Box has another piece on Adam Jones; Stan Charles believes that the Orioles are taking steps in the right direction to steer the ship to smoother waters; Amber Theoharis is seeing the bright side of the Bedard trade.

Before I jump on the "things are all great and wonderful again after a nice three-week run" bandwagon, let's see if the team keep up their inspired baseball into June. There's no question that the 2008 rendition of the Baltimore Orioles is so much better and more passionate than the 2007 edition.

Like I have said, I want to see things improve and I have full trust in Andy MacPhail. Boy, is he looking like a genius these days...

Luke Scott has been nothing but great at the plate.

The New York times feels very sorry for Baltimore and shows how empty the stadium has become thanks to 10 years of incompetence; WNST's Nestor Aparicio chronicles his Thursday night at the Yard; Scott Christ relives Cabrera's one-hitter against the Yankees in 2006; O's Insider & Roar From 34 have a recap of the game last night; Oriole Central rants about the week it was as does Dempsey's Army; the Wayward has a chart on the comeback last night...

Adam Jones at the ESPN Zone: Thursday, April 17th

The newest Oriole and perhaps superstar-in-the-making, Adam Jones, held a Q&A & autopgraph session at the ESPN Zone in Baltimore's Inner Harbor on Thursday.

There was a good sized crowd in the facility as Adam Jones took questions from fans about the Orioles, his short time in the majors and also off the field items, such as things that he does in free time, as well also a few questions on --- dating (yes, he's single, "but, he says he's working on it").

In the past few weeks, I have had the opportunity to catch the young fellow on the radio and also on TV and fans saw the side of Adam that has been by the public - a focused young man who knows the game, as well being funny and very engaging.

It's hard to forget he's only 22 -- hell, at Jones' age, I was still taking classes and knew absolutely nothing about the world. However, just by hearing him speak and interact with the crowd -- he's at ease and he knows who he is and where he wants to be within the game of baseball.

All in all, he is extremely likable, and very personable. I didn't know what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised with his demeanor and the way he handled himself.

I walked away very impressed with him, and almost to the point where you felt like you knew him.

Considering the new talent on the team, and the overturned roster, someone like Adam Jones will no doubt grow on Oriole fans.

The Q&A portion went on for about 15-20 minutes, and fans who were able to play hooky from work or visit the ESPN Zone during their lunch hour got to get their memorabilia signed and get some face time with Adam.

Forbes Magazine Lists Values of Franchises; The Orioles 18th

The newest edition of Forbes magazine has it's annual estimates of the worth of each baseball franchise listed, and again -- the Evil Empire is on top with 1.3 billion, and second are the Mets and then Red Sox.

Well, the Orioles are ranked 18th with a value of 398 million. Now, I am not an economist or much less know finance aside from going online and checking my back account, but yes folks, the Orioles are making money.

From Forbes: "Despite his franchise's stumbling badly on the diamond for years, Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos is guaranteed a minimum yearly gross of $130 million and a price of at least $360 million should he sell his franchise, thanks to a deal he brokered with Major League Baseball to let the Montreal Expos move to Washington, D.C. three years ago. Even better, the guaranteed selling price increases through an escalator clause in the deal as baseball team values increase. The deal also granted Angelos a controlling share (though profits are split evenly) in a regional sports network that broadcasts Orioles and Washington Nationals games."

The Orioles' operating income (basically, earnings before taxes, etc.) is 7.7 million, although not lofty and they're near the bottom -- they are still making money.

Despite the lack of butts in the seats, and whatever else -- the team has made a profit, which is the point in all of business.

Granted, the numbers may be off by a million or so, the fact of the matter is in light of the state of the team and although the operating income has dropped quite a bit from previous years - let's not cry poverty for the Baltimore ownership.

In fact, don't cry for any owner.

The sport is making more money than ever before and being a baseball owner is a great way to make income.

Although some owners may be crying about the lack of money they make, don't feel sorry for them. The value of franchises keep going up year by year, thus, everyone is winning.

Two things I noticed -- it looks like the Yankees and Red Sox are losing money -- however, look at the value of their franchise and how much it has gone up over the years. Yes, the teams are not making revenue, but look at how much attention, and free advertising they get from Fox Sports and ESPN because of their talent level. Nothing can buy that.

The other thing: The Florida Marlins, Washington Nationals, Minnesota Twins, Tampa Bay Rays and Pittsburgh Pirates (to a lesser extent) all made money despite finishing in the second division last year. You've got to wonder if some owners really care about winning -- or the greenbacks?

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Miguel Tejada Lied About His Age...

I guess the whole Caribbean-South American age lying thing has reared it's ugly head again -- this time with former Oriole Miguel Tejada.

One would not think two years in age difference is a lot of difference; however, in the game of baseball, it very much is. Two years in terms of development is crucial when a kid is coming up, advancement, attention given, skill set, and more importantly -- money invested.

Astros shortstop Miguel Tejada has told the team he's actually 33, two years older than he's listed in the club's media guide and other baseball records.

Tejada, saying he wanted rid himself of a burden, approached general manager Ed Wade and asked to correct misinformation he gave the Oakland A's when he signed in 1993, the Houston Chronicle reported on its Web site Thursday.

Team officials were not immediately available to comment to the Associated Press. The Astros were wrapping up a three-game series Thursday with the Phillies in Philadelphia.

Tejada was actually 19 when he signed out of poverty-stricken Bani, Dominican Republic. At the time, he says, a local coach encouraged him to say he was 17.

"I'm a poor kid that wanted to sign," Tejada said on the Chronicle site. "I'm feeling free now. It's something that I had in my mind."

The former American League MVP was signed out of the Dominican Republic by Hall of Famer Juan Marichal, but he was clear Marichal had no part in the deception. Moreover, Wade and Tejada both said the shortstop's green card, driver's license and other legal papers in the United States reflect his actual birthday, May 25, 1974.

The Astros' media guide lists his birthday as May 25, 1976.

I'm not surprised; however, when you hear something like this -- you always are. You'd think especially after 9-11 and just the amount of money involved in the sport, there would be more sure-fire ways to confirm the person who you are hiring to do a job is indeed being truthful.

However, one can only understand why Tejada did it -- he did what he had to do get a contract and live out a dream.

View of the Attendance Figures -- FROM WHITE SOX FANS!!!

This is just depressing, and the quotes you'll see below in a few minutes are from White Sox fans around the country from the MLB Board.

Here are a couple of posts I found:

Quote One: It looked like there were 703 people in the park for last night's game. I have never in my life seen the Orioles not be a popular draw. Even when they were struggling in the mid-to-late 80s and in the latter part of the Ripken era they packed in the fans, both to the old Memorial Stadium and to the new park.

It's strange to see the Orioles fall off the table in popularity. I thought it would take an atomic bomb to turn Orioles fans away from the park... turns out all it took was 10-plus years of bad baseball, bad ownership, unlikeable players, and maybe a team in DC stealing some of their thunder.

Quote Two: ...The Orioles used to be one of the premier franchies in baseball. Peter Angelos has ruined this franchise, and it could take decades to repair the harm he has inflicted.

I always enjoyed the Orioles. Tickets at one time were impossible to score. And that was not that long ago. Now, they are begging for walk-ups.

Quote Three: ...That being said, if I was an Orioles fan, there's no way you could get me to go out and spend money on the team they're fielding this year. They've got one dude who I like to watch and a bunch of young guys and/or bums. I'm not surprised no one's going to their games.

Quote Four: I couldn't agree more. Coming into baseball as a kid in the late 70s I have always had a lot of respect for the Orioles, and they had until the last few years been one of my teams to pull for when the Sox were out of the playoff hunt.

I've have a good friend who was born and raised in Maryland and used to live and die Orioles baseball. Even he shrugs his shoulders now.

Sad. Just sad. All these quote (not made up by me, BTW) coming from fans watching on TV last night.

The Paul O'Neill Worshipping Must Stop

Well, this week, LaTroy Hawkins succumbed to pressure from New York Yankees fans who felt No. 21 still belonged to Paul O'Neill and switched to No. 22 when the team began a two-game series against the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday night.

I know O'Neill was a great player for the Yankees, showed a lot of fire, and was the man, but is all this ruckus necessary? Is he indeed a Yankee legend? I know he was good -- but should be worthy of not having his number worn ever by someone else?

Honestly, if people feel that strongly -- just have the Yankees retire it.

"What can I say? The fans have always been unbelievable to me there," O'Neill said in a telephone interview from his home in Ohio. "I don't really know how to explain it. It makes you feel good that the fans still think of you as wearing that number."

Hawkins signed with the Yankees during the offseason and wore No. 22 -- which Roger Clemens had last year -- during spring training. Morgan Ensberg wore No. 21 during spring training and switched to No. 11 when the season began. Hawkins then took over No. 21, wanting to honor Roberto Clemente -- Hawkins has a yellow "Retire 21" sticker from retire21.org on the side of his locker.

A fan favorite because of his emotional play, O'Neill was with the Yankees from 1993-2001 and helped the team win four World Series titles.

"I obviously understand the feelings for Paul O'Neill because I was here, and I know what he meant to me as a teammate and what he means to me as a friend, and what he means to the people of New York, Yankees fans," manager Joe Girardi said. "But LaTroy was trying to honor Roberto Clemente, someone he looked up to. It was nothing against Paul O'Neill. I think LaTroy has the ultimate respect for Paul O'Neill. It's a tough spot."

Hawkins didn't want to discuss the change Thursday, saying the focus on the number was "unbelievable." On Tuesday, he told CBSSports.com he made the decision after speaking with Yankees captain Derek Jeter and reliever Mariano Rivera, who played alongside O'Neill.

"I figure if it's important enough for Jeter and Mariano and some other veterans to ask me about it, it's not worth it to keep wearing the number," Hawkins was quoted as saying.

O'Neill, a broadcaster for the YES Network, isn't scheduled to work another game until next week in Chicago. The five-time All-Star said he was largely unaware of the ruckus.

"Obviously, I have nothing against LaTroy for wearing that number," he said.

Ugh.

I know Paul O'Neill was one of the keys to the several championships that the Yankees won in the late 90's; however, why is he worshipped like he's founded, built, and bought the team?

I guess until the old guard goes away (Jeter, Rivera, Posada) and of course the fans, this case over the number 21 will never go away.

Chicago White Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles: April 16th, 2008

Chicago White Sox vs. Baltimore Orioles

The powerful Chicago White Sox beat our Birds, 3-1, last night at the Yard. Jose Contreras who was beat up in his last start looked like an ace, only giving up a run of only four hits.

On the other hand, Adam Loewen was good -- only after the first inning. Jim Thome hit a monster three-run homer to give Chicago all they needed.

The White Sox bullpen shut down the Orioles, and not much else was done.

Aubrey Huff drove in the only run for Baltimore last night, and after a strong start to the season, the Orioles have only won two of out their last nine games.

And yes, attendance was another sad number -- only 12,080.

The Other Sox Come To Town; Mini-Series at the Yard Wednesday and Thursday

Baltimore continues their homestand as they square off against the AL Central leading Chicago White Sox. They are winners of eight of their past eleven games, and hope to roll into the Yard and continue their winning ways.

To the poster who corrected me this morning - thanks. The Orioles are 2-6 in their past eight games, and while they have been playing some competitive ball, the natural order of baseball is starting to even things out.

Despite that, the Orioles were playing inspired baseball until last night.

Match-ups:

Monday: Contreras (0-1, 6.47) vs. Loewen (0-0, 7.45)
Tuesday: Floyd (2-0, 2.03) vs. Guthrie (0-1, 4.34)

The Orioles have a chance to split the series, but the pitching needs to cooperate.

We all know the White Sox can hit, so the Oriole pitching will need to be on top it's game. Contreras is looking every bit his age these days, so perhaps the Orioles can take game one; however, game two may not be as easy as they will face Gavin Floyd who nearly threw a no-hitter in his past start.

The Orioles need Huff to come around, as he has been quiet. It looks Nick Markakis is gettig his stroke, and Jones is starting to show glimpses of brilliance at that plate.

I say we at least split this series.

O's Lose to Split Series With Jays; Attendance Sucks Despite Playing Well

Well, we are now out of first place in the AL East, as Boston has now taken over the top spot with their win over Cleveland tonight.

If you listened to Beltway Baseball the other day, James and I chatted about the attendance, and just looking at MASN right now -- despite it being Adam Jones T-shirt night, there was one there. I was at the Yard last night and there announced crowd was slightly over 11,000 -- however, there did not look like there was more than nine.

The crowd on Tuesday was 15,017 -- despite a promotion. Well, the Orioles may be off to a good start -- however, except for the die hards, those who wanted to get cheap seats tonight or partake in open seating, the fans don't care at all.

Baltimore lost 11-3 to Toronto -- not much to say for the loss except the pitching, Trachsel and every one who pitched thereafter --- was awful -- downright awful.

One more note, yesterday was Jackie Robinson Day, so it’s a good time remember what he did for the game and betterment of American society.

Seattle Ace Erik Bedard On the DL; You Think The O's Got The Best of the Deal?

Do you think Seattle fans are happy now? If you have not heard, Erik Bedard is on the 15-day DL with a bum hip...

Like some people have noticed, Bedard may be a solid pitcher; however, except for 2006, he's never been able to go without a stint at least once every season on the disabled list.

I wish the lad a lot of luck, but Seattle gave up a lot and for their sake, they better hope he does not become a bust.

Jones', Albers & Millar's Big Night; O's Down Rays, 4-3; The Rundown

Photo Gallery: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Baltimore Orioles, April 15th

Last night at the Yard, the Baltimore Orioles continued their very strong start to the 2008 campaign by defeating Toronto, 4-3. Despite giving up a 2-run homer to Alex Rios, to almost put a scare into Oriole fans, George Sherill closed out the game, picking up his sixth save.

What a strange feeling to be atop of the AL East — um, for now…

Kevin Millar had a great night, driving in three and hitting 2-run homer; meanwhile, Adam Jones had his best game as an Oriole, going 3 for 3 with two steals. As well, Melvin Mora, Brian Roberts and Luke Scott also had two hits.

Another youngster was impressive last night — Matt Albers. The big kid went five innings, and only gave up a single run. Perhaps after this start, he might be on his way to earning a permanent spot in the starting rotation. He was helped greatly by Jim Johnson for a few innings, and the tandem of Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford who kept the Jays off the board until very late.

What can we say about Adam Jones? I am not sure if a lot of you watched the game on MASN last night, but he hit some solid balls into the outfield, and showed a solid all-around game. Despite his 4-strikeout performance on Sunday where some questioned his ability to be on the roster — at this point, he just needs to play everyday and get used to life in the majors, as well, learn the game and the pitchers he’ll face.

Markakis struggled his first two months in the majors, and look where he ended up — Jones will be fine.

Photo Gallery: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Baltimore Orioles, April 14th

Photo Gallery: Toronto Blue Jays vs. Baltimore Orioles, April 15th

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Orioles' Adam Jones To Appear At The ESPN Zone on Thursday at Noon..

WHAT:
Orioles outfielder Adam Jones — one of the Birds’ newest fan favorites — will be at ESPN Zone on Thursday, April 17th, for a lunchtime question-and-answer session with fans.

Jones, named Seattle’s Minor League Player of the Year in 2008, came to Baltimore in February as part of a trade with the Mariners. After talking with fans at ESPN Zone, the 22-year-old former first-round draft pick will stick around to sign autographs for the guests in attendance.

During the course of the Q&A, which will be hosted by an Orioles broadcaster, fans will be invited to answer team trivia to win tickets to upcoming Orioles games. Fans on-site can also enter to win an autographed Orioles DreamSeat recliner, which will be given away after the final Q&A event of the season.

Jones leads off ESPN Zone’s series of eight Orioles Q&As, each of which will feature up-close access to a selected O’s player. Remaining Q&As will take place on the following dates: April 30, May 28, June 17, July 1, July 22, August 26 and September 9.

WHEN:
Thursday, April 17th, 2008
12 p.m., doors open at 11:30 a.m.

WHERE:
ESPN Zone Baltimore
601 E. Pratt St.
Baltimore, MD 21202

***press release from Formula PR...

A Few Words ... Five Questions with Oriole Legend Brooks Robinson...

The blog had the opportunity last year to have a brief chat with Hall of Famer and Oriole legend, Brooks Robinson. Well, I decided to catch up with Brooks a year later and see what he's been up to, plus ask about current issues in the game.

Throughout his career, he was known as "The Human Vacuum Cleaner," as he is known until this day as one of the greatest third baseman, much less infielders of all time. Robinson played 23 seasons, all for the Orioles, setting major league career records for games, putouts, assists, chances, double plays and fielding percentage for a third baseman.

Though known for this steady glove, he hit 268 career home runs, at one time an American League record for third basemen. Robinson earned the league's MVP Award in 1964 and the World Series MVP in 1970, when he hit .429 and made a collection of defensive gems.

Below are a few questions that I asked him. I hope you enjoy the interview, and feel free to send me feedback at mdguy2415@aol.com

Hope you all enjoy.

***

OP: The Mitchell Report has affected the sport in a way no one ever thought it would; thus, what are your opinions about it? Do you think players should be punished for their past transgressions, their records wiped from the books, or should the game just “move on”?

BR: The Mitchell Report proved to be one of the best documents. It brought everything to the front and exposed it. If there were 70 players mentioned you believe that there were 4 times 70 players actually using steroids. I think baseball is riding a wave of popularity right now. This issue is now in the past. I think we should move on and not punish the players.

OP: You’ve been fairly busy within the last year, and you’re now an investor in four minor league teams. Can you tell us more about your new venture, as well what got you involved & what is the best and worst part about it?

BR: I love being part owner of Opening Day Partners which operates 4 minor league teams in the Independent League. We open a new stadium in Southern Maryland on May 2nd and I am thrilled.

OP: It goes without saying that the Orioles have struggled for the past decade or so. Do you still follow the team closely, and if so, what do you think of transition taking place in terms of the talent on the field?

BR: Yes, I do follow the Orioles. I do think they are on the right track now and they have the right person in Andy MacPhail. I don't think he would have taken the job unless he had total control. I think trading Tejada and Bedard had to be done. We need bodies!

OP: As a Hall of Famer, and fan of the game, who are the players today who impress you the most in terms of what they do on the field?

BR: Alex Rodriquez & Derek Jeter impress me the most.I have met Alex several times and and I don't personally know Derek Jeter but I think they are 2 of the best players in the game today. There are a lot of great players but they are my favorites.

OP: Finally, for us Oriole fans, what would consider your proudest moment to be in a Baltimore uniform?

BR: 1964 AL MVP. An also I am very proud that I played longer with one team than anyone in the history of the game (23 seasons) along with Carl Yastrzemski.

One Bad Inning Does The O's In; The Rundown & The O's Bloggers Speak...

Things were looking so good for the Orioles on Sunday -- that is until the fifth inning. The young, but powerful Tampa lineup bashed Brian Burres, who until then had pitched four solid innings of no-run ball.

B.J. Upton hit a three-run home run, Carl Crawford hit a two-run single for, & Akinori Iwamura drove in a run to send Tampa on the way to a 6-2 win.

Nick Markakis hit his first homer, while Brian Roberts went 2-for-5. Burres (1-1) was charged with the loss during his horrible fifth inning where was charged with all six runs.

Tall and huge (6'9"!!) Jeff Niemann pitched six strong innings in his big league debut, and he was masterful, only allowing one run on six hits and struck out five. He earned the win, and the aggressive Tampa Bay Rays took two out of three from the Orioles, using the big inning to down the Orioles.

Baltimore comes home tonight to face a Jays team that may be equally as tough as the Rays.

Match-ups:

Monday: Albers (1-0, 0.00) vs. McGowan (0-0, 3.27)
Tuesday: Trachsel (1-1, 3.00) vs. Marcum (1-0, 2.57)

The Orioles are facing some good, young Toronto pitching, so this series will not be a cakewalk in any sense, and they have to jump on mistakes, or it may be a long night.

We all know the Jays can hit, so the Oriole pitching will need to be on top it's game. We know what we are getting with Trachsel in game two; however, I'm intrigued by what Albers can show us tonight. He has looked real good in the 'pen, thus, tonight will be an important test for him.

Lest we not forget, we found a diamond in the rough with Jeremy Guthrie in same scenario last season -- can we find the same with Albers?

***
MASN's Sports Amber Theoharis his her thoughts of yesterday's game from the sidelines; The Baltimore Sun, Washington Post & Examiner, & the Orioles.com have a recap of yesterday's game.

The Orioles Hangout's Nowick Gray takes a look at the rebuilding going on with the team; Oriole Central has a book review on his site of "The Oriole Fan's Little Book of Wisdom"; Camden Chat has a great round-up of the minor leagues; Roar From 34 has a nice piece on Joba Chamberlain and his dad (ok, he's a Yankee, but it's a nice writeup); HRB of Dempsey's Army wants Burres in the 'pen; the Wayword O has a funny look at how to recover from a losing streak.

Do you all not think we are probably better off not having extended Bedard a deal right now?

Beltway Baseball Podcast: April 13th

Been very busy this weekend; however, myself and James Baker of Oriole Magic recorded a podcast of the state of Major League Baseball in Mid-Atlantic where we discussed both the Baltimore Orioles & Washington Nationals.

It's about 67 minutes in length, thus listen it to while you're doing nothing at home or work, download it to your IPod and hear us chat whilst working out or walking.

>>> Link --> Beltway Baseball

Amber Theoharis Chats With Pitcher Matt Albers (Courtesy of MASN Sports)

Perspective - The Orioles After Three Weeks...

After a nice six-game winning streak to start off the season, the Orioles had lost three in a row before last night's win? Have we officially started to suck now? Are the Orioles finally who we thought they were and have the smoke and mirrors faded away?

Reading some of the articles, forums and blogs out there — I think we are overreacting a bit. Personally, I would not say I have written off 2008, but I’m not concerned about the standings — I just want to see progress and the culture of the organization change.

We have 151 games to go; thus, anything can happen. Will we finish with 90 losses or more — most likely; however, if Jones develops and Wieters by some miracle blows through the minors, the Baltimore franchise will be in good shape.

The question you have to ask yourself, granted only three weeks into the season is: Are the Orioles better than they are in 2007 right now, or worse?

I think they are better now than they were in 2008. Honestly, I see a fight in this team that did not exist last year, as evidenced from what I have seen this past two weeks.

Like I said, I pretty much just want to see Jones develop, Markakis tear it up for another year, Loewen overcome his injuries, and see the good Daniel more often than the bad one.

I have put off even competing with the Red Sox and Yankees this year and next — I want to see a core put together and see if they can win along with connect with the fans.

Frank Robinson To Be Honored In Washington, D.C. Today

If you'll be in the Washington area this afternoon...

From the Washington Post: Former Nationals manager and Hall of Famer Frank Robinson will be honored by the Library of Congress on Saturday as a "Living Legend." The ceremony will help mark the opening of the "Library of Congress Experience," which offers visitors the opportunity to explore rare historical and cultural treasures through interactive technology and a companion Web site. Detailed information on the Experience can be found at at this Web site.

Robinson is one of seven honorees, joining driver Mario Andretti, civil rights activist Julian Bond, composer and keyboard player Herbie Hancock, historian and biographer David McCullough, author and journalist Cokie Roberts, and veteran CBS correspondent Bob Schieffer.

A Red Sox Fan Tries to Curse The Yankees By Placing A Red Sox Shirt Underneath Some Concrete At The New Yankee Stadium...

This is crazy, if you have not heard the story -- from Youtube:

A construction worker helping to build the new Yankees Stadium in New York is a Boston Red Sox fan -- so he buried a Red Sox T-shirt underneath the concrete used for the visitors' clubhouse (it has been since reported by the Yankees' PR Department to be not true, ala an urban legend - who knows.

However, this attempt to curse the Yankees, according to baseball history, will not work. Countdown's Keith Olbermann explains.

Alas, this is a great story. You could not make this up...

red sox, yankees, yankee stadium