Trachsel Traded

Steve Trachsel has been traded.

He's looked good in his past few starts, thus a contender needed an extra part, and Trax has been sent to the Cubs for prospects.

It kicks off the rebuilding of the Baltimore Orioles.

I guess we made our annual Chicago Trade after all...

A big tip of the hat to Ian of Sox and Dawgs for the quick note...

from Boston.com

The Orioles have traded RHP STEVE TRACHSEL to the Chicago Cubs for 3B SCOTT MOORE and RHP ROCKY CHERRY.

Trachsel, 36, went 6-8 with a 4.48 ERA (140.2IP, 70ER) in 25 starts for the Orioles this season. He allowed 3 earned runs or less in 17 of his 25 starts and missed 3 weeks while on the disabled list with a strained gluteus muscle. Trachsel was signed by the Orioles as a free agent on February 14, one day before pitchers and catchers reported to camp.

Moore, 23, has spent most of the season at AAA Iowa, batting .265 (85-321) with 19 home runs and 69 RBI. He appeared in 2 games for the Cubs this season, going 0-for-5. Moore also played 16 games for Chicago in 2006, batting .263 (10-36) with 2 home runs and 5 RBI.

Moore was originally selected by Detroit in the first round (8th overall) of the 2002 First Year Player Draft. He was traded to Chicago in 2005 and was selected to the Major League Future’s Game that season. He was named the Cubs’ 7th best prospect by Baseball America following the 2006 season.

Cherry, 28, has also spent most of the season at Iowa along with several stints with the Cubs. He went 2-0 with 7 saves and a 4.59 ERA (51.0IP, 26ER) in the minors, averaging 9.9 strikeouts per 9.0 innings. Cherry made 12 relief appearances for the Cubs this season, going 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA (15.0IP, 5ER) while holding opponents to a .224 batting average.

Cherry was named to the Southern League All-Star team in 2006, going 4-1 with 2 saves and a 2.22 ERA for AA West Tennessee. He was originally selected by the Cubs in the 14th round of the 2002 First Year Player Draft.

Moore and Cherry will report to the Orioles this weekend and be added to the roster on September 1.

The State of Professional Wrestling: Is the Gig Up?

Ok, people -- I will admit, I used to be a huge pro wrestling fan back in the day, and will have caught a RAW even with my brothers, nephews or maybe some college friends.

The pyrotechnics would go off, the music would blast, and we'd all have fun, forget about life and act really stupid for a few hours.

We thought what was going on was innocent, mindless entertainment. Sure, it was scripted, very fake, and you didn't find the results of a match in the newspaper; alas, it was fun.

Sadly, those days ended for me almost a decade ago.

I used to watch wrestling casually, but now it's a serious joke; however, this time the joke is not on the audience, it's on the sport itself.

Now, pro wrestling has been caught into the tentacles of steroids and it does not look very good at all.

In fact, it's downright awful.

With the sensational Chris Benoit murder case, as well as death recently of Brian "Crush" Adams, wrestling is now on the national lexicon, and not for anything good.

Now the wrestling industry is under the microscope of Congress and the media, much like baseball was, but this time, the curtain has been lifted off the sports-entertainment, quasi-sport industry.

This week, the WWE went ahead and suspended 10 wrestlers that violated their "wellness" policy, mainly thanks to the pressure applied to them from Congress. The suspensions came in part of positive testing, as well as an investigation by CNN.

According to Shawn Assael of ESPN.com:

"The move comes as investigators from the Albany, N.Y., district attorney's office have been gathering information about steroid use by WWE wrestlers as part of a wide ranging investigation into online pharmacies and the doctors who write prescriptions for them.

WWE did not release the names of those suspended. A source close to the investigation said that WWE was told that the following wrestlers were among the clients of one of the pharmacies under investigation, Signature of Orlando: Shoichi Funaki, Dave Bautista, Adam "Edge" Copeland, Chris "Masters" Mordetsky, John "Johnny Nitro" Hennigan, and Shane Helms. Chris Benoit, the wrestler who killed his wife and son before hanging himself in June, was also a Signature client, as were two other wrestlers who recently died, Eddie Guerrero and Brian "Crush" Adams."

As we all know, there have been a littany of wrestlers who succumbed to early deaths in past decade, and with things as they are, it's time to end the lies and hiding.

The smoke has lifted and what's been exposed is not good.
Basically, most wrestling fans are not stupid -- they know their heroes are using drugs.

Wrestlers travel 200 plus days a year, travel cross country and around the world in rental cars or jets, thus how does one expect to keep up their muscle bound physiques?

Add to that the specter of recreational drugs and addictions, is it little wonder why wrestlers are dying off far sooner than the general population?

As you know, I am huge baseball fan. I often ask do people care if their heroes use drugs?

In sports, maybe not; however, in wrestling it's much different. Unlike baseball, a lot of wrestling fans grow attached emotionally to their favorite athlete/wrestler and maintain intense loyalty to them.

That's why it is so shocking when wrestlers who are built larger than life die so early. It seems for every Hulk Hogan, who has been able to parlay his wrestling career into other profitable ventures, there seems to be countless others who seem to go into an abyss.

If you add the performance enhancing and recreational drug use, plus the visualization of women, sex, cartoonish violence, the language used in their production, you have got to wonder the role of wrestling in the world of entertainment, and one that relies on a huge youth audience to remain profitable.

Yes, the WWE cannot be held responsible for what grown people put into their bodies; however, they have an obligation to make sure their employees are healthy.

If anyone cares about wrestling within the WWE and other organizations, let it return to what it once was -- fun, and just silly, mindless entertainment.

Maybe it is not a good idea to push the envelope in terms of entertainment and more importantly, the physique aspect.

The Evil Empire at It Again?

We knew it was going to happen, but just a matter of when.

Everything is clicking, the pitching has been strong, the All-Stars are playing like All-Stars, A-Rod is a beast, Jeter is Jeter, and yes, they have JOBA.

Just when the ship looked like it was going to sink, and the high dollar contracts would prove futile and swallow the Yankees, they have stormed back.

Now, they have overtaken the Wild Card lead from the sinking Mariners.

After struggling for much of the season, the New York Yankees are back in a playoff position, sweeping the Boston Red Sox to take over the AL wild-card lead.

Oh joy. I don't think they will take the AL East, but the Wild Card is theirs. As it looks right now, anything can happen...

I'm sure not a Yankee fan, but you have to give them props for storming back and making something of the season. We all may hate them, but they play the game the right way, and the talent on that team is so good that it cannot be understated.

I knew they were not going to be down for long, I'm just amazed the way they came back...

Another One Bites the Dust: Orioles Lose Again to the Devil Rays, 8-6

What can you say about the Orioles? Things have not been going well for them lately, and home is certainly not where the heart is.

Like a broken record, the end result on Thursday night has been the same for the past week.

They lost again.

The Devil Rays won last night and beat the Orioles 8-6, for the series sweep. Baltimore starter, Jeremy Guthrie was off last night and he gave up six runs in six innings. The bullpen was not horrific, but once again they did not look good.

The O's had the lead early, 3-0; however, thanks to several Tampa Bay homers, they were able to secure the win.

The loss on Thursday left the Orioles 1-9 on the homestand.

Also, Dave Trembley STILL has not won a game since he has been hired as manager of the Orioles.

With the O's playing the Red Sox in Fenway this weekend, could things get worse before they get better?

***

Read the article in the Sun titled, " A Season of Heartache" and it should explain the feeling many have being an Orioles' fan and as well a player. Rick Maese also has a piece on the Orioles' losing ways...

Roch Kubatko in his blog gives us the gory details of the latest homestand as does Bill Ordine.

The Baltimore Sun has a recap of the action last night, as well as the Baltimore Examiner, the Washington Post, Orioles Hangout, & Oriole Magic!

Meanwhile, the Orioles are being cautious with Matt Wieters and he will not play until the Hawaii Winter League, as the team wants him to get into baseball shape.

On Thursday, Jon Leicester was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk and Rob Bell, who has been nothing but putrid, has been DFA'ed.

O's Lose Again: More of the Same, Rays Down O's 5-4, Late...

The Orioles have gone deeper into the abyss of badness.

Although the black and orange fought valiantly on Wednesday, the end result was the same -- a loss.

Once again, the bullpen was the culprit in the loss and Baltimore lost to Tampa, 5-4.

The Orioles had a 4-1 lead going into the into 8th inning, but the relief corps could not hold onto the lead and Danys Baez let the Rays tie the game in the 9th. Dioner Navarro singled in the tiebreaking run in the 12th inning, and Tampa would hold onto the win.

This would be their eighth loss in a row, and Dave Trembley has not won a game since being hired officially as the manager of the Baltimore Orioles. The $42 million bullpen has once again served to be the Achilles' heel of the team and one has to wonder how much more bad things could get.

***

The Baltimore Sun, Washington Post, Orioles Hangout, have their thoughts on the game as does Oriole Magic!

Roch Kubatko has the greatest and latest in Oriole-land in his blog, Roch Around the Clock as does Bill Ordine in his blog, O, by the Way...

Meanwhile, it looks like Erik Bedard will be skipped in the rotation this time around due to a strained oblique muscle that has been bothering him for quite a while...

Peter Schmuck has yet another article on the O's struggles these past few weeks...

Dan Connolly has an article on the woeful Baltimore bullpen...

O's Lose Seventh Straight, This Time to the Devil Rays, 15-8; Rays Score 11 Runs in the 8th Inning...

How much more can fans take of this? Last night was just awful, and I think it might be the beginning of the end of a long, but yet sad season for the Orioles.

What else can go wrong? The offense hit six home runs, but still lost?

But once again, thanks to our futile bullpen, the Birds got roasted by the lowly Devil Rays, 15-8.

I'm just melancholy at this point, honestly. I am not sure what to think of the Orioles -- they have just been so bad and incredibly painful to watch. The losing streak is a at seven, and although the Orioles may look substantially better on paper, the bottom line is that they are not getting the job done.

Two quotes that got me in a game recap I found in the Sun:

"When that inning started, I said, 'Please God, don't start another one. We don't want to be in the same situation as what happened last time,' " shortstop Miguel Tejada said. "What can I say? Our pitchers are trying to make the best pitches they can. Right now, we're in a tough time."

and

"It's not fun. It's embarrassing, it's tiring, it's not good," second baseman Brian Roberts said. "We've been through this too many times. And it's not a lack of effort, it's not a lack of trying, it's not a lack of preparation. It's just not working out."

How sad. Really, just how sad...

***

The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Examiner, Washington Post, Orioles Hangout, & Oriole Magic have a recap of the action on Tuesday night.

Rock Kubatko and Dan Connolly wonder if this is the beginning of the end for the Baltimore Orioles this year. By the way things have looked this month, and the history of the team during the past several seasons, it very well may be.

Meanwhile, Dave Trembley is in a serious skid thanks to the losing streak, and Peter Schmuck has his a piece on it.

Paul Shuey has been released, and the team recalled Kurt Birkins for the umpteenth time.

The Idiot File: Miss Teen USA Contest South Carolina Flubs a Question - BADLY...

Sometimes it is better to stand and look pretty than it is to pretend to be smart and open your mouth.

Sorry, I had to be harsh, but after watching this video you'll see why I said what I just did.

Sucking the Suck & Negativity: Is Baltimore Baseball This Bad?

We got our butts kicked by the Rangers last week, and now we get raped by the DEVIL RAYS tonight?

Ok, I am home and have been home due to a tragedy, so to make me feel better, I finally get to see the Orioles ahead in a late game for the first time in a while.

Thinking they had things in control in the 8th inning, I decide to finish up laundry and chit-chat with the lady. After loading the clothes in the dryer, stroll back upstairs.

The god awful Devil Rays score 11 runs in the 8th inning. I always knew the Tampa offense was potent, but this good -- um, no?

Perhaps it's the Oriole bullpen - the world famous and infamous one that has been nothing but putrid this year. The numbers don't lie, they suck (sans Walker and maybe Chad Bradford).

I like Jim Duquette and appreciate the effort with trying to improve this team, but his pet project has been a train wreck and I sincerely hope this does not cost him his job.

Looking at the green seats, and they are lot of them there (not filled with people), it makes me think at how far the Orioles have fallen. How many people must be there 8-9,000 on a great night to be out?

I read a posting on WNST today that Nestor Aparicio wrote in one of their multitude of blog and I was going to analyze it. However, I am not going to.

Why? He's telling the truth and it's nothing that most fans have not heard before or discussed amongst ourselves.

It's too bad the Orioles are an afterthought in the fall, as their spot has now been taken over by the Baltimore Ravens.

Folks, what has O's baseball come to? Someone, please give me some answers...

Woe is Michael Vick: Will He Really Suffer in the Long Run?

Michael Vick.

The name right now says it all – one of infamy, life and a profitable career wasted.

Right now, all the pundits on the TV talk shows, radio and in print wonder about the fate of Michael Vick and if he’ll truly suffer. Fans who were enthralled with his athletic prowess wonder if he’ll ever come back, or deserves to do so.

On Monday, he pleaded guilty in Richmond, Va. to a dog fighting charge in federal court. As well, as part of his plea, he also admitted bankrolling a dog-breeding enterprise where his animals engaged in fights for money.

Lest we forget, he’s been accused of torturing and killing numerous dogs, all pit bulls.

Most likely, Mr. Vick will spend at least a year incarcerated in federal prison, and will face a lengthy suspension from the National Football League.

Now let’s be honest with ourselves. Is he really going to suffer – I mean really?

I have no sympathy for a stupid, egotistical, ornery millionaire athlete who blew his perfect life, but there are faceless people in America who know the true definition of suffering.

I was home on Monday, and for the most part, every network outlet and cable channel covered the case as if it was one of national importance, much like if a standing United States president was ever impeached for high crimes. In my mind, watching the coverage, I was thinking in my mind, “geez, what does this case say about American culture, our fascination with celebrity and the role of athletic achievement?”

I am not even upset at the gambling or he going to dog-fighting matches, he's lost my respect as a person for lying, his overall arrogance, and the torture of pets he engaged in.

It's almost like he thought he'd get away with the crime, and his lawyers and handlers would take care of him.

Why he would engage in this behavior and throw his life away? This was a man praised, loved and admired not for who he is as a person, but only for his physical gifts – mainly, throwing a football better than most living people and having the legs to shake any defender on the turf.

Again, is Vick truly going to suffer?

Personally, I actually do think the hoopla over this has gone way overboard, and I am even shocked a lot more people are upset over dogs, than let's say assault, or sexual crimes or murder. In every major American city from Washington D.C. to Dallas to Los Angeles, there is a murder, assault, or an abduction that takes place on a daily basis.

The fact of the matter is Mr. Vick committed a serious felony, and he's got to be culpable for his deeds.

However, do those who truly suffer in this country deserve any less sympathy than a man whose coverage has been overblown in the media?

Michael Vick is surely in trouble, but can his bad luck compare with a missing child, Katrina victim waiting for a FEMA trailer, an innocent man accidentally jailed, those honestly down on their luck, or a young teen whose body has been found in a ditch or on an urban street?

Is the life of a football player who will be still wealthy once he’s free take more importance the life of a man, woman or child who is really suffering?

Sure he’s lost his endorsements, his hero status, career and the respect of fans and peers, but are things really going to be that bad for Michael Vick?

It’s something that makes you go, hmm….

I don't advocate barring him from making a living in the NFL, but he'll never be what he was ever again.

Moreover, I really don’t care – I see him for what he is, an athlete and that’s all. What makes me sick is that we have a select group of fans who want Michael Vick back, not because of fairness, but because he’s good at football and forget those who truly have it far worse than him.

However; employment, whether being a garbage man or a football player is a privilege, not a God-given right.

Mr. Vick is the Horatio Alger story gone completely wrong, but in light of his sentence and future suspension from the NFL, he’ll be fine in comparison to the rest of us.

America gives people a second chance routinely; alas, he'll have to be truly remorseful and make serious changes.

However, tens of thousand of people get murdered each year, all almost tragically, but yet America gives celebrities all the coverage – whether they deserve it not. Some, if not all do not get that second chance.

Really, when it comes down to it, Michael Vick will not really know the meaning of suffering, because they are tens of thousands of nameless people who know it already.

Honoring "Wild" Bill: The Baltimore Orioles Establish the "Wild" Bill Hagy Award...

As we all know, “Wild” Bill Hagy passed away last week and Oriole fans have celebrated his life in their own little way.

Now it looks like the organization will honor him in their way also. There have been little vignettes of “Wild” Bill on display at some point in every game since his passing, and now the Orioles have established the “Wild” Bill Hagy Award which celebrates a loyal superfan each and every year.

The announcement took place in between the fourth and fifth innings on the huge scoreboard on Eutaw Street.

Well, “Wild” Bill is the first recipient of the award.

Many feel that the Orioles may not do many things right on and off the field; however, they hit a home run with this deed and have found a way to honor and memoralize the passion of Mr. Hagy.



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Photos: Minnesota Twins vs. Baltimore Orioles; August 26th, 2007

Minnesota Twins va. Baltimore Orioles; August 26, 2007

Here are photos of the Minnesota Twins vs. Baltimore Orioles game on Sunday!

Hope you all enjoy!

Photo Gallery: Minnesota Twins vs. Baltimore Orioles; August 25, 2007

Minnesota Twins vs. Baltimore Orioles; August 25, 2007

Here are photos of Saturday night's game where the Twins took on the Orioles.

Hope you like them!

Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles: August 22nd, 2007 - Game Two

Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles; August 22nd - Game Two

Here are more photos from the Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles historic Wednesday, just that these are from the second game!

Hope you like them!

Twin Sweep O's, They Lose 11-3 to Minnesota; The Rundown...

Sorry for the lateness in posting today, I had a friend whom I went to high school sadly lose her life in car accident and I basically have been offline for the past day.

***

Well, with the Orioles it is the same sh*t, different day.

On Sunday, the black and orange lost their sixth game in a row, as they got whooped by the Minnesota Twins, 11-3.

With the win, The Twins swept the series against the Orioles, and won all seven games they played this season.

What else is there to say? Bedard was very un-ace like as he gave up six earned runs and was off from the onset of the game. Although he settled down after giving four runs in the first two innings, his effort was futile as the Birds could not get anything started. He was supposed to be the stopper, the man who could come in, dominate and stop a losing streak.

Sunday was not the day.

Bedard did get the team record 219th K, but it meant nothing to the fans or the players, as they lost real badly.

The bullpen once again made a game that was looking bad into a train wreck thanks to Paul Shuey and Rob Bell.

Shuey -- nice guy, great comeback story, but he needs to be DFA'ed. We might as well give a roster to a young guy who has a future with the organization.

Bell -- should he sent down or released. At this point, like with Shuey, he's not been effective and there's a reason why he's been with several teams.

Folks, 2007 is done and buried. The Orioles are indeed a better team, but are eons away from contending unless more pieces are added to the equation. The bullpen situation has not worked out (it was a good try, but it failed miserably), the offense is putrid, and the infield situation (sans Robert, and the surprising Millar) is a mess.

At this point, Tejada should just DH, move to first; or perhaps even better, traded and sent on his way. I have watched more baseball because of the Oriole Post, Oriole Magic and all the other stuff I do this season than in years past, and my eye has picked up so many things wrong that it is shocking.

Tejada, Mora, and Roberts have made more bonehead plays in the field than I count and its jarring. The offense isn't there, and this team has played bad baseball in general all around.

With the exception of Bedard, Guthrie, Roberts, Markakis, Loewen (sill young), I'm just in awe how bad everyone else has been. The bullpen is shocking (Hoey, a youngster; Walker and Bradford excluded), and have no idea what even to think anymore.

In the next few weeks, let's see who have in the lower levels and let them get their feet wet in the big leagues. As well, we need to look at seriously rebuilding and getting quality players (note: not retreads, or guys past their prime) to contribute and get the Orioles out of the mess they have made for the past decade.

As the season is winding down, a lot of fans have pretty much given up on the Orioles as evidenced by attendance and the amount of reports on the various news websites. It looks like the area is gearing up for Ravens' football and the NFL season to begin.

This is sad, hopefully one day baseball in Baltimore can be revelant in the fall, rather being done before summer.

***

The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Examiner, & Washington Post.

Roch Kubatko in his blog has thoughts from this weekend, as does Bill Ordine in O, By the Way...

Ramon Hernandez was benched, and the numbers don't lie -- he's been in a deep slump.

Radhames Liz showed promise in his start on Saturday as he has a good fastball; however, a good fastball is not going to get professional hitters out, he needs to use his breaking stuff more. In light of giving up 5 runs, he deserves another shot and might be part of the future if he can be consistent. Meanwhile, minor league prospect Pedro Beato is ailing...

Dave Trembley hired a bullpen coach, Alan Dunn, who just may be as intense or even moreso than our manager. As well, the Orioles have a Q&A up on their site with Trembley.

B.J. Surhoff was inducted into the Oriole Hall of Fame on Saturday...

Photos: Minnesota Twins vs. Baltimore Orioles; August 24th, 2007

Minnesota Twins vs. Baltimore Orioles - Aug. 24th

Photos from last night - hope you enjoy!

The 'Pen Blows It Again: O's Lose 7-4 to the Twins...

What can we say? It safe to assume things have not been the same since Bedard’s start on Tuesday?

Once again, the Orioles lost another game they led. On Friday night, the black and orange lost to the Minnesota Twins by a score of 7-4.

In a scene that keeps repeating itself, an Oriole starter (this time Jeremy Guthrie) has a tight lead and the trusty bullpen blew the game.

The team was up 4-3 in the eighth inning, but Guthrie got pulled as he allowed three runs in the top of frame. He gave up two homers; a solo shot to Justin Morneau and a two run shot to Jason Kubel.

And then all hell loose.

Jim Hoey and Jamie Walker could not hold the slim 4-3 lead they had and the ‘pen just blowing leads has been played over and over like a broken record.

Then Danys Baez came up to the mound in the ninth and served up a two run-homer to Torii Hunter to out the nail in the coffin for the Orioles.

The black and orange squandered a game, as the Orioles tagged Johan Santana (only one of the best starters in the game) with four runs – three homers.

The two teams square off on Saturday and Sunday.

***

The Baltimore Sun has a report from yesterday’s game as does the Baltimore Examiner, Orioles MLB site, & Washington Post.

Radhames Liz will start today in Baltimore against the Twins. Well, at this point in the season, the Orioles might as well see what they have and perhaps one of the kids from the farm may be a diamond-in-the-rough.

Former Oriole, B.J. Surhoff will be inducted into the team Hall of Fame tonight.

Roch Kubatko has his thoughts from last night in his blog, Roch Around the Clock.

The Baltimore Orioles Made History For All The Wrong Reasons: O’s Lose to the Texas Rangers, 30-3

An article I wrote on the historic game on Wednesday that had the Baltimore Orioles getting whipped 30-3 by the Rangers via the DC Sports Box E-Zine...

***
I realize this is the DC Sports Box, not the Baltimore Sports Box; however, on Wednesday in the city to the north of us, history was made – for all the wrong reasons.

As we know, the Nationals are the team that reigns supreme in Washington, but only a few years ago, most baseball fans in region rooted for the Baltimore Orioles.

They had to root for them, not out of blind loyalty; alas, only because there were the only team in the mid-Atlantic to root for.

Thanks to mismanagement, Peter Angelos, nine consecutive losing seasons, the departure of Cal Ripken to retirement, a revolving door of managers, and fan apathy, the Baltimore Orioles have not had a lot to be proud of.

Now the indignity has gotten worse, at least for the time being.

On Wednesday, the Baltimore Orioles lost the first game of a doubleheader to the Texas Rangers, by a score of 30-3. According to the record books, it was the ninth time a major league team scored 30 runs, and not only did they set the American League record for the most runs given up, but the modern day record (games since 1900).

No, this score did not come from some beer league softball game and the Baltimore Ravens did not take on the Dallas Cowboys.

This was a Major League Baseball game score.

In a display of futility that has not been seen in a century, Baltimore starting pitcher Daniel Cabrera, relievers Brian Burres, Rob Bell, and Paul Shuey combined to serve up 30 runs – all earned.

For those of you who do not know, the Texas Rangers are a second division team in the American League Central, one stocked full of rookies and young players only getting their feet in the big leagues. Aside from All-Star Michael Young, Sammy Sosa, Kevin Millwood and former National Brad Wilkerson, you would not know most of the team if you saw their faces on milk boxes.

Well, we will probably never see another event like this for decades, or perhaps a lifetime, but the Rangers on Wednesday scored five runs in the fourth inning, nine runs in the sixth, ten in the eighth and six more in the ninth.

So, to top it all off, I saw every minute of the carnage in person.

I grew up as an Oriole fan, and have rooted for them all my life; thus, Wednesday was one of the most painful nights I can remember, but also one of the more fun and memorable. I made new friends with fans; we talked about the state of the Orioles, and also started rooting for the Rangers after the 24th run.

Yes, we started rooting for the other team.

Wednesday’s game was a total fluke and is a part of the ups and downs of baseball along with life in general; however, some fans believe what the Rangers were able to accomplish is symptomatic as to what is wrong with the Orioles today – bad luck, horrible management, and a storm cloud over them.

From what I have seen with some in the national media, the above statement could be true.

In all honesty, from my point of view, Wednesday was just a bad night – a very bad one.

Life will go on, and things will be ok; however, I will never forget history being made in front of my very own eyes.

***

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Photos: Texas Rangers vs. Baltimore Orioles: August 22nd - Game One, the 30-3 Loss...

Texas Rangers v. Baltimore Orioles; Aug. 22, 2007

Well, here are photos from the historic game on Wednesday, where the Orioles got whacked 30-3 by the Texas Rangers.

Hope you enjoy!

***

Proud Partner: Ticket Network:

We have top views at Orioles, games, plus a loaded NFL, schedule. Check these tix to Dallas Cowboys, Pittsburgh Steelers, Atlanta Falcons, New England Patriots and Denver Broncos.

O's Lose to the Twins 5-2; The Rundown

Well, I am still trying to get over the abusrdity of Wednesday, but the Orioles did play another game last night.

The black and orange took on the Minnesota Twins and they lost 5-2 in the late innings of Thursday night's matchup. The Orioles were doing pretty well with Steve Trachsel on the mound, but in the eighth inning, the team unnraveled.

They were up 1-0 in the inning, the O's coughed up 4 runs to the Twins in that frame.

A huge error by Miguel Tejada open up the floodgates for Minnesota with the bases loaded, and things went to hell thereafter.

The Orioles stumbled, bumbled and fumbled to yet another loss.

It's become painful to watch the black and orange this week, but as a fan, I still have unconditional love for the team...

***

The Baltimore Sun has a recap of the game, as does the Baltimore Examiner, & Washington Post.

There's more stuff from Wednesday's game and last night in Roch Kubatko's blog, Roch Around the Clock.

Check out Bill Ordine's blog, O, By the Way. It has updates on the massacre from Wednesday and how it relates to Dave Trembley, and also Anna Benson who's not been heard from in eons. I wondered what happened to her...

***

Rick Maese has a very interesting article in the Sun about the record loss on Wednesday and it being a symbol of the past decade in Baltimore. Well, I like his columns and what he has to say, but I respectfully disagree with his assertions.

Wednesday’s game was a total fluke and is a part of the ups and downs of baseball along with life in general; however, some fans believe what the Rangers were able to accomplish is symptomatic as to what is wrong with the Orioles today – bad luck, horrible management, and a storm cloud over them.

In all honesty, from my point of view, Wednesday was just a bad night – a very bad one. The Orioles are much, much better than they were a year ago, despite the record. However, the same problems remain, and Maese is right in that respect.

Since we are still on the topic of the beatdown on Wednesday, Childs Walker of the Baltimore Sun has a piece on how professional baseball players move on from a tough loss.

***

Garrett Olson, who has struggled in the majors, has been sent down to Bluefield as the Orioles need some bullpen relief; meanwhile, James Johnson has been called up. I'd expect Olson to be back up in early September.

First-round pick Matt Wieters toured Camden Yards yesterday, met with the media and was introduced to fans on Thursday. He'll start his professional career tomorrow with the Single-A Aberdeen IronBirds.

Paul Shuey has his thoughts from Wednesday's game, and yes, he was trying; plus, the Rangers cannot explain or comprehend the record-breaking game...

Meanwhile, the Mariners optioned former Oriole reliever, John Parrish.

Tom Boswell of the Washington Post has a great piece on Dave Trembley.

Erik Bedard at the ESPN Zone This Afternoon...

This afternoon at the ESPN Zone in the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Oriole ace and Cy Young Award candidate, Erik Bedard took out time from his schedule to meet and greet fans.

I will say that I have not missed one event this year, and in my opinion, his appearance at the restaurant perhaps has drawn so far the most amount of fans I have ever seen.

I was interested in this event in particular, mostly because the way Erik has been portrayed in the national and local media. He's more or less been seen as an arrogant, moody, ornery athlete who despises the media and fans in general.

However, on Thursday afternoon, those who got to meet him would think different about our ace.

Although I would say Bedard is fairly reserved, low-key (just by his demeanor), comes off as a little shy and perhaps unaware of the attention he's now receiving for his mastery on the mound; however, he was relaxed and down to earth.

The fans who were in attendance only gave Erik a lot of love and high praise, as he's a talent that the organization cannot afford to lose.

The event was emceed by Jim Hunter, and most of the questions directed towards him were of the pitching variety, and almost very little on his personal life. He spoke a lot about his pitching philosophy, how he was able to learn the nuances of the game and transform himself into one of the best pitchers in the baseball.

***

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More on The 30-3 Loss; We Made it Big Time - National Embarrassment, Joke, Whatever...

There's really no good need to do a game review right now.

We all know what happened by now, and if you are reading this blog, there's no need to regurgitate last night's beatdown.

I was talking with my best friend from college and he said, "no, you all did not get your asses beat -- you all got mugged, then robbed, then pucked in the face, stabbed and for good measure you were kicked in the balls..."

That folks, summed up last night.

The Orioles lost game two, 9-7.

We have now made the front story of ESPN.com, FoxSports.com, CNNSi.com, and whatever sporting website you can think of.

This has got to a be new, new low for the Orioles. Yes, last night may have been one of those once-in-a-lifetime-games, but it's like the team just has had bad luck for the past decade and the fans are really feeling it now.

We'll get over it, life will go on, and things will be ok; however, I will never forget Wednesday.

We can go up from here...

The good news is that I got to see is history considering I have probably no to fewer than a thousand or so games in my lfe...

***

The Orioles MLB site has the not 'so-lovely' (stealing from Joe Angel) totals from last night from the Yard. Also, our $42 million dollar bullpen sucked worse than ever on Wednesday...

The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Examiner, Washington Post, and Orioles Hangout.

Roch Kubatko has his thoughts from last night, as does the O, By the Way Blog, Dan Rodricks, Camden Chat, Oriole Central, Orioles Insider, Roar from 34, & the Loss Column.

In light of the carnage of last night, Dave Trembley was officially named manager of the Baltimore Orioles and let's hope he takes us closer to the promised land. The players love him, and it's his shot at the big time after 20 years in the minors.

The Washington Post's Tom Boswell has a great piece on Trembley...

Columnist David Steele ponders about the future of the organization from this point on and Gary Lambrecht of the Examiner believes that the Orioles have a lot of work to do compete in the AL East...

Oriole legend Brooks Robinson was recently named to the Rawlings' All-Gold Glove team...

Humble Pie and an A** Whipping; The O's 30-3 Loss to the Rangers

I'm still here at the ballyard watching the second game of the doubleheader and I have decided to tough it out and go into work late in the morning.

In my mind, I am still thinking, "we lost to the Texas Rangers?"...

Well, if you are going to lose real bad, make it memorable.

Ok, so tonight's game was a total fluke. I'll say Wednesday night was one of the most fun nights of my life recently. With pretty much open seating tonight here (one of the ushers told me as I entered in the lower bowl, "sit where you want, just don't sit in the first row..."), you knew the night was going to be something else...

After we gave up the 23rd & 24th run, most fans were besides themselves and started rooting for the Rangers. No one was really upset, it mass laughter and utter disbelief concerning the situation.

You had to feel very sorry for Paul Shuey, Brian Buress and Rob Bell.

Now, we really have to wonder about Daniel. The "bad" Daniel showed op, and it was mass chaos afterwards.

Just awful, crazy, but a fun and a once in a lifetime evening.

We were wondering where Ray Lewis and Jonathan Ogden were. I don't think their defense gave up 30 points in a game all last season.

Two games for the price of one - awesome.

Seeing the O's Lose 30-3 and seeing history made (albeit on the wrong side) - priceless.

I don't know if I'll do a game review in the morning, the events of tonight have spoken for itself...



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O's Lose to the Rangers 30-3; (I Think We Just Set at AL Record For Most Runs Given Up In A Game...)

Tonight, the Baltimore Ravens took on the Dallas Cowboys and got their asses whipped; um, actually I had the indignity of watching the Orioles lose to the Rangers 30-3 IN PERSON.

Unless I am wrong, I think Baltimore has set the AL record for most runs given up in one game according to the Baseball Almanac.

The ML record is 36.

What a game. Although it sucks to see your team lose, we had awesome time just making the best of a bad situation.

I am only in THE FIRST GAME of the doubleheader, we have game two coming up! It's basically two-for-the price of one tonight as you get to see both games for a price a single ticket.

Too bad this had to happen on Dave Trembley's first official day on the job as the manager of the Baltimore Orioles.

Amazing Erik Does It Again: O's Beat Rangers 6-2, the Rundown...

Erik Bedard is the man.

He's described a shy, but a great teammate; however, he's seen as a bit anti-social and ornery in the local and national media.

Despite it all, he can pitch.

Having a close-up view of the action behind home, as I was four rows back, (I got complimentary tickets thanks to a good friend), I got to see the wizardry of Erik Bedard in a way I have never witnessed before.

He helped the O's cruise to a 6-2 victory last night over the Rangers.

On Tuesday night, in front of a crowd that could not have numbered more than seven thousand due to weather, Erik Bedard struck out 11 over seven innings to win his ninth straight decision. As well, he tied the team record last night with his 218th strikeout of the season, and walked none.

Folks, if you have not seen him pitch, do so before the year is out.

Miguel Tejada and Aubrey Huff hit home runs off the woeful Ranger pitching.

As well, Sammy Sosa returned to Baltimore, and was he ever booed bad.

***

The Baltimore Examiner, Washington Post, Orioles Hangout, & Oriole Magic!

Roch Kubtako has his thoughts of last night, as does Bill Ordine of the O, by the Way Blog.

Dave Trembley has now been hired as the manager of the Baltimore Orioles for 2008. The man has more than proven himself with the Orioles improved play and leadership.

Spencer Fordin of the Orioles MLB site has more news of Trembley hiring.

Rick Maese of the Sun is happy with the hiring of Trembley, but shows a little skepticism as the team goes into September, a month where the Orioles have traditionally fell on their face.

Kevin Cowherd, in a great article in the Sun, sums up "Wild" Bill's life and influence on the community as an O's fan and how his passion is pretty much non-existent at Camden Yards.

Surprise, surprise: Former Oriole, Sammy Sosa considered his 2005 season in Baltimore a mess. You don't say Sammy, eh?

The Orioles MLB site has a profile on Garrett Olson and his life in the majors so far.

Thoughts on "Wild" Bill, A Rainy Day and the Rundown...

I had an entry last night on "Wild" Bill Hagy, who sadly left us on Tuesday on the blog, and I kept my words to a minimum much only met him once and knew him as a legend to Oriole fans through videotape as well as word of mouth.

Well, after looking at the Baltimore Sun, especially the kind words about Mr. Hagy left on Roch Kubatko's blog by various readers, it is clearly evident to me more than ever the impact he left on the Oriole fanbase.

He may have just been a "fan", but he was man who left an indelible mark on a community and so many are speaking of him proudly, with reverence and love.

As I have learned, he was a link to the past of the Orioles, when being a fan was truly having a part in the game.

Today, we need scoreboards to tell us when to cheer or when to feel passionate, but in his heyday Bill was the cheerleader and the fans fed off his passion.

If we could all only go out the way "Wild" Bill has...

The Orioles will probably show a video and give him a celebratory moment of silence; however, the team do something special, like showing a past video of him doing his cheers on the scoreboard when the team needs to rally, or something on those line.

He obviously meant a lot to the community, and it would be nice if the team could give a little back...

***

Take a look at James Baker's piece on Oriole Magic about "Wild" Bill. Also, if you want a great perspective as to how "Wild" Bill made an impact on the Baltimore sports scene, check the various blogs and postings on the WNST website.

The Sun's Dan Connolly has a wonderful piece on him, as does Roch Kubatko.

The postponed game last night between the Rangers and Orioles will be replayed as part of a doubleheader on Wednesday at 5:05 p.m. ET.

Meanwhile, Jaret Wright is looking to make a comeback with the Orioles and get things going in September.

Freddie Bynum has been activated off the DL, and is back with the big club.

The Orioles MLB site looks at Erik Bedard's Cy Young chances...

Jay Gibbons had surgery and is on the road to recovery...

***

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Rest in Peace, "Wild" Bill...

I just got home and heard the terrible news of "Wild" Bill Hagy's passing on the Sports Talk 980 here in the Washington DC area.

Well, I am only 28, and really did not get to see him do his famous "O-R-I-O-L-E" cheer in the flesh during the glory days of the 70's and 80's; however, I eventually learned what he meant to the Baltimore community and his place in team history.

I had the opportunity to meet him in Feburary at Babe Ruth's Birthday Bash held at the Sports Legend's Museum at Camden Yards, and boy did he ever have a crowd around him.

The photo above is of him at a table during the event, as I snapped a quick photo. I spoke to him only briefly, but chatting with him was like talking to your buddy, or someone you knew.

I only got to see him do his world famous O-R-I-O-L-E-S in person at that event, but through the magic of videotape, he'll live on forever in Baltimore folklore.

"Wild" Bill was the epitomy of the word "fan" and love and devotion to his team was certainly unparalleled.

Too bad his passion is missing from the Camden Yards, and most of my generation never got to see him perform in section 34 of Memorial Stadium.

However, to be remembered for something is special within itself, and seeing the tributes online, on the Sun website and on other blogs, he brightened up a lot of lives and certainly made a small impact on those who crossed paths with him.

Thus, to have accomplished that is a wonderful thing.

Be well, Bill and rest in peace...

WildBillHagy
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*thanks to garecitycanes for uploading the video onto Daily Motion for the world to see...

Michael Vick Pleads Guilty...

It looks like Michael Vick has accepted a plea deal.

What a shame and a waste...

According to CNN: NFL quarterback Michael Vick accepted a deal Monday to plead guilty to federal conspiracy charges involving an illegal dogfighting operation, according to the Virginian-Pilot newspaper. "Mike's accepting full responsibility," one of Vick's lawyers told the newspaper.

Guthrie Pitches a Gem, But O's Lose Late in Extra Innings 3-2; the Rundown

On Sunday, the Orioles played hard; however, they lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, 3-2, in the bottom of the tenth inning thanks to a Aaron Hill sacrifice fly.

The match-up yesterday had our own Jeremy Guthrie take on one of the best hurlers in the game, Roy Halladay.

Guthrie pitched 8 strong innings, and only gave up two runs on three hits. He walked none while striking out 6; meanwhile, perennial Cy Young candidate Halladay went nine innings, also gave up two runs on six hits and struck out five.

Brian Roberts and Kevin Millar drove in runs for the Birds.

The Orioles could have possibly rallied in the tenth inning, but J.R. House, who came in as a pinch hitter singled, but got picked off of second base after he took to big a curve around first base.

Chad Braford took the loss for the Orioles.

We have a ten-game homestand where the Rangers, Twins and the Devil Rays come to the Yard.

***

The Baltimore Examiner, Washington Post, Orioles MLB site, & Orioles Hangout have a recap of last night's game.

The Orioles are glad that Matt Wieters was signed, and he serves as a shot in the arm for the franchise which has been moribund for the past decade. The front office brass were afraid that he was not going to be signed...

Roch Kubatko is his blog has thoughts on J.R. House, his big blunder yesterday and if he'll be on the roster this week. Also, the O, By the Way Blog has thoughts on the game yesterday, Bedard, Santana and other things...

With Chris Ray on the shelf, Danys Baez will be the closer...

Kevin Millar extended his streak of consecutive games reaching base in the 9th inning on Sunday. The streak is at 46, and it is the longest in the majors this season.

Matt Palmer and Jon Gallo take a look at the "5 Most Despised Sports Figures in Baltimore History", and it's no surprise that Peter Angelos made the list. However, he's not number on the list - that honor belongs to Bob Irsay, former owner of the Colts.

We all lamented a few weeks ago that Cal Ripken may be the last Oriole Hall of Famer; however, the famous O's mascot, "the Bird" is getting a shot at a Hall of Fame -- um, the Mascot Hall of Fame...

Finally, sadly an O's fan got roughed up in the Yankee Series a few weeks ago outside the stadium, and it has dampered his love for the black and orange. From what I read, the police response was abhorrent and it's too bad that he had to go through all of this.

Videos: From Last Weekend, Red Sox Nation Takes Over...

You have to see this video to believe it; it's funny and made me snicker out real loud.

Play it and see you'll what I'm talking about. After the Red Sox invasion of Baltimore, I was quite glad to see this video.

Thanks to *ahorowit* for the video.

God bless Youtube, and God bless the Internet....







Again, if you were in Baltimore last weekend, Red Sox Nation took over.

I found a few videos from WNST's own Nestor Aparicio as he chronicles what the area of Camden Yards looked like when the Red Sox were in town.

Whatever you think of Mr. Aparicio and his radio network, what you see posted here is reality and should be enough to make any Oriole fan sick.

Like I implored in a post earlier this week, when both the Red Sox and Yankees come in town, let's put our feelings toward Peter Angelos and the organization's futility aside.

We need to really get out and support our boys in black and orange.

Come On Out For Brian's Baseball Bash...

For all the Oriole fans in the region, our second baseman, Brian Roberts is holding his 2nd annual Baseball Bash at the ESPN Zone in the Inner Harbor on Sunday August 26th from 6-9pm. (More details via the link...)

I got to attend the event last year, and it was a lot of fun interacting with the players as well seeing the proceeds go towards the University of Maryland Hospital for Children.

The cost is $200 for adults and $150 for kids.

If you're interested in tickets, contact Krista Ellis at 410-328-6064 or via email at kellis@umm.edu.

O's Win 5-3 North of the Border This Afternoon...

Afternoon everyone! Well, our boys in black and orange won today in Toronto, 5-3 after losing last night with Olson on the mound.

Steve Trachsel, who has been inconsistent won today and he had a lot of help from call-up J.R. House who homered.

Jim Hoey looked good as he pitched a perfect 8th inning, and also bailed out Trachsel in the 7th.

Danys Baez pitched in the 9th inning for the save.

Tike Redman had a good day, as he drove in three tuns, while Brian Roberts and J.R. House each drove in a run.

***

The Baltimore Sun has a recap of today's game as does the Examiner,

With the Weiters' deal, could this be the beginning of a new relationship between Scott Boras and Peter Angelos? Maybe, or maybe not, and Dan Connolly of the Sun looks the two men.

Sadly, as we found out on Friday, Chris Ray may be out until 2009. There's more news on the injury from the Baltimore Examiner, Washington Post,

With Ray out, Danys Baez will take over the closing duties.

Meanwhile, Roch Kubatko reports that Matt Weiters will not be in Baltimore until Thursday...

Baltimore Sun columnist believes that along with Angelos' mis-management with the Baltimore Orioles, the organization has had some real bad luck in the past decade.

Chris Ray Out For the Year, If Not 'Til '09...

Well, it looks like our young closer Chris Ray is going to be out longer than expected.

Much longer.

Folks, I'd expect to see him back on the mound by 2009, unless by some miracle he can come back in 2008.

From Rotoworld: "The Orioles didn't even reveal that he was set to see Dr. James Andrews. It turned out that he was scheduled for surgery to remove a bone spur, but a damaged UCL was found and it was determined that Tommy John surgery was the proper course. This doesn't come as a big surprise, given that it was revealed he had a ligament sprain in late July. It's unlikely the Orioles will try to rush him back in the second half of next year, though since he is a reliever, it's possible that he could return then. Danys Baez will spend the rest of this year auditioning for the closer's role in 2008. The Orioles could look to sign a stopgap this winter if Baez continues to disappoint."

Too bad.

* A special thanks for Ian from Sox and Dawgs for letting me know the bad news...

Just In: Bedard & Guthrie Are Good and ESPN Is Taking Notice...

This just in.

Erik Bedard and Jeremy Guthrie are good, and only now is the national media is starting to take notice.

The sometimes defacto Yankee-Red Sox network, ESPN has a great profile on Erik Bedard and his case for the Cy Young and a Video of Jeremy Guthrie on their website.

Bedard may be enigmatic and surly to the media; however, he is looking now as one of the best pitchers were have seen in recent memory. He had a shaky start to his career, but under the tutledge of Leo Mazzone, his changeup and a jolt of confidence, Erik's career is taking off.

And what can we say about Guthrie -- a great guy, pious, and he's got an incredible arm. The Orioles should be appreciative of every day he wears that uniform. I have chatted with Jeremy several times, and let's celebrate having him on the team because he is a class act.

Check it out!

Also, check out David Picker's article in the New York Times about Erik Bedard...

Quick Hits: More Weiters and the Rundown...

The Baltimore Orioles no doubt have had a good week, and the signing of Matt Weiters was a sign that the team is serious about the future. It not only showed the fan base the team is committed to a goal, but also showed to the world that we are ready to move past this down decade.

Despite the chatter online and on the radio, the team got the deal done, and I as a fan am glad. Although Weiters may or may not ever see time in an Oriole uniform, reading the various articles online from the major newspapers and scouting sites say he is the real deal.

Considering the team’s tenuous history recently with draft picks, Wednesday served to be a day to remember.

As well, with the team playing solid baseball as of late and winning 4 out of 6 games against both the Red Sox and Yankees, things do not look that bad.

Looking back, Sam Perlozzo was a good guy and wanted to be here; however, a change had to be made and putting Dave Trembley in the managerial position has perhaps salvaged 2007.

The O’s may or may not reach the elusive goal of .500, but the second half of the season has been fun to witness and it says a lot about the guys on the field.

When the 2007 season ends, the first order of business should be to hire Dave Trembley as the “manager” of the Orioles. The second: Sign Erik Bedard long term. The checkbook might as well be opened now, because if the organization waits, his price will become astronomical later.

The Oriole take on the Blue Jays in Toronto this weekend for a three game series, and Heathir Irvin of Oriole Magic has a series preview. Also, check out the scouting report of the series from the Baltimore Sun.

***

The Baltimore Sun has audio on their site of the phone conference that Matt Weiters and Scott Boras had with the scribes and media last night.

Roch Kubatko in an article in the Baltimore Sun has more details about the signing of Weiters, and some of the drama they had to ensue. A great read, and it gave me a little perspective on the business of baseball along with how anxious and nervous the team was to get the deal done. As well, Roch takes a look back at the week in Oriole-land in his blog, Roch Around the Clock.

Kevin Millar has Q&A up on the Orioles MLB site.

Finally, young Oriole super fan, Ray Daughtery will be featured on This Week in Baseball which airs this weekend on your local FOX affiliate.