Fanning the Flames: MASN Criticism from Marc Fisher

A week or so ago, I talked with MASN Spokesperson, Todd Webster what MASN would be doing baseball-wise in 2006, and as well the perception amongst many, especially those in Washington that MASN was too Baltimore-centric for another blog. I had several criticisms, most especially that the baseball coverage on MASN was severely lacking this offeason

Add another critic to the fray: Washington Post writer and blogger, Marc Fisher.

In a recent post to his blog, Raw Fisher, titled The Angelos Channel: All-Baltimore, All the Time, he’s nothing short of brutal towards Baltimore Orioles’ owner, Peter Angelos.

I’m not going to bash Mr. Angelos at all anymore, but MASN needs to a do a lot more with the Orioles and Nationals baseball coverage as it does not even to compare to other networks, such as YES or NESN.

As both a Nationals and Orioles fan, I would not say Angelos would be dumb enough to try to not market MASN to Washington, but in the back of my mind, it’s almost like Washington is indeed seen as a secondary market. In my conversation with Todd Webster, I mentioned that many Washington residents were highly upset with MASN and the lack of Washington coverage.

In that sense, Fisher is right. MASN not only needs to cover the Orioles and Nationals, but also

Again, one of my main criticisms of the network to Mr. Webster was that MASN does not cover enough baseball at all, and it would be in their best interests to start emphasizing both the Orioles and the Nationals, and perhaps having separate shows for each team. I also believe that MASN should use some of the brilliant baseball minds in both cities to spark the interests of baseball fans. If there was a new show strictly about baseball on MASN, fans may feel more connected to the team, and it would be beneficial to see players and staff from both teams go on the air and talk about the season and all.

I don’t know if much of what is going with MASN is due to it being a fledgling network, or just trying to map a plan, or whatever else, but an improvement sorely with the baseball coverage, especially in terms must be made.

Well, I am going to try to be positive and see what happens before spring training and beyond, but again I see where Marc Fisher is coming from.

Barry Gone from the Giants?

I found this blurb on another blog dealing baseball trades and rumors (thanks to MLB Rumors):

“After the news that Barry Bonds failed an amphetamine test, word from Giants camp is that they are looking for a way out. An official in the Giants front office suggested a deal for Bonds could blow up. Bonds would have to take a serious pay cut to join any other team, and it is possible that the Rangers might be interested. Barry Bonds could also join the Red Sox with the J.D. Drew contract up in the air. Bonds batted .270 with 26 HR and 77 RBI.”

Well, well, well.

It looks like the Giants want to perhaps sever ties with Barry Bonds. I don’t see it happening, not as much as the two need each other. The Giants want Barry to hit homer 756 in their uniform, and hopefully get a lot of marketing, press and fans to make money. Barry needs a friendly audience, and he’ll get it in San Francisco.

The Giants look to be a middle of the road with many veterans who are mostly likely past their prime, or just about to leave it as. Barry Bonds needs a paycheck, and during the winter meetings almost no other team was interested in him, the attention he’s bring and yes, his baggage.

The relationship between the San Francisco Giants and Barry Bonds was symbiotic and almost in way, harmonious. Barry would hit homers into McCovey Cove, the fans would cheer and the Giants pack the park, plus make money – lots of it. The Giants in the past 15 or so years, have had several winning seasons, playoff appearances, and were in the 2002 World Series, much of it due to the contributions of Barry Bonds.

Even when they were allegations of Barry’s drug use and involvement in the BALCO case in the early stages, club officials conducted and went along business as usual.
Keep in mind, for each landmark passed, the Giants would usher in an elaborate presentation and Barry would soak it in and enjoy it.

I’m sure someone in the Giants organization felt or knew that Barry might have been doing something, but no one stepped in to stop it --- until it got dirty. Real dirty.
So, that is why I am a bit skeptical that the Giants would want to end their relationship with Bonds over a positive amphetamine test.

In the corporate world, no one gets fired over just one small incident, a termination builds up over incident, after incident that’s recorded, or if there’s an axe to grind. This is the case with Bonds.

I think the organization is tired of his tirades, demands, and the negative press that tends to swirl around the team with his presence.

However, the Giants fed into it. They let him get away with misdeeds, put the blinders on with his drug use and as well treated him much differently than others. Is he a superstar, yes, but it’s kind of off base for organization to expect their athlete to change, after you had given him pretty much free reign to do what he pleases for a decade and a half.

For the Red Sox and Rangers, what do you think you’re doing?
I cannot imagine Barry as a Red Sox. No way. He’ll never survive, and they already have a DH in David Ortiz, one of the best in the game. Barry may be thick skinned, for sure, but I don’t see him in Boston. I see the Red Sox and J.D. Drew working things out – eventually.

Barry as a Ranger? Maybe. Tom Hicks likes to spend the bucks and partake in questionable signings. I do think Barry would fit in the park well, and they might have a slot for him. He may be going into a friendly environment as well, but I don’t know about this one. I do feel though if there’s one team who would take the chance, it’s Texas.

In the end, I think San Francisco and Bonds keep their marriage of love, I mean convenience, intact for the good of the team and for Barry. I don’t see the Giants giving up all that revenue, and marketing opportunities just for a positive drug test from Barry Bonds after they have let him do what he pretty much wanted and tolerated for 15 years.

With the amount of money Barry will be paid, and the revenue the team will make, what’s one more year?

My Ramblings - More Oriole Discontent & Reflections

The other day, I found myself on the Baltimore City Paper website and found an article written by Russ Smith. Well, the author is not at all pleased with the Orioles’ offseason and upon reading the article, I agree 100% with what he says.

I wrote back to him and complimented him on his work, and my agreement with what he said. In turn, I got a friendly letter that conveyed his thoughts not only as a writer, but a fan of the team.

If you take out the time to read the article, you no doubt feel his frustration. I feel the same way, and the vast majority of fans do as well. Oriole Park, except when the Yankees or Red Sox are not in town, does not even routinely fill to half of the stadium’s capacity.

I don’t know if anyone from the Orioles’ organization reads this blog or the other blogs and forums out there, but fans don’t find the team relevant anymore.

Anyhow, the article is a little dated, but no matter when it was written, it underscores the frustration that he and many Orioles fans have with the team under the watch of Peter Angelos.

The only thing that caught my attention was the team signing Barry Bonds, which was not going to happen, but it underscores a point – in which, the team needs to make an effort to sign an impact player or a marquee agent, while not spending a much energy on second or third tier players. In addition, the Orioles seem afraid to make moves to make the team better, either because of alienating fans, or attachment to particular people

Russ Smith believes the Orioles are running on the cheap, as evidenced by the lack of effort towards trying to bid for Daisuke Matsuzaka, and other big name free agents that will doom Baltimore to a second division team. As well, the way the Orioles are run right now, it will keep big name players from coming here because of the perception that the team is dysfunctional and does not care to field a competitive product.

In the end, Baltimore is a beautiful city with a lot of history, good people, the harbor and a crown jewel of a ballpark. I usher Russ’s sentiments and hope one day that the Orioles will be respected and longer the laughing stock of the sport.

I do think the team will be better, but not good enough to wake up the fans and get them back into the park. Simply, the Orioles need to do more to pacify the fans and get the team competitive again.

At the end of the article, I found this quote telling: “At the end of this year's season, Brian Roberts told Zrebiec, "I don't know how much more losing we can take around here without making progress. I think this off-season is very important."

Sadly, Roberts and other may be gone if things don’t get better, no matter how much he says they say that how great of a city Baltimore is. Fans already feel the same way.

However, as a life long fan, I believe there may be better days ahead for us.

Quick Hits: Orioles Rambings and News

More on the Sporting News Article:

Well, there was a lot of talk on the local radio in Baltimore today and well as in Washington about the Sporting News report I opined on earlier. If you happened to have not read the article, here it is.

The Sporting News picked the Baltimore Orioles as the worst franchise in all of baseball. I was listening to the MASN show “Playmakers” today, and the hosts, Roch Kubatko, Amber Theoharris and Steve Stofberg took great issue with the article online.

I think the point of the article was even though the Pittsburgh Pirates, Kansas City Royals have been worse statistically record-wise than the Orioles; the team has much more resources, financial, market and talent-wise and basically should not be as bad as they have been the past decade.

As well, a lot of the onus is once again shouldered on Peter Angelos, the decisions made by the team in terms of free agents and the consistent turnover of staff, front office executives and coaches. Considering the team’s history and former reputation before Angelos owned the team may be another reason why the Sporting News picked the Orioles as the worst baseball franchise.

Personally, I have no qualms about the article, although in my mind we are not the worst franchise in baseball. I think most everything is true, and echoes the sentiments of what fans feel.

The Orioles may not be the worst franchise, but they are one of the worst in the sport.

Sadly, there was a time when the Orioles were considered the model franchise in baseball.

Sports Illustrated Analysis:

Even though the anyalsis about the Orioles from Sports Illustrated isn’t as bad as the Sporting News article, it is still in a way blunt and somewhat brutal. Sports Illustrated’s John Heyman handed out a grade for every team’s winter moves and gave the Orioles a C.

A grade of a C is satisfactory - not good, not bad, but average. Here’s what he says about the team’s moves:

“Peter Angelos should have stuck to the asbestos litigation business. He blew it big-time (even for him) when he rejected a trade last July for Miguel Tejada that would have netted the young and talented duo of Ervin Santana and shortstop Erick Aybar (the Angels are still breathing a sigh of relief over that one). Moreover, Angelos didn't even entertain the idea of rebuilding through a Tejada trade this winter. Angelos seems to enjoy perpetuating mediocrity. On the plus side, rather than waste a ridiculous amount of money this winter, as usual, the Orioles concentrated on one of their greatest areas of need, the bullpen, and did pretty well with most of the contracts by comparison. In all, they signed seven players for $76 million, not terrible by today's standards.” - Grade: C.

I don’t disagree with his analysis at all – I think its spot on. Some may agree Miguel Tejada should have been traded or not, but I think for the good of the team, trading him would have made perfect sense.

I love Miggy, but with his numbers last year, we could have gotten at least a couple of prospects, and some young, serious talent for him. In the end though, the Orioles could not part with a fan favorite, and the organization still believes that they are close to contending. The move would have helped the Orioles get younger, plus given the team flexibility to sign other players.

The bullpen deals were good and needed, but I still think the team spent way too much for it. Aubrey Huff may be an average to above-average, but he was better a lot of the alternatives for the Orioles team.

Why can’t do the Orioles do this? The Nationals, Twins and a few other teams are having a “Winter Caravan” where players and staff members of their respective organization travel around the metro areas of the team’s cities and interact with fans at various stops. The Caravan for the Nationals, Twins.

Again, why don’t the Orioles do this? Considering how bad the team has been, and event like this would help to encourage fans to be positive about the 2007 season & awaken the fan base.

Ok, enough of the negativity today. Wow.

Orioles Mailbag: Spencer Fordin in this week’s Orioles.com mailbag takes a look at the middle infield, specifically, Miguel Tejada and Brian Roberts.

A Great Article on Adam Loewen: Slam Sports Online has a great article on Orioles pitcher Adam Loewen and his goal of spreading baseball throughout Western Canada. Also mentions Justin Morneau, first baseman of the Twins and MVP of the American League.

From the Blogosphere: The Roar from 34 Blog takes a look at Ken Rosenthal's articles on Cal Ripken gives their reflections on them.

More Steroid Issues: The Mitchell Investigation

Well, once again the steroid issue is of great importance in the world of baseball. Afraid of another potential government inquiry of MLB, George Mitchell made it known to owners, “lack of cooperation with his investigation into steroid use will ‘significantly increase’ the chances of government involvement.”

Basically, baseball has been warned to either cooperate in a probe to study drug use or the government will get involved.

Speaking to owners at baseball’s quarterly meetings, Mitchell said he intends to interview active players and raised the possibility that Congress or other government authorities could compel players, owners and officials to once again appear before a congressional committee.

As I figured when I heard the news last year, not much was going to happen. Without subpoenas, you cannot force player or anyone to testify and cooperation is voluntary.

I think the silence and the latest decree by George Mitchell says a lot.

From what I see, a lot of players are keeping silent simply for the fact, if they don’t have to say anything, they won’t. As well, there might be a few who are guilty and might not want to implicate themselves or others.

More importantly, I think the silence may indicate that the owners as well as most of the players feel that enough was done to combat use drug in baseball by testing and instituting punishment for violation of the policy. However, I think the issue will finally stop getting the attention it has gotten from the media and government, if there will finally be open and honest debate about drug use, as well as introducing Olympic drug testing, much like the World Anti-Doping Association recommends.

Baseball right now is pretend that the whole drug issue is resolved – but, in the eyes of most, not enough has been done to curb drug use.

If baseball finally decides to adopt Olympic style testing, a lot of the worry that has hung over a dark with baseball may finally disappear, the sport and the media can move on.

Miguel Tejada: Fanning the Flames

As Baltimore Oriole fans know, last winter, Miguel Tejada wanted out of the Orioles organization as he perceived that the team was not doing enough to be competitive. In 2006, his name appeared constantly in the media as trade bait, most notably to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

However, this winter, Miguel is singing a different tune. This time he’s happy with the way things are going in Baltimore. In an interview with the Associate Press via the Baltimore Sun, he says:

“I am extremely content with the Orioles," Tejada told The Associated Press. "I don't think anymore about those things that they have to do to sign players. I am equal to the others and I am going to do my job on the field."

He also says, "I am not going to order them to make a contract with anybody, but I am the leader of the team and if I have to say something I am going to do so. I don't want to make anyone feel bad, but we all want to win and that is what we are going to try to do," he said.

I appreciate Miguel’s hard play and his frankness towards the situation here in Baltimore. To be honest, as much as the money lures those with the talent to play – almost all players who pride themselves on being professionals want to play on the biggest stage, the World Series and get a ring. As the team’s highest paid player and an All-Star numerous times, he’s earned the right to be outspoken towards the team.

It looks like he loves the game and plays 365 days a year, both in the States and throughout the Caribbean.

Even though he has been seen as a malcontent here in Baltimore, he’s the best offensive player on the team and a leader. From what I have seen, he’s been nothing but good to the fans in Baltimore, always willing to sign autographs in the park and sometimes after games.
He’s got 3 years left on his deal, and hopefully the Orioles can make him happy and put a competitive product on the field.

Barry, Mark and Pete - Mr. Bonds Give His Two Cents on McGwire and Rose

Well, Barry has given his two cents on his thoughts pertaining to the Hall of Fame. He’ll be there one day, but the announcement of this amphetamine use came the day after Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn were elected to the Hall of Fame

Barry Bonds opines: "I congratulate Cal Ripken Jr. and Tony Gwynn for their induction to the Hall of Fame because they were great ballplayers," Bonds said Wednesday in the Dominican Republic. "But I also think McGwire and Pete Rose should be in Cooperstown."

Huh? Well, Cal and Tony are a given. Those two men are class acts & who played the game right.

Lying is always the easy way out of not facing up to your misdeeds. Too often, we see it happen in America.

As I have said in the past, Mark McGwire should be in the Hall for his exploits, numbers and his contribution to the game. He only got 23.5% of the vote and a lot of it was due to his drug allegations and performance on Capitol Hill in March 2005. Merit-wise, he deserves to get in; however, now perhaps I’d feel comfortable if he’d let the skeletons of out the closet, admit if he did anything, and keep his word about speaking out against drug use.

Pete Rose? Sorry, but no way in hell. The only way I see him getting in the Hall of Fame is either on his death bed or posthumously. Yes, McGwire did perhaps use performance enhancing drugs, but baseball had no rules against it and furthermore it has not been proven he did so.

However, there is no doubt Rose gambled on baseball. When you gamble on your own team while managing it, you have destroyed the integrity of the game.

America is a very forgiving society, and unless you have committed murder or ruined the lives of many people, most do forgive celebrities for their misdeeds. In the case of Peter Rose, no matter what he says or does now, he won’t get in. People will forgive those who have sinned, but not those who continuously lie and only find repentance when it’s convenient for them.

Furthermore, he has capitalized on his infamy by selling baseballs inscribed “I Bet on Baseball” and selling it for a tidy profit, as well as a book that garnered him numerous media interviews.

And he wants in on the Hall of Fame while making money off his misdeeds?

As we know, he was given a lifetime ban from baseball in 1989 for betting on the sport and spent time in prison for tax evasion. Although he is the hits leader with 4,256, his name will never be on a ballot as long as he is banned from the game.

Being truly sorry is showing you are and taking steps towards forgiveness. Pete Rose has done anything but, and for that he’s paying the price.

It’s funny that Barry Bonds decided to chime in on the topic, as for he too is accused of compromising the game via the use of drugs and will face the voters to decide whether he’s part of the Hall of Fame club. Although, I don’t consider Barry’s misdeeds as grave as Pete Rose’s, if he wants to get into to Hall of Fame and truly relishes the honor, he, like Pete Rose need to admit their wrongdoing and make amends for it.

Another Athlete Yet in Trouble Again…

Michael Vick likes to have his weed. Too bad he might get into trouble for it.

From the Miami Herald:

“Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick was reluctant to throw away his 20-ounce water bottle at a Miami International Airport security checkpoint Wednesday morning.

The reason, police say: The plastic bottle had a secret compartment that, when opened, had a dark residue and a pungent odor of marijuana.”

Link: http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16484544.htm

He’s lucky that he even got on the plane. If he did that in Washington D.C., he’d be promptly whisked out of the line and taken immediately for questioning.

Apparently, officials are now checking the bottle to see if it has residue of marijuana or other illicit drugs. If it does, he could possibly be charged with drug possession or other federal offenses.

Here’s more from the article:

“Eventually, Vick left the bottle behind and went to his gate. But his initial reluctance to do so aroused the suspicion of Transportation Security Administration screener Gertrude Joseph. She pulled the bottle out of a recycle bin and notified her supervisor when she discovered its hidden compartment … ''The concealed compartment contained a small amount of dark particulate and a pungent aroma closely associated with marijuana,'' Miami-Dade Detective Kevin Kozak wrote in his report. ``The top half contained a small amount of clear liquid. When held upright the bottle appeared to be half full of water.''

Nice. Why do people feel the need to sneak drugs onto a plane? Is he foolish? Just another incident in a line of what lengths people will go through to make sure they fulfill their vices.

Not to say that he is his brother, Marcus, but do athletes think about the potential repercussions might do their reputation and their endorsement deals? This incident by Vick might be on the minor scale, but would he not think that he could be potentially soiled by breaking the law?

If I were in his shoes, I’d think twice about anything I’d do – seriously. It’s weird to me that people who are so high profile do utterly stupid and reckless things.

How the Mighty Have Fallen – The NFL Does Not Want Britney…

I love the sport of baseball, but as an American and also a consumer of popular culture, I like to the span the globe to see what's going on in the world.

Today's topic: Britney and the NFL. Wow, how the mighty have fallen.

Keven Federline finds his way via the Super Bowl thanks to Nationwide Insurance, and according to a report by MSNBC, The NFL has rejected Britney Spears' request to be in a Super Bowl commercial to promote the NFL Network. To put it bluntly, a spokesperson for the NFL said from the Daily News, "She's too much of a train wreck. Besides, we already have Paris Hilton."

What?

It’s bad when Ms. Spears, who does have some discernible talent, gets rejected in favor of Paris Hilton, who I think has zero talent, but has a famous last name, friends and crazy escapades - not much else.

In America, infamy sells. Too bad it does not go hand in hand with the NFL, or at least it would seem. It would make sense the NFL, probably the strictest of all sports when it comes to image (it once threatened Bronco's QB Jake Plummer when he wrote Pat Tillman's number on his helmet) to reject Britney Spears because, well she's no longer hot and is seen as an embarrassment.

But Paris Hilton, who is known for, um, nevermind.

Well, Britney is surely in a down trend to say in the least.

In actuality, Britney not done much in the last several years except start a family, and her star had lost its luster. Now in 2007, it’s in the trash.

I remember in years past, she was the face of Pepsi and the hottest thing going. Now she’s almost a has-been. Kids used to look up to her; corporate America paid her big bucks to make even bigger bucks, and she used to be all over the TV.

Until Kevin.

After the marriage with Kevin Federline started to look like a mistake, she divorced him; started partying and then the wheels fell of the car. She's now paying dearly for giving Kevin the golden ticket to riches and fame, while she suffers. Ok, she's still rich, but I have empathy for her.

It’s funny in a cruel way, but also kind of sad what’s happening to her. I never did like her music, but I did like the song, “I Got The Boom Boom” and “Toxic”, but she seemed like she was the great American success story, talented and pretty, but I guess her immaturity and the crazy events while living in a fishbowl got to her. My sister used to be her biggest fan and read InTouch and whatever other celeb rag out there just to see what she was up to.

It seems like she’s a genuinely nice person and just got caught up in her life and the celebrity machine.

I’m hoping that she at least gets her life back on track.

Epilogue: If Kevin Federline looked like the way he does above before we found out he was who he was, he might have gotten further in his psuedo-career (on any given day, it could be a rapper, an actor then next a wrestler). He actually looks dceent in this picture with the threads on, almost like a skinnier and rougher version of Christian Bale (star of Batman Returns and actually has talent).

Quick Hits: O's News and MLB

Sporting News Article

The Sporting News has an article up at their website that names the Orioles as one of the worst franchises in the sport of baseball. The author of the article, Matt Crossman does not go into analysis about the problem, but rather gives dates of infamy for the organization.

I can’t really disagree with him at all. The dates given and the incidents speak for themselves. The fans have stayed away and angry, the media has just ripped apart the team, the owner is not liked in his hometown at all, and we had changes upon changes umpteen times throughout the organization both on the field and in the front office.

Have the Orange and Black really been that bad? Sadly, yes.

Orioles Arbitration

The Baltimore Orioles have 3 players now scheduled to go to arbitration. The AP has more on the deal:

“The Baltimore Orioles swapped salary arbitration figures Tuesday with pitcher Erik Bedard, second baseman Brian Roberts and outfielder Corey Patterson.

Bedard asked for $4 million and the Orioles offered $2.7 million. The left-hander went 15-11 with a 3.76 ERA in 33 starts last season, when he earned $1,625,000.

Roberts batted .286 with 10 home runs, 55 RBIs and 36 stolen bases. He asked for $4.6 million and was offered $3.8 million after making $3.1 million last year.

Patterson hit .276 with 16 homers, 53 RBIs and 45 steals. He requested $4.6 million and the Orioles submitted $4 million after his salary was $2.8 million in 2006.

Hearings run from Feb. 1-21.”

The Orioles first and foremost may wind up giving Erik Bedard more money than what they are offering him in arbitration. Based on the numbers he had in 2006 versus some of the contracts handed out to his peers, whom some had vastly worse numbers than Bedard, I don’t see how the Orioles can only get away with only paying $2.7 million.

I’m sure Roberts and Patterson will settle fairly soon.

However, I think this is the best time to sign Roberts to an extension if the team is interested.

Around MLB

* Mike Gonzalez has been traded to the Braves for Adam LaRoche and another player. Both Adam LaRoche and Mike Gonzalez have had their names in the trade wire, and the deal got gone because Pittsburgh was desperate for power, and Atlanta needed a better bullpen.
Well, the Orioles were interested in Adam LaRoche earlier in the winter, but a deal never got done because the Orioles were not interested in giving up Brian Roberts at all in any deal.

* J.J. Putz and the Mariners have agreed on a 3 year, $13.1 million contract. He was able to parlay a wonderful 2006 into a long term deal.

* Left-hander Chris Capuano and the Milwaukee Brewers agreed to a $3.25 million, one-year deal Wednesday, thus avoiding salary arbitration.

For the Idiot File: Fed-Ex, now Nationwide?

The train wreck keeps rolling down the hill...

Well, Kevin Federline (who married well, you can’t say the same for Britney) will be in a commercial for Nationwide Insurance, where he will probably be poking fun of himself and be immortalized with Fabio and MC Hammer.

The ad will be shown during the Super Bowl!

Well, he’s making cheese while being infamous for being a bum, a sperm donor and a wanna-be-rapper. Even WWE (World Wrestling Entertainent) hired him to be a punching bag for it’s champion, super muscular John Cena.

Even though his trust fund had him kicked to the curb and wants to divorce him, he’s managed to still get a paycheck from someone.

Oh, the benefits of being infamous.

Only in America can you be paid because you’re a loser who happened to marry rich, and apparently she’s a train wreck these days.

As for Britney, she won’t be on the Super Bowl in commercials or otherwise. She’s not done much in the last years except raise children, party, manage to end up in the Paprazzi, show the holiest of entries, and land up on the local grocery shelf.

We, at the Oriole Post wonder how the mighty have fallen, and how a sperm donor can be famous.

As K-Fed would know, “Life comes at you fast”.

Like the old nursery song asserts, “First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby carriage ... and, um... divorce”.

Can you imagine K-Fed uttering “Nationwide is on your side.”

Yes, and I’ll be laughing all the way.

Quick Hits: Sal Fasano and the Blogroll...

More on an Old Friend: Former Oriole, Sal Fasano agreed Wednesday to a minor league with the Toronto Blue Jays and will battle for a roster spot in spring training.

Oriole Central’s “Less than a Perfect Circle”: Ben of Oriole Central wrote a great article about the Rangers signing of Sammy Sosa to a minor league contract. You’ll find what Ben has to say about the deal and Sammy’s time with the Orioles interesting.

Check out Valentine’s View on Sports where he takes ESPN to task for criticizing FOX for the way they promote their programming.

A must read: Check out Yankee Chick’s opinion on the Roger Clemens’ Deal.

Also: Check out what Inside the Monster says about the drug episode with Barry Bonds.

Happy Birthday Muhammad Ali...

Happy Birthday Muhammad Ali: In my opinion, the preeminent sports icon in American and perhaps world history has turned 65 today. Seen as a boxer who revolutionized and transcended the sport, he won the heavyweight title three times & was known for his outspokenness and flamboyance.

However, he may be remembered for his stance against the Vietnam War in 1967, when he refused to enlist in the Army because of his religious beliefs. Hated and reviled at that time, he missed more than 3 years of potential earning power via boxing, as he had his license stripped by the U.S. Boxing Association.

Ali returned to boxing in 1970 and regained his form that made him great. Wins over peer and fellow legends, Joe Frazier and George Foreman have only helped to cement his legend amongst all sports fans.

In the end, Parkinson’s disease my have robbed Ali of his voice and much control of his motor movements, but not of his soul and his spirit.

For man who proclaimed himself “The Greatest”, the way he lived his life, boxed with his heart, and stood up for his ideals make him so.

* The video above is a retrospective of him I found on Youtube.

Quick Hits...

• Orioles Arbitration: The agents for Brian Roberts, Corey Patterson and Erik Bedard traded salary figures with the teams on Tuesday in hopes of brokering a contract agreement before the startup of league-wide arbitration hearings on Friday. Under Peter Angelos’ ownership, arbitration hearings have usually been avoided, except for nine instances and the team has lost once, in the case of Ben McDonald. More Info: http://blogs.baltimoresun.com/sports_custom_roch/2007/01/exchanging_figu.html & http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-sp.orioles17jan17,0,2958581.story?coll=bal-sports-headlines
  
  
• Fan Fest: According to Sun Reporter, Roch Kubatko, Fanfest will still be on tap for the winter. He notes in his blog that Fanfest will happen sometime before spring training, just not in the usual format. I think it might be smaller, or held somewhere else, but due the NFL playoffs, a usual tradition for Orioles’ fans was postponed. In light of the lack of success from the Orioles in the past decade, fans still look forward to the annual event to see the new faces, get a perspective on the team for the upcoming season and to have a wonderful time. Hopefully the Orioles can make this year’s Fanfest as good as the others in the past.
  
  
• Yet Another Rodrigo Goodbye: Rob from Random Reality Thoughts has another tribute to Mr. Lopez, albeit very short. I didn’t he think was that horrible for the Orioles, except in ’06, but most everyone is saying good riddance to him and the goodbyes have been nothing short of brutal.

* Around Baseballl. Twin Billing: The Minnesota Twins have offered arbitration to their two young uber-stars who were the core for the team in ‘06, AL MVP Justin Morneau, Joe Mauer & Michael Cuddyer. The Twins offered Morneau $4 million, Mauer $3.3 million and Cuddyer $3 million.

In addition to being young superstars and All-Stars in the making, I think it is vital that they lock these guys now, because as the market is right now, it will perhaps be even be more expensive to shore them and their young players up for the long term.

I have a very soft spot for the Twins, as all their players are class acts, I have gotten to see them play at the Metrodome and have gotten to speak to a few guys on the team. With the economic state of the Twins and their resources right now, it may be unrealistic for them to keep the same team throughout the years, but the organization seems to know how to find and cultivate talent.

* Around Baseball: Getting Paid. The area of big contracts is now rearing its head with arbitration now around the league. Cubs ace, Carlos Zambrano, want $15.5 million for salary in 2007for his arbitration hearing coming up & the Cubs offered $11,025,000 to Zambrano. However, keep in mind that Zambrano is eligible for free agency in 2008, and where he could easily get a $150 million contract for his skills. With his numbers in 2006, he may perhaps get the highest arbitration award ever in the history of the sport.

As well, Marlins third baseman, Miguel Cabrera asked for well over $7 million in arbitration, and the team offered $6.7 million. In my eyes, Cabrera is another guy who could easily cross $100 million plateau in 2007. Due to the teams finances, he’s most likely to leave Florida and get paid, but it is amazing how much players are asking today due to the market.

Wow.

• For the Red Sox fans out there, can you all please tell me what is going on with J.D. Drew? Why is he not signed yet (scratching my head on this one...)?
  

Marine Corps Museum Visit

Marine Corps Museum - Go down to the end of the post to see the full slideshow. The one at the top only shows a max of 15 frames...

Being a student of history and being fascinated with it, I decided to take a visit to the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Virginia yesterday afternoon.

The museum for me was nothing short of breathtaking, as I just found it beautiful and filled with artifacts, information and displays that give you a comprehensive history of the United States Marine Corps. Much of the museum is interactive, with video, real-to-life exhibitions and simulation exercises, as well as state-of-the art technology to make you experience the life of a Marine.

The museum features displays of the Marines during Word War I, World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam. As you walk through, you get a real to life feel about the respective era and how it relates to the Marine and American experience.

Although, I have always had a deep respect for our countrymen and women who serve in the military, seeing the museum made much more appreciative of the sacrifice citizens have made to defend and uphold the ideals of our county, especially now in a time of upheaval and war.

No matter your political beliefs, or how you feel about the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, seeing this museum will make you respect and bring you closer to the young people and those currently serving overseas. In the museum, you learn to respect what the Marine stand for – sacrifice and service to country.

It’s a must see location in if you’re in Virginia or the Washington D.C. Area. Although it was quite a drive from where I am, it was well worth taking a chunk of my afternoon to see.

Link to the full gallery: Here

Is Orioles' Owner Peter Angelos Really That Bad?

In both the cities of Washington and Baltimore, there’s one man who in the world of sports who is vilified like no other.

His name is Peter Angelos, majority owner of the Baltimore Orioles and highly successful trial lawyer.

The crescendo of the immense hatred towards him came about on September 21, 2006 when an estimated 1,000 to 2,000 fans walked out in the middle of an Orioles game in Baltimore against the Detroit Tigers to protest the way he has run the team. After the event, much was made of the protest in the local and national media.

He is disliked in Maryland because simply he owns the Baltimore Orioles who have had nine consecutive losing seasons. He’s hated in Washington perhaps with more vitriol as he opposed the Montreal Expos moving to Washington D.C. because he was afraid a second team in territory that his team served would severely harm the Orioles marketability and finances.

However, Peter Angelos was compensated for the move of the Expos into Washington D.C. by Major League setting a $375 million sale price for his team (he and his group paid $173 million) and a sports network was created for him in which and the Orioles would own a majority share. The network shows both Orioles and National games.

Almost on a weekly basis, via the media, chatting with fans, or on various boards on the internet, the criticism towards Peter Angelos is like a piñata that takes a constant beating with a bat.

In light of his tenure as owner of the Orioles, most people tend to forget the work Peter Angelos has accomplished as a trial lawyer and philanthropist, especially in the state of Maryland. For the past several years, he’s been a huge backer in the development of downtown Baltimore with the acquisition or real estate and creating new properties.

An old boss of mine used to say in the workplace, “People don’t remember when you do well; they remember when you screw up.”

This is the case with Peter Angelos. Before his days as a baseball owner, he was a lawyer and with one big case which gave him the purchasing power to own a team; he acquired power with both his wealth and his ownership of the Baltimore Orioles.

The reputation of him before he got into the business of baseball was being a champion for the “little guy” as he represented workers and consumers, in which went to litigation against corporate giants like Philip Morris and Motorola.

The turning point in Angelos’ legal career came about in the mid 1980’s as he worked with labor leaders in representing employees who were affected by asbestos. With his fees from the cases, and the high profile it gave him, he was able to expand his law firm to the point where it is one of biggest law firms in the state of Maryland. As well, with the proceeds from his legal victories, he was able to purchase the Baltimore Orioles.

More importantly, Peter Aneglos became a big time player in the world of Maryland politics, especially in donations to Democrats, legislation and the development of several areas in Baltimore.

Pam Smith of the Mother Jones, Smart Journalism website asserts:

“Angelos, who led a group of investors that purchased the Baltimore Orioles in 1993 for a then-record $173 million, wields considerable financial and political clout at home. When he wants something from state lawmakers, the measures he supports are referred to simply as "Angelos bills." The state assembly gave lawyers like Angelos more time to sue by extending the statute of limitations on asbestos cases; the measure was sponsored by state Senator Norman Stone Jr., who later accepted a position with Angelos' firm. The assembly also created more judgeships to speed asbestos cases along; the bill passed after Angelos brought Orioles' superstar Cal Ripken Jr. for a photo opp with state legislators. "The idea that one person could provide all this major legislation has been amazing," House Minority Leader Robert Flanagan (R) told the Baltimore City Paper”.

Well, as you can see, owning a major sports team and having great wealth translates into incredible power, and he has used it to his advantage.

In light of owning of the Orioles, he has also served on many board and involved himself in quite a few philanthropic ventures. Peter Angelos has served the community as a member of the Baltimore City Council & serves as a member on several boards with area universities, including the prestigious Johns Hopkins University. In addition, he also serves on the boards of the University of Maryland Foundation, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Saint Josephs Hospital and the Grant-A-Wish Foundation.*

What most people don’t realize is that the Baltimore Orioles is only but a good portion of his fortune.

He owns quite a bit of property in downtown Baltimore, including four office buildings along Charles Street, and also is spear-heading a creation of a Hotel right in the vicinity of Camden Yards.

Although he is consistently beaten up for the Orioles’ performance and dwindling attendance, Peter Angelos has for the most part been a positive influence in the shaping of downtown Baltimore and will be at it for the near future.

In the end, however, to fans of the Orioles and baseball in general, the business development he’s ushered to Baltimore and his good work are sadly irrelevant; it’s the state of the team along with wins and losses. For many, Peter Angelos and Baltimore are linked with Orioles, not a skyscraper, law firm or fancy real estate project, his legacy will be determined by what shape the Orioles are if the team is sold, or if he leaves.

Quick Hits

More Drama in Tampa Bay: In 2006, quite a few Tampa Bay minor leaguers got in trouble with the law, in the minors and didn’t endear themselves well to either their organization or the media.

Well, 2007 may be a new year, but things have remained the same with some of the players. Uber-prospect, Elijah Dukes is in trouble once again.

He was arrested this week with another passenger and charged with misdemeanor marijuana possession after a traffic stop. His vehicle was searched due the presence of marijuana smoke & less than 2 grams of marijuana was in found in the car.

Yet more on an old friend, Slammin’ Sammy Sosa: The Rangers have offered Sosa a minor league contract and invited him to spring training where he will battle for a roster spot.

Sigh.

Why the Rangers would want Sosa, I have no clue. They need pitching, and to stock-pile it, not sign some aging slugger; the team honestly has enough offense. I’m not sure if Sammy should come back if gets a roster spot based on 2005, but the man is closing in 600 homers and may help out Texas if regain some of the power that made him great for the Chicago Cubs.

The deal will be incentive-laden most likely, if he were to make the ream.

Rodrigo Lopez: He signed a one year deal with the Rockies, if anyone cares.

* More news and info at fastballfans.com

Quick Hits

* More News on An Old Friend: Sammy wants back into baseball, and on Monday, he worked out for the Texas Rangers. I don’t know if he’s still got the ability, as his bat slowed down considerably & he was just awful when he played for the Orioles in 2005. Will he be back – it remains to be seen.

* According to the AP, MLB Commissioner Bug Selig has announced that Busch Stadium in St. Louis will host baseball's All-Star game in 2009. The city has not had the All-Star Game 1966, and will host it in their new stadium. San Francisco will host the game in 2007, and Yankee Stadium in 2008.

Some More Video:

I found this one video on Youtube. This video is from the George Michael’s Sports Machine, which is produced in the Washington D.C. are and is shown in syndication around the nation. I don’t watch this show much anymore, but it was a staple of my childhood, as I would stay up Sunday nights to catch the latest and greatest in sports for the previous week.

The format on the show is a little dated, but it was one of the sports highlight shows ever in the nation that was a predecessor to Sports Center and other cable TV sports shows.

The show will probably go off the air in March of 2007 as George Michael was forced to retire due to budget cuts at NBC.

Sorry to have rambled for so long. Here are his top plays of 2006. A cool watch…

The Biggest Mercenary in Sports

Roger Clemens. Will he, or won’t he come back?

This week, his agent Randy Hendricks asserted, “better than 50-50'' that Clemens plays somewhere”.

We all know what that means. Sometime in June, the lead story will be Roger Clemens signs with X team. ESPN’s Baseball Tonight, the other cable networks, the media and the bloggers, including myself will spend countless hours wondering about the good ol’ Rocket.

Once again, one of the mot intriguing topics of the winter (ok, it is spring if you’re here in Maryland spring in Mid-January), is the ever-going saga of Roger Clemens. The man is a living legend, his feats are worthy of tall tales though they are true, and he’s a Hall of Famer for sure.

Roger Clemens once again does now know if he’ll be pitching in 2007, but we all know for the right amount of cheese and situation (a chance at the World Series) he’ll make himself available.

To most of us in the baseball world, he’ll be with BFF, Andy Pettitte. So, he’ll most likely in pinstripes, since the Yankees are the Yankees and they are contenders. Brian Cashman and the fanbase up there want him, and since Randy and Gary Sheffield have now been jettisoned, George and company will be hard charging for him.

From what I know, the Yankees are the typical corporate organization where everyone knows their role and plays by the rules. Do I think the team would allow him to do as he please and have the schedule he had with the Astros?

No, but the lore of winning leads to desperation. They’ll bend the rules for him if he can be gotten.

The Red Sox aren’t likely to go after him anymore, since their rotation is fairly set, but you never know.

The Astros will mostly go after him since they have had a history, but the situation may be fuzzy down there, as they didn’t resign Pettitte over a few million and it looks like they are rebuilding. However, in the NL Central, it looks anyone could be possibly win it, so Clemens returning might be a possibility. As well, Houston would be most likely the team that would allow him the most liberal schedule.

The problem I find with Clemens is that he’s all for the ring and a hefty paycheck, and not much else. I don’t know him, and I have heard he’s a great teammate, good for the young guys, but isn’t part of being a teammate also being there for your team through the thick and thin, through every out and defeat?

Yeah, Roger isn’t just any pitcher, but are we all not tired of the song and dance?

Sports are a business and winning is everything. Clemens is the typical capitalist in America – however, it is sad that he has no sense of loyalty to anyone except himself and the dollar whatsoever.

Quick Hits

* Right now, we have 3 Orioles due for arbitration. They are Brian Roberts, Erik Bedara and Corey Patterson. As spring training is upon us, we need to get all 3 signed - especially in the case of Bedard and Roberts. Here's a report from CBS Sportsline.

* Orioles.com beat reporter, Spencer Fordin answers the weekly mailbag with a number of O's questions.

From the Blog Roll:

Mike of Oriole Magic opines on the radio situation. I agree with him for the most part, and I pretty much agree with all aspects of what he asserts. Yes, I just see it as a business and control move, but I will miss a lot of the programming on WBAL that centered around the Orioles, a good portion that was relevant and gave an honest look at the team.

More or less, it's the product on the field that gets people going, not the radio or broadcast content.

Honorable Mention: I recently looked at this site, Shut Up Tim McCarver and it's one of the funnier websites I have laid eyes on in a while. I dislike him as much as these guys and it has all of Tim McCarver classic moments, a forum (wow), and other things about him. Amazing...