Just Don't Compare Natty Boh to Iron City Beer

The similarities between the Orioles and Pirates only go so far

By Matthew Taylor

A memorable World Series forever links two teams in baseball memory, and in the tattered psyche of many baseball fans the most excruciating losses are often as memorable as any one victory. It’ll always be easier to recall who beat the Red Sox in 1986 than who Boston defeated in 2004 and 2007.

In Baltimore, the Orioles will forever be linked with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Nowadays, that link goes beyond the 1979 World Series. For as much as the baseball world has changed since the “We Are Family” days, the two once-proud franchises share a common bond in their respective levels of futility.

I first commented on this relationship last season, when the O’s fortunes mirrored those of their NL East brethren. Sure, we hate Pittsburgh during football season, but the Iron City may as well be our Sister City come summer.

Just consider the 2007 similarities between the Pirates (68-94) and the Orioles (69-93).

The longest winning streak for each team? Pittsburgh - 5; Baltimore - 6.

Longest losing streak? Pittsburgh - 9 ; Baltimore - 9.

Most Games over .500? Pittsburgh - 3; Baltimore - 4.

Most Games under .500? Pittsburgh - 26; Baltimore - 24.

This spring, a New York Times article about the Pirates’ outlook moving forward has me thinking about the Pirates - Orioles comparison all over again. Does any of the following sound familiar?

The crowd around the fellow laughed, Coonelly walked over to absorb some abuse and offer some encouragement — “Just trust us,” and “We’re going to build with youth” — before conceding that for long-suffering Pirates fans, placation will come in wins, not words. This once-proud franchise has not posted a winning record since 1992. A 16th straight losing season this year would tie the major league record held by the positively wretched Philadelphia Phillies of 1933-48 — raising the hackles of Pennsylvanians everywhere, or at least Arlen Specter.

…

“The city of Pittsburgh, I don’t know how much longer they’re going to wait,” the right-hander Ian Snell said. “The losing’s got to stop somewhere.”

…

Two regimes ago, signing the likes of Pat Meares and Kevin Young to bamboozling long-term contracts gummed up the payroll for years. The team spent its 1999 through 2002 first-round draft choices on pitchers who all later had major surgery, raising questions about the Pirates’ scouting and development approach. More recently, marginal veterans like Joe Randa and Jeromy Burnitz were signed to significant contracts when commitment to youth was called for, and the right-hander Matt Morris was acquired at last year’s trade deadline, despite having $13.7 million left on his contract.

…

The new front office decided to keep these players and try to inspire them by proving management’s commitment: The spring training complex in Bradenton is being rebuilt, for example, and a new Dominican academy will open next summer. Bill Mazeroski, Manny Sanguillen and Kent Tekulve, all members of the Pirates’ last three World Series champions in 1960, 1971 and 1979, respectively, are in camp as instructors trying to remind players that the team was not always horrible.

Some skepticism remains, though. Coonelly and Huntington addressed the players last Thursday and promised that their commitment to smart player development would not wane — recent history to the contrary — and were understandably met with some rolling eyes.

“The players are kind of looking at us like, ‘We’ve heard this before,’ ” Huntington said. “They’re right. Most general managers and front offices come in and say they’re going to win through scouting and development. We believe it’s the execution that’s going to set us apart.”

Granted, Pittsburgh has the longer streak of losing seasons. Give the Pirates some credit, though - they were ahead of the curve on Sopranos spoofs before such a move became cliché.

Catching Up With Members of the Birds' 1996 Bullpen

No word on Manny Alexander and his 67.50 ERA from that season

By Matthew Taylor

“Baltimore was the only team that would give me a chance."

-Esteban Yan, as quoted in The Sun

At this time of year many men dream of performing bunting drills and soft toss with the big leaguers, hitting the cutoff man with their hometown heroes.

Not me. I dream of playing trivial pursuit with Esteban Yan …

“Okay, guys, here’s your question: Name the first American League pitcher since the birth of the designated hitter to hit a home run in his first Major League at bat.”

“Whaddya think Esteban?”

“Uh, that’d be me.”

…

“Alright, fellas, this one’s for pie. Which two Oriole players were selected by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in the expansion draft?”

“Esteban? Any ideas?”

“Me again. And Aaron Ledesma.”

High fives all around ….

My dream Trivial Pursuit pairing with Esteban Yan isn’t likely to happen. However, Yan – the player I best remember as a hard-throwing “guy with potential” in the mold of Armando Benitez – might well wind up on a mound near you, O’s fans.

The 32-year-old’s effort to get back to the bigs after a year in Japan is one of the more intriguing, non-Mitchell Report storylines out of the Birds’ camp this spring.

Among those offering comment are the following: The Washington Post, The (Annapolis) Capital, The Sun, and SI.com. Also check out Camden Chat and Birds in the Belfry.

Kevin Millar also has some fun with Yan on his MLB blog: “I've got to say I missed doing the diary last year, and I'd like to get on the record that MLB.com big leagued me. I think they wanted to do the Esteban Yan diary or something. But now I'm back and we're giving it a second chance.”

Millar offers some interesting comments about rebuilding (“we’ve gotten better … this isn’t a long-term rebuilding process”), Dave Trembley (“How do you not respect this guy?”), and Jay Gibbons (“Why is he one of the only guys suspended?”)

If Yan does make the club here’s hoping he doesn’t ruin that perfect batting average (2-for-2 with the home run in Tampa and a single for the Cardinals in 2003) during Interleague Play.

Two comebackers

Erik Bedard isn’t the only former Bird in Seattle’s camp this spring. Arthur Rhodes, who turns 39 in October, is a non-roster invitee after missing the 2007 season following Tommy John surgery.

USA Today gives the full run-down. More info appears in articles by The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, HeraldNet, and TDN.com.

Meanwhile, Alan Mills, who appeared with the Erie SeaWolves in a game last summer against the Bowie Baysox during his comeback attempt, has called it quits. He will serve as pitching coach this season for the Oneonta Tigers of the New York-Penn League.

Of Loewen, Markakis, and the 2002 Draft

Young O's part of The (New) Oriole Way

by Matthew Taylor

Adam Loewen faced hitters on Thursday for the first time since his surgery to repair a stress fracture in his left elbow, as reported by The Sun and The Post.

I love the literal use of the term "faced hitters," as described by Jeff Zrebiec: "Hitters rotated into the batter's box, but rarely swung at Loewen's offerings. The purpose of the exercise was for the starting pitcher to get comfortable again throwing to actual hitters."

It's akin to saying that I faced my fear of heights by looking at a bridge rather than crossing it.

Nevertheless, the development, a case of taking baby steps before walking, is a positive one for Loewen who, with the Erik Bedard trade, becomes the most intriguing young arm in the O's rotation.

Loewen's name popped up earlier this week in a New York Times article that had nothing to do with John McCain. The Times evaluated players selected by Billy Beane during Oakland's 2002 "Moneyball" draft.

Four of the seven players picked by Oakland (57 percent) among the first 39 picks in that draft have played in the majors, including Brown. Of the other 32 picks, 20 have played in the majors (62.5 percent).

The difference is in the number of high school players in those groups. Oakland drafted none while other teams selected 18, and 11 have played in the majors, including Prince Fielder, B. J. Upton, Cole Hamels, Scott Kazmir, James Loney, Jeff Francoeur, Matt Cain and Adam Loewen.

From Beane’s perspective, college position players are the safest selections while high school pitchers are the riskiest. Yet Hamels, Kazmir, Cain and Loewen are pitchers drafted out of high school.

Don't tell the folks at Chipola College that Loewen was drafted out of high school. The juco claims Loewen as one of its own.

Baseball America clarifies the situation following the 2002 draft: "The Orioles were offering around $2.5 million ... when negotiations broke down. Loewen headed to Chipola (Fla.) Junior College so he would still have an opportunity to sign with the Orioles or go right back into the draft if he didn't sign."

Things worked between the O's and Loewen, but thankfully the same couldn't be said for the Cincinnati Reds' 2002 (and 2001) draftee, Nick Markakis.

Again from Baseball America: "The Reds did not sign lefthander Nick Markakis, their 23rd-round pick from last year who came on strong this spring at Young Harris (Ga.) JC. Cincinnati offered Markakis a $1.5 million bonus, but he turned it down to try to do better in this year's draft. He is expected to go in the middle of the first round."

Putting the "O" in Hope

And I ain't talkin' about Obama (directly)

By Matthew Taylor

“It would be a pleasant surprise if we were able to win as many or more games as we were able to win last year,” said starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie, who was one of the few bright spots from last year’s 69-93 team. “But I think everybody is more prepared for what may come and understanding and accepting of whether we win or lose a little bit more.”

-The Sun

You know that old saying, "You've got to lose a hundred games to win a hundred games?" Me neither. But in the increasingly futile search for optimism surrounding the team I grew up with, I'm looking for the O's to turn this phrase into conventional baseball wisdom.

If one is an anomaly and two is a pattern then three Major League teams twice hitting the century mark within the span of five years - first in losses, then in wins - should qualify for adage consideration.

The Atlanta Braves accomplished the aforementioned feat in the early '90s. The Cleveland Indians followed suit in the middle of the decade. Now it's the O's turn to hit rock bottom before mountain climbing to the peak.

If memory serves

It's easy to forget how bad both the Braves and Indians once were.

O's fans likely remember Atlanta's role as the Interleague qualifying exam during the Birds' 1997 Wire-to-Wire run. Beat the Braves and the O's could officially warrant consideration as contenders. The result? A mid-June, three-game sweep that had Charm City flying high.

As for the Indians, they offer baseball locals the memory of Albert Belle's slugging at the dish and Kenny Lofton's scampering speed in center field. Does anyone have a spare "thunder and lightning" cliché handy?

The Birds lifted the flagging morale of local fans, dispirited by the late-season Roberto Alomar spitting incident, with an upset victory over the 99-win Tribe in the 1995 Division Series. Armando Benitez secured two of the O's three wins.

One year later the Indians returned the favor (say it with me, "Tony Freakin' Fernandez"), taking down the favored 98-win Orioles in the 1997 ALCS. Armando Benitez took two of the O's four losses.

A changed tune

Look a little deeper into the Braves' and Indians' respective team histories and you'll find a promising precedent.

The 1988 Atlanta Braves lost 106 games; in 1993 they won 104. They've eclipsed 100 wins three times since then, winning two NLCS and a World Series over - guess whom - the Cleveland Indians.

The 1991 Cleveland Indians lost 105 games; in 1995 they won 100. They've since won two ALCS.

Two teams. One hundred losses. Soon thereafter, 100 wins.

Fans in Atlanta and Cleveland went from singing the Blues to Rockin' 'n Rollin' within a five-year period.

Now for that Hope thing

The Orioles are preparing in 2008 to do what they've done only 10 times since they were known as the New York Yankees in 1901 and 1902 - lose 100 games.

The last time the Birds dropped 100 games in a season was, infamously, in 1988, when the team opened the year with 21 straight losses. They added 86 more defeats throughout the summer for a grand total of 107 losses.

One year later, in 1989, the O's made a run at the division during the famous "Why Not?" campaign. The team finished with a winning record in six of the 10 following seasons, including that ALCS berth in 1996 and the AL East Division crown in 1997.

So we've come to this.

Do the 2008 O's lack experience at the highest levels of baseball? You bet.

Are Andy McPhail and company peddling optimistic rhetoric to eager supporters? Sure thing.

Can the O's win 100 games within five years? Heck, everyone else is saying it these days, so I might as well follow suit: "Yes, We Can."

O's Go Retro, Play Pac-Man

The '08 season invites focus on personality, potential

By Matthew Taylor

The Sun's Jeff Zrebiec poses "10 Questions about the Orioles" headed into the 2008 season, including one about the newly acquired Adam Jones. Unfortunately, it's not the same question I have about our new center fielder: Can we call him Pac-Man?

So the Charm City rebuilding project, - the youth movement, if you will - the one that was supposed to begin in 1996 with the David Wells and Bobby Bonilla trades that never happened, is finally underway in earnest. No more proceeding in mostly fits with occasional starts. The O's are going to be just plain bad. The absence of a clean-up hitter and No. 1 starter affirm as much. And that's just skimming the surface.

The focus for weary O's fans is the organization's new target date (For contention? A .500 record? Four months of good baseball followed by complete collapse?) of 2010. Print the T-shirts now - "2010: A Baseball Odyssey."

In the meantime, the best plan for long-suffering loyalists trying to sustain a flagging interest in their moribund team is to focus on outstanding individual efforts. In 2008 my Nick Markakis man crush shall groweth.

You now it's bad when a club that's tried to make us believe in its alternating youth movement/rotisserie ball strategy for 10 losing seasons is finally fessing up: "Oh, we're going to be bad. Real bad. Check back with us in a couple years."

Poor Dave Trembley is heading a campaign that isn't going anywhere. He and Dennis Kucinich should commiserate over an organic beer. Trembley/Kucinich '08 has a certain ring to it.

I suppose there has to be room this season for optimism. For one thing, there's no reason for stress. After all, we know what's going to happen. Every victory will be a big one. And besides, it can't get any worse than 30-3, can it?

Hagy Does Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

Wild Bill is gone, but obviously not forgotten

By Matthew Taylor

"I'd give anything right now to hear one more time, hear my friend's jokes or stories."

-Chris Franklin, a friend of Wild Bill

Baseball season is over, but the memories of Wild Bill live on. Keith Maisel of The Catonsville Times covered another of the many local tributes to everybody's favorite former cab driver. It's just further proof of the legacy left behind by a man who, like many us of, loved what the O's once were.

Consider some of the comments left by Roar from 34 readers during this past season:

"Living behind Memorial Stadium for 22 years, I spent a lot of time in Section 34, as well as other sections at Memorial Stadium. I have so many fond memories of those days and appreciation for WB. What was better than he and Dempsey on the O's dugout? It's too bad young O's fans weren't lucky enough to know him, but he'll always live in our memories."

-Crystal Hall

"As a 'charter member' of he section 34 rowdies...I applaud the effort gents!!Thanks for keeping the spirit alive."

-"Young" Doug Reaves

"We were so privileged to have a first class organization like the Orioles during the "Orioles Magic" era and a group like Section 34. Like my friend "Young Doug", I was also a charter member. We had some great memories. Our fan base drew people from all professions and faiths -- steelworkers, cab drivers, accountants, doctors -- out for a fun day or night at Memorial Stadium to cheer our lungs out for the Orioles. We also had a softball team that raised thousands of dollars for various charities in the games we played. Our section was one large family of fans. In this era of sports with high ticket prices and the wine and cheese crowds, there may never be a group like Section 34 again. Thanks for the memories Wild Bill -- rest in peace my friend."

-Glenn

A Decade Later, ALCS Looks Very Familiar

Orioles played the role of the Red Sox 10 years ago

By Matthew Taylor

Cleveland established a direct connection to the Orioles’ franchise in Game 4 of the 2007 ALCS. The Indians became the second team to score seven runs in one inning twice in a series, matching the 1970 Baltimore Orioles, who did it against Minnesota.

The Indians put up seven runs in fifth inning of Game 4, a 7-3 victory, and the 11th inning of Game 2, a 13-6 victory. The 1970 O’s, winners of 108 regular season games and the World Series, put up seven runs in the fourth inning of Game 1 of the ALCS, a 10-6 victory, and again in the ninth inning of Game 2, an 11-3 victory. The Birds also took Game 3, 6-1, for a sweep in what was then a best-of-five format.

However, reminders of the Orange and Black aren't limited to one statistical oddity from more than three decades ago. In fact, this year’s ALCS features multiple parallels to the 1997 playoffs, when the O’s, Wire-to-Wire winners in the East with a 98-64 record, played the role of the Red Sox vis-à-vis the Indians.

The Birds most recent playoff appearance happened to be the Indians most recent appearance prior to this season. And that’s where the déjà vu begins all over again.

-These AL Central-winning Indians, like the 1997 AL Central-winning edition, took down the Wild Card Yankees in the Division Series to reach the ALCS.

-The 1997 Birds, like the 2007 Red Sox, won Game 1 of the ALCS at home and then dropped the next three games, two of which were played at Jacobs Field and one of which was an extra-inning affair.

(With no apologies to Red Sox fans, our losses in ‘97 – all by one run, one in extra innings, and one in the bottom of the ninth – were much more heartbreaking than Boston’s losses have been in ’07.)

-Manny Ramirez – now a Red Sox slugger, then an Indians slugger – went deep in Games 2 and 4 of the 1997 ALCS and the 2007 ALCS.

-On Tuesday, the Indians gave up back-to-back-to-back home runs for the first time in LCS history. It happened only once before in the postseason when, you guessed it, the Indians served up three straight dingers to the Yankees in the 1997 playoffs.

-Should the Indians win the pennant this year they’ll face a 1993 expansion franchise from the National League, just as the ’97 Indians did when they squared off with the Florida Marlins in the World Series.

What remains to be seen is if the 2007 Red Sox can match the Orioles’1997 Game 5 performance, a 4-2 victory, to send the ALCS back home.

Extra Bases: The 1997 Indians featured six players who would wear an Orioles uniform at some point during their career: Jose Mesa, Tony Fernandez, Jeff Manto, Paul Shuey, Steve Kline, and Jaret Wright.

It’s Finally Over … And It Could Have Been Worse

We could be fans of the Mets. Or Brewers. Or Padres.

By Christopher Heun

Now that a tenth consecutive losing season has met its merciful end, Orioles fans have plenty of reasons to feel sorry for themselves. But here’s something to cheer us up: at least we’re not Mets fans.

Determining which group of fans is cursed with the worse fate really boils down to a question of whether it’s better to have loved and lost (the Mets, Brewers and Padres) than never to have loved at all (the Devil Rays, Royals, Pirates – and the Orioles.)

Or, in the case of our Lovable Losers, it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have lost at all.

This year, the Mets were in first place for 159 days of the 183-day season. Murray Chass writes in The New York Times that no team had ever failed to finish first after leading its division that long.

Meanwhile, the Brewers were on top of the National League Central for 133 days but like the Mets failed to reach the postseason. And Padres fans couldn’t be blamed for taking the NL Wild Card for granted, only to see it slip away on the final weekend of the season.

As I have written previously, I live and work in New York City. Last week I assured Mets fans that their team would manage to hold on to the division; this week I’ve been expressing my condolences along with my disbelief.

Their response usually went something like this: “Thanks, but at least Orioles fans knew their season was over back in June.” Then a Yankee fan would interrupt and say it was over back in March.

Go to War, Tike Redman!

The Lovable Losers test the limits of improbability

By Christopher Heun

Of course the Birds would fight back from a 9-6 ninth-inning deficit against Yankees übercloser Mariano Rivera last night. Of course Melvin Mora would bunt home the winning run – bunt! – in the tenth. Of course Tike Redman would score three runs and knock out four hits, including a double to start the winning rally.

This is why the Birds, with a season record of 69-91 and 26 games behind first-place Boston, are Lovable Losers. The more improbable the victory, the harder they fight.

I love the bases-loaded, two-out bunt. It’s so Melvin Mora. Just a week ago we harped on his faults (primarily, his tendency to run the bases in crucial situations like a headstrong Little Leaguer), but let’s push that under the rug.

Actually, the surprise bunt is a familiar weapon in his arsenal. Back in late April, Mora tried a ninth-inning bunt, this time with one out and the tying run on third. But the ball didn’t make it past Oakland closer Huston Street, who held the runner and eventually earned the save.

But this time, it worked. And the Orioles won a game they trailed 4-1 in the third, 7-2 in the fifth and then 9-6 in the ninth.

Best Mora post-game quote: "Like I was telling my friend, I've been involved in so many playoffs and nobody's expecting that."

For the record, as a 27-year-old rookie for the 1999 Mets, Mora played in 9 postseason games, with 6 hits in 15 at bats. It’s his only taste of October baseball. Am I wrong, or does Mora have the habit of reflecting on his playoff days as if they are a vast reservoir of experience?

One more thing about Tike Redman: He’s this year’s version of David Newhan. In 2004, Newhan had a .361 on-base percentage in 373 at bats, was 11 for 12 in stolen base attempts, and generally seemed to slash the ball to all fields and scurry around the bases with the energy of a squirrel.

This year, Redman has put up similar numbers in just 125 at bats: a .359 on-base percentage and 7 stolen bases in 8 attempts. He’s played well substituting for the injured Corey Patterson and would be a nice extra outfielder next year, but let’s hope he’s not expected to be an everyday player.

Also, for what it’s worth, I really despise the phrase “walk-off” to describe a game-winning hit. (And “walk-off bunt” sounds simply ridiculous.) Anybody agree? Perhaps we should research the origin of this phrase, but I suspect we should blame ESPN and be done with it.

Where Should Miggy Play?

Should the shortstop change teams or just his position?

By Christopher Heun

Fact: There’s been a lot of ink spilled over whether Miguel Tejada should remain at shortstop next year (if he isn’t traded first.)

Opinion: We love Miggy, but he should have been traded a year ago. If the Warehouse can get two solid prospects for him, they should swing a deal.

Opinion: He probably won’t be traded. If Peter Angelos refused to pull the trigger on Brian Roberts, then he’s unlikely to part with the team’s only true superstar. Besides, Miggy’s trade value has fallen. The Birds might be better off keeping him for the first half of 2008 and hoping he plays well. In that case, a position change wouldn’t be wise.

Fact: The most damning article about a possible move for Tejada, by The Sun’s Jeff Zrebiec, quoted third base and infield coach Juan Samuel as saying of Miggy, “He doesn't move real well. I don't know how we can [fix] it. He's not overweight.”

Opinion: Why is Miggy’s own coach saying this publicly? And Juan Samuel of all people? He had about as much use for a glove during his playing career as Pele.

Fact: The same Zrebiec story also quoted a scout as saying:

"His arm is still a plus, but his range is very limited. He's really gone backwards in terms of first-step quickness and his range. Really, I think most people think that he should be playing third base. I've been saying this since last year. Almost every game, there are one or two balls that he's not getting to that he used to field."

Fact: According to the Hardball Times, Tejada ranks second among American League shortstops in Revised Zone Rating (the proportion of balls hit into a fielder's zone that he successfully converted into an out.) For the Out of Zone rating, he ranks seventh. See here for more on these stats.

Fact: Derek Jeter ranks at the bottom of both of those defensive categories.

Fact: Jeter has won a Gold Glove award the past three seasons.

Opinion: The Gold Glove is a joke.

Fact: In his blog, The Sun’s Roch Kubatko has said “Forget Miguel Tejada's declining range at shortstop. He's now having trouble handling grounders hit directly at him. What's happened to his hands?” And rookie Luis “Hernandez has provided a significant defensive upgrade on the left side of the infield.

Opinion: So is Tejada a poor fielder or not? I don’t know whom to believe.

Opinion: Why not move Tejada to first base instead of third? This way, only one player is forced to learn a new position.

Fact: Hernandez, 23, was claimed off waivers from the Atlanta Braves last October. If he turns out to be an everyday player next year, that would mean that two castoffs from other organizations have become significant acquisitions for the Birds (The other being Jeremy Guthrie, also claimed off waivers.)

Opinion: That doesn’t say much about the talent in the Orioles farm system, but we already knew that.

Opinion: The Orioles need players. Young players. Lots of them. Whether Miggy plays short or third or even first next year, unfortunately he can only play one position at a time. Should we blame him for that, too?

Nick Markakis Anagram of the Day

Hopefully it applies to next season

By Christopher Heun

“Nick Markakis” = "Karma Kicks In"

* Nate Silver of Baseball Prospectus is the original source of this nugget, which first appeared in his online chat Friday, September 21, 2007.

Mora Thrown Out to End Game – Again

This wasn’t entirely his fault, but can we redefine “aggressive”?

By Christopher Heun

Melvin Mora did it again Friday night. Except this time, he wasn’t thrown out at home to end a one-run game; he only managed as far as second base.

Perhaps this is a cruel comment on the state of the season; even the habitual boneheaded mistakes are more feeble than they seemed six weeks ago. (We’ve documented Mora’s proclivity for these blunders.)

For those of you missed the final disappointing play of Friday night’s 3-2 loss in Texas, with one out Mora was thrown out trying to steal second. It was the back end of a double play, because Paul Bako struck out on the pitch. Kevin Millar, the tying run, was left stranded on third base.

This was a dumb play all around. But in Mora’s defense, according to The Sun’s game story, the blame lies with manager Dave Trembley, who was playing for the win on the road, rather than a tie and extra innings.

I happen to like Dave Trembley as manager; he seems to have a knack for pulling the right strings with the limited talent on his roster. (Apparently, he wisely nipped in the bud any idea Mora might have had about sacrifice bunting in the ninth.) But how could anyone have looked at the ninth-inning matchup of Bako and Rangers closer Joaquin Benoit and predicted anything besides a strikeout?

Bako has struck out 50 times this season in 154 at bats (and five of his eight September at bats). He was facing a strikeout pitcher: Benoit has struck out 86 in 80 innings this year.

Had a groundball pitcher like Chad Bradford been on the mound, then the run and hit would have made sense. In wanting to stay out of a double play, the Birds ran into one. And lost the game.

Misplaced aggression

Trembley and Mora insisted after the game that they were playing aggressively. Maybe it’s in Mora’s and the Birds’ best interests if he tamed it down a bit?

I’ve dug up a few more examples of his inexplicable ninth-inning baserunning. Earlier this season, he stole third in the ninth inning of a game the Birds trailed 5-3. Jay Payton grounded out on the next pitch, ending the game. An irate Payton, convinced that Mora had disrupted his concentration at the plate and cost him a strike, nearly came to blows with Mora in the dugout.

Last year, Mora was the final out of a 5-3 loss to Toronto when he was thrown out at the plate trying to tag up from third on a pop fly caught by the shortstop.

Can anybody out there add to this list?

A Power Outage in Charm City

Fact: Tony Batista is one of the O's top power hitters of the 2000's

By Matthew Taylor

Colorado Rockies left fielder Matt Holliday on Thursday hit his 11th homer in 12 days. The feat matches Alex Rodriguez's streak of 11 homers in 12 games back in April. But which former Oriole - and Rockie for that matter - was the most recent player to do it before Holliday and Rodriguez?

If you answered Javy Lopez , you're right. Contact us to arrange delivery of your 2007 Baltimore Orioles playoff tickets.

Lopez went on his binge in 2003 and finished the year with 43 homers. The O's were so impressed with his handiwork that they signed him that off-season. He hit a combined 46 roundtrippers during his two-and-a-half seasons in Baltimore and earned $22.5 million for his efforts.

Lopez never led the O's in home runs. Had he come within six long balls of his 2003 career year he would've ranked in the team's Top 10 for a single season, territory that no Orioles player has touched this decade. Tony Batista - yes, Tony Batista - came closest in 2002 with 31 home runs.

While we're at it, no Birds player has cracked 30 home runs since Miguel Tejada did so in 2004.

O's Top 10 Home Runs (Single Season)
1. Brady Anderson, 1996, 50
2. Frank Robinson, 1966, 49
3. Jim Gentile, 1961, 46
4. Rafael Palmeiro, 1998, 43
5. Boog Powell, 1964, 39
6. Rafael Palmeiro, 1995, 39
7. Rafael Palmeiro, 1996, 39
8. Rafael Palmeiro, 1997, 38
9. Boog Powell, 1969, 37
10. Albert Belle, 1999, 37

Team Home Run Leaders By Season (Since 1997)
2006: Tejada 24, Hernandez 23, Markakis, Mora, Patterson 16, Millar 15
2005: Mora 27, Tejada 26, Gibbons 26
2004: Tejada 34, Mora 27, Palmeiro 23, Lopez 23
2003: Tony Batista 26, Gibbons 23, Mora & Conine 15
2002: Tony Batista 31, Gibbons 28, Mora 19
2001: Chris Richard 15, Gibbons 15, Conine 14
2000: Belle 23, Charles Johnson 21, Anderson 19
1999: Albert Belle 37, Surhoff 28, Anderson 24, Baines 24
1998: Palmeiro 43, Eric Davis 28, Surhoff 22
1997: Palmeiro 38, Hammonds 21, Surhoff & Anderson 18

If The Orioles Were A Tragedy, What Kind of Tragedy Would They Be?

Choose your own metaphor for the 2007 season

By Christopher Heun

Yesterday’s dramatic 12th-inning win aside (a game they had won in the 8th but promptly gave away, necessitating extra innings), the Orioles’ 2007 season has been rough.

But just how rough has it been? In many respects, pretty much exactly like the preceding nine losing seasons. Which is pretty rough. At 64-84 with 14 games to go, they look like a good bet to lose 90 games for the fifth time in seven years.

In order to describe this losing streak more accurately, we offer a multiple choice quiz:

The 2007 Orioles season has been like:

a) A train wreck
b) A car wreck
c) A yard sale promising pleasant surprises but really only offers discarded crap
d) A train and a car wrecked together
e) A shipwreck, but instead of real pirate booty buried in the depths there’s only rusted hulks of old cars and Danys Baez’s torn elbow ligaments
f) All of the above
g) b, c and e but not a or d
h) A nightmare you’ve had 10 years in a row

After Victor Zambrano, Who's Next?

The Birds have opened a wing for former Mets starting pitchers circa 2005

By Christopher Heun

Victor Zambrano, best known for being traded to the Mets for prospect Scott Kazmir in 2004, threw four innings of scoreless relief in Toronto this afternoon in his first appearance as an Oriole. Jim Duquette, the former Mets GM who made that ill-fated trade, can't seem to get enough of his former starting pitchers.

Last year, the Birds traded John Maine to New York for Kris Benson. Then, when Benson was injured in spring training in March, Duquette and Mike Flanagan signed Steve Trachsel to replace him. And now Zambrano. What are the chances that after the season, The Warehouse swings a deal for Tom Glavine? Maybe Pedro Martinez?

Zambrano's performance today increases the likelihood that he will take Kurt Birkin's next turn in the rotation the next time around, which doesn't really mean much in the grand scheme of things but does make for odd trivia.

Here are some interesting numbers about Orioles starters in 2007:

Number of different Orioles pitchers who have started a game this season: 12
Number of Orioles pitchers who started one of the 17 games since Aug. 29: 9
Number of Orioles pitchers who started a game last season: 10
Number of Orioles pitchers who started a game in 2005: 8
Number of Orioles pitchers who started a game in 2004: 12
Number of Orioles starters from 2004-06 who started a game this year: 3
Who they are: Erik Bedard, Daniel Cabrera, Adam Loewen
Number of New York Mets starters from 2005 on the Orioles 2007 payroll: 3
Who they are: Kris Benson, Steve Trachsel, Victor Zambrano

Cliche Warning: The Kids Are Alright

O's score a moral victory and an actual victory to boot

By Matthew Taylor

Apparently some of the 16,000-plus fans at last night’s game were unhappy that the O’s decided to bench a few regulars in favor of younger players.

The arguments expressed in today’s edition of The Sun remind me of Peter Angelos’s rationalization back in the late ‘90s for not trading away aging, high-priced players in exchange for young talent. In short, the thinking goes, the fans paid to see the big names no matter how poorly they’re doing. I would argue instead that I want to see the guys with the most passion regardless of their pay grade.

One game doesn’t prove anything, even if it was a 3-0 shutout victory over a first place team and a potential Cy Young candidate. Nevertheless, it’s hard to argue with Dave Trembley’s decision to light a fire under his moribund team by revamping the lineup. The players practically tell you that themselves, whether they intend to or not.

Just compare the comments from Wednesday night’s 18-6 loss with those that came after Thursday’s 3-0 victory.

From Wednesday:

Jay Payton: "It's pretty miserable, to be honest with you. It's bottom of the barrel right now. I don't think it can get a whole lot worse than it is right now. ... I've been with six different teams and I've never been through anything like this."

Melvin Mora: "This is the worst [stretch] ever in all the years I've been here and the worst ever in my life. The worst."

The lead of this story says it all: “Wednesday’s game was a perfect example of what happens when a team going places meets one about to go on vacation.”

From Thursday:

Brandon Fahey: "It was a blast. All the backup guys, we're all out there and we all played hard. It was a blast, maybe the most fun game of my life."

Jon Leicester: "I'm having a good time out there and trying to keep our team in the game. I was just trying to get them to swing the bat early, and the defense was amazing for me."

After an error-filled contest the night before, you simply had to watch some of the O’s early defensive gems on Thursday, including Luis Hernandez’s diving snare of Vladimir Guerrero’s third inning grounder, to know that for one night at least, the names on the jersey didn’t matter.

O's Continue To Remember Wild Bill

Looks like the O's are doing things right when it comes to remembering Wild Bill Hagy. First they created the "Wild Bill Hagy Award" for the Orioles Hall of Fame, and now they're collecting memories to post on the team's MLB website, with a pretty good video of the man himself to spark your memory. It's worth a visit over to the Orioles' website to check it out.

Venting: A September Tradition in Charm City

With Red Sox fans in the rearview mirror for this season, it's time to look at some potential bumper stickers for next year

by Matthew Taylor

I promised my wife before Sunday's O's - Red Sox game that I wouldn't engage with the visiting fans. I kept my word, with one minor exception. When a drunken Boston fan attempted to start a "Yankees Suck" chant, I yelled, "So do the Red Sox ... you're both the same." You know times are tough when I'm using the Yankees in my own team's defense. I feel so dirty.

Having kept my frustration bottled up this past weekend, I need a release. So, in the new tradition of Camden Yards vendors selling Boston gear, I present my list of slogans for bumper stickers that can be sold to Red Sox Nation next season.

"Tired of the Yankees? Try Yankees Light."

"Red Sox Nation: You're guaranteed to sell more beer while we're in town."

"It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you annoy the locals."

"You'd be arrogant, too, if your team won one championship in 86 years."

"We hate the Yankees; they're the only team that can outspend us."

"$52 million bid + $52 million contract = 4.44 ERA."

"Pahk ya cah near Camden Yahds."

"A-Rod sucks ... because we couldn't get him."

"We love Manny ... because we couldn't get rid of him."

Ownership Won't Defend the Home Turf ...

so why should we?

By Matthew Taylor

I'm a typical underdog of an Orioles fan. I don't possess the arrogance of Yankees and Red Sox fans. I know better than to expect winning as a baseball birthright. I've seen more losing than winning. I'm too often pessimistic about the O's. And yes, I have an occasional baseball inferiority complex.

Still, I man the trenches for my Birds. I'm loyal in good times and bad. I stand by my team. No one can ever accuse me of being a fairweather fan or, when the good times finally come, of jumping on the bandwagon (ahem, Red Sox "Nation," I'm looking at you ... if you don't talk funny, don't tell me you're a fan).

Somehow I believe there's honor in all this, though it makes me squeemish to associate the word honor with being a fan; it suggests I'm taking it all too seriously.

With all that said, today's game at Camden Yards, which I attended, has pushed me into a new frame of mind. I'm still loyal, but I refuse to be blindly loyal. I'm still an underdog, but I'm dropping the inferiority complex. Frankly, I'm a little pissed off.

It's time for me and other Birds backers like me to stop feeling like we have something to prove as a fan base. There is absolutely no question that Baltimore loves its baseball team. And there's no question that we would drown out the respective fan bases of both A.L. East Evil Empires when they visit Camden Yards if ownership would reignite the flame of our passions by fielding a competitive team.

Give our team a fighting chance, and we fans will have a fighting chance of defending the home turf. Even better, ownership needs to defend the home turf with us, which is the very reason I'm writing this piece. We'll "Take Back the Yard" when ownership does the same.

Baltimore can be a great baseball city again, but it's not up to the fans to make the push at this point. We've been pushing like Sisyphus for too long only to have that baseball boulder roll back down upon us. I refuse to apologize for the fact that Baltimore is not a great baseball town - at least not at the moment - for one simple reason: the fault doesn't belong to the fans no matter how much people want to tell us that it does.

In the late '90s Peter Angelos publicly criticized the locals for ceding the home-field advantage whenever the Yankees came to town. He noted in a Baltimore Sun interview that Yankees fans were sitting in the box seats at Camden Yards, which meant that O's fans were selling them their seats. Peter gave us a collective slap on the wrist for bad baseball behavior.

Fast forward to this season. Earlier this summer Brian Roberts took an only slightly veiled swipe at O's fans by noting how difficult it is to play in a hostile home environment when the team is playing hard and improving.

On these occasions, and many others like them, I've taken a defensive posture. My reasoning has been apologetic at best. I've felt like I have something to prove - to ownership, to the players, to visiting fans.

That thinking led me to purchase a ticket for Sunday's game and, even after the recent run of horrid results, to honor that ticket. My reasoning was simple: "Roberts is right." I was determined to prove something about fan loyalty, as if sticking with the home team through 10 straight losing seasons isn't enough. But after my latest trip to Camden Yards I realize that this organization has something to prove to me, namely that it cares about more than just money.

The first way that the Orioles can prove to die-hard fans that they care about more than money doesn't even involve winning. Rather, it's this: Stop selling Dice-K jerseys inside the stadium. That's right, you could buy a Dice-K, Boston Red Sox T-shirt inside the stadium on Sunday. How far have we fallen?

Some would argue that it's smart marketing to cater to visiting fans while they're in Baltimore. That argument is fine for the street vendors outside the stadium, but things should be decidedly different once you step inside the gates. (And that's not even to mention the whole "Baltimore" on the road jerseys issue, which also reflects a deference to dollars whenever the opportunity presents itself.)

I felt like a fool for buying into the "our fans don't care enough about this team" hype as soon as I saw that No. 18 replica T-shirt hanging in a Camden Yards souvenir stand. The experience got me to thinking about the business side of Baltimore baseball, and the results of that thinking aren't as pretty as I'd prefer.

I'm a baseball romantic at heart, but my anger stripped away the nostalgia long enough for me to realize that I've been played the fool for too long. If the Orioles can sell Red Sox T-shirts at the home stadium because it's what the market demands, I can have some demands of my own.

The biggest of my demands is that the Orioles' organization start having some pride in its product. And make sure that it's local pride while you're at it.

The Politics of AL East Baseball

You want to look away, but you can't

By Matthew Taylor

These are tough times for Charm City baseball fans. And for tried and true fans there’s little escaping the frustration. You still have to check the score even though you know it’s not going to be good. You still flip back to MASN to see if the bullpen has blown the late-game lead. You still allow yourself to get mad about the obnoxious cheers from visiting fans at Camden Yards.

It’s September, all potential marks of optimism are erased, yet still we watch. It’s about time I used that “car wreck” analogy, isn’t it? You want to look away, but you can't.

Much like the O’s August swoon there’s seemingly no turning away from the 2008 presidential race. But in this case it’s not because you’re a fan. Just try watching a news program without hearing some reference to the campaign, I dare you.

Heck, it seems you can’t even catch a good comedy without things getting political. I did a comedy movie double-header earlier this summer and both flicks – “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry” and “The Simpsons Movie” – referenced at least one of the candidates. The horses are running extra lengths in ’08 because the race has gotten longer.

Well, we might as well give in. With apologies to the non-political, we ask the question, “Which 2008 presidential candidates are most like the teams in the AL East?”

New York Yankees –Hillary Clinton

Seemingly endless resources and a willingness to spend big make them a favorite out of the gate. Freed from any kind of cap on spending they use their financial advantage to overwhelm their competitors in ruthless pursuit of victory. The organization’s obsessive flirtation with attractive free agents suggests that relationships within the team are a marriage of convenience. Supporters, known for their arrogance, believe that victory is inevitable. Should it happen we’ll be forced to live with dynasty talk.

Boston Red Sox –Barack Obama

Considered a rock star, the sexy alternative to the frontrunner also has significant resources, drawing support from throughout the Nation, but is relatively inexperienced in the highest levels of the game. Even when leading they’re pre-occupied with the presumed favorite. Claim there are great differences between themselves and the frontrunner and work hard to highlight those distinctions. In the end, though, many suspect that only the packaging is different.

Toronto Blue Jays –Al Gore

You never really know if they’re going to be in the race, but there’s always a chance for it to happen. Had glory days that included back-to-back victories, but those days are behind them. It’s time for them to make a name for themselves. It’s an “Assault on Reason” to believe they’ll contend once you consider the “Inconvenient Truth” that their division rivals have too much firepower.

Baltimore Orioles – John McCain

Campaign that started with such optimism has crashed and burned. Continue to stick with an unsuccessful game plan, one that has squandered both resources and good will. Recent talk of a comeback can’t match the tough talk of the old days. Supporters still dream of the days when the campaign was associated with a short, fiery leader who put a scare into the competition.

Tampa Bay Devil Rays –Mike Gravel

No chance in hell of winning; probably shouldn't have entered the race. Nevertheless, keep things interesting, especially when it comes to angry demonstrations. Previous outbursts suggest that you should expect the unexpected, anything from flying bats to threatening voice mails.