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.

The Right Call on Trembley

Once the interim manager, Trembley has the job for '08

By Matthew Taylor

Dave Trembley will manage the Birds in '08, according to The Sun. Well deserved. We made amends with Trembley, who was optimistic about his future with the team from the get-go, in an earlier posting.

Optimism is perhaps the best word to associate with Trembley, though you wouldn't be able to tell it from his less-than-sunny post-game press conferences. Perhaps "gruff optimism" is the best way to describe it. No matter, the O's made the right call on this one.

Nowhere To Run To...

Nowhere to hide for J.R. House

by Matthew Taylor

"It was just a base-running mistake on my part," House said. "It was good to get the hit, but at the same time, it's kind of all for naught when you make a mistake like that and end up getting picked off. It was my fault."

The most interesting fact that I've read in the game stories about yesterday's 3-2, 10th-inning loss to the Blue Jays is this: "Baltimore leads the American League with 24 one-run defeats."

For a team that is now eight games under .500, that stat says it all. If the Birds had won just a quarter of those 24 contests they'd be a half game ahead of the Blue Jays, 6.5 out of the Wild Card race. And the run of losing seasons would stand a better chance of ending this year.

With that said, it's hard to blame yesterday's loss on the team's familiar scapegoat, the bullpen. As Kevin Millar explained after the game: "You can't do anything about that. Bradford ran [into] some bad luck. Vernon Wells, swinging bunt and gets a hit. Frank Thomas, check swing and he gets the guy to second. Glaus ambushed him on the first pitch and we're behind the eight ball there."

Considering Derek Jeter's check-swing chopper in the Birds' Aug. 13 loss to the Yankees, Bradford is fast becoming the master of losing on infield hits. The big hit isn't really been a problem for Bradford; he hasn't given up a home run this season despite making the eleventh most appearances of any pitcher. He last did so on May 14, 2006, which was his lone HRA during the 2006 season. Bradford also allowed just one home run in 2005.

The story of yesterday's game was J.R. House's base-running blunder in the top of the 1oth inning. The mistake served as a disheartening conclusion to an otherwise positive series for the newest Oriole. It was likewise a disheartening conclusion to an otherwise positive road trip for the Birds. Chances are, though, that Trembley's O's will continue to doing what they'd done best since the All-Star Break: rally.

Extra innings: The O's need to play .600 baseball for the rest of the season in order to finish with an even record. In other words, they have to be the Red Sox.

With 40 games remaining, the Birds need to go 24-16 to finish .500. The team is 19-15 since the All-Star break (.558), 28-25 under Trembley (.528).

Teams remaining on the schedule: Texas (.439 winning percentage, 7 games remain); Minnesota (.504, 4); Tampa Bay (.382, 6); Boston (.597, 7); Angels (.585, 3); Toronto (.512, 6); New York (.565, 6); and Kansas City (.447, 1).

Yo-Yo Baseball in the Bronx

A game that was bad for the heart ends well

By Matthew Taylor

“We play for respect, we play with pride, and we’re the Baltimore Orioles.”
-Dave Trembley

I don’t have any kids, my job is challenging without being stressful, and my marriage is going well. Clearly, the one thing responsible for the increasing number of gray hairs on top of my head is my favorite baseball team.

A game like Wednesday’s 6-3 victory over the Yankees just goes to show that, win or lose, it’s not over until the bullpen blows a lead.

With that said, the O’s came away from the Bronx with another series win against the Yankees and have now won four of their last six games, which came against the top two teams in the AL East.

Despite multiple phone-in meetings to the office and a terrible MASN signal, I was able to follow the game in an amazing display of multi-tasking. So here are some well-earned observations from Wednesday’s game.

-I hate that baseball has allowed the networks to utilize in-game interviews, including MASN’s “Wired Wednesdays.” Nevertheless, I thoroughly enjoyed Dave Trembley’s remarks from the visitor’s dugout in the Bronx: “We play for respect, we play with pride, and we’re the Baltimore Orioles.”

Dave Trembley just reeks of optimism. Aside from the bullpen, he really does have the team playing with pride since the All-Star break. How better to explain the club’s resiliency? They followed up a Mariners’ sweep at Camden Yards with series wins over the Red Sox and Yankees, including today’s tenth inning rally immediately after the bullpen blew a three-run lead.

On the individual level, you have to credit Erik Bedard for his composure in the sixth inning, striking out Jorge Posada to end the inning with runners on the corners after Tike Redman lost an easy pop fly to left in the sun. The pop-up was recorded as a hit for Hideki Matsui.

-Has there been a more exciting pitcher wearing Orange and Black in recent memory than Erik Bedard?

During his peak years in Baltimore, Mike Mussina was a dominating ace. His performance in the 1997 ALCS – 25 strikeouts in two games, including an eight inning, one-hit affair in Game 6 - is one of the greatest in modern O’s history. However, Erik Bedard is poised to bandage the still-fresh wounds (at least in my mind) of Mussina’s departure.

Bedard already matched Mussina’s individual game mark for strikeouts with his 15 K performance against Texas on July 7. Now he’s on pace to shatter Mussina’s record for strikeouts in a season, 218 in 1997.

Bedard currently leads the league with 207 strikeouts; he is the first Birds pitcher to reach 200 strikeouts in a season since Mussina recorded 210 K’s in 2000. Bedard is 8-0 in his last 12 starts and hasn't lost since June 10 against Colorado, according to the Associated Press.

-We need Kevin Millar’s bat in the lineup, but I much prefer Aubrey Huff at first base.

While attending the first game of last week’s series against the Mariners I counted multiple occasions where the Birds would’ve gotten an out had Millar been able to stretch for a ball thrown high or scoop a ball thrown to him on one bounce. He also charged a ball hit lightly up the first base line only to miss the tag on the runner. It seemed like a case of bad baseball instincts.

The latter play serves as a good comparison to Aubrey Huff’s eighth inning defense during this afternoon’s game. Huff deflected a hard hit ball but wasn’t able to record the out on his own. He immediately retreated to the bag and stretched out to receive Brian Roberts’ throw just in time to record the out. Here was a case of good baseball instincts.

I’m not typically a stat guy, but I did a little research to see if there’s anything to support my case on this one. My research took me into bold new territory, beyond the limits of fielding percentage and into the terrain of Range Factor per Nine Innings.

This season, Aubrey Huff’s .992 fielding percentage at first base trails Kevin Millar’s .998 fielding percentage at the position. However, Huff’s RF/9 is 9.72, topping Millar’s 9.68.

Following the trend backwards over the past few seasons, Huff’s numbers at first base hold up against Millar’s.

2006 – Huff 10.12, Millar 9.38

2005 – Huff 7.75, Millar 9.99

2004 – Huff 9.48, Millar 9.21

I’m admittedly a rookie at using the Range Factor statistic, but in this case it generally matches my gut instinct.

With Apologies to Dave Trembley

Thankfully, Dave Trembley doesn't read Roar from 34

by Matthew Taylor

"Trembley is a walking, talking example that nearly impossible dreams can come true. He is one of just seven men with no pro baseball playing experience to manage in the big leagues since 1900."

-Sean Kernan, Daytona Beach News-Journal

Back in June, when the O's were pursuing Joe Girardi to replace Sam Perlozzo, I ridiculed Dave Trembley's optimistic outlook on his job prospects: "I wasn't told that I'm the interim manager, and I'm not expecting that."

Nearly two months later, Trembley no longer has the "interim" in front of his name, and he's restoring a sense of optimism for Birds fans.

Just ask the folks at Camden Chat, who are pining for a .500 record and a third place finish in the AL East: "Dave Trembley, you son of a son of a gun, you. Your Orioles have me believing -- kind of."

It's not exactly "Why Not?" stuff happening in Baltimore these days, but it's at least a step in the right direction. The team, like the fans, seems to believe there's something left to play for, and there's even Cy Young talk surrounding the staff ace.

In short, it's starting to be fun to watch the Orioles again. At least, that is, until the bullpen takes over a game.

Sean Kernan pays tribute to the O's skipper, and his long path to managing in the majors, in the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Kud-O's, Dave Trembley.

The Sammy Awards

It's only been a day, but let's hand out some "Sammies"

By Matthew Taylor

With all due respect to Sam Perlozzo, whom we like and respect as a long-time member of the Orioles' growingly dysfunctional family, Roar from 34 is proud to announce the winners of the first-ever Sammy Awards.

Best Breaking News Coverage: To Mike Burke of The Cumberland Times-News for landing what may as well have been an exclusive interview with Sam Perlozzo.

Reporters couldn't get anywhere near their sources at Camden Yards yesterday afternoon, but Mike Burke from The Cumberland Times-News didn't need to. He landed the most thorough interview with Sam Perlozzo of any news outlet, drawing much more honesty from the former skipper than did the Associated Press.

Sometimes it pays to be the guy from the hometown paper (circulation: 32,000). Score one for the little guy.

Check out some of Perlozzo's comments to the Cumberland paper -

Of the Birds' off-season bullpen acquisitions: "Walker, Bradford, Baez, Williamson, they never asked me. I told them not to sign Williams. But they went out and signed four guys without asking me."

Of the fact that noone took a stand for him: "I'm going to be honest. Some people I have put a lot of work in for a lot of years never said anything. Yes, I think about it."

Of the team's handling of his job situation in recent weeks: "I told them they should have stepped up. When all this talk became public, and they didn't step up ... That would have resolved it. But they didn't step up, and no matter what, you don't do that to me. You don't do that to a guy who has been in the organization for 12 years and has done so many things for this organization. I told them they should have stepped up and said, 'Sam Perlozzo is our manager.' And then if they want to fire me two days later, fine. Just resolve it. But they didn't. You don't do that to me."

Of the manager being the team's scapegoat: "It doesn't matter how many right moves you make and it still doesn't work. The manager gets fired. But not with the Dodgers. They fire their hitting coach. Here, we keep reshuffling managers."

Read the full Cumberland News-Times article here.

Most Delusional Award: To Dave Trembley, for obvious reasons.

From The Sun:

"Trembley has been on the bench for every series except two, including the opener in Minnesota. He said he's in the mind-set that he's going to manage tonight's game in San Diego 'and every game after that.'

'I wasn't told that I'm the interim manager,' he said, 'and I'm not expecting that.'"

Rumor has it that Trembley's first order of business when the O's return from the West Coast will be to meet with the team's marketing department and discuss using 1989's "Why Not?" slogan again this season. (Note the sarcasm.)

"O" the Irony! Award: To the Birds brain trust, for naming their bullpen coach interim manager. I'm guessing they're going to put Danys Baez on the Orioles MVP ballot as well.

Déjà Vu Award: To Davey Johnson and Joe Girardi.

Stop me if you've heard this before: Skipper wins "Manager of the Year" award and immediately parts ways with his team because of a personality conflict with ownership.

Joe Girardi, meet Davey Johnson.

"15 Minutes of Fame ... or Less" Award: To the West Tenn Diamond Jaxx for celebrating their connection to interim manager Dave Trembley in a press release.

The "Taxi Driver" Award: To Terry Francona of the Boston Red Sox.

"Francona refrained from comment on the firing of Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo. He joked about Kevin Millar's declaration that he planned to call a players-only meeting for today, a meeting that probably won't be held now that Perlozzo has been cashiered. 'We're all laughing,' Francona said about Millar, 'but you guys know I love him to death. He does a good job in the clubhouse. I'll bet you if he said something in the room, it would be worthy of people listening.'"

Cue Kevin Millar doing his best knock-off of DeNiro's famous "What are you lookin' at?" line ... "What are you laughin' at? Are you laughin' at me?"

Best Fan Reaction Story: To Jonathan Pitts of The Sun, for capturing the big picture. It's not just about what happened this week; it's about what's happened this decade.

"As the fortunes of the Orange and Black dwindled over the years, fans kept a reluctant truce with the team, even as the winning template, the so-called 'Oriole Way,' seemed to unravel strand by strand. But yesterday, as the O's were announcing the firing of yet another manager, fans sounded distinctly like lovers who had been betrayed too many times ...

That was a common refrain: It's not even the losing they hate. What offends them is a franchise - and players - who appear to lack interest."