Joe Girardi: Take This Ballclub, Please!

Second thoughts as we wait for the new skipper to be named

As of 9:30 last night, MacPhail said, contract talks hadn't begun. … Still, all indications are that the job is Girardi's to accept. … Not having interviewed any other candidates fuels the perception that Girardi is the Orioles' man.

-- The Sun, Thursday, June 21

The coronation of Joe Girardi, former manager of the Marlins and current TV analyst for the Yankees, as the new Orioles manager sure is stalling longer than the Bay Bridge on the Fourth of July.

That leaves us to wonder about a few things:

1. Ever since his 2006 N.L. Manager of the Year award made him a hot commodity, could Girardi be holding out for a deal like Roger Clemens enjoys? He’ll only manage the O’s when they’re in New York or Chicago, where he has roots.

2. Why would anyone want to manage the Orioles, anyway? (This isn’t a joke. This is a serious question.)

3. Will Girardi get the same free pass his first year as was afforded Leo Mazzone in 2006? The pitching guru arrived in Baltimore last spring with high expectations that he could wave his magic wand and turn the Orioles pitchers into clones of those from his Atlanta years. Except it didn’t work out that way.

[Last year, only Kansas City pitchers walked more batters or had a worse ERA. But so far in 2007, the Orioles are sixth in the league in ERA, fifth in strikeouts and have allowed the fourth fewest homers. All this despite still leading the league in walks.]

4. Rick Dempsey says he’d love to manage the O’s. What would satisfy (or even excite?) more fans: Girardi at the helm or Dempsey as skipper of a team that simultaneously restores “Baltimore” to its road jerseys?

5. No matter who’s put in charge, could they please tell Kevin Millar to put his bat where his mouth is?

Can We Hire Andy’s Dad Instead?

New team president is no stranger to losing

By Christopher Heun

Peter Angelos thinks the answer to the Orioles problems can be fixed by a guy who in 12 seasons steering the Cubs had a losing record of 915-1,011.

The Orioles formally introduced Andy MacPhail as the new president of baseball operations today. From 1994 to 2006, he was the president and CEO of the Cubs; during that time the team made the playoffs only twice, including 1998, when they managed to eke into the postseason by beating the Giants in a wild-card playoff.

In other words, nobody in The Warehouse will have to worry any time soon about the hassle of taking orders for playoff tickets.

To be fair, MacPhail was also GM of the Twins from 1985 to 1994, when the team won two World Series. But their overall record was just 787-784 during his tenure.

The 1987 Twins set a record for fewest regular season victories by a World Series champion with 85 (subsequently broken last year by the 83-79 Cardinals). In 1991, they won it all after having finished in last place the previous year.

For Orioles fans, the most depressing mark on the MacPhail resume is his own admission that the Cubs failed to produce young talent. When MacPhail resigned from the Cubs last October, he “admitted they have done a poor job of developing position players in the farm system.”

Despite all this, Ken Rosenthal at FoxSports thinks MacPhail is a good move:

“The hiring of former Cubs executive Andy MacPhail as chief operating officer is a step in the right direction, but only if Angelos recognizes the need for a greater overhaul.”

Maybe MacPhail can dig up an old copy of the Oriole Way handbook in his family’s attic. His father and grandfather are both in the Hall of Fame: Dad Lee MacPhail was the Orioles general manger from 1958-65 and later became the president of the American League; Between 1933 and 1947 Larry MacPhail was the chief executive of the Cincinnati Reds, the Brooklyn Dodgers, and the New York Yankees.

When the season started, I thought about writing a sarcastic post comparing the Orioles chances this year with those of the Nationals, who looked like a lock to lose 100 games. But now, after sweeping a series at Camden Yards, the Nats actually have the better record.

And who is the president of the Nationals? Stan Kasten, the man who held the same position with the Atlanta Braves for 17 years, during which it won 12 consecutive division titles.

Makes you wonder which team, the Nats or the O’s, will turn it around first.

The Ups and Downs of the Birds

What a difference two months make

By Matthew Taylor

The term "roller coaster season" may be cliché, but it's becoming a way of life for Birds fans in recent years.

There are obviously more downs than ups any time you're talking about a team that's working on a 10-year losing streak. However, the O's have a way of plummeting particularly hard after offering glimmers of hope to a fan base that's starved for even the slightest hint that the dark clouds over Camden Yards might finally be parting. These sudden drops offer fresh ways of of piercing the armor of even the most hardened, pessimistic, underdog fans.

Remember 2005?

-Fourteen games over .500, 4.5 games up, on May 26.

-Sixty-two days in first place. Leading the AL East until June 23.

-A "near perfect weekend" in July when the Orioles took three out of four from the defending champion Red Sox heading into the All-Star Break.

-Palmerio three hits shy of 3,000 at the Break.

And then the bottom fell out.

Noone expected the Birds to win the AL East this season, but .500 was a realistic goal for 2007. Believe it or not, there was a guarded sense of optimism in Charm City during the first month of the season.

Looking back on some of The Sun's April coverage, two months seems like a lifetime ago.

____________

Excerpts from: "Birds of a Feather; The O's Hang Out Together. Now, Can They Win Together?"
April 20, 2007
Jeff Zrebiec

Walker, a 35-year-old veteran who made his big league debut 10 years ago, was one of 16 players or coaches who at the start of the month experienced their first Opening Day as Orioles. He was signed primarily because he was a left-handed reliever who could get people out, something that was sorely missing from the 2006 Orioles.

But he also fit in with what the front office has been trying to do for the past two seasons - repair a clubhouse that was fractured during the once-promising 2005 season because of losing, steroid allegations and other off-the-field problems.

"It was best available talent and then best available character. Those were the two criteria that we focused a lot on," club vice president Jim Duquette said. "It's been a concerted effort based on what happened in 2005. I am impressed with how quickly it has come together."

The Orioles, who bring an 8-7 record into the start of a three-game series with the Toronto Blue Jays tonight at Camden Yards, have given off some mixed signals through the first three weeks of the season. Their overhauled bullpen has justified the front office's $42 million-plus investment. Their offense, defense and starting pitching have been good at times, but also prone to lapses.

But the longest-tenured members of the organization acknowledge there is a different feel in the clubhouse. They said that the 2007 Orioles are looser and closer-knit.

"That's a part of why we win," designated hitter-first baseman Kevin Millar said. "There is a feel of trust in this clubhouse. It's been awesome. Trust, caring for each other, pulling for each other - that equals W's. Your talent is going to take over for an extent, but you'll lose a lot of games when you don't have guys that care about each other."

...

Winning attitude

Huff scoffed at the notion that clubhouse chemistry is overrated.

"That's [wrong]. If it's anything, it's underrated," Huff said. "I think if you have a team with good chemistry, it makes you play better baseball on the field. I've been on teams where guys couldn't stand each other and it was the most miserable season. I honestly believe that you can't win without it."

In the past, Orioles utility man Chris Gomez would have disagreed with Huff's statement. Gomez, 35, who is playing in his 15th major league season, said he has long felt camaraderie was overvalued. But he didn't feel that way after being in the dugout Monday when the team erased a six-run deficit to beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.

"I haven't seen excitement like that since I've been here," said Gomez, an Oriole since 2005. "Guys were pulling for each other. It was pure excitement over a game that we probably shouldn't have won. There was a lot of unselfishness between teammates. It probably does help."

Excerpts from: "Orioles' Pen is Mightier; Club's Relievers Retire Nine of 10 Batters as O's Rally to Win Series."
April 19, 2007
Jeff Zrebiec

Bedard (3-1) left the game with two outs in the sixth inning and the Orioles' lead down to 5-4. But Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo used four relievers to get the last 10 outs, including closer Chris Ray, who struck out the side in the ninth for his fifth save. The bullpen retired nine of the 10 hitters it faced, helping the club improve to 8-7.

"It's unbelievable," said Ray, who has allowed one base runner in six appearances since surrendering the walk-off grand slam to New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez on April 7. "My job is a heck of a lot easier when you have all those guys before me going in there, setting the tempo, and keeping the momentum on our side and keeping the score the same when it gets to me. I'm throwing just one inning instead of an inning plus. The guys behind me are getting guys out left and right."

...

The bullpen, which was rebuilt this offseason to the cost of approximately $42 million after last year's group was the second worst in the league, allowed just six hits and one earned run in 13 innings of work.

"[The bullpen] has made all the difference in the world," said designated hitter Kevin Millar, whose bloop RBI double in the fifth inning scored Miguel Tejada and gave the Orioles a 4-3 lead. "That's what [the front office] attacked this offseason ... and it is paying off right now."

Excerpt from: "So Far, Orioles Right On Money With Their Revamped Bullpen."
April 17, 2007
John Eisenberg
...

But so far, so good.

Each of the Fab Four has been effective, with Walker (1.50 ERA in eight appearances) looking especially sharp. Fittingly, the only one who has looked slightly shaky (4.05 ERA in seven appearances) is the highest-paid: Baez, who signed a three-year, $19 million deal.You're probably looking at one of baseball's better bullpens when you throw in Ray, a star closer in the making, and left-hander John Parrish, who has pitched his way into the mix.

Orioles manager Sam Perlozzo is going to have to figure out how not to burn out Walker, Bradford and Ray, but having dependable options sure beats last year's nightmare.

As I said, it's still early and there are going to be hiccups, but protecting a larger percentage of their leads could propel the Orioles close to .500. The fact that they had to overpay doesn't matter. After years of botching patches, the sight of a solid bullpen is priceless.
____________

To be fair, Eisenberg's column was cautious. For example, he acknowledged of the Orioles that, "During nine straight losing seasons, they have all but perfected the art of the BBP - the botched bullpen patch." Eisenberg added, "Throwing money at any pitching problem is a risky proposition these days. "

Orioles Warehouse notes, "there is value in having a columnist in Eisenberg who has covered the local team over a long period of time and in the process has acquired an intimate sense of its history and tradition."

In other words, Eisenberg has ridden this roller coaster before.

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."

But Can Joe Girardi Pitch A Scoreless 8th?

If only the guy rumored to be the next manager could still play

By Christopher Heun

Approximate cost (in guaranteed salary remaining on his contract) of firing Danys Baez: $12.6 million

Approximate cost (in guaranteed salary remaining on his contract) of firing Sam Perlozzo: $1.0 million

Yeah, yeah, I know: you can’t fire the players, so you fire the manager. But couldn’t we try sacking a few slumping players and see how it works out? And then replace them with a player-manager?

With Perlozzo Gone, Will Mazzone Follow?

The loss of Leo Mazzone would indeed be a loss

By Matthew Taylor

The story of the day is of course Sam Perlozzo's termination. I first saw the news late this morning on the Orioles.com website. I found it rather humorous that the story stated - as late as 1 p.m. - that the Birds were reportedly going to fire Perlozzo and referenced ESPN.com as a source for the news.

Shouldn't the team's official website have the goods on this one? It's something akin to visiting the White House website and reading a story about how the U.S. is reportedly going to invade Iraq with CNN as the source for the news. I haven't seen someone get scooped like this since Vanity Fair reported that Mark Felt was Deep Throat.

For whatever it may lack in breaking team news, "The Official Site of the Baltimore Orioles" at least offers accurate team stats (as does MLB.com, the other source for this posting). Take a look at the numbers for the Birds' current starting rotation and you could make a strong case that the real loss from the Perlozzo firing will be that of pitching coach Leo Mazzone.

You've got to figure that Mazzone will skip town now that his good friend got the ax, and that should be sad news for O's fans. Say what you will about Mazzone, but the truth is he's done a very respectable job with the pitching staff. The O's have serious trouble in the bullpen. They have serious trouble at the plate. But - yes, I'm serious - the starters have put up very decent numbers thus far in 2007.

Consider:

-Erik Bedard currently leads the major leagues in strikeouts with 112. He's averaging an impressive 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings.

-Jeremy Guthrie, a waiver-wire pick-up with an ERA over 6.00 last season, has strung together eight consecutive quality starts and currently has the sixth best ERA in baseball. (Brian Burres doesn't have enough starts to qualify, but his 2.94 ERA would rank near the top as well.)

-Overall, the Birds' injury-riddled staff has more pitchers in the Top 50 for ERA (Guthrie, No. 6; Bedard, No. 40; Trachsel, 47) than does the Red Sox's much-celebrated staff (Beckett, No. 31; Schilling, No. 43).

-Boston's starting rotation has a combined 4.10 ERA. The ERA for the O's current starters is 3.79 (note: Boston starters have six more starts than Baltimore's rotation once you take out Orioles starters who are on the disabled list).

What the Birds' starting rotation lacks is wins, largely because of an inept bullpen and a meager lineup. Josh Beckett started the season 9-0 before losing his first game. Jeremy Bonderman (7-0) still has yet to lose. Put either one in Orange and Black and they've probably got four wins a piece at best.

Considered from a different angle, put Jeremy Guthrie on the Red Sox and he's the talk of baseball, a waiver wire pick-up on his way to the All-Star game, a lock for Rookie of the Year. Put Erik Bedard on the Tigers and he's a key piece of the best young rotation in baseball.

Given a strong bullpen and a decent lineup, Mazzone would be a legend. Then again, given a strong bullpen and a decent lineup, Sam Perlozzo would still be the O's manager.

perlozzo

Bird Watching Video

By Matthew Taylor

Because anything's better right now than talking about what's happening on the diamond, here's the Mascot Hall of Fame nomination video for the Oriole Bird. It's fun viewing for longtime Birds fans as it features a lot of Memorial Stadium footage.

The Bird's always there to cheer us up. We need him now more than ever.

See if you can spot the footage from a Baltimore Blast game and a quick shot of Wild Bill Hagy.

Angelos Bemoans Newspaper Cuts

By Matthew Taylor

Birds owner Peter Angelos receives an interesting mention in the farewell e-mail of Marc Sandalow, the San Francisco Chronicle's departing D.C. Bureau Chief, as reported by Poynter's Jim Romenesko:

"I spoke yesterday with Peter Angelos, the wealthy owner of the Baltimore Orioles, who was an elected official and friend of the Pelosi family. He lamented the cuts going on at the Baltimore Sun, recalling that the paper once assigned a young reporter to every city agency, and that it was the only thing that kept many politicians honest. He fears without the same presence, his city is in for a wave of corruption."

As an O's fan it's hard not to think about Peter Angelos in a narrow, "You destroyed my team" way, so it's refreshing to see that he recognizes the importance of quality, watchdog journalism.

Now we need Angelos to lament the cuts that have happened to the Orioles and remind him that the team needs an independent GM who can keep the owner honest.

Eddie's Going, Going, Gone from the Dodgers

By Matthew Taylor

The Dodgers axed Eddie Murray as their hitting coach today. If Eddie would start that "Silent Sluggers" blog then we'd know the real backstory on this.

It's always a downer to see something like this happen to an O's favorite. Let the speculation begin about pulling him into the hometown fold.

The O's Won't Get Slaughtered; the Baysox Will

By Matthew Taylor
(note: Chris is surely ashamed of this posting)

The U.S. Army is giving away American Flags at tonight's O's game, but if you ask me the real fun is in Bowie. The Baysox will welcome WWE Hall of Famer Sgt. Slaughter to the ballpark for their Army night.

Don't think it's a big deal? Check out Slaughter's website for the "Biography of an American Hero."

You've got to love minor league baseball.

Who Let the Blogs Out?

Which Oriole do you want to hear from in the Blog-O's-phere?

By Matthew Taylor

Curtis Granderson made news this weekend when the following suggestive posting appeared on his MySpace page: "Sorry I was so loud last night. Can’t wait to see you again."

Like too many news stories these days, it was a classic case of much ado about nothing. The female poster was referring to a cell phone conversation, not a romantic tryst. A-Rod he is not.

Nevertheless, the Kansas City Star used the occasion to discuss Major Leaguers who are utilizing the Internet to market themselves and/or communicate outside of the narrow parameters of the MSM sound byte. Curt Schilling's "38 Pitches" of course factored into the conversation, as did Kevin Youkilis's new online effort.

But aside from the Not Quite As Evil Empire, no AL East players are represented in the blogosphere (although Brooks Robinson did some blogging last season). In fact, few players are mixing it up online.

Marinerds counts just 11 MLB bloggers for the 2007 season: Granderson, Schilling, Youkilis, Pat Neshek, CJ Wilson, Nate Robertson, John Lackey, Akinori Otsuka, Geoff Jenkins, John Rodriguez, and J.A. Happ. For some perspective, our site links to 15 other fan blogs about the O's alone.

It's clearly time for the players to pick up the slack, which got me thinking about potential Birds Blogs ...

-"Silent Sluggers - Albert and Eddie." Updated: Never

-"Allow Me to Explain - The Bullpen Musings of Danys Baez."

-"The Hot Seat Hangout." (Sam Perlozzo)

-"More Than Just BBQ." (Boog Powell)

-"Big Before Bonds." (Brady Anderson)

-"Finger Wagging Frankness." (Rafael Palmeiro)

-"Drunk Before Noon ... and After." (Sidney Ponson)

-"No Hablo Ingles, Your Honor." (Sammy Sosa)

-"Jockeying for Position." (Jim Palmer)

-"Here it Comes, and There it Goes." (Scott McGregor)

-"Take My Wife, Please." (Kris Benson)

-"On the Bump with Bump." (Bump Hadley, St. Louis Browns)

Do you have your own ideas for Birds Blogs? Post them in the comments section for this entry.

Draft Picks Dare to Dream

MLB Draft extends the career of Oriole hopefuls

By Matthew Taylor

I learned recently that one of my co-workers played a stint in the minor leagues after graduating college. I’m a baseball fan, so the revelation intrigued me. I was fascinated by the idea of a guy chasing his dream long after others had given up theirs. Stats didn’t matter; I just wanted to know the guy's story.

One thousand four hundred and fifty-three young men assumed the role of Moonlight Graham following this week’s MLB Draft. Like my co-worker, they have the chance to pursue their dream a little longer than most. Here’s how the story begins for some of the O’s 2007 draft picks.

Jason White, University of Iowa, has a proud father.

“There weren't too many Orioles hats at the shop in the mall, so my wife told them they better get some more,” Jeff White said. “A local boy getting to play professional baseball. That's pretty special.”

Joe Mahoney, University of Richmond, sees a clear path to the majors.

Mahoney, who is 6-7 and 255 pounds, led Richmond with 17 homers and 62 runs batted in this season. He said he likes his chances for advancement in the Orioles system because “they don’t have a steady first baseman in the majors right now and they don't have any big prospects coming up.”

Matt Angle, (The) Ohio State University, is following in Nick Swisher’s footsteps.

“It’s an exciting time,” said Angle. “It is something that you work for and it has always been a goal of mine. It is a stepping stone. The goal wasn't to just get drafted, but to get drafted, move up through the minor league system and make it to the next level. Ohio State has a great history of players getting drafted and even making it to the next level with players like Nick Swisher. I would also like to thank Coach (Bob) Todd and the coaching staff for giving me the opportunity to play at OSU and for helping me advance my baseball skills.”

Justin Moore, Chancellor High School, is young, eager, and confident.

“I knew they were going to take me. I wasn’t surprised by that," Moore said. “I just didn’t know what round it would be.”

“It was exciting. I was happy,” Moore said. “Now it all starts.”

“I want to make it to Single-A real quick,” Moore said. “I don’t want to stay in rookie ball that long.”

Eryk McConnell, NC State, simply wants an opportunity.

“It’s just a dream – always something that I wanted to do,” McConnell said. “It’s something that I’ve been striving for since I was little. Now that I have a chance I want to take advantage of it and see where it goes from there.”

We're Not Alone, O's Fans

Saddle up to a bar in these cities and commiserate with the locals

By Matthew Taylor

The fact that they’re in second place doesn’t matter; .500 baseball is what matters. An even record would end the extended run of futility that has overshadowed the team’s glorious past. And it could mean bringing fans back to one of baseball’s most beautiful ballparks.

Sound familiar? It should if you’re a fan of the Birds (25-27) or the Pittsburgh Pirates (23-28), currently two of Major League Baseball’s most futile franchises.

Party like it’s 1979? Hardly. That’s the season when Pittsburgh won 98 games and its most recent World Series. Meanwhile, the O’s won 102 games for the first of two consecutive 100-win campaigns.

Four years later the Birds recovered from a stunning Pirates comeback in the ’79 Series to win their most recent World Series. And things haven’t been the same since.

Where have you gone, Joe Altobelli?

The Birds’ trip to Kansas City this week got me curious about bad baseball. (Coincidence? I think not.) Think things are bad in Charm City? Okay, they are. But misery loves company, so here are some spots worth visiting if you’re looking for fans with whom to commiserate.

Pittsburgh (14 straight losing seasons)

Clouds over the franchise:
-Current record below .500.
-Last playoff appearance: 1992 (lost NLCS to Atlanta, four games to three).
-Average 2007 attendance at PNC Park: 19,358.
-100 losses in 2001.

The silver lining:
-Five World Championships, nine pennants, and 14 playoff appearances.
-Jason Bay.
-“We Are Family” still a classic.

Tampa Bay (9 straight losing seasons)

Clouds over the franchise:
-Team has never had a winning season, a run of nine straight losing seasons to match the Birds.
-Rays have lost at least 90 games every season.
-Thirty percent of the team's seasons have ended with at least 100 losses.
-Never finished higher than fourth in the AL East.
-Average 2007 attendance at Tropicana Field: 14,410 (lowest in the majors).
-Promising young prospects have tested the limits of “no such thing as bad publicity” adage.

The silver lining:
-Wade Bogg’s 3,000th hit at The Trop – a home run, no less.
-James Shields off to a good start in 2007.
-How bout ‘dem Tampa Bay Lightning?

Kansas City (3 straight losing seasons)

Clouds over the franchise:
-Prior to winning 83 games in 2003 the team had eight straight losing seasons.
-Royals have finished below .500 in 11 of the last 12 seasons.
-Lost 100 games in four of the last five seasons.
-A lock to finish below .500 again this season.
-Average 2007 attendance at Kauffman Stadium: 17,820 (29th in MLB).

The silver lining:
-Alex Gordon.
-Joakim Soria (although he’s currently on the DL).
-At least they’ve got good barbecue.

Proof there’s still hope for the O’s -

Detroit
-Appeared in the 2006 World Series after 12 consecutive losing seasons, including 119 losses in 2003 (a .265 winning percentage).

Milwaukee
-Twelve straight losing seasons prior to finishing 81-81 in 2005; finished below .500 in 13 of 14 seasons heading into 2007; currently leading the NL Central behind young heavy hitter Prince Fielder.

Other notable losing streaks: Colorado (6 seasons), Cincinnati (6).

Damned If They Do, Damned If They Don't

Sports Reporters caught in a Catch-22 with Johnson story

By Matthew Taylor

The big news this weekend, reported Sunday, was that the Birds could pursue Davey Johnson to replace Sam Perlozzo if the team’s struggles continue. Johnson, of course, fired back angrily, blaming – Who else? – the media.

Said Johnson: "That's why people write, because they dream up stuff and want to put pressure on people. Leave me out of these sordid little games you play."

The sordid games here are being played by the Birds front office, not by the media. It’s a case of Diamond Politics at its best.

White House reporters know well the perils of the “trial balloon.” An anonymous source in a high place leaks information in order to safely gauge public without making an on-the-record statement. If the reaction is negative, guess who falls under attack? The media, of course.

Granted, journalists aren’t supposed to deal in speculation, but for baseball reporters it's practically part of their job description: “Ability to speculate about potential trades, free agent signings, and manager firings strongly preferred.”

Writer are damned if they do, damned if they don't. Why do you suppose ESPN has a "Rumor Central" section on its website? And you have to pay extra to access that information!

In this case the writers got a raw deal. I can think of better ways to spend my Memorial Day weekend than to get belittled by a former O’s manager. Shame on the O’s front office, and shame on Davey Johnson.

¿Quién es más macho?

Bullpen boo Birds jeer Baez; What if he looked like Eric Davis?

By Matthew Taylor

With apologies to Steve Kline, I'm curious if Danys Baez has worked his way up to - or even past - Terry Mathews to become the O's reliever who generates the most visceral reaction from fans after the bullpen gates open up.

Baez is now earning the kind of response at the Yard that was (sadly) once reserved for Mathews.

Consider The Post's report on the recent series against the Jays:

"The two sounds Danys Baez heard Thursday night surely will ring in his sleep, worse than most nightmares. One was the deafening crack of his flat sinker off the bat of Alex Rios. The other was the boos that cascaded from every corner of Oriole Park at Camden Yards before, during and after Baez took the mound in the 10th inning."

Oriole Magic started its own "Danys Baez Stinks Discussion" after that game.

All of this "love" for Baez brought to mind the 1997 ALDS when Terry Mathews was forcefully booed while entering a game against the Mariners.

Roch Kubatko of The Sun attended that playoff game. So did I. Fortunately, I didn't have to write a post-game reaction story about Mathews. Roch did, as he explained last season in his blog entry about "Worst Orioles Pitcher Ever."

Mathews related the fans' reaction to his plus-size weight and called to mind the physique of Eric Davis. O's fans then fell all over themselves apologizing, sending Mathews cards and gift baskets.

So, ¿Quién es más macho: Danys Baez or Terry Mathews?

New Orioles Rules

And we're not talking about beer in the clubhouse

By Christopher Heun

One story out of spring training this year was that manager Sam Perlozzo was running a tighter ship than in the past. But after watching his bullpen (well, mostly just Danys Baez) blow two leads and suffer aching losses two Sundays in a row, maybe this team needs even more discipline.

So, we suggest the following rules:

Rule #1: Erik Bedard after 98 pitches is still better than anyone in the Orioles bullpen.

Last Sunday in DC, Bedard told Perlozzo he was tired after 7 innings. Baez entered the game and quickly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

Bedard is this team's version of an ace. Couldn't he take the mound one more time and give it his best shot?

Rule #2: On The Seventh Day, Baez Rests

No Danys Baez on Sundays. Last Sunday makes twice in row that he has failed on the first day of the week. Let’s hope we don’t see him Memorial Day Eve when the A's visit Camden Yards.

Rule #3: Meet Baez Behind the Dugout After the 8th Inning

Last week, Jay Payton and Melvin Mora nearly came to fisticuffs in the dugout, followed the next night by a shouting match between Freddie Bynum and first base coach Sam Mejias (a guy who plays once a month mixing it up with a little-known coach: what’s next, the bat boy making yo’ momma jokes about the traveling secretary?)

The guy who really deserves to be beaten up by his teammates is Baez.

Rule #3A: Not All Rules Are About Danys Baez.

Really. They’re not. Keep reading.

Rule #4: Perlozzo Can’t Pull His Starter Until He Gives Up At Least 3 Runs

Yeah, yeah, we know: a bullpen should be able to get two, three, even six outs before squandering leads of as much as five runs. But how about letting the starters go a little longer?

Bedard and Jeremy Guthrie (the starter on Sunday, May 12, the first of Baez's blowups) are both 28 years old. They're physically capable of throwing 100 pitches, even -- gasp -- 109. Dare to be bold.

Rule #5: We Don’t Want the Real Steve Trachsel Anyway

Let's not look too hard for the real Steve Trachsel, because the one pitching for the Orioles is making us forget everything we said about him in spring training (hint: it wasn't good).

In half of his 10 starts this season, Trachsel has pitched at least six innings and allowed less than three earned runs. He's allowed more than three earned runs only once.

Rule #6: Jay Gibbons Should Stop His Rodrigo Lopez Impression

Last season, Lopez whined when he was banished to the bullpen after his ERA swelled to more than 6.00. This year, an unhappy Gibbons has been singing the same tune when his playing time shrunk.

Our reaction to Gibbons is exactly the same as what we had to say to Lopez: who is he kidding? Be thankful you signed that four-year contract when you did.

Everything I need to know I learned from ...

...a desk calendar.

By Matthew Taylor

It's amazing what you can learn from a desk calendar.

First, some trivia -

The calendar asks ...

"Q: Who was the only baseball pitcher to notch World Series wins in three separate decades?

A: Hall of Fame hurler Jim Palmer, who won World Series games for the Baltimore Orioles in 1966, 1970, 1971, and 1983."

Next, some history -

The calendar says ...

"May 9, 1961: Diamond Jim Gentile becomes the first player to hit grand-slam homers in consecutive innings, leading the Orioles to a 13–5 rout of the Twins at the Met in Bloomington. After connecting in the first and second innings, Gentile adds another RBI for a total of nine in the game. Only Tony Lazzeri (1936), Jim Tabor (1939) and Jimmie Foxx (1946) had hit two slams in one game. In all, Gentile will hit 46 homers and 141 RBIs in 1961, the best season of his career."

Some extra research tells us ...

Gentile was a three-time All-Star with the Orioles from 1960 to 1962. He was traded by the Orioles, with $25,000, to the Kansas City Athletics in Nov. 1963 for Norm Siebern, also a three-time All-Star. Siebern's third and final All-Star appearance came with the Birds in 1964 when he batted .245 with 12 home runs and 56 RBIs.

The calendar says ...

"May 17, 1978: Super sub Lee Lacy of the Los Angeles Dodgers becomes the first man in baseball history to hit three consecutive pinch home runs in three official times at bat when he connects off Jim Rooker of the Pirates at Dodger Stadium. Earlier this month, Lacy homered off Rick Reuschel of the Cubs and John Candelaria of Pittsburgh. In 1979 Del Unser of the Phillies will equal Lacy’s achievement, and Matthew LeCroy of the Minnesota Twins will become the third member of this unique club in 2004."

Some extra research tells us ...

Lacy finished his career with the Orioles after signing with the team as a free agent in 1984. He played three seasons in Orange and Black (1985 through 1987), his only three seasons in the American League. Random fact: He appeared on the cover of "Sports Illustrated" - a World Series photo of him sliding into Yankee Fred Stanley at second base - on Oct. 23, 1978.

Thanks, Page-A-Day.

Down With Pitch Counts

Someone tell Perlozzo to stop stacking his relievers one inning at a time

By Christopher Heun

Let’s get two things straight: Managers shouldn’t be fired because of one bad decision (unless they’re named Grady Little). And relief pitchers can be asked to pitch more than one inning per outing.

It’s easy in hindsight to knock Sam Perlozzo for Sunday’s Mother’s Day Massacre in Boston, when he pulled his starting pitcher, leading 5-0 with one out in the bottom of the ninth, only to watch his bullpen blow the game. It’s not the skipper’s fault when his pitchers can’t throw strikes.

But it is fair to criticize Perlozzo for his faulty logic when calling on his bullpen. He needs to stop counting pitches and go with a hot hand.

We don’t want to get too hung up about what happened on Sunday, because the real problem is not that particular game, but here’s how Perlozzo explained why he yanked Jeremy Guthrie:

“He was going into nine innings [of] work, and he had never gone past six. We were pretty much giving him an opportunity - if he could go 1-2-3 - to stay in the ballgame. It was unfortunate that the guy got on the way he did [by an error], but at that point, I thought we had our fresh arms out there and I didn't want anything to get out of hand. Obviously, it didn't work.”

Why fault the pitcher if a batter reaches on an error on a ball that never left the infield? If a pitcher is throwing strikes and getting hitters out with a minimum of pitches, why not leave him in? This applies to Guthrie on Sunday (just 91 pitches, two outs away from a shutout) as it does to every arm in the bullpen.

Perlozzo rarely asks a reliever to go longer than a single inning. We took a look at the work history so far this season of the three new arms in the Orioles bullpen – experienced relievers with proven track records who signed over the winter for a combined $41.5 million.

All three are on pace to pitch in 80 games this season (a career high for all of them), though their total innings would not exceed their previous marks.

What that says to us: Perlozzo is using them more often than previous managers, but he’s not asking them to pitch more innings, necessarily. Is one approach better than another? Would they be more effective if used longer but less often?

Jamie Walker 4.20 ERA, 15 IP, 5 BB, 16 K, 1 HR

Last year with Detroit, Walker pitched two innings six times and was called on to get five outs an additional four occasions. This occurred at about the same frequency the previous three seasons.

This year, he pitched more than one inning for the first time last Friday night at Boston. Meanwhile, he’s on pace to come close to his career high of 65 innings pitched.

Chad Bradford 3.07 ERA, 14.2 IP, 5 BB, 8 K, 0 HR

He’s pitched more than one inning twice so far in 2007. Last year for the Mets he did so 10 times; in 2004 he did it 13 times and 23 times in 2003.

Danys Baez 4.91 ERA, 18.1 IP, 8 BB, 8 K, 4 HR

In nine of his 20 appearances this season, Baez has thrown nine pitches or less. All but four times he’s pitched exactly 1 inning; only once has he gone longer. He pitched more than an inning 10 times in 2006 and 17 times in both 2005 and 2004.

Here’s an extreme example of why this matters: on April 11 vs. Detroit, Adam Loewen didn’t allow a run but lasted just 5 innings; the Tigers won in the 12th on a grand slam by Craig Monroe off Kurt Birkins. Perlozzo used seven relievers that night, each one pitching exactly an inning, even though two (Bradford and Scott Williamson) threw just nine pitches and three others threw 15 or less.

We have no quibble with Perlozzo’s decisions on individual match-ups. In fact, asking a reliever to pitch more than an inning contradicts the conventional strategy of lefties facing lefties. Regardless, setting up those match-ups is a luxury Perlozzo doesn’t have most nights when his starter can’t get past the fifth inning.

We're rooting for Sam Perlozzo, an Orioles coach for 10 years before being named manager. The players were enthusiastic about his hiring and seem to like playing for him (though no one has spoken up in his defense this week while fans cry for his head). He deserves a shot to manage a team with a decent bench and bullpen, two things he didn’t have last year, which made it hard to evaluate his skills as a manager.

He still doesn’t have much of a bench, but he does have a better bullpen in 2007. Is he using it wisely?

New Cleanup Hitter Just 291 Games Away

Should the best hitter on the team bat third or fourth?

By Christopher Heun

“Let’s face it, Miguel Tejada is a great hitter but he’s not a cleanup hitter.”
Joe Angel, during his play-by-play of the Orioles-Indians game, Sunday, May 6.

"That would really be a dream come true [to play for the Orioles]. But at the same time, I have two years here with Texas and I’m going to concentrate on winning with Texas."
Mark Teixeira, as told to Jon Heyman of SI.com in March.

Joe Angel calls them as he sees them. That’s one of the many pleasures of listening to him describe a baseball game on the radio. Sunday afternoon, he let forth a quick aside about the reshuffled Orioles lineup and the proper place for the team’s best hitter, Tejada, that had us pining for a particular Severna Park, Md. native.

Instead of hitting Tejada fourth, manager Sam Perlozzo has moved him up to third lately, which if nothing else, guarantees that he gets an at-bat in the first inning. Angel may be correct – Miggy is best suited to bat third (despite hitting cleanup for much of his tenure in Baltimore) – but the sad fact is, now there’s a hole in the cleanup spot.

Let’s hope Peter Angelos and the bean counters in The Warehouse are saving up for local boy Teixeira, a free agent after the 2008 season, because he’s the closest the Birds can come to a real cleanup hitter any time soon.

Teixeira, who grew up an O’s fan, slugged 140 home runs in his first four seasons, the fourth highest total in major-league history. He’s hit more than 30 homers three years in a row, and 43 in 2005.

By comparison, the Orioles have had just two players hit 40 or more homers since 1990: Brady Anderson (50) in 1996 and Rafael Palmiero (43) in 1998. In addition to those two, only four other Orioles players have managed to hit 30 or more homers in a season since 1990 (Palmiero did it four times, from 1995 to 1998): Albert Belle (37 in 1999), Tony Batista (31 in 2002), Tejada (34 in 2004) and Cal Ripken (34 in 1991).

Funny that Cal’s name should creep into the conversation. He was the Orioles shortstop who played every day, batted third and won MVP awards. Tejada has picked up the mantle.

This may come as heresy to some fans in Baltimore, but Miggy is fast becoming not just the best hitting Oriole shortstop, but the best hitter in Oriole history.

In just three years wearing the orange and black, Tejada has set the team single-season records for hits and RBI, tied another (doubles) and nearly set a fourth; his .330 average in 2006 ranks among the best in team history.

Because of his high average and declining power, he would look better hitting third if there was thunder behind him. Angel did say Sunday that Ramon Hernandez, who’s filled that spot most games, might not be a cleanup hitter, either, but he’s been hot lately.

Overall, we like that Perlozzo’s not afraid to juggle the lineup a bit, dropping Melvin Mora from the No. 2 spot and substituting Nick Markakis against righties and Jay Payton vs. lefties. Because he sees so many pitches, coaxes walks and gets on base better than nearly all of his teammates, Kevin Millar might be worth a shot batting in front of Tejada as well.

Listen long enough to Angel, and he just might tell you so himself.

How Much Is Inside That Glass, Anyway?

It's really not as bad as it seems. Or is it?

By Christopher Heun

The Orioles have the day off Thursday. But the bullpen will be warming up regardless, just for the sake of routine.

There’s an old baseball adage that says you’re never as good as when you win, and likewise you’re never as bad as when you lose. We’re going to lean on that heavily as we consider the O’s performance so far this season.

The good news about this year’s Birds is they’re not as bad as the team that’s lost nine out of its last ten games. Just like they aren’t as good as the team that won eight out of nine earlier in April.

Of course, it would be a lot easier to nod in agreement if more than two regulars were hitting over .257 or if the starting rotation could familiarize itself with the seventh and eighth innings. But things will change. For the better. We hope.

(Imagine the hand-wringing if the team was scoring runs in bunches and still losing.)

One reason for O’s fans to get excited is that despite the Ruthian performance of Alex Rodriguez in April, an astonishing 14 home runs and 35 RBI – the Yankees still have a losing record. The last-place Yankees, no less.

As poorly as the Birds are playing, the Bronx Bombers are playing even worse. At least we can take comfort in the Yankees’ misfortune. Here are some other reasons to look on the bright side for the rest of the season, countered by equally compelling evidence to throw in the towel.

The Glass Is Half Full:
The Orioles are ahead of the last-place Yankees in the standings.

The Glass Is Half Empty:
The Orioles are only percentage points out of last place. And the Devil Rays jumped ahead of them in the standings with a dramatic extra-inning victory over Joe Nathan and the Twins Wednesday night.

The Glass Is Half Full:
Erik Bedard will not finish the season with a 6.09 ERA, his current mark.

The Glass Is Half Empty:
Erik Bedard, the team ace, has a 6.09 ERA.

The Glass Is Half Full:
Maybe Steve Trachsel isn’t nearly as bad as we thought. He went seven innings Wednesday afternoon, has pitched the second-most innings and has the second-best ERA among starters.

The Glass Is Half Empty:
Steve Trachsel is the good news? Before Wednesday, a starter had not lasted 7 innings since April 12, a span of 18 games. And who pitched April 12? Steve Trachsel!

The Glass Is Half Full:
Orioles pitchers lead the league in strikeouts, with 209. Only three other teams have more than 180.

The Glass Is Half Empty:
They lead the league in walks, too. Apparently, Daniel Cabrera’s case of the walks is highly contagious. Adam Loewen has handed out 26 free passes in 30 innings.

The Glass Is Half Full:
Nick Markakis is batting .239. That’s heads and shoulders above his April last year. That must mean his second half, like last year, will be a monster.

The Glass Is Half Empty:
Aubrey Huff, Corey Patterson, Jay Gibbons and Kevin Millar all have lower batting averages than Markakis. Before the season started, when Huff marveled at the balance of the lineup, do you think this is what he meant?