Felix Pie?

It is rumored that the Orioles are going after Felix Pie from the Cubs. The Orioles could be involved in a three team deal with the Padres and the Cubs with the main part of what the Orioles will be giving up is Garret Olsen, who is a California native and the Padres are quite interested in him.
You can read more about it at:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-orioles1129,0,3629851.story

The question I have is why? I mean we already have three good outfielders with Markakis, Jones, and Scott along with Lou Montanez and Nolan Reimold waiting in the wings and Tike Redmond in Norfolk. It is basically taking from our weakness(pitching) and adding to our strength(outfielders), which does not make any sense to me at all. What we really need to be doing is getting more pitchers not trading them away. We also have a giant hole at short, which is what we should be taking care of first.

Why Not Burnett

Why should we not go get A.J. Burnett I will explain to you why we should sign A.J. Burnett

The first reason is that he is from the Baltimore area and he lives in the Baltimore area. Lets do him a favor and lets bring A.J. home. Furthermore, he had it in his contract with the Blue Jays that he and his wife get eight limo trips a year to from Toronto to Baltimore.

Secondly, he just makes sense for the Orioles and the O's make sense for him. Burnett has learned a lot from the Toronto Ace Roy Halladay and it has been reported that he wants to be the ace of a young rotation and he has also picked up on Halladays work ethic. This fits the O's because they have a very young and inexperienced pitching staff that is looking for quality arms and leaders. He makes sense for the Orioles to go after him because he is a good arm that should not be too expensive and theoreticly he should still be around when the Orioles are in contention like Andy Machphail said he is looking for long term guys not just stop gap players and Burnett can fit into that role.

So what if he has some inujury problems and is a little bit injury prone he has a career ERA sub 4.00 and he has at least pitched 120 innings in each of the last five years. With Burnett comeing to his hometown he would probably want to work hard to stay here and with him learning a lot from Halladay in Toronto I believe he has turned the corner and like a fine wine will get better with age.

Orioles Quotes

It is time for another addition of Orioles Quotes.
Here is on from the greatest third baseman ever Brooks Robinson.


"If you're not practicing, somebody else is, somewhere, and he'll be ready to take your job."

No wonder he is in the hall of fame.

Orioles Qoutes

Here is another qoute from Earl Weaver that shows why the O's lost so many games last season.

"Nobody likes to hear it, because it's dull, but the reason you win or lose is darn near always the same - pitching."
-Los Angeles Times (June 16, 1978)

Earl Weaver says it best, the Orioles need to get better starting pitching to even be in contention for being a .500 ball club

Orioles 2009 Bullpen

Here is what will probably make up the O's bullpen next season with it being highly unlikely that they will sign any free agent relief pitchers.

1. Chris Ray-He should contend at one of the back of the bullpen spots with him already proving himself in the Major Leagues with a 3.19 ERA in 149 career innings.Probably will start of slow though do not expect him to be the closer right away.

2. Jim Johnson-was terrific for the Orioles last season and he should still remain the eighth inning guy or even the closer. The O's probably will keep him in the bullpen where he has proven to be effective. It is hard to argue against a 2.23 ERA in 68 and two-thirds innings

3.George Sherril-An all-star last season, but in the all-star game got screwed up which lead to an ERA that was 2.5 runs higher than it was before the all-star game. Should return to normal and contend for a closer or setup man spot. He is a nice pitcher to have pitching the 7Th inning.

4.Dennis Sarfate- The Orioles learned a lesson last summer when they tried to make him a starter and that turned out almost as good as the Falcons trading away Brett Favre. As a starter he had a 10.34 ERA, but as a reliever he had a 3.38 ERA nearly 7 runs better. Sarfate is progress well after surgery and should be an excellent middle relief man this year.

5. Jaime Walker-Plagued by arm injuries this year he had a horrendous ERA of 6.87, which is 2.76 runs higher that his career ERA. Should return to normal and be used less then the past two seasons because of greater bullpen depth. Should revert back to previous role as a left-handed specialist.

6. Kam Mickolio- Needs to have better command and is like Daniel Cabrera in size with him being 6-9. If he can control his stuff better it would create a lot more competition in the bullpen and would make him one of the best pitchers they have.

7. Brain Burres- Will probably be the long man for the O's since he is not really starter material. May have competition from others if he does not perform.

Players on the Fringe:
1. Danyz Baez- Did not pitch at all last season and had a 6.44 ERA the year before. With one year left on his contract he could find his way into the bullpen at the beginning of the season if he is healthy just because he is owed over six million this year.

2.Lance Cormier- will probably fight Brian Burres for the long reliever spot. He had a 4.02 ERA last season, which is a lot better than Burres's ERA.

3.Jim Miller- The 26 year-old got his first big league shot last season in which he had a 1.17 ERA over 7+ innings. He adds depth to the bullpen and he might get a shot this season if he performs well enough in triple-A.

4.Bob McCrory- The 26 year-old did not do so well in 8 games amassing a 15.63 ERA.He has proven himself at Norfolk already and just need to make that jump to the big show.

Orioles Quotes

I just felt like starting a new segment called Orioles Quotes where i display quotes by prominent O's players and staff. The first one comes from a man some of you might know as Earl Weaver and it is one of his most memorable.

"The key to winning baseball games is pitching, fundamentals, and three run homers."

This is always true and it should be how the Orioles are built from now on and it is how they will find their way back to prominence.

My 2009 Orioles Lineup

Here is my 2009 Orioles Lineup:

1.2B Brian Robers-Hopefuly McPhail can sign him long term and give stability at the leadoff spot. Hopefully they do not trade him

2.CF Adam Jones-Should hit for a higher average with more homeruns in his second full season

3.RF Nick Markakis-I am also hopefull that he will get signed to a very long-term deal say 7 years 70+million he is well worth it and besides it is better to give the money to him then some injury prone pitcher(Ben Sheets, A.J. Burnett)

4.1B Mark Teixera-The O's should open their wallet and bring Mark home

5.DH Aubrey Huff-Now with a silver slugger in his pocket, I do not expect him to have the same stellar year as last year but should be good for a .280 average, at least 20 home runs, and 80+ RBI's giving protection to Mark Teixera.

6.LF Luke Scott-Might have to compete for playing time with Nolan Reimold and AA Triple Crown winner Lou Montanez.

7.3B Melvin Mora-After putting up some fantastic numbers in the second half of last season to prove that he still belongs in the big leagues he should still remain the teams every day Third Baseman.

8.C Matt Weiters-Now way he is not going to make the club with his talent the question is will he be better than Ramon Hernandez. If he is then he will surely be the everyday catcher if he is not then he will probably go to Norfolk to get playing time.

9.SS ?????-I do not think anyone has a clue who will be the shortstop next season. The internal prospects look bleak, so start looking at those free agents

Top Ten Prospects

Here is the Orioles top ten prospects according to Baseball America.

The Orioles must feel like they're running to stand still.

There are signs of hope. Catcher Matt Wieters was Baseball America's Minor League Player of the Year and may be the best prospect in baseball. The trade of Erik Bedard to the Mariners was a steal, giving Baltimore not only its closer (George Sherrill) and center fielder (Adam Jones) but also its best pitching prospect (Chris Tillman) and a couple of other young prospects who could contribute. Aubrey Huff had a bounceback year, and Nick Markakis looks like he'll occupy right field in Camden Yards for years.

But there was at least as much bad news. The young pitchers the Orioles were counting on either weren't ready for prime time or got hurt. Radhames Liz (6.72 ERA in 17 starts) and Garrett Olson (6.65 ERA in 26 starts) took their lumps in Baltimore. Troy Patton, a key part of the Miguel Tejada trade with the Astros, went down with a torn labrum during spring training. Adam Loewen, who signed for $3.2 million bonus as the No. 4 overall pick in 2002, officially washed out as a pitcher after continued elbow problems. The Orioles decided to try Loewen as a position player and removed him from the 40-man roster after the season, with plans to re-sign him, but he decided to join the Blue Jays instead.

And in fact, the Orioles aren't even standing still. They're dropping back, falling into the cellar in the American League East for the first time since 1988. Baltimore's 68-93 record left it 17½ games out of fourth place and marked its 11th straight losing season.

Things aren't going to get any easier in the AL East. The Rays look like they'll be good for at least the next several years, and the Red Sox and Yankees will continue to be the Red Sox and Yankees. Even the Blue Jays finished 10 games above .500 and have a farm system that's showing improvement.

The Orioles are making progress in player development as well, with an influx of top-end talent in the last few years. Wieters is a legitimate cornerstone player, and the system's top three arms (Tillman, 2008 first-rounder Brian Matusz and Jake Arrieta) all look like legitimate big league starters.

If they're to make a significant jump in the big league standings, Baltimore particularly needs its young pitchers to come through. The Orioles ranked 13th in the AL in ERA (5.13) in 2008 and head into 2009 with no proven big league starters behind Jeremy Guthrie, who's better suited for the middle or back of a rotation than the front.

At least with team president Andy MacPhail now at the helm of the baseball operations, there's a feeling the franchise has a direction and someone with the patience to execute a plan. Spending $10.6 million to get Wieters, Arrieta and Matusz in the last two drafts should pay big dividends, and the trade Seattle gave the rebuilding effort a huge boost. And owner Peter Angelos has been out of the headlines.

MacPhail recognizes the Orioles don't have the depth of talent to compete in the East, but he has assembled several pieces that could help them take a step forward. Getting back in the playoffs remains a mountain that seems too high to climb right now.

Top Ten Prospects
1. Matt Wieters, c
2. Chris Tillman, rhp
3. Brian Matusz, lhp
4. Jake Arrieta, rhp
5. Nolan Reimold, of
6. Brandon Erbe, rhp
7. Billy Rowell, 3b
8. Troy Patton, lhp
9. Brandon Snyder, 1b
10. Kam Mickolio, rhp
BEST
TOOLS
Best Hitter for Average Matt Wieters
Best Power Hitter Matt Wieters
Best Strike-Zone Discipline Matt Wieters
Fastest Baserunner Xavier Avery

Best Athlete Tyler Henson

Best Fastball Kam Mickolio
Best Curveball Brian Matusz
Best Slider David Hernandez
Best Changeup Brian Matusz
Best Control Brad Bergesen
Best Defensive Catcher Matt Wieters
Best Defensive Infielder Blake Davis
Best Infield Arm Bill Rowell
Best Defensive Outfielder Matt Angle
Best Outfield Arm Nolan Reimold

PROJECTED 2012
LINEUP
Catcher Matt Wieters
First Base Brandon Snyder
Second Base Brian Roberts
Third Base Billy Rowell
Shortstop Luis Hernandez
Left Field Nolan Reimold
Center Field Adam Jones
Right Field Nick Markakis
Designated Hitter Aubrey Huff
No. 1 Starter Chris Tillman
No. 2 Starter Brian Matusz
No. 3 Starter Jake Arrieta
No. 4 Starter Jeremy Guthrie
No. 5 Starter Radhames Liz
Closer George Sherrill

TOP PROSPECTS
OF THE DECADE
Year Player, Position 2008
1999 Matt Riley, lhp Dodgers
2000 Matt Riley, lhp Dodgers
2001 Keith Reed, of Newark (Atlantic)
2002 Richard Stahl, lhp Out of baseball
2003 Erik Bedard, lhp Mariners
2004 Adam Loewen, lhp Orioles
2005 Nick Markakis, of Orioles
2006 Nick Markakis, of Orioles
2007 Bill Rowell, 3b Orioles
2008 Matt Wieters, c Orioles

TOP DRAFT PICKS
OF THE DECADE
Year Player, Position 2008
1999 Mike Paradis, rhp Out of baseball
2000 Beau Hale, rhp Out of baseball
2001 Chris Smith, lhp Out of baseball
2002 Adam Loewen, lhp Orioles
2003 Nick Markakis, of Orioles
2004 *Wade Townsend, rhp Rays
2005 Brandon Snyder, c Orioles
2006 Bill Rowell, 3b Orioles
2007 Matt Wieters, c Orioles
2008 Brian Matusz, rhp Orioles
* Did not sign

Bye,Bye

As they say parting is such sweet sarrow and that is what three of the Orioles have done. Kevin Millar, Jay Payton, and Alex Cintron have all filed for free agency. While none of them are the really big names some of them have meant a lot to the Orioles team this season. Kevin Millar has always given something good to the team since he was here whether through his play on the field, his ability to keep the team lose, and my personal favorite the resurgance of Orioles magic which i hope will never die. All three of these players will be missed some more than others of course we all will just be left wondering what could have been? and what could they accomplish?

All three were not at all stars and probably will not have much of an impact on the field next year. Aside from Millar's leadership the O's will not have lost that much this offseason due to free agency. The bigger question is what will they do to fill the holes they have? With Millar leaving there is a hole open at first base, where most fans hope it will be filled by Mark Texeira, but if that does not happen it could be filled by Aubrey Huff moving to that spot if the O's don't get someone else. The shortstop position on the other hand is a great big hole that cannot be filled internally and requires the O's to sign or trade for a shortstop that plays good defense and is not bad with the bat. The absence of Jay Payton will probably be filled by Lou Montanez and by whether or not the O's want to call up Nolan Reimold, overall the O's should have great depth at all the outfield positions next season.

2008 organizational win-loss

The Orioles farm system had a combined record of 390-437 which is a .472 winning percentage. The Orioles went 68-93 a .422 winning percentage. If this means anything, which i hope it does, then the Orioles will be getting better over the next couple years and if the farm system progresses like it has been over the past couple of years than we should expect the O's to turn out prospects like the days of old.

Forgetting what i just mentioned the prospects alone are enough to get even the most melancholy fans pumped. With Matt Wieters and Nolan Reimold waiting to provide some more pop to offense along with the big three of Brian Matusz,Chris Tillman, and Jake Arrieta or as i like to call them ATM because their money in da bank. Along with the big three the O's have a slew of power arms and polished pitching prospects in the farm system to make even the harshest critic put them at least in the top 15 farm systems in all of baseball.

Spring Training?

There still is no word yet as to were the Orioles will play their spring training games at this upcoming spring, but there have been several rumors and fierce competition for them. There is at least four cities that are being considered Vero Beach, FT.Myers, Sarsota, and Ft. Lauderdale where the Orioles have been since 1996.

Vero Beach had an exclusivity agreement with the Orioles that expired on Halloween. Vero Beach has reportedly made an offer to the Orioles after two days of meetings in Orlando Florida. Discussions have been going on for over the past year between the team and the city.

In response to the offer that was made Vero Beach mayor Tom White said " We made them our final offer."and "After many hours of discussion and changing this and changing that, I'm hoping that Mr.Angelos and the board of directors will accept it. I think it's a good offer and they'll be happy here."

The Orioles wanted to tear down the 48 year old Ft. Lauderdale stadium and build a new complex to house the orioles major and minor league spring training complex, but the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA)said it would not approve unless the annual payments maid to the airport next to the stadium increased to $1.3million annually

Unless the Orioles make any significant changes in the next couple of months they will probably still be playing in FT. Lauderdale nest spring.