As the MLB world approaches for the midnight draft deadline, the Orioles will be trying to get some of their last couple picks signed and into the minors.
Not much is that hectic really for the Birds. Eight of the first 10 picks have already signed, including 1st rounder Matt Hobgood and 3rd rounder Tyler Townsend. The only two that have not signed are 2nd rounder Mychal Givens (offer withdrawn to him) and 8th rounder Devin Harris (is returning to ECU).
Among others the Orioles signed included Steven Bumbry from the 12th Round and Mike Flacco from the 31st Round.
But obviously what is happening down south may be more interesting. Whether or not 1st overall pick Stephen Strasburg will sign with the Nationals. The Nats offered him a record contract, and whatever it was (the offer is not public knowledge), Scott Boras rejected it.
The deadline doesn't bring much to the O's, but it is interesting what it might do to the Nats.
Showing posts with label Nationals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nationals. Show all posts
Monday, August 17, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
To Orioles Fans: Be Patient
It has been a while since we've posted here, but don't worry, we are back. We all are just busy, but hopefully once things get a little more steady we will be back in full force.With this, it has been nice for the Orioles lately. They won two out of three in the Battle of the Beltway with the Nats and they won the Memorial Day matinee with Toronto. But, with people are getting hurt and with the release of Adam Eaton, more rosters moves are being made. Jason Berken has been called up and will start today for the Birds. For info on him, check out Windsor's Prospect Report on him. Berken has done very well in his five starts with Norfolk this season, going 2-0 with a 1.05 ERA and 16 strikeouts to six walks.
But one thing that has been occurring is the fans are getting more impatient. Attendance for the Orioles is down, and many people want to see Matt Wieters and the big three pitchers in the majors. 11 losing seasons about to be 12 is upsetting fans. Many were wondering and hoping if Chris Tillman was coming up in the roster, one of the big three pitchers. Especially with the initial successes of Brad Bergeson and Nolan Reimold, who were not the highly touted people, we should bring up the bigger names, right?
But to all Orioles fans, we need to be patient, and wait this out.
In this day and age, we have all come to a "football mentality" of we want things happening sooner rather than later. It is especially frustrating when the Orioles have had losing seasons numerous years and the AL East is routinely beating Baltimore. But Andy MacPhail is right not to rush anyone that is very important, mainly Matt Wieters, Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz, and Jake Arrieta. Bringing them up now will not make the Orioles a competitive team when they are not ready will only hurt their chances to reach their potential.
In the past, the Orioles have had issues bringing up farm system players too quickly. Daniel Cabrera and Jeff Fiorentino come to mind. Cabrera had all the potential in the world to be a dominating fastball-changeup pitcher, even many opposing general managers felt so, but was brought up from Bowie in 2004 after less than a full season there. He had some bright spots, but he never established control and is now off the roster. Jeff Fiorentino was another player with great potential as an outfielder. In 2005 when the team needed outfielders, he was brought up from single-A Frederick, and although he played all right, he never got to his potential. After bouncing to a couple teams in 2008 he landed back on the Orioles, but he is not expected to be a major part of the Orioles future. He is currently in Norfolk batting .254.
The Orioles will not be competitive if they bring up any of the four above players, and they can't waste their potential. Bring them up when they are ready. Likely Wieters will be up this year and at least Tillman will join be the start of next season. But MacPhail is doing the right thing and being patient with these players.
We need to be as well. It is hard, but being patient with the young Birds is the way to go. But for now, let's celebrate the successes of the ones that have come into the majors, and good luck to Berken today.
(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)
Friday, December 26, 2008
Free Kicks- Post Christmas Edition
Well, despite my best efforts, we closed up the shop here on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, though we will do our best down the road to keep our doors open through the new year. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with family, a nice meal and some NBA (if you cared to watch any). There wasn’t much in the way of sports on Christmas Day, but that might be because everything is building up to Week 17. The Ravens will be looking for a playoff spot against the Jags, the Jets, Pats, and Dolphins are all fighting for the AFC East, the Chargers and Broncos will go head to head for the AFC West, and the Bears will be looking to spoil the Vikings’ first division title since 1998. How great is that? In the meantime, let’s line up for the kick…
Much-Delayed Response to Teixeira Fallout
A couple weeks ago I wrote about the A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia signings by the Yankees as examples of how it had taken the team all of about 6 months to throw out the idea of building from within and avoiding the temptation to try to buy a ring. Well, that was before the Yankees took control of the top 4 most expensive contracts in all of baseball and make their earlier signings look like a pittance. This team got one taste of what the other 29 teams have to put up with every season and threw their hands up and walked away. They could not handle the growing pains of young talent, the long-term scouting and evaluation process, the complex scheme of building up the farm system and working young players through the system. This is a team- no, an organization, that is so utterly unprepared for baseball as it is becoming that they are forced to fall back on the familiar formula after it has shown to be ineffective. They do not
have the patience or fortitude to endure anything less than excellence, and will spend however they can to have it every single year. Let them do it. I am terrified of that rotation and that lineup, and I think they have just vastly improved themselves and will be a major factor in the AL East (I know, I am really going out on a limb there). In the long run however, this organization is weak-minded and slow to recognize the changing landscape of Major League Baseball, and will suffer for it as they hammer away at the same tired (and ineffective) formula.
As for Tex, I don’t care much about losing him. If he doesn’t want to play here, then that is perfectly understandable- he wants a ring. I wouldn’t expect him to suffer through 5 years of agony in the hopes of maybe making the playoffs- it doesn’t make sense for a player entering his prime. Oh well, take that cash and spend it elsewhere… Nick Markakis perhaps?
Nationals Looking like O’s of Old
So, the Nationals just signed Daniel Cabrera, and Corey Patterson among others to try to rebuild their team on the run as they look to try to fill their new stadium in their 4th year since becoming the Washington Expos Nationals from Montreal. This is starting to get rather silly for me, to be honest. They ought to be taking a lesson from their neighbors in Baltimore and realize that a set of free agent also-rans from other organizations isn’t going to save the franchise, especially in the NL East. Like the AL East, their division is stacked with quality competition- the World Champion Phillies, the Mets, the Marlins, and even the Braves are superior teams, and no number of Cabreras or Pattersons will change that. I mean, if Patterson couldn’t earn a spot in Cincinnati’s outfield and Daniel Cabrera couldn’t cut it in the god-awful Orioles rotation, they aren’t players who will help you compete. Rather than desperately throwing cash at Mark Teixeira, perhaps Washington should focus on building up their empty farm system before trying to make a half hearted move in the division. They shouldn’t have to look far to figure out how.
I am Getting Tired of Brett Favre
For those of you who were reading back in the summer, you will remember my adamant defense of Brett Favre and the abysmal treatment he was receiving from Packer’s management. I still believe he was mistreated, abused, and shoved out the door like yesterday’s garbage when he attempted to come back. He should have been allowed to come back, the Pack owed that much to him (unless they planned to give him back the division titles, NFC crowns, and the Superbowl win he gave them). However, I am now finding myself on the other side of the fence. Favre has no business talking retirement right now. I am not nostalgic this time around, and this is not a time to be discussing it. There is a game to be played that might- MIGHT get the Jets in the playoffs, not to mention any playoff games after that. I know he was pushed into a question about his future, but that was all to easy to dodge. He could have easily said that he was going to wait until the season end, or give some cliché answer about how he is “only thinking about next week.” That would have been fine. Instead, he goes down the road about his arm injury, how he is tired, etc. We have heard it before, and if he drags it out a second time I won’t be by his side. The Pack owed him… the Jets don’t.
Much-Delayed Response to Teixeira Fallout
A couple weeks ago I wrote about the A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia signings by the Yankees as examples of how it had taken the team all of about 6 months to throw out the idea of building from within and avoiding the temptation to try to buy a ring. Well, that was before the Yankees took control of the top 4 most expensive contracts in all of baseball and make their earlier signings look like a pittance. This team got one taste of what the other 29 teams have to put up with every season and threw their hands up and walked away. They could not handle the growing pains of young talent, the long-term scouting and evaluation process, the complex scheme of building up the farm system and working young players through the system. This is a team- no, an organization, that is so utterly unprepared for baseball as it is becoming that they are forced to fall back on the familiar formula after it has shown to be ineffective. They do not
have the patience or fortitude to endure anything less than excellence, and will spend however they can to have it every single year. Let them do it. I am terrified of that rotation and that lineup, and I think they have just vastly improved themselves and will be a major factor in the AL East (I know, I am really going out on a limb there). In the long run however, this organization is weak-minded and slow to recognize the changing landscape of Major League Baseball, and will suffer for it as they hammer away at the same tired (and ineffective) formula.As for Tex, I don’t care much about losing him. If he doesn’t want to play here, then that is perfectly understandable- he wants a ring. I wouldn’t expect him to suffer through 5 years of agony in the hopes of maybe making the playoffs- it doesn’t make sense for a player entering his prime. Oh well, take that cash and spend it elsewhere… Nick Markakis perhaps?
Nationals Looking like O’s of Old
So, the Nationals just signed Daniel Cabrera, and Corey Patterson among others to try to rebuild their team on the run as they look to try to fill their new stadium in their 4th year since becoming the Washington Expos Nationals from Montreal. This is starting to get rather silly for me, to be honest. They ought to be taking a lesson from their neighbors in Baltimore and realize that a set of free agent also-rans from other organizations isn’t going to save the franchise, especially in the NL East. Like the AL East, their division is stacked with quality competition- the World Champion Phillies, the Mets, the Marlins, and even the Braves are superior teams, and no number of Cabreras or Pattersons will change that. I mean, if Patterson couldn’t earn a spot in Cincinnati’s outfield and Daniel Cabrera couldn’t cut it in the god-awful Orioles rotation, they aren’t players who will help you compete. Rather than desperately throwing cash at Mark Teixeira, perhaps Washington should focus on building up their empty farm system before trying to make a half hearted move in the division. They shouldn’t have to look far to figure out how.
I am Getting Tired of Brett Favre
For those of you who were reading back in the summer, you will remember my adamant defense of Brett Favre and the abysmal treatment he was receiving from Packer’s management. I still believe he was mistreated, abused, and shoved out the door like yesterday’s garbage when he attempted to come back. He should have been allowed to come back, the Pack owed that much to him (unless they planned to give him back the division titles, NFC crowns, and the Superbowl win he gave them). However, I am now finding myself on the other side of the fence. Favre has no business talking retirement right now. I am not nostalgic this time around, and this is not a time to be discussing it. There is a game to be played that might- MIGHT get the Jets in the playoffs, not to mention any playoff games after that. I know he was pushed into a question about his future, but that was all to easy to dodge. He could have easily said that he was going to wait until the season end, or give some cliché answer about how he is “only thinking about next week.” That would have been fine. Instead, he goes down the road about his arm injury, how he is tired, etc. We have heard it before, and if he drags it out a second time I won’t be by his side. The Pack owed him… the Jets don’t.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
