Well, we're at that time. The second half of the season is about to begin now that the All-Star game has come and gone (by the way, many congrats to Adam Jones for his go-ahead sac fly in the 8th inning), so before we move onward let's take a look back.
The first half of the season for the Orioles was marked by a confusing blend of stellar comebacks and inexplicable collapses, of youthful surprises and disappointments. Without a doubt the high point of the season thus far has to be the miraculous comeback against the Boston Red Sox, and the low point-- well, there are a few too many options for that one. Regardless, let's take a look at some of my team awards for the first half (and we'll throw in Expatriate and Falco's opinions for the heck of it).
MVP: Brad Bergesen (unanimous) - Without Brad Bergesen, this pitching rotation would have absolutely no stability. Bergesen didn't even start the season in the rotation, and despite the fact that his raw 'stuff' isn't dominant, he has the poise and guile of a veteran when he's on the mound. Unlike other rookies, Brad Bergesen knows how to make adjustments and because of that he's been able to rebound strongly from an early shaky stretch to become more and more dominant as the season's progressed. I thought last year that folks were underestimating Brad Bergesen when I wrote up my Prospect Report on him, but even I didn't see this coming.
LVP: Adam Eaton (Expatriate: Jeremy Guthrie, Falco: Rich Hill) - I don't see how this could be anyone but Adam Eaton. Adam Eaton only had one start that could be qualified as anything better than mediocre. Adam Eaton consistently put the Orioles in early deficits, destroyed the bullpen, and helped cement the Orioles position in last place very early on. Adam Eaton contributed nothing positive to this team, and so he was unequivocally the least valuable.
Rookie of the Year: Brad Bergesen (unanimous) - See above analysis on Brad Bergesen, nothing more needs to be said. Though I do give a quick shout to Nolan Reimold, who in almost any other year would be the deserving ROY for this team.
Gold Glover: Nick Markakis (Expatriate: Adam Jones, Falco: Nick Markakis) - While Nick Markakis doesn't always have the highlight reel catches, there is no greater model of consistency in right field that I can think of. Markakis very rarely takes bad routes to the ball as he reads them exceptionally well off the bat. Add onto that his ability to gun down runners (always at or near the top of MLB in assists), and he's the deserving gold glover. Not that he'll ever win one, because after all he's an Oriole. A quick mention though, that Robert Andino's play at short really has been fun to watch. I've been exceptionally impressed with his defense, though the award still easily goes to Markakis over Andino.
Most Surprising Player: Nolan Reimold (Expatriate: Oscar Salazar, Falco: Nolan Reimold) - Last year I did a Prospect Report on Nolan Reimold and I had the opportunity to watch him several times in person. His advancement from last year to this year has been one of the most astonishing transformations I've seen. His plate discipline has been exemplary, and while he's been slumping as of late, his ability to make adjustments is much improved. Nolan Reimold has come out and taken hold of the left field job, something that was doubtful at the start of the year. He's an emerging contender for ROY.
Most Disappointing Player: Jeremy Guthrie (unanimous) - Jeremy Guthrie was supposed to be, and needs to be, the ace on this team. He filled that role exceptionally well last year and his consistency indicated that he would do the same. Well, Guthrie is still scuffling along and it's still up in the air as to whether he'll get it back. He's been burned on some good pitches and he still has good stuff; we'll see how it plays out in the second half, but no doubt this is the one rotation struggle that O's fans didn't see coming.
Big Second Half: Nick Markakis (Falco and Expatriate: Aubrey Huff) - I'm bucking the trend of my colleagues here, but I have a strong feeling that Markakis will take off in the late summer, just as he has the past two years. Huff is a good bet, as he is a strong second half player. But just call it a hunch.
Drop Off in the Second Half: Luke Scott (Expatriate: Brad Bergesen, Falco: Luke Scott) - I love Luke Scott, but he is traditionally very streaky and I doubt that he can keep up this unreal pace. I understand the doubts about Brad Bergesen, but his ability to make adjustments and his positive momentum tells me he won't fall off all that much.
Grade for Dave Trembley: B (Expatriate: B-, Falco: B+) -He's kept this team together and he's managed the lineup as well as can be expected. His handling of young pitchers has also been superb, as shown by their successes this year. The only drawback is the continuing baserunning blunders which really comes back to the manager's responsibility.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Derrick Mason Retires
I was planning to do an O’s midseason review today when the news broke about Derrick Mason’s retirement. After consulting with Falco and Windsor, I decided to cover Mason and let Windsor take over the midseason review tomorrow. Then again, how can I cover Derrick Mason when so many defensive backs couldn't?
I think in order to appreciate what Derrick Mason has meant to this team, we need to ask ourselves just one question. How far would the Ravens have gotten last season without him? I challenge anyone to argue they would have been a .500 team. He was the one offensive weapon that kept the defense occupied, the reliable hands for the 3rd down catch regardless of whether his arm should’ve been in a sling or his legs being worked on by trainers. After coming to the Ravens already considered to be on the downswing of his career, Mason gave this team 1000 yard seasons in 3 of his 4 years here, to go along with 15 touchdown catches on a team that never threw many touchdown passes. Physically he was slowing down but never shied away from the deep route. Without a legitimate deep threat, Mason was continually sent 30-40 yards deep and
used his intelligence to make a play on the ball when he couldn’t simply blow by his defender. He had his injury concerns this season but played in every game, regardless of his physical condition.
The timing of all of this is stunning, with the Ravens poised to make a leap (and desperately short on wide receivers as it is) and Mason negotiating for a new contract. But perhaps the latter point is what did it. Many times you see aging players fight for that next contract, seeing that management simply will not pay for a player in his mid-30’s regardless of what he has given the team or how well he has represented the franchise. Perhaps that what, in the end, caused the Ravens to balk at his contract demands. Hopefully the negotiations weren’t so contentious that it caused a reaction like this. However, it doesn’t appear this was about money, with Mason saying succinctly “Financially, I don’t think they can do anything to sway me.” Then again, isn’t everything in the NFL about money? I have heard a lot of players say that it is about “respect” instead of money… but it is odd how much respect looks like a fat contract.
In speaking about his decision to retire, Derrick Mason described a difficulty getting enthused about the team, about the game, and about the grind of the football season. He apparently has not been working out as much, and just doesn’t care that much anymore. “Emotionally I am just not that enthused. I have not been that enthused to get up and work out… It was getting to that point.” I can imagine after 12 seasons that a player could just be tired of it all; and I respect him for stepping away rather than drag through this coming season listlessly. If the fire isn’t there, then I am look forward to seeing him find a new endeavor he is passionate about. After all, people rarely keep the same job for 12 years and don’t want something new. To play football you have to be excited to get out of bed in the morning, to put your body through hell and enjoy it. If you don’t, it is responsible to find a new line of work.
So what do the Ravens do now? They will certainly add another receiver, whether as a free agent or through a trade. While I am sure they won’t rush out and do anything, there is no way they can enter the season with Mark Clayton at the #1 spot, unproven and injury-prone Demetrius Williams at #2 and a series of would-be training camp cuts at #3. If nothing else, this is a young receiving group that needs veteran leadership, the kind that Mason provided in making the other players around him better.
I do not think that this makes the Ravens more apt to trade for Anquan Boldin or Brandon Marshall. Ozzie Newsome is not one to mortgage the future to answer an immediate need, and the current state of the receiving corps isn’t going to make him more likely to try to replace Mason. After all, if he trades picks for a #1 receiver after just losing his #1 receiver to retirement, he has given up significant draft assets just to replace what he already had. Look for the Ravens to bring in someone like Marvin Harrison to serve in that veteran role, and perhaps bring in an adequate receiver to fill a roster spot and serve as a backup, like Koren Robinson, Reggie Williams, Drew Bennett, or *gulp* Ashley Lelie. Either way, the options don’t look good.
[Quotations and photo compiled from Baltimore Sun reports]
I think in order to appreciate what Derrick Mason has meant to this team, we need to ask ourselves just one question. How far would the Ravens have gotten last season without him? I challenge anyone to argue they would have been a .500 team. He was the one offensive weapon that kept the defense occupied, the reliable hands for the 3rd down catch regardless of whether his arm should’ve been in a sling or his legs being worked on by trainers. After coming to the Ravens already considered to be on the downswing of his career, Mason gave this team 1000 yard seasons in 3 of his 4 years here, to go along with 15 touchdown catches on a team that never threw many touchdown passes. Physically he was slowing down but never shied away from the deep route. Without a legitimate deep threat, Mason was continually sent 30-40 yards deep and
used his intelligence to make a play on the ball when he couldn’t simply blow by his defender. He had his injury concerns this season but played in every game, regardless of his physical condition.The timing of all of this is stunning, with the Ravens poised to make a leap (and desperately short on wide receivers as it is) and Mason negotiating for a new contract. But perhaps the latter point is what did it. Many times you see aging players fight for that next contract, seeing that management simply will not pay for a player in his mid-30’s regardless of what he has given the team or how well he has represented the franchise. Perhaps that what, in the end, caused the Ravens to balk at his contract demands. Hopefully the negotiations weren’t so contentious that it caused a reaction like this. However, it doesn’t appear this was about money, with Mason saying succinctly “Financially, I don’t think they can do anything to sway me.” Then again, isn’t everything in the NFL about money? I have heard a lot of players say that it is about “respect” instead of money… but it is odd how much respect looks like a fat contract.
In speaking about his decision to retire, Derrick Mason described a difficulty getting enthused about the team, about the game, and about the grind of the football season. He apparently has not been working out as much, and just doesn’t care that much anymore. “Emotionally I am just not that enthused. I have not been that enthused to get up and work out… It was getting to that point.” I can imagine after 12 seasons that a player could just be tired of it all; and I respect him for stepping away rather than drag through this coming season listlessly. If the fire isn’t there, then I am look forward to seeing him find a new endeavor he is passionate about. After all, people rarely keep the same job for 12 years and don’t want something new. To play football you have to be excited to get out of bed in the morning, to put your body through hell and enjoy it. If you don’t, it is responsible to find a new line of work.
So what do the Ravens do now? They will certainly add another receiver, whether as a free agent or through a trade. While I am sure they won’t rush out and do anything, there is no way they can enter the season with Mark Clayton at the #1 spot, unproven and injury-prone Demetrius Williams at #2 and a series of would-be training camp cuts at #3. If nothing else, this is a young receiving group that needs veteran leadership, the kind that Mason provided in making the other players around him better.
I do not think that this makes the Ravens more apt to trade for Anquan Boldin or Brandon Marshall. Ozzie Newsome is not one to mortgage the future to answer an immediate need, and the current state of the receiving corps isn’t going to make him more likely to try to replace Mason. After all, if he trades picks for a #1 receiver after just losing his #1 receiver to retirement, he has given up significant draft assets just to replace what he already had. Look for the Ravens to bring in someone like Marvin Harrison to serve in that veteran role, and perhaps bring in an adequate receiver to fill a roster spot and serve as a backup, like Koren Robinson, Reggie Williams, Drew Bennett, or *gulp* Ashley Lelie. Either way, the options don’t look good.
[Quotations and photo compiled from Baltimore Sun reports]
Friday, July 10, 2009
Towson Catholic Didn't Have to Close its Doors
No Free Kicks this week, as I came across a story that is far more important. A bulwark of Maryland high school sports has passed with the closing of Towson Catholic. The school that produced Olympians and NBA lottery draft picks, Maryland Terps and award winning singers, is closing, citing massive debt. In the process it leaving its remaining students in a lurch, looking for a school after being left behind by a school with strapped finances. But I feel no pity for the administration of Towson Catholic.
As a development professional (a fancy way of saying I raise money for a living), I can say emphatically that this could have been avoided. The most outlying estimate of $650K in debt is something that could have been taken care of. Perhaps not easily, and perhaps it would have taken time, but it is more than doable. Towson Catholic, even to those who have no personal connection to the school, is part of the community. It is the name you read in the Sun where the sports teams are always at the top of the standings and they have maintained a high quality of education for those who don’t go there to play. A year ago, when they surely knew they were in trouble, a campaign should have been launched. At little cost and using alumni records and just a little bit of research time, they could have raised the money they need- they could call it "Save our School" or “Save the Owls." If Monsignor Tinder had thought ahead, he could have taken several easy steps:
1) Bring in an experienced volunteer or hire a Director of Development at a low salary to run a campaign if Monsignor Tinder didn’t want to distract anyone on his staff (technically they already had a Director of Alumni Relations in Carol Short, although she had no background in development). TC’s strong PTA and alumni base could have provided the necessary volunteers for whatever the Director’s plans were.
2) Monsignor Tinder would make personal calls to higher-capacity potential donors or even make visits those living nearby. Students would call other groups of potential donors- I know you hate the calls, but they work if they are done right.
3) The reunion volunteers use their connections to organize class drives in which each previous class tries to raise money as a group for TC.
4) Reel in one donor who is willing to make a huge gift ($10K-$25K) and use them to get the word out in a public way. Others will use that example to spur on their own giving.
It didn’t have to go down this way, giving parents 6 weeks to find a new school before the 86 year old institution is gone for good. I won’t comment on the thrift (or lack thereof) of the Archdiocese in saving enough money in other areas to keep their schools open, but when parents and community members know that a school could be gone completely they tend to forget their complaints for a moment and jump in to save it.
Maybe it wouldn’t have worked. Maybe alums don’t care and don’t want to step in. Even without rich and famous alumni the school could have made up at least the $160,000 tuition shortfall they had accumulated and likely the whole $650,000. But even if it didn’t, even if the school completely failed and had to close anyway, at least then they could have said they tried. I am sure they did things behind closed doors, cutting costs and cutting deals with the bank. But they never reached out to the public, never asked their loyal parents and alumni for help. In my line of work they say that the number one reason people don’t give is because they aren’t asked. Maybe TC doesn’t agree with that adage, but it would have been nice at least to see them try.
As a development professional (a fancy way of saying I raise money for a living), I can say emphatically that this could have been avoided. The most outlying estimate of $650K in debt is something that could have been taken care of. Perhaps not easily, and perhaps it would have taken time, but it is more than doable. Towson Catholic, even to those who have no personal connection to the school, is part of the community. It is the name you read in the Sun where the sports teams are always at the top of the standings and they have maintained a high quality of education for those who don’t go there to play. A year ago, when they surely knew they were in trouble, a campaign should have been launched. At little cost and using alumni records and just a little bit of research time, they could have raised the money they need- they could call it "Save our School" or “Save the Owls." If Monsignor Tinder had thought ahead, he could have taken several easy steps:1) Bring in an experienced volunteer or hire a Director of Development at a low salary to run a campaign if Monsignor Tinder didn’t want to distract anyone on his staff (technically they already had a Director of Alumni Relations in Carol Short, although she had no background in development). TC’s strong PTA and alumni base could have provided the necessary volunteers for whatever the Director’s plans were.
2) Monsignor Tinder would make personal calls to higher-capacity potential donors or even make visits those living nearby. Students would call other groups of potential donors- I know you hate the calls, but they work if they are done right.
3) The reunion volunteers use their connections to organize class drives in which each previous class tries to raise money as a group for TC.
4) Reel in one donor who is willing to make a huge gift ($10K-$25K) and use them to get the word out in a public way. Others will use that example to spur on their own giving.
It didn’t have to go down this way, giving parents 6 weeks to find a new school before the 86 year old institution is gone for good. I won’t comment on the thrift (or lack thereof) of the Archdiocese in saving enough money in other areas to keep their schools open, but when parents and community members know that a school could be gone completely they tend to forget their complaints for a moment and jump in to save it.
Maybe it wouldn’t have worked. Maybe alums don’t care and don’t want to step in. Even without rich and famous alumni the school could have made up at least the $160,000 tuition shortfall they had accumulated and likely the whole $650,000. But even if it didn’t, even if the school completely failed and had to close anyway, at least then they could have said they tried. I am sure they did things behind closed doors, cutting costs and cutting deals with the bank. But they never reached out to the public, never asked their loyal parents and alumni for help. In my line of work they say that the number one reason people don’t give is because they aren’t asked. Maybe TC doesn’t agree with that adage, but it would have been nice at least to see them try.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Worried About the O's Rotation? Think again.
When it comes to the current pitching rotation, it seems that there is no shortage of things to complain about. The depth that the season started with has dwindled sorely, Jeremy Guthrie looks like the funk he started the season in might not be going away, and Koji Uehara has been sidelined for the forseeable future. The current starting staff only contains one of the five that broke camp with the team in April, and only two of the current staff have earned run averages under 5.35. So, should Orioles fans be worried? The easy answer is yes, but the correct answer is an emphatic no.
Let's take a closer look at how this breaks down. Of the three with the high ERAs we have Rich Hill (7.43), Jason Berken (6.25), and Jeremy Guthrie (5.35). None of these three, save for maybe Guthrie, were expected to have that significant an impact for this team nor are they a part of the broader plan. It's true that Jeremy Guthrie was expected to be the ace and he should step up, but do O's fans expect him to be in the ace role one or two years down the line? Absolutely not, because there are phenoms such as Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz who project to be far better than Guthrie is now. Rich Hill and Jason Berken are stopgaps; even if Berken were to excel, it still is doubtful as to whether he would have a place on next year's rotation. Rich Hill was a wise gamble by Andy MacPhail, because he was a low-risk and potentially high-reward pickup. It's true that Hill has struggled, but those struggles have little effect on the broader plan.
Now let's take a look at the two pitchers who have excelled this season, particularly as of late; David Hernandez (3.94), and Brad Bergesen (3.59). Both of these pitchers are rookies, and both represent the beginning of the youth movement on the O's starting staff. It's important to not only take note of the results they have been getting but how they have gotten them. Both Bergesen and Hernandez have faced very formidable lineups, and when faced with adversity they respond well. Unlike previous prospects the Orioles have rushed, it's the mentality with which they approach the game which impresses me so much. Neither Bergesen nor Hernandez seem to become unravelled after misfortune. I'll take an example from yesterday's game: David Hernandez allows a 2-run home run in the first inning, throws 30+ pitches and has no command of his breaking ball, while the offense continually runs itself out of scoring opportunities. So what does he do? He guts it out, pitching five more shutout innings and setting a personal high for pitches in a major league start. It's that sort of poise that wins alot of ballgames. Bergesen and Hernandez have vastly different styles, but their similarities in mental makeup have been the key to their success.
Oh, and did I mention that Jake Arrieta, Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz have all dominated at their minor league levels? So let's see... all of the star prospects have excelled against higher levels of competition, and there hasn't been a single setback among them. Yeah, we should all be terribly worried.
Let's take a closer look at how this breaks down. Of the three with the high ERAs we have Rich Hill (7.43), Jason Berken (6.25), and Jeremy Guthrie (5.35). None of these three, save for maybe Guthrie, were expected to have that significant an impact for this team nor are they a part of the broader plan. It's true that Jeremy Guthrie was expected to be the ace and he should step up, but do O's fans expect him to be in the ace role one or two years down the line? Absolutely not, because there are phenoms such as Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz who project to be far better than Guthrie is now. Rich Hill and Jason Berken are stopgaps; even if Berken were to excel, it still is doubtful as to whether he would have a place on next year's rotation. Rich Hill was a wise gamble by Andy MacPhail, because he was a low-risk and potentially high-reward pickup. It's true that Hill has struggled, but those struggles have little effect on the broader plan.
Now let's take a look at the two pitchers who have excelled this season, particularly as of late; David Hernandez (3.94), and Brad Bergesen (3.59). Both of these pitchers are rookies, and both represent the beginning of the youth movement on the O's starting staff. It's important to not only take note of the results they have been getting but how they have gotten them. Both Bergesen and Hernandez have faced very formidable lineups, and when faced with adversity they respond well. Unlike previous prospects the Orioles have rushed, it's the mentality with which they approach the game which impresses me so much. Neither Bergesen nor Hernandez seem to become unravelled after misfortune. I'll take an example from yesterday's game: David Hernandez allows a 2-run home run in the first inning, throws 30+ pitches and has no command of his breaking ball, while the offense continually runs itself out of scoring opportunities. So what does he do? He guts it out, pitching five more shutout innings and setting a personal high for pitches in a major league start. It's that sort of poise that wins alot of ballgames. Bergesen and Hernandez have vastly different styles, but their similarities in mental makeup have been the key to their success.
Oh, and did I mention that Jake Arrieta, Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz have all dominated at their minor league levels? So let's see... all of the star prospects have excelled against higher levels of competition, and there hasn't been a single setback among them. Yeah, we should all be terribly worried.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
The "Cost" of Being a Fan
Okay, so as I have repeated innumerable times, I don’t actually live in Maryland anymore. Nor do I live anywhere close enough to catch the regional broadcasts or hear my local television personalities throw out some veteran player who is not-so-good in front of the camera to give me an analysis of the game. I am sure I’m not the only reader of this blog who has to deal with this; a big reason sports blogs have been so successful is their ability to convey information (and the fan’s voice) to other fans far away from their team’s home base. Newspapers simply do not give enough depth to their reporting to give the reader an accurate, holistic view of the team and the team websites have details but are far too rosy to be taken seriously. So what is a fan to do when they need to catch a flight to get in the same time zone as their team?
Well, there are cable/satellite packages, but these force you to buy an entire channel (or channels) devoted to that entire sport (for baseball this would be MLB Extra Innings). Sorry, I don’t want to pay for Pirates-Brewers, but thanks anyway. These can cost $200 a season at minimum and when you tally in all of the extra fees and programs to ensure you get something worthwhile it can reach almost $300. Now that may not be much for some, but when you are already paying a hefty price tag for cable or satellite service that can be just a bit more piling on. Additionally, these have so many blackout restrictions that you may not see your team if they play on a Saturday afternoon. In fact, in North Carolina MASN sports doesn’t have an agreement with Time Warner, meaning that if you are an O’s (or “Expos”) fan, you won’t see your team even if you have MLB Extra Innings. This service might be great for a fan of the sport or a true student of the game who doesn’t care what team he or she watches, but for a partisan like most of us, it matters.
Then there’s MLB TV from MLB.com. For a much reduced price you can watch games on your computer ($70 a season for premium, $50 a season for regular). Personally I don’t like staring at my computer that much, but I did do the regular for one season. It was grainy and I had to settle with the broadcast from whatever team was at home (which was painful to watch Red Sox or Yankees games). I can see myself perhaps doing the premium down the line, but only if I can handle staring at my laptop for three hours at a time. The TV, for whatever reason, is much easier.
Okay, so for the NFL, DirectTV has the exclusive rights to out-of-market games, which is great... for the NFL. The satellite provider allows individuals to buy the “Sunday Ticket” package to watch over the internet, but only if satellite is unavailable where you live. So Comcast users, you better suck it up. Moreover, if the price for Extra Innings didn’t turn you off this might. $300 for standard Sunday Ticket, and if you want that in HD better cough up an extra $100. They know fans love their teams and will do anything to get a better glimpse of them outside of box scores and recaps.
Why am I going through all this? Just to illustrate how hard it can be to follow your team from outside of your region. Most of us rely on ESPN for our sports news, but unless you follow the Yankees, Red Sox, Celtics, Lakers, Patriots, Cowboys, or the Brett Favre soap opera you are pretty much out of luck. I hold onto my blog news, mlb.com free highlights, the occasional radio broadcast and the ubiquitous bar scene where I can usually get them to change the channel to the Orioles game if they are playing a team in the AL Central. Finally, I fly home and see a game at least 4 or 5 times a season so that I can get a firsthand view of my team- and I'd take being in Baltimore those 5 times over paying for a gigantic sports tier. That way I have to put in a lot of effort but still get a strong idea of how the team is actually doing. We all know that being a Baltimore fan has a price- a dozen losing seasons for the Orioles, a sweep at the hands of the Steelers, but one should still be able to follow the team reliably. I am sure I will have to buy some package eventually, when visiting home isn't possible or I haven't gotten to see someone pitch and want to mention them in a post, but so far I have figured out that you don't necessarily need the sports packages to make that happen. Try to be wise in figuring out how much fandom needs to come out of your pocketbook.
Well, there are cable/satellite packages, but these force you to buy an entire channel (or channels) devoted to that entire sport (for baseball this would be MLB Extra Innings). Sorry, I don’t want to pay for Pirates-Brewers, but thanks anyway. These can cost $200 a season at minimum and when you tally in all of the extra fees and programs to ensure you get something worthwhile it can reach almost $300. Now that may not be much for some, but when you are already paying a hefty price tag for cable or satellite service that can be just a bit more piling on. Additionally, these have so many blackout restrictions that you may not see your team if they play on a Saturday afternoon. In fact, in North Carolina MASN sports doesn’t have an agreement with Time Warner, meaning that if you are an O’s (or “Expos”) fan, you won’t see your team even if you have MLB Extra Innings. This service might be great for a fan of the sport or a true student of the game who doesn’t care what team he or she watches, but for a partisan like most of us, it matters.
Then there’s MLB TV from MLB.com. For a much reduced price you can watch games on your computer ($70 a season for premium, $50 a season for regular). Personally I don’t like staring at my computer that much, but I did do the regular for one season. It was grainy and I had to settle with the broadcast from whatever team was at home (which was painful to watch Red Sox or Yankees games). I can see myself perhaps doing the premium down the line, but only if I can handle staring at my laptop for three hours at a time. The TV, for whatever reason, is much easier.
Okay, so for the NFL, DirectTV has the exclusive rights to out-of-market games, which is great... for the NFL. The satellite provider allows individuals to buy the “Sunday Ticket” package to watch over the internet, but only if satellite is unavailable where you live. So Comcast users, you better suck it up. Moreover, if the price for Extra Innings didn’t turn you off this might. $300 for standard Sunday Ticket, and if you want that in HD better cough up an extra $100. They know fans love their teams and will do anything to get a better glimpse of them outside of box scores and recaps.
Why am I going through all this? Just to illustrate how hard it can be to follow your team from outside of your region. Most of us rely on ESPN for our sports news, but unless you follow the Yankees, Red Sox, Celtics, Lakers, Patriots, Cowboys, or the Brett Favre soap opera you are pretty much out of luck. I hold onto my blog news, mlb.com free highlights, the occasional radio broadcast and the ubiquitous bar scene where I can usually get them to change the channel to the Orioles game if they are playing a team in the AL Central. Finally, I fly home and see a game at least 4 or 5 times a season so that I can get a firsthand view of my team- and I'd take being in Baltimore those 5 times over paying for a gigantic sports tier. That way I have to put in a lot of effort but still get a strong idea of how the team is actually doing. We all know that being a Baltimore fan has a price- a dozen losing seasons for the Orioles, a sweep at the hands of the Steelers, but one should still be able to follow the team reliably. I am sure I will have to buy some package eventually, when visiting home isn't possible or I haven't gotten to see someone pitch and want to mention them in a post, but so far I have figured out that you don't necessarily need the sports packages to make that happen. Try to be wise in figuring out how much fandom needs to come out of your pocketbook.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Can Anything Be Done About the Rotation?
What we all believed would be the problem with the Orioles in the beginning of the season has come front and center. The starting rotation has been very bad lately, and there is no solution in sight.Here is what the Opening Day rotation was, and where they are now:
--Jeremy Guthrie: still a starter, 6-8 record, 5.02 ERA (6.86 on the road)
--Koji Uehara: has not been bad when healthy, but often could not go longer than 6 innings a game and is always hurt
--Alfredo Simon: needed elbow surgery after two bad starts, out for the year
--Mark Hendrickson: relegated to the bullpen after many bad outings, but has become a decent long reliever
--Adam Eaton: released after posting an 8.56 ERA in eight starts, now playing for Colorado Springs Sky Sox, Rockies Triple-A club
And the rotation now:
--Jeremy Guthrie: 6-8 record, 5.02 ERA
--Brad Bergesen: a solid starter this season, 5-2 record with a 3.53 ERA, 4-0 in last eight starts
--Rich Hill: mostly bad outings with a few exceptions, 3-2 record with a 7.43 ERA, only twice going over 5.2 innings
--Jason Berken: may not be ready, 1-5 record with 6.25 ERA
--David Hernandez: only five starts but ok right now, 2-2 record with 4.15 ERA
It is no doubt that the rotation has been real problematic. Without Bergesen and solid work from the bullpen, the whole pitching staff could be lost. Certainly it was thought the rotation would struggle, but the difficulties with Guthrie and Uehara made things much worse.
But can anything really be done about it right now? As we often tell ourselves, the Orioles are not in contention right now. Not matter what deals can be done, the Red Sox, Yankees, and Rays will likely be better. Signing a number of free agents likely will not help matters plus will cost millions of dollars. Trading also won't work, as you will not get anyone good and ready to go without giving up one of the big three, which is not an option, and Andy MacPhail will not do that.
The Orioles can keep tapping into Norfolk all they want, and that is what they will do. Already from the Tides came Bergesen, Berken, Hernandez, Radhames Liz, and Alberto Castillo from the pitching end plus Matt Wieters, Nolan Reimold, Lou Montanez, and Oscar Salazar in the lineup. The Tides pitching staff has been real helpful to the Orioles, and they still have some people left, but eventually the Birds will need to stop bringing people up, if only because they will run out of them. Left that could help now are David Pauley and Chris Waters, but after that, the rotation will need to function on their own.
This whole situation is difficult for the Orioles, but it is one they will need to get through. Mainly because nothing really can be done about it unless the current pitchers can do better. Let's hope they do.
(Photo credit: AP)
Saturday, July 4, 2009
R.I.P. Steve McNair (1973-2009)
It was reported today that Steve McNair is dead, shot to death in Nashville at the age of 36. Information about his death is still being investigated.McNair was a longtime Tennessee Titan, reaching a Super Bowl with them plus winning MVP one year. He would finish his career with the Ravens. He had retired after the 2007 season after playing 13 years.
This is a truly sad loss to all football fans, especially those in Tennessee. Steve McNair was the definition and model of a football player, a well respected person who did everything he could to win. He would often get injured throughout his career, but he kept going. He was a great player and leader on the field and was always considered a strong presence in the locker room. He could throw well, run well, and always was a good player, but his attitude and will to win truly made him who he was. Very few players could bring the attitude he could, and he brought it all 13 years of his playing career.
Derrick Mason said of him that he was one of the rare players that would get the most out of everyone on the field. Many of his teammates had great respect for him as a leader, a player, and a friend. Many football fans, even those against him, had respect for his talent, his courage and will on the field. We will never forget his career, most notably the 1999 season where he led the Titans to the Super Bowl and nearly pulled off the win over the Rams.
Steve McNair will truly be missed by the football world. He was not just a great player, but also a great person. R.I.P. Steve McNair.
Free Kicks: Abbreviated July 4th Edition
Well, Happy July 4th everyone! After (almost) finishing Free Kicks on Thursday, I had to catch a flight to Baltimore and missed posting yesterday. However, this seems even more appropriate. Not only is this the anniversary of our nation’s independence, but it is the 1st anniversary of the Around the Harbor blog. In that time, we have had 391 posts, better than one a day (though I know we miss a day here and there), and have gone through moving out of state, graduations, new jobs, and the struggle to find new ones. Thanks for reading, that is what makes this thing worth it to us. Now, let’s line up for the kick…
Who Says This is a Bad NBA Free Agent Class?
In any given year, there are usually one or two superstars and a host of mid-level players available in NBA free agency. However, with the economy being as poor as it is and most teams holding onto cap space for the all-important “Summer of LeBron” next year, this was thought to be a rather boring year with only a few complimentary pieces moving around the league. It is so funny that teams are planning so many years ahead in a “win now” league, especially when only 2 or 3 stars (LeBron and Chris Bosh particularly, as I expect Dwayne Wade to resign with the Heat) on the market, but that is another story. Additionally, with Carlos Boozer seeing the writing on the wall and staying with Utah and Kobe Bryant expecting to agree to a 3-year extension with the Lakers, those superstars are lacking from this year’s class. But I would argue that this class has a host of great young players who could be acquired at a bargain rate and decide who wins a title not just this year, but even after 2010.
After making foolish decisions for the last year, Detroit acquired Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon in free agency, both young athletes (25 and 26 years old, respectively) who can inject energy into the Pistons’ rebuild-on-the-run strategy of Joe Dumars. Both excelled on teams where they had to be the star; it will be interesting to see where they fit when they don’t have to be the focal point (particularly if Avery Johnson is hired as the coach). Ramon Sessions is a talented guard who is still developing at the position, Paul Millsap is a solid defender and if he is not resigned could demand quite a paycheck, and Marvin Williams’ rebounding and perimeter shooting have shown improvement every season. This is not the best class, but give me a starting five in this free agent class and I could go to the playoffs in the East. Championships will be won with the players in the 2009 class; let’s not think too far ahead to 2010.
So Close and Yet so Favre
Before you gouge your eyes out upon seeing that name, it’s still worth mentioning, if only once. So, reports indicate that Brett Favre is close to buying a condo in Minnesota, and we can now officially start watching Brett Favre in the Twin Cities. It isn’t that I am opposed to players coming out of retirement (even multiple times), because that happens in every other sport without a blink of an eye. Boxers are almost expected to come out of retirement at least once for “one final bout.” Michael Jordan did it without any major repercussions from the fans (they might not have liked it, but they accepted it). The reason this bothers me is Tavaris Jackson. Here is a guy who needed this season to prove himself before the Vikings went a different route to fix their long-term quarterback question. Last year they brought in Gus Frerotte and yanked Jackson early in the season, only to watch him come back late in the season and pull them to the playoffs. They are treating their project quarterback like an O’s pitching prospect in the early 2000’s- sending him out there before he is ready (like they did in Jackson’s rookie year), and then sending him up and down until he fails and his confidence is shaken. Brett Favre is a good addition if you want to win now. But to do so, Minnesota has sold any chance of Tavaris Jackson becoming the quarterback of the future.
Who Says This is a Bad NBA Free Agent Class?
In any given year, there are usually one or two superstars and a host of mid-level players available in NBA free agency. However, with the economy being as poor as it is and most teams holding onto cap space for the all-important “Summer of LeBron” next year, this was thought to be a rather boring year with only a few complimentary pieces moving around the league. It is so funny that teams are planning so many years ahead in a “win now” league, especially when only 2 or 3 stars (LeBron and Chris Bosh particularly, as I expect Dwayne Wade to resign with the Heat) on the market, but that is another story. Additionally, with Carlos Boozer seeing the writing on the wall and staying with Utah and Kobe Bryant expecting to agree to a 3-year extension with the Lakers, those superstars are lacking from this year’s class. But I would argue that this class has a host of great young players who could be acquired at a bargain rate and decide who wins a title not just this year, but even after 2010.
After making foolish decisions for the last year, Detroit acquired Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon in free agency, both young athletes (25 and 26 years old, respectively) who can inject energy into the Pistons’ rebuild-on-the-run strategy of Joe Dumars. Both excelled on teams where they had to be the star; it will be interesting to see where they fit when they don’t have to be the focal point (particularly if Avery Johnson is hired as the coach). Ramon Sessions is a talented guard who is still developing at the position, Paul Millsap is a solid defender and if he is not resigned could demand quite a paycheck, and Marvin Williams’ rebounding and perimeter shooting have shown improvement every season. This is not the best class, but give me a starting five in this free agent class and I could go to the playoffs in the East. Championships will be won with the players in the 2009 class; let’s not think too far ahead to 2010.So Close and Yet so Favre
Before you gouge your eyes out upon seeing that name, it’s still worth mentioning, if only once. So, reports indicate that Brett Favre is close to buying a condo in Minnesota, and we can now officially start watching Brett Favre in the Twin Cities. It isn’t that I am opposed to players coming out of retirement (even multiple times), because that happens in every other sport without a blink of an eye. Boxers are almost expected to come out of retirement at least once for “one final bout.” Michael Jordan did it without any major repercussions from the fans (they might not have liked it, but they accepted it). The reason this bothers me is Tavaris Jackson. Here is a guy who needed this season to prove himself before the Vikings went a different route to fix their long-term quarterback question. Last year they brought in Gus Frerotte and yanked Jackson early in the season, only to watch him come back late in the season and pull them to the playoffs. They are treating their project quarterback like an O’s pitching prospect in the early 2000’s- sending him out there before he is ready (like they did in Jackson’s rookie year), and then sending him up and down until he fails and his confidence is shaken. Brett Favre is a good addition if you want to win now. But to do so, Minnesota has sold any chance of Tavaris Jackson becoming the quarterback of the future.
Enjoy the weekend!
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Turnabout is Fair Play
As they said in the movie Coach Carter, "Not quite the storybook ending we hoped for."
Obviously this was not a fun loss. This is one of those losses that lingers for a few days. It is especially bad because it is the Red Sox; everyone wants to beat them, especially at home to win a series.
It is hard to place a lot of blame. You can't blame Dave Trembley for the ninth inning, as he was relying on the Orioles two best relievers to hold down a 4-run lead in the 9th. Jim Johnson can't be blamed, he gave up a home run on a good pitch to an All-Star hitter. George Sherrill may have been tired from the day before plus he did nearly get out of it.
It is even hard to blame the umpires. The last two home plate umpires were probably the worst strike zone callers ever for both the Orioles and the Red Sox. Tony "Rain Delay" Randazzo clearly wanted to go home quickly after the rain delay on Tuesday and on Wednesday Chris "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better" Guccione wanted to end it quickly with a constantly moving strike zone. Both teams got terrible calls their way.
Basically though, with regard this series the Orioles will just need to move on. There is still plenty of time in the season and they need to move on. They have the Angels for a four-game series, and the O's normally don't do well against them. But the starting pitching for them is struggling, so they do have chances.
Obviously this was not a fun loss. This is one of those losses that lingers for a few days. It is especially bad because it is the Red Sox; everyone wants to beat them, especially at home to win a series.
It is hard to place a lot of blame. You can't blame Dave Trembley for the ninth inning, as he was relying on the Orioles two best relievers to hold down a 4-run lead in the 9th. Jim Johnson can't be blamed, he gave up a home run on a good pitch to an All-Star hitter. George Sherrill may have been tired from the day before plus he did nearly get out of it.
It is even hard to blame the umpires. The last two home plate umpires were probably the worst strike zone callers ever for both the Orioles and the Red Sox. Tony "Rain Delay" Randazzo clearly wanted to go home quickly after the rain delay on Tuesday and on Wednesday Chris "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better" Guccione wanted to end it quickly with a constantly moving strike zone. Both teams got terrible calls their way.
Basically though, with regard this series the Orioles will just need to move on. There is still plenty of time in the season and they need to move on. They have the Angels for a four-game series, and the O's normally don't do well against them. But the starting pitching for them is struggling, so they do have chances.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
What? Really? What? This is the greatest thing ever.
So, I go to sleep last night with the Orioles down 9-1, stuck in a rain delay. Falco and I were both ecstatic to see the rain, hoping that the game could just end there and not count. Well, I wake up today at about 6 AM, thinking "well, maybe they'll try to squeeze in the end before the game today...". Then in my haze, I amble over to my computer (not even checking the scores because I don't need that kind of pain to start my day), and see an email from Falco. "Post tomorrow about THE GAME?" Game, what game? I checked the box scores. 11-10. Orioles.
Following said rain delay, the game continued as it had been. The Orioles continued to be shut down, and the Red Sox even tagged on an extra run in the top of the 7th to make it a 10-1 lead. A 10-1 lead for the best team in the American league with, incidentally, probably the best back end bullpen in all of major league baseball. So then the Orioles are there in the bottom of the seventh, down by nine runs, going into the late hours of the night with a day game looming the next day. So what do they do against John Masterson who struck out the side in the sixth? I'm glad you asked.
-Aubrey Huff singles
-Nolan Reimold (the man, the legend) singles
-Luke Scott doubles, 10-2 Red Sox
-Salazar hits for Mora, hits a 3-run home run to left, 10-5 Red Sox
-Matt Wieters singles, Andino grounds into a fielders choice, Roberts advances Andino to second
-Felix Pie (didn't you think the game was over when he had to replace Jones?) singles to center, 10-6 Red Sox
So then the Orioles are still down by four runs going into the eighth, where Mark Hendrickson is able to keep the Red Sox down and give the offense a chance. Then the offense came up in the bottom of the eighth.
-Nolan Reimold (the man, the legend) singles
-Luke Scott doubles
-Salazar reaches on an infield hit
-Matt Wieters (the Golden Boy) strokes a base hit to left, 10-7 Red Sox
-Ty Wigginton pinch hits for Andino, lifts a sac fly to left, 10-8 Red Sox (can ya feel it?)
-Brian Roberts singles to left, 10-9 Red Sox
Now Jonathan Papelbon comes in, relieving Saito after both he and Okajima only recorded one out.
-Pie strikes out against Papelbon, two out.
-Nick Markakis smashes a double to left-center, 11-10 Orioles
Georgie comes in in the ninth inning, has some excitement but shuts down the Red Sox culminating in a beautiful swinging strikeout of Jason Bay. Eat it, Red Sox. I hope those fans who infested the Yards yesterday night think twice before they make the trip next time.
Now, let me qualify this joy by admitting that I am unabashedly anti-Boston. I can't stand their teams, their fans, their wretched elitism, their standing upon some supposed moral superiority when they play the dirty game of moneyball as much as any other gluttonous sports giant. Their "Red Sox Nation" (along with Yankee fans who are just the same albeit not with the sense of righteousness) has continued to make a mockery of the All-Star voting, and have made a Red Sox-Orioles game nearly unwatchable at the Yards. I'm sure Boston is a lovely city, and it has a rich and meaningful history. But when it comes to sports, there's unbridled hate coming from this Baltimore sports fan.
But all the credit to the Orioles. They could have so very very easily phoned this in but they didn't. They kept playing hard, and played the game the right way. Do I think that this will catapult this team to contention? No. But I do believe it makes a large statement about the character of this team and about the talent that does exist on this ballclub. It might not have shown in recent weeks, but this club can hit and they have an awful lot of heart. Biggest comeback in franchise history. Biggest comeback of any last place team over a first place team in major league history. Enjoy this one, O's fans.
Following said rain delay, the game continued as it had been. The Orioles continued to be shut down, and the Red Sox even tagged on an extra run in the top of the 7th to make it a 10-1 lead. A 10-1 lead for the best team in the American league with, incidentally, probably the best back end bullpen in all of major league baseball. So then the Orioles are there in the bottom of the seventh, down by nine runs, going into the late hours of the night with a day game looming the next day. So what do they do against John Masterson who struck out the side in the sixth? I'm glad you asked.
-Aubrey Huff singles
-Nolan Reimold (the man, the legend) singles
-Luke Scott doubles, 10-2 Red Sox
-Salazar hits for Mora, hits a 3-run home run to left, 10-5 Red Sox
-Matt Wieters singles, Andino grounds into a fielders choice, Roberts advances Andino to second
-Felix Pie (didn't you think the game was over when he had to replace Jones?) singles to center, 10-6 Red Sox
So then the Orioles are still down by four runs going into the eighth, where Mark Hendrickson is able to keep the Red Sox down and give the offense a chance. Then the offense came up in the bottom of the eighth.
-Nolan Reimold (the man, the legend) singles
-Luke Scott doubles
-Salazar reaches on an infield hit
-Matt Wieters (the Golden Boy) strokes a base hit to left, 10-7 Red Sox
-Ty Wigginton pinch hits for Andino, lifts a sac fly to left, 10-8 Red Sox (can ya feel it?)
-Brian Roberts singles to left, 10-9 Red Sox
Now Jonathan Papelbon comes in, relieving Saito after both he and Okajima only recorded one out.
-Pie strikes out against Papelbon, two out.
-Nick Markakis smashes a double to left-center, 11-10 Orioles
Georgie comes in in the ninth inning, has some excitement but shuts down the Red Sox culminating in a beautiful swinging strikeout of Jason Bay. Eat it, Red Sox. I hope those fans who infested the Yards yesterday night think twice before they make the trip next time.
Now, let me qualify this joy by admitting that I am unabashedly anti-Boston. I can't stand their teams, their fans, their wretched elitism, their standing upon some supposed moral superiority when they play the dirty game of moneyball as much as any other gluttonous sports giant. Their "Red Sox Nation" (along with Yankee fans who are just the same albeit not with the sense of righteousness) has continued to make a mockery of the All-Star voting, and have made a Red Sox-Orioles game nearly unwatchable at the Yards. I'm sure Boston is a lovely city, and it has a rich and meaningful history. But when it comes to sports, there's unbridled hate coming from this Baltimore sports fan.
But all the credit to the Orioles. They could have so very very easily phoned this in but they didn't. They kept playing hard, and played the game the right way. Do I think that this will catapult this team to contention? No. But I do believe it makes a large statement about the character of this team and about the talent that does exist on this ballclub. It might not have shown in recent weeks, but this club can hit and they have an awful lot of heart. Biggest comeback in franchise history. Biggest comeback of any last place team over a first place team in major league history. Enjoy this one, O's fans.
(Photo Credit: Lloyd Fox/Baltimore Sun)
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