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Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 2, 2011 8:57:44 GMT -5
Terrific start for the Cards, John! My condolences! Now I don't feel as bad about the Sox lifeless opener. Yeah, Paul; lethargic is the word. It's only day one, so I'm not concerned, but it does remind me of why I favor incentive contracts for all ball players. They should be given a base salary and then the additional millions get added on as the produce total bases, runs, stolen bases, RBI, homers, good defense; strikeouts, good ERAs, innings pitched, fewest runs allowed, etc., etc. That might knock the lethargy out of them.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Apr 2, 2011 9:37:21 GMT -5
You know Allen, I'm willing to stand in the batter's box with a bat resting on my shoulder for three called strikes, for just a tenth of one of their salaries and still still live quite well.
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Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 2, 2011 11:33:54 GMT -5
Couldn't have put it better, Paul!
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Post by Hiram on Apr 2, 2011 12:19:01 GMT -5
The Orioles are sort of my AL team, so here's the early report on Baltimore. They handled the defending AL East champions rather easily last night, Guthrie threw 8 shutout innings and they had some timely hitting and solid defense.
Bad news is their #2 starter Matusz, is already on the DL with back pain. The rotation (other than Guthrie) is young and developing. The offense will put up some numbers (with the additions of Mark Reynolds, Vlad Guerrero, and Derrek Lee, but they reside in the toughest division in baseball, so we'll see what transpires in the coming weeks and months.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Apr 2, 2011 12:28:12 GMT -5
The O's were once a team to contend with, and given that things -- including baseball -- goes in cycles, the O's will have their day again. Look at Philly over the years. Not sure if it will be this year, but one of these years.
Paul
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Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 2, 2011 12:44:14 GMT -5
When the Hoffbergs owned the Os they built a terrific farm system, maybe the last of its kind. Earl Weaver stayed at the helm for years, until he chose to retire. The organization never had its finger on the "eject" button for its manager, like so many others do when they need to find one guy to blame for failure. Orioles players mostly came from the farm system and knew exactly how the team played and what Weaver expected the day they arrived in the bigs; there was continuity throughout. They did buy a free agent here and there, mostly with very mixed results (Reggie Jackson and Dan Ford were both duds and made no difference; Steve Stone was a great buy, etc.). The organization wanted to win, but did not meddle in the management of the team. Weaver knew what he wanted the and management tried to fill those holes. All in all, they had a stellar record in those years, considering that it was the toughest division then, too, and they had to contend with Steinbrenner's payroll every year. There was nothing sweeter than seeing the Os win close games in late innings from the Yankees; it was every bit as electric as Fenway when the Sox pull that off. I remember Terry Crowley coming off the bench in the 9th more than once to pound one out and leave the Yanks sulking to their dressing room.
It was actually a great rivalry and we were treated to some great pennant races, none more emotional or exciting than 1982. The Os had been terrible most of the year and everyone had given up on them. Milwaukee (then in the AL) seemed a shoe-in. Then Jim Palmer suddenly enjoyed a last fling with greatness and reeled off something like 10 wins in a row; he was the Palmer of old and the team seemed to take on new life from him. by the last 10 days of the season, the O's were in 2nd place, but needed to sweep 2 series from Milwaukee; one of the road and the second one at home. Weaver had already announced it was his last season, so this was his "last hurrah" as well. The Os won every one of those games, including a Friday double header, but came up one short. Palmer just didn't have it in that final game and got shellacked; I don't know if Don Sutton really was a cheater or used sandpaper on the ball, etc., but he was putting on a good act that day. I think he just pitched well and Milwaukee won fair and square. I was there that day, in old Memorial Stadium, and it was a day of heavy emotions; coming so close, only to lose it; seeing Weaver make a "good bye" lap anyway, etc. If it happened today, the last game wouldn't have mattered; the Os would have been guaranteed the wild card spot by then.
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Post by Hiram on Apr 2, 2011 17:14:16 GMT -5
Thanks Allen for sharing your memories. What a great time it was for the Orioles and their fans! Hopefully, they can return to that winning tradition sometime soon.
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Apr 2, 2011 20:51:49 GMT -5
Well, so much for a Sox sweep ... Oh, it's looking like a sweep, all right. A Texas sweep over the Red Sox. I just saw Beltre's grand salami sail over the left field fence, making it 9-3 in the bottom of the fourth. Is it too early to say, "Wait till next year?" Paul
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Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 2, 2011 22:04:31 GMT -5
Well, way too early for a verdict, but this is the uncomfortable feeling I have. I've been saying for a couple of years that they need to help themselves in the pitching rotation, and in the bullpen. If the pitching isn't there (and it hasn't been), this is what happens. They score enough runs that SHOULD win games, but if the pitchers give up even more runs, it's never enough. It adds up to a mediocre season. Again, too early, but it's 12-5 now in the 7th and the Yanks already won their game so they'll be 2 up on the Sox by day's end. If this pattern remains, you can kiss the season goodbye. Where were the Sox front-office guys all winter when there were good starting pitchers to be had?
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Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 2, 2011 22:08:53 GMT -5
By the way, I see Lackey was the supervisor of this disaster, giving up 9 runs before hitting the showers. I would like to know, A) why the Sox ever thought he was worth going after; he was mediocre at best with the Angels, who were probably glad to see the back of him, and B) why is he still there?
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Apr 3, 2011 6:05:39 GMT -5
I've never been able to figure out why Francona is "still there". Saturday's game is typical of his style, were he'll leave a guy in till the point of no return. Lackey was getting hammered --- HARD --- from the first pitch. Even the outs were on balls that were drilled, but somehow managed to stay in the park, or find their way to a glove. Tito should have had someone loosening up before the implosion, but nope. He waits ... and watches ... as Lackey loaded the bases. Does he pull him? Nope. As soon as Adrian Beltre stepped in the batter's box, I said to Nola, "It would serve 'em right if he parks it." Sure enough, he blasts a grand slam against his former team mates. I call it blind justice -- I will never understand why the Red Sox didn't try to keep him. I saw a game in Texas a couple of years ago, when Wakefield was the starting pitcher. Tito left him in until the Rangers had eight runs on the board and was too far down to dig themselves out. I've seen many more games like this on tv. I've never been a Francona fan. In my book, he's just been lucky as heck during his time with Boston. Paul
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Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 3, 2011 8:38:49 GMT -5
I often feel exactly the same about Francona. It's been hard to fault him too strongly in public because he brought the Sox two world championships after nearly a century of drought. But he does this all the time. It's one thing to try to show confidence in a pitcher by not rushing to warm guys up every time they give up a couple of hits, but he really does tend to be asleep or something for long stretches and doesn't even begin moving until it's too late. Also, many times he's driven me crazy in the 9th inning, when the Sox are down by 1 or 2, have men on base, and need a big hitter to come off the bench. He almost always sends up whoever's due up, even if it's the bottom of the order - the #9 hitter. Doesn't he have a bench? Late inning pinch hitters have been fairly common (my own choice for "best of all time" in this category is Terry Crowley; he had an amazing ability to get up in the 9th after hours on the bench and belt one).
I also don't understand why they did not keep Beltre. He was one of the few bright spots in an otherwise dismal season last year. He would have been close to the top of my list of keepers. I've said for 2 years they should be shopping for pitchers, but I don't see where they've helped themselves at all in that department. Is Becket still around? He looked like he was reaching the end of the road 2 years ago and they should have been looking for someone then (and I don't think Lackey is what they should have been looking for).
Allen
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Post by Paul Sylvain on Apr 3, 2011 9:07:39 GMT -5
... and then there's that train wreck named Dice-K ....... 'nuf said.
Paul
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Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 3, 2011 10:09:12 GMT -5
Yup; forgot about him (which, like Benjamin Harrison, is a better fate than he deserves).
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Post by Allen Wiener on Apr 3, 2011 15:54:33 GMT -5
Yup; it was a sweep, all right! But - the Os are 3-0 and swept Tampa Bay! Are they merely toying with me?
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