Considering the implosion yesterday, esp. Mike Gonzalez, a LHP who is ineffective versus lefties, can we maybe construe that this could be a tryout for Patton in that capacity? Lefty bullpen arms tend to be scarce on midseason trade market. So, if Patton proves he is somewhat productive as a LHP bullpen arm, what does that mean for Gonzalez?

I'd really like to know what McPhail's 1B plans are for 2012. Derek Lee will not be back and the only 1B worth even mentioning is Prince Fielder, and we all in Baltimore know better than that. What are the plans for 1B. Snyder is McPhail's dream that will never come true. Looks like Orioles pitchers will continue to mature, but will never get run support. How lame is that? I see 1-22 records with 2.30 ERAs

Which Dunkin Donuts did Tillman run into Schmuck at?

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Jeff Z's reply: Steve, you're rapidly becoming my favorite poster.

I don't know if Patton is the answer , but Gonzalez is not . I think it's time for orioles to cut their lost .
Thanks Curt

Can you see them releasing gonzo? I mean there isn't much more u can do with him, if you keep sending him out there he is going to continue to get shelled. It has to reach a point where you just have to release him, doesn't it? All be it last night was more defense than gonzo but he continues to get hit hard by everyone.

What about Lee? Hardy injury Wasn't serious at first either.
When do you think Machado moves to Frederick?

When Gonzalez showed his true colors last year, we should've tried to get Sherrill back. He would have been a great 8th inning lefty and closer if needed. Or Ohman, wasn't he available in the offseason to bring back as well? It's too bad that just as the starting pitching is starting to show its potential the back end has become completely unreliable. Jeff, do you see the O's making any kind of move midseason if there within striking distance? Or what do you thing Bergesen's role will be when Matusz returns?

MIKE GONZALEZ THROUGH LAST NIGHT 2 YEARS WITH O'S

G W-L ERA IP ER HR BB K’S
44 1-4 5.54 37.1 23 4 19 43

I still have my doubts about snyder having enough bat to fill a ML 1B role, not enough power, it would be a little different if he had the defense of LEE.. I believe this might be a very good time for PATTON, especially as he has been pitching relief at norfolk.. OTHER than WORRELL, the pen at AAA is pretty thin but at AA with KLEIN and two lefties VIOLA and McCURRY have been dominating for possible midseason help. Mahoney has been hurt at AA 1B.. 1B from delaware Townsend has been on fire all year at Frederick..

Naturally since I praised Townsend he dropped below 300 tonite.. Even with this rainout and Patton possibly going back to norfolk I really think he might help our pen this year.. The rest of the relief is mostly at bowie with 3 young guys dominating and 2 of them lefties.. I think Simon will help our pen soon and whoever moves there when Matusz returns.. I really have to get down to Delmarva to see them.. When machado returns they will have 4 guys hitting over 330... I hope they have a seat big enough for me..

And now when will we give Kevin Greg a one way ticket to Release City?

I think we might be able to convince another team to trade a bucket of balls for Gregg, the bucket of disappointment.

The O's right now should fire all relievers except Ueharra and just
bring up minor leaguers or go out trade for relievers. This group has
got to go.
He now has 7 saves and 3 blown saves, including
the loss he and the rest of us suffered last night. Gregg has, to
date, pitched
15 innings, given up 13 hits, 12 walks, 1 home run and has an 0-1
record.
In short he stinks. But so do the rest of them Pull up the pitching
stats of the Orioles on the internet and you'll see that all relievers
except for Koji have walked a slew of hitters and given up one hit per
ininng or more.....just horrible. When these young starters are
pitching their hearts out for a job and a win, it's a crying shame
they don't have anybody to come in and finish a game. Our youngsters
better learn to pitch complete games or they'll end up with a suicide > pact among themselves.

When the O's were touting back in the spring that the bullpen has 5 guys who have closed before, nobody called them out and said, yeh, but none of the 5 still has closer stuff!
Gonzalez was busted before the ink dried on his contract. He should get the "cat thief" award AND a swift kick in the arrss on his way to his new career, selling KIA's in Owings Mills!
J.Johnson faltered miserably in his only attempt at closing, so how does that count as "closed before" Sure, I've made a few birdies in golf, even a couple eagles, but Phil Mickelson I am not.
Accardo pitched at triple A last year; Enough said.
Gregg's reprotoire of avg fastball, solid splitter/sinker is good enough for the 8th and worked in the 9th for Toronto.
Worked if you consider 4th place the goal.
Koji, the only real closer down in the pen, meaning the only guy that can get a strikeout when needed.
Koji gets no love for the spot cuz they fear if he pitches 3 days in a row he'll breakdown like a 7 year old trotter.
AGAIN, I say, NOBODY over there at the Sun raised a red flag back in the spring when this brain trust was building a bullpen of also-rans, retreads, and never was beens instead of plunking down arguably the same scratch for say Soriano, you know, a guy who still composes closer stuff!
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Response from Steve Gould:
Granted, it obviously hasn't worked out well, but the bullpen the Orioles assembled had five pitchers who had saved at least 10 games in one major league season. It'd be irresponsible to label it a group of "never was beens."