Just wondering Jeff, how has Tillman done since being sent down?

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Jeff Z's reply: Pretty uneven. 4.11 ERA in 3 starts. 12 hits and 9 BBs in 15 1/3.

Don't give Bergesen too much rest. If I remember right he gets too amped up when he gets too much rest and tries too hard, and ends up failing.

Hi Jeff, I know this would all be contingent upon Hardy wanting to stay with the team, but long term, would you see there being any chance of Hardy moving to 2B if he's still with the team when Machado comes up? I think it's become clear that the team needs to start some long term planning for 2B as well. Thoughts?

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Jeff Z's reply: Yeah, second or third would obviously be an option for him. But Machado isn't close to being big league ready so that's not something that the Orioles would concern themselves wiith for a couple of seasons.

Jeff what is the real reason our pitching coach quit? Was he in over his head? What really happened? Can you give us some insight?
Thx.

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Jeff Z' reply: I'd write it if I had more obviously. I understand the skepticism but both the Orioles and Connor have said that he just didn't have the energy to make a commitment for the rest of the year.

Sinkerballers in general do not do well when rested too long. Too much rest seems to cause them to overthrow and the ball loses its sinking motion. A sinker that doesn't sink often gets hit out of the park.

Jeff,

Thanks for the scoop, as always. I asked this on a previous entry written by someone else and didn't see anything back, but would the O's have any interest in the recently DFA'd J.C. Romero? He's an ever-valuable lefty, he was a starter, so he can go multiple innings, and he has a pulse.

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Jeff Z's reply: Haven't askedabout him. For the Phillies to give up on him though, I'd have to think something is wrong.

Any chance Viola stays and DFA Rapada? He certainly hasn't gotten the job done.

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Jeff Z's reply: Lefties are 4-for-33 against Rapada. I'd say that he has done his job.

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As if they don't have enough talent stockpiled...Tampa has a pitcher in AA that just threw a no-hitter last night.
Whereas the Baltimore Orioles have virtually nothing to show for all their TOP draft picks over the last 10 years...zero, nada, zilch.
If Jordan & his crew are not banished from this organization this year, we deserve what we get...and that's a pitiful team & minor league system.
We have no position players in AAA or AA that can step right in, our pitching prospects are extremly questionable & there are no catchers in the pipeline should anything ever happen to Weiters.
What the hell have these clowns been drafting all these years?
I guess the answer is more clowns...Rowell, Hobgood, Snyder, Loewen, Olsen, Townsend, Chris Smith & the list goes on & on.
The Orioles problem is systemic, nothing will ever change until those in charge of drafting non major league talent are relieved of their duties.
Our minor league system is as barren of talent right this moment as it was 4 years prior to McPhail's hiring. We are no better as an organization today than we were under Flanagan & Duquette or even Sid Thrift.
Those teams with minor league systems loaded with talent that can either get called up or packaged elswhere in a trade are led by savvy young guys that surround themselves with staff & scouts that know talent & will have a presence in the Dominican, Panama or anywhere a quality kid can be found.
This Front Office is a disgrace and has made zero impact on player development, scouting, or community relations.
A grade of F from top to bottom & going down!

JC Romero Stinks!
He hasn't done anything since 2008.
As for Rapada, he's ok. He's done a good job except for that 2 run home-run against Lind. Speaking of Lind, Gregg was lucky that Lind lead off the inning, because at the very least it would have been another blown save. Also, with Mike González and Rapada on staff, I haven't the foggiest notion why we recalled Viola. How many left handers' do we need in the bull pen?

As for me I would have recalled Tillman as a starter and brought up Bergy to see if he has any " Mad Skills" as a set up man. I am willing to bet he would be pretty good if they decided to convert him.

Poor Jack. He really doesn't know much of anything concerning what he's talking about, does he ? Amazing.

Since the O's weren't on last night, I decided to watch the Nationals game since we're playing them this weekend. After the game it struck me that those guys are doing a much better job of building a team than the O's are. Position by position they're better than us at every spot except catcher, center field, and maybe short stop. Please don't tell me right field, unless the Nick Markakis of 2009 and before returns. And most, if not all, of their guys are fairly young if I'm not mistaken. If they can get a fully healed Strasburg back, their rotation leapfrogs ours, too. They definitely have a better, and younger, closer (Storen). We've got major holes at first, second, third, and left field. They don't.