Could this be MacPhail's first step towards a much needed housecleaning? Trach didn't even know he was going on the DL!! It's time to start cutting the dead weight and bringing in guys that have potential to turn this team around! It'd only cost about 3/4 of a mil to dump him for the rest of the season.

Hernandez and Bako performing "catching drills"? What kind of drill do the catchers do? Catch pitching maybe? Hmmm...glad they found out the problem with the bullpen.

Maybe the bullpen needs their own pitching drills --- how novel! Or, better yet, maybe Davey T. could use a few managing drills?

I guess I have to accept the O's aren't going to slot Bell into the rotation. It's too bad because I think he deserves a slot. Admittedly, it seems Olson does too. Burres would work nicely as a long man and he should NOT be in the starting rotation because of his inability to give us innings, which the relief corps really depends on. We'll obviously find out more today.

One of my best sources in the warehouse has the O's strength coach Jay Shiner being fired and replaced by Richard Simmons. Makes sense. Mrs. A gave her approval. Big fan, I guess?

Recent question on the Sun's website - What is the most important trait for the new Orioles manager? To me, the most important trait wasn't provided as a choice. The Orioles need someone who can manage a bullpen. Someone who has a demonstrated history of being able to do that. It's why Sam Perlozzo lost his job and it may very well be why Dave Trembley does not remain.

If you go back to the Yankees series, he used Bradford in the ninth inning of Wednesday's game when the O's had a 4-0 lead. Why not Williamson at that point? That would have made Bradford available for the eighth inning on Thursday. He seems to insist on using both Bradford and Walker on the same night. He's done it in three of the last four games. Such as they are, they are the most reliable relievers the orioles have.

The "injury" to Trachsel comes at a good time. Olsen should be his replacement. Give him a shot. Not much more he can do at Norfolk. For those who prefer Bell or Bell instead of Burres - I have one question. Why would a 4th or 5th place team(who has not won in nine years) audition a 30 year-old, journeyman right-hander when you have two youing left-handers available? I'm sure that Andy MacPhail is smart enough not to do that.

Today's question is - Who should be the orioles manager in 2008? Again the best choice is not an option. Davey Johnson is the answer for both questions in my opinion. When was the last time we had a solid bullpen? 1996 and 1997. Who was our manager? He has the experience and the ability to manage a bullpen. Johnson believed in hard-throwing guys in the pen. Maybe we should return Hoey and Doyne as well!

Here's an idea that I know won't happen, but how about have Cabrera close?

What is gluteus muscle? They should give Trachsel spot to Bell to see what he can do. I think after the All Star break we will see Garrett Olson called up. Does it seem like they have given up on Freddie Bynum? The reason I ask that is they play Brandon Fahey over Bynum.

Ray -

I have an answer. Because the 30 year old journeyman put up a phenominal spring, numbers as good as Olson's at AAA, and shut down one of the best offenses in baseball for 4+ innings last night, allowing the O's to climb back into the game. Yes, he's been a journeyman, but maybe he found his groove at 30 and could be a valuable asset. For a team this far behind, anyone with potential needs to be looked at.

Is lousy pitching a new type of injury/disease? That must mean Ray is next to go on the DL.
JJ-Having Cabrera close would be a disaster because he's so wild; he can go from unhittable to John Parrish in a heartbeat. Closing might be ok if we knew when the control goes but every time I've seen DanCab pitch it's totally unpredictable.
Ray...Handling the O's 'pen is like russian roulette. I don't think any manager could use this current crop much more effectively, even if they mixed/matched like you suggest. We are operating with a shaky closer, one decent set-up man(Walker), one mediocre set-up man(Bradford) and a cast of rejects i.e.Wiliamson, Parrish, Baez...
In contrast, Davey Johnson in the glory days-96-97 had a solid pen, consisting of a lights-out closer(Myers) and 2 dominant set-up men(Mills/Rhodes) and dependable situational guys like Orosco. You are comparing apples and oranges with the 'pens.
Even Sammy would have trouble screwing up with those guys!

Hey you all, your missing a big point. If Trachsel's "injury" was affecting his preparation to pitch last night, why did he even start? You could see him hit a "wall" about two weeks ago, looks like he hit it butt first. Ray I agree with you, why not bring up
two lefties. However Bell looked real sharp
last night...what a great change-up

Suggest they put ST on the 60 day DL. He'll still get his dough.
How much did AMc have to do in this decision? Who is MAKING these decisions.
And btw, Roch. You've stopped answering our questions down here. What gives?
Everybody here in Portland is laughing his or her butts off at the prospect of Zebo Randolph going to NYC. Blazers management wanted him and his troup of criminals (The Hoops Family) away from Oden and the other youngsters. He will not be missed.
People were walking around slapping fives and saying, "The last knucklehead is gone!!!"

RBF: I think MLB rules permit Trembley to have made the double switch I alluded to in the previous blog. Here's how the Rule 6.10 reads:

"The Designated Hitter may be used defensively, continuing to bat in the same position in the batting order, but the pitcher must then bat in the place of the substituted defensive player, unless more than one substitution is made, and the manager then must designate their spots in the batting order."

So it would have had to have been a double switch or he couldn't have done it. In any case, there's still no excuse for Trembley pulling Huff out of the game.

I like Brandon Fahey; he's a nice story. But he hasn't shown any reason that the Birds should be playing him with this much regularity. Gomez should get almost every start at SS until Tejada returns, and Bynum should be his backup. Fahey is a nice kid but not MLB-worthy right now.

Ray -

From Rule 6.10:
"A Designated Hitter is 'locked' into the batting order. No multiple substitutions may be made that will alter the batting rotation of the Designated Hitter."

Huff, as a player already in the batting order in a different position, could not, therefore, have taken over as the DH.

So basically a team can put a player on the DL if they feel he is injured and before a doctor even sees the player and can even suggest it? That just seems odd