I've worn the very same sling. It is incredibly awkward to sleep. Have fun Jay.

The return of Jaret Wright would mean the Orioles are taking a giant step back.

They never should have traded for him and now they should not activate him from the DL

Let him do whatever conditioning he needs to do and then release him.

I would sooner the O's add FCab from the Indians than bring back a career .500 pitcher.

Question - if the O's do activate Wright will it mean Bradford gets less innings after the 7th inning?

If that is the case then, yes, activate Wright.

Bradford should not be allowed to pitch after the 7th inning, period.

TOM D - Bradford has still not surrendered a home run since 2005. Do you really blame him for all of the dinks and dunks that get charged to his record? Wright doesn't belong anywhere but mop-up duty this year.

100% agreed Tom D. Wright is an example of the O's unable to cut their losses. When someone represents negative value, it's time to part ways. Sure you can cross your fingers in hopes your investment will somehow work out, but the writing is on the wall (as with Gibbons and Baez). Cut bait.

I don't know what to think about Bradford. He just keeps opening the door for other teams even though he is getting dinked and dunked to death. His stuff is okay but the results are terrible. He has either started a rally or ended one so many times this season it has been unreal. He has somehow escaped the wrath of the fans I guess because he is often not on the mound when the game officially ends.

Is Ramon stressing about Weiters? He has been atrocious. He is the anti-Huff in terms of when he peaks. How about a few players who can play 162?

RIP Wild Bill--I didn't know you but I appreciated your passion.

I sat in Section 34 from 1978 till they tore the park down.
In 1979, for an Evening Magazine story on Bill, I wrote, "He's the best thing to happen to Oriole baseball since Brooks Robinson."
Anybody who saw the ole cab driver waving that hat and getting the ENTIRE stadium yelling will never forget it.
He was a true O's fan.
The team did him wrong. They were going for the suburban crowd, which they got. Guys like Bill didn't fit the mold, but he was as much responsible for the crowds that filled the stadium and "Orioles Magic" as anyone.
I was in the Section the night he threw his cooler out of the upper deck and was arrested. That was after they banned bringing drinks into the park. That marked the end of the days of the O's being fan friendly. Ever since then, as the behavior of the ushers attest, the fans come last, the money comes first.
Rest in peace, Bill Hagy.
Tonight in the ballpark, I hope everyone gets up and does one last O-R-I-O-L-E-S.

and btw.....
A moment of silence is the LAST THING Bill would have wanted. He wanted everybody to cheer for the O's.

Tom D, this is not particular to Wright, whom I like coming out of the penn if he's healthy, but what's wrong with a career .500 pitcher? That's better than the O's as an entire team in any season over the past 10.

Just a wacky, crazy thought... since the O's are looking for a 'closer' for 08... and since Jared Wright can't seem to pitch more than a couple an innings an outing... what about him getting the chance to 'close' alittle in September?

For those who think he's a waste of a roster spot... the O's are paying his salary anyway... why not see if he would be a fit in 08?

In the final of the Toronto series,why does the headlines say Millar extended his consecutive game streak of reaching base on a 9th inning walk, when he clearly reached 1st base on a fielder's choice in the 3rd inning? Am I missing something here?

I'm getting in on the Wild Bill remenbrances a bit late, but I too want to acknowledge what he symbolized to me: he was a reminder of how fortunate I was to grow up watching the Orioles. I realizd it then; I realize it all the moreso now.

For those recalling the final game in 1982, I remember being called, along with my identical twin, over the intercom at school into the principal's office. As we walked down the hall, we were a bit scared and confused as to what we might have done wrong. When we got to the office, there was my mom holding three tickets for that day's game! The school, which shall go un-named, was counting this as an excused absense! Even with the loss what a day to remember: Hagy, Earl's last day, Don Sutton vs. Jim Palmer, Robin Yount putting us away, etc.

Hagy was, I must admit, along with a bunch of other dudes pulling in huge coolers of beer, a bit scary for a young guy like me, especially later in the game when the profanities and the fights grew more commonplace. But Hagy also was emblematic of a spirit that existed at Memorial Stadium that doesn't exist at the Yard with its corporate boxes where people are too often content to arrive in the second inning and leave in the seventh.

There are some real O's fans on this blog and if more of the spirit that exists here can make its way back into the Yard, we might once again be able to proclaim ourselves the best fans in baseball. (That honor these days goes, quite easily in my mind, to Cardinals fans, followed by those in Cleveland.) To Wild Bill, thanks for leading the charge, and for some wonderful memories! We're better fans because of you.

As for Wright, it sounds to me like he wants to do one thing: establish an inkling of worth for himself heading into free agency this offseason. I'd much rather this club try out other arms that may be of use to us next year.

Kevin in Columbia - Yes I do.

Bradford is all of the Orioles problems in a micro-cosim. He has a self-destruction complex. He seems to find the one thing he needs to do to lose the game - whatever it is.

Maybe the other teams do get dinks and dunks, but they all seem to land in fair territority where no one can field them. If he was doing his job they would hit the ball right at someone or not hit it at all.

A ground ball pitcher, he gives up a fly ball to lose the game yesterday. Against Seattle he throws 3 - 2 pitch away and the winning run scores. If it is not one thing it is something else.

While he has had a bunch of outings where he has gotten the outs, he has had too many where he has given the game up.

Not giving up a homerun is meaningless if he also costs the team the game. I would rather he gives them up and gets the save or win then

I'm not sure if anyone noticed so I'll comment;
Guys, loved the team camraderie concerning the "eye black". Michael Kay was so obnoxious we would have preferred Tim McCarver.

Uhhh....maybe we can bring Jaret Wright off the DL...and bat him 5th? Couldn't hurt. Maybe he's our Ankiel.

All kidding aside, perhaps we should insert him in the 8th spot initially. Don't wanna overwhelm the guy

Kevin...I must agree with Tom D. The fact is Bradford has been horrible as of late. Sure he doesn't give up homeruns, but who feels comfortable with him on the mound? It's not the HR that loses it, it's the dinks and flares into the outfield, but those are more harmful. They aren't usually hit hard which means a runner from second will almost always score on a "flare" to the outfield, especially with Payton and Patterson's arms.

Furthermore, over the past 7 or 8 appearances, Bradford has about a 6 WHIP. That comes with the little hits and the fact that it seems difficult lately to get a batter to chase a pitch that's 75mph and 2 inches off the plate. He shouldn't be a late inning guy. Period. It's not like overuse is an issue, the guy doesn't need days off with the way he throws. Kind of like Wakefield, his pitches are easy and rest won't improve his stuff. Wakefield could throw everyday if he needed to similarly to how sinkerballers like constant work so they don't overthrow and leave the sinker flat.

Bottom line: O's need someone else to fill late inning roles. Hoey seems to be strong and I think Baez will improve over time, but Walker and Bradford need to remain in their respective righty/lefty matchup roles. Bell seems to have embraced the role of righty long man or 6th inning guy and don't forget Burres is now in the pen.

However, I don't see how Jaret Wright will fix any of this. Let him come to spring training next season fresh and try to earn a spot again and prove in Feb and March that he can still pitch. No need to rush him back. It won't help the club it will only serve to potentially reinjure him if he's not 100% ready. Just my opinion

Why can't the Os just admit they made a mistake with Wright and let him go. There can't be any way they are considering for next year's team, can there????? My God, hope not.

Dimitrios (now in L.A.),

It is great that you have such fond memories of your childhood and the O's.

It must have been some school that you attended. The final game of 1982 was on a Sunday!

Definitely have to let Wright audition for free agency out of our bullpen.

Per Wild Bill, I think induction into the Os Hall of Fame as well as an orange seat in the upper deck to not only memorialize him but everything that era stood for would be a suitable tribute.

Bradford is a "boutique" pitcher who should enter the game with men on 1st and 2nd ...or bases loaded...1 out or less. High double play %. As a closer , I think his opp. BA is too high regardless of the type of hit.

Wright is a batting practice pitcher now so if his location is ok...fine . But he is certainly not going to overwhelm anybody.

It would appear that Baez is the best option at this time . I won't bring up the DC closer thing again , but consider one thing . It is an entirely different role coming out of the bullpen for an inning vs being a starter .That's why there are so few hits in the All Star game. You are only going to see them once and you don't have to conserve ...so you can give 'er. Location is not as important if you have 3 - 4 extra mph on it . As long as there is some movement .