Alan Hess - Why do you think the O's will not be signing any free agents?

You may have just moved to the top of the pessimism index.

Players could not even file until after the WS finished and the O's can only talk to their own FA filers for the 1st 14 days after the WS.

WAY too early to give up!

Roch, this is becoming an interesting topic - wasn't the 2008 schedule finalized BEFORE the 2007 season ended?

The Braves and others are sending email out about 2008 dates already.

Are the O's dropping the ball or thinking the fans won't care? Or is there something else going on?

Is the schedule going to be released soon, just like the Fanfests were going to be held soon? I'm pretty sure we're still waiting on them, despite hearing they would occur throughout the season.

Roch, do you know anything about the FanFest or when the Orioles are planning on having it?

I would be willing to bet that Cameron was doing a Palmeiro. After realizing his numbers were slipping and maybe even his range in CF, he went to the juice to try to keep up or make it to some milestone.

While he wasn't on 'roids, speed can certainly help a guy who's energy is fading to keep going.

This is a topic you do not hear enough about. I cannot remember if it was Palmer or Ripken who said they thought a bigger affect on performance would be MLB's crackdown on "greenies."

Where some teams used to have coffee pots in the clubhouse labeled Caffeine, DeCaf and High Test (such as the Yankees famously had), stimulants were no longer available at all.

You have to wonder about some of the guys whose performance suddenly fell off over the last two years.

Hey, Roch, maybe this is an investigative piece that might require you to travel to Arizona and Hawaii on the Sun's nickel? (While you are at it, you would have to go to the illicit factories that must be in Cancun, the Bahamas, and Tahiti...).

And if you need a research assistant to help you on this mission I may be able to clear up my schedule....

Again, you gotta wonder what good stimulants are doing for some guys. Maybe Cameron needed a depressant so he wouldn't K by overswinging so much and could make better contact than his .250 or so BA suggests. Still holds down the fort in CF reasonably well, but I should've been suspicious when I saw him bowl over Reds' catcher Dave Ross and give the poor guy a concussion as if Cameron had gulped down a 6-pack of Red Bull. Given the way Bronson Arroyo was pitching that afternoon, the Pads' should've saved that bit of intimidation for the end of the season when they choked (with Cameron and Milton Bradley replaced by Brady Clark and Scott Hairston, among others).

And once again, I stand corrected on the Aug. 11 Birkins start in L'ville: he threw a WP, loaded the bases with a walk, and then gave up a 2-out, 3-run double to Joey Votto, the Reds' future 1B, in the 5th before being yanked, but all three runs were unearned because of Terry "Teehee" Tiffee's error. As if anyone here cares . . . .

bill l-- If you saw Votto, you must've seen Jay Bruce.

How did they look? (Well, I see how Votto looked).

I wonder if Trembley or MacPhail have given any thought to bringing Eddie Murray, Brooks or Frank Robinson as bench coach. I think all 3 would be a fantasy, but each would definitely bring something to the table if it were anything close to a reality....

Regarding the post by Bill: I attended the game in Louisville on Aug 11 and was very much underwhelmed by Birkins. I'm not upset that the Orioles let him get away.

Here's an update as to why the O's have yet to release the 2008 schedule. They're currently negotiating to play a game in London's Wembley stadium sometime in July against the British national cricket team, known as "Bangers & Mash" because of their hitting prowess.

I see Daniel Cabrera starting for the O's; his one-hoppers in the dirt would fit the cricket style perfectly. Sidney Ponson will make an appearance to throw out the first drunk.

Of course, the game will be halted in the middle of the seventh for high tea and a stirring rendition of "God Save the Queen", followed by John Denver's "Thank God I'm a Cockney Boy."

All adults 15 and over will receive a Prince Charles bobblehead doll and four free tickets to an O's-DRays game, along with free airfare, deluxe hotel accomodations, and a crabcake to be named later.

Hey, you gotta think creatively if you want to fill Camden Yards these days. I don't think the return of T-bone Shelby is gonna pack 'em in.

TomD--

Pessimistic? I think the idea that the O's might not sign any FA would be reason for optimism, given how thin the crop is this year, and how unproductive it has been for them in past years.

We've seen them patch holes for 10 years, paying too much for overvalued free agents who cost too much and contribute too little (meanwhile losing draft picks).

At some point the reality that this is a losing approach has to sink in. This year I am OPTIMISTIC that they have figured it out.

Hey, Jimmie Carter and PhilF:

Glad others care about that hot IL action.
Jim: I never thought that Birkins was being groomed as a regular starter, so I didn't expect that he would be anything more than on and off or go esp. deep into the game, having one inning where he struck out the side (incl. Jay Bruce), one escape from a jam, and certainly no help from Tiffee, who made two errors that night (but I agree that a better pitcher wouldn't have let that distract him).

Phil: Scott Hatteburg should've been dumped (esp. as a leadoff hitter!) and Conine should've been slipped to a contender long before Votto was finally called up; he was more than ready by the 2nd week of Aug. Bruce K'd twice (his current rate is once every 4 ABs, but of course he's on track to have Dunn-like power), made a throwing error, didn't have anything but routine chances in CF, and only got a single off Tim Kester that night (thankfully the Birds aren't trying to retread him or bring up Jim Miller, who blew the game to Aaron Herr in the 9th, in any great rush). Besides his position, I don't know why the Reds are keeping Herr down, who along with Votto and the soon-to-be retreaded Jorge Cantu, had an immense night and put together a strong season. What I'll also remember is that other retread, Josh Hamilton, playing in L'ville Sat night and then in Cinnci the next afternoon, and of course being among the first to see Sebastien Boutier, the slap-hitting CF we got for Parrish, in his AAA debut.

Anyone who wants to track the Tides next yr when they come to Louisville or Indy, give us a shout out.

fans, once again let me tell you why the 2008 schedule is not out yet, because the orioles treat us fans as sh-t and don't care about our feelings and that is why they have 7500 out there every night when they say they have 21000. i want them yo start telling everyone about the no shows like the NFL did back in the 1980's

I can assure you that the schedule has been released to those "in the know" downtown. Many of the local tourism industries are already aware when NYY, BOS, and the NL Central teams are coming to town.

Does anyone remember the name of the Milwaukee runner who got thrown out at home plate when John Shelby made "The Throw" in 1982?

Roch,
I dont know if you adressed this but, am I the only one who thinks it is freaking awesome to see Markakis in an Underarmor commercial following Soriano? I saw it and I said "yes..." Finally some recognition for the O's.

It's November and we already have people griping because the schedule for 2008 hasn't been released yet? Good grief is there anything this fan base WON'T complain about?

So much for the thoughts a few weeks back about Schilling coming to Baltimore. As I’m sure most here now know, he listed 13 teams he would sign with and Baltimore isn’t one of them. Think about that—we were talking before about the merits (or lack of) him signing here and of 13 (!) teams he listed, Baltimore isn’t one of them. Sure, he just won the World Series and Baltimore is about as far away as you can get from such a high, but the O’s aren’t even a consideration when the list is a long 13.

For me, it’s no big loss, because Schilling would be the wrong pitcher for us. Yes, he’d provide leadership, and obviously he still brings something to the postseason, but the O’s aren’t going to the postseason, and he’d be much too expensive for what he would provide a fourth place club.

I think Schilling’s list is just a sad reminder of the state of this club. Baltimore is not a destination for good players. Miguel Tejada probably hits himself in the head regularly, wondering if the rest of his peers around the league think he’s an idiot for signing here.

Reimold is 4 for his last 7, with a HR and 4 RBIs... he should be up by midseason next year, if not out of spring training.

RV-- it is pretty cool how UA pumps up local athletes. In addition to Terps, Ravens and O's, I even think Meissner does the women's coldgear line. It is my desperate hope that a company like that would find it in their hearts to buy the O's, but from how they continue to make good decsions in the business world, they probably would not see it as a worthwhile venture. At least we would get the uniform changes the previous poster asked for!

"o" for oh well

being that UA is based out of MD (and started by a UMD football player), they dam well better put in some local players!

RV - It doesn't hurt that UnderArmor is HQ'd on the harbor and the owner is from Laurel and grew up an O's fan, but I had the same reaction to you.

It was so unexpected that I had to ask my wife to verify it was him (she thinks he....well, I probably don't have to worry about them meeting anyway...)

ALSO - The play at the plate involved a Brewer who's name sounded like Scuba because that was what we were calling him in the stands - was it Scubee? Scubet?

As I recall - meaning it is probably not 100% - he was a "young" player who was supposed to be a future star but did more of the Sam Horn thing than the BJ Surhoff thing.

Am I even close?

Anybody get it who didn't look him up?

The schedule will be released at the next Fan Fest - which will be scheduled on the day the Ravens host an AFC playoff game.

Just kidding, they'd never do that!

Actually the schedule was already released at one of those mini-Fan Fests they held during the season.

i'd like to see the 08 sked so i know exactly where and when they'll go in the tank.

may 23 @ boston?

Great , Cameron just zoomed to the top of the FO's radar I am sure. He can be had cheaper now since his salary will probably be prorated for those 25 games. Cheap is the key word here.... I think Patterson is a better option , but he would probably cost more.

Queen, if they are going anywhere overseas to play, it would be Athens.

KG - Thanks for the Az and Hawaii updates - keep them coming!

I see that Eric Gagne filed for free agency. Obviously, he won't be back with the Bosox and he melted down since they got him.
There is some merit to giving him a one year, incentive- laden deal. He is still only 31, had a decent half season with Texas and apparently he didn't have any arm trouble in '07.
It's not as if we have a proven closer waiting in the wings. The market may be thin for a guy like Gagne and maybe he can be had for a song.
I know the arguments against this move-ie over the hill,etc but if he has something left in the tank, he could be a decent pick-up. This man has always been a competitor and he may have a real incentive to get back on track.