"Where’s the chubby guy with the mustache who leaves his house in the middle of the night and starts baking?"

"Fred the Baker" (actor Michael Vale) retired in 1997 and died in 2005.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_the_Baker

What I think it means, Roch, is that Andy MacPhail is no longer content to simply rearrange the Titanic's deck chairs. He's making a statement to the organization that the status quo will no longer be acceptable.

In order to get everybody's attention and show that he really means business, he's commenced to throwing some of those well-worn deck chairs overboard to remove the clutter. (Soon to be replaced, no doubt, with newer, shiner ones!)

The past ten years aren't McPhails fault. Trying to throw together a playoff team in a single offseason, year after year is what got the franchise to wear it is now. I'm willing to remain patient as long as McPhail is allowed to do what he needs to do and everyone, Angelos, is truly committed to this.

I've been an Oriole fan for as long as I can remember & I'm 62. I will be patient as long as they make good deals for prospects & the right free agent because prudent rebuilding can help to ensure long range sustained play off contender. Having said that the first time Angelos gets in the way I'll probably go ballistic.

Roch:

In response to your question about fans being willing to remain patient, what other choice do we have? This team should've started the rebuilding process back in 1998 or 1999 (at the latest!) but didn't. They have never shown a willingness to commit to full-fledged rebuilding. If they did that, Bedard would be traded rather than resigned as would Roberts and Tejada. The farm system is pretty barren of useful prospects so it's going to take awhile. (FWIW, I don't count anyone below AA since there is a huge jump that players have to make to be successful in AA ball.) My guess is that if we're lucky the Orioles will be consistently competitive in five seasons. Longer if they're not lucky.

Meg

How wrongheaded is the Orioles approach to rebuilding? So wrongheaded that Cal Ripken isn't even a part of it.

And he should be part of it. A big part of it, indeed, an integral part. He shouldn't be over in China, trying to market baseball. Any number of former players could be doing that (if it needs be done at all).

In fact, I'd say having Cal involved for the rebuilding is so essential that it boggles my mind that this isn't happening. Think about it. More than any former Oriole whose name is ever mentioned on this blog, he's the one who can affect quick, significant change by his presence, whether as manager, as a key member of the front office or as owner.

Yet, Cal is halfway around the world when Baltimore is where he's desparately needed. Somebody in the front office continues to miss the big picture and the club continues to pay dearly for this ineptitude.

If his relationship with Peter Angelos is still broken, then it needs to be fixed. Whatever is necessary to get it done must be done.

If the Orioles are ever to become a quality team again than they need that piece of the puzzle Cal provides. He should be contacted as soon as possible to become part of the process.

Rock I'm a bit surprised that you actually have to ask the question are we willing to remain patient? I mean this once storied franchise has been turned into a joke in the last 20+ years and you have to wonder if fans will remain patient for a few more as the club may be on the right path for the first time really since the 70's?

The fans want a winner and any knowledgeable fan knows that can't happen overnight with this team. We have to reshape the internal structure of the franchise, we have to rid ourselves of some dead weight on the roster, and we have to continue to rebuild the farm system. Andy MacPhail cannot just snap his fingers or twitch his nose and make things better in an instant. Instead of questioning whether or not fans will be patient, why not realize that if MacPhail continues to follow his own trends with past clubs with the Orioles that maybe in the next few years we can once again be a contending club? So what if he's canning Sammy Snider and Andy Etchebarren, what exactly did they do to help us win in the last decade? I mean come on man, I know you're better then this fluff.

We've already been through 10 straight losing seasons...

I am excited actually to see if McPhail does make the trades and gets the prospects...it will be great to have young guys hustling out every play, and watching them development through the minors...

The Ironbirds might have had a losing season, but I would much rather watch them, than drive 40 miles to seee the O's...

If we are totally rebuilding and we trade away a host of veterans, then I may be a little more inclined to watch them live than on tv...

I am just tired of going with the same plan, looks like McPhail is serious...he has the rest of this year to show us what he can do...

it's time to blow up the team. the orioles have been one of the worst run teams for over 20 years. edward bennett williams started this mess with his hands on meddling of the team...signing high priced over the hill free agents and neglecting the farm system. blame it all on jack kent cooke. if he doesn't leave l.a. for washington, ebw would have continued to run the redskins and never would have bought the orioles. so blow the team up, hope that angelos allows macphail to do his job (that could be a 50-1 shot). all this talk the last few years of how great the orioles young arms in the minors was b.s. liz, olsen..please these guys aren't much. we draft brandon snyder, a high school kid, as one of the top 6 picks in the draft who caught about 3 games and he was going to be our next catcher. what kind of scouting system to we have. maybe these guys were scouts for general custer. how can the yankees who draft 25 spots down the line from us have good young players on the major league team and we draft in the top 8 every year and have markakis and no on else. we need to completely revamp the minors and the big league club from top to bottom.

Roch,

Maybe MacPhail sees a culture of laissez faire, where everyone just kind of went through the motions of doing their job but didn't really do anything else. When they saw things going on that shouldn't be happening they just kind of ignored the activities rather than taking a preemptive move and correct it.
Sometimes over years people will just kind of accept losing and/or laziness rather than fight back. Of course 10 yrs of it will do it to most people. Even if some of these people weren't in positions of authority maybe they ignore sloppiness/laziness rather than reporting it to management.
Although it seems like some of the worst offenders are the players themselves:
1. Tejada and his constant lateness (did that ever change?)
2. Hernandez and being out of shape and not hustling
3. Gibbons and his whining about DHing even though he can't field
4. Anyone who complains about not playing even when they are hitting .240.
5. Players needing prior notice of not being in the lineup (Mora?)
etc.....

Its going to take a whole lot of changes before the clubhouse/production is much better.

I just read of a trade with the Angels: Angels get Tejada and Oriores get pitchers Ervin Santana & 18 year old "Young-Il Jung. I'm 73,hope I'm around to see Jung lead us to play .500 lol

Krispy Kreme's...

Roch, I think the shakeup on the roster will esemble the shakeup in the organization. They are wiping the slate clean. Next few weeks should be interesting, and probably shocking to some people.

You ask about fan reaction. We weren't going to win anything in 2008 anyway. After the dismal last six weeks, most people understand that. So accepting a lousy 2008 will be easier than if it came out of nowhere. The key is putting some good young talent on the field so that fans understand that progress is being made. No more dead end duds with inflated contracts.

There is even a chance that they could be pretty good if things break right for them. But that would have to include getting the right young talent back in a Bedard trade. Everybody's positions have been well stated here on that question, but I don't think there's any question that two or three young studs in the lineup would accelerate the rebuilding.

Whether that is ultimately in the team's best interests I guess could be argued. But if we want to see several good position players develop during the next year, that's the way to go. They have to come from somewhere, and except possibly for Reimold I don't see any position player showing up and making an impact on the club in 2008. Wieters is a year off at least, Snyder at least one year off but probably two, Rowell two or more. After that it is grim.

I am much more optimistic about the young pitchers, though. I wouldn't be surprised to see Olson and Liz have a big impact in 08, maybe Hoey is he gets another shot, and don't be surprised to see Chorye Spoone up at the bigs by September.

I am actually more excited about this team than I have been in a long time.

"s" for Should be fun.

Rebuilding is the way to go. These last ten years have been terrible, yes, and I certainly want a winner in Baltimore, but to keep signing low-risk, low-reward veterans (especially ones who wish they were still playing for a different team) like we've done since the Thrift era is akin to hitting yourself over the head with a ball peen hammer.

Let the rebuilding begin now. Trade Bedard now; he will never be more valuable. (I don't think he will ever pitch 200 innings, either.)

As far as Rudy and Sammy are concerned, I don't think that Trembley and McPhail need anyone from the "old regime" second guessing them. Tell them to pick up Jay Gibbons on their way out of town. This is the beginning of a new, professional organization that believes in the old ideals of fundamentals and teamwork, not HGH and attitude.

's' is for success!

As much as it'll hurt to watch, I'm up for rebuilding, it'll be the only way back to respectability. Its like being in a traffic jam: do you hit traffic and keep taking yourself out of the queue because there "might" be multiple shortcut roads somewhere else that would be the easy way out OR do you bite the bullet and stay on the expressway because its moving slowly but steadily?

"s" is for slow and steady

Roch,

I don't know about the rest of the regulars and semi-regulars, but I know I'd be thrilled to see an actual focus on rebuilding around here.

I think one of the problems since about 2000 is that the team has never really faced up to the reality that we aren't going to compete. Fans haven't either, but we're not supposed to be rational, that's why we're fans. The thing is, it seems like we have always had too much money tied up in bad veteran contracts that we didn't really need, and we just haven't had anything in the farm.

I could live with losing with young guys if it meant there was hope that we would ascend from this bleak pit of the terrible into which we have fallen over the past decade.

But there's not a lot of hope for anything when we get Jay Payton in left field, and we're stuck paying money to Jay Gibbons and others who probably aren't going to contribute in any meaningful way.

As I have posted before:
If McPh speaks to the fans and lays out his plans, speaks the truth about the state of things, asks the fans to be patient, and assures the fans that he's here until he brings real change... then maybe the fans will respond favorably.
If Angelos balks at all this, I expect the ballpark to be emptier and emptier. Maybe the team will be sold and moved to Indianapolis.
Those are not dummies over there running the Nats and they'll probably be better sooner than the O's. Plus they have a new ballpark.
Can Angelos keep his hands off? Never has.
I can't imagine McPh putting up with meddling. The fans have STOPPED putting up with Angelos' meddling. The fans have STOPPED putting up with EVERYTHING.

I would sell my soul to be a fly on the wall at the home of the Eldersburg Dunkin Donut manager when he gets up this morning, yawns, scratches his groin, and opens up the morning paper to the sports section.

They need to trade Bedard and Roberts, along with Tejada. Nobody else on this roster is going to yield any prospects of value. O's fans don't have any choice but to be patient. The alternative is to stick with what we've got and continue earning 4th place in the division until the D-Rays' pitchers arrive, then start finishing last. If we trade those three guys and are smart about it we could be decent in 2009 and very competitive in 2010. If we don't it is more of the same next year and beyond. I know no one wants to hear it, but this is the brutal truth.

I can see them releasing Snider and Arias.... Of course he can't do both but Flanagan needs a job.

Thanks for being such a downer on a bright Saturday afternoon. So much for hope! Where's the gun? Its time for some serious roullette.

I'll all for a complete rebuild, we just need to do it right this time. So far, so good.

I understand the rebuilding process and what it takes to become competitive, but you cannot get rid of BOTH Bedard and Roberts. One I would understand, but not both. I say keep Roberts. Give him the contract that he wants and build around him and Markakis. You'll get more from Bedard, and if you move Roberts, there will be upset fans. Say what you want, but the fans need to be able to get behind a player, and Roberts has become that guy. Sign him now and keep him for the long term.

Only people left are Flan, Dempsey, Tyler and Shelby. What a great move to bring in Shelby. I can't control my self. People will start camping out for tickets.Sam P is a lucky man. I really liked him. Why does Pete dislikes Itailians to manage his teams? I fiorgot, Pete is Polish.

Roch, 2 words of advice...Krispy Kreme.

Oh, and don't work Saturdays while entertaining your loving daughter.

Oh, and it's College Football Saturday, we're not paying attention anyway.

And why such a heavy Question of the Day? 'Though it's actually an easy one for me.

I'm willing to be be patient provided there is tangible evidence that an honest, open evaluation of this entire organization is truly in full swing and that the cheap, meddlesome, pompous arrogance that took down the once proud Baltimore Orioles is a regrettable thing of the past.

I'm willing to be patient provided this coming 2008 season provides the overwhelming evidence necessary to conclude that there is truly a plan in place for the long term success of the Baltimore Orioles and that it's execution inspires hope in all who have so much emotion and pride invested.

Since you asked, Roch, I'll go ahead and commit to being patient.

Unfortunately, Mr. Angelos long ago lost the right to ask that of any of us.

Bama, LSU, 27-27, 9 minutes left...wow.

Put me in the patient crowd. No more stop gaps, has beens, and never will be's.

I won't remain patient. I will still be a fan, but I won't put money into Angelos's pocket so McFailure can rebuild from nothing. I'll wait to see that they are in full rebuild mode, but if so, I'll stay at Pickles.

Looks like he's got guts, power, and a plan, with Trembley an active partner. Fine. So far he's undefeated. When he begins to hire instead of fire and when those he hires begin the season, we'll see what it adds up to.

It is worth wondering how long the Angelos Clan will remain on the sidelines and how AM takes the heat when some of his people come up short.

As a long-time season ticket holder, I'm glad to see it. AM is an experienced baseball man from a baseball family. He's not close to perfect, but he's ours and he's in action. As far as I'm concerned, he's got through the 2010 season to make this a contender.

I hope he and the owners have the will and the patience to keep on truckin'.

I'm all aboard the rebuilding train! I'll wait until the cows come home. I can't help it. I was born in Baltimore and I'm pretty sure I'm not going to leave.... and if for some God awful reason I have to.... I'll still be a fan. I LOVE THE O's!!! I'm just hoping the rebuilding is successful and fast because my body can't handle the alcohol abuse the O's force upon me from April to September (the losses don't hurt as much when you are drinking).

As far as Roberts and Bedard... if they happen to come across this blog....

PLEASE GIVE US TIME! WE NEED YOU! I'M BEGGING YOU! IF YOU NEED MORE FANS, I'LL BRING THEM TO THE YARD IN 2008!!!! WE WILL SCREAM OUR HEADS OFF! DON'T LEAVE!

To Peter Angelos: You better offer them a butt load of $$$$ because if they leave, you are in for a world of hurt.

Oh and FYI, I was in New York City today for a lovely freezing cold day of shopping and I realized how much more I love Baltimore. My God!!! I think I hate NY even more. But they hated me because I proudly sported my Orioles beanie cap. Definitely got a few looks for that. : )

Enter L for Lounging in my comfy, quiet and much cheaper Baltimore home! AHHH!

I think it's a lot easier to be patient with a team that's _clearly_ trying to improve itself, that _clearly_ has a plan for the future, than one that seems intent on coming in second among all the big-time free agents, then overpays for second- and third-tier talent.

I've been a fan since the mid-60s, and I've been waiting for this team to get better since 1997 (as have we all). The best-laid plans of Frank Wren, Syd Thrift, Jim Beattie, Mike Flanagan and Jim Duquette haven't made much of a dent. Andy MacPhail has the pedigree that says he knows what to do and how to do it. I'm hopeful, after essentially losing all hope last Mother's Day.

As for Etchebarren, Snider and Arias, yeah, I can see why you wouldn't blame them for 10 years of losing. And Roch, you would probably know first-hand what kind of guys those three are more than any of us. But if you want to change the culture of losing, you have to change it in ways big and small. Who knows what little bad habits Snider and Arias might have fallen into? As for Etchebarren, years of not being a successful minor league manager don't exactly ensure your future in that role. Yeah, you can't make chicken salad out of chicken feathers, but that's true at every level. Same goes for Tom Trebelhorn, by all accounts a great guy and a baseball lifer, but if you haven't been part of the solution to this point, you're part of the problem.

And there clearly is a problem. Look what it has done to Miguel Tejada. He came here in 2004 universally lauded and happy to be here. By the middle of his second season, he had already had his spirit broken (at the time, I thought it had something to do with Sammy Sosa poisoning the well, but now I'm not so sure); by 2006 he was being shopped around, and by 2007 he was asking to be dealt. I still love his game, and hope he stays around for a resurgence, but I'm pretty sure he'll be wearing different colors next season.

I think we'll know for sure whether we can expect real change in this team by the time the winter meetings end next month. We might not like saying goodbye to some of the more familiar faces, but nothing changes if nothing changes.

Of course the people reading this blog will be patient--we are still reading O's news and enjoying the entertaining minutia that you dish out. However, there is a huge contigent of solid fans (that many here would call bandwagon fans) that just aren't interested and that is sad. The O's are not relevant to non-baseball fans and barely relevant to serious baseball fans. You can get all high and mighty, tell us how amazing you are because you bleed orange and black (whatever that means) and call them pretenders, but you need those fairweather fans to fill up stadiums and create buzz (and drownout away fans).

Lastly, Fractured Prune donuts rule. I'm glad they have migrated north from the beach.

ROCH, THE ONLY REASON THE ORIOLES LET GO SAMMY AND RUDY WAS BECAUSE THEY THE KIDS TOO MANY BASEBALLS THIS PAST SEASON NEAR THE BULLPEN AND GOMEZ IS THE NEXT TO GO SOURCES SAY. LARRY HARLOW AND DAVE SCAGGS WILL BE THE NEW BULLPEN BATTING PRACTICE COACHES. SNYDER CAN GO BACK TO HIS OLD JOB THAT HE DID IN THE 70'S AND 80'S OF CLOCKING THE PITCHERS DURING THE GAME. ALSO ROCH FYI THE DONUTS SHOWED UP 1130AM WHEN A VAN FULL OF THEM WERE SHIPPED IN FROM INDIA. I HAD TO GO TO MARTINS TO GET ANY GOOD DONUTS!!!! TRY THAT NEXT WEEK. THEY HAVE A BETTER SELECTION ANYWAY AND YOU CAN ALSO PICK UP ANITA'S BIRTHDAY CAKE AT THE SAMETIME AT MARTINS BAKERY.

Best Donuts:
For the best total donut "experience" try Miggy The Donut Man at the Sunday Morning Baltimore Farmers Market. Right there under I-83, around the corner from City Hall, lurks the best donut guy around. 7AM to 11:30 AM on Sunday mornings only he stokes his magic donut machine into action. Grab a bag and then slide over a few feet to grab a cup of fresh Zeke's Coffee. Forget Wheaties - Miggy and Zekes have the real breakfast of champions!

Dunkin' Donuts? Krispy Kremes? What about Tim Horton's, eh?

The only impatience I have had when it comes to the Orioles is waiting for this day to finally come. This day when someone in the organization is finally willing to stop lying to the fans, and maybe to themselves, that three, thirty-five year old, seven-million dollar free agents equals one twenty-eight year old, twenty-one million dollar free agent. This team is so full of holes...this franchise, right down through the developmental system is so full of holes...that tearing it apart and building from the ground up is the only way to fix it. I've been impatient for this day to come, if indeed that is what McPhail is doing. He is purported to be a great baseball mind, but it hardly should have taken greatness to see that. Just someone willing to proclaim that the King has no clothes. Of course, if I flip over to the Orioles message board, I'm sure there are a ton of fans excitedly talking about the O's signing all the top free agents. Ugh. So, you do have a point, Roch, about whether that type of fan will tolerate this slow overhaul.

I'm excited by the prospect of a legitimate rebuilding effort, and feel confident that finally we have people in the front office who are capable of pulling it off.

As for whether or not MacPhail will be around to see it through, if MacPhail remaining with the O's means that George W. Bush becomes commissioner of baseball, I would drive Mr. MacPhail to New York so he could begin his new job there.

Its good to see this team finally has a plan. Better yet, it appears to be the right plan. Besides Boston & New York, all mid market teams have to go through this. Cleveland, Detroit, Sand Diego, etc. I think this is the most exciting the O's have been since the turn of the century. As far as Snider & Arias, Roch you need to look beyond personal relationships you may have had w/ them & realize this is all part of the much needed overhaul. Go O's !!!!

Please don't trade Bedard. I like Roberts. He's a nice player and solid citizen but he's only an all star because who else is it going to be. Bedard could be a superstar. Build around the young pitching, especially Bedard. Everyone else can go, even Markakis.

Where's Eldersburg? Is there really so little there that people need to clean out the Dunkin' Donuts?

Big PInk must have a thing for Canadians...Bedard isnt young talent, he is entering the prime of his career, Markakis is the oyung talent...Anyone who watches baseball for more the the butts, knows who to keep and who to trade for rebuilding..

Roch,

I'm willing to be patient if Angelos let's McPhail put his stamp on this organization. And in a strange demented way, I think Angelos will. What choice does he have left? If he let's the organization continues down this current path with a somewhat barren farm system, no true star power, what's going to happen to his already dwindling fan base? Peter is not a dumb guy, just very stubborn. My read is that he finally figured out that his idiot kids can't run a franchise, and if he wants to get out of this thing, restore some of his credability in this town, not too mention line his pockets, he's going to have to clean up this mess.

As some have posted, I have no problem with letting Snider, Arias, and Etch go. What impact were they going to have? Most people out here will have to understand that rebuilding is not going to be a quick fix or pretty. We are not going to fix a broken farm system that has been virtually ignored since the mid to late 90's, in two years. We can accelerate the process, but realistically that means Tejada, Bedard, & B-Rob are gone, along with some serviceable veterans like Huff & maybe Mora. I would love to keep Bedard, but I'm not sure that's a realistic expectation. I really don't think this team will be playoff ready by 2010. My thoughts, competitive yes, but playoff worthy? Doubtful. Not in the AL East.

So I say focus on rebuilding around Markakis. Lay out the plan for B-Rob, and if he see's merit in it and agrees to extend for the sake of rebuilding and not getting a shot at the playoffs until the latter phase of his carreer, give him his due. Bedard and Tejada are the one's that can bring us some blue chip talent, so that means they are probably gone. And in between we draft wisely, and add free agent acquisitions that make sense for rebuilding. Who knows, maybe we strike upon an Ortiz like the Redsox did. How many saw that coming when the Sox signed Ortiz?

Yep, if we do this right, I'll take 5 years of turning the ship around with hustling young ballplayers that finally make the Peter Gammons of the world take notice. Other than to heap ridicule on this organization, when has the media even given us any respect? I say go for it!

Tom D... I know you feel that trading off your core players is not necessary, however, be honest, you are the GM of an upcoming team, does this team really have anything in the farm system to offer you to get excited about? I'm no longer interested in mediocrity, and hoping we can find lighting in a bottle one year. We need to be able to sustain runs towards the plaoffs. And that takes a healthy farm system. You don't get that in 2 years.

Last Spring, at the beginning of the season, and after Trembley became manager, this blog, the posters, and most of the city was drowning in Kool-Aid. Then, disaster, and many people went to the other extreme - blow it up, start over, etc. I still don't see how a losing streak perpetuated by AA and AAA fill-ins constitutes the need to rebuild. If they rebuild, and go young, and there is no measurable progress in the performances of young players, people will clamor for free agents, a new manager, a new hitting coach. It's not an either or proposition: sign FA or rebuild? Angelos has enough money to increase pay roll significantly. Look at what happened to the cubs in one season - loser to playoffs. The Yankees will be down next year, Toronto isn't going to make any moves. The time is now. This team tried to rebuild in the late 90's and that didn't go so well.

Dunuts? What are those? Roch, you have a very interesting menu to go along with your weight training. :-) Let me guess... McD's double quarter pounder for lunch..... we already know you like Taco Bell late night....

Patience???? This is the era of instant gratification... if you don't believe me, just watch what Roberts & Bedard do when the word is passed by them.

Now the FO is trying to say it's the bullpen staff's fault? That is quite a lame scapegoat.... Hilarious! Watch out Ernie....

Big Pink.... I think that DD is the hub of Eldersburg's dietary needs... it took over for Ruby Tuesdays, that got to pricey....

Roch, there's a stink about the organization and I think everyone around it should be changed...even if they were not part of the problem, they have been around the problem and affected by it. The expression, "pigs don't know pigs stink" comes to mind. I am not referring to them this way as people - just as a baseball organization. I am sure these guys being let go are good people - but the reality is they have been around and part of a stale inept organization. It's time for changes - I think Flanagan needs to go as well...as much as I loved him as an Oriole player...he has been awful in his current position. Middle aged middle relievers as your offseason, when you "compete" in the AL East will not get it done.

Gary

Gary

Rebuilding is our only option-Much as i hate to see Bedard go, he's our best trade chip.Roberts and Miggy go too.Make sure they go to the N.L though. On the other hand, pitching is key to our sucess, Sign Bedard long-term and build this team around him and Markakis-

Count me in as one of the fans who will remain patient; as long as they are serious about rebuilding.

As a Baltimore native, I've always been an O's fan. Just because the Rays are the closest team to me, doesn't mean I have to root for them.

g is for GO ORIOLES! or
get better players!

Hey Beerman, Is that the same Miggy pretending to play short for the O's and bellyaching all the time?

DAVID- TURN OFF YOUR CAPS AND LEARN HOW TO WRITE A COHERENT SENTENCE.

I'm all for a rebuild. Too bad they couldn't get it together while Roberts was playing well. He's 30 now, but he'll be too old by the time real help arrives...I guess we should trade him, ugh. He's been a joy to watch.

Bedard's only 18 months younger, but pitchers are different than middle infielders. They might be better served keeping him around...he'll only be 33 for the 2012 season (Roberts would turn 35 after the season ended).

Part of the problem he found in the system (I would guess) is that, although we have some hitters now, there's nobody to play any skill positions except catcher. We don't have a single credible SS or 2B prospect in the minors, nor a true CF. Just a collection of hitters, who will all soon be fighting for ABs at 1b/3b/LF/DH (with Markakis at RF).

i agree with what others have said..that this is a real time of change, not the fake wanna be impatient buy old and past their prime at inflated prices veterans on the overpriced "free" agent market...

p.s. remember ryan minor? rocky coppinger?

so with that in mind, mr. sensible GM:

a) keep bedard. pay "high" now because "high" now will be a steal in 3 years.

b) keep markakis, roberts. pay whatever they want.

c) adam loewen can be a true #3 starter behind guthrie or #4 behind danny C.

d) give rowell and weiters the playing time and opportunity to get up here.

with that we will be yet again on the bullpen issue. which is always hit or miss (no pun intended).

there's my 2 cents.. feel free to dismantle...

Keep Bedard. With him pitching every 5th day, no long losing streaks should occur. Trade Tejada. The team had their best run when he was out. His trade value will be diminished greatly a year or two from now. You keep your good pitchers - you don't trade them - EVER!

Patience, Roch?

I have been patient since, oh, about 1986. Think about it. Starting with that season, the Orioles have had 16 out of 22 losing seasons. The farm system has been s*** since the early 1980s…. other than the Why Not season and a few good years in the mid 90’s, this franchise has been terrible. I have not looked up the stats, but I bet that since that infamous Aug 6 1986 game with Texas, the Orioles have probably one of the 2-3 worst records in baseball from that day to today, counting only the teams in existence on that date.

I have been hoping for many years that the farm system would be rebuilt, as that was the foundation for the great teams from the 60’s thru early 80’s. Finally, we have someone who is running the team (?) that is saying the right things. Someone that finally seems to get it – someone who is not going to waste money on marginal players like Peyton, Huff, etc.

Anyone looking at this team rationally knows that far too many pieces are missing for it to win 90+ games, even if you sign A-Rod and/or Hunter. This team needs to be blown up – everyone except Markakis should be available. If Bedard will not sign a long-term contract - trade him. Everyone over 30 - trade or release. Mora? Tell him if he doesn’t waive his no trade – he will sit on the bench –see how he likes that!

I feel bad for the younger people on this site that never saw things the way they used to be - the way they should be. A whole generation of fans has probably been lost. Many of them root for the Red Sox or Yanks now – do you really think everyone that shows up for those games are really from New England or New York?

There really is nothing left to lose. They might as well start over and do it the right way.

Maybe Tejada goes to Boston... if Lowell leaves, Ortiz wants his fellow countryman around, and a trade that works for both teams happens. The Sox give up Jed Lowry, a good switch-hitting shortstop blocked by their horrible Lugo contract, plus Coco Crisp who has lost his job in Boston but is very similar to Corey Patterson in many regards. Let the O's take a decent pitching prospect in the deal, and it makes a lot of sense.

best donuts are down here on the shore at the fractured prune. when you make it to the beach, roch, try 'em out. they are made to order. awesome. i'll miss sammy snyder. not too many left handed catchers around.

Maybe I don't get it but why is everyone just throwing Bedard out for prospects? If one thing is clear from recent successful franchises, you need pitching. A team, even a rebuilding one, needs to keep it's key players and Bedard is one of those to me. I realize Bedard may not be willing to wait on the MacPhail version of the Baby Birds to come around but if he can be signed he should be. I agree that a good house cleaning is needed with the offense/defensive position players and I hope they can get prospects with a Tejada deal but young pitchers need that old Vet around to show them how to do it at this level. I say make keeping Bedard part of the rebuilding. I guess I'm still hurting over losing Mussina the way we did.

sheets-- despite the conventional wisdom that you don't trade within your division, Tejada to Boston actually makes the most sense for both teams. i think he would do well for another couple of years and fill a void. sure, he'll beat us up for a couple of years, but if we can get talent from a team that has it, i'm okay with that.

Why SHOULDN'T we wait???? The previous admins have not left him with anything to work with. At least he is starting over. If He Weren't doing the things he is doing I would be upset. The whole team is broke from the front office down. wipe it clean and start over PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It would be nice if there was a light at the end of the tunnel; but I feel that as long as Peter Angelos has his name associated with the Orioles they will be deep in the American League East. When MacPhail uttered that absurd comment about Peter wanting to win in Zerbiec's interview I felt that he was just another "yes" man doing Peter's PR work to sell a few tickets while Peter reaped the benefits of a fan base that should stand up and say, "We won't support you anymore". Peter Angelos should be the poster boy for Oreck Vacuums.

Roch, is the serious rebuilding replacing batting practice pitchers? There are about 10 jokes there that I won’t even get into. Perhaps Radhames Liz moves into Snider’s spot on the team. Okay, I had to make at least one crack.

Seriously, you’ve said what I’ve been saying for several years now: a serious rebuilding should have been done a long time ago, roughly 5 to 8 years ago. Yeah, too much time has been lost and too many fans have been lost, in case anyone in the front office hasn’t noticed the declining attendance. How many more fans will they lose? And as the years go by, it gets harder to get those fans back even when you have good teams.

I think one thing that perhaps we (myself included, since I’ve often advocated for it) need to forget about is the mirage of free agency. Yes, a couple of big name free agents would change the fortunes of this club, but, given the state of this club and the realistic assessment that it has too far to go to be a contender any time soon, such a quick fix, while seemingly possible and within reach and highly favorable, is unattainable. No big name free agents worth anything will sign here.

Of course, unlike other loser clubs (Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, and Kansas City) the O’s, frustratingly enough, have the financial resources to land top talent. But the team has been so bad that no one good wants to play here. So, use some of that money to lock up the players you have that are worth keeping—Bedard, Roberts, and even Nick Markakis (4 years before free agency for Markakis seems like a long way, but they should be working on this right now). The O’s need to rebuild, but they don’t need to rebuild the way cash-strapped losers like Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, and Kansas City do; those teams unload their best talent and call it rebuilding because they can’t afford to keep them. The O’s don’t need to necessarily do that. They just need to unload the bad contracts they’ve given to mediocre veterans and stop making those deals, do a better job evaluating talent and developing players, and have one knowledgeable baseball executive who isn’t the owner be the driving force behind everything.

This might not take as long as we fear. Some smart moves can go a long way. In a couple of years, perhaps this team makes real improvements after some smart decisions. Once this team looks like it’s truly moving up, you can imagine top players wanting to play here again.

Prospects, maybes, what ifs, decent but not great young players.... have always been dealt for STARS in the past. It's a time honored thing when that certain star decides he is too good for his present team, or gets tired of losing, or prices himself off his current team. The part most of us forget.... the team getting the basket of players for the sure fire star always get shafted. The basket of players either just play OK, fade away or don't pan out while the established star shines & plays up to abilities in his new town. Dealing Tejada, Bedard, or even Roberts for this basket of potential will bit this team in the @ss...... there are examples of this sprinkled throughout baseball. Two good examples that O's fans should recall.... the F Robinson trade in '66 & the E Murray trade to LA.

I think we are going to see a lot of moves by MacPhail in the next few weeks. AM has said himself it is a "very thin" free-agent market. The timeing to good to get value from players that will not be around for any success by the team.

Tejada, Hernandez, Millar (one of my favorites), Payton, Roberts?, Mora (if he'll waive the NTC), DC and Bedard if he won't sign a long-term deal should be dealt if there's good value coming back.

I would rather lose for another two seasons if it means we're competitive for the the following 10.