hey jay,

here's your hat, what's your hurry?

"c" is for c-ya!
t.w.O.

Roch - Thanks for all the updates. Question about the draft this June. Is it safe to assume that the Orioles have a pick available in each of the early rounds this year, unlike last?

The Orioles have the fourth pick overall. According to Baseball America here are the top four players at the moment. Third-baseman, Pedro Alvarez(Vanderbilt), by far the best position player availabable. Pitchers Aaron Crow from Missouri and Brian Matusz(LH) out of San Diego. And high school shortstop, Tim Beckham.

Tampa has the first pick and may pass on Alvarez with Evan Longoria slotted as their 3b of the future. The Pirates choose 2nd - always anyone's guess due to financial restraints and KC picks 3rd. They might be hard pressed not to pick Crow if he's still available.

It would be nice if one of the three college guys were still availble for the o's due to the fact that they could be in Baltimore by 2009 or 10. Beckham's development would take longer, but would certainly fill a need for the not so distant future.

If most of the predictions on this blog prove true, the team will have the first overall pick in June 2009. Something to be excited about!

So many people are suggesting the Orioles cut ties with Gibbons, Payton, Huff, and Mora as soon as possible. The problem is they'd have to eat all of their contracts. I expect that at least three if not all four guys will be gone by this time next year. For now, I think management's only option is hoping a couple of them jump out to impressive starts in 2008. That way, they can be dealt to contenders looking for an extra useful bat and the Orioles can not only dump their salaries, but get a legitimate prospect or two in return, just like they did with Trachsel last year. There is a responsible way to tear a club down and begin the rebuilding process, and sometimes it takes several months to a year. At least you get something in return. I have no issue with a patient approach. It's inevitable that other clubs will come calling for these guys. Of course, if one or more are flirting with the Mendoza line by the end of May, that's when you have to think about cutting your losses.

It's MacPhail's call on who makes the team? That's Trembley's decision more than MacPhail's, isn't it?

Can't say I understand why you would send guys like Weiters and Tillman down to the minor league camp so soon. Let them hang around with the big boys, get their work in and maybe even play in a few games before shuttling them back to the minors.

Screw Jay Payton. What exactly did he do last year to deserve any guaranteed amount of at-bats??? I would have him in the line-up strictly against left handed pitching, if he can't be traded for a bucket of balls.

Not sure I understand why moving the prospects out of the major league camp early is rushing their development. Guess he doesn't want to get their hopes up of making the team?
Or doesn't want them to get discouraged if they don't do well?

Any order yet on who will pull down the 4th and 5th spot in the starting rotation? How about some thoughts on the bullpen makeup?

Hey Roch,
I'm heading down for Spring Training in a few weeks. Any places you recomend to eat down there or have a nice cold brew?

we better be in dodgertown next year. the pics of our spring training facility are rediculous.

Jeeze. Is Payton already making things difficult? I guess he saw big chunks of ABs taken away with each of the two big trades this offseason. Can't blame him for resenting being marginalized, but before he says anything else, he should take a lesson from Brandon Inges comments about losing his job this offseason.

Payton's comments are very cocky--almost as if he is goading the Orioles to trade him. Too bad he will only net a low level prospect. But in this case an addition by subtraction is warranted.

Jay Payton is a selfish jerk who stomped around Boston demanding playing time over more talented teammates. Let's hope he and Huff were the last of the "hey, they'll take our money!" type of signings in Baltimore. There's no way Payton -- or Huff for that matter -- should take even a single at-bat from Jones or Markakis, no matter how they're hitting. Luke Scott will have to outperform Payton to grab the majority of ABs, but that shouldn't be hard. If Payton complains, hand him his paycheck and a nice unbreaded crabcake to enjoy while he watches better players hit.

Baron, one way or another, they are most likely going to pay most of these salaries anyway. The one that bothers me most is not the OFers, however, but Mora. Scott Moore deserves an extended trial at 3B. He has the AAA and AA credentials, and he's the right age, but I don't think he's going to get the chance with Mora around.

Mora would be a very good utility guy. I don't see him agreeing to that, though. That's one of the problems with overpaid and declining veterans: they tend to feel privileged, and to sulk when their jobs are threatened. I think the O's will bury Moore at Norfolk just because they don't know what to do with Mora.

tomnit, I'm not sure that Payton can bring back even a low-level prospect, even if the O's take on much of his salary. It probably would have already happened.

Can't call it "rebuilding" until the deadwood gets swept out.

Roch,
Can you tell me who may get cut/released if they dont make the opening-day roster?

My bullpen predictions have now changed since i heard about F. Cabrera:

LR Brian Burres
MR Jamie Walker
MR Chad Bradford
MR Lance Cormier
SU Dennis Sarfate
SU Greg Aquino
CL George Sherrill

Wow,Luis hernandez has to make the team?? Now it looks like the O's have too much pitching depth and they want to trade roberts for more??

I'm waiting to hear Jim Hunter's comments on the roster before I make any firm decisions on who should make the club. I won't be shooting from the hip on this, and I'll get a well-informed, well-connected look both the 25- and 40-man rosters, as well as the balance of the players under the control of the Warehouse.

Payton didn't look happy last year when he was player regularily!
Combine him with Mora and you think we were sending these guys into life threatening situations or root canals by playing a game for a living.
At least Millar looked like he was having some fun out there; either that or he was laughing at the sad sack teammates or some of the pitching performances. Let's not underestimate the value of positive-type players in the rebuild...looks like we may have a few malcontents.

Roch,
This time of year I do my best to get fired up for what will probably be another disspointing season. I was just watching video of the 96 ALCS when Jeffrey Maher stole the ball from Tony Torasco. It really makes me sick when it gets to the part of the crowd hoisting him up on their shoulders and cheering him like a hero. So.....even if this season turns into a long frustrating struggle, I sure do hope we kick the Yankees butts. Whatever happened to Tony T anyway? His reaction is classic.

Actually, spelling "ridiculous" with an "e" is more ridiculous than our spring training facility!

Roch, Why do I need to submit questions to Jeff & Dan if you can do the same thing? Do they have some other kind of access? Just curious. I don't know these guys.

I agree with Baron, there is no reason to rush moving the under performing veterans. We will need one or two of them, might as well let them sort that out and counter-intuitively trade those that are doing the best. The plan is to be good in a couple of years, plenty of time to "sell high comparatively speaking".

I don't think Payton is being difficult, but it is clear he wants to be traded. He is playing late in his career, and he wants playing time, not bench time on a bottom of the league team like the O's.

Hey I'm an O's fan as much as anyone else, but if I'm in the last years of my career I want to be on a contender. Plus it's obvious Payton isn't in our future.

Does anyone think that Ben Davis or Chris Heintz will win the backup role at catcher?
Just wondering on what you guys think.

While waiting for Lou to force the issue. Speaking of Balco, He was the 1st out of the dugout when a fight broke out. Remember Brady and Jr. holding onto each others shirts in the outfield during a brawl? Loved it. One of our pitchers [ black guy ] was a feared fighter ??? No one would mess with him. Cal would stick his head in too. Cal was tough and not afraid. Record or no record. His old man would just shake his head. " Let's have a few Earl . " Remember when Randy Johnson asked " whens Cal's streak over so I can pitch him inside again. " Lots of good times. Time for another screwdriver. Next Sat. 1pm ESPN2 . See how the little 21 Sr. does against George Mason? # 5

the Os must get rid of Payton, even if they have to eat all but two dollars of his salary--he was a painful to watch when he played, not to mention that he was terrible in the field and worse in the clubhouse....he may be a player who earns millions but he will cost millions by sulking and keeping younger better guys from playing

Did the FO ever consider selling Payton &/or Gibbons contracts to Japan? That would be good pergatory for both of them. One case of Sake & it's a deal.... They could probably rent Yan's place, case closed.

Roch,

How come Reimold wasn't invited to the camp?

few updates the last 2 days.... I think our man Roch has spent this weekend cutting a swath through Ft Lauderdale's fairer population....