Good for Guthrie with no DH today. He can get some more solid at-bats in this afternoon. :)

Cool! Jeff Fiorentino (O in 05-06) had an rbi for the A's in the eighth as they beat the Red Sox 5-1 this morning in Tokyo, Japan.
What is weird for me is that there have been two regular season games, but the next one isn't till this Sunday with the Braves/Nationals in DC. And the Red Sox and A's are playing Dodgers and Giants in a spring training games. Who came up with that idea?

Is Moore a member of this team for the long haul - with or without a Roberts trade? Or is he just here til Gibblons returns? I like Moore a lot and hope he's around all summer.

Hard to believe that we have enough depth in the outfield that we could part with Fiorentino during the offseason. Now he's driving in runs in the Japan series for the A's. My question on that would be, would he have been out of options if he were here?

Way to go #56! If the O's pencil Burres in the rotation, IMO he gives the O's a chance to win - a quality start - lots of times. I'd rather see him in the rotation than long relief. Hope Trembley gives Burres a shot.

Posted by: John in Conn | March 25, 2008 7:24 PM

I second that! I know it was only a spring training game, but honestly if we are rebuilding, let the young ones pitch. Dump Traschel and let both Albers and Burres pitch. I've always been a Burres fan. He had quite a few games last season where he was LIGHTS OUT! I'm pretty sure they were Yankee and Jays games too.

Anyways, I say let the baby birds pitch and also someone tell Payton to stop whining. If he honestly thinks he deserves a starting OF job, he's delusional. Trembley please do not give in to his demands. He blows! Same with Gibbons. They both should go!

PS: Where is Tom D??

I'm wondering if there is any sense in continuing to play Gibbons after today. There are a couple of guys who deserve a chance to battle for a final spot or two.

On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with showcasing both of them if there is any genuine interest from other clubs. If that's the case, I hope both of them go three-for-three today.

I'm also hoping Guthrie looks sharp today. Now is the time to put your regular-season game face on. A nice six-inning stint would be reassuring to everyone.

I'll go ahead and predict Rocky Dennis Gibbons stats for today:

0-3, 1 k, 1 gidp, 1 routine fly ball that turns into a circus show, and 1 emotionally disturbed child, FOR LIFE, after the child locks eyes with that monster out in left field.

Good Morning Roch, this is completly off the topic but I can't help notice how bad the Cubbies need a leadoff man.

Do you think the Cubs would be willing to trade Gallagher, Colvin and Ceda in a 3 for 1 or 3 for 2 (Roberts, Payton) package? And do you think McPhail would accept this deal?

Re: fifth starter - assuming no rainouts and keeping guys on their normal rest, the first time the O's would need a fifth starter is after the first starter makes his second start. In that case the rotation at that point would actually be 1-5-2-3-4. So Burres could go in the 5 slot without being back to back with Loewen even if Loewen is #4.

Following up on the theme from others' comments, if I were setting up the rotation I'd go Guthrie, Loewen, Cabrera, Burres, Trachsel, just for the variation in styles. Not that anybody is going to confuse these guys with McNally, Palmer, Cuellar, and Dobson.

For all the Trachsel haters out there worrying about him taking the spot of a young guy, best case scenario for the O's is that Trachsel has a decent year and gets traded again in July for one or two minor leaguers who have a realistic shot at making the bigs in 2010 or 2011. In the meantime, Penn and Olson are pitching regularly at Norfolk, Albers is getting ML experience from the 'pen, and the end of the year rotation looks different than the beginning of the year.

I forgot that Fiorentino wasn't in the Orioles' system anymore. He had an rbi today for the Oakland A's.