As much as I commend the O's for ditching Gibbons in favor of Moore, I'm rather mystified at the choice of Fahey as the "5th outfielder" over Redmond. Fahey is an infielder and certainly showed better leather than Luis this spring. I'm glad Tike accepted his demotion--he should be the team's 4th outfielder (not Payton or Fahey). Hope to see him back up soon.

I think I'm dreaming! Is this just a huge Orioles prank on the city of Baltimore or did Jay Gibbons get cut?

GO MacPhail! I LOVE YOU!

It's about time!

PLAY BALL!!

Good news about Cabrera taking grounders, good news about Hernandez taking grounders, good news about Gibbons' release, good news that if you look at the lineup it doesn't really look like a 100 loss lineup. Another unspectacular, but solid day in the rebuilding project.

Does anyone else have the image of a giant boat that was heading in the wrong direction slowly making its way back in the right direction?

So far, so good. Thanks Andy, Dave, and Pe... (choke) nah, that will take a lot longer.

Last year I mentioned how difficult it was to even like the players the Orioles fielded. As long as these guys play hard and improve from start to finish, it will be very easy to support them. As opposed to the whiners of the past, these young guys do deserve our unconditional positive support while they grow up at this level.

This is good to hear about Cabrera. However, I still think this problem is not effort as much as desire and concentration.

He has never been lazy. He has always been a guy to put in the work. But, at those times of the game when guys like Mussina, Palmer, McGregor, Martinez and even Bedard would not allow things to turn against them, Cabrera seems to surrender.

I can't tell if he just loses his concentration or if he hears a little voice in the back of his head that says "you can't.'

Either one, this is what the O's should spend more time working on. Maybe they should get the guy who turned Smoltz's career around?

Meanwhile, the Orioles deserve praise and credit for releasing Gibbons. I am a little sorry to see Jay go. Despite all of the steroid talk, he did have talent. He just could not adjust his game to the changes that came with his downsizing.

This is a huge step for the O's. Moore deserves to be here and he deserves a chance to claim his stake to 3rd in the future. I would not move Mora, who has turned into one of the better fielders at 3rd in the AL, just yet, but Moore showed a lot in his brief audition last fall.

Now if they can just find a way to get Chad Bradford off the roster....

Roch - do you forsee any waiver moves today or tomorrow?

JPA, I mentioned on March 26th how weird it was for the Red Sox and A's to play regular season games and then go and play spring training games. Who came up with that idea?
No one else said a word about it until you brought it up today. Glad I'm not the only one.
NCBETH, Your welcome for the updates. Which player don't you have signed yet?

If you could choose one of these gentelman to trade places with, Gibbons or Billick , who would you choose. MMMMM!! I'll take heads and be happy.

I like the pics of the new Nationals Park, but I also liked the shape and style of the old RFK stadium to. DC deserves a brand new place and it's a place they can feel good about. They better since it's over $600 million of their own money. I love that new car smell.

I have this posted elsewhere, but it might get more views here - not for my benefit, but for his. I had a chance to meet Adam Jones at the FanFest yesterday, and I thought he was great! I asked him about the food in Venezuela, having heard two separate interviews with him in which he talked about that. It started a whole conversation, I'm not kidding. He says, "I just had no idea about their delicacies, you know?" I add the italics because he had this really funny face when he said it. I'm talking to him about eating armadillo that I'd heard about, and then he says, "Oh yeah, and like, iguana eggs," again with this really funny face. That made me think of his iguana that he had on his balcony day after day, so I say, "Oh yeah, the iguana - that you named - what was his name, Fred??" And he says, "Yeah, Fred! He was there every day, every day, and I would've invited him in, but I thought he might hurt me!" It was so funny, and so cool, and so relaxed. I loved it.

I think he's just not loud and cocky - I think he's got a San Diego vibe goin' on (he's from there, right? in my experience, that's a totally different vibe than Baltimore), and we're going to love having him here.

GIBBY is gone.....awesome !!!!

Has anyone tested Cabrera for dyslexia? He doesn't stand up when he pitches, and he wont get down when he fields! Its just backwards! Hell! Maybe he has it ALL backwards, he could be throwing with the wrong hand.

Very encouraging to finally have the front office committed to win! I am sure it has been a big laughing joke between Andy and other club execs. At the end of every discussion on his way out of the room Andy would say "well, we have Gibbons that is fresh of rehab can you see him in your future at all" and every one in the room including Andy would laugh as he walked out the door. I don't feel so bad about ownership throwing away 12 mill to Hillary now. If they have that to toss we know they could toss Gibbons! the question was just "would they"

BRAVO!!

Bill in Elkton....Chad Paronto....have not written to him yet. I try to get the players sig on a pic of them in an Os uniform, but that is not always possible. I am slowly getting sigs from all Os on the last WS winning team in addition to as many Os/former Os/future Os as possible!

I nearly spit out my coffee this morning when I read the article about Gibbons' release. I am extremely elated. Whatever inkling of doubt (and it was only a little) I may have still had left about Angelos, and the organization's true committment to rebuilding is completely gone.

This will sound like sour grapes.. But after the lousy two years I've spent out here living in Seattle, I seriously hope that I can one day return here for a visit to catch an O's vs. Mariners game, wearing an Adam Jones O's jersey, and watch him light up the Mariners pitching. Making them pine over the fact that they gave up the second coming of Ken Griffey Jr. (Hopefully without the injuries, of course!)
A total pipe dream, I know. But it would be oh so sweet for me to rub it in their faces here.

GO O's!

Wow! I cannot believe the Orioles actually cut Gibbons.

I have always like Jay and hoped for better out of him, but given the state of the team, his injuries, and the HGH issue, I believe this was the right move.

I am impressed that McPhail was able to eat that salary for the good of the team.

Good luck to Mr. Gibbons as a person .

And just maybe starting to believe in the new Oriole movement...

Hope everyone boo's Millar and Huff tomorrow when they're introduced.

Now they need to find Scott Moore 4-5 starts a week. One at 3b, and two each at 1b and DH.

bill ths 85 -- No reason to be mystified, because Roch only mentioned part of Fahey's job description. His primary role on the team is to back up at short and second, as can be seen on this depth chart from the O's website:

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/team/depth_chart/index.jsp?c_id=bal

I'm sure if he had a choice in the matter, Trembley would choose Redmond over Fahey in a heartbeat, but he has no choice as far as infield reserves. The decision was made for him by the circumstances.

caprimode -- No, you're not the only one sorry to see Gibbons go. I, too, hope he lands on his feet somewhere (and think he will). He just wasn't going to get any playing time, which is what he needs if he's going to regain his stroke. Kudos to Angelos for really buying into what MacPhail is attempting to accomplish. This move may prove a key one for the future of the franchise, especially if Moore develops as a player.

As bad as everyone is assuring us this team is going to be, I think fans are going to be pleasantly surprised. Even if the record is no better than last year, I believe the team is going to be putting a better, more entertaining product on the field than in 2007. One thing about the O's is that with so many new faces on the roster, they have players who haven't been riders on the decade-old nightmare merry-go-round and who will bring energy to this team (as Mora's already noted). Jones, alone, will be a very exciting addition.

More former O's updates.
Raul Cassanova's (O in 02) contract was purchased by the Mets.
But teammate Fernando Tatis (O in 06) wad designated to minor league camp.
Brian Faulkenborg (O in 99) of the Dodgers was reassigned.
Danny Ardoin (O in 06) also was and both went to LA's minor league camp.
The Giants designated Steve Kline (O in 05) for assignment.
And that's your ex-Oriole updates that I could find.

I love how there were fans that still yelled "O" during the Natiomal Anthem in the Nats game...

I just logged in to see if the impossible had become possible. I was amazed. Well done Mr. MacPhail & you too Mr Angelos. I never thought that contract would get eaten. The right message has been sent. I bet Jay Payton sits a little more quietly on that bench now. If he doesn't, he is an idiot.
I don't buy the spin from MacPhail that he was torn on this decision. I think he is trying to be nice to Gibbons & make Angelos look good. I have busted on both here many times, but I will say that they both earned the right to have their names typed right by this fan tonight & to spin away all they like on this one. Thank you both for getting rid of a useless player & admitting a mistake.
The O's are less one softball player & have one more baseball player on the roster now. Well done & I think special thanks & kudos should be thrown Trembley's way too, I think he had something to do with this move as well, more than we shall know.

Boo-master -- I know you're only doing your job and I respect that, but can't there be an Opening Day moratorium on booing Oriole players, even Millar and Huff? (Yeah, they both messed up in the off season and later apologized for their faux pas.)

Opening Day should one of those occasions like Christmas or Thanksgiving, when good will prevails and grudges are put aside for a day. And the bottom line is that there likely will be plenty of opportunities to boo during the season, so just for one game let all Oriole fans welcome their team back to Camden Yards on a positive note!

Even you, Boo-Master. Be nice. LOL

I was at the Nats game Saturday night, and was also amazed at how strong the 'O' was during the national anthem.

RV... I was hoping there were O's fans/Baltimorians to yell the "O!" during the anthem. I yelled it in my living room only for the neighbors to come downstair and ask what happened and if I'm okay. Happens, I guess.

I also had a co-worker call me to say "Hey! I heard your team cut their BEST FREAKIN' PLAYER! what is THAT about!??!" which of course sent me scrambling to the internet to find who else got cut today. And also hoping/praying SOMEONE hit over .103 this spring besides Gibby... whew. And then he'd asked me if I'd heard about BRob possibly being traded. What, am I new? Is this my first day as an Oriole fan?

So now the 25 are set, and the posters can rest debate on that point. Gibbons is off the board, and the team can get on with the season. So many new faces, and so many questions. But it could be fun, and what's better than welcoming spring as a baseball fan with expectations of some memorable times with a favorite team?

Roch, great to have this blog going strong for another year. I remember when there were only a few of us at the beginning, and now there are "legions" of commenters. Thanks for all the hard work on behalf of the fans and our downtrodden team.

Play Ball!

Ahh, Opening Day. If you can't find a way to be happier today than you've been in many Opening Day's, then I suggest you haven't been paying attention. True, we all were probably deluded on past Opening Days into thinking we actually could compete (Huff will surely hit 30 dingers at Camden Yards, right?). And, our fast start a couple years ago probably gave that some legs, but I submit that this is the first we all could truly go into a season with proper expectations, yet optimism that we are heading in the right direction. Although I know we're not going to fill the Yard back up until we start winning, we all owe it to these guys to go a few extra times, and as one of the Sun writers put it, get in (or back in) on the ground floor of this. I'll be there today with my three youngest kids (12 and 6 year-old twins), who undoubtedly will be filled with the same optimism I was at their age. I'll be trying to feel the same way, and finally seem to have a reason to do so. Thanks Andy for a great start, and Peter for letting him do it. Go O's!

Today is the day.......this is what all winter comes down to..........the excitement of Opening Day.......the curtain is ready to open.....the Orioles will run out on the field at Camden Yards.........a nervous Adam Jones feels a heavy load already, but he'll be fine.........take three deep breaths......this is going to be a wild ride.....let's have some fun.
Well that's enough of my glass half full speech.

Go O's , I will try not to be too cynical of the front office on opening day , or at least while there are still three games left in pre-season........against the other minor league team , the Rays..................

We're a funny bunch - we Bird fans. I knew that Peter A. deserved credit for allowing Andy M. to do his baseball work. I just didn't expect us to give it to him. I now (although tempered) believe that we will spend the money next year that it takes to cross the .500 line. Count me among the many that are ready for the ride. To my younger fans - I remember well the Kiddie Korps and it was fun watching them go after the old folks in the league.

I wonder is Steve Kline gave McGowan the finger as he left SF.

So far, so good. Thanks Andy, Dave, and Pe... (choke) nah, that will take a lot longer.

That's was FUNNY JPA!