Brad Mills just ensured that he will never get a managing job.....

See, Cabrera does have a sense of humor! It would appear Payton reads this blog Roch..... honestly, I am in shock. I had to read that twice before I could fathom it's possibility.

I nearly jumped out of my seat here at work when he hit that grand slam. I have headphones on and am listening to the radio broadcast. Managed to control myself enough to just pump my fists. But WOW.

As I am saying, Payton is going to strike out, he hits the slam.LOL..Amazing how things like this happen.

With everyone clamoring for the O's to move Johnson to the the starting rotation, I have an idea. Since we have (finally) starting rotation depth, why don't we make him our closer. If he's throwing 95+ along with a plus curve he fits the mold rather nicely. Whichever starters don't make the rotation can be our long men out of the pen. Just a little food for thought. I'm not really a fan of trading Sherrill but he can slide into the lefty late inning specialist if we trade/release Walker and if we trade Bradford, we still have Safarte, Ray(when healthy), Albers(if he isn't in the rotation) as the righty late inning specialist. Anybody else have any ideas?

Pretty amazing turn of events. Notice I called Manny's catch lucky, but I won't call Payton's slam lucky, even though as you say, he hasn't hit one since the Japanese surrendered.

Is it okay to say this is a different year? Is it okay to say that yet? Here's Mother's Day last year, right back atcha.

I can't believe it! I can't believe it! I was cursing Trembly for putting Payton in the number 2 slot, and now this. I'm starting to believe...

shawn, what in the world's not to like about "the sheriff"? he needs to be our closer.

All right! 2 of 2 from Bostunned. This recent string of multi-rbi HR's for the O's has been very enjoyable. Seems like we didn't have any last year.

Go O's!

I hope all those wanting to trade Payton will hide their heads. You never know who will get the big hit. Even Quiroz had two hits. The AL East looks upside down.

everybOdy pitched in!

another great win!!!

dustin pedroia is a choke dawg.

Wow! Is anyone else around here wondering if we've got a little magic going on around here? Is it possible that we could make a run for the wild card? Our pitching has been very solid, and I think the real key to our success and close games has been (and will continue to be) the pitching. When you consistently have guys getting into the 7th inning, and the bullpen consistently shuts down the opposing team, you're going to be in a lot of games. I've also got to think that we have not seen the best out of almost all of our hitters yet.

I have to give a lot of credit to Trembley. He has established an identity with this team of pitching and defense, and guys seem to be having a lot of fun. Is it possible? Why Not!

Every day ahead of the NYY is a day in paradise.

Here is the major league.com writeup on Payton's home run: "With the crowd cheering loudly and demanding a curtain call -- and with Payton unwilling to indulge them -- "
He didn't win any fans last year with his attitude and play, and now he's, apparently, still an a-hole. Here the fans want to acknowledge his game winning hit and he can't even come out of the dugout to tip his cap to acknowledge them? Get rid of the bum and get some young kid in there who hustles and shows that he loves to play the game.

Shawn. I'd leave Sherill as our closer and futhermore, don't think trading him is a good idea. He's only 31 and could give us another 5 years closing. There's no guarentee that Ray will bounce back next year and reliable closers are hard to find.
I'm not convinced that moving Johnson out of his current role (either starting or closing) will help us. He's doing well where he is and maybe he's the set up man for Sherrill. I'd expand his role to the extent that he faces lefties at least until Walker bounces back. Right now, Walker is our weakest link in the 'pen. Bradford is also giving up more than his share of bleeders/seeing eye hits so maybe he needs to pitch the 6th or in blow outs,etc.
In my opinion, we keep the arms we have as injuries are part of the game and you can never have enough arms as the saying goes.
The key, in my opinon, is to get 7 solid innings from our starters and then we only have to use Johnson and Sherill to wrap things up. Sounds almost too easy!
We are slowly stockpiling the arms and can throw guys like Safarte, Albers and when healthy-Bierd & Ray. It wouldn't hurt to have another left if Walker can't get it together but overall, I'm impressed with the 'pen right now.
I almost fell out of my chair when I saw the update and Payton's grand slam. I guess there is truth to the saying even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in awhile!

Well, we hit the quarter pole on pace to win 84 games and some wind in our sails from sweeping the Bosox. Is it OK to start believing?

This shows that Payton has no class what so ever. I hope he reads this blog. The grandslam doesn't save him in my eyes, and the unprofessionalism of not doing a curtain call, shows he doesn't want to be here...let him go then..he can be someone elses problem.

FLAT BREEEEEEZY!

FLAT BREEEEEEZY!

FLAT BREEEEEEZY!

FLAT BREEEEEEZY!

FLAT BREEEEEEZY!

FLAT BREEEEEEZY!

Maybe now Bob Ianocone can understand why we don't release Jamie Walker. Start pitching lefties against righties and vice versa and see what happens?

I'm not one to make mountains out of molehills, but I think Payton had to know the fans wanted him for a curtain call. Plus he couldn't straighten the bill of his hat after catching the last out and going through the line with the rest of their teammates who had straightened theirs. The guy's a prick. I just hope they can get something for him before August 1.

I wonder what the last 3 weeks would have been like with DCab?

Good quick two game sweep; have a day off, and get back to it against the Nats...

Sure why not believe? I have been saying that all year BUT it is still early BUT i still believe.

"r" revenge in Baltimore is a bleep

RichD and Deke,

No class? To many in the old school, the curtain call is something that should only happen rarely. It shows up the other team, and draws attention to the individual instead of the team accomplishment. Maybe Payton was just being a humble team player who respects the game. Did you hear what Trembley had to say about him? Trembley works with the guy every day. You can only watch from a distance and criticize.

In Jay Payton's defense...there wasn't a break in the action. I, personally, was one of the ones wanting a curtain call...but Nick was already up to bat and had seen two pitches by the time Jay had made his way down the dugout through a barrage of teammates. He pretty much WAS the offense in this game...cut the guy some slack for cripes sake.

richD and deke - get over yourselves. we won the friggin' game, be happy! you're the same guys who boo him relentlessly when he screws up, now you want him to do you a favor and do a curtain call? gimme a break. you have the right to boo, he has the right to not come out for a curtain call. you two are probably part of the faction that ran Eddie out of town. payton even said that he wasn't sure it was a curtain call or the fans just cheering the homer, plus nobody prodded him out. i'm fine with that excuse, and frankly, i don't care. we won, plain and simple. GO O's!!

I can hear Chuck Thompson all the way from heaven. "Ain't the beer cold"
The way Cabrera was dancing in the dugout then hugging Payton when he came back shows how loose this team is. If anyone watched O's Access before the game and saw the Kevin Millar Band doing the Oriole Magic shows how loose this team is now. True Kevin doesn't have the best baseball body but he is the best clubhouse leader they have right now and I wouldn't trade him for all the money in the world right now. If you noticed that Oriole pitching is not giving up so many free passes and that is one of the keys to winning. The more walks you give the more runs that will score.

The folks here who are whining about Payton not coming out for a curtain call are obviously BoSox fans or idiots. If the Orioles had a miraculous season and won the World Series they'd still be crying about something. Sure gets old. Cheer on the O's and quit expecting perfection in everybody all the time. geesh

Jeez, give Payton a break. With all the negative press about Joba's antics recently, you'd all probably call him a grandstander if he came out.

I've been drinking the Kool-Aid since Millar's WS proclamation. At least now there are a whole lot more people for my co-workers to call "crazy, delusional, and quite possibly drunk..."
And leave it to some on here to rain all over our parades. Let's just take a couple of games from the Sox and be happy about it! This is our version of an unassisted triple play. (oooh that would have been a better analogy had it been a 3-game sweep, I know...)

FLAT BREEZY
LUKE SCOTTWALKER
FLAT BREEZY
LUKE SCOTTWALKER
FLAT BREEZY
LUKE SCOTTWALKER
FLAT BREEZY
LUKE SCOTTWALKER
FLAT BREEZY
LUKE SCOTTWALKER
FLAT BREEZY
LUKE SCOTTWALKER

Oh please RichD, because a guy didn't give a curtain call he's automatically pond scum? Maybe he didn't feel like the timing was right for a curtain call. He even said he just thought the crowd was still cheering about the homer, not necessarily clamoring for a hat-tip and a wave. How does a grand slam in a clutch at-bat who he doesn't want to be here?

I'm not a Payton fan, but there is nothing wrong, or unprofessional about not coming out for a curtain call, Big Deal... It was only the stinkin Red Sox ! How many championships have they won? We are the Baltimore Orioles !!!!! LOOK IT UP !

Geez you guys, maybe Payton is too humble for the curtain call and thinks it's too egotistical.

Today would be a good day to lay off him.