The Red Sox have put up with a lot from Manny Ramirez over the past few years, but they finally drew the line when his words and actions called into question the integrity of the management and ownership, and threatened to unravel a contending team.

It would be easy to say the Sox finally just got fed up with him, but it was more than that. They have put up with his foolishness before -- smoothing things over with all that Manny-being-Manny garbage -- and probably would have again to make another postseason run. He just made it too clear that keeping him would be more painful than throwing in a couple of decent prospects to get a solid run producer in return for him. I'm guessing they won't be sorry they picked up Jason Bay in the deal.

Now Manny is Joe Torre's problem, but that won't be a problem because he'll be motivated to put the Dodgers over the top and thumb his nose at the Red Sox. What happens after that is anybody's guess.

The Red Sox dropped their options on 2009 and 2010 to get the deal done and agreed to pay the rest of Manny's salary for this season. He'll be a free agent in November and hopes to make one last big score. It'll be interesting to see what the market is for him after what happened this week.

While we're waiting to find out, here's one more look at Manny being Manny in a good way -- hitting his 500th career home run at Oriole Park two months ago.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
        

This was my first reaction when Major League Baseball suspended Daniel Cabrera for six games for the pitch that hit Alex Rodriguez:

What, did they just pass the "A-Rod Protection Act?"

Maybe Cabrera did hit him on purpose -- I would have -- but proving intent in this case would have required vacation-relief umpire Chad Fairchild to read his mind. And anyone who has been around Daniel for any length of time would never attempt such a thing.

The situation certainly didn't call for a bruise ball, but you have to admit Cabrera isn't exactly entitled to the benefit of the doubt at this point. So, save your outrage. It's just one start, and they nicked the guy who threw at Kevin Millar, too.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (41)
        

MacPhail said during his conference call today that the Orioles never got "terribly close" to making a deal before the 4 p.m. waiver deadline.

"We didn't have one of those situations where we had several conversations marching toward a conclusion.''

He did leave open the possibility of moving some of the club's veteran players through waivers for a possible trade in August.

"I hold out hope to the extent that it would be something that makes sense for us."

Brian Roberts was never seriously in play.

"It (a Roberts deal) was not something that intrigued us unless we got something we really wanted. With Brian Roberts, that was a very high bar to clear."

Why nothing came together:

"We just didn't find an intersection of self-interest between ourselves and another club...You have to discipline yourself so you don't come out with something just to say you made a trade. You have to make sure you come out better than you were before."

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 5:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (20)
        

So Andy wasn't blowing smoke when he said nothing was going to happen today. The Orioles stood pat, which means they'll probably wait around for a contending team to suffer a big personnel hit in August.

The day seemed relatively uneventful baseball-wide, except for the deal that sent Ken Griffey Jr. to the White Sox for two players, until the Red Sox completed the last-minute three-way deal that sent Manny Ramirez to the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Sox got Jason Bay from the Pirates and the Pirates got four minor leaguers.

The best deal? I'll go with the acquisition of Rich Harden by the Cubs earlier in the month, even though he's lost two of his first three decisions. He's only given up two earned runs in 17 1/3 innings, but is getting Jeremy Guthrie run support. The more obvious choices might be C.C Sabathia to the Brewers, but I think Harden will end up being the better pitcher down the stretch unless he trips over the foul line or something.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 4:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
        

Thirty minutes to go and it's starting to look like everybody can stand down.

Orioles president Andy MacPhail just told Sun baseball writer Dan Connolly that nothing is likely to happen in the final minutes leading up to baseball's deadline for completing trades without waivers. He confirmed there have been offers for reliever George Sherrill, but nothing that makes sense for the club at this point.

MacPhail is scheduled to hold a conference call with reporters an hour after the deadline. Hopefully, we'll all have a better idea of what he's thinking -- both short and long-term -- after that.

Remember, the passing of the deadline does not mean the Orioles are precluded from dealing veteran players during the final two months of the season. It'll just be a little tougher when you have to send them through waivers.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 3:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

Less than two hours to go and I really couldn't tell you whether Andy MacPhail has a phone to each ear or he's holed up in his office watching a Gunsmoke rerun on TV Land.

If it were me, I'd probably be trying to figure out if Miss Kitty's fake mole is on the wrong side of her face in today's episode, which is titled "Cowtown Hustler,'' but that's just me. Andy doesn't strike me as a wild, wild west kind of guy. Considering his roots in the Twins organization, he's probably a "Mary Tyler Moore Show" kind of guy.

Give MacPhail credit. He likes to keep things on the QT, and he has succeeded so far this afternoon.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Ken Griffey has approved the deal that would send him to the White Sox for reliever Nick Masset and minor league infielder Danny Richar. Approval from Major League Baseball appears to be a formality. Maybe Griffey will finally get his brass ring this time.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 1:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Three hours before the waiver deadline and counting.

The consensus seems to be that the only Orioles player with a decent chance to be traded over the next few hours is closer George Sherrill, which makes perfect sense when you consider that he can both set up and close and everybody is always looking for more pitching depth going into August.

Still, the logic of it for the Orioles comes down to one question:

Is Sherrill the real deal?

If he isn't, then his value will never be better than it is right now. The guy has 30 saves and is on pace for 45 over a full season. Somebody out there is probably willing to give up a piece or two that will fit into the puzzle Andy MacPhail hopes to complete by 2010.

If he is, then he's under reserve long enough to be a part of the plan himself.

My opinion is the same as it was when the Orioles got lucky picking Rodrigo Lopez off the roster of the Culiacan Tomato Growers. He was found money and they could have gotten something good for him after his breakout season. Same with Sherrill. Get something while the getting's good.

Bonus trade comment: Congratulations to our old friend Arthur Rhodes, who was dealt from the worst team in the American League (the Mariners) to the surprise team of the National League (the Florida Marlins). I doubt the deal affects the Sherrill situation much, though Rhodes has been a very effective situational lefty this year.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

We've been having a lively discussion about Luis Montanez in the post area, and some of you are way ahead of me, so I probably don't need to explain why the Orioles haven't dashed him to the major leagues...or even Norfolk, for that matter.

Luis is a nine-year minor league vet and has been all over the place. Every time he has been moved up a level in the middle of a season, his batting average and other significant averages have dropped considerably. That said, his power numbers this year are off the chart and it's possible he finally has found himself.

If you want to see for yourself, take a look at his career minor league stats at the minor league site at baseballreference.com. Here's the link.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

Don't want to insult anyone's baseball knowledge -- or Orioles IQ -- but there are probably a few fans out there who don't know why today's 4 p.m. (EDT) waiver deadline is so important.

The July deadline is in place to regulate how teams deal with each other during the final months of the season and maintain some semblance of competitive balance as the playoff races move through August and September.

So, after today, teams must pass players through waivers before trading them. That way, a strong team like the Yankees does not have unfettered ability to acquire players at any time to help it down the stretch because the teams behind it in the standings have the option of claiming those players off waivers first.

That doesn't mean trades can't be made after 4 p.m. today. It just is more difficult to get them done. After the deadline, the next deadline of any note is Aug. 31, which is the deadline for a player to be traded and still be eligible to appear in the postseason for his new team.

The Orioles probably aren't as vulnerable to the waiver deadline as some other teams because veteran players with big contracts are more likely to get through waivers without getting claimed. Aubrey Huff, for instance, will likely be put on waivers in August and pass through with flying colors because a team that claims him has to pick up his entire contract. Same goes for Jay Payton, Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford.

The big exception is closer George Sherrill, whose low salary and service time would make him attractive to just about any contending team. Heck, you could claim him and probably afford to pick up his contract.

That's why Sherrill is the key guy today if the Orioles are to get anything done.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)
        

Top prospect Matt Wieters had two doubles in the third game of a four-game series against the New Britain Rock Cats, and is 6-for-8 with a home run, three doubles and six RBI in his last two games.

Luis Montanez also had two hits in the 8-6 victory, including his 24th home run. He has six hits in his last nine at-bats.

Wieters won't be here anytime soon, but his tremendous performance since making the jump from Class-A Frederick has got to be having an effect on how the Orioles look forward to 2009 with -- or without -- Ramon Hernandez.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (32)
        

If a rivalry still exists between the Orioles and New York Yankees after all these years at opposite ends of the American League East standings, it is a very strange thing indeed.

Take today's game, for instance. Yankees reliever Edwar Ramirez came out of bullpen in the seventh inning and threw his first pitch over the head of Kevin Millar, prompting some nasty stares and a quick ejection. The pitch was believed to be in retaliation for the Daniel Cabrera pitch that plunked Alex Rodriguez the night, though it’s possible the guy just didn’t like Millar’s new haircut.

So, you would think there’s no love lost between these two teams, which are historical rivals who seem to become hysterical on a fairly regular basis.

That notion might have been reinforced in Tuesday night’s game, if you were paying close attention in the late innings when Jason Giambi stroked a single just out of the reach of Brian Roberts in medium right field. Giambi was caught by the MASN cameras (New motto: “All HD, some of the time!”) flipping Roberts the bird as he rounded first base, and we’re not talking about the cartoon Oriole bird or the ornithologically correct Oriole bird or any bird that is recognized by the Audubon Society. We’re talking about the dirty digit.

More bad blood?

Not exactly.

Giambi couldn’t resist after Roberts robbed him of a hit earlier in the game with that exaggerated infield shift. The level of true animosity became apparent a little later when Roberts reached first base and the two of them spent the time between pitches yukking it up like Millar at a Red Sox playoff game.

Baseball is a funny sport that way. The tension can build to the boiling point at times, but the players are generally pretty chummy until somebody like Cabrera tries to see if he can make a fastball go in one ear and out the other.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 4:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (27)
        

It's too quiet.

Orioles president Andy MacPhail likes it that way, so you can't glean any meaning from that the way you could if it was the Yankees and they had Hank Steinbrenner bound and gagged in a broom closet with the waiver deadline approaching.

When Andy lowers the cone of silence, it could mean that the Orioles are working furiously behind the scenes to get something done before it's necessary to put players through waivers before trading them. Or not.

Don't misunderstand, the odds are always against completing a deal, because trading players is so much more complicated than it used to be, but the Orioles have some players that could help contending teams. It would be naive to think some of those teams aren't tapping Andy's number into their T-Mobiles.

(That wasn't a plug, by the way. I just liked the alliteration. I could just as easily have said that some team might play a song on Andy's Cingular or drop a voice message on his Verizon Wireless. An opposing GM could even mutter into his Motorola. Being a blogger is sort of like being a cartoon character. You can do just about anything you want.)

The point is, a lot can happen in the last hours leading up to the deadline. Here's my trade deadline handicap:

Player / Odds Against a Trade

Chad Bradford ......... 3-1
George Sherrill ......... 4-1
Ramon Hernandez ... 12-1
Aubrey Huff ............ 15-1
Brian Roberts ......... 20-1
Kevin Millar ............ 25-1
Melvin Mora ........... 50-1
Adam Jones ......... 1000-1
Nick Markakis .... Powerball Jackpot*

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 3:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

Kevin Millar is 7 for 18 with six RBI in the five games since he got out from under that ridiculous head of bleached hair, and he's absolutely been killing the Yankees this year. His six home runs are the most any opposing player against the Pinstriped Pariahs in 2008.

Obviously, Yankees pitchers have mistaken him for the Kevin Millar who used to play for the Red Sox.

Here's a shout out to everyone who called in sick to watch today's afternoon game against the Still-Quite-Evil Empire. I like to go with the upper respiratory infection -- fools my boss every time -- though some employers will buy a migraine if you don't sound too cheerful when you call in. And, there's really no way to prove you don't have a migraine.

One more thought while we all revel in another great performance by Matt Wieters (4 for 5, 3-run dinger, 5 RBI) last night at Bowie: Do they allow Orioles fans to bring brooms into Yankee Stadium?

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

Ravens DE Dan Cody did not practice today because of an apparent foot injury. The Ravens do not comment on injuries, and -- in this case -- what is there to say? The sad Cody Saga continues...but probably not for very much longer.

The Ravens have been dropping like so many Mark Brunell quick-ins lately, but -- so far -- the Adam Terry injury appears to be the only one that looks potentially season-threatening. The good news is, the Ravens started a week early so they still have nearly six weeks until the opener.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

The first thing I’d like to do before I unlink my tether from the journalistic mother ship and float off into the blogosphere is to separate fact from fiction with a quick game of True or False.

True or false: Peter Schmuck has relocated into cyberspace and will no longer be the bright, insightful and wildly popular columnist we’ve come to love in the print edition of The Baltimore Sun.

False. I will continue to write two or more columns per week on a variety of subjects for both the print edition and the Web site.

True or false: Peter Schmuck’s extensive experience covering the Orioles, Dodgers, Angels and the NFL makes him uniquely qualified to take you inside the Orioles clubhouse and the Ravens locker room.

True. It’s either that or his slightly twisted view of the sports world.

True or false: Peter Schmuck will spend less time at sporting events and more time sequestered in his basement knocking out humorous and informative blog commentary.

False. I will actually spend more time at sporting events and team headquarters providing up-to-the-minute coverage of local and national sports.

True or false: Peter Schmuck once had his request for a vanity license plate bearing his surname rejected by the California Department of Motor Vehicles for being “obscene and offensive to public decency.”

True. Yes, that really happened.

True or false: Peter Schmuck was a nationally ranked table tennis player as a teen.

True. My only sports claim to fame was being ranked 969th in the nation by the United States Table Tennis Association when I was 19. I believe there were about 975 ranked players at the time.

True or false: Peter Schmuck is an egomaniac who took up writing because he was never very good at anything.

False. I am an egomaniac who took up writing because they don’t pay people to do anything else I’m any good at.

True or false: Peter Schmuck hates cats.

False. I actually like cats, in reasonable numbers. There is no good reason to have 117 cats unless you operate a licensed animal shelter.

True or false: Peter Schmuck is the only Peter Schmuck who will come up if you Google search “Peter Schmuck.”

False. There is another Peter Schmuck who is an internationally recognized psychologist.

True or false: This Peter Schmuck could use an internationally recognized psychologist.

True. Enough said.

Check back here frequently for team updates, timely insights and touchy subjects. To quote the great actor Al Pacino, “I’m just getting warmed up!”

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 5:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (73)