They dumped me for your sorry ass? Ladies and gentlemen this is an outrage!

Pete,

No excuses, you ate too much and you have the post holiday lethargic blahs! Get a hold of yourself. There is business to conduct and I don't mean burping and passing gas on WBAL!

Lets talk pitchers for the O's or maybe we can talk about who we won't get as most of us will know them better! Garland is out, Penny out too, Glavine no way, Lowe is laughable no we are talking about some over the hill Japanese hurler who recently was made a reliever, why? Probably couldn't get past the 5th inning in a Japanese league so he should fit right in with the rest of our wanna be's! Then there are those two guys Redding and Looper, pitched in the National League, less than .500 records and ERAs at or above 5.00 and they would project to do what in the AL East?

We saved 140-150 Million NOT signing Tex! Were making MASN money and our payroll will have reduced $50 M annually over the last 4 years after 2009! So why again is it we can't spend any money at all to make it modestly worth our while to actually go to Camden Yards? Ahhhh, that's right there is that care and feeding of the Angelos clan. I'm sorry my friend, maybe Tex, now wasn't the right move, but Jon Garland is less than 30 and usually eats innings, the O's need to give us a heartbeat at least for suffering through more futility!

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Pete's reply: I don't know if lethargic is the right word, but you're probably on the right track. I've been touting that MASN money for awhile now, but I really don't know how much of it there is, the ratings being what they were last year for both the Nats and O's. I assume they can afford to do what they want, but I'll stop short of ripping them hoarding money I'm not sure they have.

Since Macphail deserves to be given three years without criticism in your view...what do you think of the Chad Bradford deal? Or better yet, how about Macphail answering just one simple, concrete question which doesn't require the ongoing generalities about directions, plans, etc.
WHO DID THE Os GET FOR CHAD BRADFORD?
Is a simple answer to a simple question something that will upset the Plan?
Cost too much money? Something Os fans should just not expect from a highly paid GM? You seem primarily worried that somehow poor Andy is being put under the gun by us mean old Orioles fans by having to answer questions...gosh...it seems to me if you take the helm of a highly public entertainment franchise which plays in a taxpayer funded stadium and you don't want to deal with public questions...well, maybe you should not take the dollars- it comes with the territory!!
Or maybe the fear is that admitting that the Bradford deal was just a salary dump might provoke further criticism of this unwise decision to trade a very reliable veteran reliever inside our own division in the midst of a pennant race for essentially NOTHING?
The question is a simple one...could be answered in all of two seconds..
What is the deal with Chad Bradford?

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Pete's reply: Didn't say he was above criticism. I said that it would be unwise to give up on the rebuilding plan after 18 months. I think the Chad Bradford deal was a bad deal. I think Andy probably thinks that now, too. He had too much confidence that some of the young pitchers could handle that role...and figured he could use the $4 million he would save in some other area.

Hi Pete,

I was busy returning gifts today so I missed your show but I have questions for you about two Oriole prospects. Even though Billy Rowell is just turning 20, I understand the Orioles are not happy with his conditioning and his committment. What about that? Also, how is Troy Patton? Has he started a throwing program yet and what is his prognosis? I saw him pitch on TV a couple times in the National League and he was impressive.

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Pete's reply: I think it's fair to say the O's expected more from Rowell to this point, though they still have expectations for him. I believe Patton will be able to throw in spring training, but there's no way to predict what he can accomplish coming off that injury.

Pete,

concerning MASN money, I don't think it matters if anyone watches the games. The majority of their money is made vis subscriber fees. Every household who can get MASN pays for it no matter if they ever turn the TV on.

We afforded a near $90 million payroll without MASN or a welfare check from MLB. We're sitting at what now??? $55-60 million. I feel good knowing all that extra money will be going into player development.

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Pete's reply: You should, though I recognize the sarcasm. The Orioles are never going to outspend the Yankees and Red Sox, so trying to buy the players those teams don't want isn't going to get them to the top of the standings.

Sorry Pete,
Nick and BRob will be offered up as too expensive. PA is the boss, sets the bar, and AM will dance to the PA low ball-adversarial policies. PA won't sell because he acquires much money
and power within Bmore from all his O's manipulations. Of course, you-Pete don't know MASN profits. Do you want to know? When "overpaying" for a prospect or for a Markakis becomes a reality question and not "spin" from the warehouse then this fan will believe that AM has the power to carry out "the plan". For now, the Sun press seems to be comfortable "Not Knowing" and PA just seems to be comfortable spinning small market fables. It would be encouraging to read some factual data to help discern spin from reality but then hope might truly be lost. Ironicly, the economy might just level the $$$ field in the coming year.

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Pete's reply: I'm getting tired of this. There is one reporter in town who has demanded on several occasions that the Orioles open their books. That would be me and that's the reason Peter Angelos does not take my calls anymore. But you don't know that because you're too busy making up facts to support an uninformed opinion. I'm sorry for getting irritable, but it might help if you thought for half a second before spouting off something ridiculous. That said. Happy holidays.