Have the O's had any pitching highlights at all this Spring? This is sickening, the fact that nobody stepped up out of all the possibilities.

As for Penn, he's gonna get cut and at this point I'm ok with it. He's had plenty of chances and sucked last time he pitched regularly in the minors. The walks are the problem. He just doesn't have what it takes and probably will not until he finds a new team, if ever.

if we're going to suck for another year we might as well go down in a gun battle blaze of glory. there's always 2010!

hey schmuck, any weaver or palmer sightings this year? i met weaver last year early in spring training, haven't heard if he'd made it out this year.

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Pete's reply: Yes, Weaver has been here twice and Palmer at least that many times.

Does Penn Clear Waivers? Do we care?

Something tells me we will find out.

I like the rebuilding program. I wish we would have gone after some pitching. My only complaint. We are not even close to a Major league staff. it is pretty ugly.

Even trying to get a #3 type starter, and fill in 4 and 5 with the scrap heep/potential of some of the other folks. I think management may have been to confident in Hill, thinking he was going to be a solid #3. (he still could be, but has not looked like it yet)

If any of the Prspects pitch well or great, it will be very hard to not bring them up to try and help.

It will not matter who leaves camp as 1-5, it will change due to performance and injury.

Maybe they can prove us all wrong!

Spring hope is ending, closing in on the start of Season reality.

Think we will ever win another game?!

If Pie continues to struggle in left, what are the chances Reimold gets another look? He has been more impressive this spring.

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Pete's reply: I think Pie will get a couple of months, then Reimold and Lou Montanez will take over if he doesn't bloom.

I know Pie is out of options but what is the risk of seeing if he can pass through waivers so he can start in Norfolk? Can't we just pull him back if someone puts in a claim? I'd rather see Montanez or Reimold in left and let Pie get better acquainted in Left playing for the Tides.

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Pete's reply: I believe those waivers are irrevokable, so you lose him if you put him on waivers.

To me the bottomline is that good pitchers work out of jams, or, minimize damage, whether self-inflicted or not. The 2nd was clearly a bad inning and Penn's job was to minimize the damage. He didn't do it. He let the situation rattle him a bit and lose his command for at least 2 batters. Could he eventually improve enough that he will consistently work out of such jams? Certainly. Will he get another shot as an Oriole to try? That's the big question. This is a precarious point for Penn as an Oriole.

Peter,
Before the season started it looked like a daunting task for any arm to make the roster even just as a longman, but today the picture has been complicated by conditioning as affected by schedule and attrition. Due to that does could Penn still make this team as a longman, if not a starter?

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Pete' s reply: The short answer is, yes.

Sometimes you only get one chance to step up ... unless you are Danys Baez and owed over $6 million on this year's contract.

Wow Pie looks lost in left..thats a news flash, at least his defense will make up for his bat right????

Of course you were the guy that didn't think Scott was a position of strength in left field last season...what with only 65 RBI and all....

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Pete's reply: Still don't. You can't be satisfied with 65 RBI, no stolen bases and so-so defense in left if you ever want to be competitive. Pie may be a disaster, but he also could catch fire. This is the year to find that out.

Can someone please tell me what makes Hayden Penn a major league pitcher? His numbers in the majors have been terrible and he has been even worse this spring. Not to mention all his injury problems. Is there really any hope that he could make a real contribution on the major league level or is this just a sign of how bad the Orioles rotation is right now?

I'm sure a lot of "fans" are going to harp about Pie's bad plays in LF, but everyone needs to remember he was a CF before coming to Baltimore. Once he gets accustomed to the position I'm sure he'll do fine.

Man, this starting rotation deal is shaping up like Nightmare on Eutaw Street. I know the future looks bright, which is encouraging, but this year could be butt-ugly. Maybe we can be like some of those old Texas Ranger teams and just outscore the opposition. That would be fun to watch while we wait for the young guns to develop. At least when Wieters comes up in a month or 2 there won't be any big pressure to win now. That way the kid can get roughly a year under his belt in the bigs and be ready for next year when the pitching starts to arrive - hopefully.

I think Hayden Penn will clear waivers then be outrighted to Norfolk. The way he has been throwing, I don't think anyone will want him. I can't see it where it is his fault with rainouts and off days. He has also been jerked around some and never had a clue as to when her was going to pitch either on the side or a game.

Sounds like the makings of great year. Why this love for Pie, and no Pedro?

So after his DISASTROUS outing, here's what Penn had to say: "Actually, I felt pretty good out there," said Penn, who needed 62 pitches to get eight outs. "Obviously, the line is bad and I didn't get it done, but I felt pretty good. I really did. That's probably the best I felt physically all spring. ... I felt I was making some quality pitches. That's the way it goes. That's baseball."

I think I may have figured out his problem: He's an IDIOT!!! The shear stupidity of emphasizing how "good" he felt after getting absolutely rocked and walking people is just ridiculous. Hey Hayden, what can we expect from you on days when you're NOT feeling so hot? I guess maybe he's just trying to deflect some of the attention from his dismal performance, I don't know. But how 'bout taking some responsibility and not talking to us like we're morons? Seven runs in 2 2/3 innings, "Duh, that's baseball!!!" No, that's "sinking to the occassion".

Pete, I love reading your updates every day, but I kinda wish I haven't. I was excited about this year's team, but every day seems like the same broken record. Pitcher A is playing for a spot in the rotation. Pitcher A gets rocked, on to Pitcher B. Pitcher B gets rocked, on to Pitcher C. Lather, rinse, repeat. It seems like the O's would find 3 guys just by the law of averages, but nobody seems to want to make the rotation. it seems like we will be able to score some runs, so at least it will be entertaining watching them lose 11-9 every night. Oh well, Go O's!

I disagree on the Pie situation. Best guy should win the job, period. He is clearly not the best and his only highlight has been a wind aided homerun over a short fence. Every outfielder that came to camp has outplayed him. Wigginton and Scott both deserve to be in the lineup, they earned it, Montanez deserves to be a reserve, he earned it. So there is only two places for Pie. Minors or somewhere else in the world of baseball. That is the only one clear answer.
Pete: Lets be honest, do you see something special here? This guy is not an answer, he is a complication because of waiver issues. He takes a spot when a genuine prospect that earned his spot, gets sent down.