Come on Hayden!! Show them that you got what it takes!!!

I'm wondering if Bergeson might still be number five. O's don't need five until April 15 against Texas, and, at Norfolk, Bergeson can get a start before being recalled--better than sitting on the O's bench, not getting much work and waiting for his turn.

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Pete's reply: Possible. Not probable.

we are not going to win this year anyway, so why even consider keeping a mark hendrickson a 5 era guy in the rotation than giving hayden a long look in the regular season. Some guys just step it up in game time situations - not saying penn is one or not but lets give him a go.

We let Markakis start and Struggle and learn on the job. We let Jones last year learn and struggle some on the job.

With no options left, and no real solid person to block, let Penn have the job till the Allstar break. Keep putting him out there to fail or finally put it together. Let the once top prospect go for it.

Where giving Pie the same sort of deal, expecting him to struggle at the plate, but get better like Jones did last year. (Jones still needs to keep getting better)

If keeping Penn was blocking some other 15 game winner, then let him go, but we have no pitching, let Penn have a real chance. Not one 3 inning Spring game to prove it. (granted he has had several springs).

How many starts would he have by the allstar break?

"With no options left, and no real solid person to block, let Penn have the job till the Allstar break. Keep putting him out there to fail or finally put it together. Let the once top prospect go for it."

Yea cause Luke, Lou and Nolan all play 5th base, not left field.

Just finished watching 30/30's review of the O's on TV. Surprised that Haroild was so pessimistic. He's usually an O's rooter. True the pitrching situation is almost laughable if it wasn't so disheartening but he didn't think much of the starting lineup either. Said they're not suited to play in A L East because of a shortness of power. Didn't bring up the fact that the O's CLEARLY outscored the Yanks last year, usually the benchmark for power. Huff, Markakis, Mora and Scott should provide enough power and with Roberts, Jones, Itzuris, Zaun and Pie getting on base - and particularly with Roberts, Markakis, Jones and Pie advancing on their own to get in scoring position - The O's should score enough runs. The BIG problem is the pitching, somethging that could/should have been addressed better in the off-season. McPhail really let the club down there. John Hart didn't exactly say it but his unsaid words were that McPhail is careful, tentative, more careful and more tentative. When you take over a ballclub as down as the Birds were almost ANYTHING you do is a plus. Instead he made one important trade (Bedard) and one trade that everyone knew was necessary (Tejada) and then let a bunch of possibilities go by with nary a move on his part. The Tex-man deliberations were a waste of time that couild have been better servered by pursuing upper-middle pitching. EVERYONE knew that was most important but what the O's wound up with certainly isn't very much of an improvement over last year's Opening Day roster. True most of those guys, excepting Guthrie, didn't pan out but I won't be surprised to see the same thing happen this year.

On another note, the All-Time Orioles lineup - why list a nine man batting order, a four man backup and ONLY list five pitchers. As John Hart said, there are so many good Orioles pitchers left off that it doesn't do the All Time list justice. And Mora as the all time left fielder? Come on. Additionally, much as I like Brian Roberts, I think I'd take Rich Dauer or Davey Johnson at second. It made this year's club look that much worse to see guys like Brooks, Frank, Boog, Eddie, Blair, etc. called to our mind. Those were the days!

another thought, treat Penn like Cabrera. Cabrera had sevreral years to show us what he could do at the Major league level. Give Penn at least one year.... What do we have to lose? What do we gain if he figures it out?

Unless we sign some aging stars, Penn should get a real shot at starting.

PEDRO come on WTF ist's a NO brainer the guy called the Royals asking for a job. He could be had for 3million easy. And the crowd that would show up at the yard would make that 3million back in no time. Pluse he could help the younger guys. If we dont do this which it looks like we wont then it should show all of us as lond as PA owns the team it doesnt matter how close we get he will NEVER spend the real money it takes in out division to contend for a title. IF 3 million is too much to pay for a first ballot HOF'er then 130 million will be be way over our price range to sign any FA pitchers or bats in the future. Its a joke and its sorry to say it always will be.

Doug M said:

"We let Markakis start and Struggle and learn on the job. We let Jones last year learn and struggle some on the job.

With no options left, and no real solid person to block, let Penn have the job till the Allstar break. Keep putting him out there to fail or finally put it together. Let the once top prospect go for it.

Where giving Pie the same sort of deal, expecting him to struggle at the plate, but get better like Jones did last year. (Jones still needs to keep getting better)

If keeping Penn was blocking some other 15 game winner, then let him go, but we have no pitching, let Penn have a real chance. Not one 3 inning Spring game to prove it. (granted he has had several springs).

How many starts would he have by the allstar break?"

Agree with your take, Doug. If Pie who is hitting .184/.220/.263 with 9 Ks and played at best, erratically in the field (while Scott is relegated to DH, above average ML defensive LF with power, and Montanez and Reimold are cut), then Penn should get the same treatment. Give Penn the fifth starter job and let him show what he has.

I agree 110% with Doug M. Trembley needs to give Hayden an extended opportunity. A lot of fans seem to like him and are willing to be patient. Since we're not expected to contend this year anyway, why not see what we have in the former top prospect. As long as he's not out there getting lit up he should finish what he started a couple of years ago now that he's finally healthy.

I think all will agree that a team's best opportunity for victory is to consistently put their nine best players on the field.

I never could buy the idea of age and experience being the deciding factor as to when a player, who is otherwise performing well, would be ready to play at the big league level.

A man only has so many pitches in his arm and to force him to expend those pitches in the minors while older more experienced players are struggling in the big leagues is a questionable practice in my opinion.

It is very frustrating for a young man who is good at what he does and who has performed well in the minors and at spring training to be told that another man, because he is older, but who has not performed as well will make the starting team while he must go get more experience at a lower level.

I think every young pitcher would agree that if they were only given the opportunity to pitch at the major league level based on their past performance in the minors and what they have done in spring training, they would be willing to return to the minors in a few weeks if they failed to perform better than those who were given the same opportunity last year.

It is like there is this unwritten law that says one must be a certain age and spend a certain amount of time in the minors before they are ready to give it a try at the big league level.

This idea does not fully take into consideration that each man is different and that some blossom earlier than others. Just because those given the opportunity last year did not do so well, it is no indication that others given the same opportunity this year will experience the same results.

Only when these young pitchers, recently sent down, have the opportunity to perform at the major league level will we know for sure which of them needs more time in the minors.

We certainly know some will need more time, but we do not yet know which one(s) of them would be in that number. I would be very surprise if we did not discover that at least one of them would be able to handle big league hitters on a consistent basis in 2009.

It appears that present policy will not allow us to ever know which, if any, of these young men could be winners at the big league level from day one in 2009.

Perhaps when weeks of losing games by the score of 11 to 6 are a matter of record the policy will change. I hope so.