Somebody shouldhave been out to talk to Baez the minute he hit the guy in the head,and Jones was playing too shallow with two outs,he looked bad on 2 balls,but he will only get better.Gutherie got zero calls tonight,as we all know Kerwin Dantley and C.B.Buckner are two of the world's worst ball and strike umpires in the game.Don't know who's worse them or that postage size strike zone we saw from Cousins earlier this year.I still say unless the pitching staff gets overhauled bythe all star break we're looking at 100 losses.

That was a tough loss. Oh, well we will get them next game. Have to stay positive. That ump sure had a tough and inconsistent strike zone, though. I don't understand why a pitch at mid-thigh is now a ball. Over the last 20 years, the high point of the strike zone went from the letters, to the belt, to now mid-thigh. Pretty soon the strike zone is going to be between the knee cap to mid-shin.

I wish Guthrie had a good change-up. I don't understand why they don't teach that more in the minors. Even with good control and a 95 mph fastball, if you don't change speeds, the MLB hitters (especially if they are patient) are going to get you sooner or later. That first Boston reliever, Delcarmen I think, was just down right nasty - I wish our pitches mixed speeds like that.

Zaun is making good contact but he is just hitting fly balls to the outfield - he needs to level his swing and hit more line drives (quit trying to hit it out!).

Unless he really shows me something, I really see no reason for Freel to be on this team. He just doesn't fit. We didn't have anyone to come off the bench to pinch hit in the 9th. Pie? I don't think so. He should have been used as a pinch runner for Wigginton. Or, Adino should have pinch run for Wigginton. Well, at least we get to second guess Trembley.

I watched the game on NESN. I don't think Sox announcer Jerry Remy has the appropriate amount of disrespect for the Oriole pitching staff. I think he actually believed the O's could hang on to a 7 run lead. I think now he knows better.

There's not much to say about this present squad, other than there won't be too many of the same guys on the team next year, and certainly not in 2011...

10 games into the season, what you need is one of your utility players to start griping about playing time. And the manager has to say nice things about him. Sorry state of affairs. Welcome to the AL Mr Freel. And stop complaining. Save that for when the team is say, 40-75, and you're stuck on the bench. Oh that's right, you came over from the perennial NL powerhouse the Reds.

Speaking of developing players...
Is Pie on the team to play? He didn't start tonite against Penny, but he gets to pinch-hit in the ninth against Papplebon. How is that putting a young guy in a position to succeed?
Isn't this all about developing the young players? March him out there like you did Jones last year. I think you can abide mistakes by players with some upside. And if he's really that bad...

It's a shame Huff can't DH full time. He is just perfectly suited to that role.

Like Dennis Green said, "The Orioles (or in his case the Cardinals) are what we thought they were." And that is a 70-win team, give or take a game or two. 75 wins with barely two-fifths of rotation would be a major accomplishment.

Wheels off cart

"Hate to be fatalistic, but I really think the O's jumped the shark after the seven-run rally. I think they're going to get torched the rest of the weekend in Boston."

geez, you're really going out on a limb pete. you mean you expect a team that's given up 8 runs per game to lose to a team that's expected to be one of the three best teams in baseball this year? you're like nostradamous.

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Pete's reply: Yes, I am, and I predict you will rip me the next time your write, too.

I'm probably not the only one who thought the Sox would come roaring back in a quick way. After all, they're the Sox and we're the O's. Simple math, really.

Playing in Boston much like old Yankees Stadium was and evidently even in Texas, rarely is there ever such a thing as a "safe lead" especially for the visiting team.

Jeremy Guthrie didn't have his best game going and then it became a battle of the bullpens, where Boston won, aided some defensive miscues and errors by the Orioles.

That is basically what the game boiled down too.

If anything the Orioles have shown that their offense can perform like the powerhouse Red Sox teams that we have been accustomed to seeing over the last several years. They have shown patience, worked the count, put pressure on the opposing pitchers, ohh..and Markakis had a Grandslam to right center, that's not a cheap homerun at all.

What the Orioles need is for the pitching to come around, that's a facet that the Sox have the Orioles don't as of yet. Every team goes through miscues and errors, the Orioles will shore themselves up.

I look at this game like a growing pain, one that slipped away from the Orioles who are finally showing one facet of being a contender, but still working on the pitching aspect.

I think this game also goes to show that Guthrie while he is pretty reliable, he's also human and will have bad games like any other pitcher. It all created for the game that got away from the O's, Boston is too good of a team not to capitalize on the opportunities that the Orioles gave them.

Find me one other team in the majors who's "ace" could so convincingly blow a 7-0 lead. Won't happen.

What a disgrace. Come out with a seven-run lead and nibbling at the corners, missing the strike zone, putting guys on...absolutely inexcusable.

There's no way any pitcher, much less a seasoned guy like Guthrie, should be putting up garbage like that. Why was he not attacking hitters with that huge lead, and why was he left in to let the Red Sox tie the game?

Letting him try for the win? Maybe, but he didn't deserve it anyway.

I agree with you Pete. That destroys the rest of the series. Why would your hitters stay confident and motivated when your "best" starter just wasted 8 runs (including a 7-0 lead)?

May cannot get here fast enough. This team needs a heavy dose of Bergeson, Arrieta and Wieters (and even Rich Hill).

We have a lot of options, so everyone should be on a short leash. And Guthrie really needs to get his act together fast.

Never thought we would lose this game with Jeremy pitching with a 7 run lead, but when the O's came to bat after Jeremy's awful inning, they were swinging for the fences and not being as patient as they've been all year. Terrible lose when you had game 1 essentially won with 3 left.

If the O's can someone how pull out 2 of the final 3, this would show they don't fold like last years version and be something they can build on for the rest of the season, but it will be tough, but this team really doesn't seem like the sulking kind.

I know people will be ready to throw Baez under the bus, but he didn't look the same after hitting Youk in the head.

This loss was tough no doubt and I am sure the clubhouse is down and it just shows how far we have to come. Good teams don't lose that game. Not that we are going to make the playoffss either way, but you hate to get swept in a four game series and the rest of the pitching matchups this weekend are really one-sided. With our pitching we are going to have weeks like this we just have to stay focused on the long term development of our key players.

I agree the O's sit on leads too often. Trembley needs to get on players about throw away at bats.Pinch hitting Pie against Paps was absurd.Then you have Jones playing a casual CF. Where was the pitching coach out to calm Baez down after beaning Yok? Trembley just isn't doing things average mangares would do. Is he too close to the players?

Then you have Freel barking already to the media,after a "private" meeting with McPhail. He needs to be gone.He was completely oversold as utility guy. Yet the O's have Turner playing 2nd at Norfolk instead of developing him as a utility guy.

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Pete's reply: I have no problem with Pie in that situation. He's overmatched, just like everybody else, but he was the only guy available who had a chance to crank one because he has good bat speed. This is what happens when you play with a short bench.

So all of you looking for the silver lining ("Hey, we're 6-3" or "We've won the first 3 series") here's your dose of reality. The last 2 games we scored a total of 14 runs (average of 7 runs per game...darn good), but we've given up a total of 29 (average of 14.5 runs per game) and one of these was with our #1 starter. The pitching has been horrible, with few exceptions. The inadequate starting pitching has already started to wear down the relief pitching, which was supposed to be a strength. Even the defense, which was supposed to be better this year, has been a little shoddy lately. The offense has been the only bright spot, and at the rate we're giving runs away, it isn't going to be good enough. If we don't get some quality starting pitching soon, this year is going to be a very long and painful year.

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Pete's reply: Well, it is going to be painful at times, no doubt about it, but I think you're looking at a team that is going to promote young pitchers incrementally, which isn't going to be terribly satisfying, though it might be the right thing to do long-term.

I agree with part of what you stated -we are likely going to get torched all weekend in Boston. I don't agree with your assessment of the offense-sure maybe we could have scored more but the bottom line is that 8 runs should result in a win at the MLB level, no matter where you are playing.
Clearly our pitching is far below MLB calibre and I'd guess the current staff would ba even middle of the pack at AAA. When I saw the 7-0 lead on the ticker, while watching NHL playoffs, I almost wanted to black out the bottom of the TV screen because I had this feeling that the implosion was inevitable.
I guess McPhail has some moves to make because we can't keep sending out the same sorry bunch, even if it is a 'rebuilding' year. The last thing McPhail needs right now is Freel running into his office complaining about his playing time 10 games into the season. I questioned that trade right from the get-go and now I'm sure McPhail does too. Send this clown packing and don't let the door hit you on the way out. The O's have other things to worry about, such as finding 10 pitchers!!!

I think this game was more than just settling into a comfortable lead. This game, I feel, is more of a foreshadowing of what to expect this season. A great offense followed by a pitching staff more than capable of squandering what ever the lead may be. Its a sad story considering the outstanding capability of our offensive and defensive players. It's games like this that come back to bite you in the end. Its still too early for me to say 'there is always next year.'

Pete-

That could have been a very pivotal game early in the season for the Birds. The flaws in the pitching have already begun to appear; when the dam breaks it could get real ugly.

The over/under on runs charged to eaton tonight is 6...only because they won't leave him in long enough to give up 9.

THE O's WILL WIN TODAY AND TOMORROW but lose last game. write it down.

I have to agree Pete. I certainly didn't feel secure with that lead, especially against the Sox, who have a record of spoiling "sure things" for the O's.
The fact is, bad teams always seem to find ways to lose, and good teams always seem to find ways to win. However, I think the loss belongs more to Trembley than to the O's batting philosophy changing. He should have never left Guthrie in so long. I know he's trying to get some innings out of his starters, but the starting staff is what it is, and we're just going to have to acept that we don't have anybody right now who can go even moderately deep. When you score 8 runs, the problem isn't the batters.

This franchise jumped the shark (into complete irrelevance) many years ago. This just continues the trend. The pitching is just pitiful - but this is precisely what MacPhail wanted this season. I don't plan to go to any games until the minor league pitchers we hear so much about start showing up at the park. These current guys are a waste of time and money. Everything hinges on the young arms, but the fact is their is not such thing as a pitching prospect. These guys could flame out as well, but I'll save my money to see some hope instead of lost causes.

The good news for the Orioles front office is they have a relatively low payroll, so they'll probably still come out winners at the end of the year. That is, the balance sheet will come out in the black. That's been the #1 priority for years. All the fans wanting to see wins have had misaligned priorities.

Not mentioned in all of this is Kirwin Danley behind the plate. Danley, and CB Buckner are the worst ball strike umpires in the game.

Of course the Orioles helped lose it on their own, but when Bucker or Danley are behind the plate it's a coin toss as to who will win the game because there is no consistency in the calls.

The O's won a wild one earlier this week with Bucker and were lucky to do so, and lost the one with Danley last night. It's the sort of outcome you would expect with these two, affirmative action umpires calling the game, neither of which should be in the major leagues.

I guess last night's game was a wake-up call for all the true-believers who had been drinking the kool-aid.

After the 19-6 drubbing by the Rangers, we were hearing "Hey, we're still 6-and-3 and we all thought it was going to be MUCH worse this year."
After last night's fiasco, where the O's best starter blows a 7-0 lead, we can still rationalize that the O's are 6-and-4 and we all thought it was going to be MUCH worse this year.

But this is starting to get very ugly. I can accept some loses from a perpetually "rebuilding" team but 11-2, 11-3, 19-6, etc, is hard to watch on a regular basis.

Except for Guthrie, this starting rotation couldn't survive at triple-A. Our 34-year-old Japanese import was no longer a starter in Japan and even when he was, the workload consisted of one start a week. And the 3, 4, and 5 spots are occupied by pitchers who could easily clear waivers.

I'm also a little concerned about the caliber of some of the position players that were added this year. It seems that none of them can hit. I think Pie, Freel, Zahn and Izturis are collectively something like 4-for-72.

And now Freel is pouting about not getting enough playing time.

Help!

It goes to show you (or,as Flanny says, "it shows to go you"), what a hard balancing act a GM has. History tells you to stock the farm (use your high picks) with stud arms, and hope your diligent scouting helps to uncover untapped potential from the later rounds for postition players. Then, you hope they all mature and realize their potential in roughly the same timeframe, and you wind up with the Rays of last year. Right now, the Orioles are a year or two away from that Fab 4 rotation, at a time when it has a torrid lineup. Who knows what the position players will look like in 2010, 2011, but with Weiters in the wing, and Markakis and Jones and some of the other guys trying to bust through coming along, maybe the timing will work. Sure is hard right now watching this lineup go to waste, though. I know AM makes a lot of money, and he's got what most fans would consider to be a dream job, but, as Letterman would say, "I wouldn't give his problems to a monkey on a rock".

maybe they will lose
maybe they will win
that is why the play the games

Pete - Why no "Baltimore" on the road jerseys in the opener against Sox?

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Pete's reply: I didn't even notice that.

Is it just me or does Dave Trembly look like Captain Kirk (William Shatner) on prozac during the games? What about a little emotion, even some ass chewing occassionally. Baseball, particularly long 1/2 innings can put you to sleep but geez at least look into the game!

I was at the game last night. What a bummer of a game. I can't say that I was surprised that they managed to blow that lead, particularly when Guthrie started off the second inning by walking guys.

That said, I think I was as disappointed not to see the Baltimore road jerseys in person.

Related uniform gripe: Those "O's" hats are the worst. They look like something an unlicensed vendor outside the stadium would be selling to unsuspecting "fans" that don't know what a real Orioles hat looks like.

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Pete's reply: I have to admit, I was so caught up in the Orioles blowing that lead I didn't even notice what they were wearing.

Pete,

By the way what is Flanny's status with the organization?

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Pete's reply: You've got as good a chance of getting a straight answer on that as I do.

The Orioles look real pretty in thier new uniforms! But they sure can't pitch!!!

Watched the Orioles on MASN and the Nationals on MASN-2, while the games were simultaneously played.

While the Orioles were busy blowing an early 7-0 lead, the Nats took a 2-1 lead into the ninth inning which they blew.

Trailing 10-8, with the tying run at the plate, Felix Pie struck out to end the game. Trailing 3-2, with the tying run at second base, Alberto Gonzelez stuck out to snuff the Nat's chances. Both players' third strikes occurred AT THE EXACT SAME MOMENT!

Our local ballclubs are together cursed.