Yep, everyone can see Trembly's mismanagement coming now. Even with an outstanding bullpen, Leyland knows to stick with the hot hand.

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Pete's reply: Funny, not a word from anyone until Baez gave up the run, and he really shouldn't have been charged with an earned run. Markakis dropped the ball twice in right field.

Pete,
I am a trembley supporter, but I really have to question two moves today. Why take Luke Scott out of the DH role in which he is thriving especially for Wieters? If Zaun goes down as a the starting catcher or they pinch hit for him, then the O's lose the DH cause Wieters has to catch. Maybe the O's didn't pinch hit for Zaun in the 8th for this very reason. How do you not PH for Zaun with Reimold?
I don't get this one at all. It should be all about Matt Wieters getting at-bats immediately.

I meant in my last comment that it SHOULDN'T be all about getting Matt Wieters at-bats.

Pete,I predicted this yesterday,especially when Dave mismanaged the bullpen yesterday and continued that trend today,with the change in the line up and the 2 retreads giving up runs in the last two innings.Hats off to Berken,and I guarantee you,the Baez run is over,his May era is almost 5,and Hendrickson is toast,two leadoff walks cost both of them.1-7 on Sunday and you keep defending Trembley.I just don't get it.Why was Andino even trying to steal against one of the best throwing catchers in baseball.Wake me up when we hit .500 Pete.Izturis and Reimold have been hitting the ball well,and you bench them?How about giving Markakis a rest,he sure looks like he could use one.Leyland chewed his team out after the first two losses and look what happened.What a shame when you almost know going into a Sunday game you're going to lose.And if you go back to last year it's even worse.Go Super Dave.Contrary to what you think,I don't hate the man,I don't even dislike him,but he's shown me nothing that thinks he'll ever be a wining big league manager.Somebody has to answer for the continual base running mistakes and outfield errors,and why don't you pinch hit for Zaun?Big deal if you lose your DH,isn't the double switch still allowed in the AL?

Pete , count me as one of those saying he (Berken) was taken out too early !

There is no compelling reason to remove a pitcher once he reaches a certain pitch count or the ill feeling in the managers gut! The only reason to get him out is that he isn't getting the job done or trending in that direction. Sometimes I fell we have an 8 man bullpen and the manager feels why do I have so many guys in the pen if I don't use them, or it doesn't look like I'm doing anything if I don't make a few trips to the mound and change pitchers.

I'm not going to be an apologist, when fielders error and pitchers walk batters they are fair game, but it seems we can't sit in judgement of managers or GM'S! Imagine where we might be if we had actually started the season with the roster we have right now?

The team is playing well they just don't need handicapped with the Sunday line-up and pitiful pitching decisions!

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Pete's reply: Keith, there are plenty of compelling reasons to remove pitchers before they start getting lit up. The game really is a little more complicated than you want to make it. There's real value in not leaving Berken out there to get hit around. I bet he was strutting around the team plane feeling like Cy Young tonight, and that's a great thing. This is still about player development. Grinding up young pitchers for our enjoyment is not part of the equation.

Have to agree that I was confused why Markakis wasn't charged with an error,there definitely should have been a play at the plate,but who knows what the outcome would've been?Kind of like you can't assume a double play,which I've never agreed with when it's obvious that a good throw gets the DP.Still don't think Baez has looked that good this month.His control and mechanics aren't quite the same.Let's hope it's just an issue like George had earlier in the year otherwise we've paid a whole lot of money for a contract that everybody in baseball thought was absurd,when he was initially signed,and gotten one good month out of it.

Actually Pete,I have posted seveal posts,amazing that they haven't shown up.On second thought,maybe not.

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Pete's reply: I've been off for most of today Burt. Sorry.

You could see that Mr. Edwin Jackson has quality big league stuff. He was a main cog in Tampa Bay's run to the pennant last year. Why would Tampa Bay trade a quality major league starter for a minor league outfielder named Matthew Joyce who has a lifetime minor league batting average of .277? If Tampa Bay as making Jackson available to other teams, where were the Orioles? We obviously were and are in dire need of pitching. Surely, we could have offered Tampa Bay something more than Matt Joyce.

I think Trembly is handling the young starters perfectly. Like you said Pete, "...player develepment ... not grinding up young pitchers". Most of your readers want instant satisfaction and do not look at the long run. Pitch him 7 innings today, let him have that cy young feeling and he will still be able to pitch in September and beyond....

How many times have I seen a team burn out a hot young pitcher by over using him in the first year or so? Just look at what happened to the Cubs Woods as one example...

We need to thing looooooooooong term not just one game.

The problem today was not the pitching...we only allowed 3 runs....no, the problem was we were shut out! If we scored 4 runs, no one would be complaing about Berken being removed after 7 strong innings

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Pete's reply: True. And, in this case, they just got a great game thrown against them. Nothing to second-guess here on any level.!

Burt. I agree with you about Baez'(and Walker's) contract but we might as well throw them out there and see if someone is interested. I don't see them or Hendrickson as part of our future but slowly but surely we are seeing younger arms.
Jay -I agree with you about Jackson's potential but a couple of years ago he was 1-10 and looked more like DanCab. Matt Joyce was a highly-toutes prospect so maybe it's too early to write him off just yet.
Yes, the seond guessing is rampat on whether Trembley pulled Berken too early but we didn't score any runs anyway. Sometimes you have to tip your hat to the opposing pitcher for a job well done and move on. Let's hope we don't lose the momentum after a nice streak!

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Pete's reply: You don't really have to throw guys out there. If somebody wants Baez, they have a cell phone. I think he might be tradeable at midseason if he keeps pitching like this. By that time, the team getting him would only have to pay about $2.8 million in salary for the remainder of the year. But I hope they don't trade him, because it will be for a PTBNL and then I'll have to answer a year of Chad Bradford questions.