You are apparently forgetting your main duty. Helping me cap Oriole games! More input on who wins and why. Now that you understand what this is all about I KNOW I can count on your help. Or maybe I HOPE I can count on your help. Tuck321

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Pete's reply: Could you run that by me agaiin.

It has been a pretty miserable June for Adam Jones. His .569 June OPS will need a little boost in these last few days to not be his worst month as a pro. Please tell me this is just an unavoidable bump in the road for a maturing hitter. (and, yes, I did say he should/will be an All-Star)

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Pete's reply: Sure it is. He's going to be a huge star in this game, but it's not an easy game or a smooth road.

Memo to Andy McPhail - Please unload Felix P.U. and Koji (ouch, I'm sore after 50 pitches and two weeks off) now before things get uglier.

p.s. I don't like rollercoaster rides, so please stop putting me on one.

p.s. (part deux)

Pete - Is that $175 counting your buy- ins?? LOL

Adam Jones and Nick Markakis need to shorten up the swing, word is apparently out that you can get the fastball by them. Adam Jones especially needs to make some adjustments or he might get the Mike Young disease..... fastballs up and away and a bad breaking ball in the dirt, and sit down.

Melvin Mora not only is one of the worst baserunners inn MLB, he has difficulty with throws on routine plays...too much time to think. I still say the Orioles will win 69 games.

This team can't seem to maintain focus and intensity one game to the next. I think they need a younger, more intense manager at this stage.

Peter,

I have been a fair poster on DT (at least I have defended him many times - as you have as well)...but what he said about Pie really bothers me - why is he targeting a player who hardly ever plays? Where was he on Wigginton - Mora getting thrown out...or Roberts lack of hustle? I will support DT most times - but this leaves me uneasy as to how a team will look at this? On some levels, star players are treated differently because they make way too much money now days and have more power than maagers in some aspects...but this public ripping of Pie seems inexcusable to me - he should be ripping his "team" publicly if he is going to vent and not an individual who hardly plays - he's not being consistent - your thoughts?

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Pete's reply: In principle, I agree with you 100 percent. I wasn't there last night, of course, so I don't know how the subject came up or how the question was asked that drew that response on Pie. But focusing on a part-time player when just about every veteran star has made his share of fundamental mistakes is not right. Trembley did address the Wigginton baserunning mistake on Tuesday, but not quite in the same fashion. I can't remember him calling out Brian or Melvin in that way, either.

Markakis looks lost at the plate. How many 2 ball 1 strike fastballs is he going to watch go by for strike 2? He is so passive at the plate he should consider taking a pillow up there. Only a great April and May are savings his season stat line. If he doesn't change his approach he is looking at an 80 run / 80 rbi season which is pretty sub-par for a right fielder batting in the top third of the lineup.

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Pete's reply: I suppose that's true, but few players slump for four months. If he does, then he's not the player we thought he was, but he'll snap out of it.

I agree with Gary. Wieters makes a bad throw, and it's Pie's fault? I don't see it. Even if the runner had been held at third, do you think the O's would have gotten out of the inning scoreless and gone on to win the game? Probably not... They still had multiple chances to even up the score, but the O's batting has been quite unimpressive as of late. Let's hope things turn around once they get back to Baltimore.

The base running (overly aggressive and stupid) has been a problem all year. Only two teams in MLB are worse than the Orioles in SB% (Houston and Washington).
I"ve said all along I'm not too concerned with the W/L this year but the lack of fundamentals in both the veterans and young players is appalling and no progressive see to have been made. In that sense I do hold DT accountable and w/o substantial improvement he shouldn't be back.
I guess it is possible the lack of fundamentals runs all the way down through college and high school but still at the professional level they have to be improved.
As to Koji, I always thought the Japanese league stressed fitness, doesn't appear that way with Koji. I'm referring to his always being out of breath even on cool nights not regarding injuries which may not be controllable. He is only 34 and not 44. Maybe Nolan Ryan should give him a training program.

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Pete's reply: I agree that Dave will pay if the fundamentals don't improve, and that's fair. It's happening on his watch, even if some of the problems can't be directly tied to anything he is or isn't doing. I'm totally flummoxed by Koji for the same reason. The only think I can think of is that he's used to playing in a lot of air-conditioned ballparks, but I just don't see how he can be tired after 76 pitches.

I'm not totally go to bat for Trembley by any means but I think that the blame should be placed squarely on the shoulders of his coaching staff for the baserunning blunders and poor play in the field. T-Bone & Samuel don't seem to have any control over the guys when they are running the bases and outfielders are constantly out of position and giving up the gap hits. It would be even worse if Jones didn't make up for his positioning with his speed. The other day he was signaling to the dugout for help in where he should play and nobody even noticed it. DT is ultimately responsible for his staff but the root of the O's consistency problems starts with the coaches.

I still think they will finish close to .500 which is better than what I expected when the season began. (assuming they find a replacement for Koji and don't trade away Huff or Scott)

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Pete's reply: I wouldn't parse the staff. It's on everybody when the team does not do things right. Everybody.

Well said Gary.

I was at the game in Miami last night and the target of DT's frustration should without a doubt be Aubrey Huff. He shows absolutley no hustle or effort on the basepaths. Even my brothers girlfriend, who knows nothing about baseball, kept talking about how Huff was almost walking to first base everytime he put the ball in play. I mean if the guy had more than nine homeruns and was hitting better than .270 it would be a moot point, but he isn't. It's just extremely frustrating to a fan such as myself, who pays my hard earned money to order the games online so i can watch them from my Tampa, Fl home. Then I finally get to catch one of the few games I get to go to in person each year (which I drove four hours from Tampa to see) and Huff can't even run out a ground ball? Not to mention all the fundamental mistakes everyone else on the team made! Sorry Pete didn't mean to use the blog as a sounding board just a bit frustrating. Thanks for the good work on the blog though, it really keeps a fan living outside of the Baltimore in the loop.

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Pete's reply: Got no problem with you venting here on a daily basis. That's what it's for. I know everybody is frustrated and there is room for some fair criticism of just about everybody right now. I'm fine with that, but I do like to see fans lighten up when the team does well...and -- in the case of Tuesday night -- cut it some slack when the good outweighs the bad in a loss.

Sorry Garry, your wrong. Bad throws will happen, but not knowing what to do with a ball once you get it, is little league stuff. Not running full throttle on a steal attempt is inexcusable. He is not a savvy player, and he has been this way since he came here. Yes they made errors, but mistakes on the field are not going to make you a winner. The fact is every team makes errors, it is what happens after that. If this was one isolated issue, that is one thing, but I am sure this has been building up with Trembley for some time. I am sure that Dave has questioned already McPhail, how long do I have to keep him on the roster. .As far as it goes with Trembley calling out Pie instead of Pie, he said the team had bad at bats. .Wave him and take a chance. He has no trade value.

How come Trembley publicly blasted Pie and then stated that "I will reserve my comments to him until tomorrow. That's how we do things around here."

Pie is the scapegoat for this season of blunder baseball. It's been reasonably displayed that the O's are one of the worst offenders in losing runs with their base running blunders (baseball prosepctus measures these things). The fans know that, win or lose, we are not watching a crisp club that plays solid ball despite Pie's attempts to drag down the team and Trembley's insistence on "solid fundamentals". It's just not enjoyable to watch these guys repeatedly run into outs under the manager's direction, and repeatedly make basic mental miscues.

I'm waiting for the young talent, but at the same time the team's overall "general malaise" (quoting the Sun article) is tiring to watch. Just bringing up the kids will not solve this type of issue.

We shouldn't be too disheartened. Last night the team showed great heart. Tonight they couldn't get enough hits together. However, if they win 2 of 3 the rest of the way, that's 92 wins. Yeah, I'm delusional and optimistic, but I'm one of those guys that's thinking a 4-2 road trip is respectable. Plus, hopefully the birds can get out the brooms for the Nats this weekend. If they stay a little more consistent .500 by the All Star break isn't completely out of the question. Let's Go O's.

Sure wish someone would blast McPhail for signing a $5M relief pitcher from Japan with a history of hamstring problems and putting him in a rebuilding rotation and expecting him to pitch more than 5 innings.

McPhail - you usually have sound baseball judgement but you truly blew this one.

BTW - people shouldn't single out Huff for non-hustle because not one of the regular starters with the exception of Jones & Reimold give it their all down the line - not even Roberts. (and watch other teams - 90% of the veterans jog down to first when they perceive it to be a sure out.)

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Pete's reply: I agree that the Koji acquisition is not looking too great right now, but I don't know how anyone could have predicted this stamina issue. It's pretty unprecedented. I've got to tell you, I've never in my long (yes, I'm old) career have I seen anything quite like this. I've seen pitchers get dehydrated and leave a game early. I've occasionally seen a pitcher seem gassed in the second or third inning (usually Sidney). I can't remember a guy pitching well and being tired after 76 pitches. Not sure anyone could have foreseen that, but I would say right now it doesn't look like $10 million well spent. I bet Andy would agree, though he'd never say that publicly.

You are definitely right about 90% of veterans jogging down the line, but there are so many times where the infielders juggle the ball a bit and these "veterans" could easily be standing on first base if they had husltled down the line. It is always one of the things that has bothered me about the game in general. If you are making big money you should be busting it down the line every time. Baseball is not a very physically demaning sport in terms of running so when you have that four or five times a game you have to run, at least hustle. But I definitely didn't mean to single out Huff, it was just painfully obvious that he wasn't giving it his all last night.

Justin, I totally agree. You would think that being paid millions to play a kids game, the very least you could do is give it your all - at ALL times, both mentally & physically.

My only point related to Huff was that it really isn't an Orioles specific problem and not really directly related to the current malaise (as the Sun put it)

If Pie doesn't have a mind or passion for baseball, there's no tools in the world that can help him.

trade/release him

Blasting Pie is completely wrong. Thanks to those who have already posted this. Absurd to me after all the fundamental breakdowns and poor baserunning that has been committed by veterans and rooks alike this year. Reimold threw to the wrong base two days in a row in his first week allowing baserunners to advance. Thats how young players learn, hopefully, but Trembley is so out of line with his double standard approach, that he himself has proven who the real minor leaguer is.

Release Pie and Hendrickson! Put Uehara in the pen! Keep Salazar and make room for Montanez who is due off the DL! We also have to get our young arms up now. At least Hernandez who has a great arm! I also think its time for Mora to go as he is killing us with his bat!

Pete we finally have something in common and that is Texas Holdem. My wife and myself go to Atlantic City twice a month for 3 0r 4 days at a time . We play at all the harrah properties because we get comp so well. I love the game and have really started to get pretty good.It would be nice to see you there sometime. As good as the orioles looked last week they have taken 2 steps back now. I hate to preach to the choir but as much as dave t is known for his fundamentals this team has to be the worst base running team in the league along with not knowning where to throw the baseball. I don't know how this ultimatley doesn't fall on the manager and his coaches.

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Pete's reply: As I've also said, it does fall on them, and will fall hard on them if it doesn't improve soon. As for the Hold-em, I displayed Uehara-like stamina after being up late the night before and made a critical error just before I would have moved to the final table.

Pete- I was venting on your previous post on Trembley's comments/handling of Koji . I have heard all kinds of complaints about Trembley from your posters . But all those didnt registered on me , but yesterday's comments on Koji had me in a fit. I am seeing a different picture of Trembley .

Pete- you mentioned that you never seen pitcher breaking down ( or falling apart ? ) like Koji . Maybe its not baseball but his medical health becoming an issue ? Someone should send Koji to hospital and run blood tests on him , he could be having diabetes or high blood pressure ? Koji's body reaction doesnt happen without a reason , something is wrong . Pete , for Koji's sake , could you check with O's about my concerns?

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Pete's reply: Trust me, both Koji and the team have large medical teams on hand all the time. He just isn't handling the heat well. It's not like he's fainting or anything. He just gets fatigued too quickly to remain sharp late in the game. Don't think there's an underlying problem, but I'm sure the team is aware of everything he's doing. The players have all kinds of tests every spring for those kinds of things.

What's Koji going to do when we have those patented 100/100 (temp/humidity) days in August? Give us 2 innings?

Pete - I haven't read anywhere why the Orioles thought he could cut it as a starter? Was it ever explained or was it just a complete act of desperation the way the rotation was shaping up in the offseason? His hamstring problem was an issue when he played in Japan so the Orioles had to know that. The other night he absolutely looked like he was going to pass out on the mound in the 6th inning. I'm with you, I don't recall ever seeing anything like this before either.

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Pete's reply: Well, remember, he was the equivalent of a Cy Young winner in Japan before moving to the bullpen and saving 32 games last year. I don't think it was an act of desperation, but it was an act of corporate public relations. The O's want to have a presence over there and he was the best player available.

p.s. Regarding Sidney, he had a built in excuse, he was fat and hungover. (I can relate)

Pie's lack of mental sharpness is not surprising considering how little he plays. DT overworks his "horses" (Jones, Markakis, Roberts) and lets his reserves rot on the bench. He's been doing it all season long. The only reason he sat Jones yesterday is that he's been swinging at an incredible number of bad pitches.

You'll recall how great Weaver was at keeping all his players involved. I give Tremble an F- in this regard. It's no surprise that after sitting on the bench like a potted plant game after game, a guy like Pie is not ready when called upon.

I agree that there are a lot of fundamental problems that have led to some tough lossess, but when I hear people wanting to release, trade or simply just bench Melvin Mora it is ridiculous. The guy hit .285 23HR's and 104Rbi's last year and has been a solid player on a rather lifeless team for the past decade. Give the guy some respect, I think he's earned the fans' patience through his slump as he was the only good thing going for the team during the tough years in the early 2000's. If anyone deserves to play for this team when they finally get things turned around it is Mora.

Pete, don't you think the stamina issues that Koji is going through is directly related to the fact that he has his own workout routine? I heard that the majority of his pre-game workout routine, is on stationary bike and that he doesn't do much outside for his pre-game workout. I've said this before, you can't simulate game time temperatures.

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Pete's reply: I really don't know what to think. He does have his own routine, which doesn't seem to be working. I wonder if the team will step in and completely take over his conditioning.

Overall, I have been watching the Orioles this year surprised by their improvement, yet frustrated by fundamental errors. I thought the fundamentals would be better despite having a barrel-full of losses.

Pete's reply: I agree that the Koji acquisition is not looking too great right now, but I don't know how anyone could have predicted this stamina issue. It's pretty unprecedented. I've got to tell you, I've never in my long (yes, I'm old) career have I seen anything quite like this. I've seen pitchers get dehydrated and leave a game early. I've occasionally seen a pitcher seem gassed in the second or third inning (usually Sidney). I can't remember a guy pitching well and being tired after 76 pitches. Not sure anyone could have foreseen that, but I would say right now it doesn't look like $10 million well spent. I bet Andy would agree, though he'd never say that publicly.

My response: Oddly, I think Koji isn't a bad acquisition. (I'm not saying it's good or $10M well spent ... yet.) I do think he should be destined to the bullpen. In fact if a team takes a flyer on Sherrill, I'd make Koji a 1-2 inning closer. I realize he doesn't flash Lee Smith type stuff, but he seems to go about his business professionally, and get people out. Isn't that what it's all about?

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Pete's reply: I think he's pretty good. I just don't know how he fits. I guess a short relief role is possible, but stamina is required for that job too.