Pete, I totally agree about going out and getting a front-line starter next off season. Guthrie is not a #1 starter, and never has been. I really think the O's should make a play for Bedard. That and a solid third baseman and resigning Huff could make this team competitive next year with all the strides these young pitchers should make next year.

I think he has always made a few mistake pitches, even when he was at his best. But this year it seems like every time he pitches the ball up on those hanging breaking balls, its over the fence every time. They seem to be looking for that flat breaking ball because they smash it every single time they see it, and he is throwing it more often this year than last year. I agree that they need to get another veteran on the staff as you cannot win with essentially 4 rookies and Guthrie as your lone veteran in the starting staff. Problem is, how you gonna convince a front line vet to come to Baltimore and have to pitch to the Red Sox, Yankees, and Rays.

Did you actually say we should sign Eric Bedard? Eric Bedard?!? Why not see if Sid Fernandez is available to come out of retirement?

I've read your work for many years, and this morning's nonsense is so uncharacteristic of you, that I wonder if someone hacked into your computer and wrote this column as a prank.

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Pete's reply: Hey, if anybody wants to hack in and write my columns for me, I'm all for it.

Regarding Jeremy Guthrie, the one thing that jumps out at me looking at his stats is that his Groundball/Flyball ratios for this season are almost exactly opposite compared to the last two seasons. This season he's giving up 43.5% FB's to 38.4% GB's a nearly 5% increase in FB's and a corresponding 5% decrease in GB's vs the last two seasons. Along with that he's giving up more home runs on those FB's, 13.6% vs 10.5% last season, increasing his HR/9 to 1.81 vs 1.13 last season. Also the last two seasons he's been a bit lucky, with BABIPS of 2.77 and 2.67 vs this year when he's had average luck with a .302 BABIP. The fact that he had an era nearly a run better than his FIP the last two years, plus the low BABIPS would seem to indicate that he more lucky than good the last two years and that luck has essentially run out.

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Pete's reply: That's easily the record for acronyms in one post on this blog. Now, I'm one confused SOB.

Pete, I agree the Orioles should get an anchor for the young staff. But Bedard? He's an exceptional pitcher, no doubt but he spends more time on the DL than Freddy Lynn! As far as Guthrie is concerned, I think the league is just figuring him out and he'll settle into a nice role towards the middle of the rotation. Do you really think however, that Mcphail will splurge on a pitcher? From what I have read that is not is style. More likely to go after a proven run producer at 3rd possibly?

They'll probably carry Howard to home plate on a stretcher in the ninth this afternoon. Nonetheless, he will be in the dugout lurking around by the middle innings, after he gets his I.V.

As far as Robert's is concerned, let's wait until he starts getting a couple hits a games and steals a few bases before we declare everything OK with him. He just doesn't look right.

No doubt, BRob could've ran out that misplay at third in the first inning, had he been running. I don't forgive him. That was an amazing comeback last night, but he's no Ryan Howard and he's batting under .290. I remember watching him run out infield hits for years and he clearly, just, is not putting forth the same effort.

I'd agree that most professional athletes are competitive enough that their monetary security is not a reason for them to not push themselves, but baseball is a slightly different sport. It's a long season, 162 games, where one hit in 20 at-bats means the difference between a .250 and .300 batting average. In basketball, players can go in and out of a slump within a game as some players, routinely get 20+ shots off. In baseball, it's pretty hard for me to call 0-20 a true slump and going 4 for 4, being hot, when the hits could've all come off one pitcher that the batter's been seeing real well. It truly is a "mano a mano" head-game sport. Some players just get funked out.

Roberts recently signed two huge deals. He tied the knot with Ms. FHM and fought with the front office for a contract extension worth $40 mil over 4 years. I don't know how he got Diana but with what he's shown us through his first 8 years as an Oriole, I think he deserved the money. I really believe that he's just become a little too comfortable with his life.

He needs to give a bit more effort. Trembley has to get on him. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with fans giving him heck.

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Pete's reply: I assume you are at the game and have your laptop in the stands, since they never showed Roberts running down the line on that play except when he tried to dodge the first baseman. I have no idea if he ran hard, but it was only a slight bobble. I'm not going to assume anything before criticizing him, but if you saw something I didn't, let me know.

Pete,

Mora has to stop "Gambling" with the Orioles runs. And Buck Martinez needs to stop encouraging him.

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Pete's reply: I think if you go back to the blog, you'll see that we're on the same wavelength. The Roberts steal attempt in the eighth -- now that was a good gamble.

I agree with your point that Guthrie isn't a true #1, and I wouldn't mind seeing the O's go get a veteran starter to fill that role, but please not Bedard. I was so happy to see him go, and I just don't see how picking up a pitcher who spends as much time on the DL as he does on the mound is a help especially when even when he's pitching all he does is whine and complain. How about looking to Japan again?
Also I have to ask this; How in the world in this day of multi million dollar players who aren't allowed to ride motorcycles, or play basketball, with proffessional trainers watching their every move, does someone like Howard get so dehydrated that he has to go to the hospital? I mean this ain't rocket science, make sure the dummy drinks some water!

Can't anybody here run the bases? Whatever happened to not making the first out of the inning at 3rd base? These guys have run themselves out of so many innings this year it's ridiculous. What is Mora thinking? He's not exactly a gazelle out there, and Victorino has a cannon.

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Pete's reply: I agree and posted something to that effect.

Guthrie isn't a #1 starter, but I think he'd be a solid 3. I think his aborted spring training/WBC odyssey hurt, and I think his confidence is a bit shaky, but give him his due today. 7 IP, 3 hits and 1 run in that bandbox isn't too shabby. He's given them a chance to win. Now if they could run the bases....Jones almost got thrown out on his RBI single....that's sad.

I'm not at the game and wish I was able to replay the play. You're right that they never showed BRob running down the line, but he pulled up well before he crossed the bag. It was a slight dodge of the first baseman, but he had already lost some speed. You do get a sense of the timing after watching the game for awhile. The ball was hit fairly sharply and he was batting righty, but I assumed it to be close at first anyway with Robert's speed. That was a big bobble on Pedro's part, and I know he could've beat it out if he had pushed himself.