I personally think these were all mistakes linked to the teamwide and individual slumps. Each time it was a bad play trying to stretch into a slightly better scoring position.

We can argue the nuances of each play all year, but keep the bigger picture in mind. It doesn't change a thing. This club is an extremely talented bad team whose best pieces are still getting their feet under them. As long as the younger guys see the mistakes as "mistakes," they can learn by them. We shouldn't encourage a climate that excuses those plays, but much of this team is still learning. A few bad throws by Wieters doesn't mean he's a bust. A few bad baserunning plays by the vets isn't a sign of something larger. If they are doing this kind of stuff consistently, and especially 2 years from now though, it does say something. Trembley needs to make it clear to everyone that those are bad lays. Don't do them again. Slump or no slump.

The second half of the season is coming up. Time for a team meeting. Make sure everybody is on the same page. Make reasonable expectations for each individual, and for the team. Set up a players court for reviewing bone head plays and issues appropriate fines.
This way mistakes are reviewed and discussed.....its just not a pat on the butt and saying "get 'em next time".
From this day forward EVERYBODY has to be held accountable.
This is a team that needs to establish a culture of pride and responsibility before they can move to the next step......that being a culture of winning.
The team is not going to go from last place to first place. It has to take it one step at a time.....each step has to move the team in a positive direction.
Leadership does not always come from the best player, but the player who leads by example. The clubhouse needs someone who understands team building dynamics.

I don't think some of these guys realize they're getting older and slower.You mind tells you something from 5 years ago. But the botch steals attempts is just bad coaching and communication. I don't think Shelby and Samueal are very good box coaches either.I reallty think there's too much of an auto-pilot approach by the manager and coaches.No matter how bad they play the Trembley defenders will be there spinning it.

Pete , in all honesty , the all around fundamentals that I though Trembley was supposed to bring to the table have been no existant . I like Trembley , but as far as a manager .... I know he's had a lot of experience in the minors but some major league coaching may have helped first .

One utterly unique aspect of baseball is the game-a-day pace. Football and NASCAR teams have 6 days to work on things. Soccer, hockey, and basketball have 3 or 4. But once the season starts, baseball teams never have a day to really practice all aspects of the game. That's why it's so important that everybody do it right all the time. Once things start going wrong, there's no set procedure to turn it around.

Berken at times has some pretty electric stuff. He just needs to find command. He keeps this up it will eventually get to him. Lets get the bats going!!

Pete,

As Harry Truman said, The Buck stops here! That would be with Dave Trembly! He makes the line-ups and sits in the dugout like a bump on a log. This isn't exactly an experienced team, I think he could be a little more vocal in the teaching mode, versus the Great BUDDA!

Fundamentals alway lay at the managers feet and much can be laid at Dave's feet. Unlike Manny Acta, Dave has some talent, not as much as the Yanks or Sox but plenty enough to look like a professional team!

He may be a nice guy, but as they say nice guys finish last! Dave needs to start managing like his job is on the line because it should be!

Baseball really is such a simple game. The easiest formula for winning consistently is to have a better starting pitcher than the other team. Lester vs. Berken is a good example of a game that is almost impossible to win before it starts. Really only Bergesen right now gives the O's a very good chance to win. It comes down to Tillman, Matusz and maybe a couple others panning out.

Harry Truman?
Wow.

The consensous above seems to say what I've been saying for some time. At the top Trembly just isn't a Major League Mgr. A coach maybe. Weaver must be having apoplexy if he's watching the O's Follies. If the Mgr isn't the no-nonsense type then the coaches have to be. The O's coaches are fraternity brothers happy to be together again. The O's need someone like Frank Robinson who could back up everything he required the players to do, as an O and later as a Mgr. I fervently hope, each and every day, that the opportunity to own a Major League team doesn't present itself to Cal before Angelos finally decides to sell the team. While Cal himself isn't a hard-liner, he knows enough baseball, and was taught enough growing up, to, when he FINALLY does take over, hire good quality baseball people who will get the O's back to the "Oriole Way". Remember, wheh Trembly was hired, he said that the O's would get back to the "Oriole Way" of playing baseball. Not happening. The O's are a LOOONG way from being competitive in the American League much less the AL East. The way that the team was assembled in the off-season was a good indicater of what lies ahead. After, supposedly, being given an open pocketbook, McPhail brought a staff to Spring Training that consisted of a pitcher who had one full year in the Majors, and therefore was the de facto #1, a pitcher who had NEVER pitched in the Majors, was 34 years old AND had spent the previous two years pitching as a RELIEVER in the Japanese League. De facto #2. Add Hendrickson and Hill and pray for rain. Not the same as the Braves refrain but it will have to do. The two B's and Hernandez were to stay down on the farm - McPhail knew this as he was assembling the staff over the Winter. There were many, many free agent pitchers, better than Hendrickson and Hill, to make offers to, and don't give me that stuff about no good pitcher wanting to come to Baltimore. For one year, and GOOD money, plenty would have signed. Was it McPhail's unwillingness, Angelos not completely letting go of the purse strings or just poor judgement on the part of the Front Office. Aside from starters, the O's had a bullpen of Baez, coming off surgery, Bass, who has twice been sent back to the minors, Ray, coming off surgery, Sherrill with ONE year as a closer and a slew of relievers no longer active. All in all a pitiful showing for three or four months during the offseason. The result is that the O's have three very good minor league pitchers on their staff with no dominating veteran pitcher to lead them. Palmer often talks about rooming with Robin Roberts and learning much about the little nuances of pitching from him. Brooks did the same with George Kell. Who is teaching the five young outfielders (the 3 regs plus Scott & Pie)? Did anyone even think about that? Hopefully Wieters is sticking like glue to Zaun. Aside from Sherrill the pitchers are out on a limb by themselves. As I said its going to be a LOOONG time before the O's are competitive and, hopfully, by that time changes will have been made elsewhere.

"I don't like to give away outs" --- did Trembley really say that? The man who CREATES outs for his team by putting on the idiotic hit-and-run every chance he gets? Wow!!! The man truly needs to read "Money Ball".