Seems to me that the key with Adam is being selective with his pitches. He still is walking at a very slow clip, but earlier in the year he was getting ahead in the count and as a result seeing better pitches. The last month or two he's been swinging at everything.

Anyone have any idea how batting Huff 3rd is a good idea?

Nice pick by Huff. I think Pete has mentioned it few times on the blog, but Huff's 1st base defense has been a pleasant surprise this year. Too bad he's hitting like crap...

Rich:

I think you're relating Huff's defense to what you'd otherwise see out of Wigginton. Huff - while an adequate fielder - is far from a "pleasant surprise" at first. He's above average at best, average at worst. As with his offense - he's likely the worst 1st baseman in the division.

Don't get me wrong. I like Huff and think he's a good ballplayer. At this point, it doesn't make much sense to do anything else but let him play. But still - batting 3rd while mired in an horrific slump?

Rich:

I think you're relating Huff's defense to what you'd otherwise see out of Wigginton. Huff - while an adequate fielder - is far from a "pleasant surprise" at first. He's above average at best, average at worst. As with his offense - he's likely the worst 1st baseman in the division.

Don't get me wrong. I like Huff and think he's a good ballplayer. At this point, it doesn't make much sense to do anything else but let him play. But still - batting 3rd while mired in an horrific slump?

Ugh - I can't believe I've now joined the legions of the dreaded double posters!

Sorry! Modem problem. Blame Verizon, not me. Maybe it's the shoulder tendinitis. Worked for Hill ...

DT is an foolish man. To bat Huff in front of Markakis . I quit again.

Why is Huff hitting third? Perhaps it's his remarkably low OBP. Or maybe it's the popular "cold hand" theory in which you place a slumping hitter in an important lineup spot. Oh, I get it. He must be "due" because he's been such a lousy hitter this year.

Ok Pete, reconcile Huff hitting in front of Markakis. To get a lesser hitter some pitches to hit, you hit him in front of your best hitter, possibly costing your best hitter an at bat? DT is approaching idiotic status tonite. I mean, that move is inexplicable.

Why is Huff hitting third? Perhaps it's his remarkably low OBP. Or maybe it's the popular "cold hand" theory in which you place a slumping hitter in an important lineup spot. Oh, I get it. He must be "due" because he's been such a lousy hitter this year.

What a fool.

bases loaded one out and your 3rd and 4th hitters up against Brian Bannister and you get 0. 1st and second no outs and you get no runs? do you know how bad you have to be to accomplish those 2 things? Have you any idea?
Ok, PA, open the checkbook cause the time to buy some hitters has arrived.

Actually Pete, not to nitpick, but I believe Adam last night went down in the count 0-2, and bunted foul on the first pitch, before his homer.

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Pete's reply: Oh, to quote Roger Clemens, I must have misremembered.

Huff. Who cares! The fact is we do not have a legit #4 or #5 hitter in any classic sense.
30/100/ .285 or above.
But Mr Crowley needs to teach these "major leaguers" to lay off pitches below the freakin knees(and some below the cankles and in the dirt) They need to focus on laying ofrf low pitches they will beat into the ground. Huff, Scott,Mora, Reimold even Nick have a bad habit of chasing low.

Where are all you Wieters haters now?

By the way, how hot is Reimold? Wow.

why didn't he start the lineup that scored six off the sox? what was wrong with that lineup? They scored some runs?
What are they going to do?March Huff and Scott out there for the next 50 games to prove exactly what to who?
If you know you're going to stink, trade the guys you know won't be around when you're good whrn they are playing great. before they revert to their recent form.
AM is doing a good job, but a team going nowhere in the next few years does not need Huff or Scott or a whole bunch of these guys with no upside, no future. This team could flail around without them quite nicely.

Not to downplay Jones' home run, but it was a 87mph fastball right down the middle on a 3-1 count. Good hitters do not miss that one. To his credit he showed a bit more patience at the plate, but he has to be consistent. Home runs are good, but he has to stop thinking home run every time he bats. Most consistent home run hitters do not try to hit a home run every time they come to bat. They look for a good pitch to drive. I look forward to Jones maturing especially with respect to later innings where his bat is needed the most.

Hate to keep piling on DT, but can you believe he pulled Berken after 88 pitches for Hendrickson? I mean, I know the guy's been OK in the pen, but he's still Mark Hendrickson. 88 pitches? I know we'll get some "It's hot outside" excuse, but let the kid go another inning.

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Pete's reply: Maybe he thought that if Berken gave it up in the seventh, he'd get way more complaints from us than if he took him out. It's not like the guy is a win machine.

I'm going to post this as fast as I can, before the Royals tie or go ahead. I'm sick of this loser manager of the O's

Berken needs to be on the mound in the 7th. Only 88 pitches. If he PUTS ONE BATTER ON BASE, THEN YOU PULL HIM. The manager would then go to the mound, and the kid would walk to the dugout to a standing ovation from the home crowd.

Again and again and again with DT. If the pitcher pulled himself out, fine. If the pitcher is injured, fine. Cross your fingers.

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Pete's reply: Right move. Sorry.

That isn't it Kenny, DT wants JB to 1-get the win and 2-not get the loss. Pulling him now while he is pitcher of record is an attempt to maximize the chances that JB gets a win.

Kenny from Pikesville

I'll be the last person to defend DT but I think he is trying to get the kid a win to boost his confidence. He looked like he was pitching for his life out there.

Sorry, I'm not a DT fan at all. Especially lately. But I was so glad to see Berken get out of the game. Hendrickson has been pretty good out of the pen like you said. Pitch count isn't always what is important. I don't care if he threw 38 pitches or 108. Berken pitched a solid game, but you don't want to leave him in there until he implodes. Which would have inevitably happened.

DT has everyone on his back and that would have just made it worse. Plus getting him out after a game like that takes the pressure off of everyone to get him out of the rotation asap. He earned himself a few more starts. If he goes out in the 7th and gives up 2 runs or more he's likely done because he can't go that deep into a game.

I've never seen so many arguments about when to take a pitcher out of a game and when not to. Its almost every game.

So Berken bought himself another start with a solid outing. One poor pitch to Butler in the 1st, otherwise an ok performance. About time, but give the kid the ball a couple of more times and see if he can find a rhythm. Guthrie and the four rookies ... the future is now!

The real story is MacPhail's EI IE O's.

Reimold has found his groove again and Wieters is quietly moving in on a .300 average as well.

When Jones is hot he can carry the club, but I am liking the consistency of Reimold and Wieters a lot more.

Adam Jones did exactly what I was afraid he would do. This AllStar thing has gotten to his head. He thinks he is a home run hitter and tries to win the game by himself as a lead-off batter in the 9th. Someone needs to give him a reality check. He needs to be patient, shorten his swing and try to hit the opposite way. Something a future hall of famer like Derek Jeter has made a career of. Adam tries to pull the ball and puts a golf swing every time he comes to bat.

You'd think Crow woiuld pick up on these things.

You guys made valid points -
Still, we are indeed in extra innings and Berken did not get the W. Not sure bringing Hendrickson in "maximizes" Berken's chance for a win, but Hendrickson really has done a nice job of late. Maybe the guy can be traded?

By the way, what a run my Buehrle - 14 straight perfect innings before it ended. Wow.

For all you people bashing DT for pulling Berken after 88 pitches how many of you were at the ballpark? I was there and it was nasty out, humid and muggy was not fun I cannot imagine what it was like on the field. He pitched a solid 6 lets leave it at that and let the kid get some confidence again.

"Not to downplay Jones' home run, but it was a 87mph fastball right down the middle on a 3-1 count. Good hitters do not miss that one. To his credit he showed a bit more patience at the plate, but he has to be consistent. Home runs are good, but he has to stop thinking home run every time he bats. Most consistent home run hitters do not try to hit a home run every time they come to bat. They look for a good pitch to drive. I look forward to Jones maturing especially with respect to later innings where his bat is needed the most."

Your post makes no sense. What evidence do you have that Jones is trying to hit home runs? Even worse, how is it that you can say good hitters don't miss the ball that he hit for a HR, yet still criticize him for trying to hit it? I swear some fans...

I just read that former Mets manager Bobby Valentine is available and would like to return to MLB after a very successful stint in Japan. This is a guy that has been successful everywhere he's been. Always kind of reminded me a little of Earl Weaver. I think we need someone like Valentine at the helm. What do you think?

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Pete's reply: I'm not sure you can say he's been successful everywhere he's gone. He certainly has been successful in Japan, however.