fire trembley

until mlb institutes a more concrete form of a salary cap, the league's a joke. if i want to see real competition on a level playing field, i'll watch the nfl.

Fire Fred Manfra

Happy 74th Birthday, Frank Robinson.

Thanks for all the happy memories.

Let's celebrate Frank's birthday with a win over New York tonight.

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Pete's reply: I agree. I miss Frank. Maybe I'll call him today so he can yell at me for bothering him at home.

I too hope Guthrie can continue this recent string of good starts. He's finally pitching like he did last year, when if he had any run support whatsoever he probably would have won 20 games.

2008 Earned Runs allowed (out of 30 starts):
1: 10 starts
2: 7 starts
3: 5 starts
4: 4 starts
5-7: 4 starts

Looking at these numbers, it's hard to believe he won only 10 games. In 16 of his starts, the offense scored 3 runs or fewer. I'm sure our stellar bullpen didn't help either, but those stats are a bit harder and immensely more frustrating to compile.

until mlb institutes a more concrete form of a salary cap, the league's a joke. if i want to see real competition on a level playing field, i'll watch the nfl.

Posted by: pop fisher

How many different teams have won the super bowl in the last 15 years pop? Now how many different teams have won the world series in the last 15 years? Stop b******* you can come up with better things to discuss than that. Texas, Tampa, Colorado, Minnesota and Florida are in the hunt so stop making excuses.

Let's officially start a new Orioles era by beating Andy Pettitte tonight.

The New York All-Stars are on a real roll right now so Guthrie will have to be nearly perfect.

I hate to go to the games when the All Stars or the Rent Sox are in town because their fans are nauseating and rude, but at least it's a big crowd.

When the Orioles start winning maybe we can reclaim our own Ballpark from them.

It's 2pm on the 31st. Hear anything on what the O's are doing relating to trades and such? Pete, can't the Sun give you an intern to edit these comments (not mine of course). Some of them really are unreal. The GM's have nothing to worry about. On the other hand, some of your commentors are very good writers.

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Pete's reply: Have not heard a peep today yet.

I'm with you pop, MLB needs a hard salary cap.

Ron, imagine if the O's had added CC, Burnett, Teixeira, A-Roids, K-Rod plus another 20-30 million per year in contracts this offseason. You don't think the O's would be contending for a world series? That's the difference in payroll and it's absurd. This year as the current standings are, all 8 teams making the playoffs are in the top 14 of salary in MLB.

Anyways, Go O's tonight.

BTW, is there any update for Time Warner Cable ever carrying MASN??

It's true that a host of lower payroll teams have been in the mix in MLB over the last 10-15 years, but they arent able to SUSTAIN dominance over many seasons and ALWAYS be in the running for the post season like the Yanks and Sox have been for the last 10+ years.

Whether you want to admit it or not, there IS an advantage when you can simply outbid for other teams best players (in their prime, no less) as soon as they hit free agency (and hence you're forced to deal them for prospects and hope that some of them pan out in 3-4 years to replace the stud player you had to deal)

All a salary cap does is transfers the money from the players to the owners.

Well run teams compete. Poorly run teams don't. The NFL is the same way.

Jeremy, that is completely false argument for a league that doesn't have a salary cap when the difference is over $100 million in salary. You don't have to be well run to compete because you can cover up your mistakes by paying big money for proven players. The Yankees would not be at the top of the division this year if they weren't able to sign everyone they did this offseason. That's only the product of having more money than everyone else.

It's that time again. The Spankees invading our beloved Camden Yards. BUMP the FLIPPING Yankees.

Thank you Peter Angelos!

The big difference in Guthrie's last 2 starts compared to earlier is he has quit overthrowing. Notice you don't see him jerking his head with each delivery now. The result? He has both better control and better movement on his pitches, and it isn't costing him more than 1-2 mph on his fastball.

Pitching isn't about velocity, no matter how hard you throw. Berken has learned this recently. It's about MOVEMENT and CONTROL.

Jim

Sam

Look at the Yankees the last 9 years they spend like crazy and still don’t win it all. The Yankees could still lose in the playoffs to a small market team. Just because you spend does not guarantee anything. Winning in MLB depends on a franchise being organized and well structured. Without that you could have the best lineup in baseball and still lose. Baseball has it right. Everyone that is complaining needs to look at their favorite team closer.

You know what it means when the salary cap argument comes up?? The Yankees are in town.

Yeah yeah yeah blame the Yankees, the system and umm ummm expansion!! The Yankees are just a flat out better ran team. Better owner, players and legions of fans. Orioles have 12 years of losing, bad team, dead fanbase and an owner that the nation despises.

Ron,
How many times in the last 10-12 years (when payrolls starting going up significantly) have the yankees missed the playoffs???

They have maintained the ability to compete and make the playoffs nearly every year because of their payroll and not because of there ability to scout players. Take away the players they bought recently A-Rod, CC, Tex, Burnett among others and how good would the yankees be??

Good organizations are more pronounced in leagues where the playing field is even like the NFL. The Raiders suck even though they spend the same amount as everyone else because they have poor management. The Ravens compete every year while spending the same as everyone else because of excellent management. Level playing field makes it all about the quality of the organization.

In baseball, poorer teams in smaller markets have one way to win: Player development. The richer teams like the Yankees and Red Sox in huge markets have two ways to win: Player development and spending lots of money in Free Agency. Is that a level playing field???

It is great to see him have back to back good starts. For 2010 you have to hope he is not penciled in as the staff ace. The Orioles need someone else to be that. Really not counting the young guys that have been called up, but they seem to have long slumps of pitching and hitting on this team. It would sure be nice to see some players come up that can be more consistent. In baseball you always have slumps for one reason or the other, like Adrian Gonzalez that everyone wants to come here, fact is no one would have wanted him in July. But these players seem to go in 6-8 week slumps. Do you see the same thing?

Agree with what you say about Guthrie. He was far better last year than people give him credit for. His 3.63 ERA in 2008 would be good enough for 11th best in the league this year, just behind Millwood, Lester and Sabathia. Not too shabby.

The Orioles are not poor by any means they have been ineffective the last 12 years. I have not been a huge AM fan but he does seem to be one of the more credible executives they have had in awhile and he might be helping them in the right direction depending how they address this offseason. Revenue sharing works just look at the teams that make the playoffs each year. Everybody that tries hard has a chance. Tampa beat the Sox last year and Texas is hanging with them this season. Teams just have to try and want to win.

Thank you, Sam. That explained it perfectly. Just because the Yanks haven't WON IT ALL in several years doesnt mean that they havent used their spending advantage to keep them in the playoff mix during that time.

The NFL analogy is right on the money. It takes the market size out of the equation, and the best organizations duke it out on a level playing field.

If you would move the fences back at Camden Yards so that they were more of a challlenge for professional hitters, Guthrie might not be giving up so many home runs. Camden Yards is a very fan friendly ball park but as far as being fair to pitchers, the Nationals park has it all over it.

fire Anonymous

Two separate issues. The spending is not equitablke and the inequity is legislated into the game, just as congress legislated bad loans into the system. The Orioles could compete in an isolated case with the Yankees. What gives the huge advantage to the Yankees is that they can make a mistake, buy it out, and keep right on spending. Angelos could buy Albert Belle but when he couldnt play, that salary crippled the team for a few years. The yanks pay for Pavano, he flops and they dont miss a beat. Move on and buy CC and AJ.

That said, the Orioles can spend more than most teams and it wouldnt have mattered over the losing years because our organization has mismanaged the resources it did have. So we are victims of a double whammy. Less resources tahan the Yankees AND front office mismanagement

If you would move the fences back at Camden Yards so that they were more of a challlenge for professional hitters, Guthrie might not be giving up so many home runs.

Sorry Donald but Guthrie has allowed 12 HR in 76.1 innings at home and 17 in 77.2 on the road.. the stats don't back you up

Donald

Further, for the years 2000-2008 there were 7,332 total runs in Orioles road games and 7,044 in home games. This looks to be the 8th time in 10 years that Os pitchers will have a better ERA at home.. so exactly bhow is Camden Yards unfair to pitchers?