Time to pick again - I am not sure I have seen any team have a "catchers inderfference" in the 8th inning with a 4 run lead? This is a little thing, but a telling thing---you have to be kidding if you think you have a 4 run lead in the bottom of the 8th inning you can give away bases? What are they thinking? Have they been watching their bullpen? Trembley is on his way out - and I have to say moves like that make me thing he's earning it more than the players are letting him down...there's just too many head scratchers with him.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4385183

Well Pete, I finally agree with you that the O's need another bat in the middle, and I'm talking about a perennial 35-40 homer guy. With the young hitters like Weiters, Jones and Reimold added to Markakis and Roberts it seems like the piece of the puzzle that is missing from the order. An "impact bat" if you will. Whether they trade for it, or maybe develop a guy like Brandon Snyder or Brandon Waring I don't really care. But I did notice that there are really only two free agent hitters next year, and they are both outfielders, so I'm not sure Andy wants to throw any more outfielders into the mix, and that is assuming that either of them will sign with the O's.

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Pete's reply: Yes, it's not a great free agent market from a position distribution standpoint, but if you really wanted to add a Jason Bay type hitter, I guess you could try to switch Reimold to first base.

I think Trembley has done the thing I am about to point out at least a couple other times....
He says that Chris Ray will be eased back into pressure situations.....and then boom, one good outing and we bring him in against a very good Tigers team in the 8th inning with men on base....(a 4 run lead not so huge).....
why not Baez here?
I hate to nitpick DT but he causes more headscratching than any manager I have witnessed here in Balto.

did he really not hold a runner on in the 8th inning and just let him steal second?
has he been watching the games this year?

Ha! I had a feeling Berken was going to win tonight. Boy that win felt good. C'mon youngsters, this team is yours to make something of, lets see what ya got.

Hey Peter, Regarding your column in tomorrow's paper; wouldn't it be nice if Oritz the hypocrite comes out at his press conference tomorrow and says that he will stand by his comments he made earlier this year about punishment for steroid users and say he is suspending his self until after the All-Star break 2010? Don't hold your breath because ALL 'roid users reek in hypocrisy. As far as "entertainer" snoopy dog doggy attending Ravens camp (of course as a guest of Limo Lewis) what is it with these pretentious arses that they have to have zootsuiters all around them, including one holding an umbrella? Can you spell E-G-O?

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Pete's reply: Well, he is a big hip hop star and I think there's a law that says they have to have an entourage.

Can't really agree with Jeff Z staing that Berken had a quality outing. 3 runs in 6 innings is pitching to a 4.50 ERA. Furthermore, you have to consider he gave up 2 homeruns and 3 doubles, just about an extra base per inning against, in my opinion, one of the weaker hitting teams in the league. I guess you can say at least his start was better than just about all of his previous starts and it led to a Os win. However, I still think he needs to go down to the minors.

Perhaps bring up Erbe soon or the Japanese kid from Bowie just to get some MLB experience. That way next year, if the O's need them, they won't be so shocked by the experience.

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Pete's reply: Well, statistically, that's a quality start, though I agree with you that three runs in six innings is no great shakes.

I am just happy to see JJ finally get a save op

Funny how slow the comments come in on a win.

Maybe this change is what they saw in Berken that prevented them from sending him down after the last start. Either way, good to see, and good to see Wieters so comfortable at the plate, even when he's being robbed in the field every game.

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Pete's reply: I'm not surprised there are more posts after a loss. We're all guilty of complaining more than complimenting.

Nice to see Berken get a win and the O's tacking on some runs after gaining the lead. Good game tonight.
Go O's!

Let's face it, Wells and Rios are gonna hit a lot of HRs of a lot of good pitchers and Hill is having a terrific year. The key is that Berken didn't fly to pieces. Like Peter said, he battled and kept his team in the game.

And the team battled a tough pitcher and got themselves back in it. Whatever you say about them, they have some veteran hitters and every once in a while, they show what they can do. A little luck never hurts, either.

Yeah, the quality start stat, like the save stat, is way mis-leading, but it's what they use. Bill James came up with some kind of number system to grade a start, but as with a lot of Bill James formulas, it's a little confusing, something like the QB rating system in American tackle football. So Berken gets credit for a QS, good for him!

BTW, grades using Bill's system are included in the box scores on the world's second greatest website(the Sun's first, of course) baseball-reference.com.

Pete, when someone is traded for the dreaded PTBNL, how does that work? Do the O's get to pick from a list submitted by the Rays, or have they likely already discussed candidates? Or can the O's just say "Bleep it, just send us beer money."

Also, when a player is claimed from waivers and his original team lets him go, what kind of compensation do they get? Money or picks or anything? Or is the salary relief considered enough compensation?

As always, many thanks for the work you put in.

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Pete's reply: If no deal is made for additional compensation, the claiming team pays the original team $20,000 and assumes the remaining salary of the player. That's what happened with Bradford. The O's are expected to get a player for Zaun, however.

Sorry for the multiple posts, my wireless went out just as I clicked send and they kept timing out.

I won't let it happen again.

Zaun is a good guy...has a chance to play for a playoff team now. Good for him.

Still, mentioning the Bradford deal...with no prospect in return (cash only)...does rub salt in the wounds of another poor season.

Yes, I understand the future looks much better...but I also understand the bottom line ($$$$'s) is the bottom line around Baltimore when it comes to baseball. Of course, some teams (see Red Sox and Yankees) feel you need to spend money to make money.

Last time I checked, we have a TV network too (MASN)...where is all the TV money? Lets get active this offseason and bring in a couple of big name guys to help the team.

Sorry for the multiple posts, my wireless went out just as I clicked send and they kept timing out.

I won't let it happen again.

I thought this was Berken's best start of the year, not statistically, but the way he handled all the game situations. He also showed a major league breaking pitch (much better depth to it) which if he can bring to each start can serve as an out pitch.

Once again Reimold shows his determination and heart, I missed whatever ball he misjudged but I heard the guys on MASN talking about it in the 6th. Comes up and hits a potential inning ending double play ball and busts his ass up the line to beat out the throw and allow the go ahead run to score.

Reimold is continue to impress me as a guy that is just a ballplayer especially since he is just a rookie. He turns 26 just after this season so I realize he doesn't have as much upside as Jones has but here is there numbers as a comparison in their first years with the Orioles.

Jones AB 477 .avg .270 HR 9 RBI 57 .OBP .310
Reimold AB 234 avg .274 HR 10 RBI 31 .OBP .366

If he can improve marginally next season we have 3 potential all-stars in the outfield. I don't think he'll quite reach that status (tho he does remind me of a young Jason Bay) I hope he will be a fixture in the O's outfield for a long time.

Any clue on the chances the O's move one of the other outfielders this offseason Pete? Realize Montanez probably doesn't have much value to he proves he can come back off the injury. (any updates on this btw) and Pie and Scott are enigmas at times so not sure if what you get back would be worth letting them go. Outfield will be crowded come spring training if everyone is healthy though.

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Pete's reply: That's not a terrible problem to have, but if the O's want to sign a big free agent bat, the best are all outfielders, which would require either trading one of the young outfielders, which I seriously doubt, or seeing if Reimold can play first base. Doubt that will happen, too, so I really don't know how they get anybody unless it's in trade.

Kudos to Jason Berken for gathering himself after the back-to-back jacks, and pitching a pretty good game, regardless of what a "quality start" means. He had runners on 2nd and 3rd after Reimold's blunder, but knuckled down and kept the score 3-0.

I also want to comment on Reimold's hustle down the line so he wouldn't get doubled up, allowing the 4th run to score in the inning.

Lesson to all Oriole batters: Run hard on every play. When I watched the replay of Nolan sprinting up the first-base line, I was shouting "Dig! Dig! Dig! Dig! Dig! SAFE!"

I don't care what our record ends up to be this year.....I wanna see some hustle. Are you listening, Aubrey?

O's offense would go from above average to dominating with a .265 35HR 135RBI guy at the #5 slot.

Anyone know the starters for tomorrow's Futures at Fenway game with the Baysox and the Tides? Can't seem to find it anywhere.

More on Ortiz:

Why is he 'waiting for more information'? Shouldn't we be the ones waiting for more information from him?

That's crazy to me. He know what he took and when.

That's the problem with you people. Sign our manager to a long term contract and give the man credit for what he has. He dosn't have a clean up hitter. We have so many young kids on this team. Give all of them time to grow Dave Trembly is a good baseball man.Leave the man alone. We had some very good managers in the past Let the baseball people run the club and shut up If you don't like what's going on then go with another team PLEASE Curt S.S. Md

Curt Brengle,

Are you on drugs?

I continue to like Berken. I can't quite pin-point it, but I see a lot of heart in the kid. He shows resilience and character. He may never be in the Hall of Fame, but at least, dammit, he takes the cards he's dealt and tries to do something with them. I see him as a frequent 12-15 game winner with a bit more seasoning.

Good one Curt, I do not think the Orioles are thinking about long term, I think that long term for our manager will be 85 more days. Then they will take some time to decide what to do.

He does have a clean up hitter, but the numbers are down, also the cleanup hitter does not pitch and that has been the Achilles heal of the 2009 Orioles and the previous 10 years.

Markasis' hit was a double.

With respect to those who question why 3 runs allowed over 6 innings is considered a quality start, it is because that is almost exactly what an average start is. There is nothing below average about it, not in terms of number of innings pitched or ERA, which is about 4.40 across the league this year.

So if you go 6 and give up three, you have carried your share of the load, put no extra burden on the bullpen, have given up no more than what an average guy would, and have left your team in a decent position to win.

I think its curious that in the two games Mora and Wigginton have both played since the "dust up" , Mora has batted before Wigginton in the batting order. Another example of how Trembley manages scared. Free agents aren't coming until there is a change there.

So if the O's can't sign free agents, perhaps they can trade Matusz, who as DT says will be a "top of the rotation ace for many years to come", for Youklis?

Bob C
The word quality refers more to good than average. I never said his start was below average. I just don't agree that it was a quality start when you are giving up so many extra base hits. Advertisers for services never say their product is average but rather that they have quality service. In reality saying it was a quality start is not really the best way to describe a performance by a starter. Adding a adjective like high or average beforehand would be better but it's a term that's used in baseball so so be it.

Berken was lucky that there wasn't runners on base when those homers were hit. And I think if we as fans feel a good start is pitching to the average standard in the league and if the Os are comfortable with that than the O's will never be better than average. The good teams have multiple starters and relievers with ERAs below 4 and that's what we need. Perhaps Berken eventually fits as a 5th starter with this type of a performance. I just don't think fans should feel so warm and fuzzy about any O's pitcher giving up two homeruns and multiple doubles and a few walks in 6 innings.

I couldn't agree more with the poster who says Dave Trembley is a "good baseball man." But how many people in the country could rightly be called good baseball men? Hundreds, I figure. And if there are more than 30, then some of them do not belong in an MLB manager's job.

~~Yes, I understand the future looks much better~~

but you wont let that get in the way of taking a shot of course

~~but I also understand the bottom line ($$$$'s) is the bottom line around Baltimore when it comes to baseball.~~

As it is, and should be, for every for profit company

~~Of course, some teams (see Red Sox and Yankees) feel you need to spend money to make money.~~

Or more accurately spend more because they make more. No matter how much the Orioles spend they do not have the revenue potential of the Sawx or Yankees. But lets not get confused with actual facts of business.

~~Last time I checked, we have a TV network too (MASN)...where is all the TV money? ~~

Have you ever run your own business? How many businesses are cash cows from year one? How many businesses are cash cows when their product is the worst in their market? MASN "sells" broadcasts of the Nats and O's who were the two lowest rated cable broadcasts in baseball last year. How much do you think that brings in advertising revenue? Phil Wood mentioned this morning that it took 12 years for the Red Sox cable network (NESN) to turn a profit, granted they didnt have MLB kick in $. But again, lets not let actual business facts confuse the issue.

~~Lets get active this offseason and bring in a couple of big name guys to help the team.~~

Gee. Fan wants a big name, not an actual good ballplayer. Maybe we can resign Sammy Sosa, he is a big name. Signing him for his name worked so well last time. Or maybe Snoop Dog will come for a visit and get more media coverage than actual players for a news cycle. Have you bothered to look at the expected free agents list for the coming off season? There are few big names, fewer at positions we need and even fewer good ballplayers who fit our needs. But maybe we can obtain Jarrod Saltalamacchia. I think he has the biggest (longest) name in baseball.

Why wait? We could immediately get Giambi and Smoltz. They are big names.

~~Adding a adjective like high or average beforehand would be better but it's a term that's used in baseball so so be it.~~

Context is everything. As you point out, quality can be neutral and depend totally on the qualifier ie. high, low, good, bad. But in baseball terms, "quality start" is a defined term so we know exactly what is meant when it is used in baseball terms.

In math class, a negative number doesnt mean bad number. It means a number below zero. Context tells us what is meant in that case and the same with "quality start" in baseball. Saying a pitcher had a good start is subjective. Saying he had a "quality start" is not, for in the context of baseball, "quality start" is a defined term.

Patrick;

Most people who take exception with a 6 inning 3 run start being called a quality start point to the 4.50 ERA. You did in the first sentence of your post.

Obviously, that ERA is seen as a negative, otherwise why would people keep pointing to it. I am just trying to point out that there is nothing bad about it at all. It is average in modern day AL baseball.