I’m headed out to Los Angeles today to attend to some personal business and to escape the torch-bearing mob that almost certainly would have been waiting for me in Baltimore now that I’ve come out in favor of retaining Dave Trembley.

So, if you’re looking for me – and I mean you, Bob – you’ll have to fly west and guess which In-And-Out Burger location I’ll be frequenting over the next couple of days.

From California, I’ll be headed to New England this weekend for the big game between the Ravens and Patriots, so I won’t be back until the Orioles season is over. And it won’t be long after that before we know for sure whether the O’s will pick up Dave’s contract option.

Today’s WBAL plug: Former Ravens receiver Qadry Ismael will be filling in for me tonight at six on Sportsline (WBAL 1090AM), and you can stick around for “Ravens Report” with Qadry and Jerry Sandusky at seven. Greg Bianco will take my place tomorrow night. I’ll be back on my regular radio schedule on Tuesday.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (58)
Categories: Just baseball
        

One of the callers last night on Sportsline (WBAL 1090) asked a fairly simple question that probably does not have a simple answer. He wanted to know why the Orioles have finished so many seasons the way they are finishing this one.

The simple answer is, of course, that they have been a terribly flawed franchise for a long time, but I think my radio buddy was looking for something a little more specific than that, and I tried to provide the best answer I could, though there really isn’t one common theme in all that late-season failure.

I think if you go back to the early part of this decade, you could make the case that the Orioles handicapped their player development system so severely when they were signing all those free agents in the 1990s that there just wasn’t enough organizational depth to weather a 162-game schedule. Once the quality players started getting hurt – as they do on every team – the O’s were stuck replacing them with mediocre minor league talent.

There also were other systemic issues that led to some bad scouting decisions and some wasted draft choices, as well as a number of ill-advised free agent acquisitions that clogged up the roster and further inhibited player development.

But that doesn’t explain what is happening right now. The Orioles really have made great progress in player development, but they again ran way short on talent at the end of this season, and it wasn’t like they were rolling in it to begin with.

That’s why I’ve continually referred to 2009 as a “transitional” season. This O’s team does have some high-quality young players who have come up to the major leagues and delivered on their promise, and there are some more to come, but they are still developing and they’ve been pushed to a high level of on-field responsibility on a team that doesn’t have the veteran framework to support them.

Which brings us back to the simple answer that this is a really bad team right now, though not necessarily for the same reasons that it has been a bad late-season team in the past. I doubt that’s much consolation, but this team does have some upside, especially if Andy MacPhail can fix the bullpen and come up with a quality run-producer for the middle of the lineup.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (78)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The Orioles now own the longest losing streak in the major leagues after their 12th straight defeat tonight, though I don't know if congratulations are in order. This is starting to look a lot like that 4-32 collapse during the Mike Hargrove era.

You know it's really bad when you're headed into Week 4 of the NFL season and the Ravens have won more games than the Orioles since their September 13 opener, but I guess you knew it was really bad long before that. Now, it's just a matter of figuring out who is going to be around for 2010.

Which brings us to an advance plug. Look for dueling columns by Kevin Cowherd and me tomorrow morning on the subject of Dave Trembley's future. Kevin and I also debated the issue in a video that will be posted in the same Web package. You can also check that out below to find out which side of the argument I took, but I'll give you a hint. It wasn't an easy case to make.

Where's Waldo dept. For those of you who were following my infrequent posts from Israel, I'll be headed in the opposite direction tomorrow. I have to go out to California for a couple of days before joining our football staff in Foxborough, Mass., for the Ravens/Patriots game on Sunday. I'll try to find some exotic animal to sit on and post the photo on the blog.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (35)
Categories: Just baseball
        

It seems like every Orioles loss brings a new appreciation for the size of the job facing Andy MacPhail during the offseason -- and there's obviously way more to it than finding an impact guy for the middle of the lineup and one of the corners of the infield.

No matter who's swinging the bat, there will be little hope for solid improvement if the Orioles go into spring training with the same group of relievers that has floundered so dramatically in the second half of this season.

When MacPhail talked about the club suffering a little more "short-term" pain after George Sherrill was dealt to the Dodgers, it seemed to make sense, Now, with Jim Johnson's status as a dependable closer very much in doubt, the makeup of the entire 2010 relief corps seems problematic. We all knew the club was going to miss Sherrill, but we -- and maybe even Andy -- didn't know how much.

Johnson (far right) and Chris Ray probably will compete for the closer role next spring, but their uneven second-half performances have created the need for an additional last-inning option. There were some brief moments when Kam Mickolio looked like he might have the right stuff for the role, but we're talking about an area where you need some sense of stability. Might have to go outside the organization for that.

Maybe Mark Hendrickson sticks around as an all-purpose left-hander and Cla Meredith stays in the mix, but the Orioles are going to have to bring in or develop one more dependable middle guy. I suppose that could be Jason Berken, but I'm not going to be too confident if the O's come back in the spring with most of the usual suspects.

So, I'll throw it out there. Who would shore up this bullpen? And who should be on the next bus out of town?

Associated Press photo

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 7:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (99)
Categories: Just baseball
        

It's hard to hide from the fact that I have said over and over in this space that there was no way the Orioles would lose 100 games this year...and I believed that because it's really, really hard to do. Now, I'll be surprised if they can rebound during the final week of the season to win three of seven games and avoid slipping below the standings equivalent of the Mendoza line.

The Tampa Bay Rays are one of the few teams that has found plenty of ways to lose to the O's this year, but I'm guessing they'll figure things out over the next four games. My crystal ball says the Orioles win one of the four games at Tropicana Field, which means they will have to win two of three against the Blue Jays at Camden Yards this weekend to stop at 99 losses.

What does it all mean? Not much from a nuts-and-bolts perspective. The season has been a total bust from a win/loss perspective and that wouldn't change if the O's won all of their remaining games. That 100th defeat might come with some negative psychological implications, since it's like a big neon sign that tells free agents to steer clear of a doormat franchise, but it really shouldn't change the way anybody looks at the team headed into next season.

The Orioles still have the same reasons to be optimistic about a more competitive 2010, and the same reasons to wonder if they will ever get off the floor in the American League East. They've reached the point where they're probably better off long-term if they beat the Pittsburgh Pirates out of the No. 2 pick in next year's draft, but who really wants to go there? That is the consolation prize of a truly desperate situation.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 5:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (74)
Categories: Just baseball
        

John Harbaugh was nothing but complimentary about the Patriots and coach Bill Belichick during his afternoon news conference today, pointing out how the rest of the league wants to emulate the New England franchise, but also wants to roadblock it when the head-to-head opportunity arises.

"That's what the NFL is all about,'' he said on the Ravens' first day of preparation for this weekend's road showdown at Gillette Stadium.

But when he was asked whether, as a coach, he gets an extra charge out of facing a guy with three Super Bowl titles, he played it largely for laughs.

"The good thing about the game is that the coaches won't be lining up and teeing off on each other during the game,'' Harbaugh said. "I don't think anybody would pay to see that right now. I'd like to think I'd have the edge, though. If we were in a hamburger drill, I think I'd have the edge, but coach (Belichick) might not think that."

Frankly, if I knew they had something called a hamburger drill, I probably would have gone out for football in high school.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 4:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
Categories: Just football
        

That's not a reference to my recent camel experience. It's just to let you know that I have returned from my nine-day sojourn to the Middle East and am ready to resume my regular duties here.

It has not been lost on me that the Orioles did not win a single game while I was away, which is just more evidence of my intangible positive influence on the ballclub. When I left, they were only 33 1/2 games out of first place in the American League East. Now, they're 39 1/2 games out.

Coincidence?

Apparently, my absense had the same effect on the Maryland football team, though I can't see any connection there.

Oh, and since I'm still too jet-lagged to give you any real insight into the Orioles and their most recent descent into oblivion, I've included another photograph from my exhaustive (and somewhat exhausting) tour of Israel. This is me standing above on the Valley of Armageddon, which -- according to the Book of Revelations -- will be the site of the final battle between the forces of good and evil.

Of course, no attempt is being made here to draw a parallel between that apocalyptic theological outlook and anything happening in the sports world, but I'm sure there are a few cynical posters out there who will give it a try.

Later that day, we visited the Dead Sea, which -- at 1,378 feet below sea level -- is reputed to be the lowest place on the face of the earth. And all this time you thought that was Oriole Park.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (24)
Categories: Just baseball
        

During our final day in Israel, we traveled to Masada, where a large group of Jewish rebels chose to commit suicide rather than be captured by the Roman legion that laid siege to the mountaintop fortress in the first century A.D.

The accompanying photo is of a couple of my traveling companions – Father Stew Bullock of St. John the Evangelist Church in Severna Park and Frank White, who obviously is not the former Kansas City Royals second baseman.

When I noticed the Orioles caps, I rushed to get this picture before ushering the two of them away from the steep precipice you can see directly behind them. Didn’t want to take any chances with the way the Orioles have been playing lately.

I’m scheduled to be home today, but may mix a few more recollections of my trip with my final week of in-season observations about the Orioles, who – I suspect – will not be getting to the Promised Land any time soon.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 4:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (28)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

Thought you might like a little proof that I’m actually in the Middle East and not just trumping up a phony vacation so I don’t have to suffer through the Orioles’ latest losing streak with you. This is me trying to start my rental car, and it’s not going very well.

I'm starting to wonder if this noble fellow has a weight limit...or an Achilles injury...or too much pride to be seen carrying a Schmuck around on its back in Israel, if you get my drift. That's the old city of Jerusalem in the background. If it's not on your bucket list -- regardless of your religious affiliation -- it should be.

While you’ve been reveling in the Ravens’ big victory in San Diego and debating whether the O’s will make it to win No. 63, I’ve been touring the Holy Land with a group organized by St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Severna Park. It has been a very enlightening trip – especially at a time when President Obama is trying to broker new peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians.

This is a politics-free zone (the blog, not the Middle East), so all I want to say about the situation here is that it has been very interesting to be a fly on the wall for the past week, traveling both in the Israeli-controlled sections of the country and in the areas under the Palestinian Authority.

I’ve tried to keep up with American sports, but the tour schedule has been intense and the seven-hour time difference has made it difficult to pay attention in real time. I followed the Ravens victory late Sunday night on the internet in a hotel lobby in Tiberius – reading the play-by-play on the ESPN.com gamecast. Tuesday morning, I saw the sun come up over the Sea of Galilee while watching the live broadcast of Peyton Manning engineering that final drive to defeat the Dolphins on Monday Night Football. Pretty cool.

Tomorrow, we’re headed for Masada and then to the caves where they found the Dead Sea Scrolls before heading to the airport for a 4 a.m. flight to Frankfurt and then home just in time to miss the Ravens game. I’m pretty confident they – and you -- can get through one more weekend without me, but I’ll have the blog back up to speed before you know it.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (172)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

Don't know how to break this to you, but I returned to the land of the walking just four days ago and now I'm headed out of the country for the next nine days. I'm spending the Jewish New Year in Israel, even though I'm not Jewish. They say there's plenty of old stuff there for every denomimation.

So you're going to have to talk amongst yourselves for awhile, though I may chime in occasionally with a travel anecdote or something. Jeff Zrebiec and Dan Connolly also may step in with some guest entries, particularly if there's some breaking news of great note. We'll also have somebody monitoring the posts in case of a spam storm or a run of real bad blog behavior.

I'm not being shut down for the season. I''ll be back for the final week and whatever happens in the immediate aftermath. I'm guessing the first week after the season will be more interesting than anything that has happened since at least the All-Star break. Can't miss that.

By the way, thanks for jumping all over the last post and throwing out your "The 2009 season has been so long..." responses. The people on the blog obviously are far more clever than anybody on any of the other local sports blogs, and I'm not just trying to flatter you. You're all too smart and good-looking to fall for anything like that.

And, Bob, I'll definitely be back before there's a decision on Trembley's future, so don't do anything rash while I'm gone. The season ticket renewal forms don't even come out for a couple more months.

Reimold's season ends: There were a number of posters here who wondered why Nolan Reimold would wait another three weeks before undergoing surgery to repair his frayed Achilles tendon. Well, the Orioles obviously heard you, because they just put him on the disabled list and he'll have the surgery on Wednesday. The recovery time is three to four months, which means he could have been ready for next year either way, but this adds a little more wiggle room for his recovery. I know what he's about to go through and I wish him the best. I'm sure you all do, too.

Oh, and one more plug: I just put up my last column for a week or so. It'll be in tomorrow's print edition, but if you are so inclined, you can read it right here.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 5:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (164)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

I don't have to tell anybody here that it's been a long season, but I can think of a few things that might illustrate the point:

The 2009 season has been so long that Felix Pie has had time to go from being the most unpopular position player on the team to being the reason some people think the Orioles should move Rookie of the Year candidate Nolan Reimold to first base.

The 2009 season has been so long that Mark Hendrickson started the season as the embodiment of everything that supposedly was wrong with Andy MacPhail's winter strategy, but has had time to evolve into a valuable enough situational reliever to make a case for a new contract.

The 2009 season has been so long that the Orioles recent hired a shaving coach for Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman.

Okay, now it's your turn...

Radio tonight: Join me at six for Sportsline on WBAL (1090 AM). It will be my last show for awhile, because I'm going to be on vacation next week. If you're outside of signal range, go to WBAL.com and click on the "Listen Live" icon.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 4:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (112)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The Bowie Baysox have announced they will continue an annual Halloween tradition by transforming Prince Georges Stadium into a house of horrors on Friday and Saturday nights in October. It will be the eighth year that 30 live actors turn the ballpark into "Glenn Dale Asylum" and terrorize visitors during a 20-minute tour/show. Admission if $15.

Frankly, I don't know what the big deal is. The Orioles have been scaring people to death at Camden Yards for the past 12 years, but generally take a break in October.

Okay, that joke was hanging there like a Daniel Cabrera curveball in a tight situation, but I just couldn't resist.

Tickets for the "Asylum" cost $15 and are available at www.baysox.com.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Just baseball
        

There was some talk in the press box during the rain delay that Jim Johnson had thrown quite a bit in the bullpen in anticipation of pitching the ninth inning, but he warmed up again and entered the game in the top of the ninth to give up a game-tying home run to Ben Zobrist.

No big deal. The blown save turned into his fourth victory of the year when Matt Wieters slammed a two-run walkoff homer in the bottom of the ninth to win the game, and everybody who has been concerned about Wieters soft home run total can stand down.

When young players get to the major leagues, power generally is the last thing to blossom. Nolan Reimold is an exception (as was Evan Longoria last year), but Reimold spent a lot more time in the minor leagues developing his power stroke. Wieters will hit his share of home runs. Don't worry about that.

What I'm really impressed with right now is the way Wieters is throwing the ball. He gunned down Carl Crawford twice tonight -- something that has only happened one other time in Crawford's career. Obviously, Wieters was rushing early in the season and his mechanics were out of whack. Now, he looks very relaxed and he's putting the ball in the right place with a lot on it.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (45)
Categories: Just baseball
        

This is my second game back in the press box after a 10-week absense and I'm starting to realize how much important media interaction I've missed since tearing my right Achillies tendon and undergoing surgery to reattach it.

Tonight, the big issue in the early innings was whether Roch Kubatko and Jeff Zrebiec would join the rest of the regular writers and grow a goatee in time for us to have an All-Beard team photo on the last home date of the regular season. Roch is game, but Jeff apparently feels that he would be doing the women of the world a disservice to cover even a small part of his face.

Now, things are getting a little more serious. We're arguing over who should be the Orioles MVP. The Brian Roberts supporters are -- for the moment -- being shouted down by the Nick Markakis supporters, but I believe Roberts will emerge on top when the actual ballots are counted in a couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, Chris Tillman is done, though not in any negative way. He gave up four hits over 6 2/3 innings and just left the game with one out and runners at first and third.

Crawford caught twice: Matt Wieters has thrown out speedy Carl Crawford twice trying to steal second base tonight. It's only the second time in Crawford's career he has been caught more than once in a game. Rangers catcher Gerald Laird caught him twice on April 10, 2007.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 8:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Nolan Reimold claims that a final decision has not been made on surgery for his sore Achilles tendon, but he's giving every indication that he'll undergo a procedure immediately after the season that will smooth over a spot on his heel bone that has caused the tendon to fray. He said today that the recovery time has been estimated at 3-4 months, which would mean he'll have about a month of wiggle room before spring training.

Manager Dave Trembley cited Reimold's sore ankle as the reason he was not brought on to pinch hit in last night's game, and the reason why Reimold is not in the lineup for tonight's game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

"I was not going to play Reimold yesterday, out of respect for him,'' Trembley said. "He was sore. He played a lot of games in a row. I told him I would not call on him unless it was an extreme emergency."

Reimold will be available to pitch hit.

"He said he feels a whole lot better,'' Trembley added. "He could play. The lineup has more to do with Reimold than that lineup being successful last night."

Rays lineup

Jason Bartlett SS
Carl Crawford LF
Evan Longoria 3B
Ben Zobrist RF
Pat BUrrell DH
Willy Aybar 1B
B.J. Upton CF
Gregg Zaun C
Akinori Iwamura 2B

Andy Sonnanstine RHP

Orioles lineup

Felix Pie CF
Cesar Izturis SS
Brian Roberts 2B
Nick Markakis RF
Melvin Mora 3B
Luke Scott DH
Matt Wieters C
Ty Wigginton 1B
Jeff Fiorentino LF

Chris Tillman RHP

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 4:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Manager Dave Trembley said the other day that Chris Tillman has a few starts left this season, but I wouldn't bet on that. I'm betting that if Tillman has a performance tonight like Brian Matusz had in his last start against the Yankees, the Orioles will call a halt to his first major league season.

Nobody told me that, but it just seems logical and it would be consistent with Trembley's original indication at the start of September that Tillman (and Matusz) would make two or three more starts.

If I were Trembley, I would want to keep him in the rotation as long as possible to maintain some semblance of competitiveness during the final weeks of the season, but Dave is a true believer. He really would put the future of the kid in front of his own chance to get his contract option picked up.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 1:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (30)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Congratulations to Brian Roberts for breaking his own Orioles record for doubles in a single season. Brian is among a very elite group of players who have ever had three 50-double seasons, and he clearly is one of the best doubles hitters in the sport, but he'll have to grind out several more big seasons like this to make a real dent in the all-time career list.

Brian has 314 career doubles, which ties him for 347th on the all-time list. He's 31 years old, so he's got a significant chunk of his career ahead of him, but he'd have to average 40 doubles a season through his 40th birthday to crack the top five. Not out of the question if he stays healthy and motivated.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Maybe I didn't make my self real clear in my last post about the 2010 schedule. I wasn't saying it is any easier than this year's, just front-loaded with fewer games against the three or four truly elite teams in the American League. Don't know if that makes any difference, since the Orioles won 6 of their first 9 against the Yankees, Rays and Rangers this year anyway.

The first quarter of the 2010 season just looks less daunting to me, but it won't make any difference if the Orioles aren't a significantly better team than they were in 2009. Certainly, you would suspect that starting the season with a core of Guthrie, Matusz, Tillman, Bergesen and maybe a solid acquisition or Arietta, the Orioles would be in better position to be competitive than they were with Eaton, Hendrickson and Alfredo Simon in the rotation.

Of course, I'm probably whistling through the graveyard, but if you can't look forward to the next season and see the possibility of something good happening, then I think you would be better served to take up butterfly collecting or something.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Am I the only one who thinks the Orioles' 2010 schedule is front-loaded with a lot more soft teams this year. I'm comparing this year's April and May schedule with next year's and I'm starting to think the O's could get off to a pretty decent start if the young pitchers are for real.

This year, the O's opened against the Yankees and played almost all contending teams through the first quarter of the season. Next year, there's a string of 12 straight games against the Yankees and Red Sox in late April and early May, but the first two months are packed with the lesser Al West and Central opponents.

Guess you never know how tough the schedule is until you see how good those teams will be, but the early season outlook looks a little more promising.

Tonight's radio plug: Tune in at seven for Sportsline tonight, immediately following the John Harbaugh Show on WBAL (1090 AM). Jamison Hensley will join me as we look back on Sunday's game between the Ravens and Chiefs and look ahead to the upcoming road matchup against the San Diego Chargers. If you're out of signal range, go to WBAL.com and click on the "Listen Live" icon.

All Schmuck all the time: I take a look at the Chargers in my column for tomorrow's print edition, but you can read it right now right here.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (48)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Dave Trembley didn't have all that much to say after the game, other than to point out the obvious -- that David Hernandez did not pitch very well.

"I didn't think Hernandez was very aggressive with all his pitches,'' Trembley said. "This is the second outing in a row where he looked like he struggled with his command."

When Trembley was asked if he thought the innings were starting to pile up on the rookie pitcher, he pretty much dismissed the notion that September fatigue might be an issue -- even though the Orioles have been more sensitive about that with some of the other prospects.

"He told me it's not,'' Trembley said.

Somebody asked Trembley if he gave Brian Bass an abrupt hook because of Bass's panicky throw into left field in the fifth inning or because he wasn't pitching well.

"Both,'' Trembley said curtly. "Both."

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (65)
Categories: Just baseball
        

There was some question today whether Brian Matusz could stay in the major leagues for the rest of the season and retain his rookie status for next season. The rules state that to be a rookie, a player must have fewer than 130 at-bats, 50 innings pitched or 45 days of major league service time.

Matusz will finish the season with 46 1/3 inning, but will have more than 45 days of major league service time by the time the regular season comes to an end. But Matusz will retain his Rookie of the Year eligibility for 2010 because -- for the purposes of determining who is a rookie -- only days spent in the major leagues during the time of the 25-man roster limit count. Matusz came up on Aug. 4, so he had only 27 days of major league service before the roster limit expanded to 40.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 8:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The Tampa Bay Rays arrived in town in a tremendous funk. They've lost 11 straight games in a slump that has erudite manager Joe Maddon quoting Winston Churchill to put the thing in proper perspective.

"When you're going through hell,'' he said before tonight's game, "keep going."

The Rays responded by opening up with a run off David Hernandez in the first tonight, but the Orioles pinned a four-spot on Tampa starter David Price in the bottom of the inning, which had to have Maddon searching his memory bank for some other British wisdom.

How about this from 19th century British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli: "There is no education like adversity."

That would probably apply to both teams right now. The Rays quickly responded with three more runs off Hernandez in the top of the second inning and took the lead on a fourth-inning homer by B.J. Upton.

Which, for some reason, reminds me of a quote from American humorist/philosopher Mark Twain: "By trying, we can easily learn to endure adversity. Another man's, I mean."

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 7:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
Categories: Just baseball
        

During his pre-game news briefing, manager Dave Trembley endorsed the organizational decision to shut down rookie Brian Matusz and explained the drill for the next three weeks.

"He won't do any more throwing,'' Trembley said. "He'll stay with the club. There are some things (Rick) Kranitz will want to work on with him.

"It's the right thing to do for Matusz and the right thing for the Baltimore Orioles. He's a big part of our future and he had a tremendous season. We're all real proud of him. I think he has shown not only the ability to pitch at the major league level. He has a real knack for poise."

Trembley designated Mark Hendrickson to assume Matusz's place in the starting rotation, though his next start will likely be a by-committee kind of thing.

"We just feel comfortable with Hendrickson,'' he said. "That doesn't mean when he goes out there he'll throw 90 pitches."

Then came the obvious next question about the rotation: What about Chris Tillman?

"Tillman's got a few more starts,'' Trembley said. "He'll let us know where he's at."

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 4:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Just baseball
        

President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail has told rookie starter Brian Matusz that he's done for the year, but Matusz will stay with the major league club for the remainder of the schedule.

Matusz wanted to continue, but he accepted the club's decision without complaint.

"It was never in the plan for me to be here this year,'' he said. "I'm really proud that I went out and didn't give them any choice but to bring me up. I really learned a lot and am proud of my progress."

"I told Andy it couldn't have worked out any better. I got to end on a good note and finished the year healthy. Now, I get to spend the last three weeks of the yaer watching like like David Price of the Rays and try to learn something."

Here's today's Orioles lineup::

Brian Roberts 2B
Cesar Izturis SS
Nick Markakis RF
Nolan Reimold LF
Melvin Mora 3B
Matt Wieters C
Luke Scott DH
Ty Wigginton 1B
Jeff Fiorentino CF

David Hernandez RHP

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 3:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The Orioles could not complete the three-game sweep in New York, not after Jeremy Guthrie allowed 15 baserunners in 5 2/3 innings, but nobody around here should turn your nose up at a series victory over the Yankees.

That was just part of a pretty good weekend for local sports fans. Navy bounced back from a slow start to run over Louisiana Tech and Maryland survived a wild one against James Madison, which evened the Terps record at 1-1 after last week's blowout loss to California. Don't want to think about the angst that might have accompanied a loss on Saturday, and neither does Terps coach Ralph Friedgen.

Last but not least, of course, was the Ravens' 38-24 season-opening victory over the Kansas City Chiefs, which was much closer than the final score. The Ravens unveiled their upgraded passing attack and overcame a couple of big mistakes to get off to a happy start, but they'll have their hands full next weekend in San Diego. Pretty sure they won't be rollling up 501 yards against the Chargers.

If you'd like to read my column about the Ravens' apparent new offensive philosophy, you can do that right here.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (24)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

If the Ravens are supposed to be a run-first team, they have an interesting way of showing it. They spent the preseason heavily imbalanced toward the pass -- which was explained away by the fact that they had to audition receivers -- but came out throwing to start today's regular season opener against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Joe Flacco as flinging the ball all over the place, and would have had a touchdown on the first drive if Derrick Mason hadn't bobbled the ball on his way out of the back of the end zone. The Ravens settled for a 44-yard field goal by Steve Houschka, but are giving the impression they will be going up and down the field with some ease today.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 1:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)
Categories: Just football
        

This is a pretty big day if you're a Ravens fan, and it's an even bigger day for me. This may be the first Sunday of the NFL season -- and the day of the first regular season game at M&T Bank Stadium -- but it's going to be a particularly upbeat day for me because it's the last day I have to wear this giant orthopedic boot on my right foot.

WBAL sports guy Keith Mills was nice enough to drive me to the stadium this morning, but he shouldn't have to do it again unless I get carried away today and try to kick a field goal or something. I should be walking tall by this time tomorrow.

Back to today's game, which is what you really care about. Banged up Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel was out on the field early this morning testing his sprained knee. I've said before that I don't think Chiefs coach Todd Haley should expose him to the Ravens blitzing defense, but I guess he'll play if he feels like it.

The Ravens are anywhere from an 11-point to a 13-point favorite. If I'm a Ravens fan, I'm not too worried about this game no matter who calls the signals for the Chiefs, but keep something in mind. I wasn't too worried about USC when they kicked off last night against Ohio State in The Horseshoe, but I was plenty worried as the clock wound down in the fourth quarter.

Which reminds me, I've got to find Stan White. There's no 15-yard penalty for taunting in the press box.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Just football
        

Don't know for sure whether the Orioles will give rookie Brian Matusz another start, but I'm guessing he just completed his first professional season on a very high note. That's what Orioles officials were looking for when he took the mound today, and he just gave up four hits over seven innings and finished strong by striking out Derek Jeter with his 106th pitch.

Jeter's expression after that strikeout said it all. He stood at home plate taking off his batting gloves and watching Matusz walk back to the dugout. It was a look that clearly said "I'm impressed." So were the rest of us.

Matusz -- at left in a photo from today's game -- would do well to sit down now and spend the offseason knowing that he can compete with the best in baseball. The last thing he will remember is scoring a resounding victory over the Yankees at the new Yankee Stadium. Can't top that.

He has pitched 157 2/3 innings combined between the minor leagues and the O's rotation. That's more than enough for a first professional season. And, if the Orioles shut Matusz down right now, he'll retain his rookie status for next year.

Getty Images

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 3:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (78)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Take a look at Jeff Zrebiec's story from earlier today in which Andy MacPhail says that he does not intend to trade any of the club's core prospects this winter, but feels he can get a significant bat without dipping that deep into the organizational talent pool. You can read the article right here.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (42)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The O's batted around in the sixth inning and have increased their lead to 10-4 in the seventh, delivering a series of clutch hits and productive outs to make the most of a couple of big opportunities. Haven't seen enough of that this year, but O's fans will take a big offensive performance against the Yankees any way they can get it. If they hold on, it would be only their second road win against the Yankees or Red Sox since last July.

Not much else good news tonight, however. The club has shut down Japanese pitcher Koji Uehara for the remainder of the season after his elbow soreness persisted and also will not be sending Kam Mickolio back to the mound in 2009. If that wasn't enough disappointing injury news, Melvin Mora had to leave the game after being hit on the elbow, and Felix Pie has been removed with an injury.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Chris Tillman struck out Derek Jeter in the first inning tonight, but Jeter was not going to be denied. He came up again in the bottom of the second and sliced a hard shot past Luke Scott at first base for this 2,722 career hit -- passing Lou Gehrig to move to the top of the Yankees' all-time hit list.

The crowd gave him a long ovation and his teammates came onto the field to congratulate him individually. It was a nice moment for a classy player who is headed for the Hall of Fame. Tillman tried to avoid it, but he now has a small place in Yankees history. He can only hope that someday, he'll be remembered for a lot more than that.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (26)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Had the remote control working overtime during the first inning, so I could watch Chris Tillman pitch to Derek Jeter and also see as much as I could of Michael Jordan's Hall of Fame induction speech on ESPN.

Saw Tillman strike out Jeter, but was engrossed in the Jordan speech when Alex Rodriguez launched his three-run home run later in the inning. Guess I timed it just right.

Jordan spoke the way he played, spontaneously and with conviction. He had some prepared comments, but he largely talked off the cuff about the people who had an influence on his life. It was heartfelt, funny, entertaining and -- at times -- a little defiant. He didn't shy from his feud with controversial Chicago Bulls GM Jerry Krausse and spoke openly of the conflicts that motivated him throughout his career.

The only first-hand contact I ever had with Jordan was during the time after his first retirement when he attempted to reinvent himself as a baseball player. Went down to interview him in Birmingham, AL, and he was honest, straightforward and helpful. Couldn't help but like him and never had any other opportunity to change that opinion. Seemed like the same guy at the podium in Springfield tonight.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

There are two reasons why tonight's start by Orioles rookie Chris Tillman might be significant, the most obvious being the possibility that he'll go into the Yankees record book by giving up the historic hit that will push Derek Jeter past Lou Gehrig and put him on top of the Yankees career hit list.

Tillman's performance tonight at Yankee Stadium -- which has been delayed by rain -- also may determine whether he will be eligible to compete for the American League Rookie of the Year Award next season. If he pitches 3 2/3 innings, he'll reach 50 innings this season, which is the limit for retaining rookie status going into 2010.

Poster Chris W brought up the subject of ROY eligibility earlier today, so thanks for that reminder because I (and some other posters) would not have thought to check on that. Brian Matusz also remains eligible for the moment, since he has pitched only 37 2/3 innings, and probably won't reach 50 innings before the team shuts him down.

If Tillman comes up short tonight -- or his outing is interrupted early by the showers that are delaying the start of the series opener -- then his rookie eligibility will come down to whether he gets one more start. Andy MacPhail announced on Sept. 1 that both of the club's top pitching prospects would only make two or three more starts each before the team put their arms on ice until next spring.

Koji update: The Orioles have decided to shut down Koji Uehara because of continued elbow soreness. Check out Jeff Zrebiec's story about that here. MASN's Gary Thorne just said on the broadcast that Kam Mickolio also will be shut down for the remainder of the season.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 7:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The Orioles public relations department has sent out a release making a case for outfielder Nolan Reimold to be the American League Rookie of the Year, based on the fact that he leads all AL rookies in batting average (.274), home runs (14), on-base percentage (.364) and slugging percentage (.461). Not bad for a guy who didn't make the Opening Day roster.

The club makes the case that over the last 25 years, only four American League players have led their rookie class in four of the five major offensive stats (RBI is the only category Reimold doesn't lead), and all four of them -- Tim Salmon, Nomar Garciaparra, Ben Grieve and Evan Longoria -- won the Rookie of the Year Award.

Trouble is, none of Reimold's actual numbers are going to jump out at voters, who probably will bypass Reimold and White Sox rookie Gordon Beckham in favor of one of the three rookie pitchers who are likely to end up with 14 or 15 wins. Tampa Bay starter Jeff Niemann, who is 12-5 with a 3.57 ERA and still figures to get four or five more starts, would likely win the award if the voting took place today, but Ricky Romero and Rick Porcello also have 12 wins and a chance to improve on that.

The selection already has taken place for the Orioles' top minor league awards. Brian Matusz has been named Minor League Pitcher of the Year and Brandon Waring has been named Minor League Player of the Year. You can read the particulars in Dan Connolly's story right here.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 5:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (47)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The clock is finally starting to run down on my 2 1/2 months of home confinement, which seems like a pretty stiff penalty for one lousy rebound. I will not be returning to the basketball court any time soon, but I hope to be back in real action on Monday, when the Orioles return from their uplifting tour of Boston and New York.

The past 10 weeks has seemed like forever, but I will count my blessings. If nothing else, I'll come out of it a thinner, healthier guy -- at least until I can start driving to Burger King again. I'd like to say that during my recovery period, I had an epiphany about my eating habits, but what really happened was that I no longer could get to the fast food joints and the ice cream aisle at Safeway on my own and my family basically refused to give me anything to eat that was actually worth eating.

Haven't had a Dorito since June, and the withdrawal symptoms weren't pretty. Been forced to survive on a lot of green stuff, which the PETA people say is pretty good for you. I've adjusted for the most part, but nobody has seen the cat around here for a couple of weeks and I'm not talking.

By the way, I don't spend a lot of time plugging my competitors, but Roch Kubatko's morning post at The School of Roch is pretty hilarious, and since he took a quality shot at me in it, I'm going to link it right here. I don't think it's a real school, because the admission form only asked for my measurements and a link to my teen model Web site. I provided both, but I doubt I'm going to get accepted.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 1:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

As if the Orioles need any more good news, reliever Kam Mickolio is returning to Baltimore to have his sore arm examined by orthopedic specialist Dr. John Wilckens. Mickolio has been experiencing some tenderness in his right bicep, but team officials expect him to rejoin the club in New York for the weekend.

Here's a hunch. Mickolio will be shut down for precautionary reasons and won't pitch again this season. I mean, what's the point?

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (40)
Categories: Just baseball
        

...you need to know about the competitive divide between the Red Sox and the Orioles. The Red Sox just brought in a guy to pinch hit who would be leading the Orioles in RBI.

Of course, Victor Martinez hit a three-run double to increase his RBI total to 95 and blow up a game the Orioles had a chance to win before Dave Trembley started playing his nightly game of reliever roulette.

Maybe he doesn't have any other choice, but playing matchup against the Red Sox in the sixth and seventh innings with this bullpen is like staging Riverdance in a minefield. Eventually, somebody's going to step on something bad.

Trust me, I understand the concept of the situational lefty, but it doesn't mean a whole lot when Alberto Castillo and Mark Hendrickson both look sharp, only to throw to one batter each before giving way to a hit-or-miss right-hander. It wasn't hard to see where this game was headed.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (51)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Gary Thorne interviewed Nick Markakis on the MASN pregame show tonight and got his take on his increasing leadership role on this young Orioles team. Though Nick is not an enthusiastic talker, I was impressed with the way he articulated his desire to help in the development of the growing number of first and second-year players on the roster.

He's not going to be a big rah-rah guy in the dugout, but does lead by example with his patient approach at the plate and his work ethic off the field. Clearly, he gets the fact that he is a cornerstone player and that a lot of things come along with his big contract and growing stature in the organization.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 7:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (37)
Categories: Just baseball
        

We all know that it isn't going to get any easier for the Orioles over the final weeks of the season -- with the possibility exception of that Cleveland series -- but I'm still intrigued by the up-and-down performance of Jason Berken (left). He has rebounded nicely from that discouraging 1-9 start, which says something good about the guy and something bad about those of us (me included) who gave up on him, even though you could see he had some decent stuff and was getting no run support.

Tonight's series finale against the Red Sox is just another test of his mettle. The Sox just crushed David Hernandez and the O's in the opener last year, their first five hits of the game failing to come down anywhere on the field. Berken can probably identify with that, since he lasted just 1 1/3 innings in his last start against the Red Sox and gave up six runs on seven hits.

This will be Berken's third start against the Sox, but the first at Fenway Park, which isn't going to make things any easier. In his first appearance against them, he lasted five innings and gave up four runs on eight hits.

He'll probably need to do better than that tonight to stay on the upswing, but the late-season indicators are pointing in the right direction. He has given up three earned runs or fewer in five of his last six starts and is facing veteran Paul Byrd, who is coming off a blow up against the White Sox in his second start since coming back out of semi-retirement.

Associated Press photo

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (47)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The Orioles have completed a minor league deal to acquire reliever Sean Henn from the Minnesota Twins organization. Henn is a 28-year-old left-hander who appeared in 14 games for the Twins this year. He also has had major league experience with the Yankees and Padres, though none of it terribly auspicious.

His career major league stats: 2-9, 7.50 ERA in 54 appearances, five of them starts.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 5:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (118)
Categories: Just baseball
        

No surprise here, but the Orioles have added five more player to their already expanded September roster. Right-handed starter Chris Lambert, left-handed starter Chris Waters, reliever Bob McCrory, infielder Justin Turner and catcher Guillermo Rodriguez are joining the team in Boston.

To free up some room on the 40-man roster for the non-roster guys on that list, the Orioles have moved Brad Bergesen and Lou Montanez to the 60-day disabled list, which confirms that they will not play again this season. Also, Adam Jones has been placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive until Sept. 2.

The promotion of Lambert may mean the O's will stay with five starters after Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman are shut down in the next week or so. There had been talk that manager Dave Trembley would go with four starters and a bullpen committee for the times a fifth starter would be necessary.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 2:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (23)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Like the Orioles, I pretty much had the day off today, though I did read every post and e-mail that came my way in spite of the holiday. I guess that's why they call it Labor Day.

I know one guy who labored hard today, so I thought I'd give him a plug. Jeff Zrebiec continues to grind it out every day at the ballpark to keep you informed, and even on the offday he cranked out a big story about Brian Roberts. You'll be interested in some of BRob's observations on the future of the team, his leadership role and his obligation to live up to his big contract.

Roberts is not a controversial guy, but he isn't afraid to stand up to the people who have criticized his effort this year. And he isn't afraid to stand up for manager Dave Trembley, which will probably get him some more criticism.

If you haven't read Jeff's article yet, you can do that right here.

Getty Images

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (40)
Categories: Just baseball
        

If you have read my latest column, which you can check out right here, I suspect you're wondering whether I ran out of orange Kool-Aid at just the wrong moment. So, I just wanted to point out that the Sunday column was written early Saturday, before the Orioles snapped their latest losing streak and came back to win the series against the Rangers.

That's not an excuse. I'm just trying to get credit for turning the club around.

There was some sentiment on the blog that I was abandoning Andy MacPhail's plan, but nothing could be further from the truth. I believe in the rebuilding effort, but -- in the column -- I'm trying to make sense of the fact that MacPhail expressed the hope earlier this year that the club could avoid another big September swoon, then made two deals that almost guaranteed another late-season meltdown.

The only thing I can conclude is that he's amassing minor league inventory to position the O's for a a couple of big offseason acquisitions. I hope that's the case, because the longer he waits to make a big offseasson push, the more negative variables come into play that could undermine the team's anticipated resurgence. I'm not suggesting this is the year to break open the vault for a bunch of over-priced free agents, but it might be the winter to throw the fans a bone shaped like Adrian Gonzalez or someone else who could put a big charge in the batting order.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 4:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (112)
Categories: Just baseball
        

How often this year have you seen the Orioles chase a starting pitcher in the fourth inning of the rubber game of a three-game series on Sunday? I guess if I had an ounce of initiative, I'd look that up, but why over-analyze things. The Orioles just ran Texas Rangers starter Derek Holland off the mound, thanks in part to a couple of the Sunday lineup guys. Chad Moeller has two hits and two RBI and Jeff Fiorentino has a big hit and two runs.

Meanwhile, Jeremy Guthrie continues his stretch-run salvage project. He looks like a completely different pitcher since he bottomed out in mid-August, and he's got a shutout going in the sixth inning.

Here's a quick stat for you. If Guthrie can complete a scoreless sixth, his ERA will drop below 5.00 for the first time in two months.

There's no World Baseball Classic next spring, so maybe he'll be able to carry this momentum into 2010.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 2:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (19)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Sorry, I'm just waking up after staying up all night watching the Maryland football team cash it's IOU in California. Remember that the Terps ambushed a ranked Cal team early last season at Byrd Stadium, 35-27, in a game that wasn't as close as the final score. This one wasn't much closer than the 52-13 final, but both games prove how tough it is to travel coast-to-coast and play three time zones away from home.

It wasn't pretty, but I'm pretty sure the Terps are a better team than that...or, at least, I certainly hope so.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 2:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

The New York Daily News is reporting that a federal judge has dismissed Roger Clemens' defamation suit against personal trainer Brian McNamee, ending that chapter in the Rocket's attempt to clear his name after McNamee claimed to have injected him numerous times with steroids and human growth hormone. The decision was with prejudice, which means that the suit cannot be refiled, though the judge's decision can be appealed.

For the moment, that leaves the only pending lawsuit in New York, where McNamee countersued Clemens for defamation, and a pending grand jury investigation in Washington to determine if Clemens lied under oath.

There's no one to root for here, of course. I hope McNamee's case gets thrown out, too, and the grand jury stops wasting its time and our money on the perjury investigation, since there's so much disinformation out there that it's going to be too hard to prove anyway.

Which leaves the guys who win no matter what -- the lawyers. Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy, doesn't it?

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (26)
Categories: Just baseball
        

It didn't look like this was going to be a very good day for Brian Matusz, who gave up three runs in the first inning against the Texas Rangers, but he's got poise beyond his 22 years and he collected himself nicely. He got better as the game went on and didn't give up a hit after the third inning on the way to a solid seven-inning performance. He required only 93 pitches and allowed just six hits and one walk, which will cause some consternation if the bullpen gives it up, but everybody knows that the O's are going to handle Matusz with kid gloves. Very encouraging.

Meanwhile, Melvin Mora and Nolan Reimold manhandled Rangers starter Kevin Millwood as the Orioles came from 3-0 and 4-2 early deficits to take a lead into the ninth. Melvin, who struggled for much of the year, has 12 hits in his last 29 at bats (.414) and just got banged up making a terrific diving catch on a bunt attempt by Ian Kinsler int he eighth.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (29)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Brian Matusz looks good in that old-fashioned flannel uniform of the Negro League Baltimore Elite Giants, but he doesn't look that good on the mound yet. He just gave up three runs in a hurry, on one-out hits by Elvis Andrus and Marlon Byrd and a two-out, two-run home run by David Murphy.

The Fox regional broadcast crew gushed about Matusz at the start of the inning -- and also related a pre-game meeting between him and one of his boyhood idols, Fox analyst Mark Grace -- but the banter about his great changeup couldn't change the fact that three of the first five batters hit the ball hard against him to put the Orioles behind the eight-ball once again.

Instant update: The Orioles threatened to get back a couple of those runs right away when Felix Pie and Nolan Reimold opened the bottom of the first with base hits, putting runners at second and third with no one out. But I guess no one should be surprised that they managed to squeeze just one run out of the opportunity when No. 3 hitter Brian Roberts struck out and Nick Markakis followed with a short fly ball, that barely scored Pie. Sorry, but one run is not enough in that situation.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 4:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The Midshipmen of Navy didn't upset No. 6 Ohio State today in Columbus, but they gave a thrill to everyone who loves the underdog in college football. They were down 29-14 in the fourth quarter and rallied to come within a failed two-point conversion of possibly sending the game into overtime.

In this case, there is such thing as a moral victory. The Mids showed tremendous poise against a bigger, better opponent on the road. The game bodes well for another winning season in Annapolis.

Don't think it bodes so well for the Buckeyes, who had O-line problems all afternoon and looked like they let down after the first half. Can't get away with anything like that next week, when they get a visit from No. 4 USC.

Anyway, congrats to the Mids, who have every right to hold their heads high after today's season opener.

Oh, and this should in no way be construed as me "giving up" on the Orioles because I watched a college football game today. I'll be paying attention when the O's play the Rangers in a FOX game at 4. If you're filling out your lineup card at home, Brian Roberts is hitting third again.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 3:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

In another act of shameless personal cross promotion, I am posting a link to this week's "News item" column, which appears in today's print editions. You can read it right here, and I hope you like it.

Really, I'm only doing this to buy some time because I have to write my Sunday column on the Orioles and then I have to watch Navy play Ohio State, the Orioles take on the Rangers and Maryland's late-night opener against Cal. Full day of sloth, but I'll try to keep the blog stoked throughout the day.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

It's good to see the umpires are on the ball tonight. They've taken a decided NFL approach to the league rules about the color of the gloves being used by the pitchers in the series opener between the Orioles and Rangers. Early in the game, they forced Rangers starter Scott Feldman to find another glove because his was too light in color. Then, to be completely balanced, they did the same to Orioles reliever Cla Meredith.

Fortunately nobody was wearing high tops to honor Johnny U, or it might have gotten ugly.

Postgame update: Dave Trembley actually asked the umpires to enforce the rule on Feldman's glove, and Rangers manager Ron Washington was ready to reciprocate when Meredith came out of the bullpen. And you thought the managers just sit there.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (29)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Today's featured comment comes from John in South Bend, who obviously has nothing better to do right now than fret about baseball's economic inequity while he and Notre Dame fan Dave Trembley wait to see if the Fighting Irish can handle Nevada in tomorrow's season opener:

John's take: Pete, I'd like to know more about league owners and what prospects there might be for a return to the days when every team played every other team roughly the same number of times, or -- gasp -- a salary cap or something like it.

I'm sure the prospects right now are dim, but I'm really just curious. Are all the owners as pleased with the status quo as I'm sure John Henry, the Steinbrenners, Arte Moreno, et. al., must be? Is there any distant momentum building for parity measures?

Has anyone read anything written this year that would shed real light on this? If not: Pete, do you think this is worth looking into during the offseason?

Pete's reply: During the spring, I talked to some people -- including Peter Angelos -- and heard some more grumbling about the economic disparity that was so evident when the Yankees signed almost a half billion dollars worth of free agents last winter. I'm sure there will be some clamor for more payroll equity in the next labor talks, but I haven't heard anything about going back to a balanced schedule. That would certainly help the Orioles on the field, though I don't know if anybody in the AL East would vote for it because of the money they make from those big Yankee and Red Sox crowds.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 8:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (29)
Categories: Today's featured comment
        

Okay, now that the euphoria of the Ravens' preseason victory has worn off, we can get back to agonizing about the Orioles and just how many games they might end up losing this season. To that end, I'd like to direct your attention to Dan Connolly's story for Thursday's print edition about the possibility of the O's reaching 100 losses, which you can read right here.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 5:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (59)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Actually, Ravens coach John Harbaugh was very upbeat after the Ravens completed their undefeated preseason with a 20-3 victory over the Altanta Falcons. His team came out of the game healthy and most of the bubble guys played well enough to make the upcoming final roster cut a real challenge for the coaching staff and front office.

"We made a commitment when we started training camp,'' Harbaugh said. "We wanted to be the best Ravens we could be, and I think we are the best Ravens team we can be."

The Ravens have to be down to 53 players on Saturday, and there still are several roster spots still in doubt. In some cases, it may have come down to the final minutes of the game. Evan Oglesby, for instance, capped a solid all-around performance with a impressive interception in the fourth quarter.

"It's going to be really hard to get down to 53 players,'' Harbaugh said. "We've got more than 53 good players on this team."

It does not appear, however, that it will be a struggle to settle the kicking situation. Steve Hauschka nailed a 46-yard field goal near the end of the game and appears to have locked up the job, even if Harbaugh wasn't ready to make that announcement after the game.

"We'll talk about that over the next day or two,'' Harbaugh said, "but coming out there at the end and making that kick, that was good...and he also made a kick on a bad snap."

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Just football
        

Even though the second half of the last preseason game doesn't feature a lot of guys who will see a lot of playing time against the Kansas City Chiefs in the regular season opener, you can see by his body language that John Harbaugh never stops demanding perfect execution.

He wasn't happy when Ernie Wheelwright dropped what would have been a touchdown pass, and went looking for answers when long snapper Matt Katula bounced the snap on the 33-yard field goal by Steve Hauschka. He had to be shaking his head when the normally dependable Katula also delivered a low snap on a punt in the fourth quarter.

The Ravens appear to on their way to an undefeated preseason, but you can bet that Harbaugh's postgame news conference will focus on the penalties and other mistakes. That's what it's all about with 10 days remaining before the opener.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Just football
        

Terrell Suggs is on the field and appears completely healthy. He already has a sack and looked quick chasing down running back Jason Snelling from behind. Don't know if he'll come back out for the next series, but the Ravens have to be happy with what he did during the Falcons' first possession.

John Harbaugh can't be completely happy with the way the rest of the defense played on that first set. Twice, the Falcons benefitted from offside penalties.

Demetrius Williams already has caught three passes from third-string quarterback John Beck on the Ravens' first drive, and also accounted for a big gain when he drew a pass interference penalty on the first ball Beck threw downfield.

Rooke fullback Jason Cook picked a good time for his first reception as a Raven, catching a short pass from Beck near the goal line and barreling into the end zone.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 7:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Just football
        

Nothing like another Yankees sweep to keep everyone focused on the dismal present. The Orioles obviously are in the same division as the Yankees, but they haven't been in the same league in quite some time, but every time they lose a game to the most expensive team in baseball, the most frustrated Orioles fans come out of the woodwork and want a pound of flesh from whoever they imagine is responsible.

Fair enough, if that's the point. Everybody knew this team could not compete six months ago, yet a lot of people seem surprised that it isn't competing now. I'll concede that I expected the O's to be slightly better than they are right now, but we're really talking about subtle shadings here. I thought the team could win 68 games, but with George Sherrill and Aubrey Huff down the highway, it's starting to look like they could lose 100.

That's not good, of course, but it's damaging more from an appearance standpoint than a rebuilding standpoint. Whether the Orioles win 62 games or 68 doesn't mean a whole lot in the greater competitive scheme of things, except in the effect that could have on the ability to sign quality free agents.

Andy MacPhail said earlier this year that he was looking for the Orioles to avoid another disastrous late-season cliff dive, both for the purpose of showing more promise for next year and also to present a better face heading into the offseason. But he obviously didn't think that was important enough to hold onto Sherrill or Huff...and he rightly doesn't think it's important enough to risk burning up Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman.

Which leaves all of us to wonder what's over the horizon. Has MacPhail secretly decided to move the whole timetable back a year? Or is he preparing to package some of his inventory to trade for the big bat that would solidify the offense? The Orioles rank fifth in the majors in batting average and hits, so they aren't that far away from being a pretty decent offensive team, but that's really a side issue. The only way the Orioles get competitive quickly is if these young pitchers bloom quickly. If the O's young rotation matures enough to be competitive next year, the team could improve significantly, but that's a lot to ask.

Frankly, the Orioles have sagged so badly, that all I can think of right now is that old saying: The first thing you need to do to get out of a hole is to stop digging.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (21)
Categories: Just baseball
        

There's been a lot of bad water under the bridge since Dave Trembley went to his bullpen in the sixth inning, and I'm still trying to figure out why he pulled Jason Berken after only 86 pitches with one out and a runner at second.

Maybe there's something I don't know. Maybe Berken let it be known before the inning that he was tiring and only had a few hitters left. Maybe Trembley or pitching coach Rick Kranitz saw something they didn't like. Maybe this is part of their commitment not to overwork their young pitchers.

If so, fine, but from a strategic standpoint, it's hard to imagine that DT felt his best option at that point -- with the score 1-1 -- was to trot out another five or six relievers and hope that all of them would be on their game. This isn't just hindsight talking. I was scratching my head even after Mark Hendrickson and Kam Mickolio got out of the inning without allowing the go-ahead run.

So, basically, the same thing happened that happened last night when the Orioles were up 6-5. The bullpen parade started on Tuesday and two of the five O's relievers faltered -- most egregiously Chris Ray, who gave up back-to-back home runs. This time, it was Kam Mickolio who couldn't get anybody out in the seventh inning and Jim Johnson, who got shelled in the ninth.

I don't know that it would have changed the outcome, but if Berken can throw 20 more pitches and get close to completing seven innings, the equation simplifies considerably, since you only need two or three relievers to pitch well instead of five or six. The O's ended up using seven, but who's still counting at that point?

In mathematical terms, it's called reducing the variables. Again, I don't know that it would have changed the outcome against C.C. Sabathia and the Yankees bullpen, but using that many pitchers is almost a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (154)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The Orioles are leaving open the possibility of Adam Jones returning from his sprained left ankle before the end of the season, but that's probably a longshot. As Orioles beat guy Jeff Zrebiec pointed out when he appeared with me on Sportsline tonight on WBAL Radio, there isn't anywhere for Jones to rehab late in September and there really isn't any compelling reason for him to come back for the last five or 10 games of the regular season.

The O's can use his playing time to get even more of a look at Felix Pie, who continues to swing one of the hottest bats on the team. Pie has come on strong in the power department the past three weeks, hitting more home runs in his last 51 at-bats (6) than he did in nearly 400 previous major league at-bats (5). He is hitting .318 since his average dipped to .158 way back on May 6.

Pie probably would have played a lot anyway, since the O's are auditioning Luke Scott at first base and need to get Nolan Reimold DH at-bats to spare his sore Achilles, so Jones' absense probably will also mean more playing time for Jeff Fiorentino. I think Zrebiec was right tonight when he speculated that Andy MacPhail may be regretting the deal that shed minor league outfielder Joey Gathright.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 7:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (50)
Categories: Just baseball
        

There were a lot of people, including myself, who were wondering where Kam Mickolio was last night, when manager Dave Trembley had to send in Dennie Sarfate in a close middle-inning situation in the sixth inning.

So I checked with our Orioles beat reporter, Jeff Zrebiec, who told me that Mickolio has not been available for a couple of days because he has a tired arm. Guess he got pushed a little hard when he came on so strong after his most recent call up.

Zrebiec also said that Chris Ray has complained of some late-season discomfort in his arm, but he went out there last night and got shelled. I'm not sure what to make of his situation right now. He looked pretty good for awhile, but when he's bad, he can get lit up like a Christmas tree, something the Yankees confirmed in the seventh inning last night.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (41)
Categories: Just baseball, Just baseball
        

In case you missed it, or all the copies of today's print edition are sold out in your area, I've got a column up today about the decision by Andy MacPhail to shut down top pitching prospects Chris Tillman and Brian Matusz after another two or three starts. If you want to read it, just click here.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (33)
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David Hernandez gave up just four hits during his five-inning performance tonight, but they only found one of them. The Yankees hit three home runs off the rookie right-hander, who complicated the situation with six walks and needed 107 pitches to get to a point where the Orioles were still short in the bullpen.

Manager Dave Trembley had to trot out a parade of relievers, and this O's bullpen is not deep enough for anyone to assume that four or five guys will all be lights out on the same night. Dennis Sarfate walked the leadoff batter in the sixth after Luke Scott put the Orioles ahead with his mammoth three-run homer, making it too easy for the Yankees to come right back and tie the game. And Chris Ray gave up a back-to-back home runs to Nick Swisher and Eric Hinske in the seventh to let it get away.

The Yankees, meanwhile, sent four relievers to the mound after A.J. Burnett struggled again, and all four of those relievers held the Orioles scoreless.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (43)
        

Manager Dave Trembley said during his postgame news conference that Adam Jones suffered a sprained ankle when he jammed his foot into the first base bag tonight. X-rays were negative, but that doesn't mean Jones will be back any time soon. Trembley said it was "a pretty good sprain," which could put Jones back on the shelf for a significant chunk of the remaining schedule.

Just another nasty twist of fate for Jones, who just returned from a back injury and nearly got hurt crashing the wall on Monday night.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Adam Jones has been removed from the game after a freak play at first place that may have left him with either a sprained left ankle or a hyper-extended left knee -- or both. He turned the wrong way after reaching first on an overthrow and then jammed his leg hustling back to the bag.

Jones went down hard and looked like he was in serious pain, but eventually got up and tried to stay in the game. Though he seemed to be walking all right, when the Yankees decided to go to their bullpen, O's manager Dave Trembley sent newly promoted Jeff Fiorentino in as a pinch runner.

Pie chart: Felix Pie has six home runs in his last 49 at-bats, dating back to Aug. 14. That means he has hit more home runs in his last 17 games (six) than he hit in his 395 previous major league at bats (five).

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (56)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Don't know about you, but I wish MASN had a stationary camera fixed on Eutaw Street, so we could see where the long home runs land. Luke Scott's mammoth three-run home run looked like it had a chance to become the first ball ever to hit the Warehouse on the fly in game action, but there was no camera angle that showed where it landed.

If it had, we'd know by now. The O's get a report from the ushers and other witnesses out there and embed a brass baseball in the concrete where the ball landed, but it would be nice to know right away. I realize there would be some expense involved in an extra camera, but I believe the Giants do it in San Francisco to for homers that land in McCovey Cove.

Bad baseball update: Adam Jones just got away with a real bad fundamental gaffe, his throw on Alex Rodriguez's game-tying single sailing well out of reach of the cutoff man and allowing Rodriguez to move into scoring position. Fortunately for Jones and the O's, Chris Ray struck out Jose Posada to get out of the inning with the score still tied.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)
Categories: Just baseball
        

There were a lot of angry Orioles fans when the club failed to make a legitimate run at free agent starter A.J. Burnett. The guy lives in Monkton and seemed like the rare front-line free agent who might actually want to play in Baltimore, but he did not fit into Andy MacPhail's "Grow the arms, buy the bats" philosophy.

Looking back, maybe that was a good thing. Burnett was a durability risk and the price ended up through the roof. The Yankees eventually signed him to a five-year, $82.5 million contract and are cruising toward the postseason, but it's not like he's been the cornerstone of their starting rotation.

In fact, coming into tonight's game, he had won exactly one more game than Orioles No. 1 starter Jeremy Guthrie, who took a pay cut last spring and is having a very difficult season. Don't misunderstand, Burnett has pitched much better than Guthrie, but he has struggled with his command at times -- Burnett leads the American League with 80 walks -- and was 0-4 in six August starts.

Of course, if you compared the Yankees record in Burnett's games with the Orioles overall record in Guthrie's games, it would not be close, but the guy does make $15.9 million per year more than Jeremy.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 8:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (22)
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The Orioles announced today that Nick Markakis has been named the club's candidate for the Roberto Clemente Award, which is given at every World Series to a major league player who represents the humanitarian ideals of the great Pittsburgh Pirates star who was killed in a plane crash attempting to deliver relief supplies to earthquake victims.

The club also announced that Nick and Christina Markakis have made a $75,000 contribution to the Baltimore Orioles Charitable Foundation. The donation will be split among the Baltimore RBI (Reviving Baseball in the Inner City) League, Baltimore City Schools education programs and Shannon's Fund.

Lou Montanez update: Montanez will begin a quick injury rehabilitation assignment to Class-A Frederick tonight. He has been recovering from hand surgery and will spend the final regular season home series with the Keys.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 2:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (42)
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Brian Billick’s book on the NFL will hit stores next week, and he does take the opportunity to defend himself in a few respects, most notably the rap that he was unable to develop a franchise quarterback.

Of course, the responsibility for that is shared by Ozzie Newsome and a Ravens front office staff that was confident Kyle Boller had a good chance to be that guy. Boller (with Billick at left) was chosen in the first round of the 2003 draft out of the University of California, and there was no question he had the physical tools to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Billick, in a chapter entitled “Nobody knows anything,” makes a very good case that picking a franchise quarterback in the first round is basically a coin-flip proposition – that just about half of the QBs chosen with one of the first 10 picks in any draft bloom into solid starters and that percentage holds steady for quarterbacks picked anywhere in the first round.

The Ravens missed with Boller, whose tools were not matched by his pocket presence, but apparently have struck gold with Joe Flacco, who led the Ravens to the AFC title game last year. Sure enough, over the past decade, drafting a franchise quarterback has been a 50-50 proposition for the Ravens, just like everybody else.

Billick presents his case objectively. It’s not an exercise in rationalization. He obviously didn’t write the book to explain himself or he would have spent more time amplifying his successes and minimizing his shortcomings. He does neither, choosing instead to spend a great deal of time looking at the NFL landscape – past and present -- through the eyes of other coaches and general managers.

In that respect, it’s an interesting treatment. If you are a football fan, you’ll enjoy the insider feel of it. If you’re a long-time Ravens fan, however, you’ll probably be disappointed that this is not a birds-eye view of Billick’s career in Baltimore.

I’d love to hear Billick unplugged on a number of subjects, but he clearly is not a kiss-and-tell kind of guy.

Sun file photo

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (25)
        

When I heard that Brian Billick had written a book, I was pretty stoked. Finally, I thought, we’ll get the inside story on his surprising dismissal by the Ravens, his up-and-down relationship with Steve Bisciotti, that strange Super Bowl press conference during which he chastised the media for its treatment of Ray Lewis…and a lot of the other behind-the-purple-curtain stuff that we’ve all been wondering about since he was fired after the 2007 season.

So, when the publisher sent The Sun an advance copy of the manuscript – entitled “More Than a Game: The Glorious Present and Uncertain Future of the NFL” – I waded right in.

I’ll give Billick this much, he delivers an interesting take on the state of the sport and – in the early chapters – a primer on what it’s really like to be an NFL head coach. He brings along some additional wisdom from the guys he coached for and against, including Bill Walsh, Tony Dungy, Bill Cowher and more. And he proves that even a super-focused NFL coach is capable of seeing beyond his own horizon.

In the course of the 250-or-so pages, he travels across the football spectrum, explaining the Cover 2 defense in one chapter and the intricacies of the NFL Network’s various cable and satellite deals in another.

What he doesn’t do is what most readers in Ravenland probably will wish he had. He does not dish on the Ravens front office and Bisciotti. He has very little to say about the dynamic players who helped him win a Super Bowl. There is the occasional rationale for the way he handled a certain situation – the ill-fated attempt to develop Kyle Boller into a franchise quarterback comes to mind-- but the book is really not about the Ravens.

It’s more about Billick expanding his image as a major player on the NFL scene, which should be helpful in his new career as a television analyst and won’t be hurtful to any future opportunity to coach another NFL team.

I don’t know if he was consciously playing it safe for future employment reasons, but it wouldn’t surprise me. I mean, I’ve seen the guy punt on fourth and short inside the 35 yard line. What I do know is that Billick is not interested in fading out of the NFL picture, and this book allows him to project himself more as a football statesman than just somebody manning the Telestrator in the FOX broadcast booth.

I’m not going to give away the ending, but Billick takes a look at the gathering labor storm that is threatening the NFL and offers advice to both the owners and players on how to navigate through it without damaging an extremely successful industry.

The book, which is co-written by Michael MacCambridge and hits the shelves next week, is a quick read that may enlighten you to some of the challenges of putting a winning – and losing – NFL team on the field, but you’re probably not going to come away feeling like you know a whole lot more about Billick and the Ravens than you did when you cracked it open.

Now that I’ve piqued your interest, I’ll be back in awhile with some more specific observations about Billick and his new book, including his aforementioned explanation for why Boller didn’t pan out.

Sun file photo

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (28)
Categories: Just football