Orioles: The Indy 500
Okay, maybe it just seems like there are 500 people from the Orioles and the local media on the 11:45 a.m. Southwest flight to Indianapolis for baseball's annual Winter Meetings. Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is already there, but most of his staff is here at BWI waiting to board.
If you haven't already, you can take a look right here at my column about the Meetings for today's print edition. I hope the Orioles are more aggressive than they are hinting they plan to be this week, and I lay out the reasons in the column -- not that you need any help from me to figure that out.
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Comments
Here's the link:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-sp.schmuck06dec06,0,7487434.column
Posted by: Rusty | December 6, 2009 11:29 AM
Pete, I read your column. By not thinking it will play well on Pratt Street, is that supposed to be alliteration and mean it doesn't sound good to people in town? The stadium is on Camden Street, not Pratt Street. But I generally agree with the column.
Steve
Posted by: steve | December 6, 2009 12:24 PM
I read your article and the one by Jeff Z. and it's getting even more difficult to be optimistic about next season.
We will once again watch helplessly as the Yankees and Red Sox make major investments in real talent, while we wait for the scraps to fall off the table. Would it be a criminal act of plan-murder to go after someone like Bay and try Reimold at first or DH? Sure we're looking for corner infielders, but how does it ever hurt your club to grab a bat and a glove like Bay's?
Would it throw a huge monkey wrench into the plan to make a serious attempt at Lackey, knowing that you have to overpay to get him to consider Balto.? A genuine #1 starter to lead this young staff is well worth overpaying for IMO.
I have been pretty pleased with what McPhail has done so far, so I tend to give him some benefit of the doubt, but if the fans watch the O's sit on the sidelines once again, willing only to go after has-beens and long shots, that the Yanks and Sox reject, the O's will have to perform way beyond any realistic expectations to get anyone to come out to the park at all next year.
I understand that spending money just to spend it is not a real plan, but I also know that picking up serious talent, at whatever position you find it available, gives you trade options down the road to fill the holes you need to fill.
I'll wait until ST to really evaluate the off season, but the winter meetings are going to be a first indication, and so far the words coming from the warehouse aren't making me plan my vacation around Orioles baseball next season just yet.
Posted by: Roy | December 6, 2009 12:31 PM
God Bless Peter. That was a great article! Perfection
Posted by: Larry | December 6, 2009 1:02 PM
Pete, RE: Your Column...
Once on Moday Night Football, after a long Howard Cosell diatribe, O. J. Simpson interjected, "Howard, you certainly have an excellent grasp of the obvious".
Posted by: Gil | December 6, 2009 3:13 PM
Pete,
You'd be far better off covering the annual paint drying convention in Lafayette.
I can't imagine you justifying the expense of the trip to the Sun, especially when you could just as easily report movement from the O's from Baltimore.
Who knows though, maybe you'll find something interesting about the Ravens while out there.
This is when you really earn your pay Pete.....when having to write about arguably the worst organization in professional sports.
Good luck!
Posted by: wayne | December 6, 2009 8:30 PM