Too much time spent posting as wayne last night and not enough time spent traveling to York...

funny stuff

My! My! Big-City Slicker Schmuck snickers at the podunk rotary club gala.

I guess you go elsewhere to get barbells - oh, that's right, "physical fitness" and "abdominal muscles" are oxymorons in your exercise-challenged world.

Harumph!!!!

York Yokel:

It's "Harrumph", not "Harumph".

I don't quite understand the logic behind signing Mark Hendrickson. Orioles needed someone in the bullpen, who could get the opposing left handers out. Well, the left handers hit .275 against him last year. And the O's have a plethora of pitchers vying for long relief.

Us Hanoverians resent being looped in with York.

$1.5 million for Hendrickson? Are you freaking serious?

Wow.

Us Hanoverians resent being looped in with York.

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Well York is a county, but you're right. We all think those folks in the west are weirdos. :-P

Hey Pete,

Take it easy on us Yorkers. I'll have you know that we have everything you city slickers have: urban blight, random murders and inept municipal government. We even elected a female African-American mayor in November, but it's too soon to tell if she knows her way around a gift card.

So the next time you want to make fun of our fair city, remember this--bigger doesn't necessarily mean better, except when it comes to bank accounts, certain parts of the female anatomy and porterhouse steaks.

Pete,

It's "Hate Wayne" day on the blog. One poster hopes he steps in front of a bus, he was called a"d**k on another thread and yet another suggested that he wear a shirt and shoes. And those are some of the nicest comments. People are posting just to rip Wayne and not about the Orioles

I remember that you said over a year ago that Wayne had gotten into your head. Look's like you are not alone.

Wayne, if I were you I would start checking under the hood of my car before starting it. Vary your way to work and back, the lynch mob is assembling.

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Pete's reply: I know Wayne very, very well -- if you get my drift -- and I think he's tough enough to take it.

Gil,

Hendrickson in the pen may allow Hernandez to remain a starter at AAA (I already had Berken penciled in there). As a trade chip, or as a player, he's obviously more valuable to the team as a starter than a reliever. I'd assume with injuries during the season (Koji possibly...) he could be called up to the pen. Either that or it gives them an opportunity to have Mickolio work on his control at AAA some more.

And to quote The Beatles, "And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make..."

It works the other way around too...

I mean, look at those 10:41 and 10:52 posts and tell me what they have to do with Hendrickson...

If you can tolerate wayne on the blog, then so can the rest of us. I confess to actually agreeing with him on some things. It should not get personal, but agree to disagree. Having said that, the topic is Hendrickson, and my two cents is that this is a good move, A lefty who can relieve or spot start is never a bad thing. Still wondering about the Sarfate thing though.

Love the name, punk flamingo.

The thing about the Sarfate thing is, I was looking at some old Brewers boards (I think I linked to them through mlbtraderumors) and when he got DFA'd and subsequently traded to the Astros, they were pretty much saying the same things that we're saying now. He's got such a live arm...if only he could get his control down... yada yada yada... Being that this was several years ago and given his age, I don't think he's gonna figure it out. It's a shame too cause there's so much promise there and he seems like a nice guy. All I can do is wish him the best and hope he succeeds somewhere (though not against the O's).

Chris,

I haven't seen him since Christmas but I know that he is really happy that he was re signed. He is also content to pitch in long relief or emergency starter. I guess I am a little prejudiced but I think the Orioles could have done worse.

Chris, I am amazed that grown people act like kids when you disagree with them. You know I don't subscribe to the warehouse conspiracy theory, but the way some of the posters react to Wayne does lend some creedence to it. Why else would people attack him the way that they do? They should just rebut his argument and leave personalities out of it. Why does it matter so much to them? If they don't like what he has to say, they can just ignore him.

I think he is funny and is doing this partly to agitate and they are taking the bait.

More trash. 13th straight losing season here we come.

The problem, Gil, is that when you have a rebuttal against his argument, he'll either:
a) Ignore it and continue to post the same thing over and over
b) Deflect it by responding (ignoring what you wrote) and repeating his attacks against the FO
or
c) Attack you personally (in some cases directly, in others in a condescending "whatever..." tone), while playing the "Oh, I'm so innocent, I just want to WIN" card (which is obviously pointless as everyone on this board wants the O's to win).

People are just tired of it. He never brings anything new to the table and it frustrates people. Not only that, but he comes off as having a very high opinion of himself to the point where it seems he would rather the team lose to prove him right than the team win.

Chris,

When I first got on the blog it didn't take me long to figure out where Wayne coming from. I think he truly believes in what he is posting and will continue to post it until when and if the Orioles start winning. Since it is impossible to disprove a negative, he operates from a position of real truth as opposed to relative truth, in that the Orioles still are not winning and he is still posting that they are not winning, so technically he is still right.

I view wayne as Mr. MXYZPTLK, Superman's nemesis. He was an imp from the 5th dimension who pop's up intermittently merely to cause mischief.

I thought this was a sports blog. I didn't realize it was the "all about Peter Schmuck's life" blog.

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Pete's reply: Well, now you know.

wyane

is that what you mean Gil?

nevermind, they deleted my arrow with the "attention #hore" next to it. AND I spelled his name wrong. Boo on me. (sad face).

Signing Henderson is one of those boring, "doesn't even get on the ESPN MLB ticker," quiet moves that good teams make. I don't recall Lefty Grove or Warren Spahn being available, but here's a relatively local guy who can start and relieve, who is a lefty, and who, by all accounts, wants to play in Baltimore. It's good work, Andy M. Not spectacular, but good.

Partly???

Old Wayne really has seems to have got in a few people's grill and ruffled a few feathers around here.

What Wayne is really great at is ignoring other people all together except when he's got a snide retort for them. Some of his favorites, he'll post over and over for days, like his Pirates comparison.

But you know he just loves the mere mention of his name. That's what he's here for. Wayne feel free to have at it when I'm done...

Henderickson isn't a bad guy to bring back, but I hope we don't need him for many starts. Last spring, in a start against Texas, I saw the guy get hit harder then anybody that I've ever seen.
At that time, I thought he'd be released for sure just like Eaton.

He did pitch pretty well out of the pen though. Nice staple vet that can pitch in a lot of roles. But he doesn't really seem to be that situational left hander that's used to get one or two batter's out.

So there's an opening for another lefty in the pen.

I'm wondering since Trembley has Koji to use at the back of the pen, if he may use Gonzalaz to go after a tough left handed hitter in the 8th sometimes & let Koji finish.

Koji's also the kind of guy that could pitch some two inning stints, I thought the guy had pinpoint control on his stuff last year. He just started to wear down in the 3rd or 4th inning real often.

I wondered about the humidity in Baltimore having it's effect on him. Pitching out of the back of the pen, he'll be into the night a little more before he warms up for the first time and be required to go shorter stretches. It might help his effectiveness alot.

Having a reliever that find the plate everytime out should be a big addition to the pen. Adding both Koji and Gonzalaz to the back of the pen should take the pressure off of Johnson. The closer role seemed to over be more then the kid was ready for last year.

Hernandez is another guy that I think could carve out a role in the pen, he's got strike out stuff but struggles to get guys out the second or third time they see him. He needs another pitch as a starter, but could maybe relieve with what he's got. He could also do a spot start if needed.

Big advantage over last spring, this time last year Koji was the #2 starter and then it was pick from 35 other pitchers.
Now first 5 starters are lined up, and 4 BP slots seem like they're taken.

Sure there will be injuries and guys that are ineffective, but this time last year there were about 4 pitchers who knew their role going into spring training.
That in it's self is a huge difference over last year.

I look for the pitching to make a big step forward this year, a couple of starters that can work into the 7th or 8th, and more guys in the pen that can throw strikes is a formula for success.

And I love Bergenson, Matusz, and Tillman's upside.

"Pete's reply: I know Wayne very, very well -- if you get my drift -- and I think he's tough enough to take it."

Ahhhh, so wayne actually is Roch. A satire of the dissatisfied fan all along...

And therefore we can all assume Pete is Brummie on Roch's blog...

We've all been duped.

I feel so... used.

I'm going to go curl up in a ball, all alone in the shower now.

Gil, I agree about Hendrickson. I was very against the Os bringing him on board last year and was validated early as he struggled as a starter but once they moved him to the pen he became the best reliever we had. I am glad he's back.

We haven't addressed the pen as much as the starters and position players so if I may, I'd like to propose we weigh in on that topic.

Looking at the pen going ino this year I'd have to say it looks better. The Os have a closer again in Gonzalez, which allows Johnson to move back to a role he was successful in. Uehara should be very good in any relief role as he proved last year he was successful the first 2-3 times through a lineup AND he has solid control. Hendrickson is a plus. That's four guys that look positive. It's the remaining three that will make or break this pen. Meridith will likely make the team as he gets the job done even without the greatest stuff. Being able to control pitches consistently works wonders! I liked Mickalio's stuff and wouldn't be surprised if he became reliever number 6. So that leaves one spot and I would prefer that to be taken by a lefty but think it should go to the most effective of the remaining candidates. D. Hernandaz as a starter pitched well the first time through the lineup but struggled after that. Berkin was terrible early in games but got stronger later. Not a good candidate for a reliever. Albers was a disappointment so unless he recovers I'm counting him out. Unless the Os are willing to use Perez as a reliever instead of sending him to Norfolk for more work as a starter then he's out. I think Castillo hasn't looked that great and he's 35. So, do they go with D. Hernadaz or look to pick up someone else?

Really Pete? You gonna let your blog turn into a man crush, love in for Wayne? Every other post is Wayne said this, Wayne is a douche, Wayne rides around in an old windowless 1970's Chevy van with "FREE CANDY" painted boldly on it ....Fact is, this guy is toying with most of you, and your "emotions"...He is sitting back in his "gamer chair" with built in speakers blaring Megadeath, wringing his fat, KFC grease soaked hands together, while biscuit crumbs waterfall down his hole infested "GOT DICK?" t-shirt, feverishly laughing at you jugheads, and your retorts....please, pray tell how any of you can get so upset about something you have no control over, i.e. the Orioles, or Wayne?...
Enough about Wayne, PLEASE!!!

Agreed with your top 4 and Meredith, Tom. I think Meredith is an important part of the pen as he gives the batters a different look, just like Bradford did. I also think they'll try to bring in another lefty as a specialist, whether that be Castillo or someone else, I'm not sure. Perez definitely needs to at least start the year in Norfolk. Lebron should probably be there too, but I think he's gonna be a good back of the bullpen guy. That leaves one spot and I think it will go to Mickolio, though I could see him getting a little more seasoning in AAA to work on his control. I mentioned what I thought of Hernandez up above (more value as a starter). Same goes for Berken. The wildcard is Gabino since no one here has really seen him. If he does well in ST, I think that gives Mickolio the AAA ticket.

@ Pasadena Nick: Megadeath? I think he's more of a Krokus man, myself.

I thought this was a sports blog. I didn't realize it was the "all about Peter Schmuck's life" blog.

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Pete's reply: Well, now you know.

Posted by: kaneforgov

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Schmuck, you crack me up. Well done, sir.

Smart move - he's a class guy, a hard worker, a seasoned vet, and he can be effective in a variety of roles. I can see Hendrickson being another Jesse Orosco or John Franco and pitching until he's 45.

Glad to see they resigned Hendrickson. He was an ineffective starter but was very valuable in the bullpen, maybe the best reliever we had in 09.