funny how some people can run their mouths on end, ranting about losing, but then when the team wins, they are nowhere to be found.

at least wayne and Gil can occasionally say positive things about the team. at least we know they are actually fans.

I know that I've said a hundred times that Tillman has nothing left to prove in AAA, but command issues at this point in ST are certainly a bit unsettling.

If Tillman continues to struggle with throwing strikes, I'd much rather see him get a chance to work it out in the minors than against the brutal early season schedule in Baltimore.

But then the question is... Who's taking his place?

Should we pop a bottle of champagne because a ST game was won ?

Well how about that! I ask the O's to please find a way to win, and they go and put together a frikkin' streak! LOL!

Maybe we should, jason, because, after all, everyone's ready to cash in the season when they lose a spring training game. Same thing, eh?

ken -

The recent surge of pessimism isn't unfounded.

Our leadoff hitter and starting second baseman has a serious back injury (is there any other kind?) and who knows when he'll be ready to play.

Our projected starting left fielder, who was supposed to be good enough to make us feel better about the team not pursuing Matt Holliday, is still recovering from an Achilles injury/surgery and hasn't played much.

Our fourth outfielder seems to have legs wound tighter than a high-tension spring, as he pulls up lame almost every time he runs the bases.

Our projected closer is missing 10 mph on his fastball.

Our Opening Day starter hasn't been effective in his two ST starts.

One half of the young duo that was supposed to save our rotation hasn't been throwing strikes.

None of the hitters that are going to make the team seem able to take a walk.

In short, the team hasn't done much to instill confidence in its fans.

See, not brooks, this is what gets me. These are things going on all over the major leagues.

To wit:
CC Sabathia threw 57 pitches yesterday, 29 balls and his manager said it was a rough outing.

Albert Pujols has missed a week or more because of a knee and don't forget his elbow. There are mounting concerns in St. Louis that his power might be diminished. Oh, and 120/7 boy Holliday? Has just five ABs so far in the spring.

The Mets wonder if Johan Santana will be OK to start the season, Jose Reyes is doubtful for the season opener, according to his GM and pricey closer Frankie Rodriguez has just thrown his first inning in the spring.

Joe Mauer has missed a couple of games with shoulder soreness, Hanley Ramirez has a sore groin, Dice-K has a neck problem that could be connected to a back injury and has not even thrown a BP session this spring. Joe Nathan is likely done for the year, free agent Placido Polanco injured his knee over the weekend, and the list goes on and on.

All I'm trying to say is is that the stuff the Orioles are going through happens every spring and every team is overly cautious because, well, its the spring.

Yet it seems everyone here is ready to give up on the season barely two weeks into the exhibition season. People, there are some good things happening here that are being overlooked.

Bergeson looks good after having not pitched in a game for seven months and that comically tragic TV commercial, the team had 15 hits yesterday, Atkins so far doesn't look totally done, Snyder is swinging the bat well, Markakis looks locked in already, Matusz looks like he could go undefeated this year, some second tier prospects, like Tucker and Turner look good, Turner, and so on.

All I'm asking is, don't dwell totally on the negative, that's all.

come on NB, lets see where they sit say April 1 before the doomsday posts. A lot of teams are going through the same crap, you've pointed some out yourself.

i'm not saying it doesn't look ugly, but it is still just ST.

ken-you're talking about established players.We are talking about rookies and 2nd year players for the most part.There is a HUGE difference.And you listed 5 or 6 players from entirely different teams.We are talking about 5 or 6 players from the same team.You just don't get it do you,little buddy?You're still lost in la-la land,dreaming about the plan.

ken,

Im not ready to "cash in the season" becuase they dont look good in ST. Im ready to cash in the season because the talent level on this club is so far behind the big 3 that its not even funny.

An already inferior team is getting banged up by injuries and performing below their already modest expectations

Lip service about so called improvements mean nothing to me. As a matter of fact, the way the FO tries to mislead the fans makes me sick. "buy the bats" my balls

If the O's had CC and Pujols, I would be the most positive poster on here. If the Os had ANY legit clean up hitter and ace it would tell me that they are serious about winning. Thats all I ask.

Seems reasonable after 12 yrs of miserable losing.

I know i know, I'm negative because Im not prepared to skip down pratt st for a 72 win season and l3 losing seasons in a row

Ken, I agree with you, as every team is dealing with injury issues or guys off to cold starts. The losing around here has magnified everything.

Looking at what's going on with Roberts shows how little depth we have in the minors for position players. I know AM will get blamed, but all the pitching busts form the previous regimes really forced AM to focus on pitching prospects. I do hope that the O's can start to look at some position playing prospects. I can't image the O's resigning Izzy after this season and while I am feeling good about Bell at either 1B or 3B, Snyder is still a big question mark. Take away the trades and drafts that AM and there's not a whole hell of a lot of prospects knocking on the big league door.

Great post Jason!

Not brooks we don't always see eye to eye on things but your post is right on target. According to pete you would be the most pessimistic person in the world but in reality you have made very legitmate points.Everybody keeps missing the point about spring training games when it concerns a team having so many ist and second year players. All i hear is there is nothing to worry about because take a look at what the majority of veterans around the league are doing. But as ken pointed out those veterans have a proven history that says when the gun sounds they will be ready . Our players are untested and have no history so why does everybody assume that they will be ready. Pete blasted me in my lastest blog about brian robert's back injury he has insisted from word go that he will be ready and i said from day one that he will start the season on the disabled list. he told me that i must think that i am genius for making that statement. I am no genius but i am a realistic person that doesn't buy the positive spin and suger coating that this team and it's journalists put on things.

ken -

Three big differences here...

1. All of the players you listed (aside from Matsuzaka, I refuse to call him that ridiculous Americanized nickname) are studs and we know they'll be fine once the season starts. Pujols, Hanley and Mauer probably would have played through their injuries if it was the regular season, but why push them in ST? And are you seriously going to compare Kevin Millwood and Chris Tillman to CC Sabathia?

2. The O's have no depth. All of the teams that the players you listed play for (aside from the Mets), had winning records last season and have a lot of depth. Example: Who cares if Matsuzaka is hurting? The Red Sox have Lester, Beckett, Lackey, Buchholz and Wakefield.

3. None of the players you mentioned (aside from Johan and Reyes... poor Mets, huh?) are recovering from a major surgery.

Adding to what BL Todd said, what's going on here magnifies how little depth we have in the majors and minors at every position.

Suppose Tillman can't find the strike zone for the rest of the spring and he needs to work things out in AAA. Who's going to take his place? Berken? Hernandez? Suppose Millwood gets torched this season. Who takes his place? Are we going to have Berken and Hernandez both in the rotation... again...?

Suppose Tejada gets hurt? Who plays third? Atkins? But then who plays first? Aubrey? What if Atkins doesn't bounce back? Are we going to have Aubrey and Wigginton at the corners (vomit...) if Miggy gets hurt?

What if Gonzalez's mysterious lack of velocity is more than our closer by default is leading on? We've already experienced the Jim Johnson Closer Project. Who's next? Koji? Mickolio?

How about left field? Right now, it looks like Luke Scott is going to be out there on Opening Day. Who's DHing? Wigginton? Ugh...

And don't get me started on Roberts. Not when Felipe Lopez was sitting out there all offseason just waiting for a job.

This team suffers from a terminal lack of depth. And the depth that it did have prior to the injuries and worries about Roberts, Reimold, Pie and Gonzalez wasn't much to speak of.

And, by the way, I do see the positives here, ken. I'm not at all worried about Markakis or Jones, and Guthrie seems poised for a bounceback year. Atkins seems to be having good at bats, which is a plus. Tejada's going to hit, and the team seems happy with his glovework so far, but I'll wait and see how opposing teams try to exploit him in the regular season. And even though Wieters hasn't done much this spring, I still believe he's in for a big season. And everyone should know how high I am on Matusz.

There are a good deal of positives, ken, but the negatives always stand out more, especially when you're talking about a team with no depth that lost 98 games last year.

One more thing... Last week, nothing mattered because we were only a week into ST. Now, let's not worry too much because we're only two weeks in. What if we're in the same position a week from now, with the previously mentioned four still hurting, Millwood still struggling and Tillman still throwing a lot of balls? What if we're there two weeks from now?

nb,

Awesome post!

The answer to your final question is actually very easy and predictable. I'll even take it well into the season, by asking - What if we're there thee months from now?

Answer: The same as it always is - 'it was never about this year'.

Now I'm not trying to be flip or even negative. It's just that we know that will be the answer from the warehouse, the media and fewer and fewer fans.