Pete, I hope so too. But when a team in June has a larger number in the games behind column than in the win column, it's tough to think there is a pulse to be found.

this season is over

Hey Pete great blog as always.
Why did the Dodgers release Rick Dempsey as their Triple A manager?
I get tired of reading how Dempsey is the potential savior as the next Orioles manager. There is a reason the Dodgers let him go.

Trembley was never the manager to begin with. Andy made all the decisions including lineups. Its just to appear to MLB that the organization just doest get it. In reality Angelose is still bitter the nats are in town and is just fielding teams to draw a paycheck to sock it to the mlb. It makes more sense for him not to try and collect money to put into his other more practical extortion operations.

Too bad greedy Petey will make money off the nats being popular this season.... i hate leeches

15 - 36

18.5 games out of first place... on June 1st.

No other team in baseball is more than 12.5 games out of first place.

Oh, and we're 13.5 games out of fourth place.

And 15 games behind the Blue Jays. Weren't we supposed to be much better than the Blue Jays?

Dave Trembley is a terrible manager.

Terry Crowley is a terrible hitting coach.

Andy MacPhail's has failed. The Plan made sense, but the execution has been terrible...

- The corner infielders are the absolute worst in baseball (and don't give me the "hindsight is 20/20" BS), and there's no help on the way.

- Only one veteran starter was brought in for 2010; Millwood's been great, but to think that MacPhail expected David Hernandez to be a successful MLB starter makes me cringe.

- Our best player, who would be a #2 hitter on a team with a real big league lineup, is putting up meager production because the team doesn't have a real #3 or #4 hitter.

- Our "stud" center fielder has been pathetic, mostly because he's been expected to be a leadoff or #2 hitter when his talents are better suited to the 5 or 6 hole. Again, where's the real veteran help? Johnny Damon's hitting .270 with a .380 OBP for the Tigers. How long was he sitting on the market, waiting for a job?

- Our "top prospect" catcher doesn't seem to be developing either. He's got a .250/.323/.351 line through 47 games this year. Sure, he's still young, but I'd imagine it's much easier to develop as a big league hitter if you're not bouncing around the lineup looking for protection that doesn't exist.

This organization is an absolute mess. It most certainly stems from the head, Peter Angelos, but since there's no way to get rid of him, it's painfully obvious that MacPhail needs to go. Where else would a GM be allowed to knock a team's winning percentage from .426 to .422 to .395 to .294 without losing his job?

Peter Angelos has so much money he keeps the Orioles around for game time at dinner parties. Guests of his can make in game decisions, roster moves and hot stove pickups. All in the name of fun because the money is going to come to him anyway off his sweet deals he scammed off Major League Baseball!

I'm looking forward to the series with the Bronx Bombers. I also slow down to look at traffic accidents.

It’s a shame Wieters got drafted with the O’s… Kid may have been great with an MLB team…

Bob W,

That seems to be the plan... You know the ole Cubby way get fans talking about a bloddy mess to make em feel good

The OH NO'S are so bad the Pirates, Nats and Indians and Stros looks somewhat decent....

PS - A few minor league updates for everyone...

1. Jake Arrieta is more than halfway to majors. I mentioned a week or so ago that he needed to put up five or six starts in a row with 7+ innings and less than two walks. Looks like Jake reads Schmuck's blog. Here are the lines from his past three starts:

May 20: 7 innings, 4 hits, 0 runs, 10 k, 2 bb

May 25: 7 innings, 7 hits, 1 run, 6 k, 2 bb

May 31: 8 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 7 k, 2 bb

2. Josh Bell is starting to hit, sort of... Over his last ten games, he's hitting .368/.415/.553. Of course, over that span, he hasn't hit a home run and he's only driven in one. I don't know if he's just bad with RISP or if no one is getting on base in front of him. Oh, and he struck out 7 times and walked just 3 in those ten games.

Bell's 2010 line still looks pretty miserable: .263/.296/.433, 50 strikeouts, 9 walks, 6 home runs in 194 at bats. But maybe the last ten games are a signal of a bit of an awakening. I still wouldn't expect to see Bell in Baltimore until 2011.

3. Ryan Berry got promoted, and he's still getting it done. He's only thrown nine innings in two starts at Frederick, but he hasn't given up an earned run, despite really struggling in the first start (4 innings, 4 walks).

Berry didn't throw many innings in college (Injuries? I don't know...), so the O's should keep him in the minors until he proves that he can do so without wearing down at the end of the season. But early reports are good. In his first 55 innings of pro ball, he's got a 2.93 ERA, 50 strikeouts and just 15 walks.

4. Matt Angle got promoted as well. Angle tore up the Eastern League, hitting .383 with a .433 OBP and 5 stolen bases in 14 games. He's off to a nice start in AAA, with four hits and a stolen base in his first three games at Norfolk. OriolesProspects.com says Angle plays "excellent defense" it's obvious that he's got a ton of speed. Are we looking at a future leadoff hitter in Angle?

5. Mychal Givens has played six games with Delmarva. He's hitting just .200, but he's got 4 walks to 3 strikeouts in 19 plate appearances. He's also got a stolen base. Not bad for a kid just out of high school. Which leads me to...

6. Matt Hobgood, who's got a 4.64 ERA through his first ten pro starts. He's had some ups (a 7 inning, 0 run, 6 K performance on April 20th) and a lot of downs (a 5 inning, 6 run, 1 K outing on May 1st), which is to be expected from a teenager in his first year in pro ball. He's obviously got to work on getting the walks down, as they are the major issue in his struggles.

The only difference between the Baltimore Colts and the Baltimore Orioles is we KNOW where the Colts went to...

As it stands now, the only thing we have to look forward to for the rest of the season is small/chump change 'victories'. Like maybe Matusz will beat the Yanks once or twice, maybe Wiggy will hit 30 HRs or drive in 100..we don't even have the Roberts hitting 50 double any more....
The difference is that we are now looking towards these 'goals' sooner and sooner.
There's been some half-decent discussion on the true talent level of the '10 O's...Personally, the proof is in the pudding-W/L record so playing sub.300 ball means your team is brutal and severly lacking in skill/talent/potential-howver you want to slice it.
There are many teams who have ONE OF outproducing our whole OF!!! We have a 1B with ONE HR!!!An entire starting staff with losing records!!
When the dust settles on this dismal season, we may go down in history as one of MLB's top ten worst teams ever and I wouldn't rule out breaking the Mets' 120 losses.

IT'S BEEN SAID: I missed the news story about McPhail filling out the lineup cards for Trembley. This is big news! Was it in this paper? Please let me know the date and the source. Or if that's just a total lie you made up because you are unhappy, please let me know. Thanks!

I think Trembley needs to have a team meeting to tell everyone to settle down. He needs to take a leadership role and remind everyone that no one has ruined their career over the last 50 games. Then he needs to announce specific roles to everyone on the team, including a set batting order. Their is so much chaos on this team that nobody understands their roles and nobody knows where and if they are playing from one night to the next. For a start, how about announcing the following lineup and saying, this will be the lineup (with minor adjustments to get other guys at-bats,etc.).

Corey Patterson CF
Nick Markakis RF
Miguel Tejada 3B
Ty Wigginton 1B
Luke Scott DH
Matt Wieters C
Adam Jones CF
Julio Lugo 2B
Cesar Izturis SS

Then, pull Jones and Wieters aside and tell them to relax. These two guys feel like they need to be the MVP this year instead of just growing and being themselves. Eventually, Roberts will be back at 2nd and hitting leadoff and Pie will be back in LF. But, for now, I think the above lineup is our best defensive team and takes the pressure off of the guys trying to do too much.

not brooks,
Thanks for the minor league updates. I actually enjoy reading about some Orioles related successes from time to time.

I'm not one for making changes "for the sake of change" but something has to be done. Ubaldo Jimenez is 10-1 on the season. That is only FIVE less wins than the entire Oriole team. If anyone were to ask me if that was even possible before the season started, I would have said no.

Enough is enough.

Jerry -

Unfortunately, Dave Trembley would only be able to do what you suggest in the alternate reality on the TV show Lost.

And how about some reality on your lineup...

1. Patterson - A career .291 OBP at leadoff. Nice.

2. Markakis - Great place for him, if he was playing with a real offense.

3. Tejada - I guess we're going for "worst #3 hitter in MLB" here.

4. Wigginton - The polish is starting to wear off that turd: .231/.339/.288 over the last two weeks.

5. Scott - The hot streak didn't last very long this year: .143/.217/.143 in his last six games.

6. Wieters - It's difficult to adjust as a big league hitter when you've got zero lineup protection.

7. Jones - Hitting .294 since his average was at a season low on April 29th. Just two home runs in that time to go along with 19 strikeouts and only 3 walks. Ouch.

8. Lugo - I just threw up a little.

9. Izturis - Ugh... more... vomit... coming...

Isn't it sad when your "best case scenario" offense is still well beyond pathetic?

The major league team is in shambles. And the blame is entirely on MacPhail. Why does he still have a job?

I predict the O's would be up by 2 runs, until Trembley pulls out a move from the BOOK of BASEBALL and brings in Ohman, the lefty specialist, to face Cano, or Swisher. At that point, Ohman gives up a 3 run homer, and the rest is history. Trembley will try to cover up the mess he started by bringing in 5 more pitchers to get 7 outs, which will accomplish nothing but prolong the game and empty the seats.

Although the Os are playing atrocious, there is still some optimism. In these past 12 or 13 losing seasons (I lost count), we've always seen the same pattern: They come out of the gates playing great, then in the second half, the swoon sets in and they finish either in last or with a losing record. Maybe this season is the opposite. Maybe they'll turn things around after the All Star break and finish up strong.
But from a reality perspective, I think that this coaching staff is over its head. Besides Crowley, Samuel, and T Bone, what other coach (including Trembley) has MLB experience? Either coaching, playing, or both? (Just to throw a thought out there) Maybe they're teaching these kids minor league tactics and have them go and play against major league teams?

But I'll remain steadfast and optimistic. Something has to give!!

Uncle Goose

Do you really think that Dave Trembley has any say in whats going on??

From all his major league experience Macphail lets him just…DO HIS THING?? ROFL ROFL ROFL

I am beyond disgusted with this organization. However, I honestly will admit I thought we had turned a corner last year & we'd really be competitive this season.
The Orioles better look at the way they teach, use & look after their pitchers because sore & injured arms seem to be systemic with the entire organization at every level.
This team is vastly worse than what the Orioles rolled out prior to McPhail's "Plan".
If anyone has been a huge disappointment, its been Mr. Excitement.
Talk about the Not Ready For Prime Time Players! Anymore great ideas Andy because essentially you've given us an average AAA team & for this wonderful talent you've assembled, Trembley will be the goat?
Please contact Flanagan & Beatty for the unfinished sections of their "plan".Can't believe I'm saying this but, all indications are as questionable as some of their moves were...they had more success than you & those O's teams were at least competitive.
This organization may be the worst in professional sports.

I don't think MacPhail does the lineup card; however there is reason to believe he is the "mastermind" behind playing Pie until he proves everyone right, even though he didn't deserve to play in the big leagues. He is the "mastermind" behind Adam Jones becoming an "all-star", when Nick Markakis is the one who deserved it. He is the guy who forces Trembley to play Luke Scott, even when he goes into hibernation for more than half a season.

Trembley didn’t get hired because he knew a lot on the Major League level he got hired because he didn’t know a lot at the major league level. That made it easier for Macphail to stick his hand up his rectum and pull the cords playing mad scientist…

His days in the minors combined with MacFails infinite wisdom gave fans hope for a little while...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWtCittJyr0

This team SUCKS so bad i dont know if I should laugh or cry.

Before anyone accuses me, Im not the one who said AM fills out Trembelys line-up cards

Smart ppl know that most of most posts can be verified: payroll, stats, etc

It used to be that putting goofy crap in the name bar was aa good as my name, but we live in a copy cat world

Now who goes around saying stuff that is unverifiable all the time....

In other news, Im glad that not brooks has finally given up on andy proving him wrong.

Better late than never

GOSH DARNIT TREMBLEYS GOTTA PAY FOR MACFAILS BLUNDERS!!!!

Hmmmmmmm

Do you think Trembley wanted Pie to bat leadoff last season and to keep him in the lineup and learn AAA lessons on the major league level??

Macphail maybe didnt directly make the lineups but he probably has to okay them because Trembley is not a real manager and Macphail wanted to look good from those trades he made.

i do not plan on on watching any of the oriole yankee series. i will be very surprised if they win a game. there has not been any pulse in this team for the whole month of may. when the season is over i would wish that andy not mention what his plan is for the off season because it will not materialize. i would guess that dave trembley will be gone after tonights game

Pete,

When the team you cover is nearly 20 games behind on Memorial Day it must be difficult for you to maintain a sense of humor..therefore here's one big Harrisburg salute to the man who has to be one of the unluckiest scribes in Sports but straps it on every day and tries to make us laugh. Thanks.

When you came here did you ever think that a Baltimore professional sports team could string together 13 losing seasons in a row? And that you would be the one out front telling us why? I''ll bet if you had any inkling you would have chosen to cover MMA or Girl's lacrosse.

Since I'm doing my best Brabara Walters, "Pete, if you could be a twee, what kind of twee would you be.?"

.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: With this team, Gil, I would be a weeping willow.

Anon,

U can say whatever you want about AM and the line-ups, I just dont want anyone to think it was me who said it

Pie is def AM's boy, but he is one of the few AM guys with talent.

I wouldnt forego FA's because of him, for instance, but I would put him in CF where he belongs and stick Adam "too shallow" Jones in LF where his positioning would only causes doubles instead of triples

Goofy statements in the status bar r fun,

What you said about Jones is spot on bro... ROFL

I wish Pie could stay off the DL.............