Regarding the person who was comparing players on the Orioles and the Red Sox. You might want to check the Red Sox's DL. They are missing Youkilis, Pedroia, Ellsbury & Cameron.

Part of the reason why they probably won't make the playoffs. The first 3 guys are huge losses.

Weird. Did you actually read my post?

Take it easy there. We will never know what would have happened, and nothing is really beyond the realm of possibility ( well I suppose a division lead is unrealistic...). That having been said my statement that this team would be .500 is based on the fact that while they did have injuries, most of the time they looked like they were sleepwalking. As soon as Gonzales blew the save on the home opener I had a feeling that Trembly would not be able to pull things together, and as it turns out, I was right.

Look at the last four games before Showalter took over- they were swept by none other then the great KC Royals in four games- with Brian Roberts and Felix Pie. Do you really think you would have the same result if he had taken over that Thursday? I highly doubt it. If this team goes 15-15 which would be very impressive, but not that unlikely that would put them at 65-98 if i am not mistaken. Change 17 early season losses into wins and you got .500. Even if it would not be 81 wins, it could very well have been close...or not

Remember, the impressive part that we have seen has been the starting pitching, I think it would have been better the whole year, and thus a much better record.

I would not be writing this if I had not felt this way the whole year. Thanks for the response Pete, and will add that I appreciate your blog and generally agree with you.

Agree with the "bottom line" and "my take".

Look forward to what the offseason shall bring if anything!!

The Orioles would be a .500 team right now if Andy MacPhail had hired Buck at the start of the season.

Duh, Schmuck.

(I'm waiting... BOOM!!!)

Baltimore sports fans are in large part idiots. What else do you expect? Guy on the radio this afternoon told a story about fans booing and calling for Johnny U's job when a back up filled in and set the team record for TDs in a game. Amazing.

Nothing has changed. From calling for MacPhails head half-hourly to calling for Troy Smith (or recently Mark Bulger) to start over Flacco to why don't we just trade (insert 5 scrubs) for Adrian Gonzales, it will never stop. Makes for lousy dialog.

Baltimore sports fans are fickle morons.

Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow.

Mike, I'm waiting on the edge of my seat to find out how you will magically change 17 losses into wins. And don't say that Roberts and Pie were back when both had just come off the disabled list. The Orioles had a better first half in the two previous years WITH Trembley but I guess having healthy players wasn't the main factor in that. Get real! The team wasn't hitting because they had no power bat (blame MacPhail if you want) and they had two starters go down. How would Buck have overcome that?

Marco Effing Scutaro.

no, mark hendrickson
he has a 5 era

he has not been all that good this year

buck rolled the dice and got burned by a bad matchup. it happens.

he will not be on the team next year

Alfredo Effing Simon

Sorry to be so fickle, Shamrock, but...

September swoon, anyone? Let's not waste any time....

Fire Showalter

you could see that homer coming from here

simon is shot. he's got nothing in the tank

the bullpen was bound to explode. no berken, and even hernandez was a reasonable option.

Is Simon really Jorge Julio in a new uniform?

Alfredo Simon has now given up a HR in 5 of his last 8 appearances. His ERA 5.15.

The only thing you really can say for sure is that the Orioles are a much better team for sure under Buck Showwalter. You were wrong about the impact a manager would have on this team Shmuck. Period. Stop trying to change supposition into fact, or prognosticate the future. The ONLY fact here is that the Orioles are much better under Showalter. Your assertion that the reason is the addition of a few players only seeks to maintain the same tired illogic that the players win and lose ballgames, and the manager doesn't matter. You were WRONG Shmuck, face it.

The only thing you really can say for sure is that the Orioles are a much better team for sure under Buck Showwalter. You were wrong about the impact a manager would have on this team Shmuck. Period. Stop trying to change supposition into fact, or prognosticate the future. The ONLY fact here is that the Orioles are much better under Showalter. Your assertion that the reason is the addition of a few players only seeks to maintain the same tired illogic that the players win and lose ballgames, and the manager doesn't matter. You were WRONG Shmuck, face it. Oh, Please explode now, and have someone take a picture. I would like to see this.

Pete -

The only comments I saw thinking .500 with Buck was doable were from Tony P and Mike. I think most here agree that no matter what, we weren't close to .500.

But I said before, and stand by it: We should have had a new manager in place during the offseason. Instead, they left him up here because he was the best guy to develop the young players, which he failed at misreably!

Again, I would just once like to see Trembley judged for his performance as a big league manager. Player development, fundamentals, W-L record, in-game strategic decisions, player motivation.

Wayne Hicks (wayne?), read Schmuck's post a little more closely before you deride him. The only person who comes off sounding tired and illogical is you.

Right on Pete.

SHAM, you're killing me. Good looking out, top of the class effort.

I was gonna give my own supernova, but you guys covered it so well and I can't stop laughing long enough to summon the hate...

And my vent is: Hendrickson is horrible, always has been. Can we please just release him now?

Pete,

I guess you're calling me out, because I was the one who started the "around 500" talk. Well, BRING IT ON!

The talk about B-Rob and Gonzales being hurt, is a hot sack of manure.

This team would have won without B-Rob. I have no doubt in my mind. B-Rob's numbers have not been eye popping since coming back from injury. The team under Showalter has not missed a beat on days that B-Rob has been out. Gonzales has been brought in as a lefty specialist, getting only one out when he's pitched. You can't say one out per game has made the difference. Pie has played well. I'll give you that, but so has everyone else who's played his position in his absence. Pie wasn't a solid starter you relied on day to day anyway. You can't say something was missing, if it was never there.

In the third year of rebuilding this team was supposed to be held accountable to wins and losses. So YES, they were expected to be around 500.

You were wrong my friend. DEAL with it. When people should have been arrested for supporting Dave Trembley, you were the number 1 suspect. Your apologetic support of Trembley was borderline crazy and completely unreasonable, I would say completely irresponsible from the journalistic perspective.

Adam Jones and others have gone on record, from what I have personally heard on the MLB network, that they are playing harder under Buck. How many times have we talked about the team playing without effort and hustle under Trembley? Well Pete, playing with effort will win you games. And clearly that has been the difference. When people play for jobs, they play at their potential. We all knew that they were playing under their potential, but you and others were defiant and were blaming on talent.

I'm not saying this team could win the World Series, but they certainly had enough talent to be around 500 with Buck Showalter.

Of course we're talking about could have, would have, should have. I don't know, you don't know, nobody knows. We're only speculating. You and others are still clinging to your theory that this was about injuries, when clearly, clearly, absolutely as clear as daylight, this team under Showalter is winning because of increased effort, hands down.

Tell me Pete. When was the last time B-Rob actually carried this team? Yeah, that's what I thought. You're making it sound like B-Rob is as important to the O's as Alex Rodriguez is to the Yankees.

My take on it is that the O's are not playing well because of one player or two, but rather a complete boost in effort by the entire team. And that is the direct result of fire crackers being lit up under them from Buck Showalter.

Is this too hard for you and others to process?

Dear Mr. Meso Man,
Thank you for seeing my great hire Buckey (that's his nickname lol) is the reason we would have been 500 the whole year with him at the helm.
I would have hired Buck in the offseason but I didn't really want to finish at 500.
I will fill you in on why since you seem to "have my back" on this one.
I really wanted Wedge, you know. I figured we would really stink things up with Trembley for awhile and then Mr. Angelos would let me bring in my "yes man" Wedgey (that's my nickname for him lol). Well, Mr Angelos kind of threw me a "curveball" with his whole "I want Dempsey" rants. We finally agreed to arm wrestle best 2 of 3. We tied on the 3rd one so we agreed to go with the Buckster (another little nickname lol).

Thank you also for stating so clearly that the team I assembled in the offseason was talented enough even with injuries to key players to go 500 if they would only hustle more. That certainly is what I've been saying all along. A little more hustle will overcome serious flaws like high era's and no power bats and no leadoff hitters and no closers and setup men. Yeah, as you can see (except for tonight and those other 9 losses) when everyone hustles a little more we are a better than 500 team. I'm glad that you noticed that even though you yourself claim that I put together a poor team, you still know that with my great hiring of Buck, the team can play 500 in the American League East. Hey. i know you are not consistent, but look, I brought Garrett Atkins in here as a power bat, so nobodies perfect, right?

Anyway, it's astute fans like you that make this the greatest baseball town in the USA. Thank you for standing up for me against Pete and all these other folks

Let me jump through a wormhole and enter into a time paradox.......

OMG!!!!!!!! THE O'S HIRED SHOWALTER IN JANUARY AND WON THE DIVISION!!!! THEY WERE RIGHT!!!!!! THE TRUTH SET ME FREE!!!!!

Okay, let me enter a parallel universe where no player was injured and Trembley is still the manager.....

damn Mes, for someone who can't comprehend the Constitution you're throwing around a lot of certainty and weight.

So Brian Roberts, arguably the best player Baltimore has, is irrelevant, and, as you deduce, with Buck in place Brian Roberts is expendable. okay, right.

"fire cracker" theory, huh? Not latent "talent" (something else you lament in favor of "pay-scale").

Nor could it be the natural maturation of players adjusting to Major League level play?

It wasn't impossible to predict that Riemold, who appeared last year this time to be a very bright spot of 2010 O's Ball, would come back early from injury, struggle, get demoted, struggle and get divorced.*...only to seemingly put it all back together again in less than a year...

I dunno Mes, I think there's more than one "issue" that had been the problem, and appears not-to-be now.

To think that Buck would have made a learning process faster or better for young players is pretty left-field thinking.

.500 ball in the Spring was seen as the "best outcome"....let's not get to far out on that fragile limb, huh.

* (I'm pretty sure I heard that Nolan had gotten divorced this year, though apologies if I got that wrong. I wouldn't rep it if I honestly believed it weren't so.)

Dave,
Your machine malfunctioned, but not by much...no one was so foolish to say we would have won the division....I mean come on....
No, actually we are 3 games back right now, because Adam Jones really is a good leadoff hitter, he just needed 75 more games to prove it. He finishes with 100 walks and only 32 strikeouts (30 looking-only 2 swinging at low and away curveballs).
Set up men and closers are way overated, we found out that Lugo is a good setup man. He replaced Johnson and Garrett Atkins (ala Lowen) resigned with the minor league team and became the closer by mid June (when we were only 7 games back).
Buck is the man.
P.S. Nick found his power stroke and is fighting for the triple crown,
woooossshhhhhhh!!!!!!

Huh, what just happened?

to be continued

Meso, sorry, my friend, but you have it all wrong.

The fact is, we are not worried about not having the BRob of the past six weeks, but the BRob of the past three or four years. Besides, his stats aren't all that bad considering how much time he's been out or the type of injury. But all that is beside the point.

Without the starting 2B and leadoff hitter, many players played or batted in positions that did not do them any good. You really think Wigginton is as good at 2B as Roberts? You think Jones, Patterson, or Lugo are as good at leading off as Roberts? The point is, when they lost Roberts, they lost their anchor. Markakis didn't have BRob on base to cause havoc, the team didn't have Roberts making the pitcher throw 10 pitches to the first batter of the game. His value goes way beyond the stats. These are things he does, and his coming back has enabled the team to get some people back where they belong. At one time, this club had as many as five players out of position, that's a lot for any team to over come. The only constants were Markakis, Jones, Wieters, and Izturis and all have had their heads called for at one time or another.

Getting Pie back is also very important. His energy, enthusiasm, defense, and offense were sorely missed, especially after Reimold was sent down. If Nolan hit this year the way he did last year, the loss of Pie/Roberts would not have been nearly as great.

Patterson did his best, Wigginton gives his all, but frankly, they are not up to the level of the guys they replaced.

When you talk pitching, MGonz was brought in the bring order to the bullpen. When Sherrill was traded, the pen lost its anchor and pitchers were forced into unfamiliar roles. Gonzo's role was to be this year's Sherrill. Losing him put the pen in flux and remember, when this season started, Koji was an unknown, Simon was an unknown, Hernandez was still a starter. With Mike Gonzalez coming back, it put everyone back into their best roles, and with some exceptions, like tonight, they have all prospered.

I doubt very seriously that anyone could have won with this team the way it was situated in April/May/June. That's the saddest part about the firing of Trembley. He was never given a team that had any kind of chance of winning so we'll really never know what kind of manager he really is, Samuel for that matter also.

Even if they kept Trembley or Samuel and all the injured guys came back, the culture of losing that pervades this team would still be here. The main thing about Showalter is not that he does things differently or better than the previous guys, but that he brings a winning attitude to this club. He has the security to make decisions, something other guys didn't have. Baseball is played by people and not always will they perform the way we think they should, but you have to put them in the best position to succeed, and Buck has done that. But getting the players back that can succeed is of so important.

So when Buck puts Lugo in left and he misplays the first ball hit to him, no one says anything. When he leaves a pitcher in, no one says anything, no matter how that pitcher fares. We all know that if Trembley or Samuel had done some of the things Buck has done, the peanut gallery would be all over him. The first two guys managed scared, Buck doesn't have too.

Like others have said, we'll never know what would have happened had Roberts, Pie, Gonzalez, Jim Johnson, Riemold, or even the mighty Garret Atkins been here and performed like real major leaguers. Don't think Buck doesn't know that his arrival coincides with the return of the injured and he is able to take full advantage of the situation and to his credit, he's worked them in beautifully.

This team still has big holes and I think getting the big gun in the middle of the lineup is far more of a priority that a stud pitcher. Guthrie has shown he can be an ace and Matusz has also. The improvement is more a function of better pitching than better offense, and next year, the young pitchers will continue their education. But we need that bat. Without it, this club will not be a contender.

Or is that too hard for you to understand?

Paulie,

Brian Roberts, RIGHT NOW, is not anywhere near being the best player the O's have.

Here is how I would rank them, not listing the pitchers:

1. Markakis (absolutely no question)
2. Luke Scott
3. Adam Jones
4. Ty Wigginton
5. Brian Roberts

Meso...Dude,,,please tell me someone robbed your identity...
Wiggington?
Lets see
Plate discipline- Roberts
Speed Roberts
Defence Roberts
Overall value to any team at any time in the history of baseball- Roberts
Hitting for average- Roberts
hitting for Power Wiggy...this year...wow...you win

c'mon man you are not serious, I mean I don't know baseball like alot of the regulars, but thats crazy talk
even Adam Jones and Luke Scott are highly debateable

Ken,

Dave Trembley was handed a better team than Showalter. He actually had a shortstop in Tejada, a first baseman in Huff and a third baseman in Mora who could/did put up very respectable numbers at some point under Trembley. Not to mention this team sucked for 3 years under Trembley EVEN when Roberts was healthy, and they had an ALL-STAR closer, and very capable setup man in Johnson.

Smitty,

Wiggy = All Star
Brob = Damaged goods

"but I've got news for you. If the Orioles don't sign or acquire a big-time bat and one more starting pitcher, they won't be a .500 team next year either."

That's not actually news. It's just that this team would not have been THE worst in baseball with competent field management. I said last year and early this year that local media gave Trembly a pass in terms of criticism, largely because he always answered the media's questions in a calm, detailed and articulate manner. You guys got your quotes and walked away. He played the media and fed the beast.

Trembly is a good guy and talks a great game, but under him the Orioles were listless, unprepared, unmotivated and forced to cope with his poor in-game decisions. MacPhail's decision to keep him on after last year's collapse speaks to everything we need to know about him as a GM.

I think Showalter or any other manager that understands how to handle a major league club could have pulled 70-75 wins out of this team, which is a much more competitive product than what we forced to watch the first four months of the season.

"but I've got news for you. If the Orioles don't sign or acquire a big-time bat and one more starting pitcher, they won't be a .500 team next year either."

That's not actually news. It's just that this team would not have been THE worst in baseball with competent field management. I said last year and early this year that local media gave Trembly a pass in terms of criticism, largely because he always answered the media's questions in a calm, detailed and articulate manner. You guys got your quotes and walked away. He played the media and fed the beast.

Trembly is a good guy and talks a great game, but under him the Orioles were listless, unprepared, unmotivated and forced to cope with his poor in-game decisions. MacPhail's decision to keep him on after last year's collapse speaks to everything we need to know about him as a GM.

I think Showalter or any other manager that understands how to handle a major league club could have pulled 70-75 wins out of this team, which is a much more competitive product than what we forced to watch the first four months of the season as the O's were well on their way to a 100 plus loss season.

.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: And I'm telling you that if they had won 70 games with Buck, you guys would brand have branded him a loser by now.

Pete--Why would you say "I've got news for you"? I've been the biggest supporter of Buck Showalter for the last year and a half as you know. I expressed my thoughts to you and Roch. And I'm appreciative of having that opportunity.

I think you know that many of us here understand baseball and know what the Orioles need to do in the off season.

I do know Baltimore Oriole history and I have hope grounded on Buck's leadership and Andy's dedication to the Orioles.

The Birds will get that big bat and starting pitcher this off-season. We will all--you, me, and the fans here--enjoy the return of the Baltimore Orioles to their proud tradition of playing winning baseball.

The orioles would be a .500 team right now if Showalter was the manager all year.

Because you know, of course, that managers aren't hired "in time for opening day." That is a ridiculous thing to say. Buck would have been hired right after the end of last off-season, probably with some assurances about the team's planned offseason efforts, but definitely with more credibility and authority with the front office. And as for your "news", given the above I feel confident that the hiring of Showalter before this year would have led to those issues (which aren't really newsworthy because they've been well-known for some time) would have been better addressed BEFORE this season.

The orioles would be a .500 team if showalter was hired before the season. Instead, this was a wasted year.

For someone with such a hippie ethos, you sure can be stubborn about admitting when you are wrong!

schmuck just admit you don't know anything about baseball and move on. How many of these opinions do you need to post? I am guessing if the team does well next year you will be calling for Buck to be fired.

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Hey, it's way past your bedtime, and you've got school tomorrow.

" You can't say something was missing, if it was never there." (Meso)

Wholeheartedly agree. Actually, it hasn't been there for the last 13 years!!!

I am not sure how anyone could say with such certainty the O's wouldn't be near . 500 if Buck was here from the get go? It's impossible and no way to know, but I am tired of hearing about the loss of Roberts, Pie, Gonzo and Reimold. I have no clue where the O's would be, but enough with the injury report! The Sox lost better players than we have and still are fighting. The Rays have been hurt by injuries yet they are in it.

Wiggy played his best when he was at 2B so it's not like the O's weren't getting production out of that position. DT wanted Lugo in there when in reality Scott shoud've played 1B. I love the way Felix plays, but please don't tell me a guy with less than 20 RBI's makes up 30+ gams in the standings? Corey played his a$$ off and did a very nice job in LF while Felix was out. If Gonzo was healthy, would Berken and Hernandez received the amount of innings out the of the pen? Not sure and they look to be key cogs of the O's BP of the future.

I have never wavered on my stance about Captain Dave. I said he should've been fired in August of last season plus maybe Matt and Adam would've each had a better year under Buck?

You cant help not believe that if we had Buck in the beginning of the season we could of been much more. What type of influence would of he had with the players making the team. Unless Atkins becomes that power bat .500 was impossible. I know that I am excited right now. And my hopes of a free agents also seeing and feeling whats going on in Baltimore, my dreams of a power bat will come true.

Pete, get away from my Cherrios, and put that thing back in your pants........

To Birdfan,
I am sounding tired and illogical ? Moi? "Mon ami que vous ne comprendez pas."
The Schmuck was trying to have it both ways. He was trying to say that while he could admit that the Orioles were a better team under Showwalter that the team would have still struggled under Shwowalter as it did under Trembly during the first half of the season. This is a ridiculous and unproveable assertion. When the Orioles first won 8/9 under Showwalter I said that when the O's hit their first losing streak under Showalter all of the sportswriters and MASN apologists would say, "I told you so; the emotional impact of a new manager has worn off and the O's are the same as before." That didn't happen The O's cooled off, but didn't go on an extended losing streak. They continue to be a better team than beofre. Now we get the other version the O's are only playing better because Roberts and Pie are back. BS. Roberts is a very good leadoff hitter, and definitely makes the O's a better team, however when the O's won 9/11 under Showalter, we first heard the BS stat that the O's were 11-10 since B'Robs return. What this actually meant was that even with Robertson back in the lineup the O's were 2-8 with Robertson and without Showalter. So much for Schmuck's assertion that he and Pie are THE difference makers.

When it comes down to the need to add a big bat and an ace to the staff, I agree and have said the same thing as have many others. I suggested that they overpay for Pujols, but I am not sure whether Pujols is a free agent after this season, or next. If someone would like to research this I would be appreciative.

BTW, I am Wayne Hicks, not the other Wayne that spends way more time on these boards than I do.

A lot of people are forgetting that Brad Bergesen was also hurt at the beginning of the year, Jim Johnson went down early, Koji was hurt early, and Millwood also went down with an injury. The team also suffered through the Atkins era and why that wasn't ended sooner than later is beyond me, but it wasn't like any of our other 1B candidates were doing much. Rhyne Hughes didn't light it up while he was given a chance.

This team is better because it got its lead off hitter back, its "ace" back, the best reliever back, another starter back, the starting LFer back, and got rid of Atkins.

To me the biggest change is the pitching, both starting and the pen, period. Secondly the defense picked it up as well. If you look at the offense, with the exception of a few games it still hasn't done anything.

This team needs at least two power bats not one. I posted on Jeff's column the four primary outfeilders combined for 33 HR's, a .275 average and an OBP of.328. That's not going to cut it, which means with the exception of Jones all the others including Nick will be on the market over the winter.

The infeild production is just as bad if not worse, a combined 17 HR's, a .235 batting average and a .287 OBP. That's a loosing ball club right there. If wasn't for Wiggy and Luke this team would be so far down it might never get back up and that would be the same with or without Buck. The team is playing better with Buck, there's no doubt about it but if this team looks anything like it does right now, next year, well be having that same conversation.

I expect a number of trades and that includes guys like Nick. I think the starting pitching and a good portion fo the pen will stay. I think the two players not going anywhere are BRob and Jones, everybody else is available.

If this were my team I would move Bell to first. I don't see him as a natural thirdbaseman but I do see 30 Hr's from him in the near future. I would try real hard to sign and even over pay Koji. We need two power bats (30+ Hr's). I'll live with the pitching this club has. The biggest problem I see is every team out there wants the same thing the O's need, whihc means we will have to part with some young talent if we want those players.

Well, it looks like I started something yesterday with my short comment that we who wanted Trembley to be let go were looking pretty good. I still think that's true. I don't know if the O's would be .500 under Buck, neither do you, but if such a disagreement is enough to send you supernova then you have much too thin a skin my friend. The case for .500 under Buck (one I never made myself ) may not be airtight, but to suggest that Pie and Roberts (with his astronomical .259 avg.) are solely responsible is an absurd argument to make. As to your last comment, even if they would have been .500 under Showalter that hardly removes the urgency to get a big bat or two and an Ace, unless your ultimate goal is merely to be a .500 team.
It's pretty hard to pretend that Buck hasn't made a dramatic difference with this team and you are willing to admit that, so why is it such an unimaginable leap to think that his impact would have been larger if he'd have been here for the first 2/3 of the season? Would they now be .500 with Buck all year? I don't know, but maybe. Either way they still need to pick up some power for the lineup and an Ace for the staff and I think everyone here knows that.

SHAMROCK: "Baltimore sports fans are fickle morons."

So, SHAMROCK, are you a Baltimore sports fan?

Because if you are then you must be a fickle moron.

If you are not then why do you bother to continue writing on this blog?

I may be in the market for a new GM this offseason and as a reader of this fine blog, I feel there are many qualified candidates. Please forward your resumes to 333 W Camden St, 21201.

There is no way of knowing.

Birdland Todd makes a great point that Wigginton got off to a very hot start as Roberts' replacement; otherwise he likely would not have played much.

To itemize all the other personnel differences is speculative, as when ever there are injuries there are opportunities. Some guys play over their head for periods of time, which may or may not be the managers influence.

But Trembley was horrible. at everything. not hindsight at all

Heck, I'm not still convinced the Oriole record in 2010 under Showalter will stay north of .499. I am convinced he is right for the job and a major improvement. Oriole losses like last night is a talent shortage, not a conceptual shortage with what to do with a talent shortage.

The Orioles need to improve their personnel this offseason. Can they do enough to contend? Sure would be nice but that's a lot of holes to fill in a short amount of time. But it is time this club rolled up its sleeves and got down to it.

Great commentary - mostly.

At the risk of being hunted down and then beaten with sticks I will offer a comment defending Dave Trembly. Someone mentioned that he was manager because of his experience at player development and I agree. Obviously he did a pretty good job or the Orioles would still stink. Bucky is a better big league manager but the fact that the O's turned on a dime upon his arrival speaks to the ability of the players, albeit well hidden most of the year. Dave Trembly is to a reasonably large extent responsible for the current players ability to actually play like major league players should. We should thank him for his service and add him to our Christmas card lists.

Bring it on - I'm well stocked with ammo, food, and beer.

Pete i don't know where the orioles would be today. But one thing for sure with a full spring training and different coaches on his staff this team would have at least been respectful to watch instead of a team that completely laid down for Dave T. No matter how many times you say you were wrong about buck you always find a subtle way to defend dave t.Dave t might have been a great teacher of players in the minor leagues and might to this day be a great human being but he didn't command any respect from these players, he never held them accountable and the position that andy m put him in wasn't all his fault.But that is all behind us now and there isn't one bit of doubt about who is in charge now pete.

The best thing about the O's under Buck is that its September and people are actually paying attention. That hasn't happened for a long time.

"Smitty,

Wiggy = All Star
Brob = Damaged goods

Posted by: Mesotheliangelos | September 1, 2010 11:31 PM"

Wow...possibly the dumbest comment ever (and think about who Meso had to beat out for that honor)! Do you know anything about baseball?

Trembley had a knack for making that one decision that was going to lose a ball game. I saw it again and again, over and over, and I've been saying before the season even started.

Now it's I TOLD YOU SO.

I'll tell you what will make me explode into a supernova: If one more sportswriter or fan explains that "our closer was hurt ..."

The fact is Mike Gonzalez never proved to be 'our closer.' He didn't do it in spring training, he sure didn't do it in April. McPhail might have paid him closer money (idiot move there), but at no point can we honestly say our closer was hurt in spring training.

Personally, I think Gonzalez bilked the Orioles big-time, signing a contract while he was already hurt, and effectively stole millions from them.

There's no doubt losing Roberts had a huge impact on this team, from the top of the order to the defense.

If Buck had to play 100 games without Roberts, there's no way he'd go 500. If he had to play 100 games without Gonzalez, he definitely could.

Might want to edit out the retard comment, Pete. Just not kosher anymore. Besides, it's reh-tard, not ree-tard.