Once again, the Ravens have scheduled their annual cheerleader tryouts while I'm out of town, which I'm starting to think is not an accident. I'm guessing they're afraid I'll upstage everybody with my amazing agility and pep.

Meanwhile, they don't even make Nestor try out anymore.

Here's the Ravens news release with the details:

Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader Tryouts This Weekend

The Baltimore Ravens will host auditions for their 2011 cheerleading squad on Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6 at the Downtown Athletic Club. Saturday registration will be held between 9:30-10:45 a.m., and material will be taught from 10:45 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Tryouts will begin at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and run from 11:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

“Entering our 14th cheerleading season, we are excited,” said Ravens director of cheerleading Tina Galdieri. “Cheerleading tryouts are not only a time when new people can step up and join our team, but veterans are also expected to improve their skills to remain on the team. As a coach, it is always inspirational to see people work hard in order to achieve their goals. We look forward to seeing even more talented athletes this year who will strive to become a part of the Ravens’ organization.”

Approximately 150-200 male and female hopefuls will participate in open tryouts with 60 making the final squad. All participants, as well as coach Galdieri (prior to 10:45 a.m.), will be available for interviews on Saturday and prior to 11:30 a.m. on Sunday.

Additionally, tryouts for the Playmakers squad will be held on Sunday, March 6 at the Downtown Athletic Club.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 4:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Just football
        

The lineup for today's Grapefruit League opener against the Pittsburgh Pirates features J.J. Hardy in the leadoff slot, Felix Pie second and Mark Reynolds batting third. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that you'll never see that combination during the regular season.

Brian Roberts was never scheduled to play in the road opener at McKechnie Field, so draw no conclusions from that. Nick Markakis rolled into the clubhouse this morning on skate shoes, so he's obviously fine. The regulars don't make a lot of spring road trips, but we've been told that designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero wants to play a lot. He'll make his Orioles debut in the cleanup spot, followed by Adam Jones and Nolan Reimold. The wind is blowing out hard to left, so I'm predicting Reynolds hits three pop ups and drives in six runs.

Brandon Snyder gets a chance to make a good first impression at first base, since it will be a few days before Derrek Lee makes his O's spring debut.

Today's crappy cellphone photo is of the home plate area of McKechnie Field in Bradenton, one of the truly historic spring training ballparks.

Instant update: The O's are off to a good start. Felix Pie just sliced a double over third base. moved over to third on a groundout by Reynolds and scored on an infield hit by Guerrero. If you recall, Guerrero had two infield hits in the intrasquad game, but this was no seeing-eye grounder. He hit a shot to the right of Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez and he barely knocked it down to keep in on the infield. I'm not doing inning updates, but thought you'd like to hear about Guerrero's first Orioles RBI and the long home run Nolan Reimold just hit to lead off the second.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The Orioles are getting on the bus right now to head for Bradenton for their first game of the Grapefruit League exhibition season. It's a split-squad day for the Pirates, who also play the Rays in Port Charlotte today, but the Orioles have taken a representative squad that includes Vladimir Guerrero, Mark Reynolds, Adam Jones, J.J. Hardy and Felix Pie.

Of course, tomorrow is the big day in Sarasota -- the debut of the newly renovated Ed Smith Stadium. Keep an eye out on the Web site for Jeff Zrebiec's comprehensive story on the grand opening and the two-decade quest to get to this point.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Since I've had to suspend my "News item" column for a few weeks during spring training, it's only fair that we spend a little time on current events in the blog. Here are some of the morning headlines that caught my eye:

Wooden's great grandson makes final basket at Pauley Pavilion

Well, at least the current version of Pauley Pavilion, which is being closed for renovation. Bruins walkon Tyler Trapani was in Saturday's game at the end of a lop-sided upset victory over No. 10 Arizona when Jack Haley Jr's three-point shot missed everything and fell right into his hands. He put it back up for the final Bruin basket at the old Pauley, leading coach Ben Howland to tearfully claim that the old coach was still in the house. Who knows?

Nice story.

NFLPA plans to decertify in advance of owners lockout

This is a routine threat in big-time sports labor battles and the NFLPA has the approval of players to decertify. The problem is, federal law technically requires that the decertification is a sincere attempt to disband the union and not just a collective bargaining ploy. If it stands up in court, it carries with it all kinds of legal implications. If nothing else, it would likely lead to an injunction delaying the lockout.

I've pointed this out before, but everything that happens during the collective bargaining process has happened many times before. When it's all said and done, they'll have to come to an agreement to keep this from impacting the 2011 season.

Bad day for Top 10 teams:

Duke wasn't the only top NCAA mens team to go down yesterday. No. 4 San Diego State lost to BYU for the second time this season, No. 5 Texas lost to Colorado and No. 10 Arizona lost to UCLA.

More proof that this year's NCAA tournament is ripe for a couple of surprise Final Four teams.

Jenks, Guillen feud heats up

The running war of words between former White Sox closer Bobby Jenks and manager Ozzie Guillen reached the boiling point this week when Guillen reacted to a Jenks comment with a tirade that included this pithy quote: "I wish I was mad about it because I will rip his throat (out)."

Nice.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (48)
Categories: News of the day
        

If you know me, you know I'm always up for a little cultural enrichment, so I spent Thursday evening at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on Sarasota Bay with actor and comedian Bob Newhart.

No, I didn't go there with him. It wasn't a date. He was there doing a classic standup show, which was hilarious. Newhart is 81 years old, but you would never have known it -- except for the rest of the crowd. I was there with a fiftysomething friend and we got carded at the bar.

It wasn't a one-man show. The opening act was Deana Martin, the daughter of famous Rat Pack crooner Dean Martin. She delivered a 40-minute set dedicated to her dad and sang a duet with a video of the King of Cool.

Though the heydey of the Rat Pack was a bit before my time, I still got a bit nostalgic. Maybe I was a big band crooner in a previous life.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

There's a new addition in the Orioles clubhouse -- a brand-new, high-quality table tennis table, which quickly drew a crowd and some hot competition. Nick Markakis held the table early, but new shortstop J.J. Hardy appeared to emerge as the top ping pong player on the roster. Of course, we haven't seen everybody yet, and I'm going to take a wild guess and predict that coach and conditioning consultant Brady Anderson eventually proves again that he's one of the truly great all-around 40-something athletes by schooling these kids.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Just baseball
        

If Brian Roberts isn't on the field today, I think you're going to see some people around here start squirming. That stiff neck has kept him sidelined just long enough to send some readers back into the archives to see what we were saying about him at this time last year.

The answer: Basically the same thing, though we were talking about his lower back. The headlines are eerily similar, with O's officials trying to act unconcerned and Roberts saying that he'll be ready to play.

Don't panic. Roberts might be out there today and he might be fine this spring, but his injury nightmare last year makes it too easy to wonder if he's in for another season of pain and uncertainty. Can't blame fans for worrying, because his status is extremely important to the Orioles' chances of building on last year's late-season turnaround.

Instant update: Good news. Roberts just told everybody that he hopes to be out there for today's workout and said that he probably would have been out there earlier if the team were not treating him with kid gloves. The O's take the field at 10.

Another instant update: Roberts is on the field in full uniform and going through early warmups with the team.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 8:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (30)
Categories: Just baseball
        

There's still a lot to be done before the Orioles christen their newly renovated spring training stadium on Tuesday afternoon, but I thought I'd put up my latest cellphone photo of the project.

Instant update: I just walked by the loading dock and there was a truck there unloading food. Have to admit. It brought a tear to my eye.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (21)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Hall of Famer Frank Robinson visited the Ed Smith Stadium training complex on Thursday morning and addressed the team before the workout. The message was about the importance of spring training and making the most of the opportunity to fully prepare for the season.

“He can command a room,’’ Showalter said, “and you can tell he has a real affinity for the Orioles.”

Though many of the players were not born when Robinson was fashioning his terrific playing career, Showalter said he sensed that they knew they were in the presence of someone very important, perhaps because he gave his lecture standing under the No. 20 plaque that is right in the middle of the row of retired Orioles numbers that decorate the east wall of the major league clubhouse.

“I know Jimmy (Tyler) was excited to have him sign that plaque,’’ Showalter said.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 3:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (57)
Categories: Just baseball
        

It would appear, on the surface, that there is no connection between the news that Cardinals 20-game winner Adam Wainwright may have elbow reconstruction surgery and the Albert Pujols contract impasse, but I'm not the only one who thinks the loss of the Cards' pitching ace might actually push Pujols out of town.

My former Baltimore Sun colleague, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, speculated the other day that a dramatic downturn in the potential of the 2011 club might make Pujols more open to waiving his no-trade clause and allowing the Cardinals to move him to a big-market contender.

I've been pondering the other side of the equation. The Cardinals are facing the possibility of losing Pujols to free agency next year, so they've got to consider whether there's any point in taking that risk if the club's playoff hopes are seriously diminished. Pujols has the hammer, but -- as Ken pointed out -- he might be more open-minded if he were presented with an opportunity to move to a bigger stage and get his big deal early.

Nobody in St. Louis wants to think about a future without Pujols, but he might bring enough talent in return to restock the relatively thin minor league system and give the club a head-start on its long-term future.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (25)
Categories: Just baseball
        

It's certainly reasonable to be on high alert after manager Buck Showalter revealed this morning that Brian Roberts woke up with some neck soreness and headed out of camp for an Xray about a half hour ago. However, this is one of those situations where there's no point in speculating about whether this is connected to the lower back problems that cut deeply into his availability last season.

It might be, but that will become apparent in its own time. What's more important is that the Orioles prepared pretty well for the possibility by bringing a bunch of reserve infielders into camp this spring.

Cesar Izturis took Roberts' place at second base in the first infield workout today. The O's also can work Robert Andino, Nick Green and Brendan Harris out there if necessary.

Instant update: Roberts returned and insisted that there's nothing seriously wrong with him. The X-rays showed no disk-related problem in Roberts' neck and Showalter says he's day-to-day. He could be back on the field as soon as tomorrow.

Intrasquad update: Showalter indicated today that Sunday's intrasquad game likely will be moved back to the main stadium field so that the players and staff can replicate a 1:05 exhibition start.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (127)
Categories: Just baseball
        

When Buck Showalter revealed his pitching plans for the first five games of the Grapefruit League season, there were three games in which two starters were piggybacked to work multiple innings. Conspicuous by his absence was hot prospect Zach Britton, but that apparently was an oversight. Britton will be paired with Justin Duchscherer in the third exhibition game and Rick Vandenhurk will be paired with Jeremy Guthrie in the home opener at Ed Smith Stadium.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The Hall of Fame announced this week that former Orioles GM Roland Hemond will be the second recipient of the Buck O'Neil Award, which is presented to an individual for "extraordinary efforts to enhance baseball's positive impact on society."

I can't think of a more deserving candidate, other than O'Neil himself, who was the first recipient of the award named for him after he was left out of the final class of Negro League players inducted at Cooperstown.

“Roland Hemond has touched the lives of so many throughout the baseball family in his 60-year career, always exemplifying the traits that made Buck O’Neil such a revered figure in our sport’s history,” said HOF chairman Jane Forbes Clark in the announcement. “The Board’s decision to award Roland with this tremendous honor recognizes the profound impact he has had on the game, for his baseball intelligence as a keen talent evaluator and in building winning teams, to the universal respect he has earned for mentoring generations of baseball executives, past and present.”

Let me put it a little more simply. Roland is one of the truly great guys in the game and one of its great characters. He worked alongside legendary baseball showman Bill Veeck and infected many organizations with his positive attitude and energy.

Congrats.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Just baseball
        

During a conversation with Nolan Reimold this morning, I was chiding him for being a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and -- despite his Pennsylvania roots -- accusing him of being a frontrunner when he proved he was not a frontrunner with the revelation that he's a big Cleveland Cavaliers fan.

When I stopped laughing, he told me about the time he was assigned to cover some kid named LeBron James in a high school showdown between Kennedy Catholic (Hermitage, PA) and St. Vincent-St. Mary High School.

"He was a sophomore and I was a junior,'' Reimold said. "It was right before he got huge. We lost by one point, 51-50. He had 20 points, but he was averaging 28."

Pretty cool memory. Reimold said that he was a big LeBron fan right up until "The Decision," then he started choosing his words carefully.

"Let's just say I was disappointed,'' he said, with an expression that signalled that he was making a tremendous understatement and struggling to hold his tongue. I'm just going to guess that his second-favorite NBA team right now is whoever is playing the Miami Heat.

If you're wondering, Reimold said he dropped 17 points in that game, which isn't bad for a baseball player.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (18)
Categories: Just baseball
        

I don't get many complaints, being perfect and all, but one of my readers came down to Sarasota and read me the riot act over my recommendation of Moore's Stone Crab Restaurant and Marina over on Longboat Key.

I'm not going to get into the specific complaint, but I felt that I had to go over there on Sunday night and make sure it's still one of my favorite gulf coast restaurants...and it is.

Maybe Stone Crab claws are an acquired taste. They bear no resemblance or gastronomical similarity to the other members of the ocean crab family and they are generally served cold with a mustard dip. I ordered the $49 platter and thought it was terrific. The crab bisque was pretty good, too.

Since I went there for purely journalistic reasons, I'm pretty sure I won't get a lot of static from my boss when I put the check on my expense account, but I'll keep you posted.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 6:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

Nick Markakis was one of the last position player to report to Ed Smith Stadium, but that was not for lack of enthusiasm for what's ahead.

"It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be exciting,'' he said. "We have a great foundation to start from, and the new additions – from top to bottom – are going to help us out tremendously. I’m just looking forward to kicking off spring and getting our work on and getting ready for Opening Day."

Markakis is looking forward to hitting in a lineup full of run-producers after a 2010 season in which his run-production numbers sagged badly in a batting order that lacked punch and lost Brian Roberts for most of the season.

"For the most part, just seeing it on paper is enough,'' he added. "You know what these guys are capable of doing and what they bring to a ballclub. Having them on our side is pretty exciting."

Buck Showalter's team-building field trip on Sunday night was another signal of a welcome change in the attitude of the entire organization.

"It was different, but it definitely got things kicked off in the right direction,'' Markakis said. "It was a good way to get started. It was a good meeting, good video overall. We’ve never done something like that before, but it was cool."

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 5:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (66)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Since I spend much of every day watching The Weather Channel down here -- because it's too warm to go outside -- I'm aware that the Baltimore area is expecting a few inches of snow overnight. And, of course, I'm jealous.

I'm sure you understand. It can get a little old going to the ballpark every day under a boring, cloudless sky with the temperature invariably 75 degrees. Day after day after day this is what I see when I step out onto my porch (right). It's like working in a mine, except you're outside and there's always a balmy tradewind that invariably pushes your perfect eight-iron shot to the edge of the green.

It gets so bad, I sometimes have to duck into one of the beachfront bars to reduce the amount of UV radiation exposure and get rehydrated.

If I hadn't promised to bring you up-to-the-minute coverage of the Orioles for the first month of spring training, I'd come home right now, though my flight would probably be canceled and I'd have to stay here anyway.

I'll try to bear up.

Crappy Sun cellphone photo by Peter Schmuck

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (34)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

The Orioles are completing their physical examinations today, with the latest reporting position players going through the whole routine and the rest finishing up with their dental and vision exams.

Brian Roberts just tweeted that he had completed his physical and passed "with flying colors. Now, time to get to work."

The first full-squad workout will begin at about noon.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 8:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Had to laugh when Mark Teixeira said on Saturday that the Yankees are "the underdogs" this season. Give me a break.

It's pretty hard to be the underdog when you've got a $200 million payroll, unless you're MySpace or maybe the Iraqi army during Desert Storm. The Yankees may not be the favorite to win the American League East this year, but I don't think they'll be able to show up at the World Series trophy ceremony and say that nobody gave them a chance.

Here's a link to the ESPN.com account of Teixeira's comments on the day Yankees position players were scheduled to report to the Legends Field training complex.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 3:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (49)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Just asked Buck Showalter whether he's confident that Derrek Lee will have time to get enough exhibition at-bats to prepare for the regular season. Lee, who is recovering from thumb surgery, apparently won't hit against live pitching for a couple of weeks.

"We're slow-playing him,'' said Showalter, who wasn't specific about Lee's situation, but seemed to indicate that he's not too concerned about the timetable for his complete recovery.

"We all know spring training is too long for position players,'' he said. "The pitchers are what it's really about. If you really got down to it, if you know you were going to have x-number of days of perfect weather, you could really shorten it up.

"When you think about it, a guy sits around with an injury during the season for 20 days, then he goes on rehab down to Norfolk and in two days or three days (he's ready). That's a lot more because of need, because the guy you played in his place can't play."

In other words, a couple of weeks of exhibition games will probably be plenty.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 2:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Since I can't afford to play in the World Series of Poker, it's nice to be able to stop by the poker room at the Sarasota Kennel Club once in awhile and make a contribution to the local economy.

The cards weren't falling last night, but it's a nice room and everybody is really friendly, especially while you're giving them your money. They also have dog racing there, but I long ago used up my canine budget on Bogie's private physician.

Of course, I was constantly reminded that I'm in South Florida because everyone else at the table kept calling me "Son."

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

Miguel Cabrera, who was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, was not in Detroit Tigers camp on Saturday morning and apparently is being evaluated by doctors before a decision is made on his status with the team.

Just a hunch, but I'm betting Cabrera commits to some kind of in-patient rehab program that will keep him away from spring training for several weeks. That could affect his status at the start of the season, but there probably will be time for him to get into playing shape in time to visit Baltimore for the Orioles' home-opening series at Camden Yards.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (93)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Spent the past half hour watching batting practice and thought I'd add to my earlier observations about Mark Reynolds and some other guys.

Reynolds continues to blast the ball into the stratosphere in BP, but he also leaves a lot of balls in the netting that surrounds the batting cage. I don't know if that's symptomatic of a career of big home run totals and even bigger strikeout numbers. It's just batting practice.

Robert Andino hit a few over the fence today on the field directly west of the stadium. The wind was blowing out again, but he looked pretty good. No doubt, the wind aided Reynolds, too, but it really didn't look like he needed any help.

Brian Roberts was in the same group and looked comfortable at the plate. I don't really care what kind of contact he made. He looked comfortable, and as long as he keeps looking comfortable, you know what he's going to do during the regular season.

Remember, these are just bonus workouts for non-catching position guys, so I'm not drawing any conclusions from anything.

Vladimir Guerrero came out on the field briefly in workout gear, but did not take batting practice. He's sprucing up for his 2 p.m. introductory news conference.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (47)
Categories: Just baseball
        

While I was talking to Orioles catching prospect Caleb Joseph yesterday, he volunteered his opinion of phenom Bryce Harper, who was his taxi squad teammate on the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League.

"He was still in showcase mode,'' Joseph said, "but when he puts it all together and figures things out, it's going to be scary."

Joseph is 24 and Harper is just a teenager, but Caleb said it was clear that Harper is "very special."

"When you're around him, you just get the sense that you're in the presence of somebody who's going to be great."

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (17)
Categories: Just baseball
        

One of my jobs here in spring training is to give you a taste of Sarasota, so late yesterday afternoon I slipped away from camp -- after helping Jeff Zrebiec cover this team like a blanket -- to the Bobby Jones Golf Club a couple of miles from Ed Smith Stadium.

The 45-hole course, which I mentioned in Sunday's Sarasota travelogue, was dedicated by Bobby Jones in 1927. It's a nice, open municipal complex that has two 18-hole layouts and a nine-hole executive course. I played the first nine holes of the "American" course. There's also a "British" course, but I felt patriotic.

If you're keeping score at home, I shot a 49. Very impressive. I'll be getting my Champions Tour card any day now.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

The news broke this morning that Detroit Tigers superstar Miguel Cabrera was arrested in St. Lucie County on a DUI charge, which is just the latest sad personal chapter in the life of one of baseball's best players.

Cabrera spent three months in an out-patient rehab program after a drunken incident during the 2009 playoffs, but insisted at the time that he did not have an alcohol problem. Reports of his latest arrest include a statement by police that he took a swig from a bottle of scotch right in front of them after they encountered his car disabled on the side of the road.

This kind of thing is what prompted the NFL to institute a free car service program that allows players to dial an 800 number and get a free pickup if they feel they have had too much to drink. Of course, all these guys can afford to call a cab -- or, in Cabrera's case, own a fleet of limos -- but you still have to have enough good judgment left after a night of carousing to dial the phone.

Guess I'll stop complaining that Orioles camp has been boring this week, though for some unexplained reason, I'm getting all nostalgic about Sidney Ponson right now.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)
Categories: Just baseball
        

New third baseman Mark Reynolds was lighting it up on the practice field behind Ed Smith Stadium in batting practice today. He didn't hit a ton of balls out of the park, but when he connected, there was never a doubt. In three rounds of BP, I only saw the guys shagging in the outfield move in the direction of one of his fly balls. He cleared the fence to every field.

The guy obviously is strong as an ox. Everybody knows that he has some problems making consistent contact, but if he has a big home run year, I'm guessing all of that will be forgiven.

Manager Buck Showalter said that he didn't watch Reynolds' BP session -- because he likes to keep his distance during early workouts -- but he was aware of what was going on.

"I didn't see it,'' he said, "but I heard it."

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (111)
Categories: Just baseball
        

...the Orioles are going to hold this year's ballboy and ballgirl tryouts on March 5 at Oriole Park. If you're 18 years of age or older and are healthy and agile enough to dodge a line drive down the left field or right field line, show up in casual dress with your own glove at Home Plate Plaza.

The auditions will be conducted by members of the Orioles front office -- though I doubt Andy MacPhail and the scouting staff will fly home for the occasion -- along with former Orioles pitcher Dave Johnson.

Applicants are expected to be athletic and outgoing, so I'm almost 50 percent qualified.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Just baseball
        

The arrival of superstar Vladimir Guerrero in the Orioles clubhouse this morning definitely raised the level of energy around the team. The first few days of training camp are fairly uneventful, with pitchers and catchers going through mundane drills and the reporters scrambling for something interesting to write about. No problem with that today.

Every pitcher seems to have a story about him, and why not? He's a career .320 hitter who never met a pitch he didn't like.

"God, it's good to see him,'' said pitcher Chris Tillman, who gained some SportsCenter fame when he bounced a pitch in front of Guerrero a couple of years ago and it still cost him a base hit.

"I probably saw the replay of that 60 times during the postseason," Tillman said. "Where do you throw it? You want to have a gameplay, but there's really no gameplan."

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Apparently, I've got a new gig modeling for Sky Mall Magazine, the shopping catalogue they put in the seat pockets of all the airliners, which features this offer for the Skyrest Travel Pillow. I don't remember taking this photo, but I can't imagine there are two guys in the world that are this good-looking while asleep.

Of course, this blog item is not intended to promote the sale of any item other than the Baltimore Sun newspaper or licensed Sun souvenirs bearing my terrific likeness.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (45)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

I'm not sure is there is any significance to the fact that the first day of Orioles pitcher and catcher workouts is on Valentines Day, but just go with it. Maybe you'll end up remembering today as the day you fell back in love with the Orioles.

If you'll allow me a personal note before we break out the bats and balls, I'll always remember Valentines Day as the anniversary of my first date with my wife, which turned out to be pretty convenient since I'm prone to forget days that require gifts. So, Happy V-Day to Linda and Happy New Year to the rest of you.

Today's first workout will start at noon because the Orioles in camp will be taking their physicals this morning.

The stadium renovation project is not quite complete. Crews are working furiously to get the ballpark ready for the first exhibition game. The team remains confident it will be done in time, but there are going to be some loose ends. It's a construction project.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 9:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Just arrived in Sarasota, where the sun is shining and it feels much warmer than it actually is because of the theory of temperature relativity. I've seen a few of the pitchers unloading their stuff into their lockers, but it's pretty quiet on the last day of baseball winter.

While you're waiting for tomorrow's first pitcher/catcher workout, you could take a look at my column from today's Baltimore Sun. Just click here.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 2:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (22)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Don't know how many of you are going to get down to Sarasota, Fla., for spring training, but I hope a lot of you do -- even you, Wayne -- and look me up. I can be found around the ballpark most days and around the beach most nights. If you want to run into me out on the town -- or make sure that you don't -- take a look at my crude attempt at being a travel writer in Sunday's print edition or right here right now.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck, Shameless plug
        

Don't want to rub it in, but I'm just 22 hours from takeoff and the beginning of about a month at spring training in Sarasota, Fla. By tomorrow night, I'll be knee-deep in an umbrella drink or nose-to-nose with O's beat writer Jeff Zrebiec in an argument about the balk rule. The guy never lets up.

In the meantime, keep an eye out for my spring training preview column and make sure you pick up tomorrow's print edition for my personal tourist guide to the Sarasota area. You can also read it here sometime today, but it's much more fun to get newsprint all over your hands and then rub it under your eyes and imagine your Doug DeCinces.

Right now, I'm heading into the studio for my Saturday "Sportsline" program on WBAL Radio (1090AM) and WBAL.com. If you're out of the area, go to the WBAL Web site and click on the "Listen Live" icon.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:44 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Schmuck being Schmuck
        

It's hard to adequately express what umpire attendant Ernie Tyler meant to the Orioles organization and everyone who worked regularly at Memorial Stadium or Camden Yards. He was a truly fine gentleman who was as kind and good-hearted as anyone I have ever met -- and not just in the baseball business.

His dedication to the franchise is well-documented -- he served the Orioles in some capacity in every season since the old St. Louis Browns moved to Baltimore in 1954 and worked 3,819 consecutive games before ending that streak to attend Cal Ripken's Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2007.

But there was a lot more to the man than the great work ethic he passed down to his two sons -- Jimmy and Fred -- who worked alongside him at the ballpark. He was a terrific family man who made everyone feel like a member of the already large Tyler tribe. My heart goes out to Ernie's wife Juliane and all 11 of his children. Just a great guy who will be sorely missed.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 11:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Just baseball
        

Now that the Orioles have their radio rights deal done -- and, since I work for WBAL, I'll recuse myself from further commentary on that subject -- we can resume the countdown to the first pitcher and catcher workout on Monday in Sarasota. I'm hoping to get down there before any more of my toes fall off.

The last time I looked, the forecast for next week called for temperatures on the gulf coast of 67 to 69 degrees. Not exactly beach weather, but if I can still break out a Tommy Bahama, it's spring.

Of course, the next couple of weeks will be heavy with coverage of the pitching staff, and why not? For all the offensive players who have been added to the Orioles roster over the past few months, the club's chances of competing this year still depend very heavily on the continuing growth of the young starters and the success of the upgraded bullpen.

Since we've got nothing better to do right now and somebody asked me to change the subject after leaving up one Vladimir Guerrero item for the final four days of my vacation, give me your predictions for:

1. The season-opening starting rotation -- in order.
2. The number of starts the Orioles will get from Justin Duchscherer.
3. The date Zach Britton gets called up.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 10:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (71)
Categories: Just baseball
        

If I were holding the pursestrings in the warehouse, I don't know if I would have spent $8 million on Vladimir Guerrero, but since it's not my money, I'm all for it. The Orioles were painfully short on run production last year for a variety of reasons -- from Brian Roberts being unavailable for much of the year to the Garrett Atkins fiasco -- but now they've brought in enough potentially productive bats to dramatically change the outlook for the offense.

Notice that I said "potentially" productive, because we're talking about a group of players who -- taken individually -- each have some issue that creates realistic doubt his ability to produce replicate one of the better seasons of his career. But the fact that the Orioles have added Mark Reynolds, Derrek Lee, J.J. Hardy and now Guerrero gives them decent odds that at least a couple of them will inject some real life into the middle of the Orioles lineup.

Here's Jeff Zrebiec's initial report on the deal.

Can Guerrero do for the Orioles what he did for the Rangers last year? That's asking a lot, considering he's a year older and the O's are a lot farther away from being a contending team. But he gives the team that much more offensive credibility and gives fans a little more to look forward to as they club gets ready to open training camp just 10 days from now.

The upside on Guerrero is way up. The downside is $8 million wasted. Somewhere in between is a player who can generate a lot of excitement when he's healthy and who will have value at midseason if the Orioles need to move him for prospects.

The only question now is what to do with Luke Scott. It looks like he'll be targetted to return to left field, though Felix Pie and Nolan Reimold might have something to say about that this spring.

If nothing else, the Orioles now have enough offensive depth that they can weather one severe injury to a key hitter this spring and still field a full lineup. That, in and of itself, is real progress.

Posted by Peter Schmuck at 7:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (167)
Categories: Just baseball