C’mon Pete, stop rooting for the O’s. I thought you were a journalist. What a homer.

Peter,

Did you actually mean "sucky" (I know, not a word), rather than "streaky?" It's more accurate.

During last season's Showalter Miracle, the Orioles won 60% of their games because they did things right on the mound, in the field, and at the plate. They didn't lose a lot of "should have won" games, like they did in the years and months before Buck, and are doing now.

On the mound, starters went six or seven innings (or more) consistently, and weren't at 100 pitches by the fifth inning. Starters and relievers didn't blow many leads, issued few walks, and rarely dealt with really long at-bats - they made "out" pitches.

In the field, plays were made, and the ball was thrown to the right base.

At the plate, despite averaging an anemic 4.1 runs per game under Buck (an improvement over Trembley/Samuel), without a great team OBP, the hitters made efficient use of the runners they did get. Runners were consistently advanced from second with nobody out, or driven in from third via sac fly or ground out, when not via hit. At-bats tended to be smart with RISP.

None of the above has consistently happened this season, and the record (18-27 since the 6-1 start , 5-8 in past 13 games despite five game win streak) shows it. Starters not named Guthrie and Britton (usually), throw far too many pitches, so their outings are short. Relievers not named Koji or JJ aren't dependable. Fielders are failing to make too many plays. Hitters too often are totally undisciplined and impatient when they get up with RISP, thus letting opposing pitchers off the hook. The offense doesn't take advantage of walks and errors, as it should. Result - many winnable are lost. Same old Orioles we've seen the past 13 seasons, with little hope in the farm system. Bah.

I'm not sure where you're coming from with your last reply Pete. I never called you a liar. Here's the thing though, I've known wayne for years. A slew of us have been going to the games together dating back to Memorial Stadium. The Bob that went on a profanity laced rant was not wayne, was not his IP. You know that, as wayne has never been one for profanity on this Blog since he began a long time ago, Someone took advantage of the situation, and it worked. It got wayne booted.

Now waynes a big boy. He can take it as this Blog is not as much a part of his life as you tend to believe. But just because I know what wayne ascribed to, doesn't mean we're all the same. In fact, we get in arguments about the Orioles all the time. I believe this team is better than past years. He disagrees. What we do agree 100% on though is how Andy and his nephew are destroying this team going forward.

The track record of free agent acquisitions is so embarrassing, it simply can't be denied any longer. These men are suppose to know what they're doing Pete. How can they be so horrible at scouting pro ballplayers?

As for lacking journalistic knowledge? I'm guilty. My point was that there's a difference between not cheering for the home team from the press box and not being a fan at all. A group of us knew the late, great John Steadman. Personally, I believe he was the best journalist Baltimore has ever had. John never cheered (that we ever heard about) in the press box, but he was a fan of Baltimore sports.

John helped to run Irsay out of town because he cared about Baltimore sports so much, he couldn't dare sit by while that man destroyed Baltimore football. Sure, the team ended up leaving Baltimore, but that wasn't John's fault.

wayne and I have often said, we would give up having a team tomorrow if it meant Angelos had nothing to do with the Orioles again. You see, we all would feel better taking our chances that a team would one day return, with new ownership, thus we'd at least have real hope for the future.

Anyway, don't be so bitter Pete. We're just frustrated fans who are tired of bad baseball in Baltimore. Tired of their being no reason whatsoever for hope. If you banned everyone who is tired from your Blob, you'd only have the danqz's of the world blogging. Anyway, just my taker. I'll prepare myself for your bitter response

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Pete's reply: Ooooh. "Wayne" suddenly has "friends" who come out of the woodwork to defend him and talk about what a great guy he is and what an injustice it is that he got blocked from a blog. If Anthony Perkins were still alive, I'd be really worried about now.

CF – for what it’s worth, I have been on this blog a very short time. I saw it happen twice in two months with my own eyes.

Peter is not lying.

wayne made valid points - no one disputed that, but that is not the issue.

OMG, you people arguing about some clown who got banned! Let it go. You can't even keep up with the junk that you're typing. CF--in one of your nonsensical posts earlier today you typed "No, I'm not wayne, and I don't even know wayne" and then 30 minutes ago you write that "I've known wayne for years..." and go on to describe your relationship. You have zero credibility and no one wants to read your drivel.

Pete,

Couldn't agree more with your title there. I wasn't kidding when I said that Luke Scott should be the team mascot.

Is it just me, or is CF wayne? If so, please promise you'll behave and just come out and post as Wayne. I'm sure Pete still has a soft spot in his heart for you.

PETE what do you here??? Are the orioles going to draft a high school RHP at #4 this year??? I AM ALL FOR IT IF RENDON AND HULTZEN ARE GONE...

Pete,

The Orioles are ripe for a sweep by the Mariners. Bedard may pitch a two hit shutout tonight. Heck, he might pitch a no hitter, the way this team reacts to left handed pitching. This is Spring Training for Matusz, and I doubt he gets through four innings tomorrow night. His mechanics were out of wack before he got hurt. The Orioles season is tetering on the brink right now.

CF writes that he isn't Wayne and doesn't know him. Now he writes that he's gone to games with Wayne since the Memorial Stadium days.

A liar, an idiot and forgetful.

Joker, joker and the triple!

Pete. As much as I wish I could agree with you re: the O's winning the next 2, I doubt it's going to happen. The much -maligned Bedard is going to eat our lunch as he's on a roll right now. Maybe we win the finale but no way we beat Bedard.
He's a lefty to start with and for some strange reason, we can't do much against lefties. Guthrie is probably good enough but then again, he always seems to get beat as evidanced by his losing record.
All-in-a;; another brutal road trip and the only good thing I see arising from it is that Buck may demand some roster changes from the upper brass.
When you analyze the current roster there are guys that need to go because you need everyone on board. Gonzalez, Rapada are taking up 2 roster spots so bring in some fresh blood!

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Pete's reply: Well, you got me. I forgot that the Orioles will find a different ignominious way to lose every week. Like last year, they've already lost about five games on ridiculous comebacks that usually happen maybe once or twice to a team in a whole year. Astonishing.

Hey, at least they won't get no-hit tonight.

Always looking for the silver lining.

That siliver lining gets harder to find with each passing game. Its gotten to the point where I'm stunned every time the Orioles actually score a run, which isn't often.

what happened to scott getting thrown out on a single?

"This team could drop five of six on this road trip and we'd be back to what we were talking about last week."
Meet the new boss... same as the old boss.
Thanks for putting the kabosh on this road trip Schmuck. Let's hope we hold on tonight and then it will be up to Matusz to prove you wrong. Otherwise... feel like picking the Belmont for me

nice to see nicky breaking out of it with a bases-loaded no-outs double play ball.

do the Os practice hitting into DPs and striking out? It's almost impossible to be as bad as they are with RISP without practicing.

meanwhile the yanks are putting a beating on the As. Billy Beane must pop open the champagne when the Os plane lands in town.For 3 days he's a genius again...

How long before the O's are the worst team in baseball...couple weeks probably. Would be quicker but the Twins are really bad too.

gutherie in a nutshell right there

all that good work undone in 5 pitches.

bad. and if bucky had a lefty in the pen, he might have used him. but he doesn't.
so there you go. snatching defeat from the jaws of victory.
And you people don't want to unload half this team...why not?

My prediction: This team and organization will drain every last ounce of energy from Buck, and he will resign before the end of 2012. There is just no way he makes it to the end of his contract.
They can't even get the guy a left handed reliever.

That was a pathetic and disgusting close to a game. Reminds me of the Boston massacre in 2007. The O's constantly F over Guthrie and have for years.

Luke Scott sucks, he's a jack ass personally, a terrible fielder, an awful baserunner, and a POS with men in scoring position. Why is this fool even on the team. The O's most dangerous hitter last year? Really? Please, his career BA with RISP is horrible, was abysmal last year, and not much better this year. He is a paper tough guy who chokes and shrivels everytime he faces a clutch situation. I can't stand to look at his face, listen to his voice, or watch him play.

Luke Scott suuuuuuuuuuuuuuckkkkkks!!!!!!

There (exhale) I fell better already....no not really.

While having Matusz back may not be enough to make the Orioles any sort of World Series contender they now have four solid rotation guys as he joins Jeremy Guthrie, Zach Britton, and Jake Arrieta.

Matusz looked smooth in his debut. He didn’t struggle, he didn’t look rusty, and he didn’t lack any confidence and hopefully he’ll get better as he gets back in a routine of playing.