tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck/307 2009-11-07T20:13:41Z Some say it’s better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt. I disagree. Movable Type 3.36 tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.220472 2009-11-07T19:46:31Z 2009-11-07T20:13:41Z

The Rawlings Gold Glove Awards probably will be announced early next week, and there are rumblings that Adam Jones is about to become the first Orioles outfielder to win a Gold Glove since Paul Blair back in 1975. We've made...

Peter Schmuck The Rawlings Gold Glove Awards probably will be announced early next week, and there are rumblings that Adam Jones is about to become the first Orioles outfielder to win a Gold Glove since Paul Blair back in 1975. We've made some inquiries to try and confirm that, but the best info anybody has at the moment was a MySpace entry by Adam's brother Jonathan the other day saying how excited he was about his little brother winning a "Golden Glove 4 his Baseball Team, the Baltimore Orioles." If it's true, and I don't think that would surprise anybody who has watched him glide around the outfield the past two years, Adam would be the first Oriole to win a Gold Glove since Mike Mussina in 1999 and the first Orioles position player since Roberto Alomar and Rafael Palmeiro each won one in 1998. The Orioles are currently tied with the Yankees for the most American League Gold Gloves all time. Blair won eight of them during his reign as the league's best defensive center fielder from 1967-75.]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.220170 2009-11-05T15:49:01Z 2009-11-05T16:07:44Z

Now that the Yankees are world champions for the 27th time and all is right with the world (Sasrcasm alert!), we can get on with our lives -- and our offseason. If there is a bright side for the Yankee...

Peter Schmuck Now that the Yankees are world champions for the 27th time and all is right with the world (Sasrcasm alert!), we can get on with our lives -- and our offseason. If there is a bright side for the Yankee haters, it is that -- for the first time since 2000 -- there will be no postseason panic period in the Big Apple, which has generally been followed by an attempt to corner the free agent market. The bad news, of course, is that the free agent market isn't really worth cornering, but there are players that could make a difference for the Orioles, especially if they are willing to consider moving Nolan Reimold to first base. Sorry, I'm not sold on getting somebody like Nick Johnson, who wouldn't even replace the run-production potential of the departed Aubrey Huff. If it were my money and my team -- oh yes, it will be mine -- I would take the best bat possible in either the free agent or trade market and figure it out from there. Not that anything's going to happen real soon anyway. There's still the free agent filing period to wait out before the Orioles can make any offers, if that's the direction Andy MacPhail decides to go. He can talk trade any time, but the end of the World Series is sort of the traditional time to start doing that kind of thing. Make no mistake. Though the landscape isn't terribly promising, the Orioles have to make some significant moves to keep people interested. That doesn't mean throwing the youth movement under the bus, but it will require some flexibility if MacPhail wants to do anything dynamic. I said this in a column last week. MacPhail has delivered on the foundational aspect of his rebuilding program. The time has come to start the next phase in earnest. tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.219632 2009-11-02T16:56:55Z 2009-11-02T17:04:49Z

I've been concerned that I might be putting the whammy on the Ravens by hanging around town during the football season, so I decided to play it safe and fly to the West Coast yesterday afternoon. Sure enough, the Ravens...

Peter Schmuck I've been concerned that I might be putting the whammy on the Ravens by hanging around town during the football season, so I decided to play it safe and fly to the West Coast yesterday afternoon. Sure enough, the Ravens rolled over the previously undefeated Broncos, so I'm going to stay away through next Sunday. I realize the game is in Cincinnati, but you can't be too safe with the team's playoff future in the balance. If you recall, the only Ravens victory I've been in town for was the the opener against the Chiefs, who were without starting quarterback Matt Cassel and still somehow made it interesting. Then I went overseas and the Ravens beat the Chargers on the road and hammered the Browns at home. I returned to join the team in New England and you know what happened from that point on. After the Ravens defeat the Bengals, I think it will be safe to come home. Even a Jonah like me can't jinx them badly enough to lose to the Browns. tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.219492 2009-10-31T16:50:14Z 2009-10-31T17:03:54Z

I'm sure a lot of people would like to see the Orioles boldly go where they haven't gone before and pony up the big money it will take to sign Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman, but I wouldn't hold your breath....

Peter Schmuck I'm sure a lot of people would like to see the Orioles boldly go where they haven't gone before and pony up the big money it will take to sign Cuban left-hander Aroldis Chapman, but I wouldn't hold your breath. There are several indicators that point in the opposite direction, which likely means that the club's meeting this week with Chapman and his agent is more public relations than aggressive international player development. Don't misunderstand. I'm not saying the Orioles weren't really interested in talking to the guy, but when you consider what it could cost to sign him -- some say $40 million or more -- it's hard to imagine the Orioles really being in the ballpark with some of the other teams that have shown interest. The club wants to have a solid international presence, but came up about $1 million short on promising Dominican infielder Miguel Angel Sano when the competition for his services was relatively light and he signed for only $3.15 million. If they would balk at Sano at that price, what makes anybody think they'll be a real player at $40 million for Chapman? The Orioles did pony up $10 million for Japanese pitcher Koji Uehara last winter, but they aren't exactly bragging about that acquisition anymore...and we're not hearing a lot of chatter about their new emphasis on international player development like we heard at this time last year. Hopefully, the team is still just as committed to a global approach, because the O's are going to have to keep every avenue open if they are to have any chance of competing with the Yankees and Red Sox on a yearly basis. They probably will never be able to out-spend them, so they're going to have to out-scout them, both here and abroad. tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.219491 2009-10-31T15:20:05Z 2009-10-31T15:49:20Z

This is the lull before the storm. This is the time when major league front office people tie up loose ends, take a few days off and catch their breath before offseason begins in earnest following the World Series. That's...

Peter Schmuck This is the lull before the storm. This is the time when major league front office people tie up loose ends, take a few days off and catch their breath before offseason begins in earnest following the World Series. That's why the biggest baseball headline in The Sun today is about negotiations with reliever/swingman Mark Hendrickson, who almost certainly will re-sign with the Orioles -- which is fine because he's a versatile role player on the pitching staff, but it's not really news when you consider he's from nearby York and not many other teams will be beating down his door this winter. The Orioles had an extended conversation with Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman yesterday. That's an interesting development, but we all know that he's going to end up in Boston or New York. The thing that's most significant about the meeting is that it signals that owner Peter Angelos no longer has strong reservations about negotiating with Cuban players, though I guess we should have figured that out when the Orioles gave all that money to Danys Baez. The biggest story of the week was the official decision to decline the option on Melvin Mora, which was no surprise to anyone. Melvin told us he wasn't coming back a couple of months ago when he publicly blasted manager Dave Trembley. Basically, this is roster crunching time, and the Orioles have moved a bunch of players off the 40-man roster, including pitcher Rich Hill. Seems like a long time ago that the O's were hanging tough with Hill because they were afraid someone would take him off waivers. His 7.80 ERA pretty much took care of that. The club also outrighted Alfredo Simon, which means they can monitor his recovery from surgery and bring him back later if they think he's still got some promise. Frankly, this is such a soft news period that it might be time for another warm weather vacation. tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.219392 2009-10-30T15:39:20Z 2009-10-30T15:51:26Z

Most of you probably know this already, but I thought I'd clarify the Chad Moeller situation for anyone who didn't get to the end of Jeff Zrebiec's story on the subject. The Orioles declined his $850,000 major league option yesterday,...

Peter Schmuck Most of you probably know this already, but I thought I'd clarify the Chad Moeller situation for anyone who didn't get to the end of Jeff Zrebiec's story on the subject. The Orioles declined his $850,000 major league option yesterday, but that does not mean he will not return as Matt Wieters backup next season. In fact, I would guess that his return is fairly likely. The option was declined to free up room on the 40-man roster in anticipation of the finalization of the club's reserve list. The O's have to determine by Nov. 20 who will be protected in anticipation of the Rule 5 draft in December. That's also why several players were outrighted yesterday and a few more may be today. The club has told Moeller that it will basically honor the terms of the option that was declined if he later accepts a minor league deal and then makes the major league roster out of spring training. He has the option of accepting a guaranteed roster spot from another team in the meantime, but the Orioles want him back and he is open to coming back if somebody doesn't offer him a more secure situation. Moeller isn't an impact player, but he bonded well with Wieters last season and seemed to have a positive effect on his development. He's also a terrific guy who is well-liked in the clubhouse, though that's not an important reason to keep him. tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.219298 2009-10-29T20:26:37Z 2009-10-29T20:36:25Z

Jeff Zrebiec has already posted stories on the long-expected decision by the Orioles to decline Melvin Mora's option for 2010 and also the choice of former Indians coach Jeff Datz as the new O's bench coach. The club also declined...

Peter Schmuck long-expected decision by the Orioles to decline Melvin Mora's option for 2010 and also the choice of former Indians coach Jeff Datz as the new O's bench coach. The club also declined the $850,000 option on catcher Chad Moeller and outrighted some guys to free up room on the 40-man roster. It's probably still possible that Moeller could be re-signed. Doubt there's any chance that the Orioles will try to bring Melvin back for less. The only surprise, really, is the selection of a relatively unknown coach to replace Dave Jauss. I think a lot of O's fans were hoping for somebody more familiar, but Datz apparently came well-recommended by some of the people Dave Trembley consulted around the major leagues. I'm sure he's a fine coach, but I'm pretty sure there are going to be some people who will view Datz as a guy who was chosen because he will not pose an obvious threat to Trembley's job security the way a Bob Melvin or some other former major league manager might. I'm pretty sure that's not the case -- because Dave knows that this is a do-or-die year for him no matter what-- but I'll leave you all to your opinions. What do you think?]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.219163 2009-10-29T05:27:57Z 2009-10-29T06:13:24Z

Cliff Lee's performance in Game 1 was so impressive, I'd like to change my World Series prediction to the Phillies in five, but I won't because that would just give me a chance to be wrong twice. You don't see...

Peter Schmuck Cliff Lee's performance in Game 1 was so impressive, I'd like to change my World Series prediction to the Phillies in five, but I won't because that would just give me a chance to be wrong twice. You don't see all that many complete games in the postseason in the era of bullpen specialization, but Lee tamed the Yankees lineup so completely that he'll be very much in their heads when he comes back around in the rotation. Meanwhile, A.J. Burnett has to go to the mound tonight carrying a lot on his eighty-million-dollar shoulder. If he struggles with his control in the early innings -- and that would appear to be a possibility since he has walked 10 batters in 18 1/3 innings in this postseason -- the Phillies are going to smell blood. Now that I think about it, I probably doomed the Yankees when I picked them in six before the start of Game 1. I don't think I've guessed an outcome right since I gave the points in the presidential election. Associated Press photo]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.219143 2009-10-28T22:01:21Z 2009-10-28T22:35:39Z

...will be over by Thanksgiving -- I promise -- but the Yankees and Phillies might cut it close if this fall continues to be as rain-soaked as it has been the past few weeks. I'm particularly sensitive to that because...

Peter Schmuck Personal note: I'm heading over to Chipotle Grill before the game. I have a friend who won that promotion where you get to bring nine friends for a free meal. I'm guessing not one member of the current Orioles roster shows up, but I feel an obligation to be there. ]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.219061 2009-10-28T14:50:09Z 2009-10-28T14:55:54Z

President of baseball operations Andy MacPhail and his staff are getting their ducks in order for a very important offseason -- and the team needs to make some significant moves to be more competitive next year -- but the winter...

Peter Schmuck check out today's column here and let me know whether you think the O's have a real chance to improve with the right offseason trades and free agent acquisitions.]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.218947 2009-10-27T18:05:44Z 2009-10-27T18:44:57Z

It's a petty little tempest in a teapot, but I still have to respond to the post-Brooks-bash "controversy" over how many current Orioles showed up at last night's event at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. There were 1,500 people there, including...

Peter Schmuck It's a petty little tempest in a teapot, but I still have to respond to the post-Brooks-bash "controversy" over how many current Orioles showed up at last night's event at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. There were 1,500 people there, including myself, and there were at least a dozen people who were definitely in attendance that I looked for and never saw, so I couldn't say with certainty who was or wasn't there. Frankly, I think it's terribly disrespectful to Brooks to shift the focus from his great night to some opportunistic Orioles axe-grinding. I didn't see any current O's there, but I didn't see any current Ravens there either (doesn't mean there weren't any, just that I didn't see one), and -- if we're going to get technical about this -- doesn't Brooks transcend baseball as one of the most important sports figures in the history of Baltimore? Of course he does. That's why Sandy Unitas was the one who convinced him to take part and that's why there were a bunch of former Colts -- Art Donovan, Tom Matte and Bruce Laird, to name a few -- in attendance. So, I guess if you're going to rip the Orioles, who were one of the principle sponsors of the event, you've got to take a shot at the Ravens, too, for not having a particularly visible presence. Except that you don't have to take a shot at anyone, because it wasn't about that, and making it about that distracts attention from what a terrific and touching evening it was. By the way, to be fair, the place was full of Orioles and MASN employees, so the notion that Brooks was being ignored by the current organization is ridiculous. I'm pretty sure the Ravens were also supportive, but if your priority on Brooks' special night was to take roll of who was and wasn't there, I guess you've got to count everybody. Open question: Were there any current Blast players present? And one more thing, to compare this to the Elrod Hendricks funeral is just plain wrong. The criticism of the current Orioles roster at the time -- which was represented at the memorial only by Melvin Mora -- was legitimate, because Elrod was a major figure in the Orioles clubhouse and a friend to every one of those guys. The "Evening with Brooks" was a trip down memory lane for all of the long-time Baltimore fans and sports figures, so I don't know if you can expect the players who don't have any personal or nostalgic link to Brooks to fly across country just to be seen. tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.218882 2009-10-27T13:24:53Z 2009-10-28T21:54:30Z

Just want to say that the "Evening With Brooks" at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall last night was truly special and a lot of congratulations are due -- and not just to the guest of honor. The setting was terrific, all...

Peter Schmuck Just want to say that the "Evening With Brooks" at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall last night was truly special and a lot of congratulations are due -- and not just to the guest of honor. The setting was terrific, all the speakers struck the right tone, a combination of reverence for Brooks and recognition that he's never been about that kind of thing. Lots of stories. Lots of fun. Lots of love for a guy who has given way more than he has gotten over the course of his life. The Orioles and Crown Petroleum got together to sponsor the night, which benefitted the Babe Ruth Birthplace/Sports Legens Museum and the American Cancer Society. Kind of felt sorry for Brooks, who isn't comfortable listening to people say nice things about him. He had to do that for a couple of hours, but at least he had his lovely wife (of almost a half-century) Connie there at his side for the whole night. Then he had to speak, which he always does well. "This is a lot tougher than my Hall of Fame speech,'' he said. He proceeded to tell everyone that this event was just an another example of why he made the right decision way back when he first chose the Orioles over the Cincinnati Reds. They were the two teams that offered him a major league contract when he was an all-around high school standout in Little Rock, Ark., in the 1950s. By the way, that wouldn't be the last time he disappointed the Reds. He was asked at various junctures during the evening for his personal favorite career moment, everyone undoubtedly expecting him to say the 1970 World Series. He had a little bigger one in mind. "Sometimes I get that question from someone,'' he said at the end of the program. "I've been out of the game for 32 years, and the more I think about it, the thing I'm most proud of is the fact that I played longer with one team than anyone else in baseball, along with Carl Yastrzemski. He played 23 years with the Red Sox and I played part or all of 23 years with the Orioles...Believe me, it has come back tenfold for me." Of course, Brooks always had things in perspective. "The biggest highlight of my life was meeting my beautiful wife Connie,'' he said."I met her playing for the Baltimore Orioles. You can't ask for more than that." It was a great night. tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.218831 2009-10-27T00:25:24Z 2009-10-27T01:54:07Z

It was typical Brooks. He might be the greatest third baseman who ever lived – and certainly one of Baltimore’s most beloved figures – but he had to be all but dragged to the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall on Monday night...

Peter Schmuck It was typical Brooks. He might be the greatest third baseman who ever lived – and certainly one of Baltimore’s most beloved figures – but he had to be all but dragged to the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall on Monday night for “An Evening with Brooks” – a night of testimonials for the benefit of the Legends Sports Museum and the American Cancer Society. “They had to twist my arm for about a month,’’ he said. Everybody knows the story by now. It took some special arm-twisting by Sandy Unitas to get Brooks to show up. It didn’t take much persuasion at all for anybody else, and just about everyone who is anyone in Baltimore sports was on hand to honor “Mr. Oriole.” Sportscaster Scott Garceau and Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer served as Masters of Ceremonies for an event that was broken up into nine “innings” and featured stars from the entire spectrum of Baltimore sports history as well as some of the Cincinnati Reds players who competed against Brooks during the 1970 World Series which cemented his reputation as the “Human Vacuum Cleaner.” Maybe you’ve noticed that I haven’t bothered to address Brooks by his full name, but that is no accident. Brooks will suffice in a sports town where he needs no further introduction. If you’re a Baltimore sports fan, you’re more likely to say “Madonna who?” than ask “which Brooks.” “He was a very special player both on and off the field,’’ said Palmer. “As Davey (Johnson) used to say, ‘He’s just so unassuming.’ That’s Brooksie. That’s what made him so appealing.” How unassuming? The guy just doesn’t feel comfortable being told what a great player he was and what a great guy he still is, but – in the end – he just couldn’t say no to the opportunity to raise money for the museum and the American Cancer Society, especially after his recent brush with prostate cancer. “I’ve had enough adulation,’’ Brooks said. “I though that was over. My heart can’t take much more of this. But a lot of people have come a long way to be here…It’s overwhelming, to tell the truth.”]]> The guest list was too long to list here, but you know who we’re talking about. Hall of Fame manager Earl Weaver held court on the second level of the Meyerhoff, describing how well Brooks treated him when Weaver was an up-and-coming minor league manager and how Brooks helped him get to Cooperstown. I mean, how great a guy do you have to be to make one of the most irascible managers in baseball history go all soft and cuddly? “It’s goes all the way back to Paul Richards when I would go down as a minor league manager,’’ Weaver said. “You watched him work, and he went from being a good ballplayer to a great ballplayer to probably, you’d have to say, the best defensive third baseman that ever played the game. “I remember him when I was a minor league manager and he was always so polite. He always was like that. I’ve never seen him say no to anyone. There probably is not a person in this room who hasn’t shook his hand or got an autograph from him. I don’t think you’ll ever see anybody else like Brooks.” If you don’t believe Earl, consider that even former Cincinnati Red Bernie Carbo jumped at the chance to travel to Baltimore to be part of an evening for the guy who robbed him and his teammates of a possible world title in 1970 with his highlight reel performance at third base. “Brooks Robinson treats you like you’re the Hall of Famer,’’ Carbo said. “Very kind. Very humble. The thing I remember most is being a 23-year-old kid sitting on the bench with my teammates and watching him make those plays and wishing he was on our team.” Baltimore Sun file photos ]]> tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.218675 2009-10-26T03:40:56Z 2009-10-26T18:32:55Z

Guess you've got to give it up for the Yankees, who took care of business in Game 6. The Angels did not go down quietly, but a defensive meltdown in the eighth inning stretched a slim Yankees lead, and how...

Peter Schmuck Guess you've got to give it up for the Yankees, who took care of business in Game 6. The Angels did not go down quietly, but a defensive meltdown in the eighth inning stretched a slim Yankees lead, and how much help does Mariano Rivera need, anyway? Though I certainly would have prefered a coast-to-coast World Series, you can't deny that the upcoming matchup between the Yankees and Phillies is an interesting and attractive one. Both teams have considerable star power and both play the game the way it is supposed to be played. The Yankees are an impressive (and expensive) group, but if you watch them day in and day out, you have to admit that they are more than just a huge payroll. The thing that has impressed me the most during this postseason is how well they've scouted their opposition, which is reflected in the seemingly perfect positioning of the fielders. Can't count how many times Mark Teixeira has stolen a hit halfway between first and second base. In the top of the eighth inning tonight, Torii Hunter hit a hard shot right up the middle for what normally would be a hit, but Robinson Cano was playing right over the bag at second. That's great advance scouting and dugout coaching. The Yankees spend a lot of money, but they also develop great talent and they do their homework. It's hard to root for them -- and I won't in the World Series -- but you have to give them credit. tag:weblogs.baltimoresun.com,2009:/sports/schmuck//307.218659 2009-10-25T19:08:12Z 2009-10-25T19:48:16Z

The Minnesota Vikings had a first and goal from the 1/2 yard line, but apparently they have turned the playcalling duties back over to Brian Billick. How else do you explain a team that has Adrian Peterson in the backfield,...

Peter Schmuck The Minnesota Vikings had a first and goal from the 1/2 yard line, but apparently they have turned the playcalling duties back over to Brian Billick. How else do you explain a team that has Adrian Peterson in the backfield, throwing the ball on second and third down and then settling for a field goal? While I'm ranting here, I thought I'd irritate the Steelers fans with a little more official bashing. On the last kickoff return, a Pittsburgh player jumped onto the pile at the end of the play and ripped the helmet off one of the Vikings underneath him. There was an official standing right there looking at the play and the helmet flew right by him, but I guess that's not a penalty at Heinz Field. And, let's see, didn't a Steelers defender just kneecap Brett Favre? Instead of a flag, the official quickly explained over the PA system that the Vikings player was holding and threw the guy into Favre's legs...except the replay only showed that Tom Brady is in London. Really, the officials appear to have just decided this game. They took away a touchdown from Favre on a bogus tripping call -- the replay showed it wasn't -- and the Steelers have turned it around with a huge fumble return to take a 10-point lead. The officiating has been awful in this game and -- though it may be a coincidence -- just about all the bad calls have favored the Steelers.