Andy's plan is still the best thing we've seen around Baltimore baseball for a long time. Trembley needs to go. He is not a leader and is about as inspirational as a dead fly. This is not a playoff caliber team, but we need a leader who can get what talent there is to translate to the field. Trembley has proven time and again, he's not the man who can do that. Let's bring in a proven winner (which Trembley is not even at the minor league level), and see what happens when we have a real leader sailing the ship.

It is not MacPhail that is calling the shots on the field, it is Trembley. I coach High School ball and I know I could do a better job. I use to like him but I think he is just worn out and needs to be replaced!

Sorry, but this is idiotic. The only thing McPhail is doing wrong is keeping Trembley. Angelos won't let him get rid of Trembley though, as it would further embarass the owner. However, if the losses keep piling up, yes, it will be Trembley that goes, not McPhail. Trembley was never McPhail's man, and his hanging on is a clear indicator of Angelos continued know-nothing grip on this team. Come on man... why does a team continue to lose close games? Poor management. That's easy.

What does he care about this team? He's leaving to be commish! Either way, we do need a new mangager that can infuse a winning attitude and not take any mess from some of these players. Bobby Valentine would be perfect

Totally disagree. The Gonzalez move looks like a bad one, but which of his other moves is the reason for the current slide? Whom should and could he have signed that he didn't sign? Trembley manages the players daily and is in a position to influence their play. MacPhail doesn't have that responsibility. The talent in this organization is so much better as a result of MacPhail. It's better than it has been in a decade or more. Blaming him for the current, on-field lack of performance is simply stupid.

Please don't start the Andy McPhail has to go stuff. the last thing we need right now is this guy gone. I think what he's done speaks for itself.

Also, before posting this nonsense perhaps you should take a look at what is going on throughout the organization. Our pitchers pitched shutouts at the top three levels of the minors last night and the starter at Delmarva pitched six shutout innings as well. MacPhail is building this organization back from the crap that we here when he arrived. Nearly every draft pick we made under the old guard either ended up hurt or a bust. Finally we are building something. Hot seat? Schmot seat. It's not for the media to make this stuff up.

YES, NINE GAMES AND IT'S TIME TO PANIC!!!

to go back to angelos running the team and having no farm system while purchasing tejadas and albert belles all over again?

"But the Orioles are struggling so badly that you wonder if even a big-name skipper like Tony LaRussa or Joe Torre would make a difference with this team." Not sure what that is supposed to mean. If you claim that the players are not good enough then that would be a knock against MacPhail, but no one is claiming that. The hitters that he got during the off season are actually doing better than most of the team. Jones and Markakas are clearly better than they are playing so is the rest of the lineup - the problem is that they are sleepwalking.

Granted the closer has not worked out thus far but who predicted that - everyone said that that was the best move in the off season.

MacPhail's biggest mistake was keeping Dave Trembley at the end of last year. It was clear then that the team had quit on him and it's clear that this is the case now as well. I assume Andy has already regretted that decision, and if things don't change by the end of next week we will have a new manager.

I think MacPHail needs to stay. He's the only thing about the Orioles of the last few years who has gotten the club moving in the right direction. Do we forget so quickly how hard it is/was to find any GM to manage this franchise well?

Not even a respectable level of play??

Until yesterday it certainly was I'd say.

The one thing I will get on MacPhail for- and I wasn't on this bandwagon before- is not acquiring a big middle of the order bat.

It's clear noone on this team seems comfortable- and having a power hitter batting 4th I think would really ease things up a lot.

Heck- you take Longoria out of the Rays lineup and we might sweep that first series of the season. His clutch hitting and long home runs inspire confidence in the rest of the lineup.

We NEED that desperately!

That said- we have played "respectable."

But who would take his place? Where is a better candidate?

I've never been a Trombley fan and wonder where he'll be in May, especially since I'm predicting the O's record will stand at 3-16 when they next take the field in Baltimore...

MacPhail isn't going to get blamed because he has done most things right and the fans understand that. The Bedard trade and the Pie trade alone cement him as one of the better GMs in the game. I just wish he would stop worrying what the fans think and make a complete committment to young players. That means no Tejada, no Atkins, no Gonzalez, no Koji and no restrictions when it comes to drafting the best player available. My only issues with him are those signings (which weren't going to put the team over the top anyway) and the Hobgood draft when he wasn't the premium talent available. The money needs to be shifted from old, short term players to the draft and young long term players.

If you think he is on the hot seat and for good reason, how about you identify some of the moves he has made that should put him there or even moves he COULD have made that he should have. Keep in mind, moves he COULD have made are not fantasy (i.e. Texiera never had any interest in signing with us).

Once looking at his track record, could the O's be further along and what moves would you have made that were not. What deals did he make that look bad?

Only when evaluating those should you put the GM on the hot seat. I don't see any of this analysis in the post. Just another knee jerk reaction to a bad start.

McPhail is not the problem, he has a good plan in place. Its going to take ALOT longer than people realize. There is a sort of laissez faire culture of losing within the org that starts at the top. In order for there to be real change, McPHail needs the authority to fire lots of people. Why has alot of these guys been around for all of the losing seasons - Crowley? Flanagan remains within Angelos' org. Sad but ture. Some of McPhails moves have sucked, but overall he has the right idea. Trembley dosent fit, we need a big ego drill sergeant at manager to give these spoiled Angelos hugged brats a kick to the rear end. How about Larry Bowa ??

I think the O's suffer from what I call Al Davis syndrome. If any of the players become unhappy w/ the mgr, they can run up to Uncle Pete & cry on his shoulder. Uncle Pete will side w/ the player over the manager....therefore the manager cannot truely get in someone's ear. Angelos removed all of the big ego winner types awhile ago...Gillick, Davey...etc. The remaining is a bunch of losers & lots of losing.

Andy's "Plan" from the start was never defined in real time terms as to when the Orioles could expect to play winning baseball. It is a one dimensional 1960's style rebuilding concept and is outcome based in theory only.

So far it is a miserable failure as far as wins and losses are concerned.

I can't blame this on MacPhail. I've been a fan for 48 years and watch every game. There is no life or excitement on this team. I enjoy Trembley, but he's not a leader and he and players sit there almost expecting things to go wrong. The fans look the same at the stadium. An injection of life and attitude is needed in that clubhouse that will turn on a talented young team and energize the fan base. I need to see some fire and I need to know players are being held accountable when they make base running blunders. Where's the fire?

"Savvy veterans" is a joke right...you mean cheap options.

I want the O's to discuss their rev share payments from the Sox and Yankees.

That's the dirty little secret right there.

I want them to answer why they didn't go after Miguel Sano like a serious team (Like the Twins did)...

I want to know why every free agent is out of our price range.

Or every legit 4 hitter that is available via trade is unattainable because it would raid our farm system.

It's always an excuse instead of doing what it takes to truly win which means not just draft and trade for the future (the 2 absolutely cheapest ways).

That's 2 pieces of a puzzle. And it's not enough to win on a regular basis. And MacPhail can't do it i bet. It's not in his DNA. He was a cheap GM in Chicago. The #3 media market in America with a huge fan base. He was always in the mid rankings in spending and had a joke of an international department.

My guess is the GMs in Toronto or Seattle put winners on the field before we do. Their GMs are aggressive. Toronto can make MacPhail trades and the NEW Seattle GM isn't scared of his own shadow when it comes to trading for now or spending money.

They aren't afraid to make a misstep because the rewards outweigh the risks.

MacPhail needs to learn to sign SCARY expensive players, trade for now, and sign LEGIT international prospects.

But those 3 things are the most expensive.

And we don't do anything that's expensive in Birdland.

Because we can talk about lengthy rebuilding projects and shot in the dark seasons like the Rays had.

And we can whine about the Red Sox being able to outspend us when that is a complete falsehood based on demographics, MASN market size, etc etc.

I bought into the youth movement and I like the young players. But it's not enough. Not by a longshot. This wait til we are one player away will keep us waiting for a very long time while every other team is aggressive.

Why is Dave Trembley still the manager of the ball-club? This makes no sense, and let me make this clear. I will not spend a penny on a ticket if DT is still the manager of this ball club....Its embarrassing, ridiculous, and the Baltimore Orioles will continue to be the laughing stock of MLB......BY NO MEANS is this Andy's fault.....Just get rid of DT.....PLEASE!

It goes with the territory.

"Criteria" is plural, "criterion" is singular.

I'm a lifelong Oriole fan. My first game as a kid was Hoyt Wilhelm's no-hitter.

But I'm ready now for the "Cleveland Deal." Remember the sweetheart deal Cleveland got from the NFL? New team, new owner, new stadium, kept the "colors" and the franchise history. I'm ready now to send all these bozos packing, spend 2 summers in baseball purgatory, then hail the arival of the new Orioles. With a new owner. Did I mention new owner?

I know. Won't happen. But I can dream, right?

Of course MacPhail should be in trouble. His players are both untalented and more importantly undisciplined, his coaching staff stinks, and his manager stinks. All those things fall within his responsibility. I can understand it taking a long time to build up talent and get to actual winning, but the continued lack of fundamental baseball intelligence by the team and its coaches can't be tolerated. The culture of excuse-making hasn't changed a bit since MacPhail took over and that's the one thing that absolutely has to go no matter what happens. No more weak "leaders" who can't take responsibility when they mess up!

I don't think MacPhail's set should be hot yet. Let's not forget so quickly the front office MO under the multi-headed direction of Flanagan and Duquette. Remember? They'd negotiate a trade only to have it vetoed by Angelos. The result, other teams just let their phone calls go to voicemail b/c they'd know how it would end and didn't want to waste their time.

MacPhail is decisive and gets things done. Supporters of Dave Trembley love to scream "name one person who you'd like to replace Trembley," but they never acknowledge the suggestions put forth (Bobby Valentine, Kirk Gibson, Ryne Sanberg, Bill Ripken). They'd rather maintain the position that people call for Trembley's job but can't name one person they'd rather have.

Conversely, I truly can't think of someone who could have done more to this point than MacPhail. Perhaps others could produce similarly, but what more could MacPhail have done? Don't say sign Mark Teixeira, he didn't want to come here. Repeat. He did not want to come here and the ring he got this week proves it.

In truth, the only thing MacPhail could have done differently would to bring in a big-name manager. Why? Not necessarily b/c it would have much of an affect on the team's performance, thus far, but b/c I'm quite certain Dave Trembley has zero credibility when it comes to convincing coveted free agents to choose Baltimore. In a division containing 3 of the best teams in baseball, it is imperative that the manager is one who, when he says, "I know we're in the AL East, but we can do this," can be believed. On what grounds can Trembley do this? On his career .500 record as a minor league record? On his dreadful win percentage as skipper of the O's? The answer is he can't.

His seat ought to be getting quite a bit hotter. First Uehara, and now Gonzo. He's the same clown who convinced the team he was merely saving it up for opening day. The team has $20 million plus on these two guys and they have yet to pitch 50 innings between the two of 'em. Of course, we all already know why so many penny wise pound foolish decisions are being made in the first place.
Big Pete did a lot of crowing a few years back when some pitcher he refused to sign got hurt the middle of the next season.
Well, why doesn't he own up to the fact that bargain basement reclamation projects are not money well spent. We need someone better at evaluating pitching than anybody we now have.

Andy MacPhail has done a remarkable job, given the horrendous shape this franchise was in prior to his arrival. However, all the re-building in the world won't matter if the major league team at the top of the organization can't win ballgames.

He's operated with a good deal of savvy, but he has erred on the side of being conservative, to a fault. How many seasons does he expect to waste before he puts a big bat in the middle of this line-up? Having all of these young players suffer loss after loss isn't going to make them better, it's going to leave them shell-shocked.

He traded away Aubrey Huff and George Sherrill last year (our big bat, such as it was, and closer, respectively) and replaced them with Garrett Atkins and Mike Gonzalez? I know he got Josh Bell and Steve Johnson for Sherrill, but they're not ready for the major leagues yet, and meanwhile the O's have games to lose, I mean play.

He's created a Catch-22 in which he will "buy the bats" once the club gets better. But how can the club get better without bats? As we've been told, big-time free agents (a la Teixeira) don't want to come to play for a losing franchise, yet he's helped to put together a team that shows little hope of winning more than 60 games this season. Hey free agents, who wants in?

Also, it's well past time for this organization to hire a manager with a proven track record of major league success. The last three managers have had no major league managerial experience prior to their jobs here, and it has shown.

no. i really think the sun and these bloggers are getting dumber by the day.

Um, no.

Andy is the best thing to happen to this team in years. Yes, our record is dreadful but the fact is, we have the most talent we've had since 1997. It's still so early. Our players will get hotter as the weather does.

Getting rid of Andy would be suicide. Be patient orioles fans. we have a lot of experience doing that now. I see a winning streak on the horizon. Let's get out to the ball park and show our loyalty. If o's fans can sellout memorial stadium in 1988 after another winless roadtrip, we can get out to te park now too. Times have been much worse. Go o's!!

The issues aren't MacPhail's fault. The players he has brought here are good. They just aren't producing. How is that his fault? How is it Trembley's fault? I don't necessarily agree with all of the decisions Trembley has made, but he is not the one out there swinging at bad pitches or grounding out weakly. Where's Crowley in this mess? How come no one blames the hitting coach when the team isn't hitting? How this guy has lasted 10+ seasons as the Orioles hitting coach is beyond a mystery. The Orioles can't hit but the 'fans' and media don't even mention the hitting coach's name?! Ridiculous.
The O's have had something like 7 pitching coaches in the span of Crowley's second stint as hitting coach (1999-current, he was also the hitting coach from 1985-1988). In fact, both times he has been hitting coach has been down times for the team.
SERIOUSLY... HOW IS THIS GUY STILL HERE?!

Mcphail need to follow the Yankees plan and get the best players money can buy. If Mr Angelos can't afford them sell the team. Tired of watching AA players and paying Major League prices.

Well done Kevin for being the first one to lay the blame for this mess on Andy MacPhail's desk instead of pussy-footing around. I am not the greatest fan of Dave Trembley or his style of managing, and if the truth be known I would rather see somebody else in the job. But Trembley didn't sign Gonzales to a 2 year $12m contract nor did he bring in 'lightening in a bottle' type players (with the possible exception of Miggy, who I think was an excellent stop-gap signing) instead of a real power bat clean-up hitter to help the team win NOW! I agree with you that it is MacPhail and this incestuous Front Office that needs gutting!

This is all about Angelos. He is making a show and laughing all the way to the bank.

SELL THE TEAM YOU POSMF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I agree that at this point MacPhail has done most of the right stuff and Trembley just isn't able to make it pay off. I, too, liked Dave for a while, but his handling of the pitching staff alone is enough to drive me to drink. I just don't think the team will ever move to the next level -- respectable play -- until we have a better manager. At this point, I'll give MacPhail a pass.

But my favorite part of this story, Kevin, is that you actually know the difference between "founder" and "flounder." Lots of other writers need to learn that lesson. ;)

Andy MacPhail has done a remarkable job, given the horrendous shape this franchise was in prior to his arrival. However, all the re-building in the world won't matter if the major league team at the top of the organization can't win ballgames.

He's operated with a good deal of savvy, but he has erred on the side of being conservative, to a fault. How many seasons does he expect to waste before he puts a big bat in the middle of this line-up? Having all of these young players suffer loss after loss isn't going to make them better, it's going to leave them shell-shocked.

He traded away Aubrey Huff and George Sherrill last year (our big bat, such as it was, and closer, respectively) and replaced them with Garrett Atkins and Mike Gonzalez? I know he got Josh Bell and Steve Johnson for Sherrill, but they're not ready for the major leagues yet, and meanwhile the O's have games to lose, I mean play.

He's created a Catch-22 in which he will "buy the bats" once the club gets better. But how can the club get better without bats? As we've been told, big-time free agents (a la Teixeira) don't want to come to play for a losing franchise, yet he's helped to put together a team that shows little hope of winning more than 60 games this season. Hey free agents, who wants in?

Also, it's well past time for this organization to hire a manager with a proven track record of major league success. The last three managers have had no major league managerial experience prior to their jobs here, and it has shown

Andy MacPhail is the first executive placed in that position who has a plan and is sticking to it. The plan is a good one and like he has always said, there will be rough spots in it.

I get how the Baltimore Sun's Sports Editor has it though. Pete Schmuck is going to be the good cop, while Cowherd is the bad cop. Good way to keep people interested.

However Cowherd, the next time you try to stir the pot, how about you use common sense. The Orioles average with RISP is .154 and how many hits have the Orioles had with RISP with 2 outs???? ONE!!!!

Let's stop with the blame game on the GM and Manager and hold the players accountable. This team isn't going to be this bad on offense the entire year and hopefully this year, unlike the past, the pitching will be consitent enough so when the bats finally come around, the team starts winning.

Too bad we're not the Cubs. Losing doesn't seem to hurt them. Sometimes, it seems the fans love them even more.

andy macphail can only do what peter angelos allows him to do. when the angelos faction is gone from baltiomore,then there will be a better product on the field. it is sad that a very proud organization has gone to what it has been for the last 12 years. this did not have to happen nor should it have happened. we are told that the front office is trying and that we should be patient. they have been telling us that for several years. that is not acceptable anymore. it isn't going to happen any time soon,but the sooner the angelos faction is no longer in charge of the orioles i believe we will see a better orioles team.

A few years ago, the entire farm system and major league roster needed to be scapped. Andy McPhail has put us within a few players from being a decent team notwithstanding the current results. Just ask Seattle and Houston who together, got fleeced for 10 players for Tejada and Bedard. If we let him go at this crucial point in our rebuilding program we are truly doomed to go back to the chaos that existed before. Stay the course!

andy macphail can only do what peter angelos allows him to do. when the angelos faction is gone from baltiomore,then there will be a better product on the field. it is sad that a very proud organization has gone to what it has been for the last 12 years. this did not have to happen nor should it have happened. we are told that the front office is trying and that we should be patient. they have been telling us that for several years. that is not acceptable anymore. it isn't going to happen any time soon,but the sooner the angelos faction is no longer in charge of the orioles i believe we will see a better orioles team.

Three years under MacFail's "leadership" - - - still waiting for him to "buy the bats," like he promised. Or was that just another lie under the Angelos Regime?!?

Is the Sun owned by Peter Angelos? Why don't you guys write something about what he's done to this team? He doesn't flip the bill for big name players. You get what you paid for. You guys pretty much criticize everyone except for Angelos. What's going on here?

This team needs a spark from a proven clubhouse leader. We need to stop screwing around with Dave Trembley and get a proven Major League Manager in here. For the last few years, I understand that this was not an attractive managerial job for potential candidates, but I don't think that is the case any longer. Solid base of young players and an owner with the bankroll to add to that foundation. Any manager worth his salt would want a crack at getting this team over the hump. Showalter or Valentine need to be in the O's dugout before the next homestand. This team needs a serious kick in the pants by someone who commands respect. This team lacks dicipline and accountability, and Trembley is not that kind of taskmaster. He was a good manager to develop the team to the point where they are now, but he is not the guy for the next step. GET BOBBY V!!! He can actually tell this team what it takes to win because he has actually DONE IT IN THE MAJORS!!! Hell, he even succeeded in JAPAN!
I am pretty sure that would get us a lot more press in Japan than signing Koji!
Make the Move ANDY!!!

Mr. Angelos, I ask you to right a wrong that was done in 1997. The Orioles had two years of success with Davey Johnson at the helm. He was let go or forced out because of clashing with you, your son's and a few of the "star" players. This team has suffered greatly ever since, and will continue to do so until you make things right. Are you not tired of losing? Please bring back the one manager that can turn this team around. Bring back Davey Johnson!

I'm gonna make this short and sweet. It is way too early to be in oanic mode. I understand we as a city has been through 13 straight years of losing baseball but we are only 2 weeks into the season. If they are still floundering at the All-Star Break then heads need to roll. Until then call off the dogs and lets see how the guys respond. Remember it was the media who kept bringing up the fact the horrific start the team will go through in reference to the degree of difficulty. The team will be fine, the city will be fine. Multiple years of losing does not get changed overnight.

I thought the term used to discribe non players in the stadium iwas "Fan " and not "Critic." Nine games, a young team, the best starting pitching we have had in a long time, a rebuilt farm system and a beautiful park and its of with there heads. Sigh!

macphail, angelos,
and trembley sweeo em all out,
hon.......................

One question that needs to be asked is how MacPhail and the organization in general goes about evaluating talent. Forgetting the ridiculous monetary advantage the Yankees have, they also have a solid organization that evaluates talent in a way to bring in players with measurable skills. The Yankees (and until recently, the Red Sox) will wear out competition by exerting extreme patience at the plate. This is not an accident. They bring in players like Johnny Damon, Giambi and Nick Swisher who are known to be very patient at the plate, in addition to whatever other skills they possess. They build the entire team with the same philosophy. When they have someone who doesn't fit that (Soriano) they dump the player, regardless of his other skills. In the case of MacPhail and the Orioles, they sometimes come across guys like Roberts (and hopefully Markakis) who show some discipline at the plate. But they trade for or develop guys like Pie, Adam Jones, Cesar Izturis or Corey Patterson who have demonstated over and over that they'll swing at anything. When they need a veteran who will help bring this young team to the next level, they bring in Tejada, a guy who has spent many years in the majors proving he has no plate discipline. This has to rub off on the younger players. This is where MacPhail needs to take the heat. In the old days the "Oriole Way" was a fundamental program taught to everyone in the organziation and it lead to winning. There is still an "Oriole Way" but that has lead to 13 consecutuve losing seasons and a firm grip on the basement.

Somebody commented that the O's players are just sleepwalking through games. This is where the manager lights a fire under their butts. But Trembley doesn't seem to inspire the players. This team needs a manager who will motivate the players. Bobby Valentine is available.

"He's put all the pieces in place, ..... acquired savvy veterans to plug the rest of the lineup holes."

"all" ??? "savvy" ? "the rest of ..." Surely you jest.

I couldn't disagree w/you more. I think McPhail has done an excellent job and most scouts around baseball seem to think highly of our farm system/player development compared to previous years. I think he has put the players on the field and they are underachieving right now. We have good players but I see a "bad" team so far. I'm not sure who the blame lies w/that, but I would get rid of the manager before I would get rid of the GM.

Too early to panic!!!!!
Really?
Its only 10 games into the season, but it is a continuation of last year.....and the year before.....and the year before that., and so forth and so on for the last 12 years.

What is is...is too late to be optimistic,too frustrating to be a fan and too crystal clear to be anything but pissed off.

The once greatest sports organization in professional baseball is an embarrassment to our proud city, a joke to the rest of the league, and a black hole that no free agent in their right mind wants to play for.

The issue isn't what the problem is, but what has to be done to fix it.

We have some young players that have potential. We cant change the roster, so here is what has to be done.

#1- Trembly has to go ..NOW...not at the all star break....not at the end of the season....but NOW.

#2- Who replaces him. You get someone like Phil Garner to manage. Bobby Valentine would also be an interesting choice, but his personality is too strong for Angelos and McPhail.

#3- Get Rick Dempsey on the bench. Have him learn from an experienced manager, and get some experience.

#4- Coaches...why isnt Jim Palmer a pitching coach........i also think Orel Hershiser would make a hell of a pitching coach. Or go after Dave Duncan from St Louis and offer him the manager job. The guy is kick ass.

#5- Hitting coach. Thats right Crowleys got to go. Eddie Murray? The guy i would want is Milt Thompson from Philly. So let me dream.....

#6 - 1-5 have to done as soon as possible.

If McPhail hasnt been thinking of this for the last 24 months he is unprepared and should be fined for sleeping at the switch.

The team needs a COMPLETE change of on field leadership IMMEDIATELY.

I have more steps to take but lets focus on 1-5 for right now.

Wake up....smell the coffee....and lets get the Titanic turned away from the iceberg as soon as possible.

The current management and leadership is going to suck the life out of these kids.

Come on McPhail.........be a man, grow a set and make some moves before sub 10,000 attendance becomes sub 5,000.

Which part of Andy's plan is to blame here. He said he planned to grow could young arms - other than Begeson's bad outing yesterday, which is only worrisome because of his two injuries, the young arms are delivering and the ones in Norfolk seem on track. Markakis and Roberts seemed to be proven ingredients, but Roberts is out and Markakis looks lost. Reimold and Jones showed promise, but the first is clearly not physically ready to play and after his poor second half you have to start to wonder if Jones is the player he appeared to be,. In any case, no one seriously thought this team would win this year (maybe 75 games and that looks like a stretch right now), but Andy will be judged by the next two free agent years. By 2011 they should get over 500 and be competitive in 2012. problem is Andy may the commish by then. Trembley on the other hand looks completely lost. he was flat embarrassed by Madden this week.

He should have traded Markakis while he still had some value. The bum is only hitting .200...and that other bum Roberts before his injuries. We should be undefeated. Why doesn't he see this?
*sniffles"

I don't know what game you're watcing Kevin. The "savy" veterans aren't plugging the holes. The hole last year was relief pitching. That hole is not only big but it's gaping so far this year. Michael Gonzales is a real savy veteran.....So savy that we better trade him for a box of baseballs.....before the other teams realizes he's not worth that much.

Do the O's use the revenue sharing from the Yanks and redsox since they do not get the attendence of those two to buy better players, some just pocket the money.

The problem is Trembley. He does not know how to coach at the major league level. Sure, he may be great with developing young players, but that is it. At the major league level, it is not about developing players. Player development takes place at the minor league level. When the player is ready to move up, they should already be through the development process. Sure, improvement at the major league level may take some time. But you don't teach or instruct players at the major league level.

One of the things that Trembley has repeatedly done with much failure is his inconsistency in making a lineup. He seems to change the lineup on a daily basis. How are players going to get comfortable when they are constantly moving around? In my book, that is desperation and a lack of confidence in your players when you have to shuffle the lineup without having faith that leaving your guys in will get the job done. His "B Team" lineup where he would put in all his bench players every Sunday was ridiculous. You could count every Sunday a loss. His mantra of trying to get everyone in the game is getting old. You have to put your best players out on the field no matter who they are so you have the best chance to win. Thinking that you have to make everyone happy has not worked. If the players don't know their role, it is Trembley's responsibility to let them know.

The starting pitching for the most part has been above average. They are actually giving the team a chance to win. The relief pitching is what has killed them so far with blown saves and giving up the big inning. I suspect as time goes on, the relief pitching will improve as they put more innings of work in to get back to form.

The hitting on the other hand has obviously been horrendous. Runners in scoring position are left on base every time the O's have a chance to blow the game wide open. When you have an inning killer like that, morale has to go down. I don't get why they can't hit in the clutch. Do you blame Trembley for that or the players? At this point, the players have to be held accountable to some degree. Mentally, they are not ready. But is it Trembley's job to make them ready is another question. His lackadazzical attitude wears on his players as it shows they don't appear to be pumped up to drive in some runs. The poor base running mistakes are still a problem which has not been corrected.

I think Trembley will be given some more time to see if things can be turned out. If not, I suspect someone will come in to take his place. I just hope they don't hire from within. They need to bring in someone from outside who can instill a new attitude on the team. Anyone remember why Mazzilli got fired? Were the O's in 1st place until Angelos failed to make a move for a playoff run and Mazzilli let it all out ?

The finger pointing begins, I give him credit for not throwing trembley under the bus. Better to throw the whole team instead

New Slogan: The Royal Way!

So I just noticed this post. When, again, was the heat going to start coming down on AM? We now stand more than a month later with nothing but continued ineptitude from the Os- if anything recent weeks have just confirmed what the first 9 games suggested, that MacPhail's "big" offseason acquisitions were busts, that the coaches he's hired and inexplicably retained can't coach, and that this team couldn't be further from competitiveness. So when did you say the heat was going to fall on MacPhail?

You said it's "only a matter of time" until MacPhail feels the heat, and that his seat will "get warmer by the minute" if the O's continue to stink. Well, it's been 48,960 minutes of stinking in the 5 weeks since you posted that- how much warmer is his seat?