MVN - Most Valuable Network

Adam Jones belongs here

He belongs in the MLB.  He belongs on the O’s and his “struggles” to date are no different then any other player in his rookie season.

I don’t know WHO would think that Jones would be better served in AAA, but in this article in today’s Baltimore Sun you will find this:

His performance lowered his average to .211 and triggered some talk that perhaps the talented 22-year-old outfielder would be better served at Triple-A.

That has to be the most asinine thing I have ever read.  Jones is 22 years old and the learning curve in the MLB can be steep for a lot of players.

Jones current average, after a bad road-trip, sits at .211.  He has 2 HR and 11 RBI.

On May 5th of 2006 Nick Markakis’ batting average sat at .203.  He had 2 HR and 8 RBI.

On May 6th 1982 Cal Ripken’s batting average sat at a robust .162.  He had 2 HR and 4 RBI.

There have been a few places I have seen expressing disappointment in Jones’ start so far.  Again, I have to say that it is so short-sighted it is bordering on the absurd.  Adam Jones is the future and if anyone expected him to be a 25-30 HR threat from jump-street was kidding themselves.

Let us not forget that Jones has been more than solid in CF, arguably the toughest outfield position, so far this season with more than his fair share of highlight-worthy plays.  He has also displayed a cannon for an arm, something that you can not fully appreciate until you see it live.

Now, Jones needs to make the adjustments.  In his first year Nick had to learn how to get around on the inside fastball.  Nick learned, he went on to hit 14 HRs in the second half of 2006.

Orioles fans should expect a similar type of learning curve from Jones, to expect anything more is simply asking too much.  And if you hear anyone say they are “disappointed” in Jones’ output or that he might need to be “sent-down;”  Be sure to show them the scorn and derision they si desperately deserve.

The Weekend That Was, The Evil Empire 1A Comes Into Town…

After starting off their road trip on a disastrous note with two bad series in the Golden State, the Orioles won the first three games in Kansas City before being shut out by the Royals, 4-0.

I didn’t see much of the Orioles this weekend, but I just got watch a little of the game online via MLB.tv this morning and they seemed to have certainly no chance against Brian Bannister. Sunday was just one of those games where you just had to tip your hat to the opponent because they deserved the win.

Bannister pitched eight strong innings, as he allowed two hits along with two walks and struck out five. Jose Guillen & Billy Butler had two hits and an RBI, while Alex Gordon and Mark Teahan also drove in runs for Kansas City.

Brian Burres was serviceable and would have to had to pitch the perfect game yesterday; however, he allowed four runs in the contest for his fourth loss of the year.

Overall, we should be quite glad with the way our Baltimore Orioles turned their road trip around as our division rivals, the Evil Empire 1A (the Boston Red Sox) stroll into town for a brief two-game set this week. With it being May, the economy and gas prices, the Red Sox fan turnout we should assume may not be as strong this time at the Yard.

However, this upcoming series is important for us. Although the Red Sox lost two out of three in Minnesota, they still boast one of the best pitching corps and starting lineups in all of baseball; thus, a sweep of Boston, or even a split would benefit Baltimore greatly.

Oh yes, if you have not seen, Alex Cintron has been called up from Norfolk to bolster our bench or start in the infield, while Bob McCrory’s brief tour in the majors comes to an end — for now.

Despite the Orioles being at .500 right now, you’ve got give them credit for staying in pretty much every game and for the pitching effort.

Like I said, due to Mother’s Day Stuff and other obligations, I didn’t see much Oriole baseball aside from TV clips and MLB.com.

You guys and gals have any thoughts or comments? The floor is now open…

Orioles hold on to win in KC, going for sweep today

The Orioles jumped out to a 3-run lead in the first inning off a Kevin Millar 3-run homer before yet another long rain-delay.

After the delay the Orioles would build up a 6-1 lead collecting hit through the rain drops as both teams desperately tried to get this game in.  But as the innings wore on, surprisingly, the Royals were able to cut the lead to 6-4 off of the suddenly ineffective Chad Bradford and Jamie Walker.

Walker is the Orioles “left-handed-specialist” but lefties are batting .355 off of him with three homeruns.  That will probably change, but he has not been himself recently.  The submariner Bradford is getting the groundballs he usually gets, but recently those grounders have been finding holes.

Jim Johnson was pitch-perfect in relief, again, getting the Orioles out of a seventh inning two-on, no-out jam.

In the ninth inning (how the HELL did this game get into the ninth inning?) closer George Sherrill would come ever so close to blowing his third save of the year.  Nursing a two-run lead he would walk the lead-off man but then strike out the next two KC batters.  Billy Butler came about three feet from a game-tying two-run bomb to center-field but he would have to settle for a double and an RBI.

Sherrill would finish out the game, collect his save and send the Orioles into the locker room to towel off with a 6-5 win.

One question I kept asking myself throughout the game was: “How did they even get this one in?”  It was one of those games that if they called it in the sixth I don’t think anyone would have questioned the move.  I think that everyone and their brother felt that this game was going to get called.  Dave Trembley did, that is why he went to Bradford/ Walker in the sixth/seventh.

The wind was absolutely ridiculous and both teams are lucky no one got hurt.  In the ninth Melvin Mora almost got nailed in the head by a full-tilt fastball that slipped out of Leo Nunez’ hand.

You have got to think if something like that had happened in fifth inning there is no way this game continues.

The Orioles have suddenly salvaged respectability out of this road trip!  This is arguably the toughest trip this season for the Orioles and they currently sit at 4-5 with a chance to sweep the Royals and get back to two games over .500 for the season.

It would be the team’s second four-game sweep of the year, the first coming against the Mariners in Baltimore.

Even if the Orioles lose today they will return to Baltimore at .500 and finally get a day off before welcoming idiot nation into Camden for a short two game series.

This has been a long, arduous stretch for the Orioles.  They sit at 8-10 over their last 19 games (with the Chicago game suspended).  A win today means the Orioles pretty much went .500 during the roughest, longest road/home for three/road trip of the year that included two swings through the west coast.

For this team to remain near .500 after being swept in Oakland and losing two to Los Angeles I think says a lot about their makeup and abilities.

The pitching has been phenomenal.  Only Steve Trachsel’s terrible start in LA sits as a black mark in the past couple of weeks.  The offense vanished for a time, but it has returned in force with the Orioles hitting a 3-run homer in each of their last three games.

This team really showed me something during this stretch.  I think that they might have the ability, if the pitching keeps up and the bullpen remains stable, to hang around this .500 mark for most of the season.

Today, however, the Orioles go for the sweep.  The floor is yours.

Two In A Row For Baltimore; Matt Wieters

Perhaps we should not consider it curtains for Steve Trachsel, at least for now. The elder righty, who has been a topic of speculation — mainly if he’d still be employed in the future — went a little more than five innings and gave up two runs.

The Baltimore Orioles beat the Kansas City Royals, 7-4 last night.

Well, the big difference in the game was Aubrey Huff’s three run homer in the fifth inning off Gil Meche, who’d lose the game.

The Royals got on the board first as Alex Gordon hit an early two-run homer, but after Melvin Mora’s two run homer in the third — it was all Orioles.

Meanwhile, George Sherill earned his 12th save of the year.

Freddie Bynum had two hits, as well Nick Marakis and Kevin Millar.

However, for many Oriole fans, the big story came from down in the lower levels, as Matt Wieters is showing why he’s the future of Baltimore Orioles.

According to Roch Kubatko:

“Matt Wieters homered twice tonight, drove in three runs and scored three more for Single-A Frederick, He has an eight-game hitting streak.

I still don’t see him rising above Double-A Bowie this year, but the temptation to reward him with a September call-up will be awfully strong.

Wieters and Brandon Tripp are tied for the Carolina League lead with seven home runs. Jake Renshaw picked up his fifth win, tops in the league.”

I say he makes it up in September — just for a taste of the big time and to see if he can handle the rigors of the majors.

Granted, there’s no need to hinder his development by rushing him; however, the Orioles are still evaluating their players and I see no harm in having the youngster up at the end of the season.

Danny Boy Was Amazing; Bynum Returns & Delivers…

I have complained, whined and bitched about the Orioles this week, as a lot of people have; however, tonight showed why we as fans have a lot to look forward to with the new look Baltimore franchise. Daniel Cabrera won his third game — a complete game — thanks to an excellent effort by the tall righty, and Nick Markakis’ three run-homer.

Back to Daniel, the kid is now focused and in a way — now in the zone. Granted, we are not only even 1/2 of the way through the season, but if number 40 keeps this up, he will no doubt be the man we hoped he’ll be. Then again, he may be dangled on the market too.

I’m going to be cautiously optimistic, but so far, so good.

He used groundballs and strikeouts (7) to get himself through in Kansas City.

Finally, how about Freddie Bynum?

The floor is yours.

Just About At The Quarter Mark Of The ‘08 Campaign…

I have my hands up in the air after another loss — this time in extra innings; however, just like others — close game, the Orioles struggle to come back and then lose in the end.

What’s to say? The one thing we thought would be the problem isn’t the problem (the pitching) — it’s the bleeping offense.

I said in the beginning of the year, I’d be happy to see the team improving, in a way it has with the competitive ball games and an effective relief/starting corps.

But again the bleeping offense is making me wonder if the Orioles are who we thought they were.

Now Roberts won’t hit in the .250-260’s (at least we hope), and Nick Markakis is far better than what he’s showing right now. Huff (he’s doing ok, but I still really don’t care for the guy) is hitting in the .280’s, Scott is struggling.

But everyone else? What in the world.

Um, I have a news flash — the offense was going to be a problem with a lack of protection, and it’s showing to be the case. As hot as Luke Scott was the first three weeks of the season, the lineup is really starting to show it’s weak links without Tejada.

If the Orioles hit marginally better in the next few weeks, then we can hover around .500; however, as I see it, we are really seeing the true Baltimore Orioles at least on the offensive front.

Kids, the Luis Hernandez experiment needs to come to it’s bitter end. Time to bring in Bynum — if he does not work, bring in Cintron. Give Trachsel a few starts out of respect, but if he cannot improve, summon him to the pen or tell him to resume his career somewhere else.

I like what MacPhail has done so far and I see the forest from the trees; however, if I were a manager (this is the fan speaking in me), I’d love to put a few W’s in the win column.

Your thoughts, I know you all have ‘em…

A Gust from the Gods does in the O’s

The Oakland Athletics completed a three-game sweep of the Orioles today off a Mark Ellis 10th inning solo-homerun that literally kissed off the foul-side of the left-field pole.

I am dead serious, that ball just barely clipped the pole as it passed it.  And I mean BARELY.

When things are going wrong, everything seems to go wrong.

The Orioles offense struggled through much of the game.  They were getting men on base, but unable to get the big hit.  Down 4-2 in the eighth the Orioles offense finally came through scoring three runs, two with two out, to take the lead.

It would be short-lived as the A’s came back in the bottom of the inning.  Melvin Mora couldn’t handle a bunt, an error putting the lead-off man on.  Bradford surrender a single, then a sac bunt.

An intentional walk would load the bases for Frank Thomas.  Thomas hit a ground ball deep to short and Roberts was taken out at second, unable to turn two.  Tie game, the rest is history.

This series has been beyond maddening as the Athletics have not been hitting the ball hard before today.  The last two losses it seems that Oakland was just getting those grounders with eyes, those dying quail shots that were just falling in the right spots.

They were getting the grounders that were deep enough in holes that the double play could not be turned, allowing baserunners to beat them out.

This roadtrip has been tough as the Orioles have been in every single game being outscored 24-18 in this trip.  Only a six-run differential and yet the Orioles are 1-5 on this road trip so far.

Tomorrow the Orioles head off to Kansas City.  Historically the Orioles have handled their trips to KC rather well.  Right now I would settle for a split just to salvage something out of this disastrous west-coast swing.

I have said it before and I will say it again:

Nothing good EVER happens on the west-coast swing.

Same Story, Different Day: O’s Lose Out West, 4-2

I was going to title this post something else (use your imagination), but I decided to be a good fan and use some decorum when doing this. Again, the Orioles lost our West, 4-2, to the Oakland Athletics.

Brian Burres struggled for the most part last night, as he allowed eight hits and four runs (he was charged with three) over a little more than five innings of work. The bullpen was once again solid; however, once again the anemic offense did not do anyone favors despite the relief corps keeping Baltimore in the game.

The flighted ones made A’s starter, Justin Duchscherer, look like a Cy Young candidate as he seven innings and allowed two runs — on four hits(!) — while walking two and striking out four batters. Aubrey Huff and Luke Scott each drove in a run for the Orioles, but honestly, after watching this game online — not much else happened.

In light of Burres’ start, he’s been out most consistent pitcher, and you cannot blame the ‘pen on this one. Folks, we’re now under .500 and 1-4 on this road trip, thus we surely cannot blame the pitching — it’s the bats.

Most thought we’d be terrible — we’re not (well, so far) — but the lack of hitting by the offense may make the doomsday predictions come true. Granted, the offense cannot be this bad for the long haul, but it’s been alarming the past week.

The whole team at the plate is awful and there are only two guys hitting even above .270 — Aubrey Huff and Luke Scott (who is slumping). A couple of guys (Millar, Hernandez, Jones) are nearing the Mendoza line. Just imagine if we could have put up a few more runs on the board, we could have at least split this trip so far.

They’ll go at again this afternoon as Jeremy Guthrie counters with Joe Blanton. We’ve got to stop making this Oakland team look like a bunch of All-Stars.

Are the Orioles looking like who we thought they were?

O’s Lose Late in Oaktown, 2-1: What Should Be Done About The Offense?

The O’s are now back at .500 as they lost to the A’s in Oaktown, 2-1. The loss is their third in a row; however, we should take some positives from the loss.

First, Garrett Olson went a little more than six shutout innings, and looked nothing like the wide-eyed kid who could not keep his pitches in the strike zone last year. It’s too bad he didn’t get the decision; however, the A’s starter, Dana Eveland was just as good on the mound as he threw seven shutout innings and allowed only three hits.

Emil Brown had three hits, including the game-winning single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, to decide the game. Rajai Davis drove in the other run for Oakland on the night with a bases loaded infield single off Jamie Walker. The Orioles fought back in the ninth and tied the score thanks to a Ramon Hernandez RBI. Jim Johnson took the loss in the tenth; however, he’s been nothing but exceptional, and the law of averages caught up with him.

I actually stayed up and watched most of the game, and let’s just say the offense needs to get into gear — real quick. I really didn’t see much there and it’s just disheartening to see a good pitching effort wasted by a youngster because the bats went quiet.

What should we do about it? I’m going to take this issue game by game, but it was no secret to any of us here that the bats would be a problem (although we suspected the pitching might be just as bad, which is now anything but the case). I still think we need more pitching depth, but the lack of hits and runs crossing the plate is becoming a huge issue.

Like I said, I’m not going to care about wins and losses in 2008; however, a hit here and a run there (especially after what I saw on Sunday), the Orioles could be several games over .500; the floor is open — what do you think? What should be done with the offense?

As well, with what I am seeing with the young rotation, Trachsel’s time in Baltimore could be in it’s final hours unless he finds himself.

Finally, why I am hoping to see Freddie Bynum again in an Oriole uniform despite his numbers so far in his career?

The Orioles Head To The Other City By The Bay; A Three Game Set in Oak-Town…

The Orioles continue their march — eh, I mean road trip this evening. After dropping 2 of 3 with the California Angels of Anaheim or Los Angeles (they’re confused), they head to the Bay Area.

Monday: Garrett Olson (1-0, 2.70) vs. Dana Eveland (3-2, 3.67)
Tuesday: Brian Burres (3-2, 2.87) vs. Justin Duchscherer (2-1, 2.40)
Wednesday: Jeremy Guthrie (1-3, 4.06) vs. Joe Blanton (2-5, 3.88)

The A’s have been good — very good, and a lot of their strength lies on the pitching front. Until yesterday, the O’s offense has been dead; thus, they’ll need to keep the bats hot against Oakland.

Despite the A’s trading away some of their name players, the youngsters on that team mixed in with some cheap veterans have come out to a strong start and battling the California Angels for supremacy of the AL West.

On paper, the pitching match-ups look fairly even and the game I’m looking forward to seeing is tonight’s, as Olson has his second start of the year. He was very good the other day: however, the walks didn’t not bite him — but, if he keeps up the walks, they law of averages will catch up with him and the O’s will pay.