Birdseed...Where We Wish Randor Bierd Well on His Visit to the Home Planet.

The so-called strike zone

Smarlinghue — Tue, 13 May 2008 11:15:46 GMT

Excellent, but brief article by Phil Wood on the umpires' view of the rule book strike zone here.

Weak attendance could be a National emergency (May 5 article)

JR — Mon, 12 May 2008 01:47:02 GMT

(This article is from last Monday)

Weak attendance could be a National emergency

By Jeff Passan, Yahoo! Sports May 5, 2:00 am EDT

WASHINGTON Stan Kastens two families converged this week. Down south, his daughter graduated from the University of Florida. And here, where hes president of the Washington Nationals, his baby turned a month old.

Nationals Park, the citys $611 million gift to bring baseball back after a 34-year hiatus, is a perfectly acceptable new stadium. It is not transcendent like its Beltway neighbor, Camden Yards in Baltimore, and not a billion-dollar homage to gluttony like the new Yankee Stadium will be. It is a good place to take the family for $5 a ticket, grab a drink in the packed center-field bar, watch a footrace involving people wearing giant foam heads of dead presidents, ogle the HD video screen and soak in a gorgeous day like Sunday, when the sun beamed, a breeze whistled through the Southeast and the game-time temperature registered at 72.

Not even the perfect afternoon could fill the stadium for the second time, and it may be a while until the Nationals play to another sellout. Since packing Nationals Park on Opening Day and watching Ryan Zimmerman christen it with a game-ending home run, fans have been curiously absent. On Sunday, the Nationals announced paid attendance was 30,564, just above the 41,222-seat stadiums average of 29,686 that ranks in the bottom half of baseball.

Our attendance has been terrific, Kasten said. Whether people are sitting in those seats or not, more and more are coming in.

Kasten is either an optimist, a great faade builder or a man with a plan he doesnt want to share or, perhaps, all three. Because his public stance on the new stadium falling short of anticipated attendance is surprisingly calm, even when small pieces of evidence stack into one worrisome situation.

The Nationals season-ticket base, though up from 15,000 last season to 18,000, remains significantly short of the 22,500 sold during their first season in 2005 after moving from Montreal. Theyre almost guaranteed to finish with the worst attendance in all numbers total, average and percentage for a new stadium since Cincinnati opened Great American Ball Park in 2003. In Washingtons low point, the second game in Nationals Park actually had worse attendance than the second game at decrepit RFK Stadium last year.

Sounds like youre a lot more concerned about this than me, Kasten said.

Perhaps so, though Kasten cant ignore the games on television where it looks as though the Nationals are playing to a crowd of ushers. The President seats, positioned behind home plate, go for more than $300 apiece, and theyre selling like underwear at a nudist colony. Every pitch, the view is the same: hitter, catcher, umpire and about 25 of their unoccupied blue friends.

There are explanations. The NHLs Capitals and NBAs Wizards each made playoff runs in the same season for the first time in more than two decades. The weather, especially for the Nationals second game, was miserable. More than anything, though, an unlikely culprit can account for the paltry behind-the-plate attendance.

Part of Washingtons allure, when Major League Baseball planned the move from Montreal, involved the potential fan base. Smart, fanatical and, best of all, with loads of disposable income.

Then Jack Abramoff tried to buy off all of Washington. New lobbying laws soon followed, and now the maximum gift given to a lawmaker cannot exceed $50. Which means all the Presidential tickets $325 for single-game ones, $335 on Saturday and $400 for the front row, all more than the best seat at Yankee Stadium, which goes for $250 that should have gone from lobbyist to Congressman to hard-working staffer no longer exist, and the market wont get any hotter unless the Nationals do, too.

Thats a factor, Kasten said. The economy is a factor. Where we are in our development cycle in our team is a factor. I dont think (were going to lower ticket prices). Not really. Its not something were anticipating.

Its clear to me that when we turn the corner as a team, theyll come.

And this, more than anything, inspires Kastens calmness. He sees improvement at the major-league level, Sundays 5-2 win against Pittsburgh was the Nationals eighth in 10 games. He understands contending this year is a long shot. Theres not enough talent. The Nationals are Zimmerman and enough question marks to outfit the Riddler.

Their farm system is more an exclamation point. Since taking over in 2006, Kasten has made rebuilding the Nationals farm system a priority. One of his first hires was Mike Rizzo, the scouting impresario who ran the Arizona Diamondbacks drafts that have borne perhaps the best team in baseball. In last years draft, the Nationals reloaded a system that had gone dry, and now, Kasten said with pride, the cumulative record of Washingtons minor-league affiliates is the fourth best in baseball.

The evolution of Washingtons franchise will be one of the big stories in baseball over the next five years. With any success, the President seats will start selling, and the $400,000-a-year suites that are two-thirds sold will be the hottest non-Redskins ticket in town, and between the gate receipts and the money from the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network, the Nationals will turn into a financial powerhouse.

From there, theyll pick up a hole-plugging free agent or two. Never a huge contract, because, as Kasten said, I dont have to remind you how fraught with peril the haphazard pursuit of free agency is.

Translation: We dont need a Barry Zito.

For now, the Nationals want to make the present as palatable as possible. They use gimmicks to help create what Kasten deems an experience kids standing at each position on the field when the Nationals run out for the first inning, the Presidents Race where George and Abe go head to head and other such events that both enhance the entertainment and take away from the fact that the baseball isnt quite there.

Its going to happen, Kasten said. I dont know which comes first. But neither one depends on the other. Were going to continue to have the best experience we can at the ballpark. At the same time were building a franchise.

Kasten has time. His baby is only a month old. He can only hope it starts walking sooner than later.

O's option McCrory to AAA, call up Cintron

JR — Sun, 11 May 2008 18:20:22 GMT

www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-cintron0511,0,7566606.story

baltimoresun.com

O's recall Cintron from Norfolk

Infielder was hitting .288 in 16 games at Norfolk; Reliever McCrory optioned to Triple-A

Baltimoresun.com Staff

12:39 PM EDT, May 11, 2008

The Orioles today announced that they have selected the contract of infielder Alex Cintron from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned right-handed pitcher Bob McCrory to Norfolk. The Orioles now have a full 40-man roster.

Cintron was batting .288 in 16 games with Norfolk. The 29-year-old infielder was signed by the Orioles as a minor league free agent on March 31. Cintron is a career .277 hitter in 598 games in the major leagues. In his career, he has played with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Chicago White Sox.

McCrory was recalled for the first time on April 29. The 26-year-old reliever made back-to-back appearances on April 30 and May 1, allowing four earned runs on two hits and four walks.

How stupid is Payton???

JR — Sun, 11 May 2008 11:25:11 GMT

The Orioles won without having anyone fully available on their three-man bench after the third inning. Catcher Ramon Hernandez was scratched before the game because of a sore left wrist, forcing Guillermo Quiroz into the starting lineup. Hernandez's status was listed as day-to-day, and he likely could have been used in an emergency. Second baseman Brian Roberts singled to lead off the first and scored on Millar's homer. But he never returned after the rain delay because of a left foot contusion. Also listed as day-to-day, Roberts was replaced by Luis Hernandez.

In the fourth, the Orioles lost left fielder Jay Payton, who was thrown out arguing a check-swing third strike. Orioles manager Dave Trembley, who has been carrying a three-man bench, was forced to insert his only healthy reserve, Luke Scott, into left field to replace Payton.

It didn't become an issue because the Orioles never trailed.

Jay's gotta know after Luis went in for Brian in the bottom of the first that the O's only had one healthy reserve - Luke Scott. But...no...he's gotta take himself out of the game by getting tossed. If someone had gotten hurt (or tossed) over the balance of the game, the Orioles in all likelihood would have been forced to put a pitcher in that position...

I like the commentary in Rotoworld about the incident: "Typical of Payton to get himself tossed from a game in which the Orioles were already down two players because of injuries. There might not be a player in baseball with a more overinflated sense of self-worth, and while he's hardly useless against left-handed pitchers, the Orioles would be better off if they released him immediately."

I agree with the guy who wrote that. Time for the O's to cut Payton. His OPS has gone from .750 to .743 to .668 to .581 (in the current season). His only worth is the fact that he can play all 3 OF positions. Last year, when we had crap in LF, Payton could play LF and spell Corey in CF. This year, we've got Jones in CF (and while he is only hitting .228, he is the future in CF) and Scott in LF (where is Luke's HR power this year - he's tied for the team lead in doubles with 10, but has only 1 dinger). Bring up Terrero or Redman in Jay's place.

JR

Meanwhile, down in Lynchburg

nothingman — Sun, 11 May 2008 05:44:03 GMT

The Frederick Keys won tonight, 11-5 . Wieters and Rowell both homer, and Jake Arrieta puts up this line: 6 IP, 8 K, 0 BB, 2 ER, 5 H. His ERA for the season is 2.01, 53/22 in 44.2 innings. Wieters is up 355 with 8 home runs, and Rowell is also batting north of 300 after missing a few weeks to begin the season. If Vinyard can regain his power stroke with his seemingly good plate discipline, he could be a sleeper prospect. Even Snyder is showing signs of coming out of his early season slump. Real nice to see.

Tragedy, struggles dont stop Astros Tejada (from Yahoo Sports)

JR — Sun, 11 May 2008 00:15:01 GMT

Tragedy, struggles dont stop Astros Tejada

By Tim Brown, Yahoo! Sports May 10, 1:38 am EDT

LOS ANGELES Miguel Tejada angled from the team bus to Cecil Coopers office Friday afternoon, slowing only to locate his locker and drop a Louis Vuitton shopping bag inside.

He politely asked two reporters to clear out so he could have a moment alone with his manager and closed the door behind him. Tejada and Cooper were laughing when the door opened a couple minutes later.

Tejada, growing suspicious that Cooper was considering resting him one of these games, was in the lineup Friday night. Hell almost surely be in it Saturday, and the next day, and the day after that.

Tejada had won again.

Im trying to negotiate a day, Cooper said, smiling, feigning exasperation.

Maybe the day game in San Francisco on Thursday? The interleague series in Texas next week, when Tejada could serve a night as the designated hitter?

Coopers eyes widened.

Maybe thats something I can negotiate, he said. A little compromise.

Loose from the drudgery and disappointment of Baltimore, holding to his career-long workaday ethic, and, uh, clearly not getting any younger, Tejada refuses to miss a game, an inning, an at-bat. Besides, hes enjoying this, his first season for the Houston Astros, too much to miss a minute. Tejada arrived in Los Angeles in the midst of a six-week revival in the batters box, where he is above his career averages in batting, slugging and on-base percentage, and at shortstop, where he appears to have regained the range that abandoned him a season ago.

After batting practice, breathing deep in an unusual Southern California chill, Tejada dropped his bats into their bins in the visitors dugout, peeled off his batting gloves and explained his battle to leave the days off for another day.

I like to play, he said. And, you know, the day I take off might be the best day of my career.

Backed into a corner in recent years by steroid suspicions, a budding FBI investigation into whether he lied to federal officials about his involvement with performance-enhancing drugs, accusations in the Mitchell Report hed purchased steroids and human growth hormone, and revelations he lied about his age when he signed with the Oakland Athletics 15 years ago, Tejada seems to fear only the game not played.

He will be challenged eventually by what are likely self-inflicted steroids issues, by the feds or in the final accounting of his career, perhaps both. He nodded silently at the accounting of a winter uncomfortably spent, and of the humiliating waylay by ESPN last month. His older brother, Freddy, died in a mid-January motorcycle accident.

And yet, he was batting .336, .351 with runners in scoring position, .406 with men on base for the Astros, who have ridden the bats of Tejada and Lance Berkman to unexpected competence in the National League Central. Among major league shortstops, Tejada ranks first in RBIs and third in batting, OPS and home runs. Hes committed only two errors.

I fight it, Tejada said of the federal, media and fan intrusions, along with the death of his brother. I fight it every day. The team needs me. The team needs me 100 percent every day.

He raised his hands to his head, held them cupped around his eyes, and groped for the word.

Blinders, he finally said. Like the horses.

When the Astros and new general manager Ed Wade traded five players to the Baltimore Orioles for Tejada last offseason, the consensus among scouts was that the Astros were getting a declining hitter and shortstop, one who could no longer bat in the middle of the order or, indeed, play shortstop. Most assumed he would of course start opening day for the Astros, but at third base.

It looked like work for him last season, an American League scout said of Tejadas fourth year in Baltimore. He was always an energy guy and he had a great way about him. That way wasnt there last year.

With a laugh, the scout added, Hes using the experience he gained in the offseason to his advantage.

Yes, Tejada is 33, not 31. In the meantime, every night, they line the field and turn on the lights and Tejada wishes for nothing more than to stand out between those lines and under those lights, to play the game not yet played.

For that reason, he is known in his native Dominican Republic and some parts of this Astros clubhouse as La Gua Gua, or The Bus. As in, Tejada drives that bus, steers the offense, navigates the game. Every game.

The same thing Ive always seen in him, said teammate Darin Erstad, who knows a fellow gamer when he sees one. Just a phenomenal player. Great clutch hitter. Plays every day. Whats amazing is his love for the game. He has so much fun out there, its refreshing.

After four losing seasons in Baltimore, dulled by the vacant promises to rebuild a once competitive franchise, Tejada knew it was time to go. He was no longer the player Erstad described, the player Cooper relies on. The trade made him him again.

They told me they were going to make it a good team and they didnt, Tejada said of the Orioles. I dont play for the 15th and 30th of the month, when the paychecks come. I play to be a champion every day. I was getting tired of seeing it. It was time.

He gestured toward teammates who stomped down stairs that led to the clubhouse.

This means a lot, he said. At this time in my career, its not about numbers or money. Its about pride. This is much better. You can see everybody wants to win here. Im here to win.

First, though, hes got to play.

Im OK, he told Cooper a couple hours earlier. Im going to play.

The day off? The game not played?

Unh-unh, Cooper said, smiling. That aint happening.

Melvin Mora's Many Moras (from Yahoo Sports)

JR — Sun, 11 May 2008 00:11:43 GMT

Melvin Moras many Moras

By Jeff Passan, Yahoo! Sports 4 hours, 40 minutes ago

Normally, Melvin Moras story gets told on Fathers Day. He has 6-year-old quintuplets. Add his wifes 11-year-old daughter, whom they raise, and Mora is baseballs equivalent of Mike Brady.

You should talk about the women in my life, he said.

OK. But where to start? There are two pillars, and its not like Mora can choose a favorite, not on Mothers Day. This is a time to appreciate both: Felipa, the mother who raised him, and Gisel, the mother of his children. Mora figures the best way, aside from a gift and the promise of continued love, is to tell his story through them.

So it begins somewhere in the middle, in a hospital, where Gisel is bleeding and convinced she has lost her twins. She and Melvin met in 1997 in New Orleans, where he played Triple-A ball, and married three years later in New York. Gisel wanted more kids, and she underwent fertility treatment. Doctors thought she was carrying two babies until the bleeding started. They listened closer and heard five distinct heartbeats.

I checked my wallet, Mora said. Wanted to make sure I had enough money to feed them.

It brought him back to his youth in Venezuela. Mora grew up in Aqua Negra, his father, Gregorio, a beer and fruit salesman, his mother in charge of raising 10 children. Then, when Mora was 6, he watched as a man shot and killed his father at point-blank range. The man supposedly was angry with Gregorios brother and mistook his identity.

My mom had to provide for all of us, Mora said. She worked in the streets selling everything. Bananas, lemons fruit. She made sure we ate.

As Mora grew, his athleticism did likewise. He was the star of Venezuelas youth-soccer program and turned professional at 16. At a stadium in the Venezuelan city of Valencia, a plaque commemorates Mora once scoring 13 goals in a game.

Mora loved baseball, though, and the Houston Astros, with a monopoly on Venezuelan talent at the time, offered Mora $10,000 to sign. It was far more money than he had ever seen more than Felipa could fathom.

After moving to the United States at 19, Mora fizzled out in the Astros organization. His teammates at Houstons Venezuelan academy, Bobby Abreu and Magglio Ordonez, had moved into starring outfield roles. Mora was a man without much power, without a position, seemingly without a future, so he spent about half a season in Taiwan to rebuild his reputation.

And a year later, there he was, in the big leagues, having accomplished his goal and with no idea of what lay ahead July 28, 2001.

Gisel went into labor early. The Caesarean section took three minutes, and even though he had five times the babies as Alex Rodriguez, Mora did not pass out. On the contrary, he yearned to hold them. But they had to go into incubators, none of the five weighing more than 2 pounds. They stayed there for months, Genesis, Rebekah, Jada, Christian and Matthew, allowing their lungs to develop and their bodies to fight off infections that hung around like unwanted freeloaders.

Mentally, you get tired, said Mora, who less than a year earlier had been traded from the Mets to Baltimore. Ive been playing baseball all my life. That was easy. But when you sit there and wonder if one is going to pass away or something? They were able to survive because theyre strong.

And they still are. Genesis is smart, especially for a first-grader, and cries the loudest. Rebekah is spoiled, a product, Mora posited, of being the first one to come home from the hospital. Jada is the leader of the five and, consequently, the one who gets in the most trouble. Christian makes everyone laugh and is the best baseball player, which excites Mora. Matthew likes computers and languages, the quint with the strongest grasp of English and Spanish.

Though Mora enjoys cooking breakfast and lunch when hes home, he knows Gisel is the boss. She dresses the brood in matching uniforms and disciplines them when necessary because Mora said he tends to play his role as papi, the affable, loves-everyone softie. With Mora spending half the year traveling, Gisel has been raising the quintuplets on her own, and with the occasional help of one nanny which, after signing his first big contract for $10.5 million and his latest for $25 million that runs out in 2009, Mora could well afford.

Now theres no nanny. Gisel is in charge, and the kids whom Mora said can sit on a plane for 2 hours and utter nary a peep recognize that.

Without her, I couldnt do it, Mora said. She controls everything. She organizes it all.

The chances of having quintuplets are 1 in 57 million, rarer, certainly, than a kid from a small Venezuelan town making it in the big leagues, though not by much. And so Mora calls Felipa, 67, every day to thank her for being his mother.

He bought her a house in Valencia, and he still is not sure he has done enough. Mora is getting the perspective that comes with age. Hes 36. Gray hair is commingling with black. Hes edging toward the end of his career. It still is fun. He smacked a home run Friday night, his fifth of the year, and hes hitting .252 with 20 RBIs.

I love baseball, he said. I really do.

But without them, I wouldnt be here.

Look back at the Roberts non-deal

3RunHomer — Sat, 10 May 2008 13:37:19 GMT

Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times looks at the Roberts non-deal in hindsight.

Cubbies supposedly in the deal included:
Ron Cedeno - hitting very well so far (Ronny says to Kerry and the many other doubters on this board)
Sean Gallagher - already promoted from AAA
Sean Marshall - now a key guy in the Cubs pen

The columnist points out that the Cubs "untouchables" (Hill and Pie) are struggling.

Think the Os could get the Cubs to go for something like Cedeno, Murton, Fontenot and Hill now? Probably not.

O's may go with 4 man rotation

nothingman — Sat, 10 May 2008 04:26:47 GMT

According to mlb.com. After the ridonculous 20 games in 20 days (or 19 if you don't count the draw), the Orioles have 3 days upcoming. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Guthrie and Cabrera are for sure starting. Trachsel, Burress and Olson all have some intrigue. I'd like to see Olson stay in the rotation. Trax is Trax, but if the plan is to trade him, he should be starting. And what has Burress done to deserve the demotion? Me, I'd just stick with a 5 man rotation...

The New Orioles

backstopbob — Fri, 09 May 2008 13:15:16 GMT

I like this braintrust, holding players accountable and telling it like it is...not mean-spirited like Beattie did sometimes, just honest.

Removing Hernandez from the starting SS job as soon as Bynum was available is just the latest of these. I like how Trembley handled the press, too, just saying, 'look, some plays weren't being made that should have been, and that botched double play Wednesday night was the last straw. Let's move on to the next topic.' Nothing about how Luis came to camp overweight and unprepared, etc. Just the minimal facts and 'let's move on.'

I like Dave as the leader of this club more and more every day.

bob

O's looking to develop through Draft

JR — Thur, 08 May 2008 22:49:37 GMT

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080507&content_id=2657706&vkey=news_bal&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal&partnered=rss_bal

O's looking to develop through Draft

05/08/2008 10:00 AM ET

By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com

The Orioles may not be obsessing over their Draft slot, but they're determined to find a way to rebuild their organization through drafting and development. Baltimore has spent a lot of time and energy grooming the pitching stock in the farm system and is beginning to see the fruits of that process, but the offensive side of the equation still needs work. That may or may not be the priority this year, but the Orioles are all but certain to find a player they like with their top overall selection.

"I think the top of the draft is going to be pretty good," said Joe Jordan, Baltimore's director of scouting. "It's been a little bit of an up-and-down year so far, but we've gotten good looks at many of the better players in the country. We pick fourth, and I think we're going to be in good shape with that pick.

"But it's like every other year as far as forecasting what's going to happen beyond that and what we'll pick from."

MLB.com will carry every pick of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft, which takes place June 5-6 at The Milk House at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex in Orlando, Fla. Day 1 coverage begins at 2 p.m. ET with a simulcast of ESPN2's broadcast of the first round and compensation picks. The remaining rounds on Day 1 will be shown exclusively at MLB.com, with live analysis on site from MLB.com Draft guru Jonathan Mayo.

Several of the top amateur prospects are expected to be in attendance in Orlando for Day 1 of the Draft, and each of the 30 Major League Clubs will be represented by front office executives and baseball luminaries. Fans are welcome to attend Day 1 of the Draft, and admission to The Milk House is free, with seating limited to a first-come, first-serve basis.

Day 2 will get under way at 11:30 a.m. ET and continue through Round 50, if necessary. Every pick on Day 2 can be heard live at MLB.com.

Here's a glance at what the Orioles have in store as the First-Year Player Draft approaches:

In about 50 words
The Orioles are picking fourth, one spot higher than last year and a perch tied for the second-highest in franchise history. Baltimore hasn't picked fourth since 2002, when it selected Adam Loewen. The Orioles also drafted Jeffrey Hammonds and Gregg Olson with the fourth pick, setting high hopes for their latest chance in that position.

"I think the reality is that picking that high, you've got to take what you feel is the best player," said Jordan. "If it happens to fit an organizational need or philosophy, that's fine. I always try to keep my focus on the long term. The Baltimore Orioles are going to be in existence five years from now and 10 years from now, so we need to take the best player."

The scoop
Many analysts had said that there is a big gap after the fifth or sixth pick, and Jordan said recently that he's thrilled to have a crack at one of the top talents in the country. However, he also said he wouldn't mind seeing what it's like to pick late. "I think your options are better," Jordan said of the fourth pick. "I mean, I'd like to be able to pick 30 next year just because it will mean we're winning at the big league level. Picking high doesn't really factor in at all as far as more pressure. You want to get them right, so it doesn't really matter where you pick. Besides, we picked five last year, so there's not much difference."

First-round buzz
The Orioles can go in several directions with their top pick, and they'll have several options on the offensive end. Baltimore may be enticed by college infielders Pedro Alvarez and Gordon Beckham, but left-handed pitcher Brian Matusz will also be on the radar screen if he's still available. Tim Beckham, widely expected to be the first or second pick in the Draft, would also make sense in Baltimore if he slips.

Shopping list
After concentrating on pitching for the last few Drafts, Baltimore has a cupboard full of high-caliber arms that stretch from the lower levels of the organization to the top. But the system is all but bereft of premium position players, with the notable exceptions of recent first-round picks Wieters, Billy Rowell and Brandon Snyder. Wieters is projected to be a year or two away from the Majors, but the Orioles may eventually have to supplement him with more offensive firepower.

Trend watch
The Orioles tilted extremely heavily toward pitching last year, with 17 of their first 25 picks being used on college arms. Forty of their 48 picks had some college experience, and exactly half of their picks were pitchers. Baltimore may be a little more diverse this year, but Jordan said that the economics of the game won't be a huge factor.

Baltimore signed Wieters a matter of minutes before the deadline and inked fifth-round pick Jake Arrieta to a lucrative deal. This year, Jordan said the Orioles will continue to focus on talent and worry about the dollar signs later.

"I don't look for us to do any type of signability pick," he said. "We're trying to line the country up according to ability, and that's what we'll do. The economics come into play just before the draft. We've got to present to the entire front office what we feel like is the best talent in the country and line them up the way we like them. And then the economics come in at the end."

Recent top picks
Wieters is tearing it up at Class A Frederick and was recently named the organization's Player of the Month. He'll likely be promoted to Double-A Bowie by the end of the season. The prognosis isn't as clear for Rowell and Snyder. Rowell was slowed by an ankle injury and is just getting up to speed at Frederick, while Snyder has gotten off to a slow start. Neither Rowell nor Snyder is on the immediate horizon, but Wieters may be in the Majors by the end of 2009.

Rising fast
Chorye Spoone, a right-handed pitcher selected in the fifth round of the 2005 First-Year Player Draft, has blown through the organization and is currently starting for Bowie. Spoone, a native of Pasadena, Maryland, is 2-1 with a 4.67 ERA through his first four starts and is currently battling a case of tendinitis in his right biceps

Cinderella story
Outfielder Brandon Tripp, a 12th-round pick in 2006, batted his way to the organization's Player of the Year award last season and is off to a fast start for Frederick. Tripp is batting .288 with seven home runs and a .362 on-base percentage through his first 30 games, and the Orioles may eventually have to test him at Bowie to see if he's for real.

In The Show
Southpaw Garrett Olson was the first pick from Baltimore's '05 draft to make it to the Majors, and the Orioles are patiently waiting on development from their prospects in the last two Drafts. Wieters, believed by many to be the top position player in the '07 Draft, is the rare exception who may be pushed ambitiously without fear of risking his development.

What They're Saying about the O's

JR — Thur, 08 May 2008 20:18:08 GMT

www.baltimoresun.com/sports/baseball/bal-osroundup0508,0,4885488.story

baltimoresun.com

What they're saying about the Orioles

A roundup of national media coverage

Baltimoresun.com staff

2:58 PM EDT, May 8, 2008

Here's a roundup of what the national media are saying about the Orioles:

Updated May 8

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark revisits some of the offseason's biggest trades, including the deal that sent Erik Bedard to the Seattle Mariners:

Here's another trade that's tough to measure. Outside of a short DL stint, Bedard has been terrific, allowing a total of only seven earned runs in his five starts. But maybe this deal proves there's only so much of an impact one starting pitcher can make. His team is 11-19 when he doesn't start. Meanwhile, Sherrill is second in the league in saves; Jones is working his way toward stardom; the upwardly mobile Tillman is limiting the Eastern League to a .198 batting average against him. And maybe the biggest impact on the Orioles, said an official of one club, was the culture change: "After 10 years of being stuck in a short-term mind-set, just the commitment to trade Bedard and Tejada, and to bring back some young talent and finally rebuild, is a really important step they had to take."

Here's what another scout said about the trade:

"I love Erik Bedard. But honestly, I thought Baltimore kicked butt in this deal. Sherrill has done an unbelievable job. Adam Jones has star potential. And Tillman... I mean, wow. Now if they take Sherrill and move him at the deadline and turn him into something else that can help them, the Orioles made a tremendous deal."

Stark also writes about the trade that sent Miguel Tejada to the Houston Astros:

Baseball people are all over the map on the quality of the Orioles' return in this deal, although, as one executive put it, "the fact that they got anything good for that guy is amazing." But if the only thing you know about Tejada this season is that he aged two years, pay attention: He was last seen hitting .331. "He's been much better defensively than most people thought, too," one scout said. "Looks like a recharged guy."

SI.com's Jon Heyman puts the Orioles third, behind the Yankees and Mets, in the Mark Teixeira sweepstakes:

Baltimore owner Peter Angelos covets Teixeira. Angelos loves the fact that Teixeira has spoken positively about playing for his hometown team, and Teixeira seems to be a genuine Baltimore booster. However, 10 straight losing season can't be a plus for the O's.

ESPN.com's Stark writes about the possibility of Orioles starter Daniel Cabrera being traded:

The Orioles dangled him at the trading deadline last year and had no success. But all of a sudden, Cabrera has churned out five quality starts in a row -- so he's starting to pop back up on those all-important July shopping lists. "The two guys I keep trying to figure out are Edwin Jackson and Daniel Cabrera," said an official of one team trolling for starting pitching. "I know they have good arms. But are they ever going to be 'pitchers'? I'm not sure Jackson is going to be available. But I know Cabrera will be. They keep indicating their game plan hasn't changed at all. They're praying that Cabrera and a bunch of those relief pitchers will be in demand ."

CBSSports.com's Eric Mack has the Orioles 22nd in his power rankings:

This is more like what we expected from them. We wouldn't be surprised if they didn't make it back into the top 20 the rest of the season. In fact, we give them a legit shot at battling the Rangers for the worst in the AL.

USA Today has the Orioles 15th in its power rankings.

Updated May 5

Scott Miller of CBSSports.com writes about the culture change taking place with the Orioles:

This guy is such a renegade that the Orioles actually were seen taking infield after batting practice Friday in Anaheim. Infield! Some 60 minutes or so before first pitch, just like in the old days! The Orioles take it on the first day of every road trip and before the first game of every home stand. Earl Weaver and Cal Ripken Sr. would be proud.

ESPN.com's Jonah Keri takes a look at the failure dynasties, including the Orioles. He lists five bad moves that have contributed to their lack of success, including the firing of manager Davey Johnson:

Yes, he has an ego, and there's a long list of owners and front-office people who've struggled to get along with him. But all he's ever done is win, in New York, in Cincinnati and, yes, in Baltimore. The year before Davey Johnson took over, the Orioles finished two games under .500. The next season, they won 88 games and the wild card, followed by a 98-win season and a division title. The O's cut him loose, and they haven't sniffed .500 since. But sure, Peter Angelos, you go right on losing games and watching your attendance dwindle. At least you showed everyone who's boss.

Other moves listed by Keri: Signing Albert Belle to a five-year, $65 million contract; hiring Syd Thrift, Jim Beattie and Mike Flanagan as GMs; trading for Sammy Sosa; nearly everything else they did in 2005. Keri estimates that the Orioles' next winning season will be in 2012.

SI.com's John Donovan has the Orioles 12th in his power rankings:

I am a member of The Unconvinced when it comes to the O's. And skipper Dave Trembley has no use for us. "I don't like to keep hearing, 'You guys are a piece of crap. How come you're playing so well?'" Trembley told Peter Schmuck of the Baltimore Sun. I don't blame you, Dave. Still, would you mind answering the question?

FoxSports.com has the Orioles 20th in its power rankings:

The O's had built a nice record against the AL West before being swept by the Angels. Things could get worse with a visit to Oakland on tap early this week. This looks like a team feeling the pain from being in the midst of a 16-game streak without a day off.

ESPN.com has the Orioles 17th in its power rankings:

Daniel Cabrera walked more batters in his last start (seven) than he did in his previous three starts combined (five).

Sean Deveney of the Sporting News has the Orioles 20th in his power rankings:

Who'd have thought that, here in early April, Adam Jones would have more strikeouts (25) than Erik Bedard (20)?

What to do with Cabrera

Fair_Ball — Thur, 08 May 2008 18:56:10 GMT

This was in Jayson Stark's Rumblings today:

"Wastin' away in Cabrera-ville: If Miguel Cabrera and Orlando Cabrera can get traded, can Daniel Cabrera be far behind? The Orioles dangled him at the trading deadline last year and had no success. But all of a sudden, Cabrera has churned out five quality starts in a row -- so he's starting to pop back up on those all-important July shopping lists.

"The two guys I keep trying to figure out are Edwin Jackson and Daniel Cabrera," said an official of one team trolling for starting pitching. "I know they have good arms. But are they ever going to be 'pitchers'? I'm not sure Jackson is going to be available. But I know Cabrera will be. They keep indicating their game plan hasn't changed at all. They're praying that Cabrera and a bunch of those relief pitchers will be in demand ."

--- so what do you think? I'm surprised the Orioles would shop him. I mean, if we can get some position players back that can hit, great, but I'm surprised that they wouldn't want to keep him in the rotation for years to come if he has indeed turned the corner.

Missing smilies

JR — Thur, 08 May 2008 14:45:11 GMT

The wave waved bye-bye from what I can see. I think that the domain for that wlsforum.org (which I used to belong to) changed.

Here's an alternate location:

http://www.frugalmom.net/forums/images/smilies/thewave.gif

JR

Jason Botts - free for the taking

3RunHomer — Thur, 08 May 2008 14:27:53 GMT

Jason Botts cleared waivers and was outrighted to AAA by Texas.

Botts hasn't hit in the majors (only 244 at bats) but tore up AAA to the tune of .320/.436/.545 and .309/.398/.582 the last two seasons. He's 27.

If I were running the Os, I'd love to give a guy like that a nice long shot at DH. The upside is he "arrives" like Jack Cust. There's no downside to free talent.