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Go Ravens: Ravens travel to play the New Enlgand Patriots on Sunday for the AFC Championship game.

Orioles: Mini Camp going on at Oriole Park at Camden Yards today with Oriole fan fest on Saturday.

GOP Primary: Presidential campaign well under way with candidates dropping faster then you to know him or her.

Orioles, another season of dreadful play

My goodness, year after year we seem to think this team can get no worse. WHAMO! Slap in the face even more. With the hope coming off the final 57 games in 2010 and the 30-31 start this season; who would of thought it turns sour again? None of us saw this coming. They are just dreadful right now, So much so,the only person I'm happy for is Dave Trembley. Whom we all thought was a dud coach at best.



Late last year the Orioles has 2 veteran inning eaters at the 1-2 spot.Millwood and Guthrie. Though they are not Halladay and Lee they where eating innings allowing for the bullpen to get proper rest. This allowed for Matusz,Arreita,Bergesen to get proper support from the bullpen.



Now everyone thought Matusz was thee guy;rightfully so. His fastball 95 with movement and a killer breaking pitch as well as a nasty slider. One would of thought he would of worked out in the off season. With the Orioles luck, that was not the case. Matusz was a couch potato in the off season and it shows big time. Either that or he was juicing last year because no one loses that much speed and velocity in a ball like he has. One could say he is hurt back in May however no way could he pitch this long hurt. His arm would fall off.



This team seems to get worse week to week. You have your top 3 hitters, Jones,Markakis and Hardy who are consistent this season but after that. The fall off is dreadful. I for one am puzzled that Wieters hasn't caught on with the bat. He throws out runners better then just about anyone right. Goodness imagine the record if he was terrible at throwing base runners out? Anyhow, why he has not picked it up at the plate is beyond me?



Kevin Gregg, as much as we all where iffy on him early on he was consistenthowever since the Ortiz incident he looks terrible.



The defense is just bad, worse I've seen in years. Even though the Orioles have stunk up the win loss column for the last 14 years, the defense wasn't that bad other then the goons they run out there at 1st base for majority of the time.There was that year after Tejda with Bynum Fahey and the couple of other clowns.Other then that the defense was consistent although not stellar. This season; as bad as it gets. With this shaky pitching staff, the defense is needed to be strong, even if there bats are not that good.



I am still puzzled as to why the pitching coach quit. He said health reason then signs on with the Rangers. I for one wanted to keep Kranitz here as theyoung guns where progressing with him during his time here.



Anyhow August is coming to an end next week and here are the Orioles dead last again and looking like death warmed over on the field. For the fan that grew up on the Orioles, sick to the stomach to think about it.

My opinion, as if you care

Over the past few days it pains me to say I am embarrassed by some of the facebook postings by friends who must truly believe that Presidents Obama, Clinton and W. Bush would inflict true harm on their own country. I am involved as a political activist because I believe in smaller government with more power to the people and less overall spending however I know the other views may be different but that gives me no reason to believe one or the other side is out to harm Americans for their own gain.


If you truly believe that, well I am sorry you feel that way and surprised that you are uneducated on the subject of United States Government. The Death of Osama Bin Laden should be met with mixed emotions as we remember what happened and what can happen again to our country. Yes, we are always vulnerable but in my opinion I believe we have the best government protecting us at all times against any sort of attack.

To throw stones at one another because you want to make a point with horrible false claims that one party is out to harm America, well you truly need to get down and do some true research on true facts at the moment before making such absurd false claims.

Remember this, because you are registered to vote in one party or another does not mean you have to hate on the person of the other party. I myself stand with the standing President at all times although I have a difference of opinion on several issues but the Apples and Oranges debate does not anoint me king of the day and give me the right to be the only one right in the room.

In the end we are all Americans even if we have different views on how government should be run and while we debate what is the best way you must truly believe the American Government is out to protect my freedom better than any other government in the world. If for some reason you do not believe that, well then either gets your butt off the couch and gets yourself elected or you may want to move out of the country for a while to see how you will give opinion living elsewhere. I do respect you are allowed to give your opinion and thank those that risk their lives to that you can give your opinion, even if you opinion is not well thought out.

MLB Prediction time

American League East


1) NY Yankees- (I see the Yanks getting Felix come trade deadline)

2)Boston-

3)Tampa Bay-

4)Toronto-

5)Baltimore

I have to see the Orioles put up before I go ahead and leapfrog them up any spots. While on paper the BoSox looked improved the Yankees are the so called sleeper team this season as is Tampa Bay.



American League Central

1) White Sox-

2) Twins-

3) Tigers-

4) Indians-

5) Royals-

Never know what happens in the Central, things change year to year with surprise all around.



American League West

1) Texas-

2) Anaheim-

3) Oakland-

4) Seattle-

No shocker here but this is a division that seems to give no surprise at years end



National League East

1) Phillies-

2) Braves-

3) Florida

4) NY Mets

5) Nationals

Don’t expect surprise here but maybe, just maybe the Braves have something for the Phillies as the Phils are having injury troubles



National League Central

1) Reds-

2) Brewers-

3) Cards-

4) Chicago

5) Houston

6) Pittsburgh

No sure shot here, 1-5 could change often throughout the season



National League West

1) San Fran

2) Colorado

3) Dodgers

4) San Diego

5) Arizona

One would think San Fran will follow up its dream season



AL Divisional Series

1) Yankees defeats 3) Chicago

2) Texas defeats 4) Boston



AL Championship Series

1) Yankees defeats 2) Texas



NL Divisional Series

1) Phillies defeat 4) Reds

2) San Fran defeats 3) Braves



NL Championship Series

1) Phillies defeat 2) San Fran



World Series

Phils defeat Yankees in 7



ROY- NL: Freddie Freeman (Atlanta) AL: Zach Britton(Baltimore)

CY- NL: Roy Halladay (Philly) AL: Felix Hernandez (Seattle/NY Y)

MVP- NL: Albert Pujols (St. Louis) AL: Adrian Gonzalez(Boston)

Not drinking the Orange Kool Aide just yet but the drink is tasting better

Folks tend to forget the coaching is 100% different in 2011 from this time last year. Not just Showalter but his staff has the credentials other teams wanted in a big way. Hell we almost landed a pitching coach who got a manager job.

Also failed to bring up is the fact the Orioles now have revolving minor league instructors, a set at the high level and a set at the lower level so that players get the proper techniques down before going to he next level.


This on top of the fact the Orioles now have a high tech scouting system in place and not just marks on a paper. Yes the human eye knows best but seeing the product before you buy is going to amass to future payoff.



The Orioles also have the Latin baseball camps in place as well as offices in several locations. More so for future payoff then helping today however Don't know the long term affect this will have on the Orioles however I know the fact it will assist in filling needed talent at the proper Farm levels thus not forcing not yet ready to talent to go from Low A to High A, AA and so on….



Some will scuttle at the Orioles in 2011 at their play and nothing is new but those eyes fail to open the book and read what is really going on here. A production line was built from the ground up the proper way and yes it won't show in 2011 but by 2014 I believe the Baltimore Orioles organization as a whole will look much different then it did in 2007.

 Oh and yeah, the Orioles finally have a MLB caliber Spring training complex that houses both the major league and minor league camps.

Baltimore Orioles projected 25 man roster as of January 31,2011

1-BROB 2nd
2-Nick the stick RF
3-Lee 1st
4-Vlad DH
5-Reynolds 3rd
6-Scott DH/LF/1st
7-Jones CF
8-Wieters C
9-Hardy SS
10-Reimold or Pie OF
11-Tatum or Fox C
12-Izturis IF/OF
13-Andino UT or Harris or Green or Florimon Jr

14-Guthrie RHP
15-Matusz LHP
16-Duchscherer RHP
17-Bergesen RHP
18-Arrieta RHP or Tillman RHP or Britton LHP or VandenHurk RHP

19-Uhera RHP
20-Gregg RHP
21-Accardo RHP
22-Gonzalez LHP
23-Johnson RHP
24-Berken RHP
25-Hendrickson LHP orViola LHP or Patton LHP

State of the Orioles

The starting infield is an upgrade over 2010 for sure. There was not a Homerun hit by a 1st baseman until late July. Yes I said late July. BROB is healthy and was not in the lineup until late in 2010. Hardy is a steady upgrade at SS for sure. Reynolds while he wont hit .300 he will hit 30 Home Runs with 120 games in AL East Ballparks. Weiters while he may not be the hopeful savoir we all anticipated will improve with his bat in 2011 and at the least we learned he has really matured calling games behind the plate.




The outfield is the same pending an unlikely signing of Vlad Guerrero. Markakis and Jones we know who they are. Pie,Reimold are the wild cards of this team. Reimold is now focused and put his personal issues behind him and should get back on track in 2011. At the least he knocks in 15 dingers but one can see how many are hopeful to see 25 dingers from this guy. Scott even with his permit is a 25 home run guy every season.



The starting pitching is deeper then it has been in years. Guthrie,Matusz,Arreita and Bergesen pitched very well after Buck came to town in 2010. In fact the starting rotation era was around 3.50 for those 70 or so games. 95% of those games the starter went 6+ innings. One really has to wander how in the world did Buck get this pitching staff so tuned in? Eventually Britton lands into the rotation thus leaving Tillman out to prove himself in spring training.



The bullpen is deep with several guys able to close games, pitch in mid relief or in situational matchups. Uhera,Gregg,Accardo,Johnson,Gonzales and a lefty will be for a very stout bullpen.



Big upgrade at manager with Buck Showalter at the helm and the coaching staff he landed will be more then helpful in 2011. An upgrade that goes hidden is the revolving instructors hired down in the upper minor league levels. Coaches who evaluate what guys need to do to get to the next level by working on proper techniques and so on.



My thought is a 10 to 12 win improvement is a reality however short of .500 so I am going to say 75 wins in 2011. I do not want to think out of reality and think this club has changed from 2010 but they are taking proper baby steps to get to the next level.



I do think the team has its worse days behind them but its going to continue to take a lot of work to get out of the cellar and over that .500 mark. Once they get there the organization has made significant improvements over the last 3-4 years to build infrastructure from the ground up. Areas such as an actual scouting departments with proper technology to go with the department, an international scouting facility, proper training facilities at all levels and proper communication from the top on down.