A commenter ruffles Roch's feathers

Jeff | April 30, 2010 10:38 AM | Reply

I think we're all so deep in the forest that we can't see the trees.

Roch, when Dave Trembley actually states that Adam Jones is the best option for leading off, what doesn't anyone in the media ask him why. Like, what does Jones bring to the lead off spot that's helpful. OBP? No. Willingness to take pitches? No. Ability to steal basses? No. Even in his best season, Jones didn't show these things. Why is Trembley still managing like he is in the minor leagues where player's development, confidence, etc. are more important than win/losses? He still doesn't manage each game to win. He takes too many other things into consideration.

Why doesn't anyone ask Andy MacPhail why he feels he can lay back and let the market play out before making any moves when the three good teams in the division are all market setters, going after and getting the players they want?

We are all so used to being losers (fans, press, players, coaches, owner, executives) that we no longer know what it means to root for, cover, play for, or manage a team that is actually trying to win. Winning baseball games is clearly not the highest priority for the Orioles.

As it stands, anyone who thinks that the Orioles will be competitive with the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, or even the Blue Jays in the next five years is nuts. The Orioles have done their "best" to close the gap, but the other teams are either smarter or richer (or both). The 2010 Orioles are definitely better than the 2006 Orioles, but the Yankees, Sox, and Rays are more better (??).

I'm waiting for someone, anyone in the media to actually get their head around this instead of joining in in the insanity. There is zero pressure from anyone for the Orioles to be better on the diamond. The press doesn't hold them accountable, they don't have to be accountable to the fans thanks to revenue sharing and the fact they get 18 home dates (almost a quarter of the schedule) to sell tickets to Yankees and Red Sox fans. Jim Duquette has said now several times that there are people in the organization who are happy with the status quo and benefit from the constant losing and changes. Why can't the media find a whistle blower to find out what exactly goes on in the organization? How can the real story of this debacle not been looked into with some amount of detail?

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"The press doesn't hold them accountable." Yeah, we celebrate every loss and suggest contract extensions for everyone. We praise an offense that can't score runs and a bullpen that has blown late leads. We praise the breakdown in fundamentals or just refuse to write about any of it. Or something like that. - Roch

http://masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2010/04/no-offense-but.html

Does the local press give the O's too much of a free pass? How do you feel about this topic?

Also, I'm totally not calling out Roch here. He's a great guy and I love him. I just thought this would be a good topic for discussion.

Jeff brings up some good points.

Jeff actually made some good points. Clicking into this thread, I fully expected a Brummie (Rochs version ubertroll extraordinaire) rant. I too have often wondered why no one asks, "why?" to things such as Jones batting leadoff,

It’s a very valid point that the commenter brings up. The media members tend to ask questions like “why continue batting Adam Jones lead off?” instead of “Adam Jones has a .228 OBP, why are you still leading him off?”

Roch in particular also works for Orioles, since they own MASN. He’ll obviously claim that it has no bearing on his writing and no one from the organization has told him what to write (and I doubt they would). But to pretend that doesn’t seep into someone’s subconscious is naive.

I think the media does an OK job with asking Trembley tough questions, and hasn’t done enough asking MacPhail the tough questions.

It does get a little tiresome to hear Jim Hunter's positive spin on our "near" wins. Or to hear Tom Davis say, "what the fans don't understand", or to hear Garceau talk about any free agent contract being way too risky. I think Roch is a pretty straight shooter, but you have to wonder what the limitations are that MASN puts on these guys re: what they can and can't say or comment on. It is obvious watching the game that they shoot as tight of shots as possible and never pan the stadium as to not show the embarrasment of hunter green seats.

You can bet the question will get asked now.

I'm waiting for someone, anyone in the media to actually get their head around this instead of joining in in the insanity. There is zero pressure from anyone for the Orioles to be better on the diamond. The press doesn't hold them accountable, they don't have to be accountable to the fans thanks to revenue sharing and the fact they get 18 home dates (almost a quarter of the schedule) to sell tickets to Yankees and Red Sox fans.

The whole idea of the press holding the organization accountable is absurd. What can they do, rip them for a decade-plus of losing? Doesn't everyone already know that? Does this person really believe that DT or AM are going to change their philosophies or styles if there's an article written in the paper or a question asked at a presser?

It's really irritating when people project their frustration on to other people. "I'm pissed because they're losing and it doesn't look like the players are frustrated, so obviously they don't care!" "I'm frustrated with all the losing and the media isn't lighting a fire under management, so obviously they don't care that I care so much!" Can't we just be smart about something?

Sorry to rant. I agree with all of his earlier points, but I think he went too far with this last graph.

http://masnsports.com/school_of_roch/2010/04/no-offense-but.html

Does the local press give the O's too much of a free pass? How do you feel about this topic?

I like Roch and think that he provides valuable information, but in my opinion he stopped being "press" when he signed on with MASN. You can't be objective press when your paycheck is signed by the Orioles.

People in the media who are too blunt in their characterizations of the Orioles management are wise to rent, no own.

I think it's really just that no one expects them to win, so there isn't any outrage. It's just par for the course...

The whole idea of the press holding the organization accountable is absurd. What can they do, rip them for a decade-plus of losing? Doesn't everyone already know that? Does this person really believe that DT or AM are going to change their philosophies or styles if there's an article written in the paper or a question asked at a presser?

It's really irritating when people project their frustration on to other people. "I'm pissed because they're losing and it doesn't look like the players are frustrated, so obviously they don't care!" "I'm frustrated with all the losing and the media isn't lighting a fire under management, so obviously they don't care that I care so much!" Can't we just be smart about something?

Sorry to rant. I agree with all of his earlier points, but I think he went too far with this last graph.

The guy wants the media to represent the voice of the fan, and I think that is a good point to make.

Think about the press in NY, Boston, LA, Chicago, etc... They are known to have very critical media guys and share the voice of the common fan. They ask the questions that piss off players, managers and owners.

We don't have that here. Rosenthal was that guy but everyone hated him because he was "too critical". Well he was right.

Now, the Oriole malaise has infected the media too.

I like Roch and all, but way to sidestep the actual meat of the comment by being a childish jerk.

The whole idea of the press holding the organization accountable is absurd. What can they do, rip them for a decade-plus of losing? Doesn't everyone already know that? Does this person really believe that DT or AM are going to change their philosophies or styles if there's an article written in the paper or a question asked at a presser?

It's really irritating when people project their frustration on to other people. "I'm pissed because they're losing and it doesn't look like the players are frustrated, so obviously they don't care!" "I'm frustrated with all the losing and the media isn't lighting a fire under management, so obviously they don't care that I care so much!" Can't we just be smart about something?

Sorry to rant. I agree with all of his earlier points, but I think he went too far with this last graph.

I thought the commenter did so in a responsible and rational way. Why DOESN'T the press ask these questions? You know they are thinking it. I love Roch, and I think he does a great job. But the guys in the post game press conference need to ask these questions. They need to ask WHY MacPhail did not throw $200 million at Tex. They need to ask WHY Jones is leading off. They need to ask MacPhail WHY we don't sign premium talent rather than making excuses that we can't spend like the big boys.

I mean, come on. Holliday, Bay, Figgins...none of the bigger name bats signed with the "big boys" in the AL East this past offseason. None of them. Its time for this organization to start answering for itself, and the only way that will happen is if the questions are asked.

I like Roch and all, but way to sidestep the actual meat of the comment by being a childish jerk.

Yeah, he obviously took offense to it, because it was true.