section18

Baseball America said he is a contact hitter and can contribute now. He can play infield and outfield a typical Oriole player. Cooper said he played well in the Arizona Fall League. Rated him #4. McClelland is also an interesting possibility. I think Elias will take his guy Riley Ferrell.

Riley Ferrell or Ray Patrick DIdder Inf/OF Atlanta rated #4 today. They say he can contribute in 2019 to our roster in more ways than one, Plus runner and plus arm. Looked good in the AFL.

I gave Gausman what seemed like way too many chances to get on track and stay on track while here. Wasn't he the guy that lived on donuts before and during his starts in college? Fine ! Everybody has some quirky habit it seems in sports. Didn't they take that away from him? He always seemed like a guy who was satisfied after every start even though he knew he pitched lousy. He always would say I have to do better the next time out and then when traded even admitted he didn't do a good job while here. To put it mildly I am not what anyone would consider a tough guy although some might think I am. I told friends at many Orioles games I saw him pitch and games on TV I wish they could toughen him up. Give him some edge or attitude. In other words don't act wimpy (is that a word?) or soft all of the time. I'm not the only one that felt that way. I've always wanted the Orioles to trade for Archer every time his name came up in trade rumors. Personally I think Archer is the better pitcher and his contract made him even more appealing. If you polled any AL playoff contender manager or GM and asked them who they would want to start in a key game for them I think the majority would say Archer. Will Gausman improve in Atlanta. Of course he will. His won loss record has to improve it's so bad. Even if they move him to the pen. He threw too many pitches in four or five innings almost every time out. I think everyone will see we got the better of the trade in the next year or two.

I'd start talks now about a buyout and tell him they will finish out the season giving him opportunities to improve and the off season to think about things. If he insists on another Spring Training let him go to Spring Training and see if any off season changes have helped him and make a decision by mid summer. He might consider a buyout and just retire and go back home to Texas or show enough to be able to trade him with us paying part of his remaining salary.

I bought one of his white game jerseys in the warehouse store before he signed the big contract for around $100 if my memory is correct. I wore it to two games and they lost big in both of them and I have not worn it since. The Royals it appears are trying to beat us to the #1 pick so maybe I'll take it out of my closet and wear it a few more times. I still have tickets to four or five more games.

Wasn't he 6 for 18 before tonight? His average was up to .166? How does 4 strikeouts happen? Vision problem? Seriously! I've mentioned this before. Does he have blurred vision sometimes? It happens to people.

Will he help other players step up their game? Listening to other players talk about him and watching their body language in the dugout when he scores or does something it's like they are even wowed by him. It's like he's in the wrong dugout/uniform. This is the kind of player we have needed for years. Now the next step is to bring Valera up and platoon Beckham. The videos of Valera at Norfolk showed him making diving stops and throws on the ground to get hitters out from SS. The V combo at SS and 2B could be special for us. Villar certainly brings added energy to the dugout and lineup.

I posted on one of the sites on here that a scout from an NL team said when the Schoop trade was made that Villar was a more complete player and better than Schoop. It's obvious watching him play he looks like an All-Star type player. Is he the most complete player on the team right now? YES! He does it all. DD and his aides put together some great trades. They robbed the Brewers and Yankees I think and the Gausman deal will turn out to be a bargain soon along with the Manny deal.

If true the Brewers will ne upset with DD. Several well connected said the deal was almost done. It's okay with me if we get a great return. Orioles reunion in Atlanta

Does anyone know the Callis story behind his hate/dislike for the Orioles? It's been going on for several years. Did he work for the Orioles at one time or interview for a job and was turned down? He never says anything nice about the Orioles. It's interesting how his interview went on mlb network reviewing the players we received. He said something like nobody above average and when they posted each players key stats on the screen for everyone to look at he said stuff like Bannon is okay and Pop is okay and Kremer is okay and was okay with Diaz. Valera he was okay with. Before they posted their key stats on the screen he was totally down on who we received. Anyone know why he dislikes the Orioles? Someone on the radio told the story one time.

I agree with Roy. I've attended two of his games at OP and seen his other appearances on TV. He appears to be a confident pitcher who is not intimidated by the hitters. Please don't keep sending him down. He is more impressive than some of our million dollar pitchers.

If anyone recalls our current hitting coach was brought in at Davis's suggestion and he credited him with his success. Coolbaugh has been a flop with CD and the rest of our hitters and should have been replaced a year ago. I've written on here several times over the last few years that CD should go to a lighter bat. I don't know what weight bat he is using but he isn't getting around fast enough. A lighter bat would help him. Any hitting instructor would tell him that and he might improve his BA and power numbers. This is not rocket science. The other ideas about him having vision problems and needing contacts is not far fetched. He needs to return to Florida for extended ST and we need to bring in a top hitting instructor like a Wade Boggs to try to help him. There is too much money invested in him to let him continue to self destruct and ruin the teams chances to win in the future.

With Walker going to NY for $4 mill base plus incentives maybe we should consider Stephen Drew. left handed utility infielder. Mostly SS and 2B.

Several people speaking on the radio today seem to think we are signing another starter to go along with Cashner. If Tillman signs he would be the fifth guy to battle with Cortes, Castro and others in camp. I saw somewhere a possible Givens for McHugh trade with the Astros was discussed. McHugh is affordable 5 mill and a solid veteran starter. He would also add a lot to the rotation. Bring in Dyson for speed and to bat leadoff and either Jay or Saunders. Cargo is still out there. Would he return to form and show his best numbers again playing at OP? Something tells me he's coming here on a 1 year deal.

I've been in favor of signing Cashner from the beginning and after hearing three interviews with him tonight I think our fans will like him a lot. Very positive guy and for him to fly right in today and then have to go back home on Sunday and turn around and come right back is special. H e could have waited until Sunday to fly in and taken his time but didn't. I like him a lot.

My favorite Oriole of all time and one of the greatest pitchers of all time with 268 wins and a career 2.86 ERA. I have to post more stats for him; Only player in Orioles history to appear in all 6 World Series in 66, 69, 70, 71, 79 and 83. His combined record in ALCS and World Series games is 8-3 with a 2.67 ERA. Had the most wins in the 70's by any pitcher with 186 wins. Amazing! It gets better; 8 time 20 game winner and 3 time Cy Young winner with 4 Gold Gloves. Six time All-Star and one of a few pitchers to win a World Series game in three decades the 60's, 70's and 80;s and never gave up a grand slam to a hitter. From 1970 to 1978 he threw between 17 and 25 complete games each year and finished with 211 complete games in 19 seasons. 211 Complete games! We can't get any of our starters past the 7th inning. In 1969 he threw a no-hitter against Oakland just four days after coming off the disabled list. #22 is a Hall Of Fame pitcher who pitched all 19 seasons with the Orioles. I recently got to meet him at Greetings and Readings in Hunt Valley at his book signing and spoke with him briefly and got a nice photo with him I may post one day. Could not have been nicer and we discussed the pitching staff. I actually met him twice before at BWI Airport after an ALCS win and at the Old Court Giant one time. If anyone should be Oriole pitching coach it should be Jim Palmer but he's always refused the position to spend more time with his family. So we are fortunate to get to hear him on MASN TV Broadcasts. Happy Birthday Jim.

Buck was asleep again not pinch running for Hardy and Dickerson not sending Stubbs our pinch runner was dumb. You could see the ball thrown in from LF was off line enough Stubbs would have scored and we would have won the game. Fortunately we won in the 12th on Trumbo's HR.

The ump squeezed Gaus really bad the inning they scored their first run. He struck two guys out and didn't get the calls. It would have ended the inning. Painfully obvious! Wieters or Buck need to get tossed. The same pitches that were balls to Rays players were strikes to Davis and Trumbo. Do they provide free rooms and meals for the umps down there?