Britton to start sunday WOOT

[DrungoHazewood]

How is that more puzzling? Who are you going to put in there? Britton is our best option. Putting some AAAA guy in there for 6 weeks isn't going to win us games.

But it's not six weeks. It's 2-3 starts to get them to April 21st, then Britton can come up and you get the extra year.

[mofome]

Still odd that they'd give up an entire year of Britton rather than have Hendrickson or Berken or somebody start two or three times in April. Maybe they have some contractual stuff in the works. It's going to look pretty silly if the O's don't get at or near their best case in 2011. You don't give up a year of a good pitcher in exchange for your 82nd win.

I don't understand the Orioles completely abandoning a plan that they put so much thought into already.

[Sports Guy]

Dumb move...The Orioles should have been smarter about this. How do you go from not wanting to lose that extra year to doing this because of one injury?

This move tells me that guys like BB and maybe Tillman are not very high on the confidence meter.

[jrobb21613]

Winning!!!!

[brianod]

I was listening to the tampa broadcasters on xm and they were recounting how the Rays sent down Longoria to extend his service time and then had to bring him right up due to an injury. They promptly extended him and it's now a non-issue, interesting tidbit. The whole argument about service time is a losing argument. If the guy is a stud, he's not going to resign if you don't give him a mega contract before his service time is up. If he isn't a stud, so what...

[mofome]

Yeah, it sorta sucks. But if Britton is really as good as we think he's gonna be in 6 or 7 years, you would hope that the O's would have already signed him to a contract, buying out a couple more years of free agency, making it a moot point.

People refute that suggest time and time again by references Boras as his agent.

[JTrea81]

I don't understand the Orioles completely abandoning a plan that they put so much thought into already.

Maybe they actually looked at the schedule again?

Britton starting Sunday was always the right choice. Now Matusz's injury forces their hand.

Anybody who wants Ryan Drese to start against the Rays, Rangers and Yankees really should take a look at what this team did this offseason.

We aren't rebuilding anymore and every win matters. Thankfully the Orioles seem to realize this.

Kudos to Buck and MacPhail for making the smart and right decision.

[RandyM]

Dumb move...The Orioles should have been smarter about this. How do you go from not wanting to lose that extra year to doing this because of one injury?

This move tells me that guys like BB and maybe Tillman are not very high on the confidence meter.

It goes back to Law's statement that the O's offseason signings could have unattended consequences. It will potentially make them think about making short term decision's that will deviate them from the long term plan.

I have Britton on my fantasy team and I am having very mixed feelings.

[murph]

But it's not six weeks. It's 2-3 starts to get them to April 21st, then Britton can come up and you get the extra year.

Somebody mentioned this before....could it be to get him past any adjustment period sooner? If the front office truly believes they are going all out this year?

[now]

But it's not six weeks. It's 2-3 starts to get them to April 21st, then Britton can come up and you get the extra year.

Logically you're right. But you can also look at the beginning of last year, those blown saves by Gonzalez, and say, "It was only 2 or 3 losses." True in a sense; but I think it was obvious that the psychological impact was much greater. Here I think the impact of "doing the right thing" for Britton and the team - on the field - is important. (Of course, my argument goes along with a belief we can actually contend this year, so maybe there's the real difference in our opinions).

But either way, there's still the point that if Britton is as good as advertised, you just sign him to an extension and make the whole argument moot.

[mofome]

Maybe they actually looked at the schedule again?

Britton starting Sunday was always the right choice. Now Matusz's injury forces their hand.

Anybody who wants Ryan Drese to start against the Rays, Rangers and Yankees really should take a look at what this team did this offseason.

We aren't rebuilding anymore and every win matters. Thankfully the Orioles seem to realize this.

Kudos to Buck and MacPhail for making the smart and right decision.

Looked at the schedule again?

The os had considered everything and they thought it was best to send him down. I did not, but they did and so did 98% of this group. Now most seem to think its best to bring him up. Odd.

I made all the points that you later made and are trying to make now. I got that.

[JDubs]

Maybe they actually looked at the schedule again?

Britton starting Sunday was always the right choice. Now Matusz's injury forces their hand.

Anybody who wants Ryan Drese to start against the Rays, Rangers and Yankees really should take a look at what this team did this offseason.

We aren't rebuilding anymore and every win matters. Thankfully the Orioles seem to realize this.

Kudos to Buck and MacPhail for making the smart and right decision.

Yeah, they obviously didn't look at the schedule in making the decision to send Britton down. They are that incompetent.

[mofome]

Logically you're right. But you can also look at the beginning of last year, those blown saves by Gonzalez, and say, "It was only 2 or 3 losses." True in a sense; but I think it was obvious that the psychological impact was much greater. Here I think the impact of "doing the right thing" for Britton and the team - on the field - is important. (Of course, my argument goes along with a belief we can actually contend this year, so maybe there's the real difference in our opinions).

But either way, there's still the point that if Britton is as good as advertised, you just sign him to an extension and make the whole argument moot.

Something else I mentioned before that was strongly argued against.

This group is all over the place.

Im excited to see him go head to head with wade davis who just signed for some major dollars. I think we get that W.

[Sports Guy]

It goes back to Law's statement that the O's offseason signings could have unattended consequences. It will potentially make them think about making short term decision's that will deviate them from the long term plan.

I have Britton on my fantasy team and I am having very mixed feelings.

Absolutely great point.

This is one of those things where they are letting the emotion of a few early games get in the way of better judgement.

They went 2-16 last year to start the year and they are terrified of that happening again. Between that and wanting to keep up the momentum of the last 65ish games and the offseason, they went against their own better judgement and made this move.

And yes, I am excited about watching the kid pitch but that excitement should be held off for 3 more weeks.

[Frobby]

I argued vociferously for keeping Britton in the minors, but to call up some 3rd rate pitcher now would be a real breach of faith. Britton earned the shot and the team deserves to have him take it. Now I just hope everyone on the staff steps up.