Petition

[SilentJames]

I'm not saying he should get fired, but the call was boneheaded. You proved it right there, all those guys are ripping the cover off the ball, plus none of them know HOW to bunt.

Palmer nailed it on the head, youngsters don't know how. Nick's form was terrible.

If everyone around including the Rangers broadcasters are jumping up and down wondering whats going on, you gotta sit back and reasses the situation and think that maybe, just maybe, Sam is wrong.

SJ, I know you follow orange and black blindly, but really. Show me a number 3 hitter that gets up to bunt. It just doesn't exist.

Ive seen Jeter bunt before - granted hes a number 2 guy, but I think its sick that an MLB guy can't bunt - and yes I will give sam the benefit of the doubt, and yes I can even say it was a bonehead call - but the OP has actually called for Perlozzo to be fired for this.

crap sake, come on people lets ground it a little here

[BaltimoreTerp]

Between bringing in Williams, who has a fork Paul Bunyan could use sticking out of his back at this point, and having Markakis bunt in the situation he did, it was not a good night for Sammy.

It isn't just how well Markakis is as a hitter, but that we have no clue if he can bunt or not. Although, after tonight I think we know the answer

If it was the other way around, i.e. Markakis on and Mora bunting, it would be better because Mora CAN bunt.

As for firing Perlozzo, quit drinking on a weeknight.

[J.D.]

D... Did I read this right? Are we really lobbying to fire Perlozzo here?

This is the first season in a while that there hasn't been considerable drama in the clubhouse. I'd like to think that Perlozzo has something to do with it.

He makes decisions that absolutely drive me insane. And I'm not giving him the rookie manager benefit of the doubt here, because he's been around baseball for ages. I get that he really, really likes the sac bunt.

All things being equal, though, I appreciate that the Orioles haven't packed it in this year like they have in years past. I'd also like to think that Perlozzo has something to do with that, too. This could've been a really miserable clubhouse to be in with all the losing this season. By all accounts, it hasn't been.

I'll give Perlozzo a chance next season. I'll probably even keep him around in 2008 if the team shows some improvement. But he has to improve his decision making skills, because he's making decisions that would kill the Orioles in a playoff series if they ever make it that far. I'll be more apt to can him when we have a team that's good enough to worry about such things.

[blakesta]

And oh by the way even if Nick gets the bunt down and mora moves to second texas would of almost surely walked Tejada to setup the force out and to get to Gibby!

[Baltimoron]

that is a situation you attempt to bunt in, and its not like he had slugs coming up behind him either.

Are you aware that in pointing out that the hitters following nick are "not slugs" you're actually furthering the case against the sac bunt?

[Baltimoron]

Yea i am not sure why people keep saying this. Mazzone can't just leave in the middle of his contract unless he retires or has a clause in his contract that he is tied to Sammy P.

Why do you keep telling people this? They know that, the point is they believe Mazzone would retire if Sammy was fired because Mazzone has repeatedly said that he wants to be Sammy's pitching coach and then he will retire.

[Grady]

Lets see.man on first (Mora) no one out tie game. Batter bunts (Nick) moves the guy to second so the man 2nd in the league in hits can score him, also the man leads the league in DP's (Miggy), dumb move? Would Texas be so dumb to walk Miggy and make it 1st and 2nd and 1 out?

The problem was Nick couldnt get down the bunt, Sammys fault? Come on.A manager makes moves to put his team in position to win, Sammy thought it was the right move, it didnt work. Miggy and the rest stepped up and made things right. Was it a bad move to have Newhan hit the ball back to the pitcher. when the number 1 job of a batter in that situation is to get the run home?

[Ruzious]

Lets see.man on first (Mora) no one out tie game. Batter bunts (Nick) moves the guy to second so the man 2nd in the league in hits can score him, also the man leads the league in DP's (Miggy), dumb move? Would Texas be so dumb to walk Miggy and make it 1st and 2nd and 1 out?

The problem was Nick couldnt get down the bunt, Sammys fault? Come on.A manager makes moves to put his team in position to win, Sammy thought it was the right move, it didnt work. Miggy and the rest stepped up and made things right. Was it a bad move to have Newhan hit the ball back to the pitcher. when the number 1 job of a batter in that situation is to get the run home?

No, the problem is that the manager sure as hell better know if his guy can bunt before ordering him to bunt in a situation like that. If he's not an Extremely good bunter, it makes no sense to have Markakis bunt - the strategy issue aside.

And it was bad strategy - because - as others pointed out - they could just walk Tejada - so you're intentionally taking the bat away from your 2 best hitters... far and away your 2 best hitters. That's really messed up thinking.

Now, is he going to make the same mistake again? Why should we think he won't?

[Baltimoron]

The problem was Nick couldnt get down the bunt, Sammys fault? Come on.A manager makes moves to put his team in position to win, Sammy thought it was the right move, it didnt work.

Sammy no think too good tonight.

[glenn__davis]

Would Texas be so dumb to walk Miggy and make it 1st and 2nd and 1 out?

Of course. With a lefty on the mound would you rather pitch to Tejada or Gibbons, especially if facing Gibbons sets up a DP?

Anyway, I agree with Frobby that the manager's main job is to keep his players happy and playing hard, BUT that doesn't absolve him from blame when poor game decisions are made. I've come to the conclusion, based not just on tonight but the entire season, that Perlozzo is a bad in-game manager. Olehippi, it's not about being an armchair manager and second guessing. It's about wanting your team to be in the best position to win late in the game, and there have been a multitude of games this year in which I think Perlozzo hasn't done that.

Do I think he should be fired for that? Probably not. But am I excited to watch him manage again next year? Probably not.

[DrungoHazewood]

I agree that the bunt was just an abysmal, inexplicable decision. The kind of thing you'd laugh about and say "there goes good ol' Dusty Baker, managing like it's 1912" if some other team's manager had done it. Well... Sammy... you were managing like it's 1912 and the heart of your lineup has a .650 OPS. Some day he'll realize Markakis and Tejada aren't deadball era place-hitters.

But I also agree with those who don't think one strategic misstep is grounds for firing. Nor is a pattern of such missteps, such as regularly using Fahey in the #2 hole, bunting away your precious outs in the 1st inning. It's counterproductive, but in the grand scheme of things it's not nearly as important as:

• Keeping the players healthy and happy
  
• Keeping the media at bay
  
• Keeping Leo Mazzone here
  
• Keeping a sense or organization and stability on a team that's been mainly chaos for years
  

As I've said many times, Perlozzo can be frustrating at times, but he's way down on the list of problems here.

[Tx Oriole]

What is stupid is calling for a manager to be fired because he called for a bunt. Dammit. Why can't you be happy the O's won the game. Bunting is a part of baseball. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.having your best hitter go up to the plate to hit away well that doesn't work all the time either. Sam needs more time with this team. One year is just not enough time for anyone to bring this team around.

[DrungoHazewood]

Bunting is a part of baseball. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.having your best hitter go up to the plate to hit away well that doesn't work all the time either.

Having your best hitter swing away in the key moments of a game works out a whole hell of lot more often than having him bunt.

This isn't a hangin' offense, but it is pretty freakin' stupid.

[Dr. FLK]

I don't like to bash Sam on a few bad bunting decisions this year because, really, he doesn't have much to work with. When you have to make decisions like: Do I bat Conine or Ramon cleanup? Which power bat do I use in left, Fahey or Conine? Do I bring I start Chen, Ortiz, or Rodrigo today? Maybe he tries things that other managers wouldn't do because he has nothing. Maybe these moves don't look so bad if the team doesn't stink.

Now, I'm not saying that he doesn't suck. Maybe he does. But I don't think you can judge him too much based on how he does with an anemic team with no cleanup hitter, 1B, bullpen, or 4-5 starter. Let's see how he does with an improved team (assuming the FO knows how to improve a team). If the talent improves, and his decisions don't, then I'll be convinced he's a bum.

[Too Tall]

Let's see: For the first time in quite a while, we are entering September and actually for the moment improving our won/loss record instead of going further in the tank. Yea, let's petition to fire the manager.