My O's glass is half empty again.

[hoosiers]

Sean lays out a good argument for his pessimism, but I think most of the concerns are misplaced.

First, we are thirsting for every word that comes out of SamP. He's was probably at the point of making up quotes two weeks ago. Let's see what the FO decides before getting upset that they are voicing OPTIONS that people have issues with.

Second, regarding Trax and the RLo and Chen comparisons, Olson and a healthy Penn are better than what existed at AAA last year. If Trax does not produce after 6-8 weeks, I find it hard to believe the FO will not promote Penn or Olson as soon as one of them is deemed ready.

[El Gordo]

A few weeks ago my outlook was relatively high. I was actually thinking that the O's were shaping up and things could be different this year.

Silly me.

Now, don't get me wrong. I've always said that the pitching is what'll make this team a winner or a loser, and so far in ST, the SP looks pretty good -- especially the trifecta of Bedard, Loewen and Cabrera.

But the offense is struggling to score a run a game, and the sounbytes coming from Sam Perlozzo and the rest of the front office have got me puzzled.

Reggie Sanders? Josh Fogg? WTF???

The flexability thing that Perlozzo is currently in love with troubles me. Does that mean we're going to see a bench consisting of Paul Bako, Brandon Fahey, Freddie Bynum and Ruddy Yan? Probably not, but the O's still seem to be oblivious to the fact that this team desperately needs a decent bench and couldn't hit its way out of a wet paper bag against LHP.

Then I hear that Trachsel will probably be given most or all of the season to prove that he can still pitch to an ERA below 5.50 because he's been paid $3 million and he's a "Professional Veteran Presence" or a PVP.

It seems like, for the life of them, the O's just can't help themselves from balancing out the good they've done over the offseason with boneheaded moves.

Overhaul the bullpen? No problem. Sign Paul Bako to a MLB contract.

Sign Aubrey Huff? No problem. Re-sign Kevin Millar.

Kris Benson goes down and Hayden Penn is primed and ready? No problem. Sign Steve Trachsel to a $3 million dollar MLB deal and then talk about trading for Josh Fogg.

Sign Jay Payton to hit LHP? No problem. He's going to play against LHP and RHP.

Sign good prospects in DuBois, House and Knott? No problem. Leave Josh Phelps unprotected in the Rule 5 draft to protect Paul Bako.

And so on and so on.

So if you see me wallowing around these boards over the next 2 weeks, at least you'll know where it's coming from. My old signature is back and I'm ready to dish out criticism as I see fit.

If you're going to let ST batting stats, sound bytes from Perlozzo or the fact that he may disagree with you philosophically about the make up of the bench get you down, you're just looking for an excuse to be miserable IMO. The main thing to be worried about is Traschsel.

[NewMarketSean]

If you're going to let ST batting stats, sound bytes from Perlozzo or the fact that he may disagree with you philosophically about the make up of the bench get you down, you're just looking for an excuse to be miserable IMO. The main thing to be worried about is Traschsel.

My worry in this team's offense goes back years, not weeks-worth of ST stats. That only enhances my worry. They've upgraded it sure, but it doesn't look like it'll be used properly. And believe me, when the O's say they're going to do something, they do it. Especially the things you don't want them to do. So I fully believe that the bench is going to be made up of a bunch of speedy slap hitters.

I agree, Trachsel is the one to be worried about, but then again, so is Wright and so is most of the offense. Sure the offense will score their 8 runs once in a while, but then they'll go out and score 1-2 run runs the next 2 nights and lose the series.

[Sports Guy]

Perlozzo is what is disappointing me.

This team has obvious weaknesses but we have players who can help those weaknesses and it doesn't seme like they are getting a fair chance.

What Perlozzo values is a huge problem. His loyalty to guys like Mora and BROb and keeping them in the lineup everyday is a big problem.

This team could be very good and maybe it will still end up being very good but i think Perlozzo will hold them back.

[Moose Milligan]

IMO, it's one step forward, two steps back. After all, the O's have been on a win one game, lose two holding pattern for 9 years now.

Spot on, spot on.

[bigloe]

If you're going to let ST batting stats, sound bytes from Perlozzo or the fact that he may disagree with you philosophically about the make up of the bench get you down, you're just looking for an excuse to be miserable IMO. The main thing to be worried about is Traschsel.

WELL SAID!

People on here tend to go overboard. If we get a couple of well pitched games, people start talking wildcard. If we don't hit, they complain about our bench. We need to be realistic about the Orioles and stop being wishy-washy. The team has been BAD for many years now, but there is hope for the future. The young players, like Markakis and Loewen are bringing a new attitude and will hopefully lead the team to winning in the future. I'm planning on watching this team grow over the next few years and hopefully enjoy some future success!

[El Gordo]

My worry in this team's offense goes back years, not weeks-worth of ST stats. That only enhances my worry. They've upgraded it sure, but it doesn't look like it'll be used properly. And believe me, when the O's say they're going to do something, they do it. Especially the things you don't want them to do. So I fully believe that the bench is going to be made up of a bunch of speedy slap hitters.

I agree, Trachsel is the one to be worried about, but then again, so is Wright and so is most of the offense. Sure the offense will score their 8 runs once in a while, but then they'll go out and score 1-2 run runs the next 2 nights and lose the series.

If this team's success is so dependent on the make up of the bench than you're right to be depressed. IMO it's almost totally dependent on the sucess of the pitching, in which case a bunch of speedy slaphitters who play good defense might be a help. The season is not going to turn on the difference between Bako and House or Knott and BYnum/Yan/Dubois/ Payton/Gibbons, IMO.

[El Gordo]

Perlozzo is what is disappointing me.

This team has obvious weaknesses but we have players who can help those weaknesses and it doesn't seme like they are getting a fair chance.

What Perlozzo values is a huge problem. His loyalty to guys like Mora and BROb and keeping them in the lineup everyday is a big problem.

This team could be very good and maybe it will still end up being very good but i think Perlozzo will hold them back.

Bynum and Knott each have 23 AB Dubois has 27, but then he also has 11 hits. House has 18 AB, the most of any except Ramon and Bako has 10. Who not getting a fair chance?

[Sports Guy]

House and Bako shouldn't be discussed as opposing options IMHO. I watched House play catcher while in ST and I don't think there is any way that a reasonable manager/GM would consider him a viable back up at catcher. He simply isn't very good back there from what I saw. He didn't frame the ball well. He didn't move well on pitches in the dirt. His arm was ok at best. I couldn't tell a lot about how well he was calling pitches but I will say that the pitcher seemed to struggle a bit more when he was catching (but that could be coincidence).

Honestly, I wasn't even particularly impressed with him at the plate. He has damn good bat speed, but he seemed extremely vulnerable to off speed stuff. However, it was early in ST and a limited sample size so maybe I saw him at less than his best offensively.

Defensively, the technique isn't there for House to get 30-50 starts at catcher this year IMHO. I was a much bigger fan of Knott and Dubois. FYI, I thought Bynum looked horrible at the plate, but very, very good in the field.

House would have been 10 times worse than Piazza to warrant Bako being here ahead of him.

The offensive difference is too great.

[Sapper]

A few weeks ago my outlook was relatively high. I was actually thinking that the O's were shaping up and things could be different this year.

Silly me.

Now, don't get me wrong. I've always said that the pitching is what'll make this team a winner or a loser, and so far in ST, the SP looks pretty good -- especially the trifecta of Bedard, Loewen and Cabrera.

But the offense is struggling to score a run a game.....

1. Offense tends to be a streaky thing. This could just be a temporary dry spell (and it is only ST yet). But I don't think we realyl have an offensive juggernaut team to begin with.

2. Pitching is much harder to establish than offense. A couple key signings or a breakout guy could really give our offense a jolt. This year is probably not the year we see that happen. But if we establish a pitching staff in the top 1/4 or 1/3 of the league this season, even if we're sub-.500, I would consider that a huge improvement. We could go out at that point and get a bat. At least that would only be one hole to fill next winter over the multiple holes we have had in years past.

At least I hope that's what happens. I've been saying for 3 years now, for anyone who's been listening, that with our staff, 2008 is probably the beginning of our target window.

[Dipper9]

A few weeks ago my outlook was relatively high. I was actually thinking that the O's were shaping up and things could be different this year.

Silly me.

Now, don't get me wrong. I've always said that the pitching is what'll make this team a winner or a loser, and so far in ST, the SP looks pretty good -- especially the trifecta of Bedard, Loewen and Cabrera.

But the offense is struggling to score a run a game, and the sounbytes coming from Sam Perlozzo and the rest of the front office have got me puzzled.

Reggie Sanders? Josh Fogg? WTF???

The flexability thing that Perlozzo is currently in love with troubles me. Does that mean we're going to see a bench consisting of Paul Bako, Brandon Fahey, Freddie Bynum and Ruddy Yan? Probably not, but the O's still seem to be oblivious to the fact that this team desperately needs a decent bench and couldn't hit its way out of a wet paper bag against LHP.

Then I hear that Trachsel will probably be given most or all of the season to prove that he can still pitch to an ERA below 5.50 because he's been paid $3 million and he's a "Professional Veteran Presence" or a PVP.

It seems like, for the life of them, the O's just can't help themselves from balancing out the good they've done over the offseason with boneheaded moves.

Overhaul the bullpen? No problem. Sign Paul Bako to a MLB contract.

Sign Aubrey Huff? No problem. Re-sign Kevin Millar.

Kris Benson goes down and Hayden Penn is primed and ready? No problem. Sign Steve Trachsel to a $3 million dollar MLB deal and then talk about trading for Josh Fogg.

Sign Jay Payton to hit LHP? No problem. He's going to play against LHP and RHP.

Sign good prospects in DuBois, House and Knott? No problem. Leave Josh Phelps unprotected in the Rule 5 draft to protect Paul Bako.

And so on and so on.

So if you see me wallowing around these boards over the next 2 weeks, at least you'll know where it's coming from. My old signature is back and I'm ready to dish out criticism as I see fit.

As much as I hate to say it...I agree with you! The moves of the front office and Perlozzo over the past week are heart breaking!

[El Gordo]

As much as I hate to say it...I agree with you! The moves of the front office and Perlozzo over the past week are heart breaking!

What moves?

[olehippi]

To me, it seems that a lot of "assumptions" are being made about the makeup of the team that will eventually come north. Many statements made so far by Perlozzo, Flannagan, and Duquette have been quite nebulous, but still seem to get twisted into fact.

The situation with Bako is a good example of this. All I have read and heard anyone associated with the O's say is that he was signed because his is a good defensive catcher and works well with pitchers. Who with the O's has stated that Bako is, unequivocally, our backup catcher? Of course the problem is that they signed no one else, except for House, who is capable of filling the position, and they don't seem too high on him.

Another example is Sanders and Fogg. All that's been said is that they are "looking at them"....yet some seem to assume that means we are going to trade for them.

It just seems that too often, objective discussion about something converts to assumptions....and then into unsubstantiated fact.

[El Gordo]

House and Bako shouldn't be discussed as opposing options IMHO. I watched House play catcher while in ST and I don't think there is any way that a reasonable manager/GM would consider him a viable back up at catcher. He simply isn't very good back there from what I saw. He didn't frame the ball well. He didn't move well on pitches in the dirt. His arm was ok at best. I couldn't tell a lot about how well he was calling pitches but I will say that the pitcher seemed to struggle a bit more when he was catching (but that could be coincidence).

Honestly, I wasn't even particularly impressed with him at the plate. He has damn good bat speed, but he seemed extremely vulnerable to off speed stuff. However, it was early in ST and a limited sample size so maybe I saw him at less than his best offensively.

Defensively, the technique isn't there for House to get 30-50 starts at catcher this year IMHO. I was a much bigger fan of Knott and Dubois. FYI, I thought Bynum looked horrible at the plate, but very, very good in the field.

You are probably right about House. I certainly put great stock in your judgement. However things you point out about his play don't quantify into numbers, so for all intents and purposes here, they don't exhist. Batting skills are easily quantifiable so they must take precedence.

[Dipper9]

I honestly don't plan on getting out of "Training Camp," I enjoy the insight from those who know what they are talking about. I just thought I would throw in my 2 cents just like everyone else does. Unfortunately it happened to be thrown at a "Hall of Famer." I know there those that will agree with me, but I dont want to get anyone else blackballed.

Throwing in your two cents with a strong opinion is perfectly acceptable. Attacking someone, whether they are a respected hangouter or a newbie, is not acceptable. We have strong disagreements on here every day, but for the most part, nobody intentionally insults the person they are diagreeing with!