A few nuggets....

[LookitsPuck]

Bill Hall seems like a decent enough player, but I don't think he's who the O's should go after if "rebuilding" is what we're really trying to do. I think the O's can doa bit better in a Bradford trade. Bradford is having a solid year. Bill Hall is having a Melvin Mora Jr. kind of year.

To Ravenbird, Hall has had 2 great years, imho. He is like a much younger version of Mora at this point.

With that being said, EddeeEdee, what do you think we could get for Bradford?

[Pedro Cerrano]

I love how the manager always ends up being the one to blame when a team of bad players plays -- ummmm -- badly?

I guess you can't fire 25 guys...

[Dipper9]

I can't think of why Trembley would be untouchable. Questionable bullpen management (over use of arms, for example), pretty bad lineup/roster management (constant sitting of Scott, the giving of the cleanup spot to Millar on a platter, giving LH the SS spot regardless of a terrible spring and poor season, love for veterans), and extremely questionable fundamentals as well as overuse of aggressiveness on the basepaths.

I do, however, love his passion for the game. But that does not a good manager make.

FWIW, I love how he rallies this team together. He's a great speaker/psychologist. I just don't put him on a pedestal as much as OH does. He's not perfect, but he's not terrible. With that being said, we should be in no rush to lock 'em up.

The flip side of this is the following...the team says how they are really motivated by Trembley, and they all seem loose and to get along well...ie, good team chemistry. If you start benching the vets AND HAVE NO GOOD YOUNG TALENT to replace them, not only do we continue to lose, but now everybody is all pissed off as well. Not bringing up Reimold and Wieters seems to me to be a front office decision. Based on that, Trembley is doing the best he can with what he's got. I don't see him benching Kakes or Jones for Payton to get playing time, and he's not benching Roberts to give Bynum time at second. Aside from those three players, who ON THE CURRENT ROSTER do you feel is not getting adequate PT and WHO WILL ALSO BE A PART OF THE FUTURE?

[JTrea81]

I can't think of why Trembley would be untouchable. Questionable bullpen management (over use of arms, for example), pretty bad lineup/roster management (constant sitting of Scott, the giving of the cleanup spot to Millar on a platter, giving LH the SS spot regardless of a terrible spring and poor season, love for veterans), and extremely questionable fundamentals as well as overuse of aggressiveness on the basepaths.

I do, however, love his passion for the game. But that does not a good manager make.

Spot on. Trembley has made a ton of questionable decisions with the way he's managed the roster.

Having Fahey and Hernandez on the team at one time was ridiculous. His treatment of Aquino and Moore was poor. And the man kept writing Millar's name in the #4 spot when it was clear after 2-3 weeks that he couldn't perform there. And Luke Scott should never sit against a RHP unless he truly needs a break.

If this team goes into the tank like every August and September then you will have to question if Trembley is really the best choice.

[Tony-OH]

Remember Trembley and the second half of 2007. If that happens again I don't want him back...

My guess is this 13 pitcher thing isn't MacPhail's idea and he probably thinks it's not necessary. Also Albers' injury probably didn't thrill him either...

It's not like the guy doesn't have any flaws. We shouldn't have to have 13 pitchers. And Trembley is burning through the bullpen because he refuses to call up a guy like Bergesen who could help.

No offense, but you really ought to pay a little more attention on how professional baseball teams are run.

MacPhail has the ultimate responsibility to put players on the roster. He promotes and demotes players although I'm sure Trembley has a big say.

I hate the idea of a 13-man pitching staff until I realize this rotation has three guys that you are lucky to get five innings out of.

Blaming Trembley for the lack of promotion of Bergesen is pretty funny though.

[Flip217]

To Ravenbird, Hall has had 2 great years, imho. He is like a much younger version of Mora at this point.

With that being said, EddeeEdee, what do you think we could get for Bradford?

Is Hall platooning w/ Branyan?

[SilentJames]

I can't think of why Trembley would be untouchable. Questionable bullpen management (over use of arms, for example), pretty bad lineup/roster management (constant sitting of Scott, the giving of the cleanup spot to Millar on a platter, giving LH the SS spot regardless of a terrible spring and poor season, love for veterans), and extremely questionable fundamentals as well as overuse of aggressiveness on the basepaths.

I do, however, love his passion for the game. But that does not a good manager make.

Who else beat out LH for the starting job out of ST? Who else beat Millar for the clean up spot out of ST?

Looking at the numbers Millar did very well in the cleanup spot last year and his history has shown he is better when he gets consistent play.

Both of those things have changed since.

People need to lay off Trembley's bullpen use. What do you want the man to do? 3/5 of his starting rotation is averaging LESS THAN SIX INNINGS A GAME!

The bullpen has been overused because of the lack of depth from the starting pitching - not Trembley.

It is amazing hoe a bad couple weeks can cause people to turn on this guy.

[Dr. FLK]

Spot on. Trembley has made a ton of questionable decisions with the way he's managed the roster.

Having Fahey, Bynum and Hernandez on the team at one time was ridiculous. And the man kept writing Millar's name in the #4 spot when it was clear after 2-3 weeks that he couldn't perform there. And Luke Scott should never sit against a RHP unless he truly needs a break.

If this team goes into the tank like every August and September then you will have to question if Trembley is really the best choice.

Definitely. I mean, he should have convinced AM to bring up some of those stud position prospects he acquired in the offseason. You know, the ones who are tearing the cover off the ball in the minors? We should definitely can him for the 6.4 days that those 3 were on the roster. And, so what that we only have 3 good hitters on the entire team. He should definitely fabricate a legit cleanup hitter. Maybe he should just watch Frankenstein a few more times until he can figure it out.:scratchchinhmm:

[Dipper9]

Getting a B- prospect for Bradford is 1000 times better than getting Hall for him. No question.

Really? So you like Bynum/Fahey at ss and Mora at third better than Hall, who would immediately take over the starting job at one of those two spots.

Bradford isn't going to get you a prospect much better than Hall, so IMO I'd take the ML ready guy over a lower level prospect.

[JTrea81]

Blaming Trembley for the lack of promotion of Bergesen is pretty funny though.

How is it funny? In today's Sun he specifically said that he doesn't want Bergesen up here because he thinks he's not ready. Do you think MacPhail would promote Bergesen if Trembley didn't want him to?

[bigbird]

Sorry bigbird. I'm not buying that the management is upset with Trembley. Trembley has used the bullpen as well as anyone given his lack of starting pitching.

Back up your suggestion that these things are not being addressed. Because unlike you, I was in the lockerroom last night and talked with both Trembley and Shelby and both have been trying to work on things.

I'm not going to get into specifics, but Trembley knows there are still some knuckleheads on this team when it comes to playing the game right and unfortunately, it's the hand he's dealt.

Do you really think anyone can get players like Mora and Hernandez to be smart players?

Trembley is part of the solution and although he's not perfect, there's absolutely no reason to think he's in trouble.

Please make sure to differentiate between what you are hearing and your opinion, because this comment sounds a lot more like opinion than organizational thoughts.

First those are my observations and nothing I was told. I was told he was not a lock to return. If you could get a Tony Larussa to manage the O's would you take him over DT? Any ideas why he wan't the first choice last year??? I actually like what he has done but every manager has to deal with kuncleheads. I don't buy the excuse that he has to deal with a couple bad eggs.

[LookitsPuck]

Scott should be playing against lefties more. He has a history of pretty good success.

Mora should be benched quite often and should, really, be nothing more than a utility guy. On these days, play Huff at 3B.

Salazar should have never been sent down. Our bench is awful.

Bynum/Fahey are a wash. Neither are good, but unfortunately we're stuck with one (or both) of them right now.

Millar should have never been giving the cleanup spot on a platter.

LH should never have given the SS spot on a platter especially after a dreadful spring training.

Walker should not have been put in a situational lefty role even after he's proven time and time and time and time and time again that he's been terrible in that role all season.

Sherrill has been overused. We can discuss this until the cows come home, but that's what I believe.

I'd have given Quiroz much more playing time versus Ramon. Ramon is god awful.

I hate this aggressiveness on the basepaths. I hate the boneheaded plays by our players especially due to over aggressiveness.

Calling up guys like McCrory (maybe they were working with him, who knows), Bukvich, Aquino, etc. for short periods of times, and they dropping them without giving consideration to our struggling bench is absurd.

I could go on, really.

Of course, he does a lot of great things. Just saying that the above are some reasons why he shouldn't be a lock for 2K9. I want to see how he does the remainder of the season, especially when this team starts falling apart.

[LookitsPuck]

Who else beat out LH for the starting job out of ST? Who else beat Millar for the clean up spot out of ST?

Looking at the numbers Millar did very well in the cleanup spot last year and his history has shown he is better when he gets consistent play.

Both of those things have changed since.

People need to lay off Trembley's bullpen use. What do you want the man to do? 3/5 of his starting rotation is averaging LESS THAN SIX INNINGS A GAME!

The bullpen has been overused because of the lack of depth from the starting pitching - not Trembley.

It is amazing hoe a bad couple weeks can cause people to turn on this guy.

Can you recall quite a few games when he'd put Johnson in for a part of an inning, than yank him out for Bradford, then yank him out for Walker, etc. These guys can pitch longer than a 1/3 or more than 1 inning. Getting them warming up, sitting them, warming them up, pitching them, swapping them, etc. is not good for the bullpen and is not good for the longevity of the team.

[Lucky Jim]

Really? So you like Bynum/Fahey at ss and Mora at third better than Hall, who would immediately take over the starting job at one of those two spots.

Bradford isn't going to get you a prospect much better than Hall, so IMO I'd take the ML ready guy over a lower level prospect.

Dipper - you've got to take the opportunity cost into account.

What else could Bradford be traded for? What does having Hall at 3B or SS do long-term? Is he a long-term solution? What's the value of a stop-gap this year?

[Jagwar]

Spot on. Trembley has made a ton of questionable decisions with the way he's managed the roster.

Having Fahey, Bynum and Hernandez on the team at one time was ridiculous. His treatment of Aquino and Moore was poor. And the man kept writing Millar's name in the #4 spot when it was clear after 2-3 weeks that he couldn't perform there. And Luke Scott should never sit against a RHP unless he truly needs a break.

If this team goes into the tank like every August and September then you will have to question if Trembley is really the best choice.

I'm just not certain that all of these things (along with carrying 13 pitchers) MUST be DT's fault. Doesn't MacPhail make roster decisions?

And if the team tanks in Aug and Sep, I think it has more to do with the fact that teams tend to show their overall worth over 162 games. This is not a good, consistent, winning team, and I don't think anyone should be shocked if the O's finish with 20 games under .500.