A few nuggets....

[glorydays]

We just need to get rid of these bums and their baserunning mistakes... we can trade one of them to the Dodgers for their best SS prospect, package another two to the Marlins for Dallas MacPherson. The Twins need a 3B - let's send them Mora for Loriano. But in the meantime - Trembley needs to chew them out on the TV following tonights game for their boneheaded baserunning mistakes and sit them on the bench... that will show them!

Next day in Andy's office:

(Ring-Ring)

Secretary: Yes, Mr. MacPhail

Andy: Sally, are our phones working today?

Secretary: Why yes, Mr. MacPhail. Mr. Angelos just called over and said he won another asbestos lawsuit! He is flying the Greek baseball team in to practice at Camden Yards for the Olympics. We are having to bump pre-game batting practice.

Andy: Have we heard from any ballclubs today?

Secretary: Well, no Mr. MacPhail.

Andy: Hmmm... Well, get Trembley on the phone. Tell him that I asked him not to carry 13 pitchers and he did it anyway and I'm mad!

Secretary: Mr. MacPhail sir, did you see that Dave benched all the players you had lined up in trades last night because they can't run the bases right?

Andy: What the (BleeP!) No wonder no one is calling me today! Let's not wait for the August/September free fall - call him up today and tell him to pack his bags! And get Giardi on the phone!

[Lucky Jim]

I don't understand this idea that a manager can't be accountable for baserunning.

It literally makes no sense to me.

Yell? Fine? Bench?

Sometimes people need to be alienated and made an example of.

[EddeeEddee]

Hall/Huff at third and Scott 90% in LF with Mora and Payton on the bench is much better than keeping Bradford on this team. Its not like he hasn't had his flaws this year as well.

We have Bradford signed for 2009 too. Why trade him for a part time third baseman when our real problem short team and long term is pitching? I'd rather sign Bradford for another year than trade him for a part time player. It's not like the O's can move Mora, either, except to the bench which makes no sense when his replacement is Bill Hall.

[TGO]

Trembley is not a lock to be back next year like Obama and McCain are not locks to be the presidential nominees.

[bluedog]

I just don't get or know what you Trembley bashers are expecting from him? The team plays hard every night, they've been competitive all year despite having a lack of talent, and he's adjusted lineups and the bullpen due to effectiveness or lack thereof.

I hope I haven't earned the title "Trembley basher" for a voicing my concerns about him in this one thread, but I'd like to hear your opinion on the fundamental issues with this team.

Are you happy with the way Trembley has addressed the bad baserunning, poor defense and other miscues that have plagued the team all season? At some point shouldn't he make some kind of proactive move to address what can only be considered a team-wide breakdown in fundamentals that occurs not only nightly, but often 3 or 4 times a game?

I don't argue that Trembley can only work with what he's given - but after 80+ games of bad baserunning that has and continues to lose games, to say in a press conference "I've had discussions with the coaching staff about doing something about that" seems beyond weak to me.

At some point I want to see him get fired up and hold some of these players responsible for this stuff. Don't you?

[Lucky Jim]

I hope I haven't earned the title "Trembley basher" for a voicing my concerns about him in this one thread, but I'd like to hear your opinion on the fundamental issues with this team.

Are you happy with the way Trembley has addressed the bad baserunning, poor defense and other miscues that have plagued the team all season? At some point shouldn't he make some kind of proactive move to address what can only be considered a team-wide breakdown in fundamentals that occurs not only nightly, but often 3 or 4 times a game?

I don't argue that Trembley can only work with what he's given - but after 80+ games of bad baserunning that has and continues to lose games, to say in a press conference "I've had discussions with the coaching staff about doing something about that" seems beyond weak to me.

At some point I want to see him get fired up and hold some of these players responsible for this stuff. Don't you?

It's pretty amazing that we had managers who we've held accountable for these same issues over the past few years but we absolve Trembley.

Again (a caveat): I like Trembley, think he's a good manager, and hope he's back. But he's not above criticism.

[Dipper9]

We just need to get rid of these bums and their baserunning mistakes... we can trade one of them to the Dodgers for their best SS prospect, package another two to the Marlins for Dallas MacPherson. The Twins need a 3B - let's send them Mora for Loriano. But in the meantime - Trembley needs to chew them out on the TV following tonights game for their boneheaded baserunning mistakes and sit them on the bench... that will show them!

Next day in Andy's office:

(Ring-Ring)

Secretary: Yes, Mr. MacPhail

Andy: Sally, are our phones working today?

Secretary: Why yes, Mr. MacPhail. Mr. Angelos just called over and said he won another asbestos lawsuit! He is flying the Greek baseball team in to practice at Camden Yards for the Olympics. We are having to bump pre-game batting practice.

Andy: Have we heard from any ballclubs today?

Secretary: Well, no Mr. MacPhail.

Andy: Hmmm... Well, get Trembley on the phone. Tell him that I asked him not to carry 13 pitchers and he did it anyway and I'm mad!

Secretary: Mr. MacPhail sir, did you see that Dave benched all the players you had lined up in trades last night because they can't run the bases right?

Andy: What the (BleeP!) No wonder no one is calling me today! Let's not wait for the August/September free fall - call him up today and tell him to pack his bags! And get Giardi on the phone!

Wow! Just WOW! I can't believe an overall positive OP by bigbird has gone 8 pages of Trembley bashing, and MacPhail bashing as well. We are a supposedly terrible baseball who has scratched and clawed to a very respectable record so far this season, and yet all of the goodwill is now evaporating due to a bad couple of weeks. Suddenly Trembley must go, and MacPhail hasn't done a good job of providing good players? What happened to the rebuild that, to quote a famous thread, "will not happen overnight?" Suddenly now after losing 9 of 10 its screw the rebuild, fire Trembley, and MacPhail is terrible? This is just wrong...wrong and very very sad.

[Mark Carver]

I hope I haven't earned the title "Trembley basher" for a voicing my concerns about him in this one thread, but I'd like to hear your opinion on the fundamental issues with this team.

Are you happy with the way Trembley has addressed the bad baserunning, poor defense and other miscues that have plagued the team all season? At some point shouldn't he make some kind of proactive move to address what can only be considered a team-wide breakdown in fundamentals that occurs not only nightly, but often 3 or 4 times a game?

I don't argue that Trembley can only work with what he's given - but after 80+ games of bad baserunning that has and continues to lose games, to say in a press conference "I've had discussions with the coaching staff about doing something about that" seems beyond weak to me.

At some point I want to see him get fired up and hold some of these players responsible for this stuff. Don't you?

What more do you want from Trembley? When he sees players making mistakes, he addresses the issue with the player. If the player continues, what do you want him do? Take them out back and give them a good spanking?

[Flip217]

I know this is from the first page but I am surprised nobody corrected it... According to Cot's, Hall's contract is 6.8 million next year, 8.4 million in 2010 and a 9.25 million dollar option with a 500k buyout in 2011. Not exactly a bargain for a league average third baseman, and he is only league average if you factor in his two good years, not his last two seasons which have been rather pedestrian. That said, he is serviceable and despite what previous posters have said you can be a playoff team with Hall type players in your lineup, just not too many of them. Also, I would be surprised if Mora had a better season next year at age 37 than Hall at age 29, of course I can't see how they can get rid of Mora's contract and I don't know if he would embrace the super-utility role while making 9 million in 2009.

Some additional nuggets on Hall, from rotoworld player updates:

"Does Hall still want a trade? Considering that he doesn't hit righties, he's leading the majors with 15 errors and he has about $18.5 million left on his contract, he sounds like a perfect fit for the Mariners. "

"Hall has been terrible against right-handers this year, and judging from his defense at third base, he'll be a huge downgrade with the glove from Craig Counsell. The Brewers must feel they don't have much to lose by giving him a try at second base, but he could prove to be the worst of their options"

"According to the newspaper, Hall's agent "believes it would be best for both the Brewers and his client if Hall is traded to another club where he could play regularly." Hall signed a four-year, $24 million contract after winning team MVP honors in 2006, but has hit just .246/.309/.422 in 187 games since."

I ain't too hot on Hall.

[TGO]

Wow! Just WOW! I can't believe an overall positive OP by bigbird has gone 8 pages of Trembley bashing, and MacPhail bashing as well. We are a supposedly terrible baseball who has scratched and clawed to a very respectable record so far this season, and yet all of the goodwill is now evaporating due to a bad couple of weeks. Suddenly Trembley must go, and MacPhail hasn't done a good job of providing good players? What happened to the rebuild that, to quote a famous thread, "will not happen overnight?" Suddenly now after losing 9 of 10 its screw the rebuild, fire Trembley, and MacPhail is terrible? This is just wrong...wrong and very very sad.

I think you missed the sarcasm of that post.

[Lucky Jim]

Wow! Just WOW! I can't believe an overall positive OP by bigbird has gone 8 pages of Trembley bashing, and MacPhail bashing as well. We are a supposedly terrible baseball who has scratched and clawed to a very respectable record so far this season, and yet all of the goodwill is now evaporating due to a bad couple of weeks. Suddenly Trembley must go, and MacPhail hasn't done a good job of providing good players? What happened to the rebuild that, to quote a famous thread, "will not happen overnight?" Suddenly now after losing 9 of 10 its screw the rebuild, fire Trembley, and MacPhail is terrible? This is just wrong...wrong and very very sad.

I haven't seen any bashing at all. None. Some criticism, which was pretty well-founded - even if you dispute the causes.

Seriously, what is this place if level-headed criticism is characterized as "bashing"?

[glorydays]

Wow! Just WOW! I can't believe an overall positive OP by bigbird has gone 8 pages of Trembley bashing, and MacPhail bashing as well. We are a supposedly terrible baseball who has scratched and clawed to a very respectable record so far this season, and yet all of the goodwill is now evaporating due to a bad couple of weeks. Suddenly Trembley must go, and MacPhail hasn't done a good job of providing good players? What happened to the rebuild that, to quote a famous thread, "will not happen overnight?" Suddenly now after losing 9 of 10 its screw the rebuild, fire Trembley, and MacPhail is terrible? This is just wrong...wrong and very very sad.

I hope you realize that my post was all sarcasm pointed at all those who want us to trade our terrible mistake filled players for other team's best prospects but before we trade them they want Trembley to bench them - which in effect will make other teams hesitate to make any attempts at trading for them...

[byrdz]

Well this team isn't going to lose 100 games so the Trembley stuff is surprising. IMO, AM needs to be focused on what players are one the field, the coaching staff isn't the biggest weakness.

[Dipper9]

I think you missed the sarcasm of that post.

Sarcasm was noted..I'm talking about the now NINE pages of criticism.

[furryburres]

Read my previous post, he is not cheap and is not a 5 year solution.

But what people don't understand is that you can't get a good SS prospect for Bradford, and likely not for anyone they're going to trade except Sherrill. Which means that you're stuck for 4-5 years, until a drafted prospect is readily available and developed.

If they can trade Sherrill for Lillibridge, Hu, etc, then this trade is moot in my opinion. He's not my 3B guy; he's my SS guy.