Millar wants to return

[Fan4Life]

I post, it's just that I can't help but care about this team as passionately as I do, even though I don't want to sometimes. And I get frustrated with a lot of the talk on here... I think that we've become so used to losing and the concept of getting back to .500 and what have you that sometimes we lose sight of the big picture. But I can't help but keep the big picture of it all in my head, and it's depressing. And I want to see this team get back to being a real force in the league, and it's not an impossible feat... my God if they can win in Tampa Bay surely it can be done elsewhere. I'm tired of this team being an also ran, or not taken seriously by anyone outside of the hardcore fans. I'm mad that most people outside of fantasy baseball players don't know how good a player Nick Markakis is, or don't know how fine a pitcher Jeremy Guthrie is, and lots of other examples of that. I just want this team to be a winner so much that I get easily angry and frustrated just thinking about it.

But I think they're on the right track, and as this board is clear evidence to, the support for the O's is still surprisingly strong given what this organization has put it fans through the last decade. The fire still burns, you know? I just want them to quit being wishy-washy over it and do whatever it takes to make this team a contender again.

Well you are certainly entitled to an opinion, I think if you can do it without the smart-ass remarks they might be given more weight, at least by me.

On the flip side, I'm not interested in dismissing the 2009-2010 seasons before they're even played. I want this team to be in the hunt next season... that means within 5-6 games of a playoff spot with roughly 20 games to go. Now when evaluating how this team is currently playing and has played this season, the pitching is where the problem is. Now, I understand a couple of things from the offensive perspective:

1) We shouldn't expect the same output next season as we've seen lately

2) Some players don't have a role beyond next season and need to be replaced

I think we can address both of those issues, and the pitching to a degree while trying to compete next season.

Adding Tex or Dunn if we keep Huff, adding Tex and Dunn if we trade Huff.

Signing one of Burnett(if available), Dempster, Sheets, CC

OR

signing one year stop gaps like Lowe, Loshe, etc

AND

Trading for a #3-#4ish type starter

Extend Roberts

Extend Nick

Our needs will be a SS, and beyond 2009 a 3b'man.