Chicago Tribune: O's Have Improved

[estrada]

They should be better. After all they have Chris Gomez!! Operators are standing by.

And how could this baseball "expert" from the Tribune not list the Rays among the improved teams after adding Pat Burrell and Joe Nelson?

[weams]

That's like saying I did better since I got a D on my Spanish test this time when I got an F on my first one.

Hey I did too. Yo hablo espanol un poquito.

[wildcard]

They should be better. After all they have Chris Gomez!! Operators are standing by.

And how could this baseball "expert" from the Tribune not list the Rays among the improved teams after adding Pat Burrell and Joe Nelson?

I agree with that. The Rays are going to get better with a full year of Price even if they didn't nothing all winter.

[baltimoriole]

I find this funny because I forsee no possible situation where the O's finish better than 5th worst in MLB next year. Wieters or not. They simply have zero pitching behind Guthrie. Right now the rotation is Guthrie, Uehara, Olson, Hendrickson, Liz/Penn/Waters/Burress?

[Roll Tide]

Personally I think we are only the 3rd most improved team in our division. Tampa added Burrell which easily overshadows our additions. Yankees added Tex & Burnett (same as the Rays). Dont know about the Sox ...But the gap between them & the Orioles is as big as the grand canyon.

We may have done more than the Jays... But I'll bet they still have much better starting pitching than we do!

[BaltimoreTerp]

Been patient for 10 flippin years now.

We share a common bond, looks like.

Yeah, but this time you are taking the class with a different professor from the rest, with a much better reputation. One who instead of teaching from the book and flying through the material is taking the time to make sure you understand everything before moving on, even if it takes a little longer.

Under those circumstances, moving from an F to a D would be an accomplishment and a step on the way to an A.

[SrMeowMeow]

I think this is interesting. It's true that we're not a contender, but I also think that the writer's ranking of most improved teams is pretty accurate. For you AM bashers, that means that he's done more to improve the team than 25 other GMs. I understand that people want everything done at once, but seriously, think about that statement. The GM you can't stand and you complain about being too slow and methodical has done more to improve the team than 25 other GMs.

I understand that 10 years of losing make people irritable, and I also understand that people think we "deserve" to improve faster because of that fact, or that we should recycle GMs until we get one who can make us a winner in one offseason. But AM has done a lot and there is absolutely no objective reason to think that he's done.

Did people really expect to be a contender in 2009? Do we care how much we improve for this season? I don't, but it's a good barometer of AM's capabilities. And so far the results seem well above average.

[wildbillhiccup]

I agree with that. The Rays are going to get better with a full year of Price even if they didn't nothing all winter.

Ummm, the Rays signed Pat Burrell this winter. I'd hardly call that "didn't nothing."

[getxstoked]

Been patient for 10 flippin years now.

We share a common bond, looks like.

And only one of those ten with Andy in charge...people want to build a house without a foundation around these parts.

[Scrat1]

Ummm, the Rays signed Pat Burrell this winter. I'd hardly call that "didn't nothing."

Yeah, I think the Rays are going to be filthy this year.

[mrbig1]

Sorry not buying it. PA runs this team not AM. If the O's take one step in getting better, the Yankees,Redsox,and Rays have took 20. Not falling for PA BS anymore.

[BRob51]

We're taking baby-steps. I know we need leaps and bounds to compete, but we are moving in the right direction. We've upgraded C, SS, most likely 1B, 4OF, backup IF, Rotation, and maybe even BP. We need a lot more work, but we have got ourselves into a better position this year IMO.

[Miller192]

Yeah, but this time you are taking the class with a different professor from the rest, with a much better reputation. One who instead of teaching from the book and flying through the material is taking the time to make sure you understand everything before moving on, even if it takes a little longer.

Under those circumstances, moving from an F to a D would be an accomplishment and a step on the way to an A.

You know, I thought the same thing about Flanagan and Duquette.

Hindsight is what it is.

[hoosiers]

Looks like another national writer looking favorably upon the direction and steps taken by our FO.

This writer could be wrong, of course, but it is an opinion consistent with other national writers and publications and in direct contract to some of the "held hostage" extremists that pollute the board.

[Miller192]

Looks like another national writer looking favorably upon the direction and steps taken by our FO.

This writer could be wrong, of course, but it is an opinion consistent with other national writers and publications and in direct contract to some of the "held hostage" extremists that pollute the board.

There's those posters who defend the Orioles at every turn and those trash the Orioles no matter what they accomplish.

They both bring something to this board....I wouldn't call it pollution.