Roch has not posted today at 8 pm

[JimGinSP]

3 hours ago, rm5678 said:

Some comments from Roch this morning:

"Hello everyone. I'm loving this comment total! Let's break the internet. Or at least disqus, which only requires one hard keystroke.
I just put in for a week's vacation. Returning next Friday. Bold, I know. Just need to get away. Not from you all, of course. You know what I'm talking about. But I'll share some news in the comments as it comes, even if I'm not writing an article. Like if they finally announce spring training invites or minor league staffs."

"I always said it would have to happen organically, or whatever. Wasn't just gonna take the day off for no reason. Boy, did I have a reason. It'll all be in the book one day. Or the podcast if I move on :-)"

"Just staying home and decompressing."

So there is definitely more behind-the-scenes drama going on than what we are seeing openly.

I introduced myself to Roch at Sarasota back in 2011 after he came off an on field post game presser with Buck.  He was friendly and actually seemed to recognize the screen name I used over there at the time.  I didn’t survive his move to the Discus server.   Then the guys with the whole “First” thing kinda felt like going into McDonalds at 7AM and realizing you’ve sat down in some old guys’ regular spot.  Kind of stopped following as time passed.
I think it was coming out of COVID that the O’s/MASN were being cheap and didn’t set him up to go to Sarasota so he took it upon himself to make his own arrangements to at least get down there for a period of time.  Basically shamed the organization to let him go down there to cover the whole camp.  
Wouldn’t surprise me if JA told accounting to stop paying bills until some aspects of the sale were finalized and Roch was being jerked around on spring training yet again.

[Frobby]

6 minutes ago, Tony-OH said:

Maybe, or maybe he really does need to take a vacation before the upcoming season and with all the change, just decided, "Why not?"

He absolutely should take a vacation.  Melewski routinely does, and the world doesn’t stop revolving on its axis when that happens.  Roch’s two weeks away from daily coverage that basically doesn’t stop for 8 months.  Meanwhile, Melewski can cover the Cease trade.  

[oriolediehard]

Was Roch fired? If he was, who fired him?  I personally like his style, he has been an honest reporter. If he is fired, who's going to replace him?  

[rm5678]

52 minutes ago, oriolediehard said:

Was Roch fired? If he was, who fired him?  I personally like his style, he has been an honest reporter. If he is fired, who's going to replace him?  

I like him too, and I don't think he was fired. A couple of days ago he said he'll be "back here" (meaning on his MASN blog) and this morning he said he "just put in for a week's vacation" and "returning next Friday." I don't think he'd give a specific return date if he was never coming back. But I guess stranger things have happened.

[wildcard]

2 hours ago, Frobby said:

He absolutely should take a vacation.  Melewski routinely does, and the world doesn’t stop revolving on its axis when that happens.  Roch’s two weeks away from daily coverage that basically doesn’t stop for 8 months.  Meanwhile, Melewski can cover the Cease trade.  

So you hasn't taken a vacation in many years?

[RVAOsFan]

Kind of sounds like ownership may have given Roch the Kevin Brown treatment... Didn't KB tell everyone he was taking some time off? The whole situation was really weird with no clear answers... 

[waroriole]

22 minutes ago, RVAOsFan said:

Kind of sounds like ownership may have given Roch the Kevin Brown treatment... Didn't KB tell everyone he was taking some time off? The whole situation was really weird with no clear answers... 

I assume the outgoing and incoming ownership groups have bigger concerns than Rich’s status. Can’t imagine it’s in anyway related. 

[clapdiddy]

Personally, I hope Roch gets to stay and do his thing.   He's put in his time here with crappy teams/ownership and they are now in a position to put a perennial contender on the field.   Would be nice for him to be a part of all of it.

Edited February 1 by clapdiddy

[milbest77]

He has nothing to write about. The orioles have done nothing TO write about (minus the sale).

[Roll Tide]

4 hours ago, oriolediehard said:

Was Roch fired? If he was, who fired him?  I personally like his style, he has been an honest reporter. If he is fired, who's going to replace him?  

Really he was just Peter & John Angelos' Parrot. I really understand his predicament under the old ownership. Hopefully he will be allowed to be an honest reporter and critical when the situation calls for it under the new. 

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

1 hour ago, milbest77 said:

He has nothing to write about. The orioles have done nothing TO write about (minus the sale).

When has that stopped Roch from posting his blog though. It's definitely weird that he's taking a break right now. Maybe it's John Angelos final act of retribution at tormenting his employees before he gives the car keys to Rubenstein.

[Frobby]

1 hour ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

When has that stopped Roch from posting his blog though. It's definitely weird that he's taking a break right now. Maybe it's John Angelos final act of retribution at tormenting his employees before he gives the car keys to Rubenstein.

There’s nothing weird about it.  Roch wanted to post about the sale before the Orioles had acknowledged it.  MASN management wouldn’t let him, so he had no time left to write anything and his precious streak was broken, so he decided he may as well make the most of it and enjoy a few days off.  I’m sure he wasn’t pleased with the decision but it doesn’t have to be some big drama.  

[wildbillhiccup]

3 hours ago, milbest77 said:

He has nothing to write about. The orioles have done nothing TO write about (minus the sale).

That's never stopped him before

[connja]

BTW, he obviously had a back log of strories that MASN would push out at 4am.  He clearly wasn't up hitting send at that time.  

I imagine in the offseason he would write a handful of stories for 4-5 hours a few times a week, then relax.

[RZNJ]

13 minutes ago, Frobby said:

There’s nothing weird about it.  Roch wanted to post about the sale before the Orioles had acknowledged it.  MASN management wouldn’t let him, so he had no time left to write anything and his precious streak was broken, so he decided he may as well make the most of it and enjoy a few days off.  I’m sure he wasn’t pleased with the decision but it doesn’t have to be some big drama.  

Some of his blog entries can't possibly take more than 30 minutes.   The ones where he pretends he has mailed in questions and comes up witty responses might take longer.