The silence is deafening - Baez

[BMoreJayMo]

I second that.

I'll third that opinion. Always good to see someone succeed through hard work and determination and I hope that comes true for Baez. Any value the Os can get will help to mitigate the sunk costs of his contract and that would be good. Hard to see AM giving him a roster spot that would force one of the younger SP candidates to clear waivers if they actually have any chance at contributing to the club. If the FO has a tough choice at the end of ST as to whom will be kept due to a plethora of better than expected performances, color me thrilled.

[Malike]

I just really don't care at all about how Baez pitches this spring.

he doesn't deserve a spot in the rotation, and his 3 2/3 scoreless innings aren't going t chaange my mind about that.

I do find it irritating that they are giving Baez so many starts and innings in ST when they could go to guys younger with much more upside. You know, guys that will actually contribute to a contending O's ballclub.

Why couldn't some of Baez's starts go to a guy like David Hernandez. Or why not let Tillman or Arrieta get a start. Maybe Albers should get a chance to start.

I guess I'm bothered because it seems to me Baez is being treated as a top priority, like he is one of the organization's most vaulable pieces when in actuality, he isn't worth a damn.

Your posts are generally very well stated, and thought out. If you had never stated your age, I'd be hard pressed for anyone to guess you were in your teens, as your wisdom for your years is great in most cases. I think the bolded part of your post show's some immaturity. You don't like Baez on the team, join the club. To but speak so definitively that he isnt worth a damn, is hyperbole at best.

Everyone wants to see more players with upside, but to say Baez has an absolute value of nil, is wrong. Any of us would be lucky to be one of the top 700 or so on earth of whatever our chosen field is.

Don't take this as a slight to you, as you can see it was mainly a complement. I only had issue with the way you worded the part I bolded, and as I stated, I'm sure it was hyperbole on your part.

[24fps]

I just really don't care at all about how Baez pitches this spring.

he doesn't deserve a spot in the rotation, and his 3 2/3 scoreless innings aren't going t chaange my mind about that.

I do find it irritating that they are giving Baez so many starts and innings in ST when they could go to guys younger with much more upside. You know, guys that will actually contribute to a contending O's ballclub.

Why couldn't some of Baez's starts go to a guy like David Hernandez. Or why not let Tillman or Arrieta get a start. Maybe Albers should get a chance to start.

I guess I'm bothered because it seems to me Baez is being treated as a top priority, like he is one of the organization's most vaulable pieces when in actuality, he isn't worth a damn.

On the contrary, he's worth $5.5 million plus whatever's still due on his signing bonus - sum that no doubt causes Andy MacPhail to say "damn!" every time he thinks about it.

Maybe Baez should get an honest shot and the message that the Baltimore Orioles is a fair, even-handed organization can get clearly communicated to all the guys in ST, young and old.

[section18]

We need Baez to show he has come back and create interest from other teams. If we eat part of his contract someone will trade an A or AA player for him. We do not have room for him and he needs to pitch to be effective (like most pitchers). The odds are probably 50-1 he starts the season with the team unless another team wants to see him in a few major league games in April before making a deal for him. I don't think that will be necessary and a team like Colorado, Kansas City or Texas will probably take a shot with him.

[Old Beta]

We do not have room for him...

Sure we do. Teams always have room for effective pitchers. We're finding out now whether or not he is effective, and if he is more effective than his competition.

He is a potential one-year bridging option until the younger pitchers either emerge or flop (and some of them most surely will flop). The Orioles are wise to see whether or not he can start this year, just as they were wise to sign a raft of other people who could possibly fill the same role.

[Anonymous]

Reinforcing a point made earlier, and adding one of my own:

The Baez cost is sunk. The Orioles owe it to themselves to see if they can salvage anything out of that contract before it expires. Whether that means he pitches for this club in some capacity in 2009, or he is traded to some other club that picks up some percentage of the contract is irrelevant. It simply would be nice to get something more out of that money than they would have by burning it in a big drum at the mound.

And again, the matter of respect comes into play. At one point, Baez was a capable major league pitcher. He is under contract. He is at least owed the opportunity to try to make a comeback in Spring Training. These games don't count, and with this being a WBC year, there are more innings to go around. If he's able to work his way back, great. If not, then at least he was afforded the opportunity to prove that he's done, both to the league...and to himself.

This isn't something to get upset over. Not this year. Let it be.

Well done, MM!

[Tx Oriole]

Baez pitches the longest scoreless start of ST to date for 3 2/3 innings. Comes back from near elimination from the starting competition, and there is hardly a word on the hangout.

Are fans indifferent? disappointed? happy?

http://www.masnsports.com/index_blog_roch.html

I beleive they are mostly indifferent.

[Tx Oriole]

Had he been bombed there'd be a two page thread already saying that he needs to go and that a young pitcher needs his spot and ST innings instead.

It's the OH way....remain absolutely silent when a board whipping boy does well...light the torches and grab the pitchforks when he's doing poorly.

Moose, you may be right.

[Tx Oriole]

I just really don't care at all about how Baez pitches this spring.

he doesn't deserve a spot in the rotation, and his 3 2/3 scoreless innings aren't going t chaange my mind about that.

I do find it irritating that they are giving Baez so many starts and innings in ST when they could go to guys younger with much more upside. You know, guys that will actually contribute to a contending O's ballclub.

Why couldn't some of Baez's starts go to a guy like David Hernandez. Or why not let Tillman or Arrieta get a start. Maybe Albers should get a chance to start.

I guess I'm bothered because it seems to me Baez is being treated as a top priority, like he is one of the organization's most vaulable pieces when in actuality, he isn't worth a damn.

Maybe because Tillman and Arrieta will not make the team. I would imagine they will be going to the minors camp. Albers, will have to spend some time in AAA. I don't know about Hernandez. I would imagine he too will be back in the minors.

[glenn__davis]

Indifferent on Baez. I've never seen him as a legitimate candidate for the rotation, though I'd love to see him be able to make it back and be effective out of the bullpen.

I'm also largely indifferent to these 1-2 inning stints guys are putting up in the start of ST. I don't think any one of these guys is going to go forward or back based on what they do in a few innings against another team's B-squad. My guess is that MacPhail, Trembley, Kranitz, etc. are looking more at bulllpen sessions and side sessions, and that once guys get stretched out a little more, they'll use all of that information to make their decision.

[Old#5fan]

I just really don't care at all about how Baez pitches this spring.

he doesn't deserve a spot in the rotation, and his 3 2/3 scoreless innings aren't going t chaange my mind about that.

I do find it irritating that they are giving Baez so many starts and innings in ST when they could go to guys younger with much more upside. You know, guys that will actually contribute to a contending O's ballclub.

Why couldn't some of Baez's starts go to a guy like David Hernandez. Or why not let Tillman or Arrieta get a start. Maybe Albers should get a chance to start.

I guess I'm bothered because it seems to me Baez is being treated as a top priority, like he is one of the organization's most vaulable pieces when in actuality, he isn't worth a damn.

Gosh, I love the OH as there is always someone here like this who seems to post my sentiments on a topic much better than I could express on my own.

Ditto this comment, every single word!:clap3:

[TinCup]

Baez pitches the longest scoreless start of ST to date for 3 2/3 innings. Comes back from near elimination from the starting competition, and there is hardly a word on the hangout.

Are fans indifferent? disappointed? happy?

http://www.masnsports.com/index_blog_roch.html

For some reason I get a mental image of Colonel Kurtz from Apocolypse Now voicing...."I've seen horrors....horrors that you've seen..... the horror....the horror"......

ah, the melodrama

[Old#5fan]

I haven't seen any comments from Trembley yet. Can you point me to them? I listened to the game on the radio. It sounded like there was only one well hit ball all game and that was a fly out to deep right field. (Not sure how the wind was blowing).

The best part of the outing was that he attacked the strike zone, getting the first strike in over 75% of the hitters he faced. He went to a three ball count only once. Trembley always talks about how the starters need to limit their walks, so I'd be surprised if Trembley wasn't impressed.

So what? Even a blind squirrel can find an acorn once in awhile. Baez got lucky and he wasn't exactly facing the Twins entire starting lineup either. Even, so the best word to describe how he pitched would be - fluke.:laughlol:

[Frobby]

Maybe people didn't react because it's crazy to go all the way from one opinion to the other based on one 3.2 inning start.

Personally, I'm just going to watch things play out for the next 2-3 weeks. I haven't ruled Baez out, though I think he's a longshot to make the rotation.

[Dr. FLK]

Moose, I didn't realize you had read the Gary Williams posts on the Terp Basketball section.

You asked for it...

Like GW's win over UNC, this performance from Baez is likely to be his only real accomplishment this season. He'll turn around next week and get lit up in similar fashion to MD dropping the ball against UVA in a must-win game.