Surprise! Eaton getting rocked

[DrungoHazewood]

You are WAY too hung up on quality starts. Way.

Especially the "he gave the Angels 18 QS's last year so he's going to give the O's 18 this year" part. Oh, and the "he was hurt three of the last four years but his QS's for the O's in '09 will match those he had in his one healthy year."

[BaltimoreTerp]

I for one think this is fair analysis. Like I said, my personal preference would have been Brad Penny. But anyways...

Jon Garland signed the following deal with Arizona:

2009 - 6.25 mil

2010 - 10.0 mil option or 2.5 mil buyout

Randy Wolf signed the following deal with LA:

2009 - 5 mil plus 3 mil in incentives

Those aren't 2-3 year deals "strapping the team". We know the Orioles have the money because:

a) they offered a truckload for Mark Teixeira and

b) they said it was unrelated to their contract extensions to Markakis / Roberts

The only question is, how much more would they have had to give one of these guys to come to Baltimore.

The last statement completely eliminates the rest of the post, because it is what those arguing for those guys keep ignoring: we would have had to give up more in money, and possibly more in years, than other teams did.

And I would like to see evidence for statements in previous posts about how we didn't pursue those guys at all. I'm not holding my breath for anything from the principal instigators of the madness, but maybe someone else can post something worthwhile.

[df1570]

And Garland could blow out his arm...and Lowe, heading towards the end of his career, could hit the wall.

So whats your point, Drew? There are possibilities and nothing is set in stone. You act like the youngsters the Orioles have coming up have no shot in hell at being successful, but you act like Garland and Lowe are surefire things.

Signing Garland, Lowe etc would be the same thing the O's had been doing for the decade prior...signing guys that are no real fit and are part of no real plan.

You act like a youth movement with good, strong talent isn't the way to go about things, when the O's haven't had anything this good for YEARS. When was the last time any national baseball publication had the O's farm system ranked in their top 10?

So whats the alternative? Just spend FA money poorly? Keep "pretending" that we're going to compete by bringing in the Millars and Paytons of the world? Throwing obscene amounts of money at a bullpen?

Whats your alternative master plan, Drew?

You're just That Guy who likes to point out everything wrong, but never offers up any good solutions.

And no one likes That Guy. That Guy's schtick gets real old, real fast.

I had no idea my Master Plan was in demand. I'll be happy to share it. Get the team to write me a check for $250k and it's all yours. A few folks at The Warehouse will have to clean out their desks if my plan is accepted.

A couple of years ago I gave them a free idea on the air -- "How about ride your bike to the park day?" I wondered. "Get all the people who live in Fed Hill and Fells Point and Mount Vernon and Brewer's/Butcher's Hill to ride their bike to the game and let them in the park for five bucks."

They used my "bike" idea last year and I didn't even get a thank you card. Or, a season media credential, come to think of it.

I'm done giving out good ideas to them. Time is money.

Only one thing in town has an older act than mine, I suppose.

Hint: They've been losing for 11 years and swindling the fan base out of their money for the better part of the last half-dozen seasons.

Take a wild guess.

Now THAT act -- is old.

I'm cutting out after this...gonna go check out the last 15 minutes of the Caps/Maple Leafs game.

Have at it...

[BaltimoreTerp]

I had no idea my Master Plan was in demand. I'll be happy to share it. Get the team to write me a check for $250k and it's all yours.

In other words, there's nothing.

Going for the most epic of all epic fails?

[SilentJames]

"Similar production" from Hendrickson and Penn. Wow. In their dreams. The only similarity between those two guys and Lowe and Garland is they all four pee standing up.

It's hard to defend Pie's spring training numbers but somehow he's coming north and starting.

It's hard to defend Eaton's numbers but he'll be on that flight to Charm City in early April and he'll be on the mound against the Yankees in week #1.

It's hard to defend a lot of stuff in spring training.

And, what Garland does in Arizona has little, if anything, to do with what he would have done in Baltimore, New York, Atlanta or Cleveland -- because, as you know and have so accurately pointed out, "different parks, different teams, different time zones", etc.

You keep on harping on those two guys when I've said over and over it's really not about names, specifically (although I'll still contend, despite whatever baseball-stat-geek numbers you want to provide, those two guys are better than any of the steamers we brought in off the re-tread market.)

Jon Garland is better than Mark Hendrickson. Derek Lowe is better than Rich Hill and Adam Eaton if they're both on the mound throwing at the same time.

I don't give a rat's behind about when they cut them...etc. You seem to have some magic crystal ball that can tell the future. "They'll only be around a year and then Arrieta or Tillman or Matusz will displace them."

Really? How about this: Maybe Arrieta winds up replacing Uehara. Ever think of that? Maybe Tillman comes up to take the #5 spot and can't stop walking folks and his stay is brief. Maybe Matusz isn't ready in '09 or even '10.

You avoid those possibilities, I guess, because it's either not something you want to think about or you just assume everything is going to work out precisely the way the perfect-world would have it.

Had they signed Jon Garland and ANYONE ELSE, maybe those two guys would have been the #3 and #4 for two seasons while the rock-stars get ready to sing with the headliners instead of with Mr. Greengenes.

My issue isn't with signing Derek Lowe or Jon Garland. Believe me, both of those guys are far better off NOT being here than being here for the short term, that's for damn sure.

The issue is about the team not improving the team's starting pitching staff at all and, in doing so, putting an inferior product on the field in '09 and, likely, '10. And, of course, they're going to expect you to go out to the ballpark and watch it all.

If you don't, they'll come up with some scam-excuse next off-season about "dwindling revenues" and "economic realities" when they don't spend in the free agent market to improve their on-field product.

You won't answer the question I asked of you. I'm not sure why. I don't really have an opinion ready for your answer. I'm just interested to know what you think about the fans and their decision to either support - or not - the team in '09.

I'm not going to criticize your answer to the question. I'm just curious what you think - as a guy who, essentially, has bought into the "plan".

Why should the fans support the Orioles in 2009. Well for once they have a distinct plan to which they are sticking. The Orioles will have one of the best young outfields in the game with Markakis, Jones and Pie - and if Pie gets a real shot at turning his batting around you need to look out because he is full of natural ability. He is fast, athletic and ready to prove himself.

The Orioles will also be debuting one of the best prospects in the game in Matt Wieters. I know you don't agree on the "two weeks" but the Rays did the same thing Longoria and two weeks of Zaun is completely worth another full season of Wieters.

Chris Ray will be making a come back after surgery and early reports are that he looks great. George Sherrill is returning, as well as Brain Roberts who, along with Markakis, signed long-term contracts basically signifying that they believe in the direction that Andy MacPhail is taking.

The Orioles have signed their first ever Japanese player in Koji Uehara a guy who simply DOES NOT WALK PEOPLE and is a Two-time "Japanese Cy Young winner" (More than your precious Garland)

The Orioles also have 2008 Silver Slugger Award Winner Aubrey Huff returning looking to build off of that season. Longtime fan-favorite Melvin Mora is probably taking his victory lap as an Oriole this year, possibly as a baseball player period.

And the Orioles have a wealth of young pitching talent that will be making appearances this year. As of right now, Last year's MiL pitcher of the year Brad Bergesen is NOT out of the running for the starting rotation. He was sent to the minor's camp to get some more game-time innings and stretch himself out more.

Plus, you can pretty much bank on seeing a couple of the Orioles younger pitchers breaking through this year.

There are many reasons to support the team, but see, you aren't interested in any of that. You have your agenda, I could sit here and give you reams of statistics but all the math and logic in the world would not sway you from your cause.

Like Don Quixote You are damned certain that there be monsters on the horizon. And you will let nothing sway from that belief. You are not interested in supporting the Orioles, so all the above things I just gave will likely be met by some off-color glib statement and another attempt to obfuscate the reality of this entire situation which is this.

The Orioles won't let you play in their clubhouse any more.

Now, more on to what you were saying in your post. Drew, you can not discount park factors in a pitcher's performance. The game is a lot deeper than wins and losses. There is a reason why a guy like Bill James is a freaking MILLIONAIRE now, it is because he is right. This is not football, the stadiums are different sizes and play differently.

How else do you explain Lowe's MASSIVE swings when he is away from Chavez Ravine? Is it the fans? The ones that show up in the third inning and leave in the sixth? Is it the smoggy air?

Or is it the fact that that Lowe is being helped out by the simply CAVERNOUS outfield in LA and another one in San Diego. It certainly doesn't hurt that since bonds left there hasn't been an NL West team in the top ten offense in the MLB, outside of that one magic Colorado year that quickly went poof.

You can't just discount that stuff like it doesn't exist. Moreover, the Orioles DID meet with Garland's agent, how do you know an offer wasn't made? How do you know that Garland just didn't want to come here. Are you suggesting that we give Garland a guaranteed second or third year at 8-9 million dollars? Because that would be a very bad thing to do.

Garland gave up the fourth most homeruns in the AL last year and has been declining consistently since he won the Cy Young, and you want to put him in the park that gave up more homeruns than any other park in the MLB last year?

You bring up replacing Koji. Sure, Koji could be replaced, or moved to the pen. but it is not likely, we brought him in to be a starter, paying him to be a starter. But there is also the fact that Koji has pitched out of the pen before and would probably be more apt to a move to the pen than say a Derek Lowe who think he is worth 40 million or Jon Garland.

The reason I keep bringing up those guys, is well, you brought them up - they were your examples of your solution. Now that many feel your solution has been thoroughly debunked, what else ya' got?

Do you actually have a better plan, or is it Topps cards, some tape and a dartboard?

[DrungoHazewood]

So why is everyone so worked up about the guy who acts like a poor man's JTrea, but claims to be that bitter guy with a little local radio gig?

[Fan4Life]

So why is everyone so worked up about the guy who acts like a poor man's JTrea, but claims to be that bitter guy with a little local radio gig?

Slow sports day and the President has pre-empted American Idol.

[Sports Guy]

1000% spot on - this should be saved and placed on the top of this board for the entire season.

Thanks but I am doubting Drew will respond to it...Every post where I have been directly talking to him, he has dodged and not responded to.

I have a pretty good idea why that is the case...but hopefully he will respond.

[SilentJames]

A couple of years ago I gave them a free idea on the air -- "How about ride your bike to the park day?" I wondered. "Get all the people who live in Fed Hill and Fells Point and Mount Vernon and Brewer's/Butcher's Hill to ride their bike to the game and let them in the park for five bucks."

They used my "bike" idea last year and I didn't even get a thank you card. Or, a season media credential, come to think of it.

I'm done giving out good ideas to them. Time is money.

Only one thing in town has an older act than mine, I suppose.

Hint: They've been losing for 11 years and swindling the fan base out of their money for the better part of the last half-dozen seasons.

Take a wild guess.

Now THAT act -- is old.

I'm cutting out after this...gonna go check out the last 15 minutes of the Caps/Maple Leafs game.

Have at it...

People in China can feel my eyes rolling right now. My eyes have rolled so hard that the momentum has caused books to fall off my shelf.

I have never rolled my eyes harder than I just did - and I teach TEENAGERS.

I made shirts a couple years ago that said "Welcome to birdtown" on them, the Orioles then come up with "This is Birdland" OH CRAP THEY STOLE MY IDEA TOO!!

I am sure that it had nothing to do with an overall Baltimore City movement that Mayor Dixon started independently of you or anyone else

http://www.baltometro.org/content/view/258/230/

That link is for the 2009 Bike to Work day, but you get my point. That was something the City was promoting on that day - but I guess that Shelia Dixon stole that from you as well.

I guess the Ravens still owe you money from stealing the logo you designed as well huh?

God Drew.

[Fairfax Bird]

Just for giggles, Garland had 18 QS last season.

Here are the QS totals some other names that the Orioles could have pursued:

Derek Lowe - 20

AJ Burnett - 19

Randy Johnson - 18

Andy Pettitte - 18

Scott Olsen - 17

Javier Vasquez - 17

Odalis Perez - 14

Tim Redding - 14

Daniel Cabrera - 13 (just for fun)

Rich Hill 2007 - 17

So had the Orioles signed Garland/Moyer, Wolf and Uehara and still traded for Hill

19+18+18+15+15 +/- 5 = 80-90 QS

Combine that with our offense, and you've got a competitive team, and you can keep the kids in the minors until they are ready instead of having them have to bail out a sinking rotation...

Adam Eaton had 10 QS in 19 starts. Project that over 30 starts and that is 15-16 QS. Interesting.

[Fairfax Bird]

I had no idea my Master Plan was in demand. I'll be happy to share it. Get the team to write me a check for $250k and it's all yours. A few folks at The Warehouse will have to clean out their desks if my plan is accepted.

A couple of years ago I gave them a free idea on the air -- "How about ride your bike to the park day?" I wondered. "Get all the people who live in Fed Hill and Fells Point and Mount Vernon and Brewer's/Butcher's Hill to ride their bike to the game and let them in the park for five bucks."

They used my "bike" idea last year and I didn't even get a thank you card. Or, a season media credential, come to think of it.

I'm done giving out good ideas to them. Time is money.

Only one thing in town has an older act than mine, I suppose.

Hint: They've been losing for 11 years and swindling the fan base out of their money for the better part of the last half-dozen seasons.

Take a wild guess.

Now THAT act -- is old.

I'm cutting out after this...gonna go check out the last 15 minutes of the Caps/Maple Leafs game.

Have at it...

Seems the fame of being a local, and I mean very local (Towson) talk show host has gone to your head. I don't think they stole your idea, I think they got it because Guthrie rides his bike to the park.

[Hank Scorpio]

I had no idea my Master Plan was in demand. I'll be happy to share it. Get the team to write me a check for $250k and it's all yours. A few folks at The Warehouse will have to clean out their desks if my plan is accepted.

A couple of years ago I gave them a free idea on the air -- "How about ride your bike to the park day?" I wondered. "Get all the people who live in Fed Hill and Fells Point and Mount Vernon and Brewer's/Butcher's Hill to ride their bike to the game and let them in the park for five bucks."

They used my "bike" idea last year and I didn't even get a thank you card. Or, a season media credential, come to think of it.

I'm done giving out good ideas to them. Time is money.

Only one thing in town has an older act than mine, I suppose.

Hint: They've been losing for 11 years and swindling the fan base out of their money for the better part of the last half-dozen seasons.

Take a wild guess.

Now THAT act -- is old.

I'm cutting out after this...gonna go check out the last 15 minutes of the Caps/Maple Leafs game.

Have at it...

How about an actual on field plan, like involving players?

Ride your bike to the park is a fine idea, but how about putting a decent team together? Seems like that's the most important thing here.

I'm pretty sure that's what MacPhail's doing. Creating a sustainable competitive organization. If you look real closely at what's going on, you should be able to see it. Or you just might not want to b/c that throws a wrench into your schtick, which I completely get, trust me.

I know you've gotta feed the family and all, but step away from the act for a second and tell us all that you haven't noticed a change in the way things are being done (on a level that matters to all fans, not just to you and yer boy.)

[BaltimoreTerp]

People in China can feel my eyes rolling right now. My eyes have rolled so hard that the momentum has caused books to fall off my shelf.

I have never rolled my eyes harder than I just did - and I teach TEENAGERS.

I made shirts a couple years ago that said "Welcome to birdtown" on them, the Orioles then come up with "This is Birdland" OH CRAP THEY STOLE MY IDEA TOO!!

I am sure that it had nothing to do with an overall Baltimore City movement that Mayor Dixon started independently of you or anyone else

http://www.baltometro.org/content/view/258/230/

That link is for the 2009 Bike to Work day, but you get my point. That was something the City was promoting on that day - but I guess that Shelia Dixon stole that from you as well.

I guess the Ravens still owe you money from stealing the logo you designed as well huh?

God Drew.

Time to organize a walkout of Baltimore City!

Free the Baltimorons!