how embarrasing!!

[boogidownoriole]

Unfortunately, 100 losses DOES go on paper and makes us look like the laughing stock of baseball...we're becoming the KC Royals of the AL East.

At least Royals stunk it up too. Many thought they would win the division this year.

How do teams like the Marlins compete every year with not so much major league talent? That has to come down to leadership

[Jagwar]

I dont agree with you 100%. I think we have some really good guys but they just seem to not play up to their level, whereas in the past they did. Even last year I think they won the season series with the Yankees.

Why do they play so rotten this year? This is not a 100 loss team on paper.

Sure it is. 4 rookie starting pitchers, a rookie catcher, essentially 3 rookie outfielders not named Nick, no 1B/3B, no closer (not any more).

How is that not a 100 loss team, especially in the AL East?

[CharmCityHokie]

Unfortunately, 100 losses DOES go on paper and makes us look like the laughing stock of baseball...we're becoming the KC Royals of the AL East.

Ummmm...I'm pretty sure we have been the KC Royals of the AL East, for awhile now.

[Camden_yardbird]

Well, we've officially bottomed out

I believe I have heard that line before, right before the 30-3 loss and the number of other shalacking the Orioles take around this time of year. They are about due. I know this sounds like doom and gloom, and it would be hyperbole if the Orioles last 10 years haden't been hyperbole.

[JTrea81]

What exactly would you have rather seen him do?

Home game, down a run, top of the 9th... you bring in your closer, and he didn't get it done.

Berken was pulled after 86 pitches, and had only given up 1 run to that point. Why not let him go the rest of the inning?

How about leaving Hendrickson in instead of pulling him for Mickolio? That backfired in a big way.

Trembley used at least two more pitchers than he needed to to get the job done.

[SilentJames]

I dont agree with you 100%. I think we have some really good guys but they just seem to not play up to their level, whereas in the past they did. Even last year I think they won the season series with the Yankees.

Why do they play so rotten this year? This is not a 100 loss team on paper.

That is funny because a lot of people said that at the beginning of the year - and they are some of the same people that now say this team is underperforming.

I still say this team will not lose 100 games. This is a team playing with 4/5 of its starting rotation as rookies. This is a team that has seen its average age fall almost four years in three months.

Dave Trembley has seen massive, MASSIVE overhauls to his forty-man roster over the last 2.5 years. And we are expecting more?

This was a rebuilding year - and so what if they have the potential to be a 90 loss team but end up with 100 (which they won't) but what difference does that make?

The only reason, logically, to fire Trembley is if you genuinely believe that he is solely responsible from keeping a contending team from contending.

[Three Run Homer]

I don't have a problem with the way Trembley handled the bullpen tonight, except I think he had too quick a hook with Berken--no reason to pull him so quickly in the 6th.

I do have a problem with the fact that the bullpen is terrible, with no cavalry in sight to make it better. This team isn't going to even get to .500, let alone contend, until there is major improvement in the bullpen. Nobody is pitching well down there right now; stepping back a bit, I feel pretty good about JJ and Kam in some role going forward, but that's about it.

[boogidownoriole]

Sure it is. 4 rookie starting pitchers, a rookie catcher, essentially 3 rookie outfielders not named Nick, no 1B/3B, no closer (not any more).

How is that not a 100 loss team, especially in the AL East?

When you had guys like Mora, Roberts, Huff, Markakis in the lineup, you wouldnt think it is. All those guys had had good numbers in their years. The young pitchers are actually holding their own better than the others who preceded them, so dont blame them.

[RShack]

An impartial friend of mine (a Phillies fan actually) just went to an O's game last week. He came back to tell me how he was basically mystified that us Orioles fans think that Adam Jones & Nick Markakis are going to lead us to the promised land in a few years. I somewhat doubted his comment, but he backed it by saying, "you know, when you look at a lineup, there's usually a guy you as an opposing team think, 'oh crap, we need to pitch around this guy', however, there's not one hitter on that team that can hit a HR on 'command' like a Ryan Howard or a Pujols, or an A-rod."

Your Phillies-fan pal is confusing a big-name slugger with having very talented players.

When the Orioles were good all the time, the reason was not that they always had a big-name slugger, it's because they had a very good team. Lots of teams have big-name sluggers, that doesn't mean they have any rings.

[SilentJames]

Berken was pulled after 83 pitches, and had only given up 1 run to that point. Why not let him go the rest of the inning?

How about leaving Hendrickson in instead of pulling him for Mickolio? That backfired in a big way.

Trembley used at least two more pitchers than he needed to to get the job done.

lah di - effing dah.

You realize how many managers would do the exact same thing? Berken is a rookie who is having his innings watched closely.

This is how the sixth inning played out.

Cano singled to start

Then there was a ground out but Cano moved to second.

up comes Hinske who hit a homerun his last AB

Hendrickson gets him

Mickolio comes up and finishes the inning in the next two batters

The sixth inning was not the problem here.

He left Mickolio in to pitch the seventh when Cam got hit.

[boogidownoriole]

That is funny because a lot of people said that at the beginning of the year - and they are some of the same people that now say this team is underperforming.

I still say this team will not lose 100 games. This is a team playing with 4/5 of its starting rotation as rookies. This is a team that has seen its average age fall almost four years in three months.

Dave Trembley has seen massive, MASSIVE overhauls to his forty-man roster over the last 2.5 years. And we are expecting more?

This was a rebuilding year - and so what if they have the potential to be a 90 loss team but end up with 100 (which they won't) but what difference does that make?

The only reason, logically, to fire Trembley is if you genuinely believe that he is solely responsible from keeping a contending team from contending.

Fair argument. But my problem is the way they play against the Yankees and Redsox this year. Its just pathetic. This team is built better on paper than the past teams yet they play worse.

Can you really deny that?

Four our of the five starters right now can pitch a decent game at any time. They have decent relievers. They have depth, which they havent had in so long.

It should translate to some good competition against the better teams. Win once in a while ok?

[SilentJames]

When you had guys like Mora, Roberts, Huff, Markakis in the lineup, you wouldnt think it is. All those guys had had good numbers in their years. The young pitchers are actually holding their own better than the others who preceded them, so dont blame them.

bullcrap.

The young pitchers are holding their own - for being rookies - that is still an ERA near 5.00 last time I checked with a ton of homeruns given up.

Dude, Mora had good numbers in "their years" but look at their numbers THIS year.

please. You are looking for excuses.

[boogidownoriole]

bullcrap.

The young pitchers are holding their own - for being rookies - that is still an ERA near 5.00 last time I checked with a ton of homeruns given up.

Dude, Mora had good numbers in "their years" but look at their numbers THIS year.

please. You are looking for excuses.

What are the ERA's of Burnett, Pettite and Chamberlin? Over 4.

[The Azman]

let's face it - we could dig up Casey Stengel and have him manage this team from here out, the results will be the same. This is a young team with very little experience outside of Mora, Markakis and Roberts. The bullpen is probably AAA caliber at best without Sherill anymore. I just accept the fact we're the youngest and the worst and all this is about is gaining experience.

now where's that damn bottle....

[boogidownoriole]

bullcrap.

The young pitchers are holding their own - for being rookies - that is still an ERA near 5.00 last time I checked with a ton of homeruns given up.

Dude, Mora had good numbers in "their years" but look at their numbers THIS year.

please. You are looking for excuses.

YOU are looking for excuses. We need to stop making excuses for this team. They have too much talent to be almost 30 games under .500

I know its not about wins this year but show some heart.