The Orioles, the media and the Hangout

[El Gordo]

Trembley is way too classy to want to be quoted as saying anything negative about the Orioles. But I would say that (1) considering Tony's relationship with him, Trmebley would probably talk to Tony off the record (and may well have done so already), and (2) Tony will never, ever admit that he has talked to Trembley in preparation for his article.

You did it again Frobby. :wedge: Now everybody will assume that DT is Tony's main source.:laughlol:

[tvz1997]

You did it again Frobby. :wedge: Now everybody will assume that DT is Tony's main source.:laughlol:

Does that mean the jinx is on and that DT will speak out against it?

[Frobby]

You did it again Frobby. :wedge: Now everybody will assume that DT is Tony's main source.:laughlol:

As they should. After all, my speculation is as good as a fact, isn't it?

[El Gordo]

Maybe this has nothing to do with anything, but I think this is kind of related to the conversations I often have with casual or non-baseball fans. When the subject of the minor leagues come up they'll ask when so-and-so is "going to turn pro" or if he has any chance to "go pro". I'll tell them that minor leaguers are professionals, and that many of them, especially at the higher levels, are as good as or better than some major leaguers. At that point they just look kind of confused or their eyes gloss over.

I look at most* of the Hangout staff as guys playing in a really good indy league, who just don't get all of the respect they deserve because they don't have that Big Print Media (i.e. major league journalism) job on their resumes.

* I only say most because I know when I was on staff I didn't even pretend to be a real journalist, just a guy who was happy to write occasionally about stuff I liked.

This is an attitude all "journalists" should take, no matter how much they are being paid. I think once you stsrt worrying about your "pedigree", the quality of the work invariably suffers.

[mcgraw238]

You did it again Frobby. :wedge: Now everybody will assume that DT is Tony's main source.:laughlol:

That was my first thought!!!

[El Gordo]

Does that mean the jinx is on and that DT will speak out against it?

It means that Tony would never want DT to be regarded as his source whether he is or not. Now he will be, and that probably can't make either DT or Tony, very happy.

[clarence]

Well then shame on him for not being able to distinguish between who posts to the message board and who provides front page content for this site.

What do you do for a living clarence? Would you bristle at being called an amateur despite your qualifications, background, performance, and integrity? I would. Not so much with what I do here, but if someone called me an amateur at my full-time job? Hell yeah...I'd take 'em to task.

I'm sure the members of the staff to whom my comments applied (educated, ethical, etc.) would let the 'pro-am' comments roll off their backs like water off a duck's back, but it's in my nature to put my proverbial foot down in situations like these.

I believe in one of the first posts he said something about anyone being able to do my job. I laughed it off. I sell medical equipment, by the way, and have a great life. You know what, someone else can do my job, very few of us are lucky enough to be so talented that we are irreplaceable.

I've been bashed on internet sites plenty when I was in minor league sports. I had to deal with nameless, faceless "fans" creating rumors and saying some of the most outlandish things. I could have spent my days on the internet battling them or just ignore it. I chose the later.

I wasn't saying jackO was right in what he said, I was saying I don't think his words were meant to be disrespectful even though that is how they were perceived. I don't know how I got to defending him, he's a damn journalist, I just think he chose his words poorly and his intent wasn't to question you guys.

[Tony-OH]

You did it again Frobby. :wedge: Now everybody will assume that DT is Tony's main source.:laughlol:

I'm going to go on record right now by saying I have not had one conversation with Dave since he was let go. I will not confirm or deny anyone else but I want to make sure Dave's name is not pulled through the mud. Let's squelch this right now.

[mcgraw238]

I'm going to go on record right now and saying I have not had one conversation with Dave since he was let go. I will not confirm or deny anyone else but I want to make sure Dave's name is not pulled through the mud. Let's squelch this right now.

Fair enough...Done. Care to share your thoughts on the news that Dempsey will interview?

[Frobby]

I'm going to go on record right now and saying I have not had one conversation with Dave since he was let go. I will not confirm or deny anyone else but I want to make sure Dave's name is not pulled through the mud. Let's squelch this right now.

OK Tony, sorry if I started something, and it's probably good that you posted this. By the way, I don't think anyone got a quote from Dave after he was fired, other than in his prepared statement. That's pretty unusual.

[El Gordo]

I'm going to go on record right now and saying I have not had one conversation with Dave since he was let go. I will not confirm or deny anyone else but I want to make sure Dave's name is not pulled through the mud. Let's squelch this right now.

So one might be able to credit some of your information as coming from DT, prior to his being fired. Perhaps you then followed up with secondary sources to confrim things later? The statment you will not confirm or deny anything else leaves that open IMO.

[Tony-OH]

OK Tony, sorry if I started something, and it's probably good that you posted this. By the way, I don't think anyone got a quote from Dave after he was fired, other than in his prepared statement. That's pretty unusual.

I have talked with someone who had talked to Dave and said he just needed some time away. Dave truly cared, more than most people know, about the Orioles and the organization and I think he feels he somehow let people down because he wasn't able to to right the ship.

[ScottieBaseball]

Maybe this has nothing to do with anything, but I think this is kind of related to the conversations I often have with casual or non-baseball fans. When the subject of the minor leagues come up they'll ask when so-and-so is "going to turn pro" or if he has any chance to "go pro". I'll tell them that minor leaguers are professionals, and that many of them, especially at the higher levels, are as good as or better than some major leaguers. At that point they just look kind of confused or their eyes gloss over.

I look at most* of the Hangout staff as guys playing in a really good indy league, who just don't get all of the respect they deserve because they don't have that Big Print Media (i.e. major league journalism) job on their resumes.

* I only say most because I know when I was on staff I didn't even pretend to be a real journalist, just a guy who was happy to write occasionally about stuff I liked.

Great points Jon. Like I said...I doubt very seriously that Paul Folkemer, Mike Miller, Adam Vencill, or Kevin Hess would come here to defend their pedigree, but each of them either has the sheepskin or has nearly completed the coursework to obtain said sheepskin.

The longer I've been involved with this website, the more respect it gets from the main stream media. It used to be a novelty to hear Tony or John Domen on with Bob Haynie every so often, but now I'm on the Rob Long Show about once a week, co-hosted with him from Sarasota, and will be filling in for him on Tuesday, July 6th. I've also been on another station and I'm arranging an appearance for me or another member of the staff with an FM station closer to DC. Tony's done WBAL and even co-hosted the afternoon drive on 105.7. Mike Miller does some color commentary for the Baysox flagship.

I read what all of these guys write every day. I listen to them on-the-air. Their enthusiasm, knowledge, and professionalism gushes in everything they do, and with each of them the last thing they'll remind you of is their qualifications. I respect the hell out of them for it and it's going to carry each of them far in their careers, with the Orioles Hangout and beyond.

[Tony-OH]

So one might be able to credit some of your information as coming from DT, prior to his being fired. Perhaps you then followed up with secondary sources to confrim things later? The statment you will not confirm or deny anything else leaves that open IMO.

I'm not going to get into any of this one way or the other honestly because if I do I'm going to open up a can of worms for when my piece does come out. All I will say is that Dave is not the kind of guy who is going to badmouth his employer to the media, and even though I got along with Dave, my relationship with Dave was media-manager.

Dave would tell me stuff about the team off to the side occasionally, but we never had a conversation about internal Orioles politics.

[Going Underground]

I have talked with someone who had talked to Dave and said he just needed some time away. Dave truly cared, more than most people know, about the Orioles and the organization and I think he feels he somehow let people down because he wasn't able to to right the ship.

They always said Trembley wanted to return the O's to glory. He just was not able to with the players he was dealt. He could not right the ship if the ship was run aground by Captain MacPhail and Commodre Angelos.