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Thursday, December 18, 2008

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 18:21:41 GMT

Let the Slaughter Begin

At 1:15, I came home from my American Literature Exam and promptly turned on the tube, in hopes of hearing any news on the Mark Teixera deal, if one had been made. At 1:16, I let out a blood curdling scream that caused all dogs in a five block radius of my house to run to the front door and bark incessantly. God Damn Yankees. Those corporate sponsered millionaire hacks in pinstripes got what they wanted, again. A.J. Burnett, C.C. Sabathia, and some other element of the alphabet, officially joined the Yankees today. In a related story, the casino won out again in black-jack and a kitten was drowned in a sack. No, I'm not bitter.

I shouldn't be surprised. This is a typical Yankee move. They have all the money in the world to throw at any player they choose, and they refuse to develop any players. They want something, they buy it. They are like Varuca Salt from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate factory; and Brian Cashman is happy to play the rich father. And yet, it's hard to accept. The Orioles are a relatively small market team, especially with the division we're in. We don't have ability to simply pick and choose the players we want. But you lnow what? We are better for it. Would I like to win a penant every year ? Yes, but not if the team I supported was an impersonal phalanx of hired hitmen.

There is no doubt that the Yankees have significantly improved their chances of competing this year, and odds are, when we play them, we will have to face one of their three aces (Wang is an ace, despite popular opinion), not to mention their vaunted offence that may soon include Manny Ramirez. So, with spring training 56 days away, it is time to get out the tape and study these guys, although 56 days may not be enough time to study two 17 game winners and the most convincing Cy Young cantidates that the Yankees have produced in the longest time. May God have mercy on our souls.

Merry Christmas

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:04:35 GMT

Frickin' MASN

At seven o'clock Wednesday night, I was revved up to see some Birds Baseball. In fact, I was ready for some O's action since I woke up that morning. So imagine my surprise when I flip over to the game and I see the Nationals-Phillies game. So I flip around the stations and can't find it, and, needless to say I'm disappointed. So when I was flipping around the stations when I was ironing my clothes for Thursday, I am exstatic to find the game on MASN 2, which is MASN, but a later edition. Despite the fact that there was 1 out in the bottom of the 8th when I turned the game on and I have no clue how the first eight and a half innings panned out, the circumstances I am about to describe warrented the writing of this article.

Picture me this...

One out. Bottom of the 8th. Orioles 5, Rays 6. Del Rey on the mound. Mora on second. Millar at the plate. I'm practically standing on the ironing board as Kevin spanks a ground ball up the middle that catches some leather off the mitt of the diving second baseman. he pops up onto his knee to make a throw, but the ball stubbornly sat on the ground comfortably situated in the dirt. The fielder agressively picks up the ball, but doesn't even attempt a throw as Millar stands upon 1st. Up next, Aubrey Huff.

In the sixth, Huffy smacked a a two run homer onto the flag court to trim the Rays lead to one. Now, in the eighth, Huffy would eliminate the Rays lead entirely. Huffy CRUSHED a 1-2 pitch into deep Right Center Field that took an NBA hop off the wall, over the head of center fielder BJ Upton, and by the time the dust cleared, Huffy stood on third with two runs driven in on what they called a double with an error. After a Ramon sac fly to score Aubrey, and Adam Jones knocking in one more run, Bandon Fahey struck out to end the inning.

Our newly acquired closer, George Sherrill, gets to attempt at his first save of the year. After walking the timid Aki Iwamura on a questionable check swing, Sherrill struck out Carl Crawford and Carlos Pena and got a pop fly out to Adam Jones off Johnny Gomes. George Sherrill, I knight thee George "Scare on the Hill" Sherrill.

Jamie "Sky" Walker got the win and struck out all three batters he faced.

So, at the end of the day, Huffy got 4 RBI's, his first homer of the season, his first clutch hit of the year, and a readmittance into the hearts of O's fans. And you know what, he deserves it.

Rubber Match on Thursday. Stay tuned.

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

Wed, 02 Apr 2008 01:33:41 GMT

Intro

Yesterday, the Orioles opened up their season to the newly named Tampa Bay Rays 6-2 on a day where the fog was so thick, that bicyclists began to float away into the lingering precipitation. As we approached Camden Yards ( or, rather, as we went where we thought the Yard was...) I couldn't help but recognize the buzz of excitement that surrounded the stadium, which, incidentally, led us to stadium like a guiding light (really more like a giant game of Marco Polo).

The stadium was, as it always is, well kept and overflowed with hopeful Baltimorons. We worked our way up to the seats, only to find two brand new High Definition Scoreboards. Sweet! Anyway, the day was kicked off by the traditional Orange Carpet Ceremony, with two mentionable highlights...

Kevin Millar entered with the Ray Lewis dance, a permanent fixture at the ball park's opening day ceremonies (I hope).

Aubrey Hu... Hu... HuCHHH (cough cough)...Sorry folks, I was choking... Huff was welcomed with a chorus of boos, prompting me to say to my father " The real fans KNOW..."

The first inning for Jeremy Guthrie wasn't too bad. 1 hit, but no damage. Jimmy Shields first inning was considerably less impressive. 2 runs came across the plate thanks to a Millar double that glanced off the glove of Carl Crawford. It looked like the boys were rollin', until a one and a half innings later where Jeremy Guthrie's wheels fell off and the rest of the team went with him. The Rays would score three in that inning, with much help from a Mel Mo error. The Rays would bang in another run from a solo shot in the 4th. 2 more in the 6th gave the Rays a 6-2 lead, one that would not come close to being touched as James Shields went on to have a stellar day with 7 IP and 2 ER. Despite the final outcome, a few Orioles had some fine preformances. Kevin Millar's dazzling glove work kept the O's in the game. B-Rob went 2 for 2 and was the front end of a double steal with Nick Markakis. Slick Nick, in addition to the steal, had a base knock and showed off his glorious cannon of an arm as he threw a man out at second in the third.

As the ninth inning came, and neither Nick nor Kevin could successfully get the ball through the thick air, Huffy came up to bat and spanked a grounder that was handled kindly by Carlos Pena. The pitcher covering mishandled the toss and kept our hopes alive. Despite his best efforts, Huff Daddy reached base. The faint trickle of hope still left in the remaining fan's minds laid rest in the bat of Ramon Hernandez. Ramon CRUSHED a long fly ball to left field that would have gone the distance if it didn't have to swim to get there. Carl Crawford gloved the final out and gave Guthrie his first loss of the season.

The Good News- Dan "The Man" Cabrera is pitching Wednesday, you want need to bring a snorkel to see the game, and we have a chance to tie the series.

The Bad News- We'll have to settle for a 161-1 season.

Friday, February 22, 2008

Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:16:10 GMT

Build it Anyway

I was sitting in the Doctor's Office, waiting for the doc to call me in for my throat exam. So, like any self respecting blog owner/operator, I looked in the Sporting News to steal a story. Of course, I am just kidding.

Wink Wink.

So, as I was saying, I fished through all the old editions of Home and Garden and The Cosmopolitan until I came across salvation in the form of the February Edition of the Sporting News. So I am flipping through the articles, skeptically analyzing the moronic writing styles of less gifted journalists, when I come across a ranking of each major league's infields. I read each analysis intently until I reach the fifth or sixth ranked infield. See, cause thats when I realized the Orioles had not yet been mentioned. I feared the worst. I reluctantly turned my attention to the bottom right corner of the page. There, the regular black ink used in the magazine seemed to glow a bright neon orange. To the right of the number 14, the number of teams in the American League as well as the number of teams listed on the page, was the name Baltimore Orioles.

I sighed. What else could I do? I was in public. I closed the magazine and put it down. I tried to deny it. It couldn't be true. A strong infield (both fielding and hitting) was always part of the Oriole Way. Think about the great infielders the Orioles have produced: Cal, Eddie, Dave Johnson, Roberto Alomar, and of course Mr. Oriole, The greatest fielder ever, Brooks Robinson. And thats when I realized, that is the past. The Orioles aren't the Orioles of Old, the "gritty but suave", "pitching and defense", "Oriole Way" Birds that we wish they were.

Angelos is rebuilding. We can all see that. He trades away our two most well known players (Miggy and Beddy) for a bunch of rookie/washed up pitchers and light hitting outfielders. He is sifting through mud and hoping to find diamonds. He has the right idea, but the wrong execution. The thing that made the Orioles so great in the past was the Farm System. Most of the best O's of all time were playing for the Rochester Red Wings at some point, or maybe some other O's affiliate. Cal did it. Eddie did it. Brooksie did it, too. Bedard was brought from the farm, and so was Markakis. Looking for diamonds is smart, but taking coal and turning it into diamonds is, in many ways, smarter.

So where do we go from here? I think we should take a page from Shaq's newest book and start to focus on defense. But what do I know. I 'm a traditionalist. This is a new kind of baseball that we are heading into. But maybe not as new as you'd think...

Thanks to the Mitchell Report, steroids use is going to crawl back from wheres't it came. The game will be less power and more finesse, more speed, more pitching, more defense. A nice change of course as far as I am concerned.

Let's be honest, we aren't exactly a frightening spectacle. B Rob is our only threat on the base paths(because we have yet to resign Corey Patterson). Power Hitting Responsibilities falls onto Markakis and Millar. Fielding is solely displayed through the miraculous works of Ramon Hernandez. Beddy was traded away for five Mariners (Help me Daniel Cabrera, your'e my only hope). It's not hard to say we are in need of some reconstruction( is this how the people of New Orleans feel?)

I just realized how many parentheses I used in that last paragraph.

Let's stop examining my choice in grammatical punctuation and get to the point. The O's are rebuilding, and this building may take a few years to finish. And who knows what could happen? The building could go up without a hitch, or is could crumble and fall onto the unsuspecting construction workers below. But I am willing to put my faith in the possibiity that, despite the evidence that surrounds me that proves otherwise, the building will be built strong and tall, with corner offices and classy elevators with descent music, with a big penant that stands proudly at the top, blowing marvelously in the wind.

I am so naive.

Friday, December 14, 2007

Fri, 14 Dec 2007 02:49:41 GMT

An "Off" Offseason

Hey there BaltimOrons! Z is back my friends, and I'm sure you understand the meaning of the article I am about to write. If not, please quickly reexamine the title, smack yourself upside the head, and continue reading.

Done? Good.

Now, I'm sure you could go to MLB.com to find the same information on some sort of message board written by a guy named Gary who lives in Utah, who works in a pharmecy and is the worlds biggest baseball expert. Instead, you came to me. And I appreciate that. And on this site, unlike in Gary's post on the message board, I can give you the true in sight on how the region is responding to whatever boneheaded move Angelos thinks of in the offseason...

(Angelos in a meeting) "What do you guys think about Ushers in rollerskates?"

Ugh.

Let's continue.

As of this point in the offseason, there have been two major developments for the Orioles, and I wanted to write an article for each, but thier proximity didn't allow me to do so, so I simply combined my thoughts into one moderatly sized MEGA-ARTICLE. Enjoy.

15 Game Suspension, Eternal Damage.

Jay Gibbons, run producing outfielder of the grand sports franchise that is the Baltimore Orioles Baseball Club, got caught doin' the juice! Damnit! Well, it was only a matter of time until the "Water Retention" excuse would no longer explain his massivly bloated body. We couldn't dupe them forever.

Jay Gibbons, or as he is affectionately known around the Chesapeake Bay area, Gibbo, has been a constant (more or less) for the club that calls The Yard it's home. I am not ashamed to say that I proudly rooted for this guy as a member of this ball club, and I'm sure alot of you guys have, too. When I heard the news, I went into a state of shock, which was especially not good because I was riding my bike and listening to my transistor radio that I had strapped to my handle bars. Don't worry, just a few minor abrasions.

Sure, I was suspicious that Jay had been on the roids. But then again, I'm suspicious of everybody! After what the game has come to in the last couple of years, wouldn't you be? Quite frankly, I dont see how they thought Gibbo was juiced anyway. The numbers aren't there. Over the last four seasons, Jay hit a total of 55 homers, about 19 a year. In those seasons, he also has a total 200 RBI's, 50 a season. Hardly MVP numbers. And, to tell the truth, his numbers in the last 4 years have been very similar to those of his first three, so either he has been taking the roids his whole career, or he just started them up in the offseason. Which seems more realistic? I'm not saying he is innocent, and the proof is in the urine samples. All I'm saying is he may not have cheated in the regular season. And that may make it easier to forgive him. Which I will.

Eventually.

5 Astros for 1 Fallen Star

Okay. I get it. this is a joke, right? Am I being Punk'd?

.....

Guess Not.

Truth be told, when I first heard the news of this transaction, I took my own advice from this article and smacked my palm to my head. Miggy is gone? And whats worse, to the Astros?

I cannot yet determine if this trade was wise or not. I say ths because we traded Miggy for a bunch of kids. Just so I can make really show you the severity of the immediate damage, take a look at the guys we got for Miguel and their stats from 2007.

Enter Troy Patton. 3 games, 12.2 INN, 0-2 record, 3.55 ERA.

Say hello to Outfielder, Luke Scott. Last year, 132 games with the 'Stros, 94 hits, 64 RBI, .255 AVG, 18 HR.

New Righty for the Rotation, Matt Albers. 4-11, 5.86 ERA, 110.2 INN, 71 K's, all in 31 games.

A new toro for the pen, Dennis Sarfate. 15 games, 16.2 frames, 1-0, 2.7 ERA.

And rounding out the pitiful group is Michael Costanzo, and untested rookie.

Need I say more.

Whether it is necessary that I do, here I go again.

IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY, WHYYYYYYYYYY!

Trading away Miggy may be a blessing in disguise. This Luke Scott could be the next Frank Robinson, Albers could learn a thing or two from Mazz and become a 20 game winner, and Costanzo could be rookie of the year. Some how, I doubt it.

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Wed, 15 Aug 2007 21:24:57 GMT

Caught Looking

I've been a Baltimore O's fan my entire life. Really, I have. Until this year, I haven't really paid all that much attention to the club. I was just a casual fan. But ya know I have really found my fanhood this year. While watching this club, I've come to understand the makeup of this club, and really fallen in love with the odd and eccentric tendencies. The players have their faults and strengths, but mostly, they all have their own quirks. Everyone has their own personal style, and while I watch intently as the O's promptly pummel the Bronx Bombers, I have decided to salute their individuality with an article devoted to them.

B-Rob, B-Rob, is our man... Brian Roberts is the future. He IS the leadoff hitter, with an average hovering around .320 and leading the league in SB's, he is the table setter. B-Rob definitely has the best chance of any guy on the roster to win the batting title (HAHA). But B-Rob is more than just the sly second baseman; He has a presence. He is a spark. He changes the way the team approaches an inning. When B-Rob reaches base, something clicks. He is also professional, despite his kid like appearance and genuine smile. And for a young guy, professionalism is very rare. If he gets traded, I may be going with him.

Millar is a Keepar. Kevin Millar is maybe my favorite for three reasons.

1) Best Clubhouse Guy PERIOD. (The The Dept. of Redundancy Dept brings this second period to you). He gets along with everybody and that is the truth. He is a fun loving goof and everybody loves him

2) He is a 4 or 5 spot hitter at the core and hits well there. He is a good RBI man and is clutch.

3) He keeps Aubrey Huff off of first. Millar, I think, is a great first baseman. He can make a pick and is surprisingly flexible for his build. But most importantly, you can build a franchise around.

This man is gritty, strong, and an important RBI man, so I would say that Miggy Tejada is a key piece of the puzzle. Plus, his walk up music is great to dance to.

MelMo, Melvin Mora, the versatile Melvin Mora. He is a 5-tool player. He can run the bases, not with speed but with a great sense, He can hit for average, perhaps in the .285 range, and in 2 of his last 3 years, he hit over .300, so anything is possible. He is capable of maybe 90-98 RBI a year, with maybe 20-30 Homers a year. He has a sly glove and I've seen him uncork his arm, so I know it is there.

The youthful Nick "Kakes" Markakis is the team RBI man and a possible franchise player. His strong arms, useful for both long heaves from right and long fly balls from the left side of the plate. He has a bright future.

Corey Patterson is indispensable as far as I am concerned. His speed on the base paths is second on the club only to B-Rob, and he has the best range and concentration in the AL. There is no reason he isn't this years Gold Glover. He has been unsinkable. And since Dave Trembley took the helm, CoPo has been wildfire, hitting like his bat was a bass guitar.

Jay Payton is like a slightly slower, less powerful, slower reacting version of CoPo, but he is still our little JayPay.

He is personally my favorite Benchie, though it is probably better that I don't see him. Paul Bako is the lovable back up catcher with the pencil thin mustache and a gun. Same description as a 1920's gumshoe. Paul Bako, Private Eye.

Freddie Bynum is a slower, less skilled Jay Payton. But I still like him. He has skills and could one day, after some more training, be a platoon player in leftfield along with JayPay.

Now it is time for the man who, in my mind, is what you look for in a catcher, RamOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOn (you should hear me say it). If the PI has a gun, Ramon has a cannon. He fights through pain and injury to keep us in every ball game with his timely hitting and baseball sixth sense.

And of course...

Aubrey Huff's value is hard to calculate. He isn't fast, or terribly powerful, or much of a contact hitter, and rarely hits in the clutch. But he hit for the cycle. And i the game I've been watching, he hit a Grand Salami. I would say he might be a Rally Starter in the first 6 innings and Rally Ender in the last three. He is a Complex individual.

But let's not forget...

Chris Gomez will be duly missed. The utility fielder was lost on wavers, and an end came to the Chris Gomez Era. His legacy is set as the man who played every infield position with the O's other than catcher and pitcher. He was the saving grace that led us through Miggy's broken wrist, the Millar's injury last year, and any day that Mel was out. Good Bye, Old Friend.

The Staff.

To be Honest, Jeremy Guthrie, Steve Trachsel, and Brian Burres are the same guy three times over, so I am naming this threesome the Triplets. Honestly, there is nothing defining about them.

Beddy is the Artist. Erik Bedard is by far the best pitcher in the AL East, and I am 100% serious. He wins a good amount of games despite having the lowest run support of the AL. Not to mention he has the most Strikeouts in the AL also. He is the Ace.

With every ace, there must be a workhorse. And that workhorse is Dan “The Man” Cabrera. His double personality is without a doubt the worst in the league. His Dr. Jeckle is the Man with the Blazing Fastball, Swooping Curve, and a Change Up that stops. But Mr. Hyde doesn’t follow through on his pitch, over uses the speeder, and beats himself with walks. But in a year or two, he will have no more problems. I hope.

My favorite bull in the pen, Jamie “Sky” Walker, has the uncanny ability to pitch pop fly outs, the root to his nickname. The short reliever has to be the most consistent reliever we have. I love this guy.

Danys Baez, The Bazzer, early in the season was a liability, mostly because of his lack of follow through which caused him to lose control of his pitches, but more recently, he is shutting down teams. Way to go, Baz.

Chad Bradford is the Submariner, the only one on the staff. His Regan Era mustache reminds me of Catfish Hunter. I love the efficiency of this under hander.

John Parrish is gone. Perry is bye bye. And he was a good man. A good 6^th and 7^th inning man. I’ll miss him.

When you look for a closer, you look for a man with nerves of steel and ice water blood. Chris Ray has composure, and for a rookie closer, that is what you look for. In a few years, he might be the next Mariano. No reason why he can’t.

This concludes another chapter in the tragedy that is the 2007 Baltimore Orioles.

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 20:49:51 GMT

A Week End to Remember
I Forget...
Oh Yeah...
Cal Ripken Jr. The mention of this man's name brings in pride and communal love, a love that is felt by every person who has ever known what it is to be a Baltimore Oriole Fan. And not just that, but he also has the respect of baseball fans across the face of the Earth because he is the Iron Man, the essence of grit and heart, consistency and respect, honor and loyalty, all of which are universal ideas and all of which are regarded as the greatest of attributes. Cal had all those things, and he never relented from them. He was as clean as clean could be. Never in trouble, never doubted, never made enemies, never left the team, and never left the fans. He loved the Orioles with a passion, a passion instilled by his father, a passion that can only be described as a life long love, and in return, we gave him all of ourselves. Many fans followed him his whole career. My father watched him, devoted himself to the Orioles, saw Ripken from day one. He watched, he understood. He raised me to watch the man in the number eight jersey like he was a prophet, preaching the good word, and in a way, he was. Cal changed his stance constantly, showing that everything can be improved. He showed up every day, a loyalty and also a love for what he did, teaching me to love what I did when it came to baseball. And I loved what he did as a ball player. There is the other kind of fan with him, who loved him inheritably, and grew up loving him and couldn't imagine a life without him. That was me, as well as many others like me. But regardless of whether you where born into a world with him or saw a world without him, he left something with you. A memory, specific or broad in its manner. A bit of myth, a bit of legend that you know to be true, and when compared with others, pieces where fit together, and the whole of these pieces create not just the story of a man, but a legend that will be spread, about an iron man who used his glove and his bat and his commitment to let people dream. I said this to my dad, fathers robinson, that it must be hard for him, because where else can Cal go from here? It is the last page in the Epilogue of a great, long story. Or is it...
Two Words: Orioles Owner. Buy the team Cal...
We'll chip in.
Friday, we(My Dad, my sister, and myself) got a late start. Our four hour drive from home to my Great Aunt Betty's house was tedious, but we got there. While there, we had a wonderful dinner complete with the best pizza I have ever chanced upon. Well, from there, we arrived at our final destination, the Oneonta Clarion Hotel, at 11 o'clock. There I heard the final score of both the completed rain delay game from way back on June 28th (my dad's birthday), which ended in a loss after we scored a run to make it 8-7, and with runners on the corners, Brendan Bleeping Fahey grounded out to Robinson Cano and the comeback was halted. But, the second game was won 4-2 with Jeremy Guthrie pitching 6 strong innings. Saturday was another late start for us. We took a nice 30 minute car ride to the City of Cooperstown where we soon realized that parking would be a problem. But with a stroke of luck and 20 dollars in hand, we inherited the last spot in an open lot which we referred to as the idiot spot because it was basically wedged between to cars that met at a corner.
Yup.
The main streets of the town were closed off so traffic was unable to interfere with the various businesses(street corner stands that were selling memorabilia). This was much better than the last time I went up to Cooperstown(Eddie's Induction) when the streets were jammed. The Hall of Fame was really cool and since my dad is a member of the Hall of Fame Club, we didn't have to wait in line(the line was wrapped around the whole freaking building. I am not kidding). He had the membership card and we waltzed into the building and received a commemorative pin while the people outside watched us enter while they sat in their lawn chair and carried their coolers because it was so hot and the line was moving so slow.
I only wish they were as fortunate as I was to have a father in the Hall's club(Translation; Sucks to be them). I'm only teasing.
After viewing the top two levels, we went down to Doubleday Field to watch two innings of the Aberdeen Iron Birds and The Oneonta Iron Birds. Cal threw out the first pitch, something that I regrettably did not see. While at the game, I ate lunch. It was a kosher dog and was greatly enjoyed, but I'm sure you don't care about that. After lunch, I saw the rest of the museum. Part of the museum presentation was a display for both Cal and Tony.
What I say now os the truth; Gwynn's side was open. Cal's side had a line. I felt so at home there because there were so many O's fans. It was awesome. Then, we went to the monument gallery and took pictures and all that. Blah Blah Blah. We headed back to the hotel and watched the remainder of the Orioles game, where the Yankee hitters kept on either striking out or popping up, and after 8 and 1/2 innings, the O's were up 7-1 and the Yankees had their last ups. Cory Doyne came in to close it out. He was just called up from AAA to take Chris Ray's spot in the bullpen after Chris' elbow injury. Well Doyne gave up a single, home run, and a double until Jamie Walker took over, and HE gave up a single. But then a double play set up two outs, Jeter singled and a fourth run scored. But Jamie stopped the bleeding and struck out Melky Cabrera.
The next day, Sunday, was the big day. Induction Day. We drove down at 8 and were fortunate enough to get the same idiot spot. Yay us. Anyway, we went to the Hall again, specifically the gift shop. We snagged some swag and headed for the field.
The ceremony took place at the bottom of the hill about four blocks away from the center of town. But from the point that we reached the edge of the field, there was nothing but a sea of people. Or should I say a Labyrinth, because we wandered through scores of people, searching for an open spot, but there was none to be found. And my sister wasn't to be found either. That's right, we lost her for ten minutes in the crowd. But she is a smart girl, and she went straight for security and called my dad's cell. Crisis Averted.
We finally settled down on a hill over a hundred yards away from the stage. But luckily, there was a ridiculously large screen showing the happenings 100 yards away. The ceremonies were kicked off with a rehearsing of Casey at the Bat, with an apathetic crowd, let's say, not giving a shit. But any way, the ceremonies continued with the introduction of the attending Hall of Famer's, 53 in all. And a special intro to Bobby Doer, who was being honored for some... odd... reason...
Because of the impending storm(that never came) the two premiere inductees went first, starting with Gwynn. He spoke about his past experiences, about his brother Charles playing ball and teaching him, his high school ball coaches, and his start of using film to improve his game. And we got the sense that he truly was Mr. Padre.
Then, It was time...
Col came up to the podium to thunderous, deafening applause. It is what he deserved. He started with a story, an anecdote about a kid who he was instructing. The kid ended up asking Cal if he ever played baseball. If only he knew...
He spoke about how a man should leave his mark on the game, and on the world, and leaving the world a bit better than you found it.
The Gospel According to Cal.
He was very emotional, and paused in emotion 6 times during the speech. He loved what he did, maybe more than any man could.
After the ceremonies ended, my dad, my sister, and I played catch in Cooperstown. Wow. More Shopping, More Eating, and More Sleeping. Then, there was more going home.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Thu, 26 Jul 2007 19:10:33 GMT

Cal, Cars, and Brazilians

Musical intro...

Yesterday, the Rays were such an easy team to play...

Sorry. Any way

The Orioles ready to battle the Tampa Bay Team. But that was not the story of the day, rather a routine subplot. No, the real story was Cal Ripken Jr. As you know, Cal will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Sunday (an event I will be attending), and the Orioles Organization decided that Cal needed proper send off, and they finally did it right. With 3 of 5 Baltimore Oriole Hall of Famers there. Plus, the first 25,000 fans 15 and up got a Cal Ripken Bobble head. We were ready to PARRR-TAYYY. The Introductions of Robin Roberts, Brooksie, and ED-DY were incredible, and the crowd roared with every word. And then...

In what can be considered his signature entrance, he entered the confines of the playing field in a white convertable, as he had done before in his 2131 celebration with a red convertible. And, in what seems to be the fashion for all the greats this year, he threw baseballs into the crowd. In fact, when a ball dropped from a fans hands, Cal stopped the car, picked up the ball, and returned it to the fan, only proving that even though he isn't the best ball player ever, he may be the greatest person to play the game. After a few speeches, a booing of Mayor Shiela, and some best wishes, Cal prepared to make his final lap. After rocketing a ball over the backstop, he tossed a ball to Tampa Bay Manager Joe Maddon, and Joe missed catching it. That Schmuck.

But lets not forget, there was a game to play.

I had the Highest row in the whole place. That is row N in the upper deck behind the plate. Jesus has season tickets one row in front me, thats how high up I was. Any who, a mad pitching match up with Dan the Man on the mound against Scott "Is this scarf made of" Kazmir.

Had to do it.

The Tampa top half was quick and painless with a pair of roll outs and Cabrera striking out Carl Crawford on a 2-2 pitch. But aside from a B-Rob single, the O's half was just as harmless. After getting an out from Carlos Pena on a LONG fly ball to Center, surrendered a walk. But a 5-4-3 Double Play ended the inning abruptly. I love that. But the Orioles responded helplessly as it was 1-2-3 bottom half, much to the dismay of the Baltimorons. Danny Cabrera got another 3 up, 3 down frame. But the O's were futile once more despite a Gomez poke single.

This is when I realized Cabrera had a No hitter going. But after CoPo saved the NoNo with a diving catch in short center and Dan surrendered a walk, BJ Upton singled to right field. Too Bad. With Runners on the Corners, Danny pitched his way out of danger. And again, the O's couldn't dent into the score. A walk in the top of the fifth was the only baserunner Tampa would have in the inning. But for the first time in the day the Birds would threaten. A K to start the inning didn't douse the fire as Jay Payton would single with one down. Chris Gomez followed up with a single and with one out the corners were covered. Carlos Pena misplayed a ground ball and Luis Hernandez reached first and the sacs were Full Of Birds. But that was the end of the threat as fly out and strike out ended the whole spiel.

Before I continue with the sixth, I want to tell you about the people I sat next to for the game. For the first 3 innings, I was next to this kind old lady and we had a good talk. In the 4th, she switched seats with her Brazilian nephew who knows very little about baseball. But he was very enthusiastic and was a very good fan. I educated his on some finer points of the game and in the sixth, they gave me a gift of the Cal Bobble head, saving us $250 on Ebay

The sixth was the model of the entire game. An inning opening walk was snuffed out by a 6-4-3 DP. Then a ground out to Luis Hernandez rounded out the top. Markakis singled to start the frame. But two consecutive outs gave Kazmir momentum. But in one of his few clutch performances, Huff Daddy singled, scoring Markakis.

The seventh displayed another BB, DP and K. Now I know my ABC's... Chris Gomez flied out to Right. Luis singled to center. B-Rob struck out. And then....

Four straight walks (3 by Kazmir, 1 by Salas) scored two, and when the inning ended, the O's scored 2 runs on 1 hit. Huh???

Paul Shuey pitched the 8th with a similar style as Cabrera; Walk, Double Play, Out. It's Academic.

The O's threatened one last time. A Chris Gomez double with one out. But with 2 strikes on Luis Hernandez, Gomez got greedier than George Steinbrenner and tried to steal third on the pitcher and was picked of at third. Then he struck out Luis to end the frame. Because Chris Ray has an inflamed elbow, Jamie "J" Walker. J walker earned himself a new nickname as he recorded three outs on 3 pop outs. Jamie "Sky" Walker is born.

My next article will cover the Hall of Fame Weekend. Believe, my friends, Believe.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Wed, 18 Jul 2007 19:19:15 GMT

Survey, Dude

I realized that the long and tedious articles have become a bit strenuous to read, so instead of giving you my coverage of the O's victory against the Mariners, I decided to do a survey. So please respond. Please!!!

1) Who are the Orioles real rival?

A) The Yankees B) The Red Sox C) The Nationals D) The 500 Win %

2) Who is the most underrated past Oriole?

A) Dave McNally B) Luis Aparicio C) Boog Powell D) Terry Crowly

3) Who is the worst weak-link to the Orioles?

A) Danys Baez B) Aubrey Huff C) Peter Angelos D) Little voice in Peter Angelos' head

4) Which was worse?

A) Bruce Chen's pitching B) Bruce Chen's jokes

5) Who is the team MVP?

A) Ramon Hernandez B) Corey Patterson C) Brian Roberts D) Miguel Tejada

6) Our Favorite Bench Player is...

A) Jay Gibbons B) Paul Bako C) Chris Gomez D) Luis Hernandez

7) What is the best Nickname for Aubrey Huff?

A) Huffy the Umpire Slayer B) Huff Daddy C) Huffy D) Choker

8) The Best Nickname on the team;

A) Corey "CoPo" Patterson B) Danys "The Bazzer" Baez

C) Nick "Cakes" Markakis D) Peter "The Troll" Angelos

9) Should I change Jamie Walker's nickname from Jamie "J" Walker

to Jamie "Sky" Walker?

A) Yes B) No

10) How shall Peter Angelos meet his untimely demise?

A) Choke on a Walnut B) Mafia Hit C) Shock from ratings spike when the season ends

11) Dave Trembley's best attribute to the Birds is...

A) Knows when to go to the bullpen B) The Old School Mentality C) Ability to Whistle

12) Best asset in a bench clearing Brawl;

A) Kevin Millar B) Jay Payton C) Daniel Cabrera D) Chad Bradford off his Prozak

I hope you enjoyed this survey and I hope you enjoy the Orioles game on MASN tonight where the Orioles will attempt to take 2 of 3 from the Mariners. Believe My Friends, Believe.

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 03:09:00 GMT

The Revenge of the Idiot

It was LatinOOOOOOOOO Night at the Yard. Daniel Cabrera was pitching. It was a rubber match in the Palehose series. "How could Zack screw up?" you ask....

The evening started with a walk surrendered by Dan the Man. I knew this was going to be an interesting evening. The walk prompted a stolen base, where RamOOOOOOOn showed off his wretched wrist by throwing to the wrong side of the bag. A single followed. When Dan got a K, I was sure that he would pull it out. Nope. Konerko doubled on what was clearly a foul ball, scoring one. Then, a Pyrzienski Intentional Walk loads the sacks to make a force at all bags. Jermaine Dye singles to score another run. After another run scores on a bases loaded walk, a Hernandez to B-Rob to Millar Double Play ends the inning.

You know what, it is LatinO night, so it was a Hernandez to B-Roberto to Del Millar double play.

B-Roberto doubled to open the frame. After a flyout to RF, Nick SanMarkakis doubled to score a walking B-Roberto(no, I will not let up on this). Vazquez would retire the next 6 batters and not give up another run(as far as I know). Read On...

Cabrera let up 2 runs in the next two innings. He was very unaffective in the early innings. He did however stop the bleeding in the 4th and put up his first 0 for the night. The O's would then threaten but come up short in the bottom of the frame.

Did you ever have one of those moments where for some reason, you knew something would happen, you had a GUT feeling that something was going to happen, and you STILL ignore it. Had one of those tonight? I did. I stopped watching the game. If you care, give me a message. I want some feedback. It is on the side of the stupid screen.

When I came back, Del Millar is up, runners on primero y segundo, no outs and the score 6-4. Double Take.......

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN. Don't care. That doesn't matter. We got a shot to win. The Ninth was a blur, full of an 0 for 4 for the day Huff Papi clutch hit to score a run, a passed ball to the left of Jay Paytón scores a run, we tie to go to extras, and I jump so high in my basement that I bruised my chin on my ceiling fan. Excitement, Orioles be thy name.

Chris De La Ray came in and struck out the first batter, B-Roberto(groan) tracks down a grounder behind 2nd and rockets a throw to Millar, and a ground out to "Shorly"(the dominican name for short stop).

Charlie Haeger came in for the ChiSox to keep the game in check. Not happening.

CoPo(close enough to Español) singled. After two unsuccessful bunts, an outside pitch is taken for a ball and the second base bag is taken by CoPo. Fahey sac flys CoPo to third, B-Roberto is intentionally walked. He reaches second on defensive indifference, Chris Gomez grounds out to 2nd and is unable to score a man. And then...

With 1st base open, Ozzie Guillen opts to pitch to Nick SanMarkakis(cue buzzer noise)....

SINGLE TO LEFT!!!!!! O'S WIN!!!!!!!

Well, all is well that ends well. One more idiot move: I refered to this as a rubber match. This is a four game series. I am an Idiot.

On the bright side, I've got a great new idea for Markakis' nickname. I'll tell you later. Believe, my friends(unlike what I did tonight), believe.

One more thing; tonight, my spell check went insane. I thought it might blow up.