Now the options are limited for this game and Saunders does have the most (aka the only) playoff experience of any starting pitcher on the roster, but this could one of the few mistakes Buck has made all season (and it could be a huge one). The Orioles really can only look to a couple pitchers for this game, as Chen pitched Monday and has struggled the last month. Gonzalez has come up big in big games all season, but pitched Tuesday and they haven’t thrown him out there on short rest at all in his rookie campaign. Tillman is out, pitching Wednesday night (where he did not look good at all) and Hammel is just coming off the DL, so Buck cannot risk his season on a balky knee.

So the Orioles are left with Joe Saunders or Steve Johnson; not the best way to go into what could be the last game of the season. Most would look at Saunders stats noted earlier and think Johnson was the no-brainer, but he has knee issues himself and is another guy they limited all season long as a rookie. But there is one more idea, a rare occurrence in MLB, but does happen several times each season; a bullpen game.

Everyone knows the bullpen has been not only the most consistent, but strongest part of this roster, virtually dominant all season. With the amount of young arms they have moved from starters, these kids can throw their arms out for two innings in the most important game for Baltimore in a decade and a half. Hunter has reached 100mph on the gun since moving to the bullpen, while Arrieta and Matusz have been definitively better not starting games and Johnson may be able to go if only asked to hold down the first inning or two. Add on guys like Patton, O’Day and Ayala, who have been nothing short of spectacular all season, and the bullpen has the best chance to win this game.

If those seven pitchers get through seven, with the lead or keeping it close, Bird land will be in good shape for some Orioles Magic. With the back end solidified by Jim Johnson, who in all reality could give Buck two innings if needed, a close game is a win for the O’s (especially if you look at the statistics or have just paid attention to this team this year). For those worried about wearing everyone out, any pitcher out their will only go once in three days, as the first game of the divisional round will not be until Sunday.

So only time will tell whether Buck has made the only major mistake of the season but this could be costly one.

The post Saunders Was Not the Best Option appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

My personal thoughts may differ from the greater Baltimore/Maryland area, but moving on from him in the offseason could benefit this team a great deal looking into 2013 and beyond. I do not believe he is overrated nationally as he is probably the 5th best catcher in baseball, but here in Baltimore he is revered as the greatest thing since Ray Lewis; he is nowhere near that realm of respectability. I have heard he is the only untouchable on the Orioles roster, on more than 10 different occasions, which I find disrespectful to others on the roster especially the centerfielder.

While Wieters does have a gold glove and can hit for power, as he has certainly displayed over the past several weeks since my last article on him (basically throwing somewhat of a wrench in part of my argument), Adam Jones physically carried this team offensively all season. Look at Orioles.com or MLB.com or ESPN.com or anywhere else you get your baseball news, and it will all show the same exact thing; Jones leads the O’s in all major hitting categories.

This has been true all season long, with little protection in the lineup, as Markakis is now on his second major stint on the DL, Mark Reynolds did not come on until August and Wieters has spent 90% of the season below the .250 mark. Now Jones had his slumps over the season, but has been consistently the dominant factor in the heart of an otherwise underperforming lineup. He also leads all of the MLB with the most walk off hits this season; coming up big when it counts most. Jones too has a gold glove for a premium position; if anyone, he should be the only untouchable on the team, which the Orioles build their future around.

That is besides the point, as the idea of moving Wieters came about following one of the best organizations in baseball.  He is a classic catcher in the mold of a Charles Johnson (which I previously stated months ago); as he can do everything asked of his position well, but can you really say that a guy hitting .250 (which is by far his best since the beginning of the season) is really one of the best players in the league. He struggles at certain aspects of the game, but makes up for it as a smart, heady guy, with a good arm. That would be a very valuable asset for teams with most of their roster in place, looking for someone to put them over the edge; the Texas Rangers come to mind, as they have fallen just short two seasons in a row. Don’t you think they would pay handsomely for a guy like Wieters? With the team they have put together, not only in the majors but in the farm system, they could send some highly touted players to Baltimore for his services behind the plate. A realistic sample trade, which is fair to both teams includes:

Baltimore Orioles send Matt Wieters to the Texas Rangers.

Texas Rangers send LHP Derek Holland, 1B Mitch Moreland and OF Julio Bourbon to the Baltimore Orioles.

Both teams can improve problem areas without reaching beyond their means. The Orioles will obviously need to fill a hole behind the plate, but have a golden opportunity to fix several key issues with the roster for the foreseeable future. I understand that catcher is more valuable than any of those positions individually, but combined, if the Orioles get 2-3 young starters for several years, the thought has to cross Showalter and Duquette’s mind.

Now maybe nobody wants to give up enough to make it worth-while, but it never hurts to explore a trade. Moving Wieters now may change the Orioles to a consistent contender, similar to the move the Rangers made in 2007 to put themselves in their current position, amongst the league’s best. They sent Mark Teixeira to the Atlanta Braves for Elvis Andrus, Nefalti Feliz, Matt Harrison, Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Beau Jones. Besides Jones, each of those players has made at least one All-Star appearance; each is 27 years old or younger. That is the type of haul that turned Texas from a possible playoff team, to back-to-back AL champions; that is the type of haul the Orioles could receive for Wieters from that very team.

I don’t think anyone would ask, “Is this a joke?” then. Or would they?

The post Final Thoughts on My Wieters Debate appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

Two things really stood out as the key problems for the Ravens; Joe Flacco’s inaccuracy and Ed Reed’s bad game. To the first point, the QB was not nearly as precise as he was on last Monday night versus the Bengals. A lot of the credit can be placed on the Eagles defensive line, namely their ends, as when they were not hitting or sacking Flacco, were at least constantly at his feet. The pocket was very uncomfortable the whole game, as the biggest issue heading into the season, the state of the offensive line, was exposed. Passes were errant up until the last offensive snap, as Flacco only completed 52% of his passes.

The latter of the problems is simply an anomaly here in Baltimore; Ed Reed is a sure fire Hall of Famer, but just had an off day. Though he reeled in another interception, it was off a tipped ball that fell into his lap. Reed was slow to swing coverage all game; a key play being DeSean Jackson’s catch down the sideline while the Eagles were backed up to the 7 yard line. That drive eventually ended up in Reed’s pick but the swing in field position was a devastating blow to the defense, as the offense could only muster a 51 yard field goal from Justin Tucker.

And then you must look at Brent Celek, as not only did he embarrass Reed with that leap over him, but was blatantly open the entire game. Now, that is not all Reed’s fault but he was responsible for his coverage a lot, while also being responsible for help over the top in the middle of the field (where Celek did most his damage with 157 yards). There is probably good odds that the tight end was not the first, second or third concerns for Dean Pees defensive game-plan.

So while looking at that game, the refs stood out as a problem for the league but not the problem for the Ravens. Those players know the loss is on them and will get back to the castle with renewed focus for a big game Sunday for the Patriots. Let’s hope they can figure out the coverage issues, with Gronkowski coming to town.

The post What Had Happened… appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

My main point in the argument months ago was his lack of production at the plate; that has only gotten worse. His current batting average at .244 (all stats as of 9/11/12) ranks ninth among all catchers in the league. That doesn’t sound too bad but only 10 catchers have recorded enough At-Bats to factor into the statistic. Wieters average currently ranks 122nd among all Major Leaguers; not very impressive for a guy recently pushed into the cleanup role because of Nick Markakis’ injury.

Now to take look at the other side of the argument; I have heard how great he is defensively all season long; well that simply is not the case. Out of the 12 catchers that logged enough innings to qualify for Fielding Percentage, Wieters ranks dead last. He also leads the entire MLB with 10 errors on the season. And for those who say “nobody steals on Wieters,” he ranks only fourth among eligible catchers in Caught Stealing Percentage; trailing league leader Ryan Hanigan by over a full percentage point (.360 to .466 respectively).

The final argument I hear around Baltimore is how great he is at calling games for their young pitching staff. Well, if you take a look back to three seasons ago, the Orioles were supposed to have the 90’s Braves pitchers all coming up through the farm system at the same time. Zach Britton, Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta, Chris Tillman and Troy Patton were all can’t miss prospects; going into next season, the organization is unsure if any will even be in the rotation. Patton is permanently in the pen and Matusz is on the fast track to join him. And Arrieta, Britton and Tillman cannot hold a roster spot in the big leagues; all being shuffled back and forth from AAA throughout the entire season.

Now a lot of their struggles are blamed on their own lack of development, but wasn’t Wieters a major part of that? Did he not come up through the minors with these young arms? I can understand giving him a pass if one or two did not pan out, but none have proven to be anything more than bullpen arms.

So here we stand, again, a few months later and I am still preaching the same thing; trade Matt Wieters. Now there is just more evidence of why he is not the building block to the future. The Orioles could pull in a hefty haul for teams close to a title but without a catcher, such as the Angels and Rangers, and need to exhaust all possibilities before next season.

The post Not Enough Said: Still Trade Wieters appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

Though his tenure here was not only brief, but extremely disappointing, Andy MacPhail actually laid the ground work for the team that is winning games at what seems to be a rapid rate this season.  Though the Orioles have witnessed momentous failures (Brian Matusz, Mark Reynolds and Felix Pie), the core of this group can be credited to MacPhail’s tenure in Baltimore.  Now this does not mean that current GM, Dan Duquette, does not deserve his own fair share of the credit.  The moves he made throughout the season have been unspectacular, yet crucial in their own right.  Nobody thought the Wei-Yin Chen experiment would amount to anything, but he has exceeded probably his own expectations as the Orioles best and most reliable pitcher.

The Jason Hammel deal sent fan favorite, Jeremy Guthrie, out of town but in turn brought back two quality starters.  Obviously Hammel has spent a good portion of the season on the DL, but pitched well enough to be considered a building block for the rotation.  The Orioles also received Matt Lindstrom in return for Guthrie, who now has been moved for Joe Saunders.  Doing the math, any major league roster would take two quality starters for one.  Add in moves to bring in Nate McLouth, Omar Quintanilla and Luis Ayala, while bringing up top positional prospect, Manny Machado; Duquette’s 2012 can be nothing more than remarkable.

But that does not take it account what he has inherited here in Baltimore; which is a lot more than anyone would have given him credit for in the offseason.  MacPhail made the moves to acquire Adam Jones, Chris Davis and J.J. Hardy; who are the best hitters in this lineup not named Markakis.  He drafted Gold Glove (and fan favorite) catcher Matt Wieters, rising star Manny Machado and the top prospect in the minors, Dylan Bundy; none of which with the first pick in the draft.

So five of six most productive starters in the lineup came from the daunted MacPhail era, along with the future Ace of the rotation.  But most importantly, he is the one get Buck Showalter off MLB tonight and back into the dugout.  MacPhail is the one to recognize Buck as the fit to lead this roster past a decade and a half ineptitude.  So even though he never was able to make the small moves, which sets rosters apart from winners to losers, he made the big picture for the Orioles much better for present day and the future.

The post Not such a MacFail appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

With Terrell Suggs on the shelf for the foreseeable future, thoughts of adding a pass rusher have circled the Owings Mills. The people of Baltimore are now thinking that the idea of bringing Merriman to the Ravens is a smart business decision; I am not one of them. Though Merriman has ties to the area, being an University of Maryland alum, he is not worth the effort the organization would have to expend to bring him back home.

The three-time Pro-Bowler has been cut from two teams in the last 3 seasons; first by the Chargers who released him during the 2010 season, then Buffalo, who picked Merriman up off waivers. As someone just entering their prime, at 28-years-old, there is a reason as to why he cannot find a permanent home while playing a premium position. Though his injury history plays a part, there are bigger issues that have come about in Merriman’s unfortunate career.

After a 4-game suspension for the use of steroids in 2006, Merriman would drastically hamper a team if he were to test positive again. With his recent debacles, Merriman may be more inclined to jump start his career and return to former glories.  And having a record off the field doesn’t help matters; the famous 2009 “Tila Tequila assault” is not the kind of publicity that will be welcomed on a roster full of veterans who have their eyes on the ultimate goal.

So when considering Merriman, I hope that Ozzie leaves the lights off.

The post Lights Out appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

The “pros” for camp at home are business related; it is easier to operate the daily functions of the team at the locale where you conduct business. The players have access to the immense accommodations that professional athletes grow accustomed to over their careers; the training rooms, film rooms and housing situations are just better. Also, the team does not need to make arrangements to move the mass amounts of equipment needed to properly conduct practice for several weeks to an off-site locale. The conditions of the fields alone at the Ravens facility go above and beyond standards of a small D-III school known for its liberal arts program and not its athletic facilities.

The distractions on the field are also less significant as well, as thousands of screaming fans are not watching the every move of star players like Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and others, who dawn the black and purple. Though a select group of fans are welcome to Owings Mills, they are so far removed from the actual team, their presence is barely known. In short, training camp at the Palace is easier on the entire make-up of the organization to start another NFL season.

On the other hand, keeping camp at a small school has a specific advantage that cannot be taken likely. Players are forced to room together, under meager conditions (for professional athletes’ standards), which can only help a team bond into a unit. Uprooting individuals to a non-descript location will force cohesion from management down to the ball boys, while enforce a camaraderie amongst the players they cannot receive while in the comforts of their own homes.

Back to the distractions; as a team practices in front of herds of the purple camo army, they are learning under conditions more similar to a game atmosphere. The fans will not shut up at M&T Bank Stadium while the team stands on the sidelines waiting for Harbaugh’s decision on a fourth and two. It is certainly worse when the Ravens head on the road to cities like Pittsburgh and New England.

So what form of camp reigns superior? Neither. To gain the greatest advantage, a team should find a way to take advantage of both. The Ravens practices this year at M&T and the Naval Academy are good ideas to the “have their cake and eat it too,” concept, but still does not gain full advantage of the off-site camp.

If the Ravens really wanted to move ahead of the competition, they would build a full training camp facility a couple hours away (maybe on the Eastern Shore). Have this location set to hold camp without having the hassle of moving the equipment from Owings Mills. Make “dorms” for the players to live in, while having a basic replica to the Palace’s training amenities including: medical rooms, state of the art film rooms and grass turf fields (the same as the actual field at M&T). And of course, implementing a practice schedule open to fans for about half of training camp will also provide a good mix between business and distraction.

A logical solution to the Tale of Two Camps.

The post A Tale of Two Camps appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

But since Cal’s retirement, we have all witnessed this team’s demise, which in turn has demolished the spirit of what was once one of the best fan bases in any sport.  In the past twenty years, no one has earned the right to even be considered for such a glorious recognition like Eddie Murray witnessed this weekend.  There have been individuals who had led to the disappointment in the Inner Harbor, which is a now a major part of this franchises’ history.   Obviously, they do not deserve to be next to the likes of the greats in center, but what if we honored those people by making another monument park; maybe next to the dumpster in the parking lot under 95.

Who would make that cut?  This is the list of members of Orioles history, who would be worthy of such a distinction; who should be enshrined with trash and bird droppings underneath the bypass for contributions to the team.

5. Rafael Palmeiro- Though he did enjoy a great deal of success in Baltimore (and may have considered to bear an Orioles lid in his Hall of Fame bust), he disgraced himself and the organization with his antics in front of Congress.  His statue would signify his punch line finger wave, while holding a needle of “B12″ in the other hand.

4. Roberto Alomar- He actually has been elected to the Hall of Fame, but only spent a couple years in Baltimore, not worthy of actual glory.  And with all his greatness, he is remembered as an Oriole for one incident involving some spit and a disgruntled umpire; his statue would reenact that moment.

3. Jeffrey Maier- Maybe no other human being coincides with the O’s demise than Maier and his glove.  Without him, maybe the team gains momentum in a series versus the Yankees onto another championship banner.  Maier doesn’t even deserve his likeness into a statue, so instead it would be a replica of Tony Tarrasco’s reaction from that night.

2. Albert Belle- No player has actually shaped what the franchise has become more than Albert Belle.  His massive contract handcuffed the organizations thought process, and bank account, for the last decade.  His likeness would be a cast of himself, fat and on his couch, with a bag of potato chips in one hand and a money bag in the other.

1. Peter Angelos- Since his taking over the franchise, this fan base has suffered enough heartache to cripple the entire city.  His awful organizational standards and misguided views on running a team have led to the worst stint of Oriole baseball ever.  His statue would not actually be himself, but an actual turd to symbolize how he is viewed by anyone supporting the Black and Orange.

The post Who is the Next Statue? appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

For a team in the pennant and wild card race in August, the fans simply still do not show up to the ballpark. There is a bevy of green seats every time you turn on the game; which is a testament of this fan-base’s trust of the organization as a whole. The Oriole faithful have been burned plenty in the past decade and a half; whether it was the Albert Belle “appearance” in the outfield, Miguel Tejada and Sammy Sosa’s post steroid stint in Baltimore or the return of Rafael Palmeiro (B12 and all).

Steve Johnson’s performance on Wednesday night (in his first career start, the same day that his father won his first game with the Orioles), will do little to excite fans that are waiting for a spiral down back to reality. For a team with such a terrible run differential, poor starting pitching and a make shift infield, it is improbable to think they can remain in the hunt. But the Orioles have gotten this far with basically the same roster as opening day.

Yet, the stands remain empty, but the powers that be hope this move will change the perspective at Camden Yards. Machado’s presence will put butts in the seats because he represents the future and it doesn’t hurt everyone witnessed 20 year old phenom, Mike Trout, here in Baltimore (and reminded of it weekly with his home run robbing catch of J.J. Hardy displayed on ESPN). Trout has proven that a kid Machado’s age can propel a team into the next level; a level that would involve the playoffs for these Orioles.

As ticket sales rise, so will the Machado merchandise in the greater part of Maryland. Expect his jersey sales to lead the team for the next couple months, while the team taking full advantage of his personal brand. You won’t be able to walk down the street without seeing a person in a T-shirt brandishing his name or likeness. And that’s all well and good for Peter Angelos but does it really benefit the team or the player to rush him to the bigs for matters involving finance.

Machado’s numbers are not staggering; he is not lighting up the minors the same way Trout and Harper were earlier this season. His numbers are respectable for a player his age (.266, 11 HR, 56 RBI), but is nothing to claim “He cannot learn anything else in the minors; he needs to see big league pitching.” And his bat is what he is known for; he has struggled for most of the season at short stop. Now the team plans to move him to third base, where he has no experience at all. This stint in the majors could be detrimental to his psyche, if he does not live up to his lofty expectations.

So please tell me, exactly what’s the rush?

The post What’s the Rush? appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

Bob Costas has been the front man for the coverage by NBC and as one of the most respected Sports Journalists in the country, has lived up to expectations. But that is the peak for NBC, as the rest of their coverage has really fallen flat to such a colossal event.

The tape delay is an issue into itself but witnessing Andrea Kramer’s post-swim interview after every race in the pool has been nothing short of terrible. After Ryan Lochte’s devastating fourth place finish in the 200M Freestyle, (where he is the outright favorite in basically any event not involving Phelps), Kramer had the tenacity to ask “Are you disappointed in your finish?”; it is actually surprising he didn’t throw her in the pool.

And that is the only the beginning. The gymnastics announcers put the jinx on the top rated, Mykala Maroney, in the vault by declaring her the winner before she even made her first attempt; Maroney finished with a Silver medal. Top notch journalism.

But the worst comes from the fact that Ryan Seacrest is even reporting in London; a guy who brought the world the Kardashians should not be covering the ultimate athletic competition. NBC obviously is floating him out there to gain younger viewership but loses respectability in the process. It is surprising he was not there to cover who Kobe Bryant hooked up with, or what underage athletes are caught drinking. In 2016, Joan Rivers will be reporting on Missy Franklin’s bathing suit.

Rio may have a lot more issues ahead then they expected, if this is NBC’s idea of Sports Journalism.

The post NBC’s Epic Fail appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.