The Orioles season is falling further from relevance with their losing play after the All Star break. For hardcore fans of the team though it remains interesting to watch because of the large amount of young players that comprise the team. While the losing is the same, the level of young talent is far superior to what the Orioles have seen since they started losing over a decade ago. There was a little bit of this type of excitement back in 2006 when Nick Markakis was a rookie. At that time Chris Ray was starring in his second year, Adam Loewen made his debut, and Eric Bedard was finally pitching to his potential. However, the team was still dominated by over the hill players and guys who weren't top level talent. I don't feel that way in 2009.
Last night Chris Tillman took the mound for his second career start and tonight Brian Matusz will make his Major League debut. I'll exclude Koji Uehara because he is in his mid 30's, but that will make five rookie starters the O's have featured this year, each of whom is under 25. The bullpen isn't as reliant on rookies, although Kam Mickolio has been a guy to keep an eye on recently. While this isn't translating into wins in 2009, I think this is a great sign for the next few years.
In the field the Orioles have rookies as their primary starters in left field and catcher, and both are playing well despite Matt Wieters not living up to the god-like expectations that some people had for him.
So yes...the team sucks. But watching eight rookies developing at the Major League level at the same time is fun to watch for me. Of those eight guys playing as rookies this season, it is too soon to make a fair assessment of Mickolio, Matusz and Tillman. Briefly though Tillman has struggled through two starts and Mickolio looks good in just over 4 innings of relief. Jason Berken is the only one of the group I would label a failure, while Reimold, Wieters, Bergesen, and Hernandez have been very good if not great in their debuts.
If five of those guys are ready to be judged and four are so far successful, I like what the Orioles system is batting. 80% on rookie production is a great rate of success. Without a doubt it is better than what the Orioles have done in recent memory. The Orioles have been in rebuilding mode since the end of the 1998 season, and unfortunately there has been very little to show for it.
Take a look back at the Orioles first few years of rebuilding and what it provided for the team. In 2000 and 2001 Orioles management tried to seel Baltimore on guys like Chris Richard, Luis Matos, Larry Bigbie, Jay Gibbons, and Brian Roberts as the next generation of Orioles stars.
OUCH!
I'll give the Orioles credit that they made the right decision when they chose Brian Roberts as their franchise second baseman over Jerry Hairston, but those other names are pretty painful to remember. In terms of pitching the best the Orioles could do was probably BJ Ryan and Jorge Julio. Those guys have had successful careers(and I'm being generous with Julio), but it shouldn't be that hard to find a couple of one inning relievers. The Orioles minor league system gave us failures such as Josh Towers, John Stephens, Sean Douglass, Eric Dubose, Calvin Maduro, John Parrish, and Rick Bauer. Rodrigo Lopez was probably the only successful pitcher the Orioles brought along in the early part of this decade, and I don't think that can be attributed to their farm system.
So the idea of rebuilding this decade has been a complete failure for the Orioles aside from what Brian Roberts has become and what Erik Bedard provided from Seattle. Finally the Orioles have a big crop of rookies who are showing great potential. In addition to them the Orioles are looking younger at other key spots as well rather than collecting older vets. Markakis and Jones are already established as stars at just 23 and 25 years old, while the bullpen features some decent young arms with Meredith, Albers, and Johnson.
Its refreshing in some sense that the guys who seem to be struggling the most, Huff, Mora, Baez, and Hendrickson, probably won't be around this team much longer.
So here is to Brad Bergesen getting healthy, Jason Berken some day finding a new life in the bullpen, and a great debut from Brian Matusz tonight. Another losing season is in the works, but at least there is legitimate hope for 2010 and beyond making an impact on the field this season.
Showing posts with label baltimore. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baltimore. Show all posts
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Sherrill Trade
The Orioles traded their closer Georrge Sherill to the Dodgers today and received back two decent looking AA prospects just by the stats alone. Losing your best reliever is never fun for a fan, but I still like the trade. For guys like me who watch a lot of Orioles games and follow what goes on with the team, seeing who steps in and snatches the closer's role now that it is vacant should be an interesting story to follow in another losing season. Jim Johnson seems the most likely candidate, but he has struggled at times lately in close situations. I have confidence he will be able to secure that role, but who knows who else might throw their hat into the ring.
The trade made sense for the Orioles to make. Sherrill has a 2.40 ERA and 1.137 WHIP for the O's this season, which puts his stock about as high as it could be. His salary was reasonably under three million dollars this season, which made him a great value for his production. However, the closer is the final piece of the puzzle in my opinion. Bragging about a closer on a last place team just doesn't make sense. Trading a reliever for a legit third base prospect and a potential starting pitching prospect is a no brainer.
In regards to the prospects...
Trading for the son of a former Orioles pitcher and current MASN broadcaster seems like a homer move, but Steve Johnson's numbers look good to me. I'll throw out his numbers as a teenager and take a look at how the soon to be twenty-two year old has done over the last two seasons in A ball and AA.
In 2008 he was 9-2 with a 2.34 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 13 starts at Low A. He moved up to advanced A and struggled with a 3-6 record, 7.10 ERA, and 1.71 WHIP in 11 starts. So he struggled with the jump to a more competitive level. However, this year in advanced A he put up a 8-4 record with a 3.82 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. Thats some solid progression in my mind.
He has just recently completed two starts in AA and has a 1-1 record with a 1.69 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. Thats an extremely small sample size, but certainly isn't discouraging.
Overall since turning 20 he has a 20-12 record with a 3.98 ERA at A and AA. Current Orioles rookies David Hernandez and Brad Bergesen were still in Aberdeen and Delmarva respectively when they were 21, and their numbers weren't blowing people away, and look at how well they are pitching for the Orioles this year. Johnson is no lock to be a part of Baltimore's rotation one day, but he looks like a worthwhile guy for the O's to have traded for.
Josh Bell will probably get more attention from O's fans because of the obvious need to find a replacement for Melvin Mora at 3rd base. This is the spot the Orioles have been trying to find a guy for all along, but Melvin Mora and Aubrey Huff''s struggles have made them undesirable trade options for other clubs. It would have been hard for the Orioles to acquire an everyday Major League player for a reliever, so a high level third base prospect seems like a good get to me.
Bell is a twenty-two year old prospect who has played all year at AA. That seems like a good developmental pace for a guy drafted out of high school. Looking at his minor league numbers, he has only really struggled during a twenty game stretch at high A ball as a 20 year old. His average at AA this season is .296, and even more impressive than that is his .386 OBP. Its great to see a guy who can swing but isn't afraid to take pitches either. He has also shown good power at that level with 30 doubles and 11 homeruns in 94 games. He immediately becomes the Orioles best minor league option at third base. Sorry Mike Costanzo...you didn't get it done.
The downside with Bell is his defense. His size, 6-3 and 235 pounds, makes him sound a bit more like a 1st baseman than a 3rd baseman. At AA this season he has a .929 fielding percentage with his 17 errors. That certainly isn't Gold Glove caliber, but with his offensive potential, he is worth a shot.
With the way the Orioles have handled prospects lately, it seems that 2010 would probably be too soon to expect Bell to contribute in Baltimore. However, I think he'll be a spring training invite and a long shot to play 3rd next season. Most likely he will find his way to Norfolk next year and have a chance to earn the job at third after Wigginton's contract expires next year.
So the Orioles were able to add two more prospects who appear on the Major League track for George Sherrill. Sherrill had a nice year and a half for the O's, but I'm happy with what he has brought back to the organization. The Erik Bedard trade looks like it will continue to reap benefits for Baltimore.
To get an idea of how the Bedard trade looks so far, here is a quick comparison of what the Orioles have gained from it.
Sherrill - 3 wins, 94 innings, 51 saves, and a 3.71 ERA
Mickolio - 0 wins, 11 innings, and a 3.97 ERA
Tillman - 0 wins, 4 innings, and a 5.79 ERA
Jones - 125 runs, 240 hits, and 116 RBI
Seattle has gotten this out of Bedard.
11 wins, 164 innings, and a 3.24 ERA
Bedard has been good in his limited time for Seattle, but the Orioles have already received Major League time from four players in that deal. Who on Earth knows how to compare this, but Jones' solid play and Sherrill's relief work are probably equal or greater to Bedard's production so far. When you consider that Bedard is already 30, and that the six players currently in the Orioles organization, including Bell and Johnson from today's trade, are 25, 23, 22, 21, 21, and 21, the potential for this to be one of the most mind-blowingly lopsided trades ever is huge. I loved watching Erik Bedard pitch for the Orioles, but I don't miss him one bit with what the Orioles have received in return. The last two years have been painful to watch at times, but I am definitely encouraged for the O's future by the talent they have acquired.
The trade made sense for the Orioles to make. Sherrill has a 2.40 ERA and 1.137 WHIP for the O's this season, which puts his stock about as high as it could be. His salary was reasonably under three million dollars this season, which made him a great value for his production. However, the closer is the final piece of the puzzle in my opinion. Bragging about a closer on a last place team just doesn't make sense. Trading a reliever for a legit third base prospect and a potential starting pitching prospect is a no brainer.
In regards to the prospects...
Trading for the son of a former Orioles pitcher and current MASN broadcaster seems like a homer move, but Steve Johnson's numbers look good to me. I'll throw out his numbers as a teenager and take a look at how the soon to be twenty-two year old has done over the last two seasons in A ball and AA.
In 2008 he was 9-2 with a 2.34 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 13 starts at Low A. He moved up to advanced A and struggled with a 3-6 record, 7.10 ERA, and 1.71 WHIP in 11 starts. So he struggled with the jump to a more competitive level. However, this year in advanced A he put up a 8-4 record with a 3.82 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. Thats some solid progression in my mind.
He has just recently completed two starts in AA and has a 1-1 record with a 1.69 ERA and 1.03 WHIP. Thats an extremely small sample size, but certainly isn't discouraging.
Overall since turning 20 he has a 20-12 record with a 3.98 ERA at A and AA. Current Orioles rookies David Hernandez and Brad Bergesen were still in Aberdeen and Delmarva respectively when they were 21, and their numbers weren't blowing people away, and look at how well they are pitching for the Orioles this year. Johnson is no lock to be a part of Baltimore's rotation one day, but he looks like a worthwhile guy for the O's to have traded for.
Josh Bell will probably get more attention from O's fans because of the obvious need to find a replacement for Melvin Mora at 3rd base. This is the spot the Orioles have been trying to find a guy for all along, but Melvin Mora and Aubrey Huff''s struggles have made them undesirable trade options for other clubs. It would have been hard for the Orioles to acquire an everyday Major League player for a reliever, so a high level third base prospect seems like a good get to me.
Bell is a twenty-two year old prospect who has played all year at AA. That seems like a good developmental pace for a guy drafted out of high school. Looking at his minor league numbers, he has only really struggled during a twenty game stretch at high A ball as a 20 year old. His average at AA this season is .296, and even more impressive than that is his .386 OBP. Its great to see a guy who can swing but isn't afraid to take pitches either. He has also shown good power at that level with 30 doubles and 11 homeruns in 94 games. He immediately becomes the Orioles best minor league option at third base. Sorry Mike Costanzo...you didn't get it done.
The downside with Bell is his defense. His size, 6-3 and 235 pounds, makes him sound a bit more like a 1st baseman than a 3rd baseman. At AA this season he has a .929 fielding percentage with his 17 errors. That certainly isn't Gold Glove caliber, but with his offensive potential, he is worth a shot.
With the way the Orioles have handled prospects lately, it seems that 2010 would probably be too soon to expect Bell to contribute in Baltimore. However, I think he'll be a spring training invite and a long shot to play 3rd next season. Most likely he will find his way to Norfolk next year and have a chance to earn the job at third after Wigginton's contract expires next year.
So the Orioles were able to add two more prospects who appear on the Major League track for George Sherrill. Sherrill had a nice year and a half for the O's, but I'm happy with what he has brought back to the organization. The Erik Bedard trade looks like it will continue to reap benefits for Baltimore.
To get an idea of how the Bedard trade looks so far, here is a quick comparison of what the Orioles have gained from it.
Sherrill - 3 wins, 94 innings, 51 saves, and a 3.71 ERA
Mickolio - 0 wins, 11 innings, and a 3.97 ERA
Tillman - 0 wins, 4 innings, and a 5.79 ERA
Jones - 125 runs, 240 hits, and 116 RBI
Seattle has gotten this out of Bedard.
11 wins, 164 innings, and a 3.24 ERA
Bedard has been good in his limited time for Seattle, but the Orioles have already received Major League time from four players in that deal. Who on Earth knows how to compare this, but Jones' solid play and Sherrill's relief work are probably equal or greater to Bedard's production so far. When you consider that Bedard is already 30, and that the six players currently in the Orioles organization, including Bell and Johnson from today's trade, are 25, 23, 22, 21, 21, and 21, the potential for this to be one of the most mind-blowingly lopsided trades ever is huge. I loved watching Erik Bedard pitch for the Orioles, but I don't miss him one bit with what the Orioles have received in return. The last two years have been painful to watch at times, but I am definitely encouraged for the O's future by the talent they have acquired.
Monday, May 25, 2009
The future of the O's
Haven't written on this blog for a while, but since nobody really reads it...I don't think anybody has missed it.
Memorial Day means summer time, which of course means baseball. I've made it out to two O's games this season, a Mother's Day loss to the Yanks and a win over the lowly Nats down in DC. I can live with a 1-1 record so far this year, now only is the O's were playing .500 ball.
The record is crap as ususal, but the Orioles have a lot of positives mixed in with some big negatives. However, the Orioles' management has been saying since Andy McPhail arrived as General Manager that they were aiming to compete in 2010 or 2011, so this year is part of the current rebuilding plan. Damn...how many rebuilding plans has Baltimore seen since 1998? So here is what I like from the O's so far.
The O's have made it a priority to acquire more depth in the minor leagues, and I think they have been very successful in doing so. One piece of evidence is that the minor league teams are playing well and winning across the board.
Norfolk is 28-14
Bowie is 21-20
Frederick is 22-20
Delmarva is 22-18
And for those that really follow the organization at more than just the Major League level, there are prospects at all of these levels, rather than over the hill prospects and guys who failed at the Major League level. From different message boards and blogs I've read, some fans are agitated that the Orioles aren't calling up these potential "stars" from the minors. I'm sure some of the guys in the Orioles' minor league system could do well in Baltimore already, but I like the idea of creating a winning environment in the minors first. Young players shouldn't be given a spot, and should have to earn it first.
Nolan Reimold has been playing well in left field since he has been called up this month, and I feel he is a good example of a player that has proven he belongs in the Majors. Reimold has been a big name prospect for some time now, and I can remember reading fans calling for him to be in the Majors for most of the last year and a half. He wasn't rushed to spring training in 2008 or when rosters expanded last September. He played well this year in the Spring, but was sent to AAA and forced to perform well there before getting the recent promotion. The way he has been handled has apparently shown him that he will need to compete to get where he belongs, and that appears to be working well for him so far.
Hopefully that mindset is also being instilled in the minor league pitchers, because that is this team's greatest need right now. I think this philosophy was shown with Brad Bergesen this spring. He pitched extremely well in spring training, but was sent to Norfolk to start the year despite the wishes of many fans. I'm sure that nobody in the Orioles front office thought Adam Eaton, Mark Hendrickson, and Alfredo Simon were the answers to the Orioles pitching problems. However, those guys were used to start the season in the rotation so that Bergesen and other pitchers weren't just given spots, but had to prove that they belonged. Bergesen was giving the opportunity first to prove he belongs, and it looks like Jason Berken will be given that chance tommorow. I'm excited for all of the Orioles' pitching prospects, but I think its a smart idea to not rush them all at one time, and allow them time to learn success in the minors.
While its exciting to see some guys like Bergesen and Reimold come up and hold their own with the Orioles, its great to realize that these aren't even the biggest names in the farm system. The most anticipated player is obviously Matt Wieters, who was tabbed as the #1 prospect in all of baseball before this season. He is being compared to Joe Mauer and Mark Teixeira, and any O's fan has to be excited to hear that. Like the other guys I brought up, fans thought he should have been on the O's roster to start the season, or maybe last season. However, he is being brought along slowly and the debut is getting closer, although it hasn't been announced yet. Everybody who pays attention knows that he was being held back about a month because of future contract issues. I don't know when he will be up, but I'll guess that June 9th against the Mariners is a good bet. That will be the first game of a nine game home stand, and it falls on a Tuesday after a day off Monday. I'm sure that announcing Wieters' call up Sunday afternoon will create enough build-up for the O's to sell a lot more tickets on a Tuesday evening than they normally would. With nine games in a row at home, including two series that won't likely draw a lot of interest from opposing fans, the Orioles management would assure themselves a lot of interest from Orioles fans, even if the team isn't winning.
The top pitchers are further away, but Chris Tilman, Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta, and Brandon Erbe are all 4 and 5 star prospects according to Baseball Prospectus. All of these guys are young and have performed well so far this season. Matusz was a first round pick last year, but was placed in just A ball at Frederick. Again, this speaks to the philosophy of forcing a player to earn a promotion to the next level. Each of these guys is expected to be better than Bergesen and Berken, but they are being forced to earn their promotions over an extended period of time, rather than gifted their opportunities. Nobody knows how many of these guys will wear an Orioles uniform this season, but its exciting to know they are on their way.
The other positives are easier to see. Brian Roberts and Aubrey Huff still have it, and the Orioles have a 23 and a 25 year old outfielder who should both be playing in the All Star game. It will be tough for the last place O's to squeeze two guys into the game, but these guys are two of the best hitters in the AL. Losing for over a decade is incredibly frustrating, and playing in the AL East won't make it easy to turn that around. However, the future is looking brighter than I can remember in a long time. At least that is one reason to be excited for the Orioles.
Memorial Day means summer time, which of course means baseball. I've made it out to two O's games this season, a Mother's Day loss to the Yanks and a win over the lowly Nats down in DC. I can live with a 1-1 record so far this year, now only is the O's were playing .500 ball.
The record is crap as ususal, but the Orioles have a lot of positives mixed in with some big negatives. However, the Orioles' management has been saying since Andy McPhail arrived as General Manager that they were aiming to compete in 2010 or 2011, so this year is part of the current rebuilding plan. Damn...how many rebuilding plans has Baltimore seen since 1998? So here is what I like from the O's so far.
The O's have made it a priority to acquire more depth in the minor leagues, and I think they have been very successful in doing so. One piece of evidence is that the minor league teams are playing well and winning across the board.
Norfolk is 28-14
Bowie is 21-20
Frederick is 22-20
Delmarva is 22-18
And for those that really follow the organization at more than just the Major League level, there are prospects at all of these levels, rather than over the hill prospects and guys who failed at the Major League level. From different message boards and blogs I've read, some fans are agitated that the Orioles aren't calling up these potential "stars" from the minors. I'm sure some of the guys in the Orioles' minor league system could do well in Baltimore already, but I like the idea of creating a winning environment in the minors first. Young players shouldn't be given a spot, and should have to earn it first.
Nolan Reimold has been playing well in left field since he has been called up this month, and I feel he is a good example of a player that has proven he belongs in the Majors. Reimold has been a big name prospect for some time now, and I can remember reading fans calling for him to be in the Majors for most of the last year and a half. He wasn't rushed to spring training in 2008 or when rosters expanded last September. He played well this year in the Spring, but was sent to AAA and forced to perform well there before getting the recent promotion. The way he has been handled has apparently shown him that he will need to compete to get where he belongs, and that appears to be working well for him so far.
Hopefully that mindset is also being instilled in the minor league pitchers, because that is this team's greatest need right now. I think this philosophy was shown with Brad Bergesen this spring. He pitched extremely well in spring training, but was sent to Norfolk to start the year despite the wishes of many fans. I'm sure that nobody in the Orioles front office thought Adam Eaton, Mark Hendrickson, and Alfredo Simon were the answers to the Orioles pitching problems. However, those guys were used to start the season in the rotation so that Bergesen and other pitchers weren't just given spots, but had to prove that they belonged. Bergesen was giving the opportunity first to prove he belongs, and it looks like Jason Berken will be given that chance tommorow. I'm excited for all of the Orioles' pitching prospects, but I think its a smart idea to not rush them all at one time, and allow them time to learn success in the minors.
While its exciting to see some guys like Bergesen and Reimold come up and hold their own with the Orioles, its great to realize that these aren't even the biggest names in the farm system. The most anticipated player is obviously Matt Wieters, who was tabbed as the #1 prospect in all of baseball before this season. He is being compared to Joe Mauer and Mark Teixeira, and any O's fan has to be excited to hear that. Like the other guys I brought up, fans thought he should have been on the O's roster to start the season, or maybe last season. However, he is being brought along slowly and the debut is getting closer, although it hasn't been announced yet. Everybody who pays attention knows that he was being held back about a month because of future contract issues. I don't know when he will be up, but I'll guess that June 9th against the Mariners is a good bet. That will be the first game of a nine game home stand, and it falls on a Tuesday after a day off Monday. I'm sure that announcing Wieters' call up Sunday afternoon will create enough build-up for the O's to sell a lot more tickets on a Tuesday evening than they normally would. With nine games in a row at home, including two series that won't likely draw a lot of interest from opposing fans, the Orioles management would assure themselves a lot of interest from Orioles fans, even if the team isn't winning.
The top pitchers are further away, but Chris Tilman, Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta, and Brandon Erbe are all 4 and 5 star prospects according to Baseball Prospectus. All of these guys are young and have performed well so far this season. Matusz was a first round pick last year, but was placed in just A ball at Frederick. Again, this speaks to the philosophy of forcing a player to earn a promotion to the next level. Each of these guys is expected to be better than Bergesen and Berken, but they are being forced to earn their promotions over an extended period of time, rather than gifted their opportunities. Nobody knows how many of these guys will wear an Orioles uniform this season, but its exciting to know they are on their way.
The other positives are easier to see. Brian Roberts and Aubrey Huff still have it, and the Orioles have a 23 and a 25 year old outfielder who should both be playing in the All Star game. It will be tough for the last place O's to squeeze two guys into the game, but these guys are two of the best hitters in the AL. Losing for over a decade is incredibly frustrating, and playing in the AL East won't make it easy to turn that around. However, the future is looking brighter than I can remember in a long time. At least that is one reason to be excited for the Orioles.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Orioles Winning
The O's had a rough 3-7 stretch coming out of the All Star break which sent them plummeting towards into the cellar of the AL East. Well, thats where everybody thought they would be this season, and despite where they are in the standings they have had a pleasantly surprising year so far. They've rebounded well since that initial post-break free fall, going 5-1 with their lone loss being Dennis Sarfate's first career start against Joba Chamberlain. Thats an understandable loss. Its been great to see the O's offense playing great lately. Aubrey Huff is finally earning the money he signed for before last season, Melvin Mora doesn't look dead in the water, and Adam Jones seems to be developing as the year goes along like Nick Markakis did back in 2006. There are definitely some highlights lately.
The pitching has been weak this season, but its nice that they have had some good outings since the Sunday monkey was lifted. Cabrera had a great start before his BS toss-out against the Yanks. He looked to be going all the way in that game, and then in the last two games Garrett Olson went into the ninth, and Jeremy Guthrie managed his first career complete game last night. The O's have had a string of great starts as good as they have had all year. Its disappointing that Rhadames Liz and Brian Burres didn't work out in the rotation, but nobody could really expect long term success from Burres, and Liz still has a lot to do to ensure he is a steady Major League starter. It will be interesting to see who gets the start for the O's on Tuesday. Hayden Penn would probably be the popular choice among the fans since he his name has held so much promise for several years. I wouldn't mind seeing him, but he is another guy who has a whole lot to prove.
Overall the Orioles have made progress in their first year under Andy McPhail. The standings might not improve, but they are playing better baseball at most spots than they have in previous years. Adam Jones and Nick Markakis are two huge stars for the future, and I'm happy Brian Roberts is still getting things done at the top of the order. Shortstop is obviously an issue with 5 guys who have gotten extended looks their this year. Juan Castro is nothing but a short term solution, and none of Bynum, Fahey, Hernandez, and Cintron appear to be the answer either. I would love to see what the plan is for the O's to acquire a good shortstop for the future. I think that is the main target of McPhail and co. right now, and is probably the main reason why George Sherrill wasn't traded. I think they would rather hold on to him to get what they really need, than to have traded him last week for what may or may not fill a hole on this team. Another interesting development is Mark Teixeira heading to the Angels. He seems to be a guy who wants to play in the AL, but will he fall in love in Anaheim. Arte Moreno is an aggressive owner who will probably want to sign Tex after giving up Kotchman. I can only hope that the hometown urge is their for Tex, and that the O's come up with a great deal for him. The Orioles have had to deal with Kevin Millar-type numbers for too long at first, and another legit power hitter needs to be infused into this lineup.
The pitching has been weak this season, but its nice that they have had some good outings since the Sunday monkey was lifted. Cabrera had a great start before his BS toss-out against the Yanks. He looked to be going all the way in that game, and then in the last two games Garrett Olson went into the ninth, and Jeremy Guthrie managed his first career complete game last night. The O's have had a string of great starts as good as they have had all year. Its disappointing that Rhadames Liz and Brian Burres didn't work out in the rotation, but nobody could really expect long term success from Burres, and Liz still has a lot to do to ensure he is a steady Major League starter. It will be interesting to see who gets the start for the O's on Tuesday. Hayden Penn would probably be the popular choice among the fans since he his name has held so much promise for several years. I wouldn't mind seeing him, but he is another guy who has a whole lot to prove.
Overall the Orioles have made progress in their first year under Andy McPhail. The standings might not improve, but they are playing better baseball at most spots than they have in previous years. Adam Jones and Nick Markakis are two huge stars for the future, and I'm happy Brian Roberts is still getting things done at the top of the order. Shortstop is obviously an issue with 5 guys who have gotten extended looks their this year. Juan Castro is nothing but a short term solution, and none of Bynum, Fahey, Hernandez, and Cintron appear to be the answer either. I would love to see what the plan is for the O's to acquire a good shortstop for the future. I think that is the main target of McPhail and co. right now, and is probably the main reason why George Sherrill wasn't traded. I think they would rather hold on to him to get what they really need, than to have traded him last week for what may or may not fill a hole on this team. Another interesting development is Mark Teixeira heading to the Angels. He seems to be a guy who wants to play in the AL, but will he fall in love in Anaheim. Arte Moreno is an aggressive owner who will probably want to sign Tex after giving up Kotchman. I can only hope that the hometown urge is their for Tex, and that the O's come up with a great deal for him. The Orioles have had to deal with Kevin Millar-type numbers for too long at first, and another legit power hitter needs to be infused into this lineup.
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Pats Still Undefeated
Health concerns kept me from attending the Ravens-Pats game from monday night. I was happy to watch it on TV though and know my father was freezing his ass off the whole night long. Going into that game I had visions of just a few thousand fans holding on until the last whistle after the majority of Baltimorons skipped out after a blowout. However, the Ravens made it one of the more entertaining games this season, and the Baltimore fans seemed to be out in full force.
The big news before the game was that Steve McNair has been put on IR. I respect Air McNair a lot for his great career, but it was apparent this season that his time had past. I thought Billick should have gone to Kyle Boller sooner in the season, but now Boller gets to compete down the stretch to prepare himself for what will likely be his job heading into next season.
Boller did a pretty decent job against the Patriots. His numbers were respectable, over 200 yards, 65.2% with 2 TDs and 1 INT. Those numbers will win the Ravens most games. However, a little bit more is probably needed against New England. The interception was the one mistake Boller made, which is impressive considering how much pressure he was under from the Patriots' rush all night long. Altogether it was a good showing for Boller, and I hope he can keep it up to finish up the season.
The big story on offense though was Willis McGahee. The dude ran hard all night long, and showed why the Ravens were smart to make a deal with Bufallo. He has already rushed for over 1000 yards this season, and has been a better receiving threat than how he was used by the Bills. This is a guy who is in his prime, and should provide several more great years for this team.
Defensively the Ravens played great. Holding the Patriots to 27 points is an accomplishment this season. Brady and the New England offense are just too good to be shut down, but the Ravens have done about as well as anybody else this season. The pass coverage was excellent all night, and Tom Brady was frustrated by that and a good pass rush. He certainly didn't have a Brady like game on the stat sheet. However, Tom Brady is clutch, which nobody can deny. Rex Ryan helped him out by calling the timeout before his failed QB sneak. However, Brady came right back and made plays to lead his team to the win.
I've heard from others, mostly Ravens fans about how the referrees ruined the end of that game. I think that is debatable. The biggest missed call I saw in the game was an obvious block in the back that went unflagged on Laurence Maroney's big 2nd half reception. The 4th down holding call in the end zone was the right decision to make, and the Ravens just had to deal with that. The catch to Gaffney in the endzone is extremely debatable, but the way the NFL replay rules are worded, I understand why it wasn't turned over.
My biggest problem at the end of the game was Bart Scott's terrible actions. I've heard from Ravens fans on message boards about how they were proud of him for standing up to the refs and showing some heart and emotion about wanting to win. Thats a bunch of BS. No doubt Bart Scott has heart...otherwise he wouldn't be nearly the type of player he is. However, he was the only player who picked up 30 yards of personal fouls on just one play. Ed Reed and Ray Lewis have unquestioned heart, but I didn't see them hurting their team's chances to score at the end of the game. I would have been much happier to see Yamon Figurs taking the ball upfield on a kick return than seeing a kickoff from Ravens territory.
Regardless of the loss, this was a great game to watch. As a Ravens fan...it sucked. As a football fan...it was a great game. With a team that has thrown their year away with too many losses, it would have been nice to come up with a signature win.
The big news before the game was that Steve McNair has been put on IR. I respect Air McNair a lot for his great career, but it was apparent this season that his time had past. I thought Billick should have gone to Kyle Boller sooner in the season, but now Boller gets to compete down the stretch to prepare himself for what will likely be his job heading into next season.
Boller did a pretty decent job against the Patriots. His numbers were respectable, over 200 yards, 65.2% with 2 TDs and 1 INT. Those numbers will win the Ravens most games. However, a little bit more is probably needed against New England. The interception was the one mistake Boller made, which is impressive considering how much pressure he was under from the Patriots' rush all night long. Altogether it was a good showing for Boller, and I hope he can keep it up to finish up the season.
The big story on offense though was Willis McGahee. The dude ran hard all night long, and showed why the Ravens were smart to make a deal with Bufallo. He has already rushed for over 1000 yards this season, and has been a better receiving threat than how he was used by the Bills. This is a guy who is in his prime, and should provide several more great years for this team.
Defensively the Ravens played great. Holding the Patriots to 27 points is an accomplishment this season. Brady and the New England offense are just too good to be shut down, but the Ravens have done about as well as anybody else this season. The pass coverage was excellent all night, and Tom Brady was frustrated by that and a good pass rush. He certainly didn't have a Brady like game on the stat sheet. However, Tom Brady is clutch, which nobody can deny. Rex Ryan helped him out by calling the timeout before his failed QB sneak. However, Brady came right back and made plays to lead his team to the win.
I've heard from others, mostly Ravens fans about how the referrees ruined the end of that game. I think that is debatable. The biggest missed call I saw in the game was an obvious block in the back that went unflagged on Laurence Maroney's big 2nd half reception. The 4th down holding call in the end zone was the right decision to make, and the Ravens just had to deal with that. The catch to Gaffney in the endzone is extremely debatable, but the way the NFL replay rules are worded, I understand why it wasn't turned over.
My biggest problem at the end of the game was Bart Scott's terrible actions. I've heard from Ravens fans on message boards about how they were proud of him for standing up to the refs and showing some heart and emotion about wanting to win. Thats a bunch of BS. No doubt Bart Scott has heart...otherwise he wouldn't be nearly the type of player he is. However, he was the only player who picked up 30 yards of personal fouls on just one play. Ed Reed and Ray Lewis have unquestioned heart, but I didn't see them hurting their team's chances to score at the end of the game. I would have been much happier to see Yamon Figurs taking the ball upfield on a kick return than seeing a kickoff from Ravens territory.
Regardless of the loss, this was a great game to watch. As a Ravens fan...it sucked. As a football fan...it was a great game. With a team that has thrown their year away with too many losses, it would have been nice to come up with a signature win.
Monday, November 19, 2007
OT is a Debacle
I attended the Ravens-Browns game yesterday, which will become infamous for Phil Dawson's game-tieing field goal that landed in the endzone. A lot of people had already left the stadium after Matt Stover hit the go-ahead field goal with less than a minute left. Those who were still there had already started filing out of the stadium before most realized that the game might not be over. It was obvious from where I was on the opposing 30 yard line and hundreds of feet up, that the ball landed in the endzone. However, I began to realize without the help of replay that the ball must have hit the support and not the horizontal goal post. Word came back as people waited in the aisles, that the FG was good and the game was going to OT. Most Baltimorons were incredulous at this point, but I wasn't upset. The kick was good and the refs got the call right in the end. It sucked...but Ravens fans would have wanted it that way if the situation was flipped.
I've always hated the way the NFL plays overtime games. The idea that a team can lose a game in overtime without ever running an offensive play is ridiculous. Sudden death works in hockey or soccer when there is most likely to be multiple change of possessions before the deciding score. However, with football it is a failure. I would much rather see the alternating possession system that the NCAA uses. Each team's offense and defense atleast has an impact in overtime. If the NFL doesn't want to go that route...then let the game end in a tie. That would have been a much more deserving result to yesterday's game.
The game itself was entertaining in the 2nd half. Baltimore's 37 yards of offense in the 1st half was pitiful. However, they looked like a great team at times in the 2nd half. How a team can go from looking that bad to that good is astounding. Kyle Boller looked good throwing the ball down the field in the 2nd half. Of course he still overthrew the soft passes over the middle, and gave up a pick-6 when he got rocked in the red zone. The offensive line was absolutely horrible in pass protection. Boller was sacked six times, and was pressured into a lot of bad throws. For some reason it took the coaching staff a whole half to realize that the offense could be successful when Boller took a three step drop instead of five or seven.
In regards to the coaching...where was it on special teams? Josh Cribbs has been an individual highlight reel for the Browns lately, yet the Ravens kicked the ball off to him SEVEN TIMES! Matt Stover was able to squib one kickoff threw the endzone, but otherwise they tried nothing different. Cribbs had 245 yards on kickoffs alone! Cribbs fielded each kick to his left, and Cleveland ran the same return each time. Since Stover has a weak leg, why not squib it more than once. How about a sky kick to a blocker, or kicking it to Cribbs' right. Of all the miscues in this game, the kickoff team was the worst. On Cleveland's tieing drive and game winning drive in OT, they got the ball on their 43 and 41 yard lines. It was impressive that they came back to win that game, but the Ravens certainly made it easy at times.
I've always hated the way the NFL plays overtime games. The idea that a team can lose a game in overtime without ever running an offensive play is ridiculous. Sudden death works in hockey or soccer when there is most likely to be multiple change of possessions before the deciding score. However, with football it is a failure. I would much rather see the alternating possession system that the NCAA uses. Each team's offense and defense atleast has an impact in overtime. If the NFL doesn't want to go that route...then let the game end in a tie. That would have been a much more deserving result to yesterday's game.
The game itself was entertaining in the 2nd half. Baltimore's 37 yards of offense in the 1st half was pitiful. However, they looked like a great team at times in the 2nd half. How a team can go from looking that bad to that good is astounding. Kyle Boller looked good throwing the ball down the field in the 2nd half. Of course he still overthrew the soft passes over the middle, and gave up a pick-6 when he got rocked in the red zone. The offensive line was absolutely horrible in pass protection. Boller was sacked six times, and was pressured into a lot of bad throws. For some reason it took the coaching staff a whole half to realize that the offense could be successful when Boller took a three step drop instead of five or seven.
In regards to the coaching...where was it on special teams? Josh Cribbs has been an individual highlight reel for the Browns lately, yet the Ravens kicked the ball off to him SEVEN TIMES! Matt Stover was able to squib one kickoff threw the endzone, but otherwise they tried nothing different. Cribbs had 245 yards on kickoffs alone! Cribbs fielded each kick to his left, and Cleveland ran the same return each time. Since Stover has a weak leg, why not squib it more than once. How about a sky kick to a blocker, or kicking it to Cribbs' right. Of all the miscues in this game, the kickoff team was the worst. On Cleveland's tieing drive and game winning drive in OT, they got the ball on their 43 and 41 yard lines. It was impressive that they came back to win that game, but the Ravens certainly made it easy at times.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Ravens 22 - Rams 3
My dad is a Ravens season ticket holder, and I was able to meet up with him for my first Ravens game of the year yesterday. Its always great to see a win, but it would have been nice if the Rams showed up to play yesterday. After yesterday's game, it is obvious why they are at 0-6. Their offense is absolutely horrible. Obviously the Ravens are a tough defense to play against. However, Gus Frerotte's 5 interceptions were laughable. One was a dropped ball by a St. Louis receiver, but the others looked like he was just throwing things up in a crowd. Ol' Gus also suffered 4 sacks from the Ravens D. So this is a chicken or the egg scenario. Did the Ravens defense play that well, or were the Rams just that bad. Considering Frerotte threw 3 TDs and 3 INTs last week against the Cardinals, I would have to say a bit of both.
Offensively the Ravens were only slightly better than the Rams. Although the game was never in doubt, the Ravens didn't do much with the ball, and were actually outgained by the Rams. I think the Ravens are struggling offensively because of the general inexperience of their offensive line. Jason Brown had three key penalties in the game, and Chris Chester was flagged for holding on the one yard line. Kyle Boller started the game in place of Steve McNair, and did a good job with the offense. He did have an interception after Chester's penalty put the Ravens back off the goal line, but that pick was the result of Jared Gaither getting beat with a speed rush from Boller's blind side. Its great to see Matt Stover hit 5 field goals, but it would be a lot sweeter for the Ravens if they could manage a few more TDs from those situations.
At the end of the day the only thing that matters is a win. However, the usual frustration with the Ravens offense remains. Atleast Kyle Boller continues to play decently backing up Steve McNair.
Offensively the Ravens were only slightly better than the Rams. Although the game was never in doubt, the Ravens didn't do much with the ball, and were actually outgained by the Rams. I think the Ravens are struggling offensively because of the general inexperience of their offensive line. Jason Brown had three key penalties in the game, and Chris Chester was flagged for holding on the one yard line. Kyle Boller started the game in place of Steve McNair, and did a good job with the offense. He did have an interception after Chester's penalty put the Ravens back off the goal line, but that pick was the result of Jared Gaither getting beat with a speed rush from Boller's blind side. Its great to see Matt Stover hit 5 field goals, but it would be a lot sweeter for the Ravens if they could manage a few more TDs from those situations.
At the end of the day the only thing that matters is a win. However, the usual frustration with the Ravens offense remains. Atleast Kyle Boller continues to play decently backing up Steve McNair.
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Long Time No Post
So I had a pretty good rate of posting I thought over the summer, but with my work kicking back in and other personal things going on...I haven't been able to put my thoughts out that often. So here I go with a little bit of rambling about whats been going on lately.
The baseball season is over...well atleast locally. The Nats did a good job to finish above expectations in the NL East. It still isn't fun cheering for a loser though. There should be a lot more excitement with the opening of the new stadium next spring, and hopefully the team makes some moves to improve the club as well.
The Orioles had their usual 6 week collapse to end the regular season. After Erik Bedard went down with his injury, there really wasn't anything to get excited about. Their pitching was absolutely horrible over the last month, with guys who were signed just to get them through the rest of the season. The bright spot for the O's was Nick Markakis. He finished top 10 in RBI for the year, and improved upon his rookie year. The Orioles seem to finally have an up and coming star, and hopefully they can develop a few more players sooner rather than later.
Football is in full effect now. The Redskins got off to a great start at 2-0, and then blew their perfect start with a depressing 2nd half against the Giants. It seems like fans are waiting on the Detroit game this week to see if the Redskins' season will be heading up or down. I'm happy with where the team is right now, especially with how Jason Campbell has played. He hasn't been amazing, but he is consistent and has a great attitude when he is on the field. I like him as a leader for this team.
The Ravens have gone 2-2, and look to be struggling a bit more. Steve McNair is frustrating to watch, because he seems to be past his time. His nagging injuries won't keep him off of the field, but his passing ability isn't where it should be. The stats aren't awful, but the plays just aren't being made on the field when they should be. Meanwhile the defense is struggling. Adalius Thomas was obviously a big loss, however, the whole scheme seems to be off. Plays that used to be made in the backfield are happening 4 yards down the field, and thats what separates a middle of the pack defense from a top 5 D.
And finally Maryland football has my attention. Well I try to give it my attention, but its hard to see a live game on TV. Of course the die hards make it out to the stadium, but I'm not that lucky. Rutgers was the first game I was able to see live this year, and that was only because the Knights were somehow ranked 10th in the nation. Maryland played great to beat them, and would be in a nice spot right now if they hadn't dropped their game to Wake. I watched most of that game...on Comcast about 5 days later. The Terps truly gave away a game against an ACC opponent. That one hurts, but atleast the Terps bounced back well.
The baseball season is over...well atleast locally. The Nats did a good job to finish above expectations in the NL East. It still isn't fun cheering for a loser though. There should be a lot more excitement with the opening of the new stadium next spring, and hopefully the team makes some moves to improve the club as well.
The Orioles had their usual 6 week collapse to end the regular season. After Erik Bedard went down with his injury, there really wasn't anything to get excited about. Their pitching was absolutely horrible over the last month, with guys who were signed just to get them through the rest of the season. The bright spot for the O's was Nick Markakis. He finished top 10 in RBI for the year, and improved upon his rookie year. The Orioles seem to finally have an up and coming star, and hopefully they can develop a few more players sooner rather than later.
Football is in full effect now. The Redskins got off to a great start at 2-0, and then blew their perfect start with a depressing 2nd half against the Giants. It seems like fans are waiting on the Detroit game this week to see if the Redskins' season will be heading up or down. I'm happy with where the team is right now, especially with how Jason Campbell has played. He hasn't been amazing, but he is consistent and has a great attitude when he is on the field. I like him as a leader for this team.
The Ravens have gone 2-2, and look to be struggling a bit more. Steve McNair is frustrating to watch, because he seems to be past his time. His nagging injuries won't keep him off of the field, but his passing ability isn't where it should be. The stats aren't awful, but the plays just aren't being made on the field when they should be. Meanwhile the defense is struggling. Adalius Thomas was obviously a big loss, however, the whole scheme seems to be off. Plays that used to be made in the backfield are happening 4 yards down the field, and thats what separates a middle of the pack defense from a top 5 D.
And finally Maryland football has my attention. Well I try to give it my attention, but its hard to see a live game on TV. Of course the die hards make it out to the stadium, but I'm not that lucky. Rutgers was the first game I was able to see live this year, and that was only because the Knights were somehow ranked 10th in the nation. Maryland played great to beat them, and would be in a nice spot right now if they hadn't dropped their game to Wake. I watched most of that game...on Comcast about 5 days later. The Terps truly gave away a game against an ACC opponent. That one hurts, but atleast the Terps bounced back well.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
'Skins - Ravens Preseason
Well it looks like I took August off from blogging until now. A good amount of vacation can be credited for that. So I was excited to see last night's game between Maryland's 2 NFL teams. The lightning delay meant the O's and the football game were delayed, so my viewing started off with some NASCAR. When the game did finally come around, it was disappointing of course thast Jason Campbell wasn't playing. It would be nice to see him get some good reps since we still haven't seen much of him as a player. I'm not interested in Todd Collins or Mark Brunell in preseason. If the Redskins are forced to play either of them in the regular season, then I guess I'll have to come around. Washington also didn't have what will be their #1 O-line on the field. Chris Samuels is still taking the preseason off, and Pete Kendall didn't start. Clinton Portis is still enjoying his non-contact summer, so we really haven't seen the Redskins' top offense, and probably won't see it until Miami. Santana Moss did look great though on the first play of the game. I'm expecting a big year from him.
On defense the 'Skins are looking really impressive. I questioned after the draft about whether drafting a safety was a great idea for the Redskins. I don't doubt that any more after watching Laron Landry play. He is a stud athlete who seems to play smart, unlike the other safety for Washington. I've also always loved London Fletcher. He still has a lot in the tank apparently, because he is making plays and obviously is a leader on the field. The Redskins gave up their first TD of the preseason last night to the Ravens, which has to make any Redskins fan feel great about the defense when compared to last year.
The Ravens looked decent last night, even with the Redskins D playing well. Steve McNair was playing like an efficient vet with his 14-19 performance. There weren't really any big plays for the Ravens offense, but they kept things mistake free. I would like to have seen more from Willis McGahee this preseason, but I think the Ravens are probably holding back on what their offense will look like with him on the field.
The Ravens D looked like the same old dominating D that Baltimorons have come to expect. They were aggressive and made the Redskins work hard for yardage. They didn't allow a touchdown to the Skin's, which should probably be expected of them. They look prepared and ready for the season.
Its a shame the game was called early for those guys trying to make an impact on the coaches, but its probably not bad for each team to get their guys off of a wet field in a preseason game. Entering the season healthy should be the main concern, and I don't think the final preseason game for either team will show us much more about them. At this point I'm ready for the season to begin, so I have something to do at 1:00 on a Sunday afternoon besides finishing this blog.
On defense the 'Skins are looking really impressive. I questioned after the draft about whether drafting a safety was a great idea for the Redskins. I don't doubt that any more after watching Laron Landry play. He is a stud athlete who seems to play smart, unlike the other safety for Washington. I've also always loved London Fletcher. He still has a lot in the tank apparently, because he is making plays and obviously is a leader on the field. The Redskins gave up their first TD of the preseason last night to the Ravens, which has to make any Redskins fan feel great about the defense when compared to last year.
The Ravens looked decent last night, even with the Redskins D playing well. Steve McNair was playing like an efficient vet with his 14-19 performance. There weren't really any big plays for the Ravens offense, but they kept things mistake free. I would like to have seen more from Willis McGahee this preseason, but I think the Ravens are probably holding back on what their offense will look like with him on the field.
The Ravens D looked like the same old dominating D that Baltimorons have come to expect. They were aggressive and made the Redskins work hard for yardage. They didn't allow a touchdown to the Skin's, which should probably be expected of them. They look prepared and ready for the season.
Its a shame the game was called early for those guys trying to make an impact on the coaches, but its probably not bad for each team to get their guys off of a wet field in a preseason game. Entering the season healthy should be the main concern, and I don't think the final preseason game for either team will show us much more about them. At this point I'm ready for the season to begin, so I have something to do at 1:00 on a Sunday afternoon besides finishing this blog.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Yesterday at the O's Game
So yesterday at the O's game was a disappointment. The Yanks took one from the O's in what was a long, badly pitched game by both teams. It was a frustrating game to watch because of how many men were left on base. It seemed that there were plenty of opportunities for the O's to score, but they only took advantage of a few.
Daniel Cabrera is incredibly inconsistent. He can be completely awful one inning while looking amazing the next. He gave up 8 baserunners in the first 2 innings, while giving up 4 runs. However, he managed to retire 13 of 15 batters after that. There is no doubt that he will lead the league for the 2nd year in a row in base on balls, but will the Orioles really allow him another chance to make it 3 straight years? Its hard to watch him when he is off, but its amazing how much potential to be a dominating pitcher he has.
The atmosphere at the game was decent. It was nice to see a full crowd, even if many of the fans are Yankee fans. The New Yorkers usually show up in force, but with many O's fans in Cooperstown this weekend, it did seem like they had an easier time getting tickets. Atleast A-Rod didn't hit his 500th to a roaring Yankees crowd at Camden Yards.
O's fans showed they were there when the scoreboard said to cheer on a 3-2 pitch. Of course if Cabrera had a guy 0-2, hardly a peep was made. Yanks fans showed that they are superior to Orioles fans, by starting random cheers, and making noise when they should.
Daniel Cabrera is incredibly inconsistent. He can be completely awful one inning while looking amazing the next. He gave up 8 baserunners in the first 2 innings, while giving up 4 runs. However, he managed to retire 13 of 15 batters after that. There is no doubt that he will lead the league for the 2nd year in a row in base on balls, but will the Orioles really allow him another chance to make it 3 straight years? Its hard to watch him when he is off, but its amazing how much potential to be a dominating pitcher he has.
The atmosphere at the game was decent. It was nice to see a full crowd, even if many of the fans are Yankee fans. The New Yorkers usually show up in force, but with many O's fans in Cooperstown this weekend, it did seem like they had an easier time getting tickets. Atleast A-Rod didn't hit his 500th to a roaring Yankees crowd at Camden Yards.
O's fans showed they were there when the scoreboard said to cheer on a 3-2 pitch. Of course if Cabrera had a guy 0-2, hardly a peep was made. Yanks fans showed that they are superior to Orioles fans, by starting random cheers, and making noise when they should.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Orioles Look to Sweep Yanks
Well the Orioles have taken the series from the Yanks, and look to get a sweep today with D-Cab on the mound. This will be my first game attending Camden Yards this season. Its hard to believe, but its hard to make it up for a game with a child under 2 years old. More day games would definitely make attending easier. My wife and her Yankee fan cousins will be coming along and rooting for Alex Rodriguez to hit his 500th and lead the Yanks to a win. However, my son is 1-0 in favor of the Orioles in this series so far. Going up 2 games in his young career as a fan would definitely be a great start. So lets make it a sweep, and keep the Yankees as far away from the playoffs as possible!
Training Camp Begins
Well the training camps have started, and football will only pick up steam from here. The Ravens and Redskins have both had mostly quiet offseasons, which I take as being a good thing.
The Ravens have made the switch from Jamal Lewis to Willis McGahee. While it is sad to see Jamal go, his best years are likely over. McGahee should be in his prime, and ready to show it now that he is out of the hell known as Buffalo. I am excited to see what McGahee does this season. I think the offense will do well with McNair in his second year, and with Clayton and Demetrius Williams having improved. One of the big questions is how much Jon Ogden has left in the tank. I think this will be his last year, so the Ravens need to get as much out of him while they can.
Defensively the Ravens lost Adalius Thomas, which is a huge blow. However, the Ravens have always been good at replacing defensive starters. They should still be very strong on D, and a top 10 defense seems likely. Like Ogden, Ray Lewis is winding down. However, his energy is great for this team, and I see him leading them to the playoffs again in 2007.
More surpisingly than the Ravens having a quiet offseason was the Redskins having one. Isn't it this time of year that Sean Taylor should be running over somebody in his car or drinking himself into an embarassing stupor? Not this time around! And much hasn't even been said about him having issues with the coaching staff. Thats a great sign.
The 'Skins also didn't have any stupid Archuleta-like signings this offseason. London Fletcher was brought in, and he is a great pro who should help the defense mentally as well as on the field. They made reasonable picks in the draft, and didn't kill themselves with any stupid trades. Is TJ Duckett available again? Of course I would have liked to have seen them address the D-line more, but can the production along the line truly get any worse than last year?
Offensively, 2007 will be an interesting year for the Skins. Under Al Saunders' offense for a second year, I expect to see a lot of growth. Jason Campell now has some experience as well, so I expect a lot out of him as well. Its great to have Portis and Betts back, and hopefully their health isn't an issue this year. I definitely expect the Redskins to improve this season. With a first year coach in Dallas, a Tiki-less Giants team, and a moody Donovan McNabb leading the Eagles, the Redskins should have a good chance to work their way towards a playoff spot this season.
The Ravens have made the switch from Jamal Lewis to Willis McGahee. While it is sad to see Jamal go, his best years are likely over. McGahee should be in his prime, and ready to show it now that he is out of the hell known as Buffalo. I am excited to see what McGahee does this season. I think the offense will do well with McNair in his second year, and with Clayton and Demetrius Williams having improved. One of the big questions is how much Jon Ogden has left in the tank. I think this will be his last year, so the Ravens need to get as much out of him while they can.
Defensively the Ravens lost Adalius Thomas, which is a huge blow. However, the Ravens have always been good at replacing defensive starters. They should still be very strong on D, and a top 10 defense seems likely. Like Ogden, Ray Lewis is winding down. However, his energy is great for this team, and I see him leading them to the playoffs again in 2007.
More surpisingly than the Ravens having a quiet offseason was the Redskins having one. Isn't it this time of year that Sean Taylor should be running over somebody in his car or drinking himself into an embarassing stupor? Not this time around! And much hasn't even been said about him having issues with the coaching staff. Thats a great sign.
The 'Skins also didn't have any stupid Archuleta-like signings this offseason. London Fletcher was brought in, and he is a great pro who should help the defense mentally as well as on the field. They made reasonable picks in the draft, and didn't kill themselves with any stupid trades. Is TJ Duckett available again? Of course I would have liked to have seen them address the D-line more, but can the production along the line truly get any worse than last year?
Offensively, 2007 will be an interesting year for the Skins. Under Al Saunders' offense for a second year, I expect to see a lot of growth. Jason Campell now has some experience as well, so I expect a lot out of him as well. Its great to have Portis and Betts back, and hopefully their health isn't an issue this year. I definitely expect the Redskins to improve this season. With a first year coach in Dallas, a Tiki-less Giants team, and a moody Donovan McNabb leading the Eagles, the Redskins should have a good chance to work their way towards a playoff spot this season.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
O's take Series from Chicago
So a young pitcher for the Orioles leaves the game with a lead on a Sunday afternoon. I've seen this before. Danys Baez and Chris Ray enter the game late in order to protect the lead, and the Orioles win!!! What? Baez and Ray came through to keep a win from slipping away from a deserving starter? Thats right...it happened.
While Jeremy Guthrie wasn't so lucky on Mother's Day, Garrett Olson got the help he deserved today to earn his first Major League win. Its great to see a 23 year-old pitcher come to the Majors and pitch well in his first 2 games. Olson hasn't been brilliant, but he has shown a lot of potential and pretty good composure on the mound. He improved in his 2nd start today by going longer in the game, giving up fewer walks, and striking guys out at key times. If not for Jermaine Dye tapping into his 2006 season, then Olson might not have given up any runs today.
Now Steve Trachsel is slated to retake his position the next time through the rotation, but I think the O's feel very confident now that Olson will be able to come up from Norfolk again and help them out. I like that he got 2 starts under his belt rather than just one emergency start and a quick trip back to AAA. Hopefully, Trachsel's bit of rest got him back on track, but if it hasn't I would like to see Olson back in B-more sooner than later.
As mentioned before...I was pleased that Chris Ray and Danys Baez didn't ruin this for Olson today. Baez looked much better than he was before hitting the DL. Of course that shouldn't be hard to do. Just one more good outing, and his ERA is likely to dip below 6.00! Chris Ray got things done, but he still looks shaky to me. However, I can't complain if these guys keep runs off of the board.
While Jeremy Guthrie wasn't so lucky on Mother's Day, Garrett Olson got the help he deserved today to earn his first Major League win. Its great to see a 23 year-old pitcher come to the Majors and pitch well in his first 2 games. Olson hasn't been brilliant, but he has shown a lot of potential and pretty good composure on the mound. He improved in his 2nd start today by going longer in the game, giving up fewer walks, and striking guys out at key times. If not for Jermaine Dye tapping into his 2006 season, then Olson might not have given up any runs today.
Now Steve Trachsel is slated to retake his position the next time through the rotation, but I think the O's feel very confident now that Olson will be able to come up from Norfolk again and help them out. I like that he got 2 starts under his belt rather than just one emergency start and a quick trip back to AAA. Hopefully, Trachsel's bit of rest got him back on track, but if it hasn't I would like to see Olson back in B-more sooner than later.
As mentioned before...I was pleased that Chris Ray and Danys Baez didn't ruin this for Olson today. Baez looked much better than he was before hitting the DL. Of course that shouldn't be hard to do. Just one more good outing, and his ERA is likely to dip below 6.00! Chris Ray got things done, but he still looks shaky to me. However, I can't complain if these guys keep runs off of the board.
Saturday, July 14, 2007
Markakis Heating Up?
Its beginning to look like Nick Markakis might be a second half player. He came up huge tonight with a 3-5 night with a walk and 2 RBI. The O's don't win against the ChiSox without Nick. He is currently hitting .342, with a .432 OBP, and a .984 OPS in July. Thats a hell of a month so far. If you look at his progression each month this seasons, he has gone from .245 in April, to .286 in May, to .292 in June, to .342 in July. Maybe he is a guy who just plays better as the weather heats up.
I remember hearing people say after Nick's rough start to his career that the O's made a mistake in bringing Markakis up too early. However, he acclimated well, and was an amazing player in the 2nd half of '06. He has done well so far in 2007, but he hasn't been amazing. However, his play seems to be picking up lately, and he is starting the second half of '07 in a much better place than he did in '06. If he has a similar 2nd half this season, his numbers will be extremely impressive. While I have a tendency to root for homegrown guys with the Orioles like Larry Bigbie and Luis Matos, Nick Markakis is not just another prospect. He is a legitimate big leaguer, who will be a top player for a long time. This is one of the bright spots to savor as an O's fan.
I remember hearing people say after Nick's rough start to his career that the O's made a mistake in bringing Markakis up too early. However, he acclimated well, and was an amazing player in the 2nd half of '06. He has done well so far in 2007, but he hasn't been amazing. However, his play seems to be picking up lately, and he is starting the second half of '07 in a much better place than he did in '06. If he has a similar 2nd half this season, his numbers will be extremely impressive. While I have a tendency to root for homegrown guys with the Orioles like Larry Bigbie and Luis Matos, Nick Markakis is not just another prospect. He is a legitimate big leaguer, who will be a top player for a long time. This is one of the bright spots to savor as an O's fan.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Slowest Sports Week of Summer
The slowest sports week of the summer has hit, and its time to move on towards more exciting times. However, football season is still some time away. Baseball is the only sport going on right now, unless you want to count international soccer or summer league basketball. The Orioles have gone past the halfway point of the season and find themselves 15 games out of 1st in the AL East and 14 in the Wild Card. Erik Bedard has had two exciting performances in a row after last night's outing. He truly is a stud, and the O's need to make sure he stays with this team for a while. However, there really isn't too much to get excited for right now with the O's. They really aren't scoring runs consistently lately. Miguel Tejada's absence seems to really be felt.
They have yet to score 400 runs on the year, and only Chicago and Oakland have yet to do so as well in the AL. Chicago is a joke like the O's, but atleast the A's still have a positive run differential. Orioles pitching has been decent this year, but its wasted with an unproductive offense.
They have yet to score 400 runs on the year, and only Chicago and Oakland have yet to do so as well in the AL. Chicago is a joke like the O's, but atleast the A's still have a positive run differential. Orioles pitching has been decent this year, but its wasted with an unproductive offense.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
2 Over the Yanks
Well I have plans to see the Yankees and O's tommorow for my first O's game of the year. Should I bring a broom?
Its been great to see the O's beat NY the last 2 days. It helps boost the Orioles a little bit closer to respectability, while moving the Yankees a bit further away from the playoffs. Bedard was great today in beating Clemens, and Guthrie was good Tuesday despite not having his best stuff. Hopefully Daniel Cabrera brings what he had against the D-Backs last weekend to tommorow's game. Before that game it had been more than a month since his last good start.
On today's game...it was nice to see Aubrey Huff hit a 3 run homerun. He is having a decent year average wise, but I was expecting better power. He is on track for 11 homeruns, which certainly isn't what the Orioles need from their 1B/DH. At least he is showing more power than Jay Gibbons. What a mess there. Huff hit 21 homeruns last season with both TB and Houston. I was expecting along those lines this year. His OBP is also lower for the O's this year than what it has recently been. I've heard all year long that he is a second half player, so I hope he really turns it on after the All Star break.
Its been great to see the O's beat NY the last 2 days. It helps boost the Orioles a little bit closer to respectability, while moving the Yankees a bit further away from the playoffs. Bedard was great today in beating Clemens, and Guthrie was good Tuesday despite not having his best stuff. Hopefully Daniel Cabrera brings what he had against the D-Backs last weekend to tommorow's game. Before that game it had been more than a month since his last good start.
On today's game...it was nice to see Aubrey Huff hit a 3 run homerun. He is having a decent year average wise, but I was expecting better power. He is on track for 11 homeruns, which certainly isn't what the Orioles need from their 1B/DH. At least he is showing more power than Jay Gibbons. What a mess there. Huff hit 21 homeruns last season with both TB and Houston. I was expecting along those lines this year. His OBP is also lower for the O's this year than what it has recently been. I've heard all year long that he is a second half player, so I hope he really turns it on after the All Star break.
Friday, June 22, 2007
Tejada to DL and Cabrera Shines
So Miguel Tejada won't break Cal Ripken's consecutive games played streak. Well...not unless he comes back and plays until he is in his 50's. I don't think his range at SS will be that great by then. I'm somewhat glad that the streak is over, so that the O's don't feel as obligated to play him every day as they have felt. A little rest is a good idea for a player who is starting to age. This trip to the DL will give Freddy Bynum more of a chance to prove what he is capable of, whie Chris Gomez will continue to do his great job with everything that is thrown at him.
Tejada's roster space was taken by Jon Knott. The guy was only hitting .210 in Norfolk, but he has been hot lately, getting a hit in each of his last 9 games. His power is probably as good as anybody the O's have, so I would like to see him given a shot. With Corey Patterson and Jay Gibbons providing minimal offensive help, I would love to see somebody who atleast has a shot at knocking a ball out of the park.
And Daniel Cabrera has done it again. After giving up earned run totals of 5,7,4,3,4, and 5 over his last six starts, he goes on to no hit a good team for 5 innings and got the win while giving up just 1 run. I don't think he will ever be a great pitcher. However, I feel he will always be a good pitcher who will give you either amazing performances or terrifying ones at any time. He truly is a roller coaster of a player, and I'm pumped that he helped the Orioles build a winning streak after 9 games of losing this month.
Tejada's roster space was taken by Jon Knott. The guy was only hitting .210 in Norfolk, but he has been hot lately, getting a hit in each of his last 9 games. His power is probably as good as anybody the O's have, so I would like to see him given a shot. With Corey Patterson and Jay Gibbons providing minimal offensive help, I would love to see somebody who atleast has a shot at knocking a ball out of the park.
And Daniel Cabrera has done it again. After giving up earned run totals of 5,7,4,3,4, and 5 over his last six starts, he goes on to no hit a good team for 5 innings and got the win while giving up just 1 run. I don't think he will ever be a great pitcher. However, I feel he will always be a good pitcher who will give you either amazing performances or terrifying ones at any time. He truly is a roller coaster of a player, and I'm pumped that he helped the Orioles build a winning streak after 9 games of losing this month.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Orioles Shake Things Up
Well the Orioles certainly made some news today, despite not winning a game in over a week. First thing is Sam Perlozzo was fired. I think people saw this coming. The O's are playing awful, and the issues with Gibbons, Millar, and Perlozzo have been in the paper for a while. Perlozzo certainly seems like a good guy, and while he hasn't really been given a great team to work with, I don't see a problem with the firing right now. He doesn't seem like the guy who will lead them back to glory.
The O's managerial situation has been awful over the last decade. Davey Johnson did a great job in 96-97, but that was when the team was actually paying for the services of superstars while they were in their prime. Since then Ray Miller, Mike Hargrove, Lee Mazzilli, and Sam Perlozzo have all come and gone. Hargrove somehow managed 4 losing years at the helm, but the others didn't receive more than 2 years to get the job done. The Orioles just haven't given most guys enough of a chance to get the job done. Davey Johnson never should have been run out of town. Miller wasn't given enough time. Mazzilli wasn't given enough time or enough control. Perlozzo wasn't given much time.
The rumor now is that Joe Girardi is the frontrunner for the job. That would be great news for the O's to take a guy who has been successful as a manager before at the Major League level. However, I hope they don't give him a raw deal like Mazzilli. Lee wasn't allowed to hire his own assistants, and had to change the environment around him with those who were carried over from other losing regimes. If Girardi comes in it would be wise to give him total control over personnel. If he wants his own coaches...let him have it. The O's coaches that are around now aren't coming from a winning tradition anymore. They have all been part of a losing organization for a decade, and I wouldn't mind seeing them go at all. Supposedly Girardi meets with O's management tommorow. O's fans need to pray they don't let this opportunity pass them by.
The other news today is that Andy McPhail, formerly of the Cubs, will be the new COO. Seems like an important job to fill. Good work O's. Hopefully hiring an outsider to run things will bring some new ideas and some positive change into the organization.
The O's managerial situation has been awful over the last decade. Davey Johnson did a great job in 96-97, but that was when the team was actually paying for the services of superstars while they were in their prime. Since then Ray Miller, Mike Hargrove, Lee Mazzilli, and Sam Perlozzo have all come and gone. Hargrove somehow managed 4 losing years at the helm, but the others didn't receive more than 2 years to get the job done. The Orioles just haven't given most guys enough of a chance to get the job done. Davey Johnson never should have been run out of town. Miller wasn't given enough time. Mazzilli wasn't given enough time or enough control. Perlozzo wasn't given much time.
The rumor now is that Joe Girardi is the frontrunner for the job. That would be great news for the O's to take a guy who has been successful as a manager before at the Major League level. However, I hope they don't give him a raw deal like Mazzilli. Lee wasn't allowed to hire his own assistants, and had to change the environment around him with those who were carried over from other losing regimes. If Girardi comes in it would be wise to give him total control over personnel. If he wants his own coaches...let him have it. The O's coaches that are around now aren't coming from a winning tradition anymore. They have all been part of a losing organization for a decade, and I wouldn't mind seeing them go at all. Supposedly Girardi meets with O's management tommorow. O's fans need to pray they don't let this opportunity pass them by.
The other news today is that Andy McPhail, formerly of the Cubs, will be the new COO. Seems like an important job to fill. Good work O's. Hopefully hiring an outsider to run things will bring some new ideas and some positive change into the organization.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
8 in a Row
8 losses in a row for the Orioles. Things just really aren't good right now. I like how the O's management made a move to shake things up by releasing Todd Williams and moving Danys Baez to the DL. Hopefully Corey Doyne and James Hoey are able to step up and prove they can be major league caliber pitchers.
I feel the O's also need to shake up their lineup and give some chances to some guys in the minors right now. The runs scored over the losing streak have been 4,4,3,1,6,4,1,2. That comes out to 3.13 runs per game over that stretch. The O's obviously don't deserve to win games over that time period.
The problem driving in runs really is troubling. Miguel Tejada is hitting well, but is still struggling for power. After a decent power surge a couple of weeks ago, he has gone the last week with just one extra base hit, and still has just 17 on the year. Nick Markakis is hitting for power and driving in runs, but isn't reaching base like I expected him too. Those two offensive leaders for the O's could be doing better, but are still helping this team.
The greatest problem is coming from 2 of your key contributors. Jay Gibbons and Corey Patterson have OBP's of .257 and .258. When one of those guys should be a key RBI guy and the other is a critical baserunner for your team, that doesn't bode well for your team's success. I really feel that there are players in the minors who should be given the chance to play with these guys struggling so badly. Both have done decently for the Orioles in the past, but neither should get a free ride for bad play.
One solid move I've seen lately is to give Freddy Bynum more at bats. He is no superstar, but has done better than Patterson and Gibbons in his small number of at bats. He has earned the right to play more with those 2 players struggling so badly. Just because he started the season as your 25th guy on the bench doesn't mean he has to stay there all year.
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ibp&cid=418
I'm looking at Bowie for guys who could help the O's, because the O's roster at Norfolk looks abyssmal. Although the Tides' Tike Redman would probably be a better option in the OF right now for the O's.
Since Nolan Reimold is on the DL, he isn't an option to be called up. He is an impressive player who was hitting .329 in Bowie to start the year. He will likely be a starting outfielder for the O's next season. However, Jeff Fiorentino and Val Majewski are decent options who could produce better than Gibbons or Patterson. They are both hitting in the .270's with decent power numbers. At this point I would rather have a couple of young guys who are eager to prove themselves getting at bats than a couple of sulking young veterans.
I feel the O's also need to shake up their lineup and give some chances to some guys in the minors right now. The runs scored over the losing streak have been 4,4,3,1,6,4,1,2. That comes out to 3.13 runs per game over that stretch. The O's obviously don't deserve to win games over that time period.
The problem driving in runs really is troubling. Miguel Tejada is hitting well, but is still struggling for power. After a decent power surge a couple of weeks ago, he has gone the last week with just one extra base hit, and still has just 17 on the year. Nick Markakis is hitting for power and driving in runs, but isn't reaching base like I expected him too. Those two offensive leaders for the O's could be doing better, but are still helping this team.
The greatest problem is coming from 2 of your key contributors. Jay Gibbons and Corey Patterson have OBP's of .257 and .258. When one of those guys should be a key RBI guy and the other is a critical baserunner for your team, that doesn't bode well for your team's success. I really feel that there are players in the minors who should be given the chance to play with these guys struggling so badly. Both have done decently for the Orioles in the past, but neither should get a free ride for bad play.
One solid move I've seen lately is to give Freddy Bynum more at bats. He is no superstar, but has done better than Patterson and Gibbons in his small number of at bats. He has earned the right to play more with those 2 players struggling so badly. Just because he started the season as your 25th guy on the bench doesn't mean he has to stay there all year.
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?t=t_ibp&cid=418
I'm looking at Bowie for guys who could help the O's, because the O's roster at Norfolk looks abyssmal. Although the Tides' Tike Redman would probably be a better option in the OF right now for the O's.
Since Nolan Reimold is on the DL, he isn't an option to be called up. He is an impressive player who was hitting .329 in Bowie to start the year. He will likely be a starting outfielder for the O's next season. However, Jeff Fiorentino and Val Majewski are decent options who could produce better than Gibbons or Patterson. They are both hitting in the .270's with decent power numbers. At this point I would rather have a couple of young guys who are eager to prove themselves getting at bats than a couple of sulking young veterans.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
Chris Ray = Closer?
Chris Ray has had a stellar start to his career with the Baltimore Orioles. After doing brilliantly as BJ Ryan's set up guy for one year, he was given the closer's role last season and appeared to earn that spot with his performance. So far this season Ray has looked like anything but a closer.
The idea of a closer isn't just of a great reliever, but also of a guy who has some fire when he is on the mound. He is the type of guy who might only get one inning of work, but he will give you everything he has in that one inning and walk off knowing he helped win that game. Ray doesn't seem like that guy right now. Its obvious that he is trying, but his demeanor makes it appear that he isn't comfortable that he is that guy right now.
Ray's peripheral stats are fairly decent right now. His WHIP of 1.24 isn't bad. Not as nice as his 1.09 last season, but still respectable. His K/BB ratio is better this year than last, 2.33 to 1.88. He also hasn't give up a lot of homeruns, 3 in over 30 innings. Despite these decent stats, his ERA is almost 2 whole points higher than it was last year, and he already has 5 losses.
So if most of his stats reflect that he is pitching well, why has he struggled in critical games? What causes him to come up short when it seems the O's need him most.
Looking at the Nationals' closer Chad Cordero seems like a good impression to me. He and Ray are the same age, although Cordero has had a longer length of experience as a closer. They both play for teams that are near the bottom of the standings and don't give them as many save opportunities as other closers. Cordero's WHIP this season is 1.48, K/BB is 1.66, and he has given up 4 homeruns in the same amount of innings as Ray. By those stats Ray is having the better season. However, Cordero has just one loss and an ERA of 2.90.
Cordero obviously is being more productive this season than Ray. However, his numbers don't reflect that he is necessarily superior to Ray. What separates the two players is the mindset. Cordero has the confidence of a closer, while I am not seeing that confidence from Ray this season. At this point Chris Ray is the closer by default. The O's don't have anybody in their pen to come in and take his spot away. Maybe thats a problem. If Danys Baez was pitching well, maybe it would push Chris Ray a bit. Hopefully Ray is able to turn things around this season and prove he is the O's guy at the end of games, but his confidence, and my confidence in him, certainly isn't there right now.
The idea of a closer isn't just of a great reliever, but also of a guy who has some fire when he is on the mound. He is the type of guy who might only get one inning of work, but he will give you everything he has in that one inning and walk off knowing he helped win that game. Ray doesn't seem like that guy right now. Its obvious that he is trying, but his demeanor makes it appear that he isn't comfortable that he is that guy right now.
Ray's peripheral stats are fairly decent right now. His WHIP of 1.24 isn't bad. Not as nice as his 1.09 last season, but still respectable. His K/BB ratio is better this year than last, 2.33 to 1.88. He also hasn't give up a lot of homeruns, 3 in over 30 innings. Despite these decent stats, his ERA is almost 2 whole points higher than it was last year, and he already has 5 losses.
So if most of his stats reflect that he is pitching well, why has he struggled in critical games? What causes him to come up short when it seems the O's need him most.
Looking at the Nationals' closer Chad Cordero seems like a good impression to me. He and Ray are the same age, although Cordero has had a longer length of experience as a closer. They both play for teams that are near the bottom of the standings and don't give them as many save opportunities as other closers. Cordero's WHIP this season is 1.48, K/BB is 1.66, and he has given up 4 homeruns in the same amount of innings as Ray. By those stats Ray is having the better season. However, Cordero has just one loss and an ERA of 2.90.
Cordero obviously is being more productive this season than Ray. However, his numbers don't reflect that he is necessarily superior to Ray. What separates the two players is the mindset. Cordero has the confidence of a closer, while I am not seeing that confidence from Ray this season. At this point Chris Ray is the closer by default. The O's don't have anybody in their pen to come in and take his spot away. Maybe thats a problem. If Danys Baez was pitching well, maybe it would push Chris Ray a bit. Hopefully Ray is able to turn things around this season and prove he is the O's guy at the end of games, but his confidence, and my confidence in him, certainly isn't there right now.
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