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.

5 in a Row

Nothing like a series against the Royals to give a team a boost. The Orioles followed up taking the final two from the A's over Memorial Day weekend to sweep the Royals in KC. The best thing about this win streak is that each starter has gotten a win over the last five days. Erik Bedard was great last night. The great thing about yesterday's win was that he outlasted Gil Meche, who was just as good as Bedard until the Orioles produced a run with some small ball in the 8th. For those who criticize Sam Perlozzo, I think you have to agree with his decisions late in the game last night. Having Bynum pinch run and the bunts by Patterson and Roberts were the difference in the game. As Perlozzo has said before...his decisions come down to the players getting it done, and that is certainly what they did last night.

With the possibility of getting back over .500 this weekend, I saw some good news for the Orioles on the bottom line of ESPN last night. Apparently Bartolo Colon will not be pitching Saturday because of an injury to his triceps. Right now it looks like Joe Saunders(2-0, 1.96 era) is scheduled to go in Colon's place. Saunders initial stats look good, but he does have a WHIP over 1.5, and a mediocre BB/K ratio.

Playing the Angels certainly won't be easy, because they have been hot lately, and are currently the 3rd best team in the AL. Their pitching staff is very solid. John Lackey is having an extremely good year, and their rotation is one of the tops in the AL. Their bullpen is also tough with guys like Rodriguez and Shields to close out games. Hopefully Brian Burres can be tough against the Angels tonight, and get this series off to a great start.