Baltimore Orioles pitcher Rich Hill before giving up ten thousand runs

So Rich Hill was unable to turn around the Orioles’ troubles against the Red Sox initially, with an embarrassing 7 run showing. That brings his total up to 22 runs in the last 5 games. Oh, that’s in less than 20 innings pitched. Oh, and opponents are batting over .300 (.302). Oh, and only once did he have a positive Win Percentage Added stat. Oh, and his WHIP is north of 2.

Looks like we found who Matusz will replace next year… if Mr Hill lasts that long. Hopefully he can get his stuff together as he has shown flashes of brilliance and has had the potential for years, but never realized it.

That last sentence screamed 1999-2004 Baltimore Orioles.

But hey, don’t worry, because the O’s scored 5 in both the bottom of the 7th and 8th to come back down 10-1 to win 11-10! In the interest of self disclosure, I want to admit that I gave up on the game T7. I didn’t think they had a shot.

I was wrong.

Damn it’s good to be an O’s fan!

Brian Matusz, future Orioles ace?

(This is double dip story #2 of 2, see the other update below for explanation)

So the toughest thing about being an Orioles fan is the complete dearth of young talent.

Wait a minute… it’s not 1999 any more. We’re STACKED. And one of the shiniest stars of the future is that guy right up there, Brian Matusz. Since getting called up to Bowie, he’s 2-0 with a sub-1.00 ERA. And we’re not talking .99 ERA, we’re talking 0.76 ERA. He’s flat out dominating. And he’s still behind Arrieta and Tillman. The 2010 Orioles rotation is going to be young, but if it shapes out like it currently is, I have a hard time believing they’ll not be contenders in the AL East.

Say what you want about Andy MacPhail, but he’s done a fantastic job at developing the farm system (Norfolk is in first place, Bowie is 41-33) and producing guys who want to win. This will hopefully transfer up to the bigs, as the O’s have most of the pieces in place on the offense, the weak point remains pitching. If Matusz keeps pitching like this, I’m pretty sure he’ll end the season in Norfolk, but perhaps even a September callup to Baltimore is possible.

In other news, the Orioles dominated the NL East once again (notable exception: the Marlins) with a victory over the Washington Nationals. Seems like if the O’s were in the NL East, they’d be 50-21 right now. Alas, the struggle of the AL East will be well worth it when the Orioles become a contender next year. Maybe then we’ll get some coverage on ESPN.

Jerry Reinsdorf - the savior of hockey in Phoenix?

Well, I apologize for neglecting this over the past few days, so in return, I’m giving you a double dip right now.

So for those of you who live outside of Phoenix (or even if you’re one of the many in Phoenix who doesn’t watch the news), Chicago White Sox and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf has put an offer in to purchase the Coyotes for $148.5 million.

This was the only bid by the deadline for “owners who wish to keep the team in Phoenix” so now the offer needs to be accepted by the bankruptcy judge in order to ensure the team remains in Phoenix. Otherwise, the team will go to auction in August, an auction which Balsillie will most definitely win.

Of course, from what I’ve read (IDLE SPECULATION ALERT) there’s no reason the Reinsdorf deal won’t go through, because considering the amount of money that Balsillie would have to pay the city of Glendale (for breaking the 30 year arena lease), the Reinsdorf deal actually gives the other creditors a better deal.

Of course, it will be nice when we can put this all behind us. Hopefully by the Wednesday after the MLB All Star Game, when the schedules come out.

Nolan Reimold and his good friend Billy the Marlin

Well, that picture pretty much sums up the first 8 innings of the ball game. O’s trailed 6-3 going into the 9th.

This plays out two different ways, once with the 2008 Orioles and then again with the 2009 Orioles.

2008 Baltimore Orioles:
Baltimore Top 9th
- Brett Carroll replaces Jeremy Hermida, batting 5th, playing right field.
- Matt Lindstrom starts the inning for the Marlins.
- Adam Jones grounded out second to first. None on with one out and Aubrey Huff due up.
- Aubrey Huff grounded out second to first. None on with two outs and Melvin Mora due up.
- Melvin Mora strikes out. Three outs. End of ballgame.

2009 Baltimore Orioles:

Baltimore Top 9th
- Brett Carroll replaces Jeremy Hermida, batting 5th, playing right field.
- Matt Lindstrom starts the inning for the Marlins.
- Adam Jones grounded out second to first. None on with one out and Aubrey Huff due up.
- Aubrey Huff grounded out second to first. None on with two outs and Melvin Mora due up.
- Melvin Mora singled to left. Runner on first with two outs and Chris Ray due up.
- Luke Scott pinch-hitting for Chris Ray.
- Pinch-hitter Luke Scott singled to center. Runners on first and second with two outs and Matt Wieters due up.
- Matt Wieters single to right scored Melvin Mora. Runners on first and second with two outs and Robert Andino due up.
- Jeremy Guthrie pinch-running for Matt Wieters.
- Ty Wigginton pinch-hitting for Robert Andino.
- Pinch-hitter Ty Wigginton single to left scored Luke Scott. Runners on first and second with two outs and Oscar Salazar due up.
- Brian Sanches enters the game for the Marlins with runners on first and second and two outs.
- Oscar Salazar single to center scored Jeremy Guthrie. Runners on first and second with two outs and Brian Roberts due up.
- Brian Roberts grounded out to first to end the inning.

Did you see that? TWO OUTS IN THE NINTH AND THE O’S PUT 5 BACK TO BACK SINGLES TOGETHER TO TIE A BALL GAME.

It’s a brand new Orioles team. I am actually legitimately excited to watch this team and even tonight I knew they weren’t out of it in the 9th. Of course they lost it in the 12th, but I’m still relieved that this team just does not quit. It actually makes me an optimistic Orioles fan, which I haven’t really been since the run of 2005… and that optimism was dead by July.

MacPhail has done a great job bringing the right people in and Trembley has done a great job getting these guys to believe in themselves.

It’s nice to feel good about your team once in a while.

So the O’s are really making a case for being nicknamed “The Cardiac Kids” after winning 2 of their last 3 games in the ninth inning. In case you didn’t see it, you NEED to see the video of Brian Roberts\' 2 run game winning HR. It’s the Philly feed, but that’s what makes it so great.

When you’re watching, prepare yourself for some amazing things.

1) Watch the fans behind the plate as soon as the bat makes contact. Hands upAANNNNND DOWN.
1A) Listen to it with the sound up and enjoy the crickets! From 1 strike away from winning to losing by 1. I only wish this video had the booing that ensued at the end of the inning.
2) The :12-:17 montage is the greatest directing in sports history. It’s literally like the director was saying “And there’s the HR. Okay nowwwwwwwwwww cut to the dismayed pitcher…….. annnnnnnnnnd cut to the girl with her head on the dugout.” This is the greatest dismay montage in any 5 seconds of sports history.

Don’t look now, but it’s June and Orioles baseball is interesting to watch…. Been a while since I’ve been able to say that.

Okay, so this isn’t exactly earth shattering news, but some of these splits couldn’t make this point any clearer.

In their 28 wins (Okay, they beat the Mets tonight bringing them to 29 but the good people at baseball-reference don’t update immediately), the O’s have some rather interesting stats, especially when compared to their 37 losses.

……………………………in 28 wins……………………. in 37 losses
ERA …………………………..2.50……………………………..8.04
WHIP…………………………1.125 …………………………..1.767
Batting average………………231………………………………323
HRs……………………………..10……………………………….33
GIDP ……………………………18 ……………………………….8
OPS .640 .951

Those batting stats aren’t accidentally misplaced. The O’s are batting .231 in their wins and THREE TWENTY THREE in their losses. Their OPS in losses is a ridiculous .951. In fact, if the O’s OPS in losses were that of a player, that player would be 10th in the league in OPS. Of course the recent slump has likely even lowered that number a little more. That’s pretty impressive offense (though I’m left to wonder where our offense is in our wins), but the 8.04 ERA in our losses is wretched.

However, this is a great problem to have. The O’s pitching is the one definite place where there will be tangible improvement over the next two years. Right now we’re seeing some inconsistent rookies with a little bit of the “big show jitters” which will (hopefully) cool off a bit after the young guys get used to the bright lights. Until then, I’ll just have to hold on to my unbridled optimism (it’s the only thing that keeps me going as an Orioles fan).

Jobing.com arena, home of your 2009-2010 Phoenix Coyotes!

In some late breaking news tonight, Judge Redfield T. Baum assured his status as “The Judge Who Saved the Coyotes” by ruling that the deadline imposed by Balsillie was unrealistic and the team will stay in the Phoenix area at minimum throughout the 09-10 season. Furthermore, it means that Balsillie will likely remove his bid to purchase the Coyotes and ensure that the Coyotes STAY IN GLENDALE FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE!!!! I, as well as all other Coyotes fans, look forward to the Jerry Reinsdorf era in Phoenix hockey.

Thanks go out to Judge Baum who made the correct decision in keeping the Coyotes in Glendale. Now the responsibility falls upon us, the fans, to show the world that Phoenix can be a serious hockey market.

How am I going to help the cause? I’ve already submitted my letter of interest in a 20 game pick ‘em pack, about 5 minutes ago.

It’s never felt so good to root for a bad team.

A few links:

http://coyotes.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=425757

http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN1524715020090616?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

Bass in action way back in 2008.

So in a story that’s going basically unreported, Brian Bass has been a machine since May 1. He’s 4-1 and in 26 innings pitched he’s only given up 5 earned runs for an ERA of 1.71.

(I love baseball-reference.com)

Not much else going on, as the Orioles took 2 of 3 from Atlanta, hopefully turning their momentum around a bit. We’ll see if it will carry on through the series against the Mets.

In non-Orioles news, the Coyotes’ fate should be decided sometime soon, most likely within the week. I’ll keep you updated, as always.

….especially surrounding the Coyotes situation, but the fact of the matter is, nothing much happened there. And also, I bought a house, so I’ve been busy.

But here’s a quick rundown of everything happening in the world of sports.

1) The Coyotes seem to be likely moving to Hamilton.
1A) I don’t think the move will gain owner approval (because it will kill the Sabres) so there’s a remote chance the team stays in Phoenix.
1B) I’m going to write a sternly worded letter to Judge Baum if he gives away the team.

Re: 1B, you’re saying “The guy has a responsibility to the creditors!”

While I’ll agree that in the scope of the normal job of a bankruptcy judge, financial concerns are typically the largest focus. However, in the case of the Phoenix Coyotes, there’s a whole list of creditors who get neglected by the proceedings. These are what I like to call the emotional creditors. The people who live and die (mostly die, it seems) by the condition and play of the team. The guys who realize they don’t live in the best hockey city in the country and who know they don’t follow the best hockey franchise in the league, but damnit, it’s their team. These people didn’t put down $100 million as an investment, because first of all, they don’t have $100 million. But if they did, they would spend it on this team as a labor of love, a point of pride.

For similar reasons, you don’t have children as investments, and you don’t buy professional sports teams as investments.

Sure, your son could end up being the next Tom Brady / Kobe Bryant and buy you a huge house in Hawaii, but most children end up being a financial loss for the parents. Sports teams are the same way. Too much lately, a sports franchise has been regarded as a soulless business, the overenthusiastic adult at the little league game, if you will, pushing his son to destroy the competition at all cost, while neglecting to give the tools necessary for success down the road (focusing on old free agents vs developing talent and focusing on little league vs developing educational skills, respectively)

Rambling aside, you have to get into the situation wanting to get yourself in the situation. You need to realize that the point isn’t the money you make, it’s about making the best of the situation and enjoying the ride. By doing that, you’re much more likely to ensure the success of your child, whether they be human or a sports franchise.

Baum owes the emotional creditors more than the greedy financial investors in this case. The fans who bled red and white for the decade+ years of hockey in the valley. The voters in Glendale who voted to pay for the stadium as a point of local pride (even if the stadium is misplaced) don’t deserve the loss of their investment to pay a man who led the team to bankruptcy, but is the #1 creditor to the Coyotes.

And it’s a disgrace.

The bankruptcy judge is ruling tomorrow as to whether or not the Coyotes will remain in Phoenix for the foreseeable future.

I’ll probably try to post tomorrow as soon as I find out what went on in the courtroom.

My initial thoughts are that the team will stay in Phoenix. There’s just too much legal stuff getting in the way for Balsillie to take the team to Hamilton. The bankruptcy is dubious at best. The 30 year lease in Glendale seems solid. There are counter-offers from groups wanting to keep the team in Phoenix.

That being said, Balsillie is throwing down a cool $212.5 Million. That’s pretty hard to say no to, as a bankruptcy judge, when the other offers are nearly half that.

But I said it before. If the team stays in town for 1 year before the move, I’m throwing my jersey on the ice during play. I’m going to cause a stoppage, damnit.