When I was a boy Memorial Stadium was great! It was dingy, but comfortable. You walked inside the gates and immediately smelled crab cakes. They sold crab cakes on saltine crackers and they were the bomb! There were no outer concourses with exposed stairs/ramps. Everything was kinda inside and it seemed to take forever if you were in the upper deck. There were a few nuances to get used to however. As an older structure there were multiple cement columns holding up the upper deck. If you didn't pay attention you could get tickets behind a column and be partially obstructed. And don't think about sitting in the mezzanine level. Any pop fly would rise up until you lost sight of the ball obove the ceiling overhang. Only on it's return to earth could you again pick up the ball.......If you were really spunky you could pay next to nothing and sit in the left center field bleachers. When I say bleachers, that's exactly what I mean. They were bleachers like you would see at a pop warner football game. And, made of wood, not even metal like at the little league park.....Try sitting down the lines, which were only 310' to the foul pole. If the ball got into your corner there was a blind spot for a split second where you couldn't see the left fielder retrieve the ball.....
But you know what? It was home.....I recall seeing Jim Palmer pitch a shutout against the A's..I remember Palmer when late in his career and pretty much relegated to 4th or 5th starter have 1 "comeback" season and was 14-2. The O's made a big push against the then East leading Brewers (yes, the Brewers used to be in the American League and in the East. Matter of fact, there was only East and West Divisions) Palmer came out on a Sunday and shut down the Brewers. It was probably his last hurahh.............I saw "live" one Friday night when Tippy Martinez came in the game in the 10th inning of a game vs the Blue Jays. The little lefthander got 3 Blue Jays out in the 10th WITHOUT a strikeout, pop out, or fielder making a play. How? Well, Rick Dempsey got hurt. The O's 2nd string catcher somehow was out and in the 10th the O's had to put backup 2nd baseman Lenn Sakata in as catcher. It was obvious the Blue Jays were gonna run all over Sakata. Jays had a runner on 1st when Martinez came in. Martinez picked him off at 1st. Next batter walks. Martinez then picks him off at 1st. Next batter gets a single. Well, you guessed it....Martinez picks him off too! 3 pickoffs in 1 inning. Want more? Because of using up all his players, Earl Weaver had to put outfielders Gary Roenicke at 2nd and John Lowenstein at 3rd. Plus, in the bottom of the 10th Sakata hits a 3-run homer to win the game.....
I could go on, but I really want to address some issues I see between this organization and the Nationals 45 miles away...(I'm gonna catch it from Frank)
There is such a huge difference in the direction these two clubs are moving. In just a couple of years the Nationals have moved from the worst team in the National League to now an almost .500 team. The past couple of years they have molded Ryan Zimmerman, Josh Willingham and Roger Bernadino. They have gone out and signed free agents Adam Dunn (40hrs a year) and Christian Guzman and Ivan Rodriguez. (Wouldn't you like to see Adam Dunn in black and orange hitting 40hrs instead of Garrett Atkins?) Then scouting....over the past 3 years they have signed and already playing in the majors is SS Ian Desmond and P Jordan Zimmerman. Their #1 pick last year is already pitching in the pen with the Nats and this year's #1 pick, Strasburg, only spent 2 months in the minors before being called up yesterday to strike out 14 Pirates in 7 innings!
The O's seem to sign picks and then they languish in the minors for years. Their biggest free agent signings this last off-season were Tejada, Garrett Atkins and Mike Gonzalez. Tejada would be a nice addition, but at this stage of his career, not a team carrier. Atkins and Gonzalez are 2nd and 3rd tier type players at best! The O's would have been better off saving their money. There doesn't seem to be a plan except hoping that all the youth blossom overnight.
I still love the O's, but I'm sorry all you born after 1983 were not capable of witnessing true Orioles tradition and baseball played the Oriole Way.
Wow this post is a shocker. The newest Nationals groupie is, drum roll please, you guessed it "the commish." Yes they have and great 3-4 punch with Zimmerman and Dunn. But how can you lump Christian Guzman in there. A slap hitter that most likely will be playing elsewhere next year. Honestly Dunn might be playing somewhere else as he is in the last year of his deal. Also how is Jordan Zimmerman doing this year, oh wait, thats right he blew out his elbow. But maybe they will repair that elbow and improve on his 4.60 ERA. How about another first round pick Ross Detwiler, also on the DL, but hey maybe one day he can come back and improve on that 4.93 ERA. And the we have Ian Desmond, signed in 2004, yeah thats right, 6 years ago, not 3 years ago. So lets not act like the Nationals made the turnaround in an instant.
ReplyDeleteI know that you are ready to induct Lord Strasburg into the hall of fame, but lets not get our panties in a bunch just yet. The play in the NL East, so they don't have to play the Yankees, Red Sox, and pesky Rays. Also, for your sake commish, I sure hope your latest man crush does not turn into Kerry Wood part deux.
Frank...i made a mistake with Desmond, but given the fact that he's still only 24 yrs old and starting SS it's hard to imagine he was signed at 18.
ReplyDeleteDetwiler and Zimmerman are also 24. Strasburg is 21, Ryan Zimmerman is 25, Drew Storen is 22, John Lannan is 25, Dunn is only 30 and is a fan favorite so there's a good chance he'll give them every chance to resign, Bernadina is 25 and another pitcher Luis Atilano is also 25. Add to the fact that they are all wrapped up for at least next 4 years. Youth is working somewhere, just 45 miles south of Baltimore
If you consider 28-31 and tied for last place in the division working, then go for it.
ReplyDeleteWhat team has the most talent?
ReplyDeleteI would say the Rays or the Reds, oh wait between the O's and Nats i believe its the O's but the Nats have guys that overachieve and the O's underachieve so you have to take that into account.
ReplyDeleteI def. agree with that DaBooth...And maybe that is because the Nats have some guys like Dunn that have had success, so there is not as much pressure on the youngsters.
ReplyDeleteThats a good question Mass. I think in regards to pitching, both could have very talented rotations in the future if Detwiler ever pans out and if Zimmerman can bounce back for the Nats. I think Lannan sucks, even though I played against him in college and he beat us, but thats not saying much. Pair those other 2 with the commish's man crush and that could be a decent rotation. Same can be said for the O's, Matusz, Tillman, Arreita, Bergeson, and Britton in a few years could be a talented rotation. I give the edge to the O's as they have more depth.
ReplyDeleteAs far as the lineup goes, right now would be the Nats because of the two big bats of Dunn and Zimmerman, but there is the chance that Dunn may be gone next year as well. But if the Orioles somehow end up with the first pick in the draft next year and get their hands on Rendin, that could help in a huge way for the Orioles.
Good thing the O's didnt go after Dunn two years ago becaue he wasnt good enough. Okay that was a little off topic but i wanted him then and i will still take him now
ReplyDeleteIf I remember correctly, Dunn didn't want to go to the American League out of fear of being a DH
ReplyDeleteAgain, I preference my comments with "I am an O's fan"
ReplyDeleteLet me break this down:
PITCHING
I think they both have a chance to have good young staffs. If the O's can quit ruining their young players, a rotation of Matusz, Tillman, Arreita, Bergeson would be nice. I'm not sold on Britton and I do worry about Tillman.
For the Nats, Strasburg could be a stud and the best out of both teams, Jordan Zimmerman (coming back from surgery) is as good as any of the O's youngsters, Jury out on Detwiler, Atiliano has pitched decent, and their #1 pick from last year Storen is in the pen, but really is a starter, has an ERA UNDER 2.00.
As to bullpens....no contest. The Nats are far better at this point. Matt Capps has saved 20 out of 24 opportunities......Tyler Clippard is 25yrs old, is 8-3 with a 1.93ERA... Burnett has as many strikeouts as innings pitched....and if Storen satys in the pen I already pointed out his sub 2.00ERA........Sorry, but the O's don't have anybody even close.
1ST BASE:
Right now, edge to Nats. Adam Dunn has a history of 40hrs a yr. This year is hitting .280 with 12 Hrs and 32 rbi's.....O's can combine Atkins and Scott's #'s and not even come close. If Dunn doesn't resign next year (which I think the Nats will spend the $) no one has an edge because the O's have not addressed 1st base this year and have no one in the pipeline for next year.
2nd Base:
Wow! Roberts if healthy, but there's a real chance his career may be over with this back trouble. Christian Guzman is hitting .308, is 32.
SS:
Edge Nats. Ian Desmond is only 21, Former #1 pick. Hitting .272 with 4 Hrs. and 31rbi.
3rd Base:
I like Tejada, but age and less steroids, edge to Nats. Ryan Zimmerman is 25yrs old, all-star, hitting .317 12hr and 32 rbi. Plus is good enough to win a gold glove.
LEFT:
Edge Nats. Josh Willingham .284 11HR 38 rbi. Let's see....Reimold is in AAA hitting under .200
CENTER:
Potential edge goes to the O's. Adam Jones could be a stud. or could end up being John Shelby. So much potential, but no self control. Until he learns to take direction on playing position in center (team says he plays too shallow and won't listen to play deeper) and can lay off the breaker 6 inches off the plate, it's just potential
RIGHT FIELD:
Markakis, but I need him to hit more than 3 homers at this point in the season
CATCHER:
Right now...edge Nats. Potential future edge...O's. Rodriguez is hitting .331. I love Matt Wieters and am really pulling for him.
If i remember correctly Dunn didnt want to be just a DH never said he wouldnt go to AL. Who on the O's was going to beat him out a 1B? He wasnt worried about that with the O's. The reason he couldnt/wouldnt sign with the O's is they didnt offer him. They were to caught up in pretending they were going after Tex to make people happy and put up a front to make it look like they were doing something. But hey it would have been boring watching a #4 hitter hit 40 HRs a year anyway.
ReplyDeleteI don't think he even wanted to play 1st, he wanted to stay in left field, he went to the World Baseball Classic and ended up playing first and then the Nats took full advantage of that. His demands were to stay in left field, hence the 2 year 10 million he got as a 40 homer guy
ReplyDeleteOk im still not seeing why they didnt go after him. Who would have beat him out even in LF as average as he was in left two years ago. If got to go out and sign anyone would Dunn be in my top 5 no, but we are using him in this arugument with the Nats and i just thought it was crazy not to get him two years ago, in LF and 1B he was better than anyone we had/have and was very cheap, i thought the O's love cheap.
ReplyDeleteI agree, I would have loved to see Dunn, and correction, I think it was 2 years 20 million. I was just pointing out that he wanted to stay in the National League
ReplyDeletei agree he wanted to stay in the NL and i have no clue if he would have even come to the O's for more money. It was just my rant at how bad the O's are at gree agent signings. I believe they signed Zaun wiggington and traded for freel as their big moves and didnt even offer Dunn who was going cheap. I would never jump ship like the Commish but i am routing for the Braves to win it all this year.
ReplyDelete