Tweet

On Thursday, the official start of free agency begins in Major League Baseball and the Baltimore Orioles still do not have a general manager.

Yesterday, Tony LaCava – who currently is under employment with the Toronto Blue Jays – turned down the offer from the organization, after meeting with the organization a few times and getting pretty far in the interview process. It seemed like LaCava was the man for the job; however, for one reason or another, he was not exactly feeling the Orioles.

Considering there are only 30 general manger jobs in Major League Baseball - and they don’t open up often - it’s a little surprising to see someone turn it down.

At the moment, I would assume the principals of the story really know what happened, but the Orioles are in a pretty rough spot now. I guess one must wonder how the organization could not fill a position with such importance when they knew it was being vacated for a while.

Whatever happens, the team may fall behind in the free agent hunt, much more planning for 2012 and beyond. I wonder what Buck Showalter is thinking right now. Is he the defacto general manager (or Peter Angelos) until this all gets sorted out and someone is hired?

I’m sure the interview process will continue; however, it is quite galling that the Orioles still don’t have a general manager on cusp of one the most important days of the baseball off-season.

Tweet

The World Series is over and it was one for the ages. The St. Louis Cardinals largely came out of nowhere to make the playoffs on the last day of the season and did not quit. David Freese, essentially a background figure during the regular season, had one of the best postseasons in history and Cardinals fans everywhere were celebrating.

Watching this series it gives me only one thought: I am getting older.

I will turn 29 in February, I will be getting married in March, I have a career and greater responsibilities than I once had and I will only be getting more. Growing up is a wonderful thing and I look forward to the rest of my life with my fiancee and career and future family. So please, please Orioles - bring me postseason baseball while I am still young enough to enjoy it.

I want to be watching games late into the night. If I can't be IN the stadium I want to be on the street outside waiting to scream my lungs out. I want to eat, drink and be merry well into the wee hours of the morning on a fateful game seven. Now I can do all of these things when I am a bit older as many do, but as the Orioles are looking down the barrel of a 15th straight losing season next year one begins to wonder if the Orioles will be entering a Chicago or even a Boston-like drought.

I wrote a little bit ago the the Orioles need to make the last night of the season "count". The Rays, for example, did not. They were bounced as out of the first round before a home crowd that was in a stadium that was 1/5th empty. On top of everything else there are reports that have stated the Rays may actually have to cut payroll again next year.

With a new GM about to be hired and Camden Yards celebrating its 20th anniversary this coming season has the ability to be different. But I have been saying that each of the last three years, every year brings the promise, but it always falls short - something always happens.

Please Orioles, I am tired of waiting. I want to be a part of what I watched the last week. I want my city to be alive, I want the park to be packed. I want to still be young enough to enjoy the experience. Do what needs to be done, it won't be easy and tough decisions will need to be made but the next steps need to be taken. I don't think I can take another season stuck in neutral.

Tweet

As we inch closer to the end of the World Series and the official start of the off-season, we all know the Orioles need to plug in several holes.

Whether the team gets that accomplished this winter, or in the years to come -- who knows; however, a lot of fans already have dreams of seeing Price Fielder or Albert Pujols in the black and orange.

I see neither happening. In fact, I think we all may have to watch another year of Chris Davis and Mark Reynolds at the corner position spots.

Honestly, I see Albert Pujols staying in St. Louis. When all is said and done, the Cardinals will pay him whatever he asks for. He's their hometown hero (much like the Sun's Connolly alluded to in his piece today when he compared Pujols to Cal Ripken).

Pujols is St. Louis' Derek Jeter or Joe Mauer. He's a perfect fit for that region.

As for Prince Fielder ... he wants the Brinks' truck loaded to his house, so he may go whereever the money is. However, if I were him, I would stay in Wisconsin. He's got a good situation there, full of talent and it may be his best chance to win.

The big money teams (well, maybe not the Cubs) already have their bats and first baseman, so the market for him -- and Pujols may be limited. From what I have read, the Nationals and Cubs may have room for one or the other, but we shall see.

Now, considering what the Orioles have gone through the past decade and half, would they shell out the money for Fielder?

It would be a very bad move right now. The Orioles have a lot to fix - from top to bottom - and spending north of $20 million for a slugger isn't a very good way to spend money. They may be better off just spreading any free money in terms of their budget on several players to plug in holes -- not one.

However, if the Orioles were to bid on Fielder, Boras may use the organization in much the same way that he leveraged a deal for Mark Teixiera.

Roch Kubatko of MASN touched upon this topic last week. Fielder – in terms of his offensive output – is a pretty much a sure thing, and he’s durable. However, his body is a concern (he looks more like a center for the Packers than a ballplayer) and he may not age very well at all.

I would think the man would need to take better care of his physique and cut down his body fat, but as is the case is with C.C. Sabathia – as long as you produce, it’s not a concern. It's only a problem when you stop doing so on.

Also, would Fielder want to endure another protracted rebuilding process during the prime of his career? Remember in the middle part of the last decade, the Orioles signed Miguel Tejada as their big bat.

For the most part, Tejada did his job – alas, let’s not forget, where did the Orioles end up?

They were certainly not contenders.

Many people have already chimed in on this topic and I’ll add my two cents.

Prince Fielder will not be coming to the Orioles.

Tweet

At noon today in the newly-coined "Brooks Robinson Plaza" (across from Camden Yards, between the stadium and Pickles Pub) an event took place that was long, long overdue. The Orioles' great and Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson had a simply massive statue of him dedicated before a crowd that spilled out into the street.

Hosted by 105.7's Scott Garceau it was a full-fledged event featuring remarks from Governor Martin O'Malley, Senator Barbara Mikulski, a representative from the Mayor's office (Mayor Rawlings-Blake was unfortunately unable to attend the festivities today), Baltimore native and Emmy-nominated actor Josh Charles and of course from local artist and sculptor of the work Joseph Sheppard.

The statue stands nine feet tall as it depicts Robinson in the motion of throwing to first base. The location is appropriate, if the west wall of the stadium were not there Brooks would appear to  be about to throw directly to first base as the statue was positioned with the location of first and third in mind. While on the subject of gold gloves, in honor of Robinson's insane 16-straight awards his glove is finished in gold leaf. The pedestal of granite features delicate engravings of Robinson's name and number as well as a very nice section that gives a brief biographical sketch of his accomplishments.

After the statue was unveiled "Mr. Oriole" got up to speak for himself. Robinson looks good for his 74 years but you can hear his age in his voice. More than a couple times he was overcome with emotion and had to stop while fans of every generation cheered him on. Robinson was not intending to sign any memorabilia today, but of course the generous man that he is he took the time to sign as much as he could. The crowd flooded around him as he tried to make his way to the awaiting town-car. I have never been much of an autograph hound, but I attempted to get a piece of classic swag signed by the great. I came close but walked away empty-handed. I'm sorry but I just don't have it in me to shove a binder in front of a kind old man's face without so much as a hello or a please and just expect him to sign it. Even so, being close to the great and getting a smile and a wave was nice enough.

The afternoon was cool with high gray clouds in the sky and a great Oriole and man was honored today. Brooks Robinson made the Orioles the legendary organization that it hopes to be again one day. He was our Mantle, our Yaz, our Williams, our DiMaggio. But he was bettern than all of those, he meant everything to the Orioles and in a way still means everything to the city of Baltimore.

Tweet

Over years, I've become enamored with the covers of the New York Post.

I would not say that I read the tabloid everyday, but their covers always gets my attention -- and a chuckle at times. Especially when I am at the grocery store in the wee-hours of the morning, and you walk by the newspaper stand.

Take a look on what they had as their opening shot on the front. Yes, the photo of the no-longer-with-us, former Libyan dictator is graphic as hell; however, you have to get a kick out of the young man with a Yankee cap on and holding a golden gun.

Oh yes, also the script on the page and the tagline below.

Amazing. I knew the Yankees had a global reach, but never thought they were known of in Libya.

Tweet

It’s been real quiet with the Orioles right now.

At the moment, they are still looking for a new general manager and are going from there.

Despite two excellent weeks at the end of the season where they sent to Red Sox out of the playoffs and into oblivion in the offseason, this fact is indisputable: the Orioles sucked this season.

Again.

The Orioles avoided 100 losses; however, they won only 69 games, one more than in 2010.

Although a few guys on the team had solid years – Adam Jones, J.J. Hardy, and you can throw Mark Reynolds in there for his power – the Orioles overall at the plate were competent at times; alas, their pitching was just awful in general.

The young ‘calvary’ could not save things and in fact, it seems like the pitching staff has regressed.

Will the new general manager have a lot of sway in the decision making process? How much of a role will Buck Showalter play in molding the Orioles from here on out? Will ownership commit to spending and increasing their scouting department?

Whoever comes in, they need to work to shoring up the pitching staff. Well, that means getting another quality starter or two, plus fixing the bullpen. I figure some of the decisions made will depend on whether Jim Johnson starts, pitches in a setup role, or closes.

I would also think the Orioles will need to decide what they do at first base (and third). Whether that means keeping Mark Reynolds there, using Chris Davis, or backing up the brinks truck for Prince Fielder – something needs to be done.

Also, who will be at second base in 2012? Will Brian Roberts be healthy? Does Luke Scott come back? Who will be the designated hitter next year?

Can Nick Markakis up his game at the plate, or is what we see – is what we have?

Does Nolan Reimold play every day? Will he stick in left field permanently?

What does the team do with Brian Matusz? Or Chris Tillman? How about Brad Bergesen?

Do the Orioles make some more trades?

How do they compete with the Red Sox, Yankees, Rays and Blue Jays?

Do the Orioles make a splash on the free agent market? Or is a lot of the organization’s improvement going to fall on the scouting department?

As it is, I expect another lackluster year as a fan rooting for the Orioles in 2012? This much is clear to me: this franchise has a lot of work to do from the top to the bottom and it’s going to take a while.

We all have no choice to but exercise a lot of patience.

There are not too many contracts that are crushing the Orioles right now, but the organization is still stuck in a never-ending rebuilding process. As we’ve all seen with other teams, sometimes it can be turned around in a few years; however, sometimes it takes longer and without a light at the end of the tunnel (ala, the Pittsburgh Pirates).

Andy MacPhail started the process, but the re-construction of the Orioles is on-going. Let’s hope the next guy gets the time and patience to do so.

Tweet

Afternoon everyone, there’s not a lot been going on as of late; however, there has obviously been quite a few developments with the Orioles.

As we all know, Andy MacPhail will leave the organization at the end of the month. Currently, the Orioles are conducting a search for his replacement.

Granted, I have not heard a lot from the media or various sources so far for the general manager position, but one would think that the Orioles need to get someone in place soon. Obviously, there's a lot of work and decisions that have to be made about the team in 2012 and the organization in the years to come.

The Orioles are starting to interview candidates for their GM opening this week.

MASN’s Roch Kubatko reported that Jerry Dipoto of the Diamondbacks and Tony LaCava will interview this week for the general manager spot.

From what I see, the Orioles are not going after a superstar name – ala, the Chicago Cubs; however, it looks like they are going to get someone with experience, competent, that’s not too young, and has a strong handle on player development.

In addition, I would think the person hired would have get along with the team brain trust and Buck Showalter (who I think will have tremendous influence on the future with the organization).

Whatever happens, the new general manager would need to hit the ground running and continue the rebuilding process and the continued development in the minors.

The Orioles will also need a new scouting director as Joe Jordan – who had his share of successes and misses with Baltimore – moved onto the Phillies as the new director of player development.

Looking at the big picture, Jordan did the best job he could; however, considering some of the players he acquired to fill the minor league system, it was a lackluster job.

Tweet

not to praise him.

Alas, poor Andy! I knew him, Horatio: a fellow
of infinite vest, of most excellent trades: he hath
borne me on his plan a thousand times; and now, how
abhorred in my imagination he is! my gut churns at
it. Here hung those lips that I have kissed I know
not how oft. Where be your cavalry now? your
pitchers? your Garrett Atkins? your flashes of brilliance,
that were wont to set the internet on a roar? Not one
now, to mock your own demise? quite chap-fallen?

Andy MacPhail is out. Showalter will stay in the dugout. However, it looks at though Buck will have a lot of influence in who the Orioles hire and I honestly don't know how I feel about that. At first blush you have to like the idea, but should Showalter (the on-the-field-manager) have that much influence? If you believe the Baltimore Sun's Peter Schmuck no matter what warm mass of flesh sits in Andy's old office Buck will be the guy that is primarily calling the shots. But would you not rather have a normal structure just once? Just have one guy other teams have to deal with? why do we have to be different, why can't we just get a solid baseball mind in the front office and go forward with that? Apparently not and, of course, that comes directly back to the big man in charge - Peter Angelos.

I have never been a guy to jump on the owner much. Organizations are complex things and even a terrible owner makes the right decision by accident once and while. But no longer. Whoever Angelos or Showarter or Angelwalter picks he need to have FULL AUTHORITY. But I know that is not going to happen.

Peter Angelos is most likely not going to be the controlling owner much longer. He is getting older and the team continues to lose. Frankly I think he will go one of two possible ways: Angelos will either finally get the hint and back off like he never has before, or he will double down and me even more meddling than ever. After all it is HIS team and he will continue to do it HIS way until a combination of math and biology will no longer allow him.

I don't mean to come off as some barking Angelos-o-phobe. The guy deserves respect for his life. Dirt-poor growing up, self-made man. I don't care about asbestos lawsuits or that stuff, I do care that he is largely responsible for dozens of schools, charities and museums in the city. He has done some very good things for a lot of people in this community and that has to be commended. Angelos really wanted to be the white knight riding in to save the Orioles and take them into a new era of glory. Then the game evolved; he did not.

When he brought in Andy MacPhail, a guy with an unassailable pedigree in the area as well as baseball, it finally looked as if Peter had learned his lesson. Andy did some great things, he made some great trades. But his work in free-agency was simply awful. Garrett Atkins, Vlad, Michael Gonzalez, Kevin Gregg, etc. His oft-repeated plan of "Grow the arms; by the bats" makes perfect sense, and should have worked - except it hasn't. Does that mean his plan was wrong? I don't think so. Where he went wrong was not correctly identifying and correcting problems in the player development and scouting systems. But the question will always remain: How much control did he really have over those areas?

MacPhail is gone, Showalter remains and the Orioles are charging into the offseason once again with more questions than answers.

Tweet

It’s official. Andy MacPhail is indeed moving on from the Baltimore Orioles. He will leave the organization at the end of the month, once his contract expires.

The only thing I can say is that MacPhail has had a mixed amount of success with the Orioles (depending on whose perspective you get). His overall record at the helm of the organization was far below .500 and the Orioles never won more than 70 games in a season during his tenure; however, he has indeed improved the organization. Then again, in a results-driven profession, MacPhail seemingly didn’t do much to get the Orioles out of last place.

He was able to get Adam Jones from the Seattle Mariners in a very lopsided trade for Eric Bedard, traded Miguel Tejada for five prospects, sign J.J. Hardy and Mark Reynolds bring in Buck Showalter and improve the farm system somewhat; however, like any general manager, he had his share of failures.

I would not consider Vladmir Guerrero or Ty Wigginton in that category; sadly, Mike Gonzalez, Garrett Atkins, Kevin Millwood and Derrek Lee did not do much as part of the black and orange. These moves didn’t placate the fan base all the much as they were band-aids and could not get the Orioles out of the second division.

Whether it is because of poor drafting, bad decision making, not spending the money or whatever -- the Orioles have endured 14th straight losing seasons.

The young pitching that was supposed bolster the big league squad and get Baltimore close to .500 ran into some bumps, and the simple fact is that the American League East is probably the toughest division in all of professional sports. In a results-driven business, MacPhail barely moved the neddle of success to the right direction. That's just the reality of the situation.

Now, four years later, most are simply wondering ... can this organization turn the tide for a change?

At this point, a lot more has to happen with the Baltimore Orioles aside from a general manager swap. There's a lot that needs to change with the organization, from top to bottom. Whoever comes into the fold has a lot to accomplish with the foundation that MacPhail has built.

Sadly, right now, this organization is maybe three, four, if not five years from contending – especially in the American League East.

Tweet

Wednesday night was simply the best night of regular season baseball I have ever experienced. My fiancee, friends and local bar-flies huddled in Fraziers on the Avenue heads ping-ponging back and forth between the two televisions. One was set to the Rays' game, the other on the Orioles.

When Davis doubled we cheered; when Reimold doubled the place went nuts; when Andino slapped a soft single and Reimold crossed the plate the entire bar erupted in an exultation of sheer joy that spilled out onto the sidewalk as the Orioles spilled out of the dugout. From the sidewalk we saw Evan Longoria's game-winner and we cheered again.It truly was an amazing night.

Do I feel bad? On a certain level I do, I mean the Orioles destroyed the Red Sox season and likely cost Terry Francona his job. But then I remember the countless times that I have been intimidated, heckled and nearly assaulted by the various members of Red Sox-nation and I feel OK again. Personal feelings aside it was an amazing night of baseball in general, the sheer odds of a night like that happening are astronomical. If the Yankees had won, it would have not been as magical; if the Sox had won it would not have been as special; if the Orioles had won in a total blowout it wouldn't have meant as much. Now the Orioles need to make it count.

In 2012 the Orioles need to ensure that Wednesday the 28th of September was the start of something and not just another game. Because if the Orioles come out next year and run out another 70-win team then the magic of that night will have been all for nothing. It would be a fun night, but nothing more. Even the most cynical among us can feel it, you just get the feeling that the video of that night should end up as the beginning of a DVD. You can almost hear the baritone of the announcer's voice explaining how the scrappy Orioles, in dead last, never gave up and knocked out the predicted class of the division: "And thus, two teams diverged - Boston was unable to get away from giant, under-performing contracts while the Orioles ascended finally after 14 years of waiting."

How do the Orioles rise in 2012? First thing's first they need to get the front office straight, and fast. Andy MacPhail seems to be out as GM, or so everyone thinks. As of 11pm on October 1st there has been no official word. The Orioles can not drag their feet on this issue. Moreover, MacPhail needs to be either IN or OUT. He should not be some sort of "special assistant" or "consultant" or any other quasi-official position. The Orioles don't need anymore confusion in the FO so either keep Andy or cut him loose and bring in someone else. While we are on that topic it should be SOMEONE ELSE. Keep Buck Showalter in the dugout as the manager. The only reason to move a manager like Showalter is if he has trouble getting his players to play and the last month or so of Orioles baseball pretty much proves that he doesn't have that issue.

Moving Showalter out of the dugout would send the wrong message to the players. We have already seen what constant fluctuation in the coaching staff can do to pitching staffs why would we want more potential turnover while taking a chance on a completely untested man in the GM's chair. Showalter is a fine manager, and he should manage - the end.

Watching the Orioles celebrate an amazing win to end a long, hard season was great. It gave one hope, it gave one something to look forward to next year. It gave one just enough to keep your interest up for another winter. But the Orioles now need to do their part.

Sign a pitcher

Sign a legit bat

Straighten out Brian Matusz

Remind Nick Markakis how to take a walk again

Sign a second-baseman and gently start shifting Brian Roberts out (this is going to be a big thing this winter. There is just no way you can expect Roberts, as of right now, to be your starting second baseman)

and lastly, simply play better baseball. Take walks, get the team OBP up and craft a starting rotation that can get the bullpen a rest once and awhile.

It was an amazing way to end a horrendous 2011, but if the Orioles can't improve in 2012 it won't mean much of anything. It is up to the Orioles to make it count.