Feeling Refreshed as the Orioles Head to Seattle
It felt good to stay off the computer yesterday. I needed a bit of recovery after a late night/early morning for the Fourth, and that was as good a reason as any to put a much-needed dent in my digital habits. I watched most of that epic (and amazing) Federer-Roddick match, checked out a little bit of Indy Car racing on the road course at Watkins Glen, and suffered through (parts of) the series finale against the Angels. And had a couple of diet sodas, of course.
West coast baseball is fast becoming a fiasco. Or should I say “long ago became” a fiasco? In ten Pacific time zone games so far, the O’s have just two wins. There’s good news, though: after Wednesday they don’t go back until next year.
Tonight we have current staff ace Brad Bergesen on the hill looking to stop Jarrod Washburn (4-6, 3.36, 1.19 WHIP).
I’m also stoked to tell you that I’m working on an exciting non-TLC (but related) project. I’ll have a piece in the next issue of Orioles Magazine on the experience of the Major League debut. I’ll be talking to a handful of current and former players and getting their thoughts on what it meant to finally make it to the bigs. In preparation, I’ve been digging up box scores and first-game stats. It’s been a blast so far — those encapsulated recaps are oddly fascinating artifacts.
For example, I learned that Adam Jones made his MLB debut on July 14, 2006 in Toronto. He swung at the first pitch he saw and popped it up to second base for the first out of the second inning. He batted ninth and played center field. It was 84 degrees and sunny, in front of an announced crowd of 23,443.
I’ll let you guys know when the issue is published, and I’ll ask the O’s if I can post an excerpt here. Regardless of whether that happens, I hope everyone gets a chance to pick up a copy of the print edition.
The interviews don’t happen until tomorrow, so if there’s anything about the mystique of the MLB debut that you think I need to ask, let me know in the comments and I’ll see if I can work it in.
News-wise, Chris Ray is on the DL and Kam Mickolio is up. I was actually hoping to see Jim Miller but it’s probably a wash. The real question is: how long can they keep Berken up in favor of, say, Tillman?
I also wanted to pick up the conversation on leadership from the comments on an earlier post. This might come as a surprise, but I actually don’t think that a “clubhouse leader” is critical in baseball.
I think you need a certain kind of leader in football, for sure. Less so but still important, I think you need a guy like that in hockey and basketball. Baseball is different. My sense is that vocal leadership is less important than guys who demonstrate commitment and consistency over and over again. The long season demands it.
Now, don’t get me wrong. A bad clubhouse situation can and will adversely affect on-field performance. But I don’t necessarily think that the reverse is true, that a good clubhouse situation means more wins. I think the ideal scenario in baseball is a united team comprised of hard workers who believe in each other, and I don’t think you necessarily need a Kevin Millar-type presence to get there.
As all of that relates to the O’s, they’re fine. We haven’t heard any rumblings about dissent among the rank and file, and we haven’t heard anybody grumbling about the way DT and the coaching staff handle the team. They’re struggling because some guys are learning on the job and some other guys are probably in roles their talent doesn’t justify. That’s what happens when you’re working out the kinks.
While I’m thinking about it, I need to mention Steve McNair.
I didn’t do a main page post about his murder because I didn’t feel like I had anything to add. It’s a horrible situation and I feel for his family. Just like, I’m sure, every one of you. But whenever something like this happens I try to only post about it if I feel I can bring something to the table. In this case, as in many others, everything has already been said better somewhere else than I could say it here.
All I can do is shake my head and hope that the folks involved eventually find peace.
Cool stuff, Neal.
What the heck is up with Seattle and these fancy fucking plays? Man on third, 1 out – and you go with the suicide squeeze? Really?
And you’re still batting Ken Griffey fourth? Really?
Last time we played them, they bunted Ichiro. Really?
Bergesen was probably overdue for a bit of a letdown here, right? From the way Manfra and Angel have told it, I get the sense that he’s scuffling. Not pitching terribly, necessarily, but just scuffling. Too bad Washburn has our offense on lockdown.
Wow…O’s go down in a one-hit shutout, including 16 consecutive retired batters to end the game. That’s just…I didn’t expect it.
But, hey, we’ve got a chance to take on Bedard tomorrow and kick start a new winning streak, right?
Right?
Only good part of the game: Kam striking out Ichiro on three pitches.
Unlike Neal, I am not feeling refreshed to see the team in Seattle. Not only have they played us very well this year (unlike last year), but we’re reeling from Anaheim and we have to face the tough lefty in Washburn, then Bedard, then Vargas who has already dominated us. Even before tonight happened, I was calling a Mariners sweep of the Orioles in my head.
I’m not sure any team was beating Washburn tonight, but we didn’t help ourselves by letting him have a 5 pitch inning. We’re reeling, and suck against lefties, and suck on the road, and Washburn was on point. That’s a recipe for a near perfect game.
Bedard vs. Guthrie? Try again.
Vargas vs. Hernandez? Ehhh…
All-Star Break. Please and thanks.
Other points: I don’t dig Roch getting on Reimold about those outfield plays. It was windy, and while Pie might have gotten to all of them, Reimold did make an adjustment to get to the second. And who the hell has 3 Adam Joneses in LF, CF, and RF? Guy is a left fielder. I’ll gladly take him over Conine, Fahey, Newhan, etc. Scott isn’t getting to that ball either, I’m sorry. Lay off the kid. Perspective is necessary when judging our guys. Like most left fielders are defensive guys? Like Nolan didn’t just start the game off with a nice little drop-to-one-knee catch of a sinking Ichiro liner?
Kam is fun to watch. Crazy tall and one of the easiest 95MPH fastballs I’ve ever seen. He just, like, tosses it to the plate and the thing is 95.
Another bad night, though, overall, but not one I’m sure any team could have avoided.
Washburn was really lucky. Bergesen was a little off. Basically, if he is walking guys, he is in trouble.
Anyway, thank goodness for Nick Markakis.
congrats neal sounds pretty sweet.
i have washburn on my FB team and he’s been pretty good this season, so i think i pretty much expected this. maybe not a 1-hitter, but i didn’t expect to win.
yeah i have to say i find it weird that there wasn’t a steve mcnair post. i mean, this is a “baltimore sports” blog.
i find it hard to believe that if big ben had been executed by his girlfriend you would have remained silent about it.
sayin’.
brick wall treatment eh?
I’M STARTING A RAVENS BLOG CALLED THE WIN COLUMN
@Big Ben’s Motorcycle – I dunno. What’s left to say about Steve McNair? It was a very alarming, sad, terrifying, and shocking thing…but (and I don’t speak for anyone else) what use is there in mulling on it. We have to keep moving past these stories if we’re going to stay sane.
Steve McNair was a great quarterback in his prime, and was terrific for one year with the Ravens…he’s gone now. So it goes.
@Big Ben’s Motorcycle – No brick wall treatment — I just didn’t see your comment until now.
You’re probably right that I should have done a main page post. While I didn’t feel I had anything worthwhile to add, I could have done the post so that anyone who wanted to say something would have a dedicated place here to do so.
I hope a similar situation never arises. If it does, though, I’ll handle it differently.
I was way off on my sweep prediction – sweet! Go O’s.
not contrite enough.
http://www.catalinasmbay.org/names/kidding.jpg
@Andrew – Not everyone’s way of “staying sane” is by pouring over the minutiae of minor league utility infielders.
Steve McNair was a prominent figure in the Baltimore sports landscape who was a victim of a murder-suicide at the hands of a jilted lover.
THAT is news.
Joe McShlub pitching a 2 hitter in lower-case-a Schenectady is NOT.
@Chris – Yowza! I agreed with Neal’s initial instinct to not put up a post. In one sense, this blog just isn’t about chiming in on the BIG NEWS of the sporting world. Do we need a post about A-Rod taking steroids and stuff like that? No, there’s nothing to add.
The Steve McNair thing is more of a difficult call though. On one hand, the world doesn’t need another blog saying the same thing about the situation and about a guy that was here for 2 years (this isn’t Ripken or Ray Lewis – not to diminish the tragedy of the situation because that’s not my point), but he was a prominent Baltimore sports figure and I understand people wanting to see that recognized here.
But what else can we add? It was tragic. He was a flawed guy it turns out, but a warrior on the field and did great things for the community. He represents the dual nature of athletes. What he did as a football player can never tell you what he did off the field in his own private life. He’ll be remembered as a great NFL quarterback and a guy that was murdered by his mistress while leaving a wife and 4 kids at home.
@Chris – Wow. First time I’ve gotten criticism for my work here (which is good, even if the criticism is poorly thought-out/tongue-in-cheek), but come on.
Neal, I know you already put up a post, but perhaps in the future – because there is nothing to say in a post (and I know, because I hypocritically did a post about Nick Adenhart) and I, for one, want to acknowledge the shocking sadness but not to dwell on it – how about a yearly “In Memory Of” on the side, where we can always keep those lost to us in plain view, but without dwelling.
The assumption that we are all just parroting major sports news outlets and nothing new can be had of discussion is kind of weak. We all have valuable insight to the situation that is completely unique, I think that warrants some sort of nod in Steve’s direction considering that he falls into the category of “Baltimore Sports”.
I mean, had Neal posted the article back when it happened, you all would have never known that Steve McNair is my dad. How about that?
in the words of jack black in high fidelity: “Do we look like a store that sells ‘I Just Called to Say I Love You’? Go to the mall!”
haha
@Greg – well played, my friend. Well played.
@Andrew – My criticisms are hardly ever well though out and usually tongue-in-cheek. It’s way more fun that way.
I do respect and admire your work here.
You Vulcans are a proud and, above all, rational race. You do a great service by tempering our human frailties of lore, legend and magic with cold hard facts, figures and logic.