Simon Stakes a Claim, Eaton For Real?
Roch‘s been reporting the good news all night: Alfredo Simon stepped up in his bid to make the starting rotation, giving up one run and four hits in six innings. That’s as good as anyone not named Brian Matusz and/or Brad Bergesen has been this spring.
Assuming he’s got a spot, here’s what we have:
Guthrie
Uehara
Simon
Eaton/Hendrickson/Penn/Bass
I’m 100% opposed to Eaton making it, based on (a) the fact that he’s not very good, and (b) his disturbingly poor attitude. Specifically, his quotes from after the game on Saturday:
“You guys write what you want. It’s my fifth time on the mound against competition,” said Eaton. “I don’t know how many innings I have, but I feel like I’m progressing. Today I had bouts of not being very good, but I came back and put some zeroes on the board. It’s not my decision, but at the same time, I know I will help this team at the big league level. If you look at my record in Spring Training, it’s never been very good. I don’t get paid for this, and nobody gets paid for this, but at the same time, you do want results.
Maybe you can talk that way if you’re, I don’t know, average or better. When you’ve been unceremoniously cast off from your former team and can barely make a case for yourself on the new one, it’s time for a change in outlook. For his sake I hope that happens. For our sake I hope it happens somewhere other than Baltimore.
Give me Simon, Penn, and Bass and let’s go to work.
In other news, here’s a nice Trembley article from USA Today. Nothing new to us in there but it’s nice to see DT getting some press.
TLC Fantasy Baseball Draft is back on for next Saturday same time, the day before IT all begins for reals. And all because of a dark horse at the last second saving our league from an odd-numbered destiny!
If that really is you Drew…thanks man.
I think regardless of what happens in terms of who makes the rotation and who does not, we won’t be seeing Adam Eaton in June through September. He’ll be a bad memory that we don’t ever think about soon enough. I’ll even refer to him from now on as Steve Trachsel Part 3. Part 1 was fun and great, and then Part 2 sucked more than my super-suckerific vacuum sucking device.
Good to see Simon take the reins.
Also, I think it’s funny that we’re facing The Taxi To Nowhere, Daniel Cabrera, in Norfolk (I keep thinking “Cabrera sent to Norfolk…if only”)
Just returned from India and wow is this rotation hideous! It’s just morbidly funny. This is far worse than nearly any projection I could have imagined. Thank the lord for the wave of legit prospects starting next year. This year could get mighty ugly. And yes Neal, totally agreed, no Eaton please.
Still, of course, can’t wait for opening day. Spring is in the air!
Again, and I’ll keep saying this until I’m proven wrong by results, this rotation is not as bad as last year’s hideous incarnation. Everyone’s all up in arms about how long the summer is going to be – but the Orioles are distinctly improved over last year’s version. Maybe you’ve all forgotten how bad the starting rotation was, so let me remind you:
(Name: ERA/WHIP)
Garret Olson: 6.65/1.73
Brian Burres: 6.04/1.66
Radhames Liz: 6.72/1.78
Chris Waters: 5.01/1.53
Steve Trachsel Part 2: 8.39/2.02
The Taxi to Nowhere: 5.25/1.61
Adam “the Canadian Traitor” Loewen: 8.02/2.02
Also Dennis Sarfate made starts! This year will be calm and normal compared to last year’s suck fest. Everyone listen to me!
I think it’s great that next year the Orioles will look very similar to the 2008 Twins. New young rotation pitchers, nice offensive lineup… maybe get close to a wildcard berth?
surprised to see simon step it up. good to see someone finally do something positive.
anyone going to fanfest this weekend? also…anyone going to opening day? i will be at both.
Neal, I noticed that disappointing quote from Eaton as well. On team Trembley, a bad attitude is enough to get you replaced, so some advice Adam: just lock it up and pitch, boy. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Eaton get cut and Bass get the nod, but I also wouldn’t be surprised to see “experience” get the nod over Bass.
A word about Simon. I don’t know if anyone else watched the game, but it is uncanny how much Alfredo Simon looks like Daniel Cabrera out there. Tall, similar build, similar windup, similar gait when he walks around the mound, he even falls off a bit like D-Cab. But he is much quicker to the mound and the results are obviously there for the moment. But wow, if you didn’t know we shipped out D-Cab and the name on the jersey wasn’t there, you’da thunk it was him for sure.
@dan the man – I actually had the same thought. The SNY guys, by the way (that would be the Mets’ Darling and Hernandez*) were very complementary of Simon, so that was nice.
*Keith Hernandez may be the funniest and worst commentator ever. He routintely eats popcorn or cotton candy or something in the booth, and one time made a horribly sexist comment because the Padres had a female trainer in the dugout. It went on for a few awkward moments and then Ron Darling said “We should get back to the game” and Keith waited a beat and then said “No way, I’m not finished with this. A woman has no place in a major league dugout. I’m not saying they should be in the kitchen, but they can’t be in the dugout”. Wonderful. My roommate at the time was a Met’s fan. Well, he still is, but now he lives in Philly.
I remember hearing about that quote.
Speaking of commentators, is everyone ready for another season of Thorne, Buck, Hunter, Palmer, and the occasional Dempsey? Are we happy with this crew? I guess it could be worse. Palmer is good times. Thorne does all right when he’s not embarrassing himself (bloody sock incident, mixing up the players, etc). Hunter might as well be a man-sized pitcher of orange kool aid. And Buck is the fucking MAN. Love that guy. Thoughts?
I can’t get enough of the Thorne-Palmer combo, personally. I think it’s entertaining and not too derivative. The other three make me want to stab something.
Best announcers I’ve had the pleasure of listening to:
Vin Scully (duh), Ken Singleton, Al Leiter, Joe Girardi, Jim Palmer, Jon Miller (duh), Ron Darling, Joe Angel, and the one Angel’s guy who is over the top about literally everything. Listening to that guy talk about Chone Figgins is like being ensconced in silk.
The worst: Bucko, Dempsey, Michael Kay, John Sterling (My favorite moment was definitely “Matsui at the plate…he swings…it is hiiigh, it is faaaaar, it is – no wait, I’m wrong. Caught by the left fielder.”), Hawk Harrelson, and the Rangers guys.
Joe Angel is so fucking good.
Don’t dig Buck, huh? I really think he has some interesting stuff to say every once in awhile. But I like that he’s just an occasional dude – too much of Buck would be bad. I hate Hunter. That’s not true. But he sucks, pretty much.
I agree about the Jim/Gary mix… it’s nothing if not humorous.
quote of the day, from hayden penn after having a pretty bad outing today (via roch):
“I’ve been saying all spring, it’s either I get it done or I don’t. I didn’t today and I haven’t all spring, so whatever happens happens. It’s out of my hands.”
back from a 10 day Caribbean cruise. . .now ready for the season to start.
great article re: DT. He truly is the right man in the right place at the right time.
Here’s hoping the rotation can hold together, especially the 4 and 5 slots. Simon is a nice surprise.