2011 Orioles Thread

[MattFancy]

Hopefully Matusz keeps up his string of good starts tonight

[ixcuincle]

The true reason Baltimore struggles with attendance is not a poor product on the field, but the "Great Condiment Race"

Seriously...mustard, Ketchup...and something else...I am just sitting here listening to WFAN call the Mets - Orioles game and Howie Rose just goes into this discussion of the Condiment race, first time I've heard of that nonsense

[TheDoyler23]

Mustard won, btw.

Then Scott was rung up on a pitch that was a full foot outside. Terrible.

[ixcuincle]

Mets win first road series of season.

LOL.

[BadKarma]

Baltimore Orioles 2010 Player Salaries

Player 2010 Salary

Kevin Millwood $12,000,000

Brian Roberts $10,000,000

Julio Lugo $9,250,000

Nick Markakis $7,100,000

Mike Gonzalez $6,000,000

Miguel Tejada $6,000,000

Koji Uehara $5,000,000

Luke Scott $4,050,000

Garrett Atkins $4,000,000

Ty Wigginton $3,500,000

Jeremy Guthrie $3,000,000

Cesar Izturis $2,600,000

Will Ohman $1,350,000

Brian Matusz $1,300,000

Mark Hendrickson $1,200,000

Cla Meredith $850,000

Matt Albers $680,000

Adam Jones $465,000

Jim Johnson $440,000

Felix Pie $420,000

Brad Bergesen $405,000

David Hernandez $402,500

Jason Berken $400,000

Nolan Reimold $400,000

Craig Tatum $400,000

Matt Wieters $400,000

[BadKarma]

Losing Roberts has killed us but Tejada and Markakis are making big money and expected to anchor this team and drive in runs, both of them need a kick in the ass imo.

Garrett Atkins makes 4m this season to suck, Lugo I am pretty sure isnt being paid much of that 9m by Baltimore.

[Bzapf]

All I have to say is shame on those O's fans who let that first baseman catch that foul ball way in the stands. They could have easily broken it up without breaking any rules. 1 out, a runner on 2nd, in the 1st, and we had already scored a run with Wiggy at the plate. Boooo. Could have changed the game. No way that happens in Boston or NY.

Must have been Ravens fans.

[TheDoyler23]

O's lost today before their first AB.

****!

[MattFancy]

Gotta give the offense some credit so far for chipping away at the lead. Millwood has been horrible his last few starts. Figures the one time we score some runs, we'll prolly still lose.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I'm ready to scrap all the vets on this team and just put a young team on the field each night. I don't even care if the younger players aren't that good. I'd love to see some youth at 1st and 3rd and find something better at SS.

Jones and company might be struggling (though, Jones specifically is actually starting to hit a little), but at least we can fall back on the fact that they are young and we MIGHT be watching our future.

I just have gotten to the point where I'd prefer to lose and see positive signs from our younger players than win due to something that Wiggington, Scott, or Izturis does. I know that's horrible, but I can't get excited about watching players who aren't a part of "the plan."

On the bright side, one of our 3 young pitchers is throwing tonight (Tillman)!

[MattFancy]

I'm ready to scrap all the vets on this team and just put a young team on the field each night. I don't even care if the younger players aren't that good. I'd love to see some youth at 1st and 3rd and find something better at SS.

Jones and company might be struggling (though, Jones specifically is actually starting to hit a little), but at least we can fall back on the fact that they are young and we MIGHT be watching our future.

I just have gotten to the point where I'd prefer to lose and see positive signs from our younger players than win due to something that Wiggington, Scott, or Izturis does. I know that's horrible, but I can't get excited about watching players who aren't a part of "the plan."

On the bright side, one of our 3 young pitchers is throwing tonight (Tillman)!

I kinda feel the same way. I think we need some vets on the team, but the ones we have now obviously aren't working. Millwood has pitched horribly lately, Atkins was the worst FA of the offseason, and Lugo and Izturis aren't doing squat. I think we should bring up Bell and Snyder then move Tejada back to SS. At least he could provide some hitting out of the SS position.

Matusz has pitched better lately but is 0-2 with a 2.66 ERA over his last 3 starts. The offense has only scored 4 runs for him over that span. Jones is starting to hitter better along with Markakis. Neither is hitting for power right now, but at least they're hitting. Wieters is the only one I'm really worried about because he is really struggling. Hopefully he gets things turned around in the 2nd half.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I kinda feel the same way. I think we need some vets on the team, but the ones we have now obviously aren't working. Millwood has pitched horribly lately, Atkins was the worst FA of the offseason, and Lugo and Izturis aren't doing squat. I think we should bring up Bell and Snyder then move Tejada back to SS. At least he could provide some hitting out of the SS position.

Matusz has pitched better lately but is 0-2 with a 2.66 ERA over his last 3 starts. The offense has only scored 4 runs for him over that span. Jones is starting to hitter better along with Markakis. Neither is hitting for power right now, but at least they're hitting. Wieters is the only one I'm really worried about because he is really struggling. Hopefully he gets things turned around in the 2nd half.

I don't mind the idea of bringing up Bell and Snyder and moving Tejada to SS. At least with that, we have NOTHING in the organization at that position (hopefully our newly drafted SS is the eventual answer). That will also give Bell/Snyder some time to develop at this level. If you round out that IF with Moore playing the majority of the time at 2B, I'd be pretty excited. That IF with our current OF (struggling, but at least it's young) and pitching staff would give us a reason to tune in most nights.

That way, ANYTHING positive you see during the course of a game you can realistically apply to a potential future team. I felt this way during last Redskins season too...when we had a lame duck HC/DC/QB running the show, it was tough to get excited even when we played well.

[MattFancy]

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/zontv/2010/06/baltimore_orioles_masn_tv_rati.html

Here's one of the most surprising facts you are going to find anywhere online this week: Despite playing absolutely wretched baseball, the Baltimore Orioles are drawing a larger TV audience this year than they did in 2009.

Talk about counterintuitive. Season-to-June 3 (the most recent Nielsen data available), the Orioles games on MASN have earned a 3.8 household ratings compared with 3.4 rating for the same period last year. The 3.8 ratings translates to about 41,420 area households in the Baltimore TV market -- an increase of 12 percent over last year.

"The Orioles' improved ratings shows the depth of commitment Orioles fans have for their team," says Todd Webster, spokesman for MASN. "The history and tradition of Orioles baseball is a part of the fabric of Baltimore and Washington, as more fans are tuning in."

Seems pretty interesting. Especially since the Nats are playing better than the O's, yet people in the area continue to watch the O's.

[BALLz]

Any updates on Felix Pie. Not sure how much of a boost he'd give after being out so long but I'd much rather have him in left over Patterson. Lead off man has to be able to get on base and our best two options have played 7 games this year.

[BALLz]

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/zontv/2010/06/baltimore_orioles_masn_tv_rati.html

Seems pretty interesting. Especially since the Nats are playing better than the O's, yet people in the area continue to watch the O's.

And its about time the FO start showing the same commitment.

[MattFancy]

And its about time the FO start showing the same commitment.

Totally agree. If the fans are still watching and going out to the Yard when we are this bad, imagine how many will be there when they start winning again. You would think Angelos would be smart enough to figure that out.

[HailYeah]

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/zontv/2010/06/baltimore_orioles_masn_tv_rati.html

Seems pretty interesting. Especially since the Nats are playing better than the O's, yet people in the area continue to watch the O's.

I have to say, as pathetic as it is, that makes me feel a little better.

I've been freaking out since the Strasburg arrival. As if it signals the end of the Oriole fanbase as we know it in the DC area, which if followed to its logical conclusion 20 years down the road, could mean something as dramatic as re-location.

Obviously, I've been overreacting.

[HailYeah]

Baltimore Orioles 2010 Player Salaries

Player 2010 Salary

Julio Lugo $9,250,000

:rubeyes:

[MattFancy]

I have to say, as pathetic as it is, that makes me feel a little better.

I've been freaking out since the Strasburg arrival. As if it signals the end of the Oriole fanbase as we know it in the DC area, which if followed to its logical conclusion 20 years down the road, could mean something as dramatic as re-location.

Obviously, I've been overreacting.

Yeah its crazy that more people are actually watching this year than last year. I still think there are alot of very loyal O's fans in the DC area. Like alot of us, we just couldn't change teams because a new one was closer. Maybe there won't be many new fans from DC, but I feel like there will always be DC O's fans.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I have to say, as pathetic as it is, that makes me feel a little better.

I've been freaking out since the Strasburg arrival. As if it signals the end of the Oriole fanbase as we know it in the DC area, which if followed to its logical conclusion 20 years down the road, could mean something as dramatic as re-location.

Obviously, I've been overreacting.

Well, we don't know how those numbers are split.

I don't think it's ridiculous to assume that the DC O's fan will die with us. I mean, what incentive is there for kids being born now (or adults getting into baseball now) to pick a Baltimore team over the Nats? The O's even have shifted their marketing strategy to become a team that represents a city over a regional team.

I honestly don't expect more than a handful of NEW O's fans in the DC area. And those would only come from fathers passing it down to sons.

[@DCGoldPants]

I think the O's will get plenty of young fans from the D.C. area. Especially if their families are still into the O's.

I think the flip is families in Baltimore where they love the O's and the kids pick a different team just to be different...and go with the Nats or Phillies.

Also, Fios doesn't have MASN2 in HD yet. For some reason, the Nats who were on MASN1 for awhile have been moved to MASN2 lately.

[MattFancy]

I think the O's will get plenty of young fans from the D.C. area. Especially if their families are still into the O's.

I think the flip is families in Baltimore where they love the O's and the kids pick a different team just to be different...and go with the Nats or Phillies.

Also, Fios doesn't have MASN2 in HD yet. For some reason, the Nats who were on MASN1 for awhile have been moved to MASN2 lately.

Yeah FiOS needs to get with the program. I don't watch anything on MASN2 since its not in HD. Even when the O's are on, its just dumb that they don't have it yet.

[@DCGoldPants]

I know personally when I thought I was getting a Nats game in HD at a friends on Fios and found the O's there. I gave them a few innings before I switched it off.

For me...after seeing baseball in HD, its hard to watch in SD. So, if I feel like baseball and its the Royals and Padres in HD...they get an inning or two from me.

[TD_washingtonredskins]

I think the O's will get plenty of young fans from the D.C. area. Especially if their families are still into the O's.

I think the flip is families in Baltimore where they love the O's and the kids pick a different team just to be different...and go with the Nats or Phillies.

Also, Fios doesn't have MASN2 in HD yet. For some reason, the Nats who were on MASN1 for awhile have been moved to MASN2 lately.

See, I don't think they will get the DC area supporting them substantially. There will always be a few fans from out of the area, but the O's are going to become a team that represents a city/state instead of a team that represents a region (DC, MD, VA, WV, some PA) like they once were.

As for MASN, I noticed that too. I assumed it was due to the opponent (we were playing the Yankees when I noticed the switch).

[@DCGoldPants]

See, I don't think they will get the DC area supporting them substantially. There will always be a few fans from out of the area, but the O's are going to become a team that represents a city/state instead of a team that represents a region (DC, MD, VA, WV, some PA) like they once were.

As for MASN, I noticed that too. I assumed it was due to the opponent (we were playing the Yankees when I noticed the switch).

Well, yeah...I mean when the Yanks or Sox are playing the O's...it better be in HD. There are probably more of their fans watching this year which is great for MASN ratings.

Again, if my family came to the area after the Senators left...and I was raised a hardcore O's fan...I think I would at least have a shot getting my kids into them too. Of course when the team is built like they are now, that's a harder task. Angelos is like 75-80 years old now. Not to sound cruel here, but maybe he won't be involved much longer. I think he was rated as one of the worst owners in baseball by SI a few years ago.

Still, I think if you grow up along 270, NoVa and maybe 95 up to Columbia and have no family history with either team. The Nats have just as good of a chance if not better to get that fan.