Up in Section 360

Vlad Guerrero signed, my feelings are mixed

maddenite — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 05:28:32 +0000

As my first real post back, I will discuss the recent news of us signing Vlad Guerrero to a 1-year, 8 million dollar deal. Am I happy that he signed? Yes. But it is the best move for the future team? No.

Let me address the first point of the short term. This makes our lineup very good. The worse hitter in the lineup will be JJ Hardy, who batted a serviceable .268 for the Twins last year, an improvement over Cesar Izturis and his barnburning .230 average. We have now made improvements at 4 positions, first, third, short and left field. We now have multiple guys that are capable of hitting 30 homers, when last year we only had 1. The potential improvement in the infield could be very large from what it was at times last year. For example, on April 20th, we trotted out a lineup with the following infield: 1B Garett Atkins, 2B Julio Jugo, SS Cesar Izturis, and 3B Ty Wiggington. The best average out of those 4 was Wiggy, batting a stellar .248. Our lineup is vastly improved, and Vald just continues to do that, my providing another solid power source. This lineup could be nasty in 2011.

But what about the long-term? If this lineup gets above .500, I will be pleased. But I can’t help but look at the long-term. Vlad is a stopgap, a very good one at that, but he’s still a stop gap. But he is signed at a position where a stopgap isn’t really necessary, left field. We already have Felix Pie and Nolan Reimold, ready to battle out a spot and prove that one of them can be our left fielder for the next few years, when we will try to do something great. This only stalls their development for the future. What happens in 2012 (well other, then the world ending.) when Vlad’s contract is up? We’re in the exact same position, with Reimold and Pie, and neither of them has gotten much more experience with staring constantly in the majors and proving they can hit ML pitching consistently. While it’s easy to say “OMG, TEH ORILES HAVE A GR8 LINEUP, WE’RE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES!!!!!!1111!!!11!” This isn’t the year where it seems most possible that the world series, or more simply, the playoffs seem realistic, giving our young staff another year to develop will be important, 2012 is the year that we should be really trying to make a playoffs run. So shouldn’t we use 2011 has a chance to see if we already have someone good enough to be a consistent day in-day out left fielder. If that answer is yes, and huzzah. If the answer is no, we search the open market and see who we can find to replace him. This year could be used as a year for potential development for the long-term future, but it’s not.

Dusting off the Cobb Webs

maddenite — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 02:11:13 +0000

Well, I’m going to try to give this blog another go. A lot has happened in Birdland between September 2009 and February 2011, and I won’t be recapping all of it, but I’m back blogging. I will have a post today or tomorrow on the Vlad Guerrero situation, and possibly an off-season recap.

My World Series Picks

maddenite — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:08:43 +0000

over

In 7.

Expansion and Realignment… Part I

maddenite — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 21:50:50 +0000

I thought of expansion and realignment in baseball has been buzzing around in my head a lot lately.

So here some cities that I can think off that the MLB could expand to.

Indy
Nawlins
Vegas
Charlotte/Raleigh
Montreal
Vancouver

Those are six cities that I MLB could expand to if did. I list two Candian cities becasue because I think that could really boost Canada’s interest in baseball, eh.

Believe me, if Montreal got a team they would sell out tickets once the news was announced. They would have some thing to prove. They want to show that that they do care about baseball and want to show everyone that you will never again see Olympic Stadium so empty for a baseball game.

I also suggest Vancouver since if it can host the Olympics it certainley can host a baseball team. Plus I think Mariners vs. Team Vancouver could be a very good rivalry.

If all 6 six team where to be expasion teams the divison could look like this.

AL East- O’s, Rays, Yankees, Reed Sox, Blue Jays, Team North Carolina

AL Central- Indians, Tigers, Twins, White Sox, Royals, Team Indy

AL West- Mariners, Angels, A’s, Rangers, Team Vancouver,

NL East- Braves, Natinals, Marlins, Phillies, Mets, Team Montreal

NL Central- Pirates, Reds, Cubs, Cardinals, Astros, Breweres, Team Nawlins

NL West- Giants, Rockies, Padres, Dodgers, D’Backs, Team Vegas

More thoughts on expansion and realignment to come!

Adam Jones, HR Derby????

maddenite — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:56:41 +0000

I heard today that Adam Jones wanted to participate in the Home Run derby.

And I say why not. I think he’s much better then Brandon Inge or Nelson Cruz and right up there Joe Mauer. It ‘d be a great chance for him to show off his skills on the national stage.

We know he can hit homers, but I think if he chose to be an “upper-cutter” like Prince Fielder he could put 30 or 40 homers a year, although the think he could do that this year.

I can’t see why Major League Baseball wouldn’t let him in, they’re on their hands and knees begging for participants, why not let Adam Jones in?

What do you think?

VOTE FOR IAN!

maddenite — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 12:36:27 +0000

Lats night Ian was roobed of his rightful place an An All-Star, instead he part of the final vote. Just a week or so ago he was leading but now all the sudden he’s not guranteed a spot on the roster.

MUTINY!

HOW CAN JOE MADDON NOT PUT HIM ON THE TEAM???? Instead he goes with Ben Zobrist???? Ian is much better then Ben Zorbist no doubt about it.

So please vote for Ian.

3 Jews Starting In The All-Star Game

maddenite — Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:58:55 +0000

Brad Bergesen, The Kid No One Knows About

maddenite — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:18:20 +0000

Meet Brad Bergesen. Pitcher, Baltimore Orioles. 6′ 2″ 125 pounds. But theres so much more that most people don’t know about him.

Right now Brad is the Orioles ace and among the most promising pitchers in all of the majors. Yesterday most of Red Sox Nation got aquainted to him. However because of the Sox’s comeback no one was talking about him. And this makes me angry.

No one realized how good he was. He’s going to be a kid people will be talking about. If he was playing for a big market team he’d be a household name. But since he plays for The O’s no one is talking about him.

He is the pitching equvilant of

He won the Jim Palmer award for the best pitcher in the Orioles system. In fact I’ve heard him compared to

Jim Palmer compared him to Mark Fidrych, not a bad comparison!!!!!

He can handle the big boys he had a great outing yesterday against the Sox. He allowed one run against the Nats

and the Mariners

and two against Detriot

and three against the South Siders

He will be a name your going to be hearing for a long time.

I Need To Rant

maddenite — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:06:49 +0000

There’s something that’s turned Orangebird from this

to this!

Now I will gives you one hint, Bob, Julia, and Elizabeth are all proud citizens!

That’s right Red Sox Nation is what I need to rant about. And specifaly the fact that they overtake Camden Yards. I have NO PROBLEM WITH THE FANS BEING SUPPORTIVE but it just makes me haywire. This angers since he remebers when Memorial Stadium was never called Fenway South or Fenway Park at Camden Yards. It’s despicable that there are more Sox fans then O’s fans in our own park!

This needs to stop, andd here’s how, we put a better team on the field. And right now we’re doing that.

It’s time make a Camden Yards a hostile enviroment like Memorial Stadium was, we need to show up and give our team support. I can’t stand any more Fenway Park South and it needs to end now. We can’t let red Sox Nation invade Birdland!

I’ve been ok with this the last couple years but now I’m getting sick of it!

That Was Fun

maddenite — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:23:48 +0000

I had a fun time at Camden Yards Saturday!

#1- I got the Nick Markakis BP jersey. It not really authentic or anything close to that, it’s kinda cheap. But still it’s cool to get something like that!

#2- After the game was over the Jumbotron proceeded to play “Field of Dreams”. It was very cool when they turned out almost all the lights. It was like the world’s coolest outdoor theate!.

“You had “TOO” see it!”

I fell asleep right around the time Terrance Mann arrived in Iowa

Guess what??

“WHAT?”

Some of the players were actually watching the movie rather than going home!

“Man that’s pretty cool”

#3- Matt Wieters Facts Night!

This was the best part of the night: getting to meet the left and right side of Matt Wieters facts brain!

“Who’s who?

Ian is the right side, since he is a graphic designer! And Daniel is the left side he very big into stats.

We first swung by 5 or 10 minutes before the game. Funny story here I see some people wearing the sliced bread shirts.

And I ask if they know where more Matt Wieters Facts people are and someone points to a person and he says something like “Hi I’m Daniel” As in Daniel Moroz the left side of MWF brain. He was very friendly we talked for several minutes. However I wanted my picture taken by Ian for the MWF Facebook page.

And he wasn’t currently there, he was gettting autographs. Daniel recommended that I come by later. And that’s what we did! The second time we came up Ian was present, he shook our hands and invited us to sit down. So we began talking about various things, we got to the t-shirts and how I had created a shirt for Pittsburgh Penguins announcer MIke Lange with some of his well-known calls on it. And Ian replies “Who’s MIke Lange?” The Penguins (grin comes to my face) announcer. “NO NOT THE PENGUINS!!” He blurts out. That’s right the Penguins!

So then we got to talking about the game and I asked if I could interview him. And we was like “You, want to interview me???” And he of course excepted the invitation.

So that really fun!!!!!!

#4- Matt Hobgood

He was there, introduced third or fourth inning what I like is that he still has braces!!!