O Say Can You See The Future

Wipe your eyes, the future is bright!

picture via The Baltimore Sun

In case you haven't been paying attention, the Orioles future is officially here. And the Orioles future is a lot better than recent past. I'm not just optimistic because I'm a fan, the talent that is upon us is the real deal!

Friday marks the debut of the #1 prospect in all of baseball, Matt Wieters. He has played like a man among boys in the minors for a little over a year, and as Macphail said "it's time." He's a switch hitting 6'5" 230lb BAD-ASS!

Pictured above is rookie Nolan Reimold. His walk-off 3 run homer today was his 4th HR in his short 2 week career. He seems to be a keeper. Center Fielder Adam Jones appears to be the next Eric Davis (healthy in his prime, Eric Davis.) Jones has a .354-11-34 line so far this season. Oh yeah, he's playing like a gold glover defensively. You know Markakis is a stud, I'll just remind you he is only 25 years old!

So far this season the Orioles have saw 3 rookie pitchers win their major league debuts, they'll go for #4 tomorrow when David Hernandez takes the hill. Hernandez was 3-1 with 2.91 ERA in the minors this season, along with 60 strikeouts in only 43 innings. He struck out 14 in his last start at Norfolk. In the next 4 games against Detroit the Orioles will stroll out 3 rookies with only 9 games experience under their belts...and I couldn't be happier. No Eaton, no Hendrickson.

But, the future talent doesn't stop there, the O's minor league system is loaded. Chris Tillman (5-0 2.13 ERA) and Troy Patton (5-1 1.62 ERA) will be in Baltimore before the end of the year. Last years 1st rounder, pitcher Brian Matusz, and 2005 1st rounder, 1B Brandon Snyder will be up next season. Pitcher Jake Arrieta will also be making his prescience felt soon.

It's a great time to be an Oriole fan. Although there are still some growing pains ahead of us, it's obvious that the next 10 years will be better than the last.

Amen to that.

Cheers and Hail

Will The O's Land Teixeira?

YES!!

This is my take on the whole Teixeira sweepstakes, probably way wrong but here is what I think is going on. Obviously smokescreens are being set everywhere. We don't know exactly who has a serious offer on the table or who is in, who is out? Are the Red Sox really out, or are they just working Boras? Are the Yankees going to come to the table with ridiculous money? Does he play near his home in MD, but not for the O's but for the Nationals? Does he stay with the Angels?

No, I think he signs with the Orioles. When the Orioles made an initial offer to Boras to show they are in the ballgame, that was all I needed to see. I believe that the Orioles will have the right to match any offer. I think Boras is out trying to get a $200 million dollar contract for Tex, because it's his job, but ultimately he will not get the $200 million. He will probably get the 8 year $185 million that is being reported in the press. I believe Teixeira will then ask him to see if the Orioles will match it, because Baltimore is where he wants to be. Baltimore probably will not match it however, they will probably offer around 1-1.5 million less per year. At this point Tex will have to decide if wants to play for Baltimore at a "hometown discount," or play for Boston. Whats 21 million per compared to 22 million? He chooses Baltimore (it may take an opt-out clause after 3 years, based on how competitive the Orioles are.)

The Orioles then need to sign Nick Markakis to a 6 year 75 million contract to lock him up. Committing $250 million dollars is a lot, but you'll be set for the future. Tex, Markakis, Matt Weiters, and Adam Jones form an awesome nucleus to build around.
Here is a tentative lineup for 2009.

1 - Roberts .297-9-57 40SB 107R

2 - Jones .290 -9-57

3 - Markakis .306 -20-87

4 - Teixeira .308 -33-121

5 - Huff .304-32-108

6 - Mora .285-23-104

7 - Weiters .355-27-91 (minors)

8 - Scott .257-23-65

9 - Izturis .263-1-24 24SB

That lineup will hang with anyone, now the pitching on the other hand......

I'm anxious to see how it turns out, I feel strongly that I am right on this. We should know by Christmas.

Cheers and Hail

O, The Rays are Good

So this year marked the 11th straight season the Orioles have finished below .500. During the previous 10 seasons, the O's finished in fourth place. They could always count on the Rays to finish in the cellar. Now that the Rays are playing in October, I'm afraid my Orioles have a firm grip on last place.

After living in Northern VA for the first 30 years of my life, the O's are a part of me. I was 9 years old in 1983, when the O's beat the Phillies in the I95 series. This came the year after the O's took the Brewers to the last game of the season in 82. Orioles Magic indeed. I thought at the time the O's would win countless World Series (I bet Cal did too!). It's hard to imagine that we are so far removed from the glory days. How did it slip away so fast?

Baseball was my #1 sport growing up, the one that I excelled at. If there wasn't a baseball around, then it was wiffleball. When a wiffleball wasn't available, then a wad of paper and a stick would do just fine. And in everyone of those backyard, driveway, or living room games, I was imitating my heroes. Eddie Murray's crouched stance, Cal's upright/closed stance with the bat horizontal to the ground. Pitching the wiffleball like Jim Palmer, sliding in the rain like Rick Dempsey. The list could go on and on. Those days are long gone, but I keep hanging onto the hope that one day, things will be special again.

And that brings me to the Rays. For the last 4 years, I have lived here in Tampa. I knew this Ray's team was close to breaking out the past 2 seasons. I'm surprised it did not happen last year. I will guarantee you this, they will not be going away any time soon. They are loaded with young talent, and they have more stockpiled in their farm system. I am amazed to watch the community in which I live in rally behind this team. Everyone has Ray's fever. We have 2 year old kids getting blue Mohawks, we have 60 year old politicians getting Mohawks. A new stadium is also on the horizon, a beautiful outdoor stadium, right on the Gulf of Mexico. It's a great time to be a fan of the Tampa Bay Rays.

But, you'll never see a blue Ray's hat on this head. Sure, I'll pull for them to go all the way. I surely will be pulling for them if they face the Red Sox. Its easy for a lot of people to jump on the bandwagon and root for a winner. I can't do that. I've got to much invested in my O's. So while a team headed to the World Series, loaded with young talent, getting an awesome new stadium, sounds enticing, I'll pass. Give me my MLB Extra Innings for $250 again next year, because the O's are 0-0 right now, and my O's mug is half full!

And besides that, when my son and I play wiffleball, I do a great imitation of Nick Markakis.