Baltimore Orioles Thread: Orioles Magic

[Leftwich]

Who remembers when Nick Markakis was supposed to be good?

I remember when he was good. Drove in like 116 rbi's in his first or second year. Hasn't done it since he got that nice extension. He's pissing me off and needs to bat at the bottom of the lineup.

[Guest]

I remember when he was good. Drove in like 116 rbi's in his first or second year. Hasn't done it since he got that nice extension. He's pissing me off and needs to bat at the bottom of the lineup.

Yeah, he needs to get down to the bottom of the order to get him some confidence back, although he's been doing better recently.

I think its the expectations he's put on himself since getting the extension. Markakis became a leader because they needed it as well. Another thing is that his throws aren't as crisp this year as they were in years past, and he might be dealing with some sort of injury or pain and not telling the training staff.

[NAHSTE]

Yeah, he needs to get down to the bottom of the order to get him some confidence back, although he's been doing better recently.

I think its the expectations he's put on himself since getting the extension. Markakis became a leader because they needed it as well. Another thing is that his throws aren't as crisp this year as they were in years past, and he might be dealing with some sort of injury or pain and not telling the training staff.

Eh, I don't know about that, I just think he doesn't have any pop. What's he got like 10 XBH this year? And it's not like he just lost his power either, he's flatlined in the HR dept. since reaching the highwater mark of 18 a few years back.

[Guest]

Eh, I don't know about that, I just think he doesn't have any pop. What's he got like 10 XBH this year? And it's not like he just lost his power either, he's flatlined in the HR dept. since reaching the highwater mark of 18 a few years back.

Yeah, he's got 12 included home runs. His OPS is also down, from his career .816 to .662. Even if you take out April, his OPS for May and June are .708 and .725. I really think something is going on mentally.

[Guest]

I need to start following the Orioles again. I've been scheduled a lot of night shifts and I haven't kept up.

What I do know is that the starting pitching has again struggled. Tillman and Matusz are both down in AAA right now. Arrieta has an ERA approaching 5.00 now. The Orioles are working two fringe arms as starters. It is too late to harbor hopes of a playoff spot, but the Orioles definitely should look to improve the starting pitching for now and the future at the deadline.

[BazookaJoe5]

I haven't followed recently. Been busy, and they have been so bad that my interest has plummeted. I have no interest in watching Mark Hendrickson or Alfredo Simon pitch batting practice.

Oh well. It's right about the same time as every year. Ravens are about to start up and that's when my interest in the O's really pretty much stops anyway. It'd be different if they were still competing like they did early.

[manchild24]

I cant believe I havent been to a game at all this year. Im taking my son to his first ever game Sunday as my Halos come to down. First Base, row 4. I hope to fuck its not going to be 110 degrees. They let the kids run the bases after the game so thats great for him.

[Guest]

Well, I haven't updated this in quite awhile, and we have fallen off the face of the earth. We are once again the worst team in the AL, and the second worst team in the league. Even though the Pirates may not hit .500, their success early this season is something that I am envious of, as we are once again looking towards the off-season.

There are a few signs of hope. Andy MacPhail has not received a contract extension and one has to wonder two things. One, does MacPhail want to come back? He could very well be the next commissioner of baseball. Two, does Angelos want him back? I am very impressed that Angelos took his hands off and handed over baseball operations to MacPhail, but the results at the major league level have not changed. Angelos could revert back to his old ways or he could hire someone else.

What do you guys think is going to happen to MacPhail? Is he coming back or is he done? If he needs to be replaced, who do you want it to be?

[Guest]

BALTIMORE -- Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail is moving on after running the front office of his childhood team for four-plus seasons.

A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press about MacPhail's departure. The person spoke Friday night on condition of anonymity because the Orioles hadn't announced the move.

Baltimore went 69-93 during its 14th consecutive losing season, and MacPhail's contract expires on Oct. 31.

MacPhail took the job in June 2007 with the intention of bringing his favorite team growing up back into prominence. He made several moves that paid off, acquiring shortstop J.J. Hardy, outfielder Adam Jones and All-Star catcher Matt Wieters, but Baltimore was hurt by its inexperienced pitching staff while trying to navigate the tough AL East.

MacPhail was president of the Chicago Cubs from 1994-2006, also serving as general manager from July 2000 to July 2002. He was general manager of the Minnesota Twins from 1985-94, helping the team win World Series titles in 1987 and 1991.

His father, Hall of Famer Lee MacPhail, was Orioles general manager from 1958-65 and also was GM of the New York Yankees and president of the American League. Andy's grandfather, Hall of Famer Larry MacPhail, brought night games to the major leagues while with the Cincinnati Reds in 1935 and was chief executive of the Brooklyn Dodgers and the Yankees.

Andy MacPhail's departure wasn't a surprise, and there was talk manager Buck Showalter could move into the front office.

http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/70...oles-president

From the Baltimore Sun, a list of executives they are speculating could be the next Orioles GM:

Gerry Hunsicker, senior vice president,Tampa Bay Rays

Dan Jennings, assistant general manager,Florida Marlins

Wayne Krivsky, former special assistant to GM,New York Mets

Tony LaCava, assistant GM,Toronto Blue Jays

Damon Oppenheimer, scouting director,New York Yankees

Scott Proefrock, assistant GM,Philadelphia Phillies

J.P. Ricciardi, special assistant to GM, Mets

Scott Servais, senior director of player development,Texas Rangers

Buck Showalter, manager, Orioles*

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/o...8.story?page=2

On that list, both Proefrock and Krivsky have spent time in the Orioles front office very recently, so they are definitely potential additions, but from that list, I would love to have Ricciardi or Servais as the new GM.

[Leftwich]

That list of names looks pretty good and promising.

[Guest]

Well, our GM search is finally at its conclusion. Somehow, Dan Duquette's name came up out of nowhere- it wasn't speculated by anyone. I guess being turned down by LaCava, essentially turned down by Dipoto and having another executive remove his name turned them in a different direction.

I am worried about Duquette being out of the front office for almost a decade, but no one can deny that he has the pedigree and can put together a good team. After what has transpired, I think that this is the best way for the Orioles to save face, but I do not feel confident moving forward despite having Duquette here. We've reached rock bottom as Oriole fans.

What needs to happen now is get Showalter out there and contact free agents as Duquette assembles his staff. One thing that needs to happen is both Stockstills need to be gone- we do not need them in player development roles or scouting because they have failed in both. If we end up keeping one or both, then Duquette is going to be a puppet for ownership.

A former major league executive who had been out of the big leagues for nearly a decade found a match Sunday with a perennial losing franchise which been rejected by at least one, if not more, of its top executive candidates.

Dan Duquette, who has been credited with building the foundation for the Boston Red Sox winning their first championship in 86 years -- and later their second -- has been hired to try his hand at ending a 14-year losing streak for the Orioles.

A high-ranking Orioles official with knowledge of the negotiations between Duquette and Orioles owner Peter Angelos, confirmed Duquette's hiring.

An announcement is expected Tuesday, the source said.

Angelos declined comment on Duquette. Duquette could not be reached for comment.

Duquette, 53, replaces Andy MacPhail, who resigned after a disappointing 2011 season. MacPhail had been the president of baseball operations for five years.

Following a promising finish in 2010 under newly hired manager Buck Showalter and a fast, if brief, positive start to last season, the Orioles plummeted in the standings for most of the summer before another late-season surge that culminated with them knocking the Red Sox out of the playoffs in the final game of the season.

MacPhail had appeared to get things turned in the right direction when he hired Showalter after the All-Star break in 2010 and the team finished with a 34-23 record in their last 57 games. But the corps of young pitching hopefuls, in particular Brian Matusz, took several steps backwards last season.

The hiring of Duquette, who also was credited with rebuilding the Montreal Expos as the team's farm director in the early 1990s, came after the Orioles were turned down by at least one other candidate, Toronto Blue Jays assistant general manager Tony LaCava.

According to his cousin Jim Duquette, who was vice president of baseball operations with the Orioles in 2005 and 2006 under the late Mike Flanagan, Dan Duquette was a candidate for the Los Angeles Angels job and had tried to get back into a major league position with the Pittsburgh Pirates in the past couple of years.

Dan Duquette had been running a baseball academy in Massachusetts since he left baseball in 2002.

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/spor...ette_as_g.html

[Slateman]

New O's uniforms

[Warner2BruceTD]

I like the return of the old school logo and hat.

[NAHSTE]

Gonna order the new/old hat soon.

[strahanfan92]

Couldn't disagree more, this hat is one of my favorites in the bigs.