It’s another day in the off-season, and there’s not much going on in Baltimore aside from Purple Fever.
In terms of baseball, I’m not sure what the hold up is — whether the market is slow, or the Orioles are now really going to do much else — however, I think things are moving a tad too slow.
Granted, we probably have about six weeks left before pitchers and catchers report, but one must ask themselves — can things get better with the O’s?
I know we play in the AL East — things could not bode well for us when all is said and done in 2009 — however, I’m having a hard time stomaching all that has happened with the Orioles so far is that we signed Mark Hendrickson (who sounds like a cool guy from what I heard on 105.7 the other day, but isn’t in any sense a difference maker), Cezar Izturis, and are going after a few Japanese pitchers and Richie Sexson.
As much as I want to support MacPhail — I kind of want the team to do more, especially considering that they were willing to give 20+ million to Mark Teixeira.
Seriously, if we wanted him, why not go after a Garland (who I think is overrated, but better than anything we have), Sheets (his deal must be incentive laden), or some of other free agents still out there? The offense should be fine (granted Mora or Huff don’t regress, and B-Rob is still an Oriole), Wieters is on his way, and the bullpen should be much improved; but the starting pitching still makes me shiver.
The only thing I want for 2009 is improvement. That being said, as a fan and customer, I can understand the need for patience for our young guys to come up; however, I would also like to see a competitive squad out there.
Money should not be an object if you just offered a guy who turned you down $20 million per year.
In other news, the “Hot Stove Show” resumes tonight on MASN and 105.7 at 7pm tonight, so it should be interesting to hear what Jim Hunter, Roch Kubatko and Phil Wood have to say about baseball in the Mid-Atantic region so far.
