Ahoy interweb!
Here I sit, paying $5 for courthouse wireless in a fairly stuffy room on the second floor of the Clarence Mitchell Jr Courthouse in beautiful downtown Baltimore. At least I assume it is still a beautiful day outside, the few times they have let us out of our pen the sun has been shining and a gentle breeze blowing. But, why would anyone want to leave? Fifteen dollars and “Monster In-Law” on the TV?! The hell, you say! Sign me up! All kidding aside, Jury Duty is fairly mind numbing, but the facilities are nice and the building is pretty and I have the ability to sit and talk to you – my dear readers.
First order of business; Jeremy Guthrie. Jeremy, Duder, seriously you are caring us up here. Every Orioles fan worth his salt is willing to chalk up last year to a “down” year. Even the best pitchers have them. But Guthrie’s performance thus far in Sarasota has been let’s say less than awe inspiring. Guts’ ERA isn’t quite as high as the clouds – but King Kong is swatting at it whilst atop the *new* Legg Mason Building. Guthrie had a sever problem with homeruns last year. Guthrie gave up a league leading 35 dingers in ’09 on his way to a league leading 17 losses. No one more than Guthrie himself wants to put a disastrous 2009 behind him and start fresh.
So far this Spring Guthrie looks like he is still trying to shake off the last vestiges of a bad dream. Guthrie has an ERA over nine and has given up three homers so far. Now, before you say it – yes I am well aware it is Spring Training. I am aware that these things mean nothing. but you are not going to sit there reading the words on your screen and tell me that Jeremy’s rough start does not bother you just a little bit. You are not going to sit there and say that if Jeremey was mowing down every player he faced you wouldn’t be completely jazzed.
Admitting you have a problem is the first step to recovery. Hi, my name is James – and I am slightly concerned by Spring Training statistics.
Do not misinterpret. I am not turning in my season plan or throwing away my 1969 day-glo orange replica throw back Cooperstown Collection jersey or anything. I just hope that these springtime struggles are just that springtime struggles. I don’t want to be sitting here in June writing about how “[Oriole player]’s struggles started back in March and he never truly overcame them.” Matt Wieters announced his presence during Guthrie’s last start with a truly mammoth homerun, according to reports, so that made us all feel a little better.
On the MASH front: Mike Gonzales pitched in a minor league game today. The best news – no back pain! Huzzah! Gonzales should pitch in a game this weekend. According to Orioles.com blogger Britt Ghiroli Roberts talked to his back doc today and is cleared to return to baseball activities today! Huzzah! Koji has a strained hamstring, again. It is the same hammy he hurt last year. Koji could be such a weapon in the bullpen but he is apparently made of a very delicate porcelain or some sort of paper mâché.
A BIG thank you to everyone who pre-ordered a shirt. They have been sent off to the printers, and I will recieve them sometime next week. Wherein I will send them off to you as soon as possible. IT IS NOT TOO LATE! There is still swag available to be had. Click the link to the right to order.
I have at least another hour or so to go before I am released from the democratic obligations. Again, jury duty isn’t all that bad – but I could be blogging on my sofa right now, with a Clipper City McHenry in one hand, my cat lounging near by and the mello sounds of Dexter Gordon weaving through the air. Instead I am in a stuffy windowless room surrounded by middle-aged strangers with what might be the worst movie in existence flickering behind me. This is the “quiet room” so the sound is not on and yet as I glance around the room virtually everyone’s gaze is transfixed on the voiceless face of Jennifer Lopez’s extremely subpar rom-com. It’s moments like this I wonder if I am actually part of some sort of twisted psychological experiment. Was this the government’s doing? Or, rather, the machinations of some scientist slowly slipping into a meth-induced red-nightmare?
In this room I am 625 – though I would much rather be 6, at least he gets a snazzy jacket.
Only 21 days until the home-opener O’s fans. What are your plans?
