Skipper or the Crew?

Numerous media outlets are reporting that Baltimore Orioles manager Dave Trembley will be dismissed before the Orioles begin their next series against Boston on Friday night at Oriole Park. Baltimore’s record stands at an abysmal 15-39, their worst start since 1988 when they began the year with 21 consecutive losses. 21.5 games out of first place and losers of 10 of their last 11, the Birds seem to just go through the motions night after night.

It's very easy to point the finger at the skipper, but how much control does a manager really have over a team's play? Trembley has been criticized for his mismanagement of the bullpen, questionable line up decisions, and the inability to motivate or prepare his club. While these factors definitely contribute to a team's success, one has to question whether or not these things alone can be attributed to the Orioles' lackluster play.

Nothing Trembley has done this season is responsible for the Orioles' offense failing to provide any run support for a starting pitching staff that has, for the better part of the season, done its part. Baltimore ranks near the bottom of the league in nearly every offensive category, scoring a paltry 180 runs and sporting a team batting average of just .246. With injuries to key players like Brian Roberts, Felix Pie, and Mike Gonzales, and the apparent regression of young prospects Adam Jones, Nolan Reimold, and Brad Bergesen, Trembley’s hands have been tied all season.

Trembley needs to be held accountable for his team's play, but that doesn't necessarily put him at fault. Dave is a nice man and an Oriole at heart, but unfortunately when a business is failing to meet expectations, the manager is always the first to go.

Yikes

Talk about the wind being taken out of your sails. Week one of the 2010 Baltimore Orioles schedule is in the books, and needless to say, things haven't gone exactly as O's fans would have liked.

After losing 2 out of 3 against the Rays to open the season at the Trop in St. Petersburg, Florida, O's fans remained optimistic for the team's home opening series against a Blue Jays squad that is widely picked to finish last in the A.L. east. The O's home opener is always electric, but Friday's crowd seemed to have a different air about it. Hopes were still running high...enter Mike Gonzalez.

The newly acquired Orioles' closer was met by a spattering of boos as he jogged in from the bullpen with the Orioles holding a 1 run lead in the top of the 9th. Gonzo blew his first save opportunity against Tampa Bay on opening night, and nearly blew his second two days later, but Nick Markakis caught a hard hit ball to end the game and leave the bases loaded for the Rays.

Back to Friday...A walk, wild pitch, double, sac bunt, and sac fly later, Orioles fans saw Mike Gonzalez blow his second save of the season, and the Birds trailed 7-6. When Orioles lame duck manager Dave Trembley removed Gonzalez from the game, the crowd of 42,000 or so Orioles faithful let Gonzo have it. The light drizzle of boos that rained down on him upon his entry to the game turned into an epic storm of boos and obscenities that rivaled the warm welcome Mark Teixeira received on opening day 2009. I didn't see any "Severna Park Hates You" signs, but I'm sure Gonzalez got the message.

O's fans wondered if Trembley would use his new "closer" again on Saturday night if the opportunity presented itself. It didn't. Baltimore was shut out by the Blue Jays' Dana Eveland in front of a crowd of over 21,000. David Hernandez tossed a gem, allowing just 2 runs through six innings of work, but the O's anemic offense was unable to plate any runs against the Jays 5th starter. Beers are on me if Eveland is on your fantasy roster.

Having dropped 4 of their first 5 games, the Orioles desperately needed a win on Sunday. Baltimore turned to newly acquired ace Kevin Millwood to stop the bleeding, and Milwood didn't disappoint. Allowing only 1 run through 7 and 2 thirds, he gave the Orioles the chance they needed to come out of the series with at least 1 win. Unfortunately, the O's offense once again let the pitching staff down, scoring a paltry 2 runs; an offensive outburst that included them being unable to score following a lead-off triple.

With two outs in the eighth, Miguel Tejada committed his first error of the season at his new position on the hot corner, allowing the inning to continue, and keeping the Jays hopes alive. Baltimore's early season nemesis, Jose Bautista dug in with two out and one on. Millwood quickly got two strikes on Bautista, but then hung a breaking ball that landed somewhere on North avenue, and Baltimore was down 3-2. Not to be outdone, the next batter, Alex Gonzalez crushed a dinger of his own and gave Toronto a 4-2 lead.

After the O's offense went "wah, wah, waaaahhh" in the bottom of the eight, Cla Merideth decided to increase his ERA as well by serving up a solo shot to Edwin Encarnacion to push the Jays lead to 5-2. In the bottom of the ninth, after being inspired by that corny video that is played on the jumbo-tron to fire up the fans, Matt Weiters led off with a single and gave the birds some hope, but rally killer Ty Wigginton abruptly grounded into a 6-4-3 double play that dashed any chance of a comeback. Nolan Reimold pinch hit for Julio Lugo and struck out swinging. Game over.

6 games, 5 losses that included: 2 blown saves (Gonzo's ERA is sitting at an astronomical 18.00) a shut-out, Brian Roberts heading to the D.L with an abdominal strain, and probably the most disturbing stat of all; Baltimore his 9 for 54 with RISP. That, baseball fans equates to a robust .167 batting average in the clutch. Hardly juggernaut status.

Is it too early to call for Dave Trembley's head? I think so, but the club does seem very flat out there. If they continue to play with this apparent lack of enthusiasm, this year's campaign could get really ugly, really fast.

What's next for Baltimore? Another series with the Rays, a 7 game west coast road trip, their first "off day" followed up with seven games in eight days against Boston and New York to close out the first month of the season. We are going to know a lot about this club by the time May flowers get here. Maybe they'll be bringing some wins along with them...and the Colts.

"Something Magic Happens..."

Itching For Meaningful Baseball

With only two weeks remaining until the official start of the season, the orioles have had a few things to be excited about so far during spring training, and a few more to be concerned about.

Offensively, Nick Markakis looks like he has added some muscle, and is really swinging the bat thus far. Kakes is hitting .316 with 2 bombs. Luke Scott leads the team in RBI with 9, while hitting a respectable .286. Luke has the potential to be a huge threat in the orioles lineup, if he can manage to spread out his production a little bit. Last season the streaky DH led the Birds with 25 dingers; only problem with that? He hit all 25 of them in what seemed to be the span of a week. I'll take 25 homers any time, but it would be nice if Luke could come through a bit more consistently. Nolan Reimold seems to be coming along just fine after dealing with achilles issues.

Miguel Tejada has played a solid third base, but hasn't really gotten the stick going yet. Garrett Atkins, who the Birds were hoping would come in and add some pop to the corner infield spot opposite Tejada is hovering right on the Mendoza line with an average of .200.

On the mound, Brian Matusz has been nothing short of spectacular. While wins and losses are essentially meaningless stats for pitchers during camp, Matusz's 2.51 ERA , 18K's, and 1 walk in 14.1 innings make a line that top of the rotation guys strive for, and few achieve. Other than Matusz, the starting rotation has taken their lumps so far this spring.

Relievers Cla Meredith, Will Ohman, Kam Mickilio, and Mark Hendrickson have all pitched their way into the O's pen this year. David Hernandez and his life partner Jason Berken seem destined to start the year in AAA Norfolk, joining a rotation that includes prospects Jake Arrietta, Troy Patton and Brandon Erbe. Keep your eye on a young lefty named Zach Britton. Something tells me we will hear his name before some of the prospects listed above.

Kevin Millwood, brought in to anchor and mentor the O's young pitching staff, has lowered his ERA from around a gazillion to just a shade under 13. Millwood says he "stinks in spring training" and I am inclined to believe him. let's just hope that the veteran righty irons all of his kinks out before he takes the mound April 6th in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Last year, we could comfortably blame Jeremy Guthrie's absolutely horrendous campaign on the WBC, but what is the excuse this year? Guts has allowed 3 home runs, 7 walks and 12 runs in 10 and 2 thirds innings, ballooning his ERA to 9.28. If things progress this way, the Orioles' 2 innings eaters could both reach 200 hundred innings, while giving up 250 runs...each. Let's hope they straighten it out. I think that they will.

Chris Tillman hasn't given the Orioles any reason to question his spot in the rotation, and Brad Bergesen, fresh off of two injuries-the latest occurring when he tweaked his throwing shoulder while filming a commercial for the Orioles-hasn't been spectacular, but also hasn't pitched horribly either.

Koji Uehara, expected to be a major cog in the Orioles bullpen, hurt his hamstring yet again. Was signing a frail, aging Japanese closer to a multi-million dollar deal really worth it? Well, if the door to the Asian market of frail, aging Japanese relief pitchers was the goal, than I guess it was a success. Don't get me wrong, I believe Koji is a really good pitcher who could help the O's pen tremendously, but seriously dude...try lifting A weight. Newly acquired closer Mike Gonzalez has pitched a bit, but he too has been dealing with nagging injuries. The jury is still out on whether or not this guy can hold down the closer's role in the tough AL "beast."

The biggest worry? Brian Roberts. Baltimore's All-Star caliber second baseman has been dealing with a slight herniated disc in his back. B-Rob is the one player that the Orioles can ill afford to lose. Roberts is expected to make his spring debut later this week after returning from Baltimore and a visit to a back specialist at Johns Hopkins. Roberts apparently was given an epidural to help with his nagging back. I'm not sure how that helps his swing, but apparently the Birds' second baseman will be able to give birth completely pain free.

Adam Jones appears to be a bit larger this spring as well. Here's to Jonesy staying healthy all season long, and building on a 2009 that saw him make his first All-Star appearance, as well as winning his first gold glove. Matt Weiters is still the O's opening day starting catcher despite the fact that he too has gotten off to a slow start. Don't worry though, he is still considered "Mauer With Power."

Is this the season?

Hope Springs Eternal

As MLB's off season comes to a close, spring training is just around the corner. The free agent market has played itself out and the Orioles head to Sarasota, Florida with a roster that has many O's fans excited about 2010 and beyond. With that in mind, I have decided to switch formats and devote my attention to the Baltimore Orioles. Let's break it down.

The Birds acquired veteran SP Kevin Millwood from the Texas rangers in exchange for RP Chris Ray. Millwood should anchor a staff featuring young prospects Brian Matusz, Brad Bergesen, and Chris Tillman. A perennial innings eater, Millwood should be a solid mentor to the youngsters on the staff, and his arrival should help take some pressure off of Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie. Guthrie led the Orioles with 10 wins last season, but he also led the Majors in Hrs allowed with 35, and losses with 17. The O's look for Guthrie to regain his form of 2008 and 2009, when he posted an ERA below 4.00 in each season. They think him not having to face every team's #1 starter should help.

To help solidify the bullpen, Baltimore signed free agent closer Mike Gonzalez. Gonzalez is a hard thrower with 54 saved games during his career for Pittsburgh and Atlanta. His addition allows Jim Johnson to move back to the set-up role, where he has excelled for the majority of his career. Kam Mickilio, Koji Uehara, Mark Hendrickson, and a number of other pitchers will compete for roster spots in what is shaping up to be a much improved O's bullpen.

While prospects Brandon Snyder and Josh Bell are not expected to be ready for the show before mid-season, Baltimore signed Garret Atkins and former Oriole Miguel Tejada. Atkins, a career
.289 hitter struggled mightily at the plate in 2009. Baltimore hopes he can regain the form that made him an all-star in Colorado. Tejada, a former AL MVP brings veteran leadership and a lot of baggage back to the city that saw him have his career year in 2004. That season he hit .311 with 40 doubles, 34 Home Runs, and an amazing 150 RBI. Tejada's power numbers have fallen off significantly in recent years, but the perennial all-star still swings a good bat, and combined with Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis, and Adam Jones, the O's could lead the AL in doubles next year. Let's just hope Miggy makes the transition to third base as smoothly as possible.

As is the case every season, it all comes down to pitching. The Orioles have the offensive talent on paper to score 800 runs, and if guys like Reimold, Weiters, Jones, and Pie continue to improve, I believe that is a real possibility. But, if Millwood and Guthrie struggle, and the young arms regress, it could shape up to be another long season at the yard. The baby birds have hatched, now let's hope they learn how to fly.

It might be a little premature to think about contending for the division, but a .500 record is not beyond the realm of possibility. Here's to the O's finally bringing the magic back to Birdland. I'll drink to that.

Here is my revised 2010 Baltimore Orioles opening day lineup:

2b. Brian Roberts

3b Miguel Tejada

rf . Nick Markakis

dh. Luke Scott

cf. Adam Jones

lf. Nolan Reimold

c. Matt Weiters

1b. Garrett Atkins

ss. Cesar Izturis

Bench:
of. Pie, if. Andino/Turner, c. Moeller, if. Wigginton

Starting Rotation: Millwood, Guthrie, Bergesen, Matusz, Tillman

Bullpen: Gonzalez, Johnson, Mickilio, Uehara, Hendrickson, Hernandez, Albers/Berken/Sarfate/(Ohman?)

That's a pretty solid team. In any other division, it's a team that could compete for the championship. In the AL East however, they may need a little more seasoning, as well as an impact player or two next year. A .500 season is a more realistic goal. The good news? I am always wrong when it comes to predictions.

Lets Go O's!

It's been a long time...

As the NFL's regular season has come to a close, many questions have been answered. Here's a few that I would like to emphasize.

1. Can Brett Favre still do it? Yes. Never before has a 67 year old prima donna in a pair of skin tight Wranglers thrown for over 4 thousand yards.

2. Is Tom Brady the softest football player to ever put on pads? Yes. I haven't seen a pro football player whine and cry more than this sissy. If a defender so much as touches him, he immediately jumps up and points at an official. I think that the league ordered its other resident pretty boy Brady Quinn to take out Terrell Suggs for attempting to tackle Tammy Boy. Bad enough Brady got that phantom call, but the Ravens lost their best pass rusher for simply brushing past the NFL's ratings machine. Even his former teammate Rodney Harrison called Brady a "skirt."

On another note, why are other players chastised for having multiple "baby's mommas" while Tammy has 2 kids by 2 different women? You don't see Stetson threatening to pull his line of "cologne," do you? Who in the hell wears Stetson anyway? Cowboys and Beantown Brady ball sac jugglers, that's who.

3. Will Jay Cutler make the Bears Super Bowl contenders? Nope. 26 picks and 25 TD's sunk his season. The Bears have to get him some talent on the offensive side of the ball. Hester, Knox, Bennet, and Olsen are not Marshall, Royal, Stokely, and Scheffler. The Moral of this story: Be careful what you wish for.

Which brings me to our next query, and it's a two parter:

4a. Can Kyle Orton lead a team to the playoffs? Not a chance. I gave Orton credit for managing games and not making too many poor decisions, but when the Broncos' defense started to allow more than 10 points per game, Orton's true colors began to show. Orton didn't lose too many games for the Broncos, but one thing is for sure; he didn't win any either. When Denver truly needed him, his lack of mobility and arm strength led to his demise. Some might say that poor play calling hurt his chances as well...

4b. Is Josh McDaniels qualified to be a head coach in the National Football League? In my opinion, absolutely not. I was against his hiring in the first place, but 6 consecutive wins later I changed my tune. It's funny how winning heals all wounds. But, in hindsight, his first season as Denver's head coach was a debacle. Combine horrible play calling with the fact that he completely removed Eddie Royal and Tony Scheffler from the offense, benched his best player for what he called a "coaches decision" before the biggest game of the season, and that he had his team so incredibly unprepared to win games down the stretch that the Broncos, for a second consecutive season, made NFL history. Never before has an AFC team started the season with 6 consecutive wins and failed to make the playoffs. Hiring Josh McHoodie is the single worst decision Broncos owner Pat Bowlen has ever made. Okay, maybe except for getting rid of the south stands, a presence at old Mile High Stadium that once gave the Broncos the leagues best home field advantage. But that's a different story for a different article.

5. Who advances after week one of the playoffs? In the AFC, New England and Cincinnati. I don't think that the Ravens can overcome the Patriots in Foxboro as well as the NFL's quarterback protection agency. Nor do I see Mark Sanchez winning the lowest rated playoff game ever on the road, despite last weeks outcome. In the NFC, look for Tony Romo to choke against the Eagles. Why? Because that's what Tony Romo does. I see Green Bay beating Arizona as well because the football gods have to have a Favre vs. Green Bay playoff game. That could prove to be better television than the "Jersey Shore." Hopefully if North Korea or Iran ever have a missile that could reach the States, the first place they choose to bomb is not New York or Washington, but New Jersey. The fact that people like that even exist makes me embarrassed to be an American.

6. Will Mike Shannahan turn the Redskins into a contender once again? Absolutely. Especially after Dan Snyder offers Brandon Marshall a ridiculous contract that the Broncos won't even attempt to match. Picture it Skins fans... Campbell throwing to Marshall and Kelly on the outside, Moss in the slot with Cooley stretching the field. Add Shanny's zone blocking scheme to a healthy o-line, and you guys suddenly have a very potent offense. Pair that with an already formidable defense and the Skins compete for the NFC east crown next year. Stamp it!

Happy New Year!!!

This and That

Tiger Woods has announced that he is taking an "indefinite" break from the PGA tour. This is bad news for everyone affiliated with the tour except the players. Phil Mickleson probably did a back flip when he heard Tiger was shelving the clubs for a bit. PGA execs have to be upset though. No Tiger means no ratings. Not having Tiger on the tour is like a bikini contest without women; nobody is going to watch. Most of Tiger's sponsors seem to want to stick by him. I mean hell, does anybody really think that just because Tiger is an adulterating sexual deviant, I am going to be any less inclined to buy a Buick? Hell no. In fact, I might go out right now and buy some Gillette shaving cream, nike golf balls, and a used Regal. When companies select a sports icon to represent their products, their target demographic is men. I have yet to meet a man who is concerned with a professional athlete's fidelity issues. Men care about what happens on the field, court, or course. Athlete's personal lives are of no real concern to regular Joes. You know what is? Wins, losses, highlights, and stats...and beer...and boobs. But that's it! And if he is dropped by these sponsors, hey, there's always Trojan.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has announced that the NFL will begin playing multiple games in the UK next season. The Buffalo Bills already travel to Canada to play one of their home games at the Rodgers Center in Toronto, and now the NFL's fearless leader has decided to move at least two more games to foreign lands. Taking home games away from teams not only deprives that team's fan base of a home game, but also deprives the home city, and local businesses of millions of dollars in revenue. I was dumbfounded when, after the Hurricane Katrina disaster, the NFL went ahead with plans to play one of the Saints' home games in London. If there was one city that certainly needed the money, it was, and still is New Orleans. The British don't care about the NFL any more than Americans care about soccer. Do you and the guys ever get together, head to the local sports bar, and request that they change the big screen to the MLS? Didn't think so. Let the British keep soccer, the Spice Girls, and Fish and Chips. Keep the NFL in the States.

On a side note, if the games in the UK aren't sold out, do the games still get blacked out on the "home" teams' local TV stations, or will the NFL only black out the games in England? Hmmm...

The NBA and NHL seasons are still going on.

Ray Lewis is still a murderer.

Happy Holidays!

Cooking on a Hot Stove

Major League Baseball's free agent signing period has officially begun, and according to Baltimore Orioles general manager Andy MacPhail, the Birds have "payroll flexibility" and are willing to throw major money at a few major free agents this off season. The problem is, however, there aren't really any major free agents to throw money at this year. There's Jason Bay and Matt Holliday, but the O's don't need any outfielders. I think they like where they are with Nolan Reimold, Adam Jones, and Nick Markakis.

While Baltimore needs a veteran starting pitcher, the market's biggest name, John Lackey will be grossly overpaid this year, and I don't think that the O's can win a bidding war with the Yankees. So, remove Lackey from the wish list. That leaves guys like Rich Harden, Ben Sheets, Randy Wolf, and former Orioles ace, Erik Bedard. I would take any one of these guys.

Also on the Orioles Christmas wish list are a third and first baseman. They have options in Michael Aubrey, Luke Scott, and Ty Wigginton, but I would like to see them go after a guy like Adrian Beltre or Chone Figgans for third, and maybe Hank Blaylock, Russell Branyan, or Carlos Delgado at first. The Orioles have prospects for these positions making their way through the minors in Josh Bell and Brandon Snyder, but neither are expected to be ready this season. Trading for a guy like Miguel Cabrera or Adrian Gonzales would cost major prospects, but I think either would be worth it. "You gotta spend money to make money."

That leaves the bull pen. The Orioles traded closer George Sherrill to the Dodgers for the aforementioned Bell, enabling Jim Johnson to take the closer role, a role where he did anything but pitch well. Then again, Sherrill has to be the only pitcher in history to amass thirty saves in a season while loading the bases in each of those saves. Johnson is lights out as a set up guy and I would like to see him return to that role. Koji Uehara will return from injury next season and is expected to pitch from the pen,(he excelled as a closer in Japan) but I still think that the O's should go after a flame thrower like Fernando Rodney. Names like Billy Wagner, Mike Gonzales, and Raphael Soriano have been tossed around a bit, but Rodney reminds me of Lee Smith. I love having that dominant guy coming out of the pen to close out a game. It gets the fans energized and strikes a little fear in the opposing team's heart.

I'm an Orioles fan and I want to compete now. I think that with the right moves, break out seasons from guys like Weiters, Reimold, Matusz, and Tillman, a solid bounce-back season from Jeremy Guthrie, and the continued emergence of Brad Bergesen, the O's could make some serious noise next year.

I know these are a lot of "ifs", but I've always viewed the world through orange tinted glasses anyway! My name is Chris, and I am a Kool-Aidaholic.

Here is my opening day 2010 Baltimore Orioles roster.

1. 2B Brian Roberts

2. CF Adam Jones

3. RF. Nick Markakis

4. 1B. Carlos Delgado

5. 3B. Adrian Beltre

6. C. Matt Weiters

7. LF. Nolan Reimold

8. DH. Luke Scott

9. SS. Cesar Izturis

Bench: IF Ty Wigginton, IF Robert Andino, OF Felix Pie, C ?? I'd like to see Moeller come back.

SP. Ben Sheets, Jeremy Guthrie, Brian Matusz, Brad Bergesen, Chris Tillman

RP. David Hernandez, Jason Berken, Mark Hendrickson, Kam Mickilio, Koji Uehara, Jim Johnson, Fernando Rodney. (might need another lefty in there)

Ain't Nothin' wrong with that!

P.S.

I am getting married on September 25th. What an even more perfect day it would be if I could be with all of the people I love, crowded around a T.V. cheering the O's on in a game against the Yankees or Red Sox that actually means something!! (after the wedding of course, and don't judge me, the bride will be cheering just as loud as everyone else!) A few of you guys who will read this will be there and absolutely know what I am talking about. Could this be the next version of the "Why Not" O's?

Something Magic Happens.....

Exposed?

After starting the season on a six game winning streak, and being the surprise of the year in the NFL, the Denver Broncos have lost two consecutive games. Word on the street is that the Broncos have been exposed for being a one dimensional football team. I couldn't agree more. Defensively, the Broncos are extremely strong, playing incredible football for the majority of the first half of the season. Under Mike Nolan's 3-4 defensive scheme, the Broncos defense, which features 8 new starters has been left out to dry in the second half against two solid offensive clubs in the Ravens and the Steelers. Brian Dawkins, Champ Bailey and company have held the Ravens and The Steelers to 6 and zero points respectively during the first half of the last two games. The problem isn't that the defense has been figured out during the second half of the past two games, rather that the offense has performed so completely miserably that the defense simply wore down due to being on the field for what has seemed like the entire second half in both games. Against the Steelers, the Broncos offense, which should have been called "the eleven guys who were on the field when the Defense wasn't", played for 8 minutes in the second half. Even Anita Marks and the Miami Fury of the women's barnstorming football league could put up points against a good defense, especially given 75% of the half in which to play offense.

It looks like the recipe for shutting down the Broncos offense, which is full of Pro-Bowl caliber players, is to crowd the box to shut down the intermediate passing game. Consequently, by putting eight men in the box to stop the short pass, the Broncos running game has been rendered a non factor. Correll Buckhalter and Knowshon (I promise to fumble at least once a game) Moreno have been worthless. Granted, in playing the Ravens and Steelers, the Broncos faced two of the better defenses in football, but that is still no excuse for the way that the offense has performed of late. One offensive touchdown in two games is pitiful. I don't care if you are playing the '85 Bears, the '00 Ravens, the Steel Curtain, or the Purple People Eaters, an offense has to at least put up a fight. The last two weeks have looked like Miley Cyrus stepping into the ring with Mike Tyson...embarrassing.

So, I implore Josh McDaniels and Kyle Orton (believe me, they read this blog every day) to at least try and open up the passing game. This will stretch the field, (if successful) giving the Broncos running backs at least a shot to gain some ground and maybe control the clock. Brandon Marshall, who in my opinion is the #2 wide out in football behind Houston's Andre Johnson, has the ability to beat any corner in the league. He is 6'5", has great hands as well as an uncanny ability to run after the catch. Tony Scheffler, Eddie Royal, and Brandon Stokely aren't necessarily scrubs by any stretch of the imagination either. With all of this offensive firepower, why not try and chuck the ball a bit? If it comes down to the fact that Kyle Orton simply cannot make those throws, then maybe coach McDaniels should consider a different quarterback. Don't get me wrong, I love old neck-beard, but just being serviceable and efficient isn't going to get it done in this league. Don't bring up Trent Dilfer either, because I really don't think that this Bronco defense measures up to the Ravens defense that, along with Matt Stover, won a super Bowl 9 years ago. From the looks of that defense, I swear that they were the only defense in history that was allowed to field 14 players. Not a piece of green was uncovered. Okay, enough praise for the defense that featured the worlds second most famous, accused, then acquitted, murdering linebacker.

This Sunday, it's the lowly Redskins. Not to be overlooked, even though they do have a cardboard cut-out wearing a headset for a head coach. The Skins have a very solid defense themselves, but like the Broncos, are offensively anemic. The fact that they are without Clinton Portis and Chris Cooley certainly doesn't help. So what to do in this game? First, blitz Jason Campbell all day long. The Skins O-line is suffering badly. Newly acquired Levi Jones will be starting at left tackle.(Elvis Dumerville should be licking his chops) Cambpell wont be able to complete any passes from his hind-parts. Second, at least try and stretch the field a bit. The Redskins strength is pass defense, but I like Denver's chances. Their O-line should be able to contain Albert(so what if I only play six games a season, I make 100 million dollars) Haynesworth, as well as Brian Orakpo, and the rest of the Skins pass rush.

I'm not one for predictions, but I think that the Broncos win this one in a barn burner. Broncos 10, Redskins 7. Both touchdowns very well could be defensive scores, but I figure the Broncos offense can at least muster one field goal. They will be in position for two, but Matt Prater, true to form, misses a 35 yarder.

THROW THE BALL DOWN THE FIELD KYLE!!!!

P.S.

If anyone is going to the game, look for the guy in the alternate orange Brandon Marshall jersey singing "Rocky Mountain Way" in the parking lot. Go Broncos!

Must Be Nice

It's about time! The New York Yankees have finally won another World Series. All of you poor Yankees fans who have stuck by your beloved Yankees throughout this decade-long period of Gotham City mediocrity, finally have your championship. It must be really difficult to be a Yankees fan though. I mean they have only won 27 World Championships, and it seems every season that they don't win the Series they are at least in the playoffs. Oops, sorry, they didn't make it last year. Pain, suffering...

It is a sad day in Baseball my friends. When I was growing up, I remember watching baseball, and loving it for it's purity, for it's excitement, for the hope that no matter what, any team has a shot. Now, things are quite different. It doesn't matter who has the best farm system, or who is better coached or managed. All that matters is who has the fattest wallet. The New York Yankees payroll this season was a ridiculous 208 million dollars. That number is 63 million dollars higher than the next highest team's payroll, which happens to be the other New York team...what are they called again? Oh, yeah, The Mets. Isn't is weird that you never meet any Mets fans, but the world is polluted with Yankees fans? Even the people I meet that are actually from the Tri-State area always love the Yankess...hey, fugettaboutit! And go ahead tell me that there is competitive balance, and that "hey, look at the Rays..." Blah, Blah, Blah. There is always a possibility of a fluke, but nine times out of ten, it's the same eight teams in the playoffs, and honestly, I'm getting tired of it.

.

The Pittsburgh Pirates, a once proud and competitive franchise started this season with a payroll of nearly 49 million dollars, placing them third lowest in the league, just in front of Florida and San Diego. If you break that number down on a per season basis, Alex Rodriguez "earns" 8 million dollars more per season than the entire Pirates ball club...hey, fugettaboutit!! Big Markets earn more money, enabling them to spend more money. Small markets make far less money, allowing them to spend NO money. If you think that there is a competitive balance, call me when Pittsburgh and Kansas City meet in the World Series after a tough playoff run that didn't include them pulling off gigantic upsets over the likes of the Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, Mets, or Phillies.

I may sound like a bitter fan, and as a proud Baltimore Orioles fan, I might be. But first, and foremost I am a baseball fan. The game that I grew up loving is slowly dying, losing fans by the second. The only way to fix this is to install some sort of ceiling on every teams spending ability. This will create an environment in which ANY team truly has a shot. We will see fans return to their seats, more revenue for the game as a whole, and this once great game return to its rightful place as our national pastime. But until that happens....HEEYYY, FUGGETTABOUTIT!!!!

Week Six Power Rankings

Week six is officially in the books. The Broncos, Colts, Saints, and Vikings all remain undefeated. The Bucs, Titans, and Rams all remain, well, defeated. The Redskins embarassed themselves again this week, losing to the Chiefs while only scoring six points. Whoever thinks that the Skins will be suddenly transformed into a competitive football team by taking play calling duties away from Jim Zorn and giving them to Sherm Lewis is kidding themselves. No way Zorn makes it through the bye week. I wonder how much those "Horny for Zorny" t-shirts are going for these days? Whose to blame in D.C? Daniel Snyder gets my vote. How lucky the Washington D.C, Baltimore metro area is to be blessed with Peter Angelos and Dan Snyder. I won't mention the Nationals ownership because, honestly, I don't consider the Nats to be a professional sports team. I don't think Zorn can be blamed for the Skins wretched performance so far this year. The only reason this guy is the head coach of this team is because, after he was hired as the teams new offensive coordinator, Snyder couldn't get a legitimate head coach to come and work for him. With no head coach in place, the job practically fell in Zorn's lap; a job that he was never qualified for in the first place. I feel sorry for the guy.

Nobody should be more embarassed than the lowly Titans. How does a team that was 13-3 a year ago, sporting the best record in football, open the season at 0-6? Not only did Tennessee lose on sunday, but Tom Brady treated their defense like a practice squad. Actually, I think that the Patriots practice squad would have put up a better fight than the Titans did. Giselle Bunchen and the Victoria Secret models could have at least stopped Brady once. Tommy Boy threw for over 300 yards while tossing six touchdowns. A huge game for Brady. The embarrasing part, he played for just over 30 minutes and then took a seat on the bench. I think CBS actually stopped showing the game and cut to the premiere of "Heidi", and nobody, not even in New England, noticed or cared.

Brett Favre closed his eyes and threw the ball as far as he could as the fourth quarter was winding down against the Ravens. Ravens defensive back Frank Walker was beaten so badly on the play that he actually tried to pull Sidney Rice's jersey off. Not only did Walker get called for pass interference, Rice still caught the ball. The Ravens secondary is in trouble. This came after the Vikings defense, holding a 17 point lead allowed the Ravens to pull ahead. Ray Rice scampered in for the go ahead touchdown as every player on the Vikings defense watched. I don't think anyone actually tried to tackle him. The Ravens made a last ditch effort though. Joe Flacco, who in my opinion is the best young quarterback in the league, marched the Ravens down the field, setting up Steven Hauschska for the game winner....wide left. Maybe the Ravens should have held on to Matt Stover, who coincidentally signed with the Colts last week. I wonder if anyone has heard from Walker or Hauschka today. Somebody should look into that, because I'm sure that Ray Lewis is none too happy about losing three straight games.

In other news, The Denver Broncos dominated the San Diego Chargers on Monday Night Football for all of the world to see. The Broncos defense has allowed ten points in the second half...all season. Amazing. Kyle Orton is beginning to look like an M.V.P candidate. The guy has thrown one pick all season (and that was a hail mary at the end of the half against New England that was picked by Randy Moss...hardly a turnover.) The guy just gets the job done. The Broncos have a bye week, followed by another tough game on the road in Baltimore. The Ravens are going to be hungry, and possibly looking for a new kicker and cornerback. Somebody take that knife out of Ray-Ray's hand please!

Here are my power rankings for week 6:

1. Indianapolis Colts (The Colts got healthier during the bye week while Peyton Manning still threw for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns.)
2. New Orleans saints (The Saints would be at number 1 after destroying the Giants, but I can't penalize the idle Colts.)
3. Denver Broncos (Still undefeated, and finally starting to get a little respect. A hungry, angry Ravens squad awaits the Broncos after their bye week.)
4. Minnesota Vikings (Brett Favre is carrying the Vikings offense. Spectacular feat for a 76 year old man. Minnesota's secondary is very suspect.)
5. New York Giants (The Giants ran into a buzz saw Sunday in New Orleans. Eli looked frustrated and flustered all day.)
6. New England Patriots (So, they not only put up 59 points, but completely dominated the Titans defensively.)
7. Atlanta Falcons (Matt Ryan continues to blossom into an outstanding quarterback. The addition of Tony Gonzales gives Atlanta a complete offense.)
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (Getting Polamalu back in the secondary, and the emergence of Rashard Mendenhall has the Steelers looking like the champs once again.)
9. Chicago Bears (After a shaky week 1, Jay Cutler is playing Pro-Bowl caliber football.)
10. Cinncinati Bengals (Losing Antwan Odom for the year is a crushing blow to the stout Bengals D.)