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!!!