In the scorching heat of expectations the New York Yankees are wilting before summer has even begun. Meanwhile in the shade of simpler expectations, the Baltimore Orioles continue to shock the baseball world.
It is a study of contrasts: New York City with its in—your—face—what—did—you—screw—up—today media to the low—key media of Charm City.
In July of 2006, photographs of Alex Rodriguez tanning in Central Park while playing with his daughter surfaced. With four newspapers that have a circulation of over 600,000 competing for stories in New York City, a father spending time with his child before work makes headlines.
Rather than a simple father and daughter moment, it became an opportunity for New York’s sportswriters to speculate about the lethargy of the team and its highest paid star.
Throughout this season, the Opening Day starter for the Orioles (Take a minute to see if you can name that pitcher.) has ridden his bicycle anonymously through the Baltimore streets on his way to Camden Yards.
Neither the Baltimore Sun nor the Baltimore Examiner have paparazzi waiting to see if he will run a red light or pass on the right.
Instead, they allow the city’s players to be themselves.
Perhaps New York never sleeps because it is too busy tapping its feet impatiently.
With rookies Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy faltering and the hyped Joba Chamberlain no longer pitching like God, sports talk radio has been flooded with phone calls from wannabe GMs. Tony from the Bronx and countless others believe that demotions to the Minors or, in Joba’s case, promotions to the rotation should occur post haste.
Paulie from Brooklyn complains that the Yanks should have “gotten” Santana.
Baltimoreans sport orange t-shirts with Jones written on the back despite the fact that a large percentage couldn’t provide the first name that goes with it.
No phone calls were made calling for Adam Jones’ demotion after his baserunning gaffe resulted in an Orioles loss and a drop from the top of the standings.
Spoken regrets of trading Bedard are held in or not held at all as Adam Jones has slowly raised his batting average from a frat boy’s blood alcohol level to just below league average.
While the Yankees play like high schoolers trying to impress girls with a varsity letter for their jacket, the Orioles are the Little Leaguers playing with the understanding that it is just a game and that after games there’s a nice spread.
Right now, in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Orioles are drubbing the Yankees 10-0.
While the Yankees sit in their dugout with slumped shoulders pondering if the questions the media throws at them will be as hard hitting as their opposition, Baltimore sits joking in their dugout and are thankful that the slow working Steve Trachsel isn’t dragging this game on much longer than it needs to.
In New York, an athlete is forced to be both actor and politician in addition to entertainer. Meanwhile, the lack of attention and high expectations has allowed the Orioles to play for each other. They are conjuring Orioles’ Magic and are pulling 2-out rallies from a top hat.
It is refreshing to see grown men playing the game as children. It is exhilarating to know that one day walking through the city someone could see Jeremy Guthrie riding to the ballpark hours before he slays another supposed contender.
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4 months ago
Suddenly ... the Yankees are old ... and no one really noticed until now.
I think true O's fans , old school fans, new that Bedard was going no matter what and to get 5 for 1, especially of that caliber of players, was a godsend. We also feel that shedding Tejada was a cleansing of sorts and 5 for him was like shoplifting. Hopefully Roberts will bring even more talent our way ... he needs to start fresh and put the 'roids issue to bed in a new park. Soon we'll say goodbye to Ramon and Melvin ... and perhaps Daniel, Sherrill and Luke Scott too. In exchange Andy McPhail will stock Bowie and Frederick with large amounts of talent, young talent, that will bring long term Major League success through promotions and trades.
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