Bleacher Report - Articles by Sean Lavery

40 Years Later, What The Space Race Has Meant For Sports.

Sean Lavery — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 19:00:23 -0400

On July 20th, 1969, Mission Commander Neil Alden Armstrong set foot on the lunar surface. This act was the crux of what is, without a doubt, the greatest accomplishment in the history of mankind. Armstrong's boot print was the first on the Moon, and the Apollo program marks the only time mankind has ever stepped on another celestial body.

The space race has resulted in unprecedented scientific and technological breakthroughs. Soil and rock samples helped scientists come to a general consensus on the formation of the Moon (generally accepted to be the giant impact hypothesis), which sheds clues to both the past and future of the Earth.

NASA's work has led to countless breakthroughs that impact everyone on a much more practical and personal scale as well. People first point to Tang, Teflon, and Velcro (all of which actually predate the space race), but look right past countless other technologies.

Global Positioning Satellites, enriched baby formula, many medical technologies (CAT scans, MRIs, kidney dialysis, robotic surgery, and more), weather satellites (and the improved forecasting, particularly of Hurricanes), and freeze-dried foods all directly stem from NASA.

Much more importantly, NASA's work with communication satellites laid the groundwork for much of modern American life. Next time you take out your cell phone or watch a live broadcast from across the world, think where those technologies originated.

It's unquestionable the amount of impact the space race had upon American culture, both during and after the Cold War, but what's often overlooked is the impact it has had upon the sporting world.

NASA's breakthroughs have led to better technologies in a number of sports applications.

Recently Speedo's LZR Racer swimsuit has received a lot of publicity and success in the pool. 94% of winning racers during the 2008 Beijing Olympic games were wearing the suit, and the LZR was a definite factor in the 25 world records that were broken during the games (23 of the records came from swimmers wearing a LZR).

The suit, which boasts that it can improve swimmers' times by up to 2.2%, was partially developed by NASA.

A number of NASA-developed fabrics, some similar to those used in LZR, have been used in numerous Athletic purposed. One such use is the reflective blankets that are used by marathon runners to help stabilize body temperatures at the end of races.

Other space-age materials have been used in light-weight golf clubs.

Some sabre-metric agencies are now experimenting with advanced technologies, namely GPS to track players' positions in the field, to create more encompassing and accurate fielding statistics in baseball.

Ever worn a Nike Air Max athletic shoe? You better thank NASA for that too. A process known as blow rubber molding, developed by NASA, is essential in their creation.

Nothing has changed sports more than the improvements in wireless communications pioneered by NASA early in their history. Without that, watching sporting events from every location of globe, live, simply wouldn't be possible.

A majority of the world is too young to know anything before the space race, so live television is often taken for granted. Watching the Olympics, World Cup, or British Open in real time simply wouldn't be possible without NASA.

The juxtaposition of science, sports, and the arts in modern society is truly one of our great shames. From an early age, sports and science are separated. But, as NASA has clearly shown, the two can, and are, linked.

Could Nolan Reimold Win the AL Rookie of the Year Award?

Sean Lavery — Sat, 23 May 2009 22:55:52 -0400

Before the season started, most analysts were calling for David Price, Elvis Andrus, Matt Wieters, or Travis Snider to win the AL Rookie of the Year award.

Orioles' outfielder Nolan Reimold would probably be only the third Oriole considered, after super-prospect Wieters and Japanese import Koji Uehara. But after being called up to the majors on May 14, Reimold has quickly shown he is very capable of placing himself in the discussion.

Despite a 1-for-9 start of his career at the plate, Reimold has hit .278 with four RBI and two home runs, including a massive 400-foot bomb off of Mariano Rivera, in his first nine games. His 0-for-4 night at Washington on Saturday was only the second time in his short career he hasn't recorded a hit (though he reached base on an error). He's also proved his defensive doubters wrong, with 59 innings of very solid play in left field.

Oh, by the way, he's the only player to ever hit his first career MLB homer off of Rivera.

The 25 year-old has proved very worthy of his promotion to a crowded left-field in Camden Yards. Despite his .394 average at Triple-A Norfolk, Reimold had to wait until injuries to Adam Jones and Luke Scott for him to get his chance to play in the big leagues. But he's played well enough to continue to earn time, even after Jones has returned.

Perhaps more importantly, he's the starting left-fielder for the Orioles in their current series with the Washington Nationals. This is especially important due to the lack of designated hitters in the National League ballpark, giving one less spot for the combination of Reimold, Felix Pie, and Lou Montanez to compete for.

It seems likely that Reimold will continue to have significant playing time even after Luke Scott returns from injury.

It's too early to crown the AL Rookie of the Year, and Reimold has an even smaller sample size. It would be an understatement to say a lot can change between now and the end of the season.

But if Reimold continues to produce at this level, he'll be on the short list of players in contention for the honor at the end of the season.

BREAKING DOWN THE AL ROTY RACE

Elvis Andrus, SS (Tex): .292 BA, 9 RBI, 3 HR, 6 SB

Andrus has seen more playing time than any other rookie in the American League, and it's helped him. He's having a very solid season offensively, hasn't been caught stealing yet, and has excellent defensive abilities (though he does have seven errors). There's little doubt that, if the award was given today, he'd win it.

Ricky Romero, SP (Tor): 2-0, 1.71 ERA, 1.10 WHIP

Romero was electric through his first three starts of the season, and was looking not only like a ROTY candidate, but a Cy Young candidate. Then he sneezed. On April 20 he was placed on the disabled list, after he sneezed so hard that he strained his right oblique muscle. He was recalled on May 23 as Toronto sent down three other promising rookies to Triple-A. If Romero can pick up where he left off, he could easily claim ROTY honors.

Trevor Cahill, SP (Oak): 2-4, 4.62 ERA

Cahill has a bit of an up and down season, but when he's on, he's really on. In seven of his nine starts, he's allowed two earned runs or less. The problem is during the other two starts, he's given up seven earned in each (both in fewer than three innings of work). If Cahill can limit his bad outings, he will have a solid shot at post-season accolades.

Koji Uehara, SP (Bal): 2-3, 4.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP

Uehara has a very solid, but somewhat unspectacular, season. Outside of his April 13 start against the Rangers, Uehara has given up no more than four earned runs in any start. Aside of leaving Saturday's game after the third inning due to a sore hamstring, he's pitched at least five innings every time he's started.

He has displayed excellent control (35:9 K-BB ratio), but hasn't been dominant. The 34 year-old Japanese pitcher's chances hinge upon the seriousness of his injury, but he might not have enough highlight reel material to earn the honors even if it is minor.

Andrew Bailey, RP (Oak): 3-0, 2.03 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 1 Sv

Bailey has been the most dominant of the rookie relievers this season. He's held opposing batters to a mere .133 BA and had registered 10.4 K/9 in 26.2 innings this season. It seems increasingly likely that the A's will place increased responsibility upon Bailey as the season progresses. The closers mantle or a move to the rotation both seem potential outcomes, and either will give Bailey a biggest opportunity to win ROTY.

David Price, SP (TB): 1-4, 3.93 ERA (AAA)

Price was upset to start the season in Triple-A Durham, and has admitted that he wasn't mentally prepared at the beginning of the season because of it. After a rough start to the season, Price has turned it around. Reports indicate that Price will start in place of injured Scott Kazmir on Monday.

Matt Wieters, C (Bal): .288 BA, 24 RBI, 5 HR (AAA)

Wieters has cooled off since his scorching-hot spring training for the Orioles, but he's still being productive both offensively and defensively for Triple-A Norfolk. He's expected to be called up to Camden sometimes in the next two weeks to start his MLB career.

Washington Redskins Need To Cut Out the Cutler Talks

Sean Lavery — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 22:37:27 -0400

As anyone who's paid any attention to sports news today well knows, the Broncos have shifted into full "trade Jay Cutler" mode. The disgruntled quarterback and team management have apparently come to a stalemate, and it's clear now that No. 6 will not be wearing a Broncos jersey next season.

A number of sources have linked the Washington Redskins as a potential suitor for Cutler, and at first glance, such a move makes sense for the 'Skins.

Washington finished 8-8 last year, and one of the biggest weaknesses over their 2-6 second half of the season was the offense and quarterback play. Jason Campbell only had four TD passes and never threw for more than 232 yards in those last eight games of the season.

Cutler is coming off of a Pro-Bowl and 4,500-yard season. In games in which the Broncos defense has given up 21 points or less, Cutler is 13-1 in his career (with the sole loss coming in an overtime matchup with Brett Favre and his Packers).

But as one continues to examine the situation, it becomes clear that Cutler is not the answer for this Redskins team.

It would be hard to argue that Cutler doesn't offer a noticeable upgrade to Campbell, but the cost and risk far outweigh the likely reward of a trade for him.

Jason Campbell had a QB rating of 84.3 last season. Cutler's was only a slighly higher 86.

Jay may have put up huge numbers, but that's because he's a "gunslinger" and takes far more risks than Campbell. That mentality resulted in 18 interceptions, three times the amount that Jason threw (six).

Campbell had three games in which he threw more interceptions than touchdowns, while Cutler had six.

And besides that, there's no indication that Cutler would duplicate those numbers that were good if he were to move to the nation's capital. While both teams ran West Coast-based offenses, the two teams have very significant differences.

Denver's offensive line only allowed 11 sacks last season. But in 2007, when the Broncos line gave up 27 sacks, Cutler threw for 1,000 fewer yards and coughed up the ball 11 times, seven more times than he did in 2008.

The Redskins line is closer to that 2007 Broncos line than it is to the 2008 one in terms of performance. Campbell has been sacked 66 times in his career with the Redskins and met turf 38 times last year.

Campbell has already improved his fumble issues dramatically (only six on those 38 sacks). On the other hand, Cutler would likely cough it up just as often, and even if he didn't, it's unlikely he would be as productive without the same level of protection.

Additionally, Cutler had more and better targets to throw to in Denver than he would in DC.

No offense to the very skilled Santana Moss, but he's no Brandon Marshall. One could even argue that Denver's No. 2, Eddie Royal, is equal to Moss.

And beyond those two Broncos mentioned, Cutler also had Tony Sheffler and Brandon Stokely.

Besides Moss, the Redskins have no other legitimate recieving options aside of tight end Chris Cooley; Antwaan Randle-El has struggled since joining the team. The two highly touted rookies, Devin Thomas and Malcom Kelly, combined for only eighteen catches (and what feels like twice as many dropped passes) last season.

Then, there's the question of attitude. Why would Washington want a player who just whined his way out of an unfavorable situation?

The quarterback is the leader of the team; he can't have attitude issues. He needs to deal with adversity and lead the team through it.

I think we just saw how Cutler deals with adversity: He doesn't. He shuts down and plays the crybaby.

But above all, the Redskins should be wary of the price tag associated with Cutler. It would take not only Jason Campbell but also likely a first-round pick (and possibly one more low-round pick as well). Considering the Redskins are already short second-, fourth-, and seventh-round selections this year (and a fifth rounder next year), more picks are an exceptionally large thing to ask.

Those picks could be used to start rebuilding the offensive line or fill other need areas.

The other possibility would be moving Chris Cooley and a lower-round pick (though it would probably still be at least this year's third rounder or next year's second).

While Fred Davis, Cooley's backup, is talented, there's not a real indication that's he's ready to start for the 'Skins yet.

And who really wants to see Chris in a different uniform, anyway?

Bottom line: Cutler is not worth what the Redskins would have to give up to acquire him.

How Eric Maynor Broke My Bracket...and My Heart

Sean Lavery — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 14:07:21 -0400

I went to high school with Villanova guard Scottie Reynolds. It went down to the wire whether I would attend Drexel University or Virginia Commonwealth for college, ultimately opting for Drexel.

I work less than a mile away from the Wachovia Center. Getting tickets to session two at the Wachovia Center was a no brainer.

Even more fortunately for me, some of my friends from VCU were driving up and had an extra ticket and offered it to me if I bought them some cheesesteaks. After work, I ran up to Geno's and met them at the game.

Now, for many, donning a t-shirt of a conference rival and sitting with a group of their fans would seem freakish and unnatural. However, for me, it just felt right. I'd much rather see a team I followed through the CAA for the past few seasons than UCLA.

As an added bonus, I had already heard many of their chants, so it wasn't hard to catch on.

The Villanova game came and passed. The 'Nova fans were quiet for much of the first half, but as the Wildcats got rolling they showed why it was a home-court advantage. My fellow Herndon alumnus struggled, as Scottie finished with single-digit points.

But Villanova prevailed over American, and many Wildcat fans called it a night and left after the first game.

The UCLA fans were limited by clearly die-hards. A little over a section of the stadium was filled with powder blue who had ventured from the far coast. But the VCU fans had them outnumbered three-to-one, and it showed.

As game two started, the VCU fans were louder and rowdier, and for the first 15 minutes the game was close. After VCU tied the game at 23 with 4:58 left in the first half, UCLA pulled away for a 35-25 lead at the half.

The rim was not a fan of the Rams in the first half, as shot after shot bounced out. VCU only shot 32 percent from the floor and couldn't generate anything off the offensive glass. They were lucky to only be down by 10 going into halftime.

Before the game, my friends had reinforced something that I already well knew. VCU is a second-half team. Eric Maynor, the only senior on the team and the player who hit the winning shot to upset Duke two years ago, has a tendency to take over games in the clutch.

He lights on fire in the second half, and brings the rest of the team with him.

Even down by 10 to a team that has more national titles than VCU has tournament appearances, Maynor and the Rams couldn't be counted out.

The second half started with VCU slowly chewing away at the Bruins' lead. Maynor made a jumper four minutes it that cut it down to 39-34. After a few minutes of back and forth play, UCLA pulled ahead. Jrue Holiday scored six consecutive points to give the Bruins an 11-point lead with eight minutes to play.

Many of the Villanova fans who had stuck around began to file out of the arena. To everyone but the Rams faithful, the game appeared over.

It didn't help that VCU had missed on the first shot of 1+1 free throws three times in a row either.

With four minutes left, UCLA still led by nine. Then it happened.

Eric Maynor drained a three-pointer, cutting the lead to six. Just 25 seconds later, 5'10" sophomore guard Joey Rodriguez nailed another three-pointer. It was a one-possession game with three-and-a-half minutes left.

The VCU fans were on their feet, and the Wildcats still left around joined in. The arena had shifted from a slight-VCU advantage to the Siegel Center. It was like home court. The 'Nova faithful joined in with the VCU chants and had clearly picked a side.

Collison and TJ Gwynn traded lay-ups in the next minute, leaving the game 63-60 in favor of UCLA with two minutes left. Holliday then fouled Bradford Burgess, putting his team over the limit and sending Burgess to the line for two.

WHOOSH! V-C-U GO RAMS GO!

The pair of free-throws had pushed the UCLA lead, which was 11 points only a few minutes ago, to a single-point margin.

UCLA went the other way, and Aboya drew a foul on T.J. Gwynn. Aboya nailed both of his shots. The game was three points again.

A UCLA fan waved to "bye-bye" to me from across the arena.

Maynor streaked with the ball the other way and drew a foul.

He sank his first shot.

WOOSH! V-C-U GO RAMS GO!

The chant was still there after he drained the second, but it wasn't audible above the roar of Villanova fans, as the game was once again a one-point difference with 48 seconds remaining.

UCLA trusted the ball to their senior point guard, Darren Collison. The Bruins drew out the shot clock. Collison sent one up with 0:22 left.

And 6'10" Larry Sanders sent it right back down with his fourth, and most critical, block of the game for the Rams.

The arena was deafening.

Nikola Dragovic tried to send up a shot before the shot clock expired, but couldn't get it off.

VCU had the ball back and called a time out with 13 seconds left.

Everyone in the arena thought the same thing. Two seasons ago, 11-seeded VCU knocked off six-seeded Duke on a last-second jump shot by Maynor.

And to the surprise of absolutely nobody, Maynor got the ball.

Collison pressured him the length of the court, keeping his feet moving and Maynor off-balance.

Maynor never got an open-look, throwing up a last-ditch, off-balance jumper as the clock ticked down.

It grazed off the front of the rim and fell short. UCLA survived 65-64.

Eric Maynor, who had beat so many buzzers and pulled the Rams through so many second halves in his career, couldn't land the last shot of his college career.

The next stop for VCU all-time leader in points and assists is likely the first round of the NBA draft. Maynor is projected to go as high as 19th in next season's draft.

All hope is not lost for the VCU Rams next seasons. Coach Anthony Grant is just the latest in a long line of quality VCU coaches.

The VCU coaching staff has included Tubby Smith (Minnesota), David Hobbs (ex-Alabama), and Jeff Capel (Oklahoma) over the years.

Grant has already been rumored to be linked to multiple SEC jobs, but has refused to comment. Many NCAA, CAA, and VCU followers feel that he'll remain with the school at least until many of his current players graduate.

Maynor is not their only NBA-talent either. Sophomore Larry Sanders is projected to be a future first-rounder as well, though not until after at least his junior season. Guards Joey Rodriguez and Bradford Burgess also have solid CAA-potential, and VCU has signed Ben Eblen (an 88-rated prospect) to ultimately replace Maynor.

UCLA will face Villanova next on Saturday. Both teams are physical and the game should be a tight, physical contest. 'Nova has home-field advantage, playing in Philadelphia, which could sway the outcome of the match.

But UCLA managed to survive a hostile crowd against VCU.

Grading the Baltimore Orioles' Offseason: The Devil Is in the Details

Sean Lavery — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:43:48 -0500

The Orioles are hoping for a great Valentine's gift when pitchers and catchers report Saturday for the beginning of Spring Training.

The Orioles, whose pitching was horrendous in 2008, have 37 pitchers attending in hopes that some will rise above the rest to secure roster and rotation spots.

As Spring Training gets underway, it's time to look back at the Orioles' offseason.

The Good

Andy MacPhail signed Nick Markakis to a six-year, $66.1 million deal that will keep the RFer in Baltimore through 2014, with a mutual option for 2015. Markakis is a budding star, a great bat (top 10 in the AL in almost every offensive category), with a cannon arm. Locking him up long-term was a huge move.

The Orioles improved their pitching, which was the team's biggest weakness in 2008. The additions of Koji Uehara, Rich Hill, Mark Hendrickson, David Pauley, and John Parrish give the Orioles a slew of new options to turn to in 2009. Uehara and Hill are projected to be starters, while Hendrickson, Pauley, and Parrish will compete for the back end of the rotation and long-relief spots.

Baltimore bolstered its defense with the additions of Cesar Izturis (SS), Felix Pie (OF), and Ryan Freel (IF/OF). Infield utility player/left fielder Ty Wigginton was also added via free agency to provide additional depth, flexibility, and a right-handed bat.

The Orioles added stop-gap and high-potential players without hurting their future. They bought time for catcher Matt Wieters to spend in AAA Norfolk with the addition of Gregg Zaun, and the pitching additions allow for Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta, Troy Patton, and Chris Tillman to further develop in the minors. They only gave up Garett Olson, Ramon Hernandez, Randor Bierd, and a player to be named later during their trades this off-season.

The Bad

The Orioles and Brian Roberts still have yet to sign a contract extension. The 2B, who has spent his entire career with the Orioles, said he does not want to negotiate during the season. Questions about whether or not he will return in 2010 and potential trades will be a distraction during the season.

Roberts is only one part of the questions looming about the future of the infield.

Roberts, Aubrey Huff, Melvin Mora, and Ryan Freel will all be eligible for free agency after the end of the 2009 season. Mora does have a team option for 2010. Wigginton and Izturis are also going to be eligible for free agency after 2010. The Orioles did little to find future replacements for these players or locate potential trade partners over the offseason.

Several players on the Orioles roster are out of options, meaning they'll have to clear waivers to be sent down to the minors. This includes new additions David Pauley, Rich Hill, and Felix Pie, as well as Hayden Penn, Dennis Sarfate, and Scott Moore. John Parrish also has an opt-out clause, where he can leave the Orioles if he's not on the Major League roster by April.

The Questions

Who is Going To Make the Rotation?

Aside from Jeremy Guthrie and likely Koji Uehara, the Orioles rotation is wide open. Rich Hill, now reunited with his old pitching coach, Rich Kranitz, is favored to win the third spot, but his control problems could interfere. If Hill can regain his control, he'll be in, but if not he might not even crack the 25-man roster.

David Pauley, Mark Hendrickson, Hayden Penn, Radhames Liz, John Parrish, Chris Waters, Matt Albers, and Chris Tillman will all be given a legitimate chance at the back end of the rotation.

Who is Going To Be Traded?

With the additions of Ryan Freel, Ty Wigginton, and Felix Pie, the future of many Orioles with the club is now in question. In particular, the infielders with expiring deals (Mora, Huff, Roberts) and outfielder/DH Luke Scott.

Mora has a no-trade clause, a team-option for 2010, and the least trade value, so it's likely he's going to stay in Baltimore.

Analysts have often criticized Scott's defensive ability in left, but metrics show that he was far from bad. His .990 fielding percentage was highest among AL LFers with at least 800 IP, and his 2.17 RF was second among the same group (behind Carl Crawford).

At least one of the group will be unloaded, but the Orioles will wait for an offer that matches their value (likely because of an injury to another team) before trading them. Danys Baez, George Sherill, and Hayden Penn will also be shopped around to other teams before the deadline.

Who is Going To Close?

With the return of Chris Ray from injury, All-Star George Sherill's closing position is now in question.

Sherill pitched well in the first half of 2008, earning a spot in the All-Star Game. He broke down during the second half of the season, though.

Both Ray and Sherill have upside, but lots of questions as well.

When Will Matt Wieters Play?

Matt Wieters is called one of the top prospects, if not the top prospect, in all of baseball. The catcher is expected to crack the MLB roster at some point this season, although not necessarily in a starting role.

He is expected to begin the season with the Orioles' AAA affiliate in Norfolk. Expect the Orioles to delay his promotion until at least a few weeks into the season in order to delay his free agency until 2015. A June call-up is not out of the question.

The Grade

Andy MacPhail and the Orioles had a strong offseason. The club was improved for 2009, and they built for the future without hurting what they already have. Questions still remain, especially long-term about the future of the infield.

B+

2009 Outlook

Projected Lineup

Brian Roberts, 2B
Adam Jones, CF
Nick Markakis, RF
Aubrey Huff, 1B
Melvin Mora, 3B
Luke Scott (RHP)/Ty Wigginton, DH
Felix Pie, LF
Gregg Zaun, C
Cesar Izturis, SS

Bench

IF/OF Ryan Freel
IF/OF Ty Wigginton (RHP)/ OF Luke Scott (LHP)
C Guillermo Quiroz

Starting Rotation

RHP Jeremy Guthrie
RHP Koji Uehara
LHP Rich Hill
RHP David Pauley
LHP Chris Waters

Bullpen

LHP George Sherill, Closer
RHP Chris Ray, Set-up/Alternate Closer
RHP Jim Johnson, 7th/8th Innings
LHP Jamie Walker
RHP Dennis Sarfate
RHP Matt Albers
LHP Mark Hendrickson, Long-relief
RHP Hayden Penn, Long-relief

Manager Dave Trembley reportedly wants to use a 13-man pitching staff, which shrinks the bench to only three players. This could change during Spring Training, especially given that it doesn't allow for a real backup to SS Cesar Izturis (neither Freel or Wigginton are great at short). If a fourth bench spot is added, expect Chris Gomez to take it.

Freel will get time in both left and center field (in addition to his use as an infield utility player) through the season to provide time off and competition for Pie if he falters. Luke Scott should also see a few games in left.

While Hendrickson will begin the season as a reliever, I expect him to be in the rotation for at least part of the season (either to deal with injuries or lack of performance from a starter).

Projected Record

75 wins - 87 losses. 5th, AL East.

Baltimore Orioles Ink Ty Wigginton

Sean Lavery — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:45:57 -0500

The Baltimore Orioles and free-agent infielder Ty Wigginton have agreed to a two-year contract, according to Ken Rosenthal.

Wigginton hit .285/.350/.526 with 23s HR and 58 RBI playing 3B and left field with the Astros in 2008.

Wigginton will likely take over duties at 1B to replace free agent Kevin Millar, who has not been offered a contract by the Orioles. Toronto offered Millar a contract earlier in the week.

Wigginton will likely also serve as back-up at 3B and DH, which makes the 25 roster that much more crowded. It is now much harder for Chris Gomez to make the Orioles MLB roster, and may signal that Luke Scott, Melvin Mora, or Aubrey Huff may be traded (either now or during the season).

Recasting the NHL All-Stars

Sean Lavery — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:13:34 -0500

Plenty, including myself, have griped about the roster for the NHL All-Star Game.

The blame has been pegged on the fans, for biased and potentially fraudulent voting of the starters. The blame has been pegged on the rule that all 32 teams must have at least one player representing them.

Given those rules, could a better roster have been constructed?

Here's my take on creating a 2009 NHL All-Star roster, with at least one player from every team in the game.

STARTERS

East

Alexander Ovechkin (LW, WAS) - 31 Goals (NHL leader), 59 Points, +13

Marc Savard (C, BOS) - 16 Goals, 56 Points, +28 (NHL leader)

Evgeni Malkin (C/W, PIT) - 19 Goals, 51 Assists (NHL leader), 70 Points (NHL leader), +13

Mike Green (D, WAS) - 12 Goals, 33 Points, +17, 25:39 ATOI (only 35 GP)

Dennis Wideman (D, BOS) - 31 Points, +26 (Leader among Defensemen), 25:47 ATOI

Tim Thomas (G, BOS) - 20-5-4 Record, 2.09 GAA, .934 Sv% (NHL leader), 3 SO

West

Pavel Datsyuk (C, DET) - 19 Goals, 56 Points, +21

Shane Doan (W, PHO) - 18 goals, 46 Points, 122 Hits

Rick Nash (LW, CLS) - 19 Goals, 43 Points, +10

Dan Boyle (D, SJ) - 13 Goals, 38 Points (Leader among Defensemen), +12

Nicklas Lidstrom (D, DET) - 32 points, +16

Steve Mason (G, CLS) - 17-11-2 Record, 2.05 GAA (NHL leader), .926 Sv%, 6 SO (NHL leader)

RESERVES

East

Zach Parise (LW, NJ) - 28 Goals, 55 Points, +20

Sidney Crosby (C, PIT) - 17 Goals, 60 Points

Martin St. Louis (RW, TB) - 17 Goals, 46 Points, +11

Thomas Vanek (LW, BUF) - 28 Goals, 43 Points

Jeff Carter (C/W, PHI) - 30 Goals, 51 Points, +12

Eric Staal (C, CAR) - 20 Goals, 35 Points

Ilya Kovalchuk (LW, ATL) - 20 Goals, 49 Points

Nicklas Backstrom (C, WAS) - 36 Assists, 48 Points, +8

Nikolai Zherdev (RW, NYR) - 12 Goals, 39 Points

Andrei Markov (D, MON) - 37 Points, +10

Mark Streit (D, NYI) - 35 Points, 25:18 ATOI

Filip Kuba (D, OTT) - 25 Points, +10

Tomas Kaberle (D, TOR) - 29 Points, 8 PIM

Carey Price (G, MON) - 16-5-5 Record, 2.35 GAA, .919 Sv%

Tomas Vokoun (G, FLA) - 12-13-3 Record, 2.68 GAA, .916 Sv%, 3 SO

West

Ryan Getzlaf (C, ANH) - 17 Goals, 56 Points, 92 Hits

Joe Thornton (C, SJ) - 43 Assists, 55 Points, +23

Jarome Iginla (RW, CGY) - 19 Goals, 53 Points

Patrick Marleau (C/W, SJ) - 25 Goals, 51 Points, +21

Daniel Sedin (LW, VAN) - 22 Goals, 48 Points, +11

Marian Hossa (RW, DET) - 22 Goals, 46 Points, +11

Patrik Berglund (C, STL) -14 Goals, 30 Points, +14

Dustin Brown (RW, LAK) - 17 Goals, 33 Points, 168 Hits

Loui Eriksson (LW, DAL) - 22 Goals, 33 Points, +6

Shea Weber (D, NSH) - 14 Goals, 32 Points, +6, 100 Hits

Brian Campbell (D, CHI) - 30 Points, +6

Brett Clark (D, COL) - 10 Points, 143 Blocked Shots (2nd NHL)

Sheldon Souray (D, EDM) - 12 Goals, 31 Points

Nicklas Backstrom (G, MIN) - 22-15-2 Record, 2.22 GAA, .926 Sv%, 5 SO

Roberto Luongo (G, VAN) - 11-6-4 Record, 2.37 GAA, .921 Sv%, 5 SO

BREAKDOWN

Teams with three players: BOS (3 starters), DET (2 starters), SJ, WAS (2 starters).

Teams with two players: CLS (both starters), MON, NSH, PIT, VAN

Rest with one player.

Notice how the four teams with the best records in the NHL are the ones sending the most players?

There are still some notable snubs; such as Devin Setoguchi, Patrick Elias, Brian Rafalski, half the Boston roster, Mike Richards, and Patrick Kane. But there is only so much room on the roster, and having to put members of the Blues and Stars cost some spots.

Some will question why I have Shane Doan starting over Jarome Iginla and Marian Hossa, and the answer is his physical play and defensive abilities are far superior.

Savard gets the nod over Crosby mainly because of the massive plus-minus difference, where Savard leads the NHL with plus-28 while Crosby is only plus-3.

Luongo already has FIVE shutouts this season, one behind Mason's lead, despite missing time to injury. That earned him a spot over the Anaheim and Chicago goalies.

What are your thoughts on this roster against the real roster? What changes would you make? What does your roster look like?

Baltimore Orioles Add Another Pitching Prospect, Trade Randor Bierd

Sean Lavery — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:14:21 -0500

The Baltimore Orioles and Boston Red Sox have agreed to a trade to swap young pitchers. Baltimore will send 25-year old relief pitcher Randor Bierd in exchange for 25-year old starting pitcher prospect David Pauley from Boston.

Pauley, who had a 3.55 ERA in 25 starts for Triple A Pawtucket in 2008, was designated for assignment after the Red Sox signed John Smoltz.

Bierd pitched 36.6 innings (with a 4.91 ERA) for Baltimore in '08, and spent a large portion of the season on the DL.

Bierd was acquired from the Tigers during the 2007 Rule 5 draft. All Rule V picks must be on the major league roster if healthy.

This trade makes a lot of sense for both teams.

Pauley could be a solid No. 4 or 5 pitcher as soon as 2009, which is something that the Orioles desperately need. Despite the additions of Koji Uehara and Mark Hendrickson, the Orioles still have a porous rotation and need to fill starting spots.

Pauley will likely fill the shoes of Garett Olson, who was traded to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for OF Felix Pie.

The Red Sox, who hope to once again reach the play-offs, already have a solid rotation and wouldn't have much room for Pauley. Bierd provides them an additional bullpen pitcher and has outstanding control. He won't be a star, but he can be a very solid addition to their bullpen.

The Life of Brian (Roberts): Where Will Brian Roberts Play in 2009?

Sean Lavery — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 11:00:14 -0500

I do not envy the situation that Brian Roberts is in, but I would like to be his real estate agent. Over the past two offseasons, Brian Roberts has been on the trading block.

And once again, there are rumors abound regarding the Orioles' second basemen being traded away.

The rumors are intense enough that his homepage even contains the quote, "Brian Roberts doesn't concern himself with trade rumors but works to make himself as durable as possible for whatever team he may play for. (AP)"

The thing that's different this time is that he's in the last year of his contract. He will have a say in where he plays in 2010.

But where will he play in 2009?

BALTIMORE ORIOLES

His jersey number doesn't lie, Brian Roberts is the Orioles' No. 1 player. The face of the Orioles franchise, he is both the best player and their best trade bait.

Drafted by the Orioles in 1999, he has played his entire career for the birds. He worked his way through the minors and has played his way into two All-Star games (2005 and 2007).

Roberts was in the top 10 in the AL in Runs, SBs, BBs, 2Bs, 3Bs, and OBP. His 181 hits was one shy of teammates Aubrey Huff and Nick Markakis and a tie for ninth in the AL. He's just one year removed from leading the AL in stolen bases (50) in 2007.

The Orioles and GM Andy MacPhail would love to keep a player of his caliber on the team. Thus why MacPhail has been hesitant to trade him and has reportedly offered him an extension at around $10M/year.

Unfortunately for the Orioles, those contract negotiations have come to an impasse. Roberts apparently wants to play for a contender and it will cost the Orioles more to keep him because of that. He doesn't want the distraction of an in-season negotiation either, so the O's will have to lock him up before the season starts.

MacPhail also wants the Orioles to become younger and more cost effective. Roberts, 31, still has good years ahead of him, but his cost may be hard to justify for a player of his age to a team that's not ready to compete. Especially when his skill set is based so heavily on his speed.

The Orioles know the odds of signing an extension with Roberts get worse with each passing day, so they're preparing to play in 2009 with or without him. Ryan Freel, Chris Gomez, and Jolbert Cabrera all have major-league experience at 2B, but none are long-term solutions.

The Orioles do not have any high-end prospects at 2B either. Their last quality high-end second base prospect was Mike Fontenot who they traded (along with 2B/utility Jerry Hairston Jr.) to the Cubs in 2005.

CHICAGO CUBS

Apparently the Cubs are interested in acquiring yet another Orioles second basemen.

The Cubs (MacPhail's former employer) have been the most common partner for the Orioles in trade rumors regarding Brian.

Reportedly, the two teams agreed on the players to be swapped last offseason, but MacPhail got cold feet and backed out at the last minute.

Rumors first resurfaced this year when the Orioles were mentioned as a possible third team in a deal that would send Jake Peavy from the Padres to the Cubs. Even after those negotiations fell apart, the rumors persisted. They especially intensified once the Cubs traded Mark DeRosa to the Indians.

If the Cubs do not trade for Roberts, Mike Fontenot is likely to be their starting 2B. He's a very respectable offensive and defensive player who could be hitting in the top half of the order, few Cubs fans would have a problem with "Fonte-yes" starting.

But he doesn't have the upside, speed, or switch-hitting ability of Brian Roberts.

The trade rumors have often been as much about Felix Pie as they have been about Roberts. Pie's value to the Orioles may be greatly decreased now that they've acquired Ryan Freel and Lou Montanez played well at the end of last season. The O's have a crowded and young outfield.

Since the O's acquired Cesar Izturis, their desire for Ronny Cedeno has likely also decreased. Mike Fontenot is supposedly not on the trading block.

Unless Fontenot makes a return to the Orioles, I don't see the players lining up this year for a trade to take place. It may be more likely that Roberts plays on the South Side with the...

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Just after New Year's rumors surfaced that the Orioles and White Sox were negotiating a trade involving Brian Roberts and Sox starting pitcher Gavin Floyd.

Floyd, 25, a Severna Park, MD native attended Mount St. Joseph's High School. If those sound familiar, it's because they're the same town and high school as Mark Teixeira hails from. Floyd was actually selected one spot ahead of Teixeira in the 2004 draft.

Floyd was 17-8 with a 3.84 ERA and more than 200 innings pitched in 2008. That's exactly the type of pitcher the Orioles need to allow their bullpen and young pitchers to play their best.

Better yet for the Orioles, the White Sox are willing to trade him for Brian Roberts. The Sox prefer a heads up deal, but the Orioles want more.

A trade of Roberts would obviously leave a gaping hole in the Orioles infield, so they reportedly are also asking for White Sox 2B prospect Chris Getz.

Chicago has not been shy about their infatuation with Getz and their desire to get him more playing time. But when a player like Brian Roberts becomes available, it is easier to mitigate such desires.

Trading both you players may be too high a price for the White Sox though, especially while Orlando Hudson is still available as a free agent.

Hudson is a solid offensive player but he's a stud defensively, with three gold gloves. He's not as capable a player as Brian Roberts over-all, but he can be added without giving up players. This makes him a very attractive alternative for teams like the White Sox.

If the White Sox don't sign Hudson, the chances of this trade increases greatly.

NEW YORK YANKEES

Once the Yankees acquired Mark Teixeira, people began to speculate about future of Nick Swisher. Swisher could very well still play RF for the yanks, but with Tex at 1B he may have become expendable.

The Orioles were interested in Swisher to replace Kevin Millar as their first basemen before he was traded to the Yankees, and could be interested again.

The Yankees have been interested in Roberts, as well, at various points of his career, but have a respectable 2B with Robinson Cano. Cano is coming off a down year and he doesn't bring the same kind of speed or defensive prowess that Roberts has.

The Orioles would likely want more in return than just Nick Swisher, but the Yankees are not likely to give up both Swisher and Cano (who is one of their few young starters).

But the biggest barrier to the trade is the fact the two teams play in the same division.

While the Yankees may view the O's as a non-threat currently, it is still a large impasse. Especially given the rapid acceleration of the Rays last season.

SOMEWHERE ELSE

If none of those trade candidates work out, and the Orioles are unable to re-sign Roberts, it's possible he could be traded somewhere else by the trade deadline.

A lot of other possible contenders for Hudson may become interested in Roberts after Hudson signs. Namely the Washington Nationals and Toronto Blue Jays.

The Jays face a similar barrier as the Yankees, being a division opponent of the Orioles. So a trade there is not very likely.

Any other team who suffers injuries to a second basemen during the season would also be interested.

My gut feeling is that the White Sox will sign Hudson and because of that, Roberts will start the season as an Oriole. If the Sox miss on Hudson, a trade for Roberts will be very likely.

When the Fans Fail: All-Star Voting

Sean Lavery — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 15:52:58 -0500

When a GM makes poor choices about which players to put on his roster, he is fired.

When a coach starts and plays the wrong players, he is fired.

Commissioners Selig, Goodell, Bettman; it's time to fire the fans.

All four major United States team sports use fan balloting to decide who plays in their All-Star games. NBA fans do a respectable job. NFL, NHL, and MLB fans, however, don't fare as well.

If you glance around Bleacher Report, it's not hard to find articles detailing who got snubbed and who shouldn't be playing, so I won't detail each and every case, but rather highlight some extraordinary ones and reasons why this has to change.

All-Star games are not just pageantry and exhibition. They are used as incentive clauses and bargaining chips in contract negotiations (see Albert Haynesworth), factors in deciding if a player makes the Hall of Fame, and even decide home-field advantage for the World Series. It is important who makes these teams.

Too long have teams been decided by "homer" votes by fans voting for their team's players. This gives far too much power to the major market teams, and results in poor decisions.

Brett Favre (3,472 yds, 22 TDs, 22 Ints) making the AFC squad over Philip Rivers (4,009 yds, 34 TDs, 11 Ints) has as much to do with where they play as anything else. Two-thirds of the 2008 AL All-Star starters either played for Boston or the Yankees.

Too long have the big-name players automatically been invited despite inferior seasons.

Once again Favre over Rivers serves as a perfect example, but only one of many. Cal Ripken Jr. played in an MLB record 17 consecutive All-Star games.

He deserved some of these, but even an Orioles fan like myself admits he was not always the best choice at shortstop or third base.

Perhaps the best example of both of these factors is the 2009 NHL All-Star game.

To have a full understanding of the situation, you must also know that this the 100th anniversary of the Montreal Canadiens franchise.

The All-Star game is also being played in Montreal. As a result the Montreal fans are voting in flocks to see their players during the All-Star game.

Among the 12 total starters for both the East and West squads, only four total teams are represented. Montreal and Pittsburgh in the East and Chicago and Anaheim in the West.

None of the top twenty goal scorers in the NHL are starting. In fact, NHL goal leader Jeff Carter wasn't even on the ballot and had to be written in if you wanted to vote for him.

Neither starting goalie is in the top 5 in GAA, Save%, or Wins. J.S. Giguere, the starting net minder for the West, is 37th in GAA, 24th in Save%, and T-23rd in Wins. He doesn't even have the best GAA or Save% on his own team, let alone in his conference.

Perhaps most ridiculously, at the end of balloting Sergei Gonchar had enough votes to be a starting defensemen for the Eastern Conference. Gonchar was injured in the preseason and HASN'T PLAYED A SINGLE GAME ALL YEAR.

Of course, due to the injury he won't actually start or play in the All-Star game, but that shows the flaws in the process. Well, one of the flaws in the online voting process anyway.

In November it was reported that Montreal fans were using an auto-script to vote for Habs players. Reportedly around 20,000 votes were removed from the players in question, but it once again demonstrates another huge flaw in the online voting system.

As a rabid hockey and NHL fan, I am honestly insulted and disgusted by the horrid All-Star roster.

So what can be done to fix it? If the fans don't vote, who should?

There are a number of options, ranging from coaches, to players, to scouts, to the media.

Media votes wouldn't likely be much better than fan votes, although it would hopefully lessen the role of regional bias.

My personal suggestion is that players vote for the starters (take the role currently occupied by fans) and the managers/coaches of the team fill in the rest of the roster appropriately.

This enables the NHL and MLB to keep the current rules that require each franchise to have at least one All-Star. Whether those rules should exist is a separate debate.

I know this will alienate some fans. So let the fans vote for something different.

The skills competitions.

Many fans already prefer the Home Run Derby, Slam Dunk Contest, and the similar events held by the NHL and NFL. And these events have far less impact that the main game, so I think they're innocuous enough to allow the fans to vote for the participants (although perhaps from a limited ballot).

Then again, maybe that's the same logic that led to our current debacle with All Star Games...

Bottom line is that we, the fans, have blown it. It's time to give up our power.

Mark Hendrickson Signs with Baltimore as Orioles Begin Pitching Overhaul

Sean Lavery — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 02:53:40 -0500

The Baltimore Sun is reporting that the Orioles have come to terms with left-hander, Mark Hendrickson. Terms of the deal have not been released, and Orioles' GM Andy MacPhail has declined to comment.

Hendrickson appeared in 36 games, including 19 starts, last season for the Florida Marlins, earning a 7-8 record and 5.45 ERA. Those numbers are consistent with his 50-63 career record and 5.07 career ERA.

Hendrickson's most notable accomplishment is being one of only 11 athletes to compete in both MLB and the NBA. While this is terrific news for the Orioles' charity basketball team, it won't be nearly as beneficial on the baseball diamond.

Hendrickson is the first of multiple pitchers the Orioles hope to add this offseason. Baltimore has also expressed interest in Tim Redding, John Garland, and Japanese pitchers Kenshin Kawakami and Koji Uehara.

MacPhail hopes to fill at least two rotation spots via free agency. Last season's starting rotation was horrendous, and Jeremy Guthrie seems to be the only Oriole with a guaranteed spot in the 2009 rotation.

And rightfully so, Guthrie was the only regular Oriole starter with an ERA under 5.25 and the only one with 10 wins.

Baltimore sees Hendrickson as a long-reliever and spot starter if they can sign additional pitchers or some of the Orioles young minor-league talent emerges.

Unless Radhames Liz, Chris Waters, Hayden Penn, or Garrett Olson take dramatic steps forward by spring training, it seems likely Hendrickson will be in the rotation at the beginning of the season.

Baltimore Oriole Fans: "Teixeira" Isn't Portuguese for "Messiah".

Sean Lavery — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:19:52 -0500

Teixeira is actually a toponymic (don't worry, I had to look up the definition too) Portuguese surname. In other words, it's a name that represents all the places called Teixeira.

O's fans, it's time for a dose of reality. I'm not the first or only one to say this, but many Baltimore fans still seem to have their heads in the clouds. The Orioles are likely better off without Mark Teixeira.

I repeat, the Orioles are better off without Mark Teixeira.

I can see why many fans are so infatuated with him. And the truth is, I am too. I would be giddy to see him in orange and black. But we shouldn't get carried away.

The Orioles are much further than a single player away from contention. Even if that player is a golden-gloved, switch-hitting, batting machine like Teixeira. Baltimore has needs much more pertinent than a first basemen, especially one of his price.

Yes, I have written that the Orioles need a corner infielder, especially a younger one. Yes, Teixeira fits the need perfectly. But he costs too much.

The Orioles have much bigger needs they must fill first, most notably starting pitching. The Orioles could potentially sign two quality starters for less per year than it would cost to land Teixeira.

Since Peter Angelos purchased the Orioles, the philosophy has been to overpay big name players (particularly hitters) in an attempt to compete. While that led to some short-term success in the mid-to-late nineties, it also resulted in a decade of decline and mediocrity.

It's simply not feasible for the Orioles to spend like they did back then either. They rode a wave of fans flocking to see the new Camden Yards and Cal Ripken Jr. to high attendance and incredible revenues. They were the only major franchise in town until 1996, when the Ravens moved in to Baltimore from Cleveland. More recently the Nationals set up camp in nearby DC, stealing many of the Virginia fans.

Even since the implosion of the team after the 1997 season (the last winning season and play-off appearance for the O's), the organization has signed or traded for big name players, almost all of whom have been flops. Albert Belle, Javy Lopez, Sidney Ponson, Ramon Hernandez, Rafael Palmeiro, and Sammy Sosa to name a few. Even the successful Miguel Tejada imploded towards the end, with allegations of steroid use and lower offensive production.

In order for the future O's teams to be successful, they must look to the past.

From 1968 and 1985, Baltimore has 18 consecutive winning seasons, including World Series victories in 1970 and 1983. No team in baseball had more wins during that stretch.

Those Orioles teams were built around Manager Earl Weaver's philosophy of "pitching, defense, and the three-run homer." The strength of the teams was undoubtedly the pitching staff, which won six Cy Young awards during the stretch of winning seasons. The 1971 Orioles are also the last team to have four 20-game winners in the same starting rotation (McNally, Palmer, Dobson, Cuellar).

The Orioles were also based on the production of homegrown talent to keep the roster stocked. Al Bumbry (1971), Eddie Murray (1977), and Cal Ripken Jr. (1982) all won AL Rookie of the Year honors for the Orioles. There's a reason why Ripken Sr. was promoted to his short-lived gig as a Major League manager of the Orioles, because of his tremendous work in the minors.

That's not to say that trading for outside talent had nothing to do with the success of those teams. The 1966 trade of Milt Pappas for Frank Robinson has gone down as one of the legendary fleecings in MLB history. But the O's were always stocked with replacement players from the minors to deal with underperforming starts and stars.

One can also look for a more recent team for an idea of how the Orioles can produce a winner.

The 1997 Orioles went "wire-to-wire," leading the AL East every day of the season. While a great deal of their success was based off of a solid veteran lineup, their starting pitching was also tremendous. All four regular starters had winning records, double-digit wins, and ERAs of 4.01 or better.

For comparison, only one regular 2008 starters had an ERA of less than 5.25 or ten wins (Guthrie). And even Guthrie was lost more games (12) than he won (10).

That '97 team also played outstanding defense. When Cal Ripken Jr. was easily the team's worst fielder (although he had recently switched to 3B), you know that it's a quality defensive unit.

While the 1997 Orioles had a very high payroll, the team did utilize some outstanding home-grown players. Ripken, Mike Mussina, and Armando Benitez were all products of the O's farm system.

What makes the lessons of the past especially important is that the Orioles finally have a large amount of youth talent and prospects.

Matt Weiters, Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz, Brandon Erbe, Jake Arrieta, and Nolan Reimold all have tremendous potential at the major league level. Britton, Hernandez, Adams, and Patton all have potential to be added depth, but are long shots to be starters (or even guaranteed major leaguers). Brandon Snyder could be a solid DH or even 1B in the future if he improves his glove (which is getting better, but that's not saying much).

Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Jeremy Guthrie, and Lou Montanez all made solid contributions to the major league squad last year, and all are still very young. They need to be locked up long-term and allowed to continue developing and producing.

The Orioles do need help though, especially to the dismal starting rotation. Even with the stable of pitching prospects (Erbe, Arrieta, Tillamn, Matusz, and co.), there is no guarantee that a future ace will develop. At least one of them is likely to be a bust (see Hayden Penn's career so far).

Additionally, the O's do need a corner infielder for the future. No top level prospects exist to replace the aging Mora and Huff (both on their last contract years). But Texeira is too pricey, and will likely cause the Orioles to attempt to "get help" for him (see Tejada in 2005).

The Orioles cannot rush this rebuilding process. If they do so, it will end up in failure, just like it did in 2003. If the Orioles are patient, they will return to contention. Look no further than the Rays for proof.

The Orioles need to be careful where they spend their money, and that includes on Teixeira.

Baltimore Orioles Are Making the Best of the Winter Meetings

Sean Lavery — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:52:44 -0500

Even though the Orioles didn't land Mark Teixeira, A.J. Burnett, or any other big-name free agent, the Winter Meetings were far from a waste. They did make some under-the-radar moves that have the potential to accelerate and strengthen the rebuilding process, and shore up some holes in the roster.

First, the Orioles traded catcher Ramon Hernandez to the Reds for Ryan Freel and two prospects (Brandon Waring and Justin Turner). Baltimore then signed free-agent SS Cesar Izturis to a two-year, $6 million deal (pending a physical). Finally, the Orioles got, well, cash, in the Rule 5 draft.

The O's selected catcher Lou Palmisano with the fifth pick of the Rule 5 draft, then immediately turned around and traded him to the Astros for cash considerations. The trade had been agreed on before the draft, and is little surprise considering the Orioles already have the top catching prospect in baseball.

That same prospect, Matt Wieters, was the driving force behind the Hernandez trade as well. GM Andy MacPhail said that Baltimore will promote Wieters to the majors at some point during the season, although it may not be as a starter. This now puts Baltimore in the market for a veteran catcher.

Recently released Matt Treanor appears to be the top target currently. Despite being the lesser known athlete in his marriage (he's married to Olympian Misty May-Treanor) he could be a solid and cheap veteran catcher to start while Wieters continues to develop. Gregg Zaun and former Oriole Sal Fasano could be two other options.

The trade strengthened the odds that Brian Roberts could be out of Baltimore if he can't be signed long-term. Ryan Freel can potentially fill a similar role in the lineup as Roberts, although with even less power. He has plenty of speed and hits from either the first or second slot in 90 percent of his ABs last season.

Additionally, while primarily an outfielder, he has played 2B before. I don't think the O's would like to use him as their primary 2B, but he at least provides them an option if Roberts is unloaded.

On top of that, prospect Justin Turner is a second baseman. While neither he or Waring are likely to ever develop into quality major leaguers, the Orioles were short on in-field prospects not named Wieters.

Baltimore also filled their biggest gap in the major league infield by signing Cesar Izturis. A defensive specialist, Izturis provides an every day starter in a position the Orioles used six different players to fill last year.

Only signed for two years, he seems to be a shorter-term answer while MacPhail looks for a younger and more offensively potent solution (or prospects) for the future.

While Roberts may be on the market, the source of the most frequent rumors may be finally out of the picture. The Cubs and Padres have apparently stopped negotiating a possible Jake Peavy trade, which lowers the chances that the Cubs will still be interested in Garett Olson.

The additions of Freel and Izturis leave a lot less room and desire for the O's to add either Pie or Cedeno as well. The possibility still exists, but it looks slimmer that Roberts will be playing his home games at Wrigley.

The Orioles have yet to address their biggest need, starting pitching, although they did make some noise during the Winter Meetings. They have apparent interest in John Garland, a veteran starter who can chew up innings like few others. Garland is one of the pricier free agents and is apparently looking for a long-term deal, but I woulnd't put it past the Orioles to make him a serious offer.

The Orioles might have removed themselves from the A.J. Burnett competition as well, by refusing to offer him more than three guaranteed years. Especially now that rumors are circulating that the Yankees have offered Burnett a five year deal, it seems that Burnett won't be playing games near his Maryland home after all.

The Orioles are also showing interest in two Japanese pitchers, Koji Uehara and Kenshin Kawakami. Both are veterans who have won the Japanese equivalent to the Cy Young. Neither is predicted to be much more than a No. 3 or No. 4 starter in a MLB rotation.

The biggest news may be that the Orioles are going all out to get big Tex. Baltimore is apparently one of four serious contenders left for Mark Teixeira, along with Washington, Boston, and Anaheim. Both the Nationals and Orioles have appeal because they are close to his home in Maryland, but neither has the payroll or roster of the Red Sox or Angels.

Why a Slice Of This Pie?

Sean Lavery — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 07:57:23 -0500

With the memories of Thanksgiving pies fresh in our minds it's time to talk about a different slice of pie, Felix Pie (although it's pronounced "pee-ay").

The Cubs' center fielder was a critical part of last year's Brian Roberts trade rumors. Now Pie has emerged again in trade rumors dealing with the Orioles. Baltimore is a potential third team in a trade that could send Jake Peavy to the Cubs, Garrett Olson to the Padres, and Felix Pie to the Orioles. My question for the O's is "why?"

Pie certainly has upside. Only 23, he's a potential five-tool player and left-handed bat who many people think could be a future All-Star. However, he's struggled in parts of two major league seasons, only batting .223 and being demoted back to the minors at various points. Additionally he strikes out far too often.

Much more importantly, the Orioles don't need another outfielder. Adam Jones and Nick Markakis should be starters for years to come. Luke Scott (another lefty) might not be the answer for the future in left field, but he's certainly no slouch (.257 BA and 23 HR).

Some argue that Scott can be moved to DH and Huff to 1B (let's ignore the outside chance the O's land Teixeira). But even in that situation Pie would be starting over two other strong outfield prospects. Lou Montanez hit a homer at his first MLB at bat for the O's last season, and hit .296 with 14 RBIs in 38 games batting at the bottom of the order. Nolan Reimold hit 25 HRs for AA Bowie last season, and is currently on the Orioles major league roster as well.

Beyond that, it's a consensus opinion that the Orioles need to improve their pitching and bolster it's youth talent. They'd be giving up a young pitcher (Olson is only 25), which hurts both of those efforts.

While Olson may not ever develop into an ace, I don't think the O's can give up young pitching without getting more in return. He may be easier to part with than Brian Roberts, but that doesn't mean he should be unloaded.

After 68 Wins, What's Ahead for the Baltimore Orioles?

Sean Lavery — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:34:43 -0500

791-989...791-989!

That's the Orioles' record since 1997, the last winning season for the franchise. Only 11 losses (or one more per season) shy of four digits. An average finish of 26.7 games out of first place, and only once (2000) finishing within 20. The Orioles are a mess.

How does this franchise get back on track? This offseason is going to go a long way into showing what the direction of the franchise will be. Will the franchise finally embark on the true rebuilding process it began last year?

Or will it break out the big money and chase down some big-name free agents? Whatever the direction, the road ahead will not be smooth. The Orioles simply don't have the players to immediately return to the top, even if they add some blue chip free agents.

The trades of Erik Bedard and Miguel Tejada last year were the first big moves into rebuilding the Orioles. Unfortunately, they left some pretty massive holes in the lineup, holes that will be hard to ignore this offseason. So to start out, we'll look at what the Orioles need.

NEEDS

The starting rotation is horrendous. Aside of Jeremie Guthrie, none of the regular starters had an ERA under 5.25. The young pitching talent never really panned out, and it left Baltimore to play catch-up in far too many games.

While this strategy actually worked at the beginning of the season, while the Orioles bullpen was dominant and healthy, it's not a plan for long-term, or even season long, success.

Shortstop is the giant hole in the Orioles infield. They lacked a real starter in 2008, instead opting for Alex Cintron, Freddie Bynum, Brandon Fahey, Juan Castro, and Luis Hernandez to all see significant time over the season.

None of them performed very well, with Cintron performing the best at the plate (.276 BA), but struggling in the field (seven errors and only a .953 FLD%). After Ripken and Tejada anchored the lineup from shortstop for the past two decades, it feels awkward for the O's to be in such dire need.

With Kevin Millar a free-agent, Baltimore is in need of either a corner infielder, or a DH. Last year's DH, silver slugger Aubrey Huff, can play both first and third base as well and could find himself as a regular starter at either position.

The team's 2008 leader in errors, Melvin Mora, could potentially move to DH if the O's decide to add a new 3B or turn the reigns over to Oscar Salazar. Ultimately, another body, especially a stronger defensive player, would be very helpful.

SURPLUSES

Believe it or not, there is one area where the O's are overflowing with talent—veterans with only one year left on their contract. Huff, Mora, Roberts, and Ramon Hernandez are all on their final year of their contracts.

Huff and Mora may have both saved their careers with brilliant seasons at the plate in 2008, and their value probably isn't going to increase much higher than it is now, especially given how Tejada and Bedard were unloaded last year, it would not surprise me to any of these players traded before the season starts and/or during the season.

Given the scenario that the Orioles are in, there are three general scenarios that could play out. Owner Peter Angelos and COO Andy MacPhail decide to spend, spend, spend and end up landing one or two of the big-name free agents in an attempt to return the franchise to semi- competitive play.

The team essentially stays pat and hopes for their current prospects and roster to improve.

Or the team decides to sell and trades away some of its veterans for prospects.

Up until this point, I had avoided saying his name, but it's time to give in. The biggest free agent target for the birds is Mark Teixeira. A Maryland native, and the top rated hitter on the free-agent market, we already know that Orioles are interested (they've already contacted Teixeira's agent Scott Boras).

Of course, the Orioles are far from the only suitor. The Angels want him back, and the Nationals, Red Sox, and Yankees are apparently interested as well. Of course, the Red Sox already have lots of infield talent, and the Yankees just acquired 1B/RF Nick Swisher from the White Sox (although the Yankees also have a hole in RF), so the door is open for the O's to try and make a move.

Even if the Birds are Teixeira's childhood favorite and they offer him an enticing offer, it would be hard to imagine a scenario he would pass up a chance to play on a more competitive team (especially given the amount of money the Angels, Sox, and Yanks can throw his way).

The best hope for the O's is if the Yankees end up grabbing Sabbathia early and the Sox don't unload some of their 1B talent to get one of the Ranger's catchers, then both teams would have less desire for Teixeira. If Angelos is willing to shell out, and perhaps a couple calls from Cal Ripken, seeing him in an Orioles uniform is in the realm of possibility.

The Orioles' other free agent interests seem primarily focused on the needs, starting pitching and shortstop. The big pitcher is A.J. Burnett, who also has Maryland ties. Problem once again is that he's a big target of other teams, essentially the rest of the A.L. East (aside of the Rays) is also in the running for his services.

Burnett is a strike-out machine and can chew up the innings (a massive 221-1/3 IP in 2008) and obviously has tremendous upside. He's easily the sexiest of the Orioles' free agent pitching targets (with or without his nipple rings).

He's also the least proven commodity among the free agent studs. He's injury prone, has already had Tommy John surgery once, and has never been happy playing on mediocre teams. He was asked to leave the 2005 Marlins after he made comments critical of the team.

After only two years and no playoff appearances in Toronto, he decided to once again test the free agent waters. Something about this seems to remind me of Carl Pavano, and I don't think any O's fans are regretting not signing him.

If not Burnett, what starting pitcher should the O's target? Lowe, for one would be a great fit. Lowe has stated he wants to return to the A.L. East (although he really meant Boston). He's proven, he's durable, and he's awesome in the clutch. He'd be an ideal for a 2-3 year deal to anchor the rotation and allow the other pitchers time to progress.

The biggest con will be his price tag, which is sure to be high as the Yankees have already stated he is one of their primary targets.

Other than the top notch pitchers, several mid-level starters could be in consideration. Expect Oliver Perez, Brad Penny, Livan Hernandez, Odalis Perez, and Kip Wells to all be possibilities.

At shortstop the Orioles will likely be active in both of the major free agents, Rafael Furcal and Orlando Cabrera. Furcal is younger and has higher upside, but the market for him is also more competitive and thus he'll be more expensive.

Cabrera is a legitimate possibility, although the Blue Jays are also targeting him, but he's already 34. Even though Cabrera isn't quite the same caliber offensively, given his price and two gold gloves, I think he'd be the better fit.

If the birds can't land either of the major shortstops, look for them to target Cesar Izturis or Adam Everett. Both are solid defensive players, and a solid infield will help any pitching staff. There's also a chance of them contacting Edgar Renteria, but I see that as less likely.

There are also a few rumors floating around about Manny possibly being pursued by the Orioles. He's almost landed in an O's uniform before (there were trade rumors a few years back for a Tejada-Ramirez deal), and while his bat would be a welcome addition to any team, his attitude and salary are steep costs to pay. I could see the Orioles going for him, but I'm hoping they don't end up with him.

Given the free agent market and their available trade bait, the Orioles should have a specific plan going into this winter. I've laid out a list of what I think should be their priorities for the next season.

Lock Up the Talent

MacPhail needs to ensure that the O's young talent is going to stay in Baltimore for the foreseeable future. That means extensions for Markakis, Guthrie, and Jones. Markakis and Jones both need to be in Orioles' jerseys for at least the need five or six years, perhaps an even longer deal for Markakis.

Guthrie, as a pitcher, needs to be signed for a three-to-five year deal as well.

Roberts is a more interesting case. He's both the Orioles' best trade bait and the best player on the team. The two-time All Star is 31 and among the elite at second base. He had 50 steals in 2007 (tied for the AL lead), and followed that up with 40 in 2008.

A switch-hitter with a solid average and the ability to hit doubles (and triples) from the lead-off spot make him an incredibly dangerous offensive weapon. He's been with the O's his entire career, and I'd like to see him remain an Oriole.

The O's aren't going to get a better 2B or a better lead-off hitter in return, so I'd like to see Roberts locked up for another three or four years at least, if not the rest of his career.

Bolster the Rotation

The O's desperately need better starting pitching. A minimum of two solid starting pitchers should be added via free agency or trades, preferably three. This will enable Sarfate and Albers to return to the bullpen, and for the other pitchers to have time to mature in the minors.

Guthrie will obviously remain in the rotation, and likely will be the ace. Daniel Cabrera should join him as well. Even with his control issues and sporadic performances, he's ability to eat up innings and dominance when he's on hot streaks makes him valuable enough to remain a starter.

If Hayden Penn develops to the point where he can pitch in the majors he would be a welcome addition to the rotation as well, but I won't count on it happening this season.

Build for the Future

I don't think anyone thinks that the Orioles are poised to make a serious play-off run in 2009, even if they do land Teixeira, Burnett, and another quality pitcher. Given that, the veteran talent who's contracts are expiring aren't going to do the O's a ton of good in terms of the future.

Huff and Mora are commanding as much value as they ever have, and can probably bring in solid prospects from teams looking for a DH or corner baseman. Mora does have a no trade clause, which might make him hard to move.

The O's should keep Hernandez through the offseason as the starting catcher. Matt Wieters is a stud in waiting, and arguably the best prospect in baseball, but I don't think he's quite ready to start in the majors. Hernandez should hold down the fort and could be solid trade bait around the trade deadline (when Wieters might be ready to jump up to the big time).

With Chris Ray healthy, George Sherill could potentially also be moved to a team in need of a closer and isn't willing to pay for K Rod. He could also be very solid to trade around the deadline. He should only be moved if the O's can get solid value in return.

Luke Scott could find his way to a new team by the end of the 2009 season as well, if Nolan Reimold continues to emerge as a solid outfield prospect. Scott is signed through 2012, so like Sherill, he should only be traded away if the O's can get a decent amount in return.

In order for the Orioles to get better, they can't try and force the issue. That's what they did in 2003, when they signed Tejada, Javy Lopez, and Rafael Palmeiro. That's what they did in 2005 when they traded for Sammy Sosa. That shouldn't be what they try to do this year.

If the Orioles try to rebuild, and do it correctly, they'll likely finish at the bottom of the A.L. East again. Toronto is losing much of their pitching, so they have a chance to jump them if they overachieve, but they'll likely finish with a similar record to 2008.

Ultimately, it's not 2009 that the Orioles fans are hoping for, it's the future beyond that.