It’s the Orioles
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Oct 05, 2012 
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Baltimore’s magical season continues.
The Orioles just finished off a 5-1 win against the Rangers in the wild card play-in game. That means the Yankees postseason road begins in Baltimore. On paper, the Rangers seemed like the far more dangerous team — Texas had the best record in the American League for much of the season — but the Orioles have been beating expectations all year. The Yankees and Orioles split their season series.
“Obviously you know when you play a team 18 times, you know all their strengths and all their weaknesses,” Joe Girardi said. “But in a sense, they know all your strengths and all your weaknesses. I don’t know if there’s a benefit or not, but I know that you’re a lot more familiar with them.”
In other news, Chris Dickerson and David Aardsma both tweeted tonight that they are not on the postseason roster. Aardsma was never expected to make the cut, but Dickerson seemed like a legitimate option.
Associated Press photo
No way the Yankees lose to the O’s.
I absoutely believe the Yanks will sweep.
The Rangers have had to watch THREE celebrations in front of them in less than a week. WOW.
I wonder if Hamilton and Washington are hanging out tonight…..
Adam Jones and the O’s. What a turnaround for the former laughingstock of the AL East.
No way, Trisha. Don’t underestimate the Orioles like I did the Athletics. I fully expect this series to go the distance, just like the regular season did.
i definitely didnt root for the orioles (or the rangers) but now that it’s over, im very glad to see the rangers out of the playoffs!!!
How long before the O’s troll shows up?
on to Baltimore….beat those Zero’s
I think the Yanks will hold down their lineup. The real question is can the Yanks hit around their pitching. Chen is pretty tough and Saunders is garbage but usually pitches ok with some magic.
Yankees in 4
Bret The Hitman October 6th, 2012 at 12:00 am
Adam Jones and the O’s. What a turnaround for the former laughingstock of the AL East.
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this is why baseball is great. you can turn any team into a playoff team.
i wonder what mets fans are thinking now lol…they will forever be garbage…
imho, i bat cano 3rd vs. the orioles.
Tex, Arod and Swisher had better adapt their approach to playoff pitching.
Jeter, Cano and Ichrio should set the tone for the rest of the lineup.
My prediction – Yankees in 4
ALDS MVP – Robinson Cano
Surprise series – Russell Martin
Biggest disappointment – Teixeira
“No way, Trisha. Don’t underestimate the Orioles like I did the Athletics. I fully expect this series to go the distance, just like the regular season did.”
bruceb – I’m not underestimating them. I’m looking at both teams and making a decision that the Yankees are Titans and the O’s will finally see what the healthy Yankees are all about.
But it will be fun to watch! And I’m sure predictions will be all over the place!!!
Prediction charts open tomorrow morning, soon as I hit the forum.
And if nobody cares to make predictions, it makes my life easier!
ONWARD AND UPWARD GANG!
CC has pitched some great games against the O’s the last couple of years. I would definitely pitch Pettitte in game 2 and Kuroda in game 3. I think Kuroda would be better off pitching at home.
The Orioles simply do not have the talent that teams like the Rangers and Yankees do. You can play & manage well and have a good streak and beat some of those teams with more talent. But at some point, it will catch up with you. And that’s exactly what is going to happen in the ALDS.
Biggest disappointment – Teixeira.
Pipping A-Rod by a short head no doubt! Need those two to pull their finger out.
anthonyd46, if you want me to make that part of our official lohud prediction chart, please come around tomorrow morning and give it to me. I’ll start taking predictions then.
“The Orioles simply do not have the talent that teams like the Rangers and Yankees do. You can play & manage well and have a good streak and beat some of those teams with more talent. But at some point, it will catch up with you. And that’s exactly what is going to happen in the ALDS.”
Kev – couldn’t agree more!
ok do i post here or will it be on a new post?
Alright Yanks! Time to quiet Camden early and roll back to the Bronx.
Gotta go Yanks in 4. Still wish the Rangers would’ve pulled outta that one. They’re a suckier team right now.
Tes has insane numbers against the O’s. Watch him.
Congrats to the O’s. Pretty sweet turnaround, but it stops here.
going to game 5.
I am so sick of the O’s. I don’t want the Yankees to just win, I want a statement series. A beatdown.
#teamgreedy
anthony, and anyone else interested, how about this?
I will start taking predictions at 10:00 a.m. tomorrow morning. So whatever post is up at that time, feel free to start there.
You can predict for any or all of the DSs but please don’t give me predictions for anything but DSs at this point in time.
All I will take is games to win. In other words, I don’t care about scores of games, etc. Just the number you think it will take the winning team to win the series. Of course, tell me the team(s) you’re picking too!
“The Orioles simply do not have the talent that teams like the Rangers and Yankees do. You can play & manage well and have a good streak and beat some of those teams with more talent. But at some point, it will catch up with you. And that’s exactly what is going to happen in the ALDS.”
Kev – couldn’t agree more!
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Thats what i think too its so much different in a 5 game series. Guys like tillman, britton, etc might get you through some regular season games, but I just cannot see these guys shut down the yankees over multiple games. I don’t like to predict sweeps so i won’t, but I think the best the orioles can hope for I guess is for one of CC, Kuroda, or Andy to be off in a game, but i just cannot see the orioles winning 3 times in this series, they simply do not have any legit pitching.
And as always, check my math. I’ll be giving you links to the charts. Be sure that I have your number(s) correct. Every year I screw up. Just a postseason rite of passage I guess.
Rangers and Angels gone. Two of the biggest spenders this offseason. I’m LOVING the Yankees chances. Yeah I am!!!!
Anyone who wanted texas you are crazy. Texas HAS the pitching to compete with anyone. Sure they look bad right now but they have the lineup to and at anytime they can turn that switch on out of nowhere and beat you 10 different ways. I wanted nothing to do with that. The orioles do not have that kind of talent. The yankees have insane numbers in baltimore and good numbers but not insane in texas.
I didn’t see either of the games but, SEVEN errors in TWO games?
Yikes!
anthony, Duh Innings had his postseason wish list, along with reasons, in the previous thread. I think it’s a pretty good schematic. I like his way of thinking . (Baltimore was his choice for the DS)
Haha it is a joke we get to face a +7 run differential team in the ALDS. Yanks in 3
Sis, the one that’s going to make the hair on your arms stand up is the invocation of the infield fly rule in the Braves game. Just an outrageously bad call (IMO) and what a heck of a way to be ushered out of the postseason.
And oh yeah – if you’re going to make a predictions for the prediction charts, please be sure to put my name is the post so that when I do a final check, I can make sure that I caught everyone’s.
The O’s are like that chihuahua that just won’t let go of your pants leg.
Patrick –
josh hamiltons playoff numbers suuuuuck
Lets face it! At least when the Yankees spend big money they make the friggin playoffs. Dodgers, angels, marlins, and Texas opened their wallets and none of them made the playoffs. Sad!
David Cameron ?@DCameronFG
The Orioles have the best run differential in the playoffs.
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Jon Heyman ?@JonHeymanCBS
i think i saw buck smirk. takes down his old rangers team. next up: his old yankees team.
Tomorrow I’ll explain the point system. It’s going to be same as past years, with points getting higher with each level of the post season. Points for predicting winner, points for predicting correct number of games. Points will be cumulative.
With that, a bid you a fond goodnight.
Oh yeah. No more Ron Washington (mis)managing the ASGs!!!!
YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It’s going to be really annoying to see Girardi bat Swisher 2nd and Ichiro 9th against Chen and Saunders. Everyone knows Swisher’s struggles in the play offs and I would rather have Ichiro the contact hitter batting 2nd even against a lefty. The way that Ichiro has been swinging the bat recently I definitely wouldn’t mess with anything but I am sure Joey binder can’t help himself. In a short series you can’t make stupid decisions like that.
Now the A’s need to beat the Tigers. I don’t care who we play out of the NL. Run through the alphabet (O’s and A’s) and then through the NL winner on the way to #28.
Signing Hamilton in the off season would be awesome. I would love it. Nobody on this board knows for sure whether they will make a play for him or not. Sorry, but you just don’t.
The play in Atlanta has been called hundreds of times an infield fly. Just watch over the weekend throughout the course of the next 6 games and see how far out in the grass the 2B or SS will go for a fly ball and it called an infield fly. You don’t have to be standing on the dirt. Usually the SS catches it and nobody says anything. In this situation it dropped and of course everyone in the world is now an Umpire. Pretty funny.
It was completely a judgment call. I could have seen it being ruled either way by the umpires. Once again it was a judgment call and not a wrong interpretation of a rule and that is why the protest was dropped.
Ready for 5pm central time on Sunday. Let’s Go!
Signing Hamilton in the off season would be awesome. I would love it. Nobody on this board knows for sure whether they will make a play for him or not. Sorry, but you just don’t.
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hamilton is a .234 PS hitter…if ur gonna bash swisher for it, you gotta bash hamilton too
“hamilton is a .234 PS hitter…if ur gonna bash swisher for it, you gotta bash hamilton too”
I guess I was unaware that I posted anything bashing Swisher about his postseason numbers. In fact I think he is going to really step up and have a great October.
Anyways I like Hamilton, many people don’t. Whatever…
i didnt mean u in specific…
gotcha
In a short series you can’t make stupid decisions like that.
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You just can’t help yourself can you? The games haven’t started yet and you’re already mouthing off about what might happen and making yourself and all else miserable.
I calls as I sees ya. Stupid is as stupid does.
I don’t know if anybody had a chance to see the Braves game but it was horrible.
Chipper Jones ends a possible HOF career with thousands of beer bottles being thrown on the field due to a horrid infield fly rule call. It was the worst baseball game I’ve ever watched, let alone been to.
Chipper was so upset he refused to come out of the club house after the game with the entire stadium chanting for him.
I would have much rathered face the Rangers, who have been flat for weeks.
The Orioles are nothing to sniff at…This is going to be a tough one. I don’t care what their run differential is, they’ve won all season long and they matched up with us head to head. They could certainly pull off the upset.
I also still can’t get over that infield fly call last night. Wow. Umpires are oftentimes in positions where they have to make calls, on the base paths at first and home. You don’t have to make any call in that position. The ump just inserted himself into the game. Wild stuff…
http://riveraveblues.com/2012/.....ffs-77066/
“In August [Rivera] threw in the Yankee Stadium outfield in front of pitching coach Larry Rothschild.
“He went out there on his own earlier [in August] and caused a ruckus,” Cashman said. “We had to smoke him on that: ‘What the hell are you doing? Now all these guys think you’re coming back.’ The doctor — his doctor, the surgery doctor — was like, ‘Stop! What are you doing?’ “
“
if the Yankees get rained out tomorrow, it’s possible that they would have to play 7 games in a row. and that would mean that they need to use a fifth starter.
Oh, and Holbrook, the ump that made that disastrous call, said it was “absolutely” the right call.
He’s either a psychopath or a total coward. Pathetic.
Looking at the weather Sunday for Baltimore inner harbor. Sabathia will be pitching in low 50 degree and damp conditions with rain starting at 7AM and lessening by gametime.
I hope they at least have a good drainage system at Camden Yards.
Kev-
From the Atlanta Journal this morning-Chipper Jones:
As a third baseman, have you ever seen an infield fly called that far in the outfield?
“I’m not going to say that I haven’t. I haven’t seen one called where the guy wasn’t camped. You know, normally when you’re that far out, nobody’s camped [underneath the ball]. But I saw the rule where it doesn’t necessarily have to be an infielder, it could be an outfielder who comes in and ultimately makes the play. But you really don’t see any clear indication that one of the two was camped.”
http://blogs.ajc.com/atlanta-b.....raves_blog
Good Morning Yankee Trader.
Chipper Jones has been classy about the whole thing. He’s said the team lost the game with sloppy play. However, it’s got to be frustrating for that call to be made.
Infielder, Outfielder, no one was camped under the ball and the umpire called the infield fly rule as the ball had already apexed and it seemed no one would catch it. It’s in neither the spirit of the rule or the context of the rule, and it was not properly executed.
In no counts was it correct, yet the umpire will not admit he was wrong and the MLB will likely do nothing about it.
That was a horrible call in the StL Atl game. The biggest problem is how late it was called when it was obvious the ball wasn’t likely to be caught at the time they made the signals.
It might not have changed the result of the game as the Braves were not playing well but there is a huge difference when you have bases loaded and two chances to do something against a pitcher who was under a lot more pressure.
That call ended up giving a free out to the Cardinals in a critical part of the game.
The O’s Ranger’s game was just about the most boring game for a play off game that I’ve seen. The Rangers didn’t even seem to have shown up to play.
I’m not a fan of the extra WC. It seems a cheap attempt to duplicate the excitement from the end of last season, and both of those games failed to deliver.
I also think that there was more excitement during the last week of the regular season than there was at either of these joke of a one game playoff.
I don’t believe Selig with him saying that the managers didn’t want a three game series to determine the WC team. Most of the ones that have said anything about it were for a three game series.
Attaching a nice article about Ichiro:
http://www.nydailynews.com/spo.....-1.1176442
The rule should be rewritten. You just can’t be allowed to make that call so late. It should only be allowed to be called on an upward trajectory, when a player would be just about camped for the ball to come down. There should be a way so that’s a null call.
The MLB has to realize that they exist in a media environment with HD, HDR, Replay and Super Slow-Mos, and also their dominant rivals the NFL. It’s a great, historic game, but god damn does it need an update.
I was just looking up the stats on Ichiro the other day. You know the fewest amount of games he’s played in a season over his 12 year MLB career? 147. Once.
The next fewest is 157. He played all 162 this season and he’s 38.
I gotta start stretching more!
Hamilton has done a lot for the Rangers as they basically started winning around the same time that he showed up…. Thought it was a bit disgraceful the way the cowboys….I mean Rangers fans booed him that hard….
That fan base is such a bunch of posers
The Braves only have themselves to blame;call or no call. Their defense was brutal. They couldn’t hit with men on base. Jones contributed to the loss with a big error and he left the bases loaded with a ground out to 2nd. I didn’t agree with call but if Braves play a cleaner game it wouldn’t have mattered. They sabotaged themselves.
Blake,
We’d never boo one of our best players!
Just another example of boneheaded shamockery with MLB umpiring last night…..which has overtaken PEDS as th thing most fans mock baseball about
Kev-
I only saw the 7th inning on of the Braves game, plus the key replays. It’s too bad that before that bad call that the Braves had 3 terrible throws, the costliest by Chipper, that lead to 4 unearned runs. Of course going 1 for 8 with RISP didn’t help.
Hi all. Not sure about Baltimore. If they play like they did against them all season, it will be a nail biting series. That being said,first time the yanks have been this healthy all year.
Trisha, if pool is open to every one, I pick yankees in 4
Kev,
I don’t think Yankee fans would boo their best player in probably his final AB with the team like that…..my point was that most of these Ranger fans are converted band wagon Cowboys fans who need to understand what Hamilton did for them
YT — thanks for the link. Very enjoyable read!
RadioKev — seriously, I know a yoga teacher who is 60 and looks 30. There’s something to this stretching thing.
Sounds like Jason Hammel might start game 1
The Braves played poorly, but it might have been totally different in the outcome had that infamous call not been made.
Torre’s whimping out on the ruling was poor too. He used as much judgement on that protested game as he did during the midge game… none at all.
MLB always backs up the umpires, never reverse bad calls, act as if the integrity of the umpires is superior to getting it right. It hurts the game big time.
The umpiring in baseball has been going downhill for a while now. Their strike zones are generally not good. Many games are changed by bad calls that aren’t all that close. Yet, MLB defends these umpires instead of looking to make things right.
Blake,
No, I generally agree with you. I think it is disgraceful and they are just bandwagon fans. I agree. I’m just saying, I disagree with booing your own players in most cases.
Any word on the O’s Game 1 pitcher?
Blake-
I see where you posted Hammel as the Game one starter. Thanks I was busy looking in the Baltimore Sun Sports section for any word on who might start.
If the Yankees don’t change their penchant for showing up small in the post season like they have last 2 years I can see this being a very hard series they can easily lose. I am taking wait and see attitude. Not getting too overconfident.
CC needs to step up and hold these guys down. I suspect he’ll have to do the heavy lifting tonight.
Anyone get the feeling he could be our MVP this post season?
Good morning.
Nice to see the Antlers and Claws bite the big one.
Sorry bout your Bravos Blake.
Kev-
If CC pitches a gem Sunday night in 50 degree damp conditions and the Yankees win in 3 or 4, he gets my vote!
Trader, don’t think Hammel is official.
MTU,
Yea the call sucks but the Braves didn’t play all either so….
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports.....IpxIgOfWJO
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Nix ready?
MTU-
Good morning. You’ll enjoy the article I attached at 7:52 about Ichiro,over your breakfast burrito
Yankees and Diamondbacks both won WS the year after Buck was no longer managing them.
May that trend continue and may he manage the Orioles another 20 or 30 years.
Last time a protest was upheld? 1986. Not even in my lifetime.
http://bleacherreport.com/arti.....-a-protest
Thanks for the article YT.
You’re right. I enjoyed it.
Good morning!
Glad to see Texas bite the dust. Back to age old rivalries, but strange to be seeing us play the O’s in the playoffs. It’s been a while. I know he’s been good when healthy, but hasn’t Hammel not pitched since mid September? Hammel is on something like 26 days rest… but I guess he threw a sim game on Monday. Then I’d guess they go with the lefty, Chen on Monday? He’d be on 6 days rest. Love to see them both be off command-wise.
As per PP, in Instruct intersquad game, Mark Montgomery sat 92-94 and his slider was supposedly its typical filthy self. We could use him in the PS. Fall league starts October 9th.
Happy to see Detroit-Oakland is a 6PM tonight. And glad we only have to wait until 6PM tomorrow for our game.
Protests can only be upheld if the umpires misapplied or mistook the rule. That didn’t happen here. It was a terrible error in judgment that he called the infield fly rule at all and that he called it as late as he did, but since the hand went up before the ball hit the ground there was no “rule violation”.
Feel bad for the Braves, but not their classless, front running fans who rarely if ever sell out a game. That behavior was disgraceful.
Does anyone doubt that Andruw Jones will be on the roster? I don’t like it, but I’ve never liked the Yanks history of carrying 11 pitchers on the post-season roster. A third catcher or extra pinch runner is more likely to do something to help win a game than your 11th best pitcher.
According to Harold Reynolds , it was the correct call as the ump made the signal at the balls apex with the SS signalling the catch.
“The boos brought a Bible verse to Hamilton’s mind, although he couldn’t remember the exact scripture: “If they don’t receive you in a town, shake the dust off your feet and move to the next.”"
Thanks for the link, YT. Really sweet story on Ichiro (and his relationship with Jeet)!
bruceb, as per previous thread, QFT about Jones and Machado. Wieters too. Baltimore has a bunch of young core players who will only get better. And Bundy to follow…
The wording in the rule is “immediate.” On that count alone, the protest should be upheld, because the call was delayed.
Unless it’s one of those, it depends on what “immediate” means situations. SMH
86w183-
Jones, Gardner and Nunez make it? If that’s the case hopefully Jones is part of the cheering section only!
Eppley over Lowe?
Also, seems to me (and I guess it’s a “judgment” call), that based on how the play was unfolding, with the SS not entirely sure he was gonna catch that ball, and the OF not camped out either, I don’t know how they can say with a straight face that it was – what’s the word they use in the rule? – “ordinary effort.”
It was the umps opinion the ball would be caught.
We are looking at the result, which is after the fact.
Balt’s power seems to be righthanded.
This might negate Rapada.
Eppley could be called in to face Reynolds and Davis.
Buck will throw all leftys at us in the Stadium.
He’s got Britton,Chen ,Saunders, Matusz, Wolf…
If not Nix, can Jones be far away?
New Post————>
Umps are rewarded by being selected for the PS. Yes, it was a judgement call in the Braves game, albeit a poor one, so I would reward that ump with an early end of season and send him home with no more PS work.
Talk about poor judgement, Girardi leaves Dickerson off the PS rooster, and keeps that over-the-hill Jones that can’t hold a candle to Dickerson at this point in his career. When will Joe make decisions on what players are doing today vs. what they did years ago? Sad(:
Girardi leaves Dickerson off the PS rooster, and keeps that over-the-hill Jones that can’t hold a candle to Dickerson at this point in his career.
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and how do you know this?
Again, he got it wrong, but it was a judgment call whether or not to call it when he did.
Sucks for the Braves, but like Bartman and the Cubs that one moment did not cost them the game.
Hammel’s made one start in a month and it lasted 3 2/3…. sort of an odd choice when Gonzalez and Tillman could go on normal rest or Chen on slightly extended rest.