Migg-gate Day 5: Thank You Jebus

From the Mouf of Miggy in a Comcast Interview (thanks to the Sun):

"I never said I wanted to be traded; I said I want to see a better team," said Tejada, who spoke via phone from the Dominican Republic. "I don't want to keep losing like we have the past two years. Look at the division we're in. It's not easy to win without pitching. It's the hardest division in baseball with the Yankees and Red Sox. And look at what Toronto is doing with their pitching staff. They're going to be tough."

"I think they've got to make some moves," Tejada told Comcast SportsNet. "That's why I'm upset. I hope the fans won't be mad at me, but I think me speaking up might actually help the team get better. I'm speaking for every player on this team. I don't want to play just for money, but to be competitive. I love baseball more than the money."

"I'm not saying I don't like the team or the city. If they trade me, I don't want people to think I just want to go to a winning team. I just want the organization to do something - go get pitching. If they don't, they're telling me they don't want to win. ... I don't want to take anything away from the pitchers we have, but we need more. We need an ace."

Flanagan still claims that he needs to talk Miggy into staying but I think that may be a smoke-screen for whatever "crazy moves" he may be "forced" into making. Maybe he's trying to pull one over on Angelos? (Wouldn't that be awesome).

In other news, Kyle Boller has been added to the list of people that have plane tickets on the house out of BWI to wherever they want...as long as they don't come back.

Miggy-gate Day 4

The nuts are running the nuthouse...the question is, Are we better off? The effect of contracts in sports threatens to redefine the jurisprudence of contract law across the nation. If you don't like what you've got, just wiggle and you may be able to shake it off. Luckily, this is not the case here.

New Flash: The O's will not trade Miggy. Anyone who pays attention to the Orioles or Tejada knows this and ESPN has taken on the sensationalist tactics of CNN to attract readers/viewers. What will happen is Tejada will begin to dictate, on behalf of the entire roster, what changes need to be made in order to make Baltimore a tolerable place to play. The talks that are going on right now sound a lot like this: "What would make you happy, Mr. Tejada? A number 1 starter, of course Mr. Tejada. Stop messing around with first base and pay attention to set-up men? Yes, Mr. Tejada. Tell Mr. Angelos to stop stealing money from the fans? Whatever you say, Mr. Tejada."

Javy Lopez has jumped on the "trade me" bandwagon and he may just be the player we use to get a grade A reliever. We are going to have to find a way to BUY (gasp) a starter. Nomah can stay in Chicago (even though Mia Hamm is more than welcome to borrow my O's jersey if they do come to Baltimore). We have enough bat and not enough arms.

I just want to see this when the season starts (replacing the AL All Stars with Orioles of course):

Miggy-gate Day 2

Rick Maese has an editorial in today's Sun that gives me hope:

Actually, what I'm wondering right now is whether they really have changed. Tejada strikes me as a guy who speaks out of frustration, maybe exaggerates his intentions to match his mood.

There was one day in September when Tejada was tired. He told a Sun reporter that he was thinking about sitting out a game, which would've ended his streak of consecutive games.

"My streak will be over," he said then, "probably this year."

Of course, he backed away from those statements the very next day and by season's end, the longest active streak in the majors was still alive.

Its just so great of Miggs to do this now when people are already shoving dirt in Baltimore's face over all the moves the $75 Million Blue Jays are making. If Tejada does move, I hope they find eight different kinds of steriods in his B12 shot.

In other news, there is word on the street that Angelos made another dirty deed. MLB earmarked some of the settlement it made with Petey for "Personnel Improvement". They are now looking to get that money back since Angelos decided to pocket that money rather than give it to the team. Can we buy a break? (Probably not)

Tejada's Being a Dick

Tejada

decides he's going to kick us when we're down. If management is smart they'll take this as a "Let's Get Movin" statement rather than "Okay, we'll trade you for Nick Swisher and be done with it". I'm not real sure who you can expect loyalty from as far as players nowadays. Cal Ripken was an Oriole and for a while I thought Tejada would be the same way. Now I realize that he's just a punk who thinks 2 years is a lifetime of trying.

Hopefully tomorrow there will be some sort of Kline-like "My comments were misunderstood" but I doubt it. You cold, Miggy. Cold.

Ramon Hernandez

Ramon Hernandez

is Baltimore bound. There aren't many great catchers out there but he may be one of them.



And now the Baltimore Sun reports that the O's will be shopping Javy Lopez rather than let it ride during his contract year. I can't say I agree with that one unless there is a great starter we could pick up.

In better news, Flanagan says he won't give up Bedard no matter what. Pretay pretay pretay good.

Bye Bye Balking Cry Baby Kline

I know, I know...that subject said aloud is like nails on a chalkboard but I could think of no other way to say goodbye to Stevie Kline. My impression of him was mostly a roller coaster until I realized that the only time I didn't wish him ill will it was because of something having nothing to do with baseball. For instance, I read one day how he won't let his little girl come to his games for fear that she will hear him booed. Me: Poor dude. Ok from now on I won't boo him. (Next time I'm at the game he balks and throws a home run right afterward, losing the game)...Me: I wish your daughter was here so that she knew from what depths she would have to rise in order to be successful in this world.

Anyway, off to the Giants for him...the recepticle of Orioles pitching trash. Let's not pick him back up like we did with Ponson. Hello LaTroy Hawkins. If you check out www.baseballreference.com you'll see that he had two spectacular season in 2002 and 2003 but has since fallen off again. I think Mazzone may be able to do something with him and he seems excited to be working with the great "pitchers pitching coach".

Now I know why I shouldn't enter academia. If I could, I would take back the 4.0 I gave the warehouse last entry. According to reports from the winter meeting they are being very loose with whom they may trade. If I hear about Bedard going anywhere for anything less than a blue chip starter/first baseman I will...be very sad.

How bout dem Blue Jays? You can't say someone's overspending when they still have the money to buy whatever they want. I really don't want to be looking up at them all season. For now, they still haven't picked up any offensive powerhouses.

Shout out to Oriole Way. Be sure to check out his site which is linked over to the right.

Julio for Benson

Well if we were giving A's for Effort in reforming this team, the warehouse would be getting a 4.0. They're going after everyone and, although not getting a nickle worth's improvement, destined to get someone.

Jorge Julio, our failed closer/set-up man/middle reliever/man-who-tries-not-to-throw-home-run-pitches, may be traded for Met's Kris Benson, 31, who was 10-8 last year with a 4.13 ERA. ESPN commentators are already saying how stupid that trade would be...for the METS. Benson is known to have untapped potential, which Mazzone could probably pull out. He's a starter and would be a great 2nd or 3rd in our rotation (after Lopez? Bedard? Burnett? ha ha).

If you all are reading this, leave a comment. That way I'll know if I'm beginning to regain some of my lost readership.

And the Regular Retail Price Is...

$5 million! That is the value of the intangible characteristic of coming to join the Orioles; a team that has not had a winning season in years. Konerko refused the Oriole offer of $65 million over 5 years to accept the World Champ White Sox offering of $60 million over 5 years. If I was the supposed "Number 1 free agent available" (according to ESPN) I would feel pretty pissed that the White Sox didn't even match the top offer on the table. They both knew he would resign, presumably, so why not just look at whats offered and negotiate for the highest amount. At least that would have saved us a little embarassment. First TO, now this.

In other news, it appears we are standing a good chance of getting Byrd. He wants to play for Mazzone and we are the top bidders (for now). Please God let us get someone. If nothing else to remind the Sports Nation that we were one of the top 10 teams in baseball at the all-star break. According to most sources, playing for the O's is like playing for the Devil Rays. Sheesh. Tejada, Mora, Roberts, Lopez, Bedard, Cabrera. Play nice.