1 week down, 25 to go and an Ode to the Blast

Could anyone have asked for a better start to the Orioles 2009 campaign? This first week of top-notch baseball by the Orioles is not surprising (they usually start hot), but it is relieving. The pitching has been hit or miss so far. Three out of five starters have at least one win but the bullpen has allowed the opposition to creep back into games. Jeremy Guthrie has silenced critics who were pessimistic while watching him struggle this spring.

The Orioles offense has performed superbly as expected. Brian Roberts, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, and Melvin Mora are batting well over .300 with 19 RBI's to go around through Saturday. Most agree that the offense will be among the best in the big leagues this year. Prior to opening day, my major concern with the offense was the bottom 3 hitters. Gregg Zaun, Felix Pie, and Cesar Izturis are not exactly front-line hitters however they have been performing well enough to keep the rest of the lineup afloat.

The Orioles baserunning has concerned me. They have already been thrown out four times this season having only stolen four bases. I understand that Dave Trembley wants his team to be aggressive on the basepaths. What I don't understand is why they need to be aggressive right now while their offense is performing exceptionally well. The Orioles are getting baserunners and scoring runs left and right. There is no need to risk losing baserunners when the offense is hot.

Congratulations to the Blast who won their fifth championship in seven years this past Saturday. They beat the Rockford Rampage 13-10 at the First Mariner Arena. OK, I know it's just soccer, indoor soccer at that. But the Blast have a long and significant history in Baltimore, they deserve some credit.

This and That: O's, Ravens, and Blast??

First off, congratulations to the Orioles for winning what will be an opening day game not soon forgotten. The win yesterday against the Yanks means a lot to Orioles fans dedicated to sticking through the rough times. The O's ace, Jeremy Guthrie, looked strong and the underrated offense came through when they needed to. Unfortunately, the bullpen allowed the Yankees to creep back into the game. Although there are 161 games remaining, the Orioles surely kicked off their season on the right foot.

The signing of Samari Rolle to a four-year contract surprised me quite a bit yesterday. I was almost certain his days as a Raven were through when he was released a few weeks ago. Now that the Ravens have seem to solidified their secondary , they can focus on going after a WR or OT in the first round.

The under appreciated Baltimore Blast are hosting the NISL Championship game this Saturday. Believe it or not, the Blast have won more championships in the past decade than any local professional sports team. They will be shooting for their fifth championship in the past seven seasons, talk about success. Attendance at the dump, also known as First Mariner Arena, has been rising steadily as well. The Blast averaged a healthy 7,500 fans this season, a number that blows away the competition in the NISL. So what if the pregame celebrations are only one step above WWE? Maybe you Baltimore sports fans should pay a little respect to your most dominant local team. Then again, it is American soccer.

A point of interest about last night's NCAA Championship game: According to college basketball rules, a team must wear the exact same jersey, the only difference being the number on the back. Apparently, a few of the North Carolina Tar Heels wore slightly different jerseys from the rest of their teammates in last night's game. The rule states that when a player enters the game wearing a different jersey from the rest of their team, two technical foul shots are awarded to the other team. If the refs had payed very close attention last night to the Carolina jerseys, Michigan State may have been awarded technical shots. Just something to think about...

2009 Orioles Prediction

The Orioles will begin the 2009 regular season believing that they actually are on the right track. This is not an unfamiliar mindset. It seems that almost every season, the Orioles sell a sense of false hope to their fans when in reality the Orioles ship is unguided and heading in the wrong direction. What makes things different this time around? When it comes down to it, not much. The team will probably finish 20 or so games under .500 and they will struggle to fill up the best ballpark in baseball. However most fans, including myself, truly believe that the Orioles' ship is guided and headed in the right direction. Andy MacPhail (pictured) has the proven track record and appropriate mentality while the team's prospects are starting to line up. MacPhail has said that fans need to give it time. Time that is starting to run out on my clock, and the clocks of thousands of die hard fans. When it comes down to it, what choice do O's fans have? We need to stick through the tough times knowing that the possibility for extended success is within reach.


Here are my predictions for the 2009 season:

Orioles Record: 70-92 (5th place)

Team MVP: Nick Markakis. There is no doubt in my mind that Markakis will continue to develop in multiple areas this year. Last year, he blossomed into one of the best right fielders in baseball. Why can't he blossom into one of the most solid hitters in baseball as well?

Biggest Bust: Melvin Mora. Mora shocked the entire organization during the second half last season but I can't expect that burst to continue. He is 37 years old and I suspect he won't be able to sustain the grind of a 162 game season.

Most surprising player: Koji Uehara (pictured). He comes to the Orioles with no experience playing in the United States but that may not necessarily be a bad thing. Very proven and successful in Japan, Uehara has something new to bring to the Orioles organization. His bevvy of pitches and location control should go a long way this season.

Rookie of the Year: Matt Wieters. There is no need to comment further on his oozing potential and indication that the club is headed in the right direction with this prodigy.

Bold Predictions: Adam Jones bats .310 and Alfredo Simon records 13 wins. Jamie Walker gets demoted or put on waivers after two months with an ERA over 7.00.

Expect a new post about once a week during the regular season.

Why the Ravens should go after Plaxico

Here's what the Ravens need on offense: a receiver who can go up and catch any pass from Joe Flacco. Plaxico Burress has proven that he is one of the most capable large recievers in the NFL. What the Ravens don't need is someone who may cause off-field distractions. The Giants signed Plaxico knowing that he occasionally got into scuffles or trouble. Until his absurd shooting incident, Burress stayed out of trouble and rarely feuded with Eli Manning or Tom Coughlin.

I'm pretty sure that Ray Lewis would whip Plaxico into shape if he caused any problems for the Ravens. I"m also pretty sure that John Harbaugh has taken full control over his team and wouldn't let someone like Burress cause any trouble. However I understand that it may be nice for Flacco to have a young wide receiver to develop with. The Ravens most dire need is at cornerback and Ozzie Newsome may want to have the first round pick to go after a defensive player. If the Ravens sign Burress, they wouldn't have to go for a wide receiver in the first round.

Either way, the Ravens are going to be taking a gamble. Either they risk using a low first round pick to go after an unproven but potentially effective WR or they go after one of the best WR's in the game with off the field issues. What would you rather the Ravens do?