Bird's Eye View

Leading Off

The show is a little heavier at the top than normal. We actually have something to talk about in The Brian Roberts Watch (1:45), and the Medical Wing fills up a bit more (3:00).

The guys express their great “affection” for West Coast baseball (7:35), and ask themselves “when do we start caring about the standings (9:55) ?”

 

The Audacity of Strop

Apparently, the show has changed formats to where the guys pick a pitcher to beat like a pinata (12:30). This week’s topic is Pedro Strop: deadly weapon for the Dominican Republic, just deadly for the Orioles. The Surgeon General warns not to play the Kevin Gregg Drinking Game while listening to this segment.

Jake and Scott flip their usual apologist/cynic roles on this one – you have no idea how difficult it was to avoid a “roleplay reference here.” We include a tip of the hat to Roch Kubatko over at MASNsports.com for his insightful rant that said everything we’ve been thinking (21:20).

 

Roster Moves

It’s been an interesting week on the roster front (24:50). Here’s a rundown of the faces we’ve seen moving in, moving out…

* Alex Burnett

* Josh Stinson

* Zach Britton

* Luis Exposito

* Chris Snyder (we cheated, he won’t appear until Tuesday)

What about Freddy Garcia and Jair Jurjens (31″56)? These guys are piching lights-out in AAA, and can opt out of their contracts soon. The Orioles risk getting nothing for them (other than the satisfaction of knowing they facilitated an audition for the rest of the league) if they don’t pull the trigger and make a roster move.

 

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The guys run down their list of the Birds who had the best, the worst, and the most unbearable weeks(38:05).

 

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Leading Off

As usual, we lead off with a look at The Brian Roberts Watch (2:15) – still nothing happening – and a review of the Orioles disabled list in the Medical Wing  (4:05). In addition to actual injuries, the guys speculate on nagging injuries to Nolan Reimold, J.J. Hardy, and Jake Arrieta’s ego. More on that later in the show.

Jake and Scott put the Orioles on notice for losing games in that Sunday season ticket plan (8:30), and vow not to watch another Jake Arrieta game in person. Also, Jake should not go get food at the stadium ever again.

 

Jake Arrieta’s Struggles

Jake Arrieta got sent to AAA today (12:00). Showalter insists that it wasn’t JUST about his ineffectiveness, but that has to contribute, right? The guys throw out the options for what to do with Jake the Quake:

* Send him to the minors

* Leave him where he is

* Send him to the bullpen

* Trade him

Thank goodness we’re fans and not the GM. We may have run him out on a rail already, but Arrieta has something left to contribute – it’s all a matter of him harnessing it, and a team waiting to take advantage.

 

Who’s Next in the Rotation?

With Arrieta down in AAA, and Saturday’s double header, the team needs another starter for Wednesday (26:10). The guys talk through the various options, including:

* Jair Jurgens (27:20)

* Zach Britton (29:00)

* Zach Clark (30:45)

* Freddy Garcia (31:40)

* Josh Stinson (34:35)

* Steve Johnson (36:30)

* Current bullpen guys: MacFarland, Matusz, Hunter (38:25)

 

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The guys run down their list of notable performances from Week 3 (41:50).

 

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Leading Off

We start by taking a moment to recognize the events that took place today – the terrible events that took place at the Boston Marathon. Say what you will about Boston, for its sports (and Lord knows we have), but this transcends rivalries. Jake and Scott make a plea for thoughts, prayers, and support (1:10).

Moving on to actual O’s content, the guys review The Brian Roberts Watch (4:45). and the Medical Wing (5:25).

 

Stupid Arguments

Baltimore sports fans are capable of tremendous stupidity (6:00). This week, people actually debated whether Adam Jones dropped that ball because he was chewing bubble gum. Really? Are we doing this? Really (6:45)?

The other stupid argument from this week was which backup second baseman is worse (11:30)? Alexi Casilla and Ryan Flaherty are doing their best to make an argument for who is the best/worse option to replace the injured Brian Roberts.

 

Bullpen Gets Its Swagger Back

The bullpen has gotten back to its 2012 form (21:00). After the first week of games, we all wondered if the bullpen could get back to the level that made them so scary last year. The Birds’ bullpen has responded by making opposing hitters’ life miserable. The guys go through the ‘pen, from Johnson (24:30) to the forgotten man – Patton (34:45).

 

Potpourri

Here are the items that didn’t fit into any other categories:

Connor Jackson retires (38:00)

Wait, WHAT? Jackson was the last ML cut, and he was bound to make the roster at some point this season. Connor Jackson’s retirement comes as a great surprise. He said that he simply lost the love of the game… Buck Showalter indicated that there might be more to the story, but we’ll have to wait until Jackson is willing to comment himself.E

Earl Weaver celebration (39:45)

The celebration for Earl Weaver has been moved from 2:00pm top 6:00pm. This accommodates ticket holders from the 7:00 ballgame who want to take part in the celebration. Unfortunately, it also shuts some fans out from a celebration of a great Baltimore sports figure.

 

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The guys go through the players they want to praise and call out from the week’s games. Who makes the list, and who gets a free pass (45:30)?

 

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Leading Off

The 2013 season is finally here! It’s nice to be able to talk about real baseball. It’s a sad day for The Brian Roberts Watch (01:33), and the guys take a run through the Medical Wing (04:03), and the roster in general. The O’s pulled a trade today, sending Luis Ayala to the Braves for a minor league arm (05:21).

 

Opening Day

Opening Day at Camden Yards has that extra dose of Orioles Magic (09:58). How did 2012 compare to previous years? The ceremonial first pitch was pretty weak (14:10). The Ravens’ refusal to participate in Opening Day was pretty bush league (15:08). Buck has a ton of respect for Earl Weaver (15:06).

 

Get a Grip on Reality!

It’s only been 7 games. Some fans are ready to jump off a cliff (19:02), others are in full apology mode – others are sure the Birds will still win 100 games. Are any of them right? What kind of assessments can you actually make this early in the season? Jake and Scott lay out the case for both sides, and try to bring some reason to the discussion (21:43).

 

Pitching Woes and Lineup Ups/Down

This team needs more innings from its starters. A quick look at the first run through the rotation (or so) and how each starter looked(21:00). The bullpen has had its moments, too, but the early going has shown us that they can’t be as good as the all-world 2012 bullpen. Manny Macahdo and other lineup considerations (31:00).

 

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is back for the first time in 2013(38:20)! Jake and Scott reveal the players that made their list in the first 7 games.

 

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Welcome to the new Bird’s Eye View!

Bird’s Eye View returns for our last pre-season podcast, on our brand-new home. Come on in and look around – go ahead and put your feet up on the table. This new site is here for your enjoyment. Let us know what you think of the look and feel! Also, take a minute to click on our social media buttons (on the right). You can find us on the web:

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Thanks for listening, we’re very excited about our new look for 2013, and for the O’s season! And with that, here are the show notes…

Spring Training Wrap-up

A review of Orioles roster as of Opening Day (4:15). Jake gloats over calling a near-perfect 25-man roster (a prediction you can find here). How does T.J. MacFarland stay on this team?

A Spring Training Brian Roberts Watch summary (9:15), and how this segment will continue during the season. We take a walk through the Medical Wing – who is on the DL and for how long (13:15)? What does this mean for the fringe guys on the roster? How soon will Buck and Dan start their roster shuffling?

Excitement Over Opening Day

Jake and Scott break down the magic of Opening Day (24:00). Opening Day is no longer the only bright spot in an Orioles season. New downtown attractions await in 2013. What happens if it rains – the O’s don’t know, either.

2013 Predictions

We were terrible with our 2012 predictions. Jake was sure the O’s would lose 100 games, Scott refuses to believe his didn’t come true. The guys forecast standings and awards for both leagues (37:35), and lay down three bold Orioles-related predictions each (58:40). Don’t worry, we’ll keep score, and remind ourselves how poor our predictions were by the All-Star break.

Schadenfreude of the Week

The New York Yankees have the best fans in baseball, don’t they? Both of them.

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We return after a short absence to review a surprise for one of our hosts.  A trip to Sarasota for Jake yields stories and gushing on how amazing Spring Training was.

Spring Training Review

* Details on Sarasota and Ed Smith Stadium

* Actual baseball thoughts

* The Brian Roberts Watch

* Ryan Flaherty making an impression

* Is it hard to evaluate pitching progress for home games against scrubs?

* Matsuz is still starting…will he be the 5th starter?

WBC

* The Dutch are out of the tournament.  Now who cares?

* How could the tournament be changed so that it’s not the NIT of baseball?

Looming MLB/NFL scheduling conflict

* What to do about Ravens opening day?

* Is Angelos evil, or is NFL ego at fault?

* What is the impact on future Orioles playoff scheduling?

* Is this only news because the NCAA tournament hasn’t started?

As giddy as a kid on Christmas…

 

The Promised Land

We open up with a discussion of the World Baseball Classic, and Jake’s sheepish confession: he’s been watching. And he likes what he sees (2:45). The Canada/Mexico brawl, scary as it was, was notable (4:15). We talk about whether it’s good for the US to win a competition designed to grow the game internationally (9:00), and profess Adam Jones as a True American Hero (8:40).

It’s a low country AND a kingdom.

Next, on to Spring Training (yes, we have to). The first series of cuts have been made, but no surprises thus far (11:00). Scott mocks Jake for his love of Xavier Avery. The media loves the Bundy/Gausman connection (13:00), and the  Brian Matusz identity crisis continues (14:30)! Jake gets a little too excited over The Brian Roberts Watch (16:00).

 

Buck has said he will go on road trips,

but he hasn’t yet. Score one for Scott.

 

Visiting hours at the Medical Wing (17:15): how bad are the injuries to Nick Markakis and Noland Reimold? Is the silver lining that we get a better look at fringe players, or are we reaching?

Lastly, we examine the 25-man roster (20:30). Reminder from last week on the guys’ dark horse candidates:

Scott: Mark Hendrickson

Jake: Who the Hell Is Steve Pearce?

 

Scott’s Projected Roster

Lineup Regulars

C         Matt Wieters

1B       Chris Davis

2B       Brian Roberts

SS       J.J. Hardy

3B       Manny Machado

LF       Nate McLouth

CF       Adam Jones

RF       Nick Markakis

DH      Nolan Reimold

Bench

C         Taylor Teagarden

IF/OF  Steve Pearce

IF         Alexi Casilla

IF/OF  Wilson Betemit

Starters

RHP   Jason Hammel

LHP    Wei-Yin Chen

RHP   Chris Tillman

RHP   Miguel Gonzalez

LHP    Zach Britton

Relievers

RHP   Jim Johnson

RHP   Darren O’Day

RHP   Pedro Strop

RHP   Luis Ayala

RHP   Tommy Hunter

LHP    Troy Patton

LHP    Brian Matusz

Jake’s Projected Roster

Lineup Regulars

C         Matt Wieters

1B       Chris Davis

2B       Brian Roberts

SS       J.J. Hardy

3B       Manny Machado

LF       Nate McLouth

CF       Adam Jones

RF       Nick Markakis

DH      Nolan Reimold

Bench

C         Taylor Teagarden

IF/OF  Steve Pearce

IF         Alexi Casilla

IF/OF  Ryan Flaherty

Starters

RHP   Jason Hammel

LHP    Wei-Yin Chen

RHP   Chris Tillman

RHP   Miguel Gonzalez

LHP    Jake Arrieta

Relievers

RHP   Jim Johnson

RHP   Darren O’Day

RHP   Pedro Strop

RHP   Luis Ayala

RHP   Tommy Hunter

LHP    Troy Patton

LHP    Brian Matusz

We continue our coverage of Spring Training with nothing new to report…at least we’re undefeated, right?

The Brian Roberts Watch:

* 23 FEB – 0-2

* 24 FEB – 2-3 (2 2Bs)

* 27 FEB – 1-3

Camden Yards Smoking Ban:  MSA ban on smoking in ALL of its facilities (including M&T and OPACY)

* Fair or not?

*  Smoking vs. alcohol – is Beer next?

What can you REALLY make of Spring Training?

*  Spring Training means nothing. Let’s look at the ST records of the Orioles and the AL East Division winner since 1996

Orioles

AL East Winner

Year

ST

RS

Year

ST

RS

Team

2013

4-0

??-??

2013

2012

11-13

93-69

2012

18-12

95-67

NYY

2011

15-15

69-93

2011

13-15

97-65

NYY

2010

12-17

66-96

2010

20-8

96-66

TB

2009

13-21

64-98

2009

24-10

103-59

NYY

2008

10-17

68-93

2008

18-8

97-65

TB

2007

16-13

69-93

2007

15-12

96-66

BOS

2006

13-17

70-92

2006

15-16

97-65

NYY

2005

15-11

74-88

2005

14-15

95-67

NYY

2004

12-16

78-84

2004

13-9

101-61

NYY

2003

14-14

71-91

2003

16-13

101-61

NYY

2002

20-9

67-95

2002

20-14

103-58

NYY

2001

18-13

63-98

2001

9-20

95-65

NYY

2000

13-16

74-88

2000

13-20

87-74

NYY

1999

13-12

78-84

1999

14-19

98-64

NYY

1998

17-10

79-83

1998

And so it begins…

What are the top storylines in camp so far? (01:00)

Are the Orioles better or worse coming into camp in 2013 compared to 2012? The optimist and pessimists take on the team. (21:00)

Discussion on blog post regarding the new batting practice caps and uniform choices of the Baltimore Orioles? (36:30)

We start off by discussing Fanfest (01:00), and rehashing it for those of us (ahem) who weren’t able to make it. Scott breaks down the action, and discusses crowds, activities, and differences from previous years (04:00).  There were a number of Fan Forums (07:00):

* Buck Showalter/Dan Duquette

* Bounce Back Players (Markakis, Roberts, Reimold)

* Big Games (Machado, McLouth)

* Face of the Future (Machado, Bundy, Schoop, Avery, Hoes)

* New Faces (Valencia, Robertson)

* Starting Pitchers

 

Neither of us are big autograph guys, but Scott made an exception for WILLLLLLLLLSON!!! (15:00)

We discuss the passing of Earl Weaver, and his impact on the Baltimore sports scene (23:30), and how that is recognized for those of us who were too young to see him manage.

Next,  we review the Top 10 of 2012 (28:00)

We review the continuing (non) stories from the offseason (46:00), including Jair Jurrjens, Joe Saunders, and whether or not the team needs another bat. We wonder whether Baltimore is still on free agents’ blacklist, or whether the 2012 season lifted that stigma.

We wrap with a discussion of the World Baseball Classic (58:00). Do we care about the tournament? Is the WBC a failed experiment? How does Adam Jones’ participation affect his readiness for the 2013 season?