.....who is NOT happy with the supposed "blockbuster" deal. I have always liked and respected Ray Miller, who has faithfully served as pitching coach for the O's during, what, 22 different managerial reigns?
He's quoted as basically saying, "You get me eight runs a game, and I'll figure out the rest." I'm sorry, Ray, I've seen the pitching roster. Our ace is Sidney Ponson....for the 2nd straight year! Thank goodness we picked up a couple of decent middle relievers (they should hope they'll get paid by the hour on the mound....)
Sammy Sosa won't hit 50 home runs total in his entire time in Baltimore, no matter how long it may be. He's 36, he's 26 away from 600 HR's, then what's next? He knows he's coming to a team with absolutely no chance of winning the World Series, now and for the forseeable future (i.e.--until Angelos sells!!), and he loafed on the Cubs last year, just a year after being so close to the Fall Classic.
Unless Rafael, Javy and Miguel can keep him in line, I'm expecting this to be the colossal failure of the Orioles this decade, as Albert Belle was in the 1990's. There were none in the 70's; in the 80s the failure came when we brought back Earl Weaver. Unfortunately, we couldn't shave five years off the age of our 1986 lineup. And let's not even talk about 1988....
For my money, my three all-time favorite Oriole teams (that I can remember, so 1966 and 1970 don't count) are 1) 1983 (of course), 2) 1979, and 3) 1989. And let it be said the 1989 team had more grit and guts than few teams I've ever seen. They should have never been close to winning a division in the final week of the season, yet, there they were.
I've been an Oriole fan since I started listening to Chuck Thompson and Bill O'Donnell in the early 1970's when WFLS in Fredericksburg, Virginia was a radio affiliate. I named my cat Al Bumbry. I suffered through the A's and Yankees years, reveled in 1979, was stunned to lose a 3-1 lead at home, and, would you believe it, actually missed the final out of the '83 Series (I was working at my first job at the time every Sunday afternoon, and game 5 was on a Sunday, back when the games weren't all played at night).
I could go on and on and on about my favorite players, so let me just come up with a dream lineup and bench...and pitching staff. (When I compare this pitching staff to 2005's, it will be dreaming!)
Manager: Earl Weaver (of course)
Pitching Coach: Ray Miller
1st Base Coach: Billy Miller
3rd Base Coach: Cal Ripken, Sr.
Bench Coach: Johnny Oates
1st Base: Eddie Murray, Boog Powell
2nd Base: Rich Dauer, Bobby Grich
Shortstop: Cal Ripken, Jr, Mark Belanger (sorry, Miguel, not yet)
3rd Base: Brooks Robinson, Doug DeCinces
Catcher: Rick Dempsey, Elrod Hendricks
Outfield: Frank Robinson, Ken Singleton, Al Bumbry, Brady Anderson, Paul Blair, John Lowenstein, Gary Roenicke
Starting Rotation: Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, Mike Cuellar, Mike Flanagan, Mike Mussina
In the Pen: Scott McGregor, Eddie Watt, Tippy Martinez, Milt Pappas, Hoyt Wilhelm, Tim Stoddard, Gregg Olson
Designated Hitters: Rafael Palmeiro and Lee May
There are other "great" Orioles (I define that by saying they played well in the Orioles team concept, though they may not be in the Top 100 all-time in any MLB stats), like Merv Rettenmund, Terry Crowley, Sammy Stewart, Mickey Tettleton, Mike Boddicker, Ross Grimsley, and today's Melvin Mora.
Yeah, I know our outfield isn't "Mantle, Ruth, and DiMaggio", but I'm certainly proud to be an Oriole fan!! :)
Sammy Sosa, though?
I don't see him making this lineup anytime soon.
OH----and another thing.....
Just thinking......
When we were battling the last time for the pennant, 1997, if we had NOT traded Curt Schilling and Steve Finley away in the late 80s, (remember Glenn Davis??), how many of you think Florida would have faced us, rather than the Indians? Mussina needed one more arm to help; Schilling would have been perfect.....oh well.
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