[jbock13]

Orioles win!!!!

[jbock13]

Rays win!!!!

[ToTheLeft]

and RAYS WIN!

Thanks O's nation! Hope you guys can experience this some day soon, but for now, we'll enjoy the PLAYOFFS!

[jbock13]

I'm absolutely dreaming...

[BJWilliams]

I think Im going to drown my sorrows with Sobe Energy tomorrow...

[jbock13]

I think Im going to drown my sorrows with Sobe Energy tomorrow...

Or you could celebrate with us and cheer us on

LET'S GO RAYS!!!!

[LUminary]

Last O's game of the season tonight, and I've got TWO church committee meetings. Time to fire up the VCR one last time.

It was worth the video tape! That was a nice finish. The O's were 14-8 over the last three weeks, and 9-3 against the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays. Just getting my hopes up again for next season.

[jbock13]

Rays win 1-0 off a walk-in run. Hmmm. Well it's a win I guess.

[adam42381]

Rays win 1-0 off a walk-in run. Hmmm. Well it's a win I guess.

Bard should never have been in the game at that point. This was his 2nd career start after leaving the bullpen. He had thrown 87 pitches when the 7th inning started and he had already walked 4 coming into the 7th inning. He proceeds to get 2 quick outs on 5 pitches before walking the next guy on 5 pitches. Next batter singles to center on the 6th pitch of the AB.

(This is the point where he should have been pulled at the latest) Next batter walks on 4 pitches. Obviously, he's done at this point, right? Nope, Bobby V. decides to let him stay in to get the third out despite having allowed 2 walks and a single in the inning. Oh, his pitch count was at 107 at this point and he'd just allowed his 6th walk of the game. So much for letting him gradually stretch himself into the starter's role early in the season.

The next batter walks on 4 pitches allowing the first and only run of the game. Bobby V. finally comes and rescues Bard who pitched great for 6 2/3 innings. The crowd boos loudly both when Bobby V. comes out to the mound and while he returns to the dugout. I understand trying to let a guy go for a shutout, but Bard was clearly done. Terrible management that may have lost the Red Sox the game since the final score was 1-0.

[jbock13]

Yeah but 1-0 is the only way we can win games! Glad to see Shields got it together. His first start wasn't that good.

[LUminary]

O's down 4-2 against White Sox in 9th, get three homers (including grand slam by Weiters, his second HR of game) to win 10-4. Rays and Red Sox should be worried. LOL.

[jbock13]

O's down 4-2 against White Sox in 9th, get three homers (including grand slam by Weiters, his second HR of game) to win 10-4. Rays and Red Sox should be worried. LOL.

The last time I checked, you're still the Orioles. Let me repeat... the Orioles.

[jbock13]

Phillip Humber throws a perfect game. Not sure about the swinging strike call. Looked like Ryan may not have went.

[Sly Fox]

I used to cover Humber back in his college days. With all of the injury challenges he has faced, it is cool to see him have that moment.

[NotAJerry]

Three little words belong here:

Let's Go Nats!

[BJWilliams]

Much to the delight of FFG, myself and our resident Flames baseball broadcaster, the Atlanta Braves are the hottest team going right now after starting the season 0-4. They have won 10 of 11 including 5 in a row and are a game and a half out of first

[NotAJerry]

Saturday, April 28, 2012. Bryce Harper makes him MLB debut at the LA Dodgers.

Harper started a little slow at AAA, but he's really improved his plate discipline (his one weakness) already as he's drawn 7 BB to 6 K in the last 10 games. In that span he's put up a .290/.421/.419 line with a HR and 2B. It's likely a few weeks early, but with Morse out and Ryan Zimmerman going to the 15 day DL with swelling around his AC joint (but no structural damage) they may as well giver Harper his first look instead of trotting out guys like Roger Bernadina, Xavier Nady and Mark DeRosa every day.

[jbock13]

I don't think it would hurt. But he might struggle. The last thing you want to do is what happened last year, Mike Moustakas with the Royals, Anthony Rizzo with the (then Padres), and Mike Trout with the Angels. Sometimes we know they'll be good, but they just aren't ready yet. Moustakas came back this year, made the team, and is doing well, when last year he clearly still wasn't ready. Worst thing you can do, is keep a player at the MLB level who hasn't matured quite enough yet.

Harper, my prediction is that he struggles to make it. But of course, that doesn't mean the future he won't be special.

[NotAJerry]

Trout is putting up a .403/.467/.623 line right now with 4 2B, 5 3B, 1 HR and 6 SB through 20 games at AAA. Once the Angels get around to benching some wasted money in their OF he'll come up and stick this time.

Rizzo has a .380/.424/.684 through 20 in AAA so far. He's got 3 2B, 7 HR and actually has a SB as well.

I like the idea of some of these uber talents being exposed to the highest level, getting smacked a bit, and showing what they're made of by having to refocus and really hone their skills. Harper is odd because he struggles for about 2 weeks at each level when he first gets there then he goes crazy.

[jbock13]

Yeah, my point is that now Trout and Rizzo might do a lot better when the second time comes around. With Harper I can't see him doing well the first time. But I've been wrong before.

As for Rizzo, if LaHair keeps playing the way he has been, Rizzo might have to wait until the 40 man callups.

[NotAJerry]

Harper's debut so far:

1st AB: infield groundout, ran harder to 1st than anyone I've seen in years.
2nd AB: frozen rope to LF, right at the fielder.
3rd AB: 380 ft line drive off the base of the wall in left center for a double.

He's made great contact off of Chad Billingsley twice already.

Also of note, while Billingsley has only given up 5 hits in 6.2 IP, Strasburg has a double and missed a HR foul by about 5 feet.

EDIT: Bryce Harper just made a throw nearly as good as Rick Ankiel's best and Wilson Ramos dropped the ball at home for what would have been an easy out.

4th AB: another frozen rope to LF, sac fly to take the lead 2-1 in the top of the 9th.

Kid is legit. Can't wait for Tuesday. I've got a friend who works for the Nats and tipped me off on the callup so I grabbed a ticket before prices went a little wonky.

[jbock13]

But Billingsley isn't exactly a great pitcher. Give it a 2 weeks and we'll know if he's ready. You can't judge based on one game. It took Rays fans about 3 weeks to figure out that Jennings isn't a .450 hitter

[NotAJerry]

But Billingsley isn't exactly a great pitcher. Give it a 2 weeks and we'll know if he's ready. You can't judge based on one game. It took Rays fans about 3 weeks to figure out that Jennings isn't a .450 hitter

Billingsley isn't a great pitcher? His ERA the last 5 seasons:

3.31
3.14
4.03
3.57
4.21

So far this season he's at 2.64. He's a good, to very good, pitcher every year and he's 27. He's a solid #2 SP who has pitched like a #1 during 2 seasons already and is doing so again this season. His 08 ERA was 11th among qualifying SP. His fWAR, since becoming a full time starter during the 07 season, is 30th among qualified SP through the early part of this season.

The thing that got me about Harper last night was that his approach at the plate looked completely different from spring training. During the spring he was swinging at everything, his feet seemed to never stop moving, and he started to strike out a ton. Last night, and apparently during the last 10 games or so at AAA, he looked like he understands that he belongs at the top level and was relaxed, selective, and forcing pitchers to either give him something to hit or simply not swinging. His approach at the plate looked like a 5 year veteran.

[jbock13]

You can easily see it progressively getting worse though. But anyways.

[BJWilliams]

Course it could get better too...but that's why the guys who are talent evaluators are where they are and guys like you, me and NAJ are sitting here being armchair (or keyboard as it were) scouting experts