Author Archives: sacklodge

01.27.14
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Orioles and Tyler Colvin? Not so Fast.

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Does this come as a surprise to anyone? When I picture the Orioles training staff/ team doctor.. I think of Dr. Frankenstein in a mad laboratory just absolutely cackling as they poke and prod every player who comes through. Once they deem them ‘unfit’ to play or something, a red light goes off and the trap-door opens. Bye bye baseball.

But really, I’ve been an O’s fan for as long as I can remember. Through the good and the Sidney Ponson. But come on, get it together. Need to put people in the seats and on Eutaw. First Balfour, now this.

12.09.13
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Ravens vs Vikings Reaction

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Final Score: Baltimore 29 Minnesota 26

I had the opportunity to actually be at this game yesterday, and I have to say– I challenge you to find a better environment for football than an absolute snow day in Baltimore. It was electric. The beers were flowing, the Fireball was smuggled in, and everyone was like a giddy kid on Christmas throughout the entire game. 

Dennis Pitta being back on the field was huge. Most Ravens fans know the chemistry he and Flacco have on the field, and it couldn’t have come at a better time than the 1-yard TD catch on 4th and goal. Huge. This sparked what has been called the most insane final 2 minutes in NFL history. SIX lead changes. Jacoby taking a Kickoff back for a score. Vikings answering. Twice. 

Then, Joe cool came through to Downtown Marlon Brown for the final score of the game. This was Baltimore football. It’s never easy, but we get it done. Blue collar, bare knuckle. We’re still alive in hunt for the playoffs. 

 

PS: Adrian Peterson, yeah snowballs were being thrown. You’re playing in a football game with snow everywhere. Lighten up a little bit and build a snowman or something. 

12.06.13
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O’s Feldman Leaves for Astros

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(MLB Trade Rumors) 

The Astros have agreed to a three-year, $30MM contract with right-hander Scott Feldman, according to Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports ). It’s been a busy few days for Feldman’s agent, Matt Brown, as he also represents Curtis Granderson, who just agreed to a four-year, $60MM deal with the Mets.

Feldman’s contract represents both a significant raise for the pitcher — he earned $6MM in 2013 — and a significant change in philosophy for the Astros. Houston trimmed payroll in 2013 to the point where Erik Bedard‘s $1.15MM salary made him the only Astro with a salary north of $1MM. By signing Feldman and acquiring Dexter Fowler and his $7.35MM salary earlier this week, the Astros are making good on their promise to fans that they will spend money this offseason.

I will be the first to admit I trust Dan Duquette and Buck Showalter. 100% absolute, complete trust in the rebuild of the Orioles. But, why are we still in rebuild mode? Shouldn’t we be putting the final pieces of the puzzle together to put ourselves in contention? We have the Yankees doing their usual spend, spend, spend (AND the Mariners, ha!), and we’re sitting waiting to pick up middle-tier guys. Newsflash, players want to be paid. In my humble opinion as a long-time suffering Orioles fan… give us the guys we need to win. Spend the money. Keep putting people in the seats and at the bar in center field. Bring people to the Yard to stuff their faces with Boog’s and down it all at Dempsey’s. The only way that’s going to happen, is if we win. The only way we’re going to win, is if we have the players in-place to do so. Feldman wasn’t the guy to take us to the promised land, but it sure seems like we have more holes to fill now than this time last year.

11.13.13
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Orioles Intrigued by Hudson? Sure! Why not?

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(MLB Trade Rumors) “The Orioles are intrigued by free agent starter Tim Hudson and have discussed him internally, reports Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com.  The 38-year-old righty fits the Orioles’ profile, and the O’s have Braves connections in recent hires Dave Wallace and Dom Chiti.”

This.. this is what dreams are made of. I would love to know what “the Orioles’ profile” is. I love this time of year– football season, NCAA Basketball has begun, and the MLB Hot Stove is just warming up.

Bottom line, our pitching stunk more than the poop plant in Essex last year. I love this team, but tough decisions must be made in order for us to move forward with the strong foundations we have in place in Davis, Machado, Bundy, Schoop, etc. Will a 38-year old Hudson, recovering from a severe ankle injury, be the missing piece to the puzzle? No. Probably not. But it’s a veteran presence in the clubhouse with enough dominant pitching experience to go around. I don’t just like it, I love it. Bring Huddy to Baltimore.

11.12.13
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Report: Ed Reed to be Released by the Texans. Come on home!

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(ESPN) The Houston Texans are releasing safety Ed Reed on Tuesday, a source confirmed to ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Here’s the thing, I love Ed Reed. He was a stalwart of the Baltimore defense that straight intimidated offenses for years. Coaches had to gameplan around him because he’s such a ballhawk. Top 5 Safeties, all time…

But he’s 35. He’s taken and delivered so many hits on the field, his joints are held together by dental floss. The right thing to do, Ed.. is to come home. We’ll take you with open arms. Let’s give you the Marino Rivera treatment. XRays and MRI’s from every team as mementos. It’s the honorable thing to do.  I also don’t think he ever truly wanted to leave Baltimore. He gets to the Texans, Schaub is donezo. Foster is gone. Kubiak stroked out of pure disgust. Come on, Ed. We REEEEEED you.

PS: No doubt in my mind Ed becomes a secondary coach/ defensive consultant with the Ravens <2 years. Book it.

11.11.13
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Ray Lewis and Urlacher in the New Xbox One Spot

Via YouTube Xbox One: Retirement Home

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Ray Lewis is a savage. Plain and simple. The man could still go out there and destroy opposing offenses and stuff the run. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he actually did this.. he’s one of the most intense people on this side of the earth.

PS: Do you think Urlacher likes being relegated to second fiddle here? Has to hate it, right?

10.16.13
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Vi Ripken Can’t Catch a Break

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Baltimore Sun 

A man with a handgun confronted Cal Ripken Jr.‘s mother outside a bank in Aberdeen on Tuesday afternoon and told her he wanted to steal her car, according to police.

Vi Ripken was able to scare off the man, who was later apprehended by Aberdeen police, by activating the panic alarm on her key fob. She was uninjured, and the man ran away without taking anything, said Lt. Fred Budnick, an Aberdeen police spokesman.

She was approached outside the NBRS branch in the 200 block of W. Bel Air Ave. about 3 p.m., Budnick said.

The incident was the second in just over a year involving Vi Ripken in Aberdeen, a community known for its low crime rate.

“It’s a little unusual,” for her to be the victim of two crimes in a relatively short period, Budnick said, adding that Tuesday’s incident “appears to be a crime of opportunity.”

Wow. Vi can’t catch a break. First, she’s kidnapped, now this? I feel like Vi can absolutely handle herself, too. There’s actually no doubt in my mind. I’m honestly still terrified of my Grandmother, can’t even imagine the wrath of the Ripken. Oh yeah, hey officer.. you think it’s unusual? This is Baltimore. 

 

10.15.13
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Robert Griffin III is all About the TEAM! Pause not.

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Washington Post

Robert Griffin III has talked before about how much he wanted to represent the United States in the Olympics. My colleague Dave Sheinin wrote about that at length in his book, “RG3: The Promise,” in a section about Griffin running track his freshman year at Baylor.

“The only choice [coaches] had, really, was to let Griffin compete at the Trials — with each football coach having to decide privately and individually the degree to which he was rooting for the kid to qualify, or not, for Beijing…” Sheinin wrote. “Was he a track athlete who also played football, or a football player who also ran track? It was getting harder to distinguish.”

The situation has obviously changed since then — a Heisman Trophy, a huge NFL contract, and endorsement deals with every company in the United States will do that. But Griffin hasn’t stopped dreaming.

Which brings me to the latest video about Griffin and his family released via USAA. The video came out last week, and the timing maybe wasn’t ideal, what with Redskins fans panicking over the current season and not giving much thought to the 2020 badminton trials.

“My dream is to be in the Olympics and represent the United States of America,” Griffin says in the video. “So [as a teenager] I was preparing for my dream…I would definitely want to still fulfill my dream of going to the Olympics. Someway, somehow. Maybe it’s track, maybe it’s badminton, maybe it’s ping pong. I’ll find a way to get to the Olympics.”

Honestly, I have been waiting for an article like this to come along, so I can unleash the fury of 1000 sons on the absolute phony that is Robert Griffin III. Hey, Robert, how’s your team coming along? Oh, really? …… I am 125% sure the man takes the phrase, “You can’t spell team without M-E” completely serious. I can’t take it. Do you remember when he came out on the field, kissing and banging the ground and waving the flag like the second coming of William Wallace? My God. 

Now excuse me as I look at this picture to lower my blood pressure. I think I just had a stroke.

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PS, Robert: That ^ is an American hero. Go watch Mr. Baseball and learn a thing or two. 

10.14.13
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Machado to Undergo Knee Surgery

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WBAL

“Orioles third baseman Manny Machado will have surgery to repair a ligament in his left knee.

Machado tore his medial patellofemoral ligament on September 23. He decided to have surgery after consulting with several doctors.

Dodgers orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache will perform surgery Monday. Machado expects to be ready for the start of spring training.

The first-time All-Star recently consulted with several doctors and knee specialists. He said, “We decided that in the long run and for my future as a baseball player, this surgery would be the best plan.”

The 21-year-old Machado played in every game this season before the injury, which occurred when he stepped awkwardly on first base in a game at Tampa Bay.

He hit .283 with 14 homers, 71 RBIs and 51 doubles.”

I know this is a few days delayed, but it needs to be discussed. When Manny went down against the Rays, the entire city of Baltimore held our breath anticipating the worst. It seems like knees are at a premium in every sport these days- ie: RGIII, Mo Rivera, Adrian Peterson. The silver lining here, if there is one, is that it’s not the Unlucky Triad– ACL/MCL/Meniscus. Manny’s the future of Baltimore baseball, and this may slightly hinder his development, but we were all witnesses to what he could do in learning on-the-go. He’ll come back bigger and better than this year, book it.

Respectable pinch of Big League Chew, btw.

10.14.13
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Hakeem the Dream

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(NBC Sports)

“Last night, Peter King and yours truly discussed whether the trade should happen.  King believes strongly that they should.

And it makes sense.  The Giants are 0-6, they likely won’t pay Nicks what he wants (which could be along the lines of what Mike Wallace got), and they may as well get what they can and move on.

The ability of G.M. Jerry Reese to find plenty of other competent receivers via the draft or otherwise (e.g., Victor Cruz, who wasn’t drafted) suggests that the Giants are better off finding a young replacement next year, trusting Eli Manning to help the player become a good-to-great receiver, and shipping Nicks to a contender.”

With the departure of Boldin in the offseason for (seemingly) nothing in return, you had to wonder if the Ravens were going to be able to replace that presence on the field. We need that guy who can go across the middle, take a hit, and be a solid possession receiver.  The change of scenery and culture would do wonders for Nicks in Baltimore.

Bring him in and watch what he’ll do at M&T on Sundays.