The Orioles were swept in their first homestand series losing three games to the Toronto Blue Jays, a team some thought the Orioles could beat in the standings in 2010.
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This afternoon's loss couldn't have been more frustrating. Kevin Millwood, the starter brought to Baltimore to provide a veteran anchor for the young pitching staff pitched brilliantly through eight innings having two out in the top of the 8th. Millwood should have been out of the inning but a freakish shot to third by John McDonald could not be fielded cleanly by third baseman, Miguel Tejada, putting the tying run on base. Okay, don't start screaming about Tejada's error and this is what happens when the team tries to experiment moving a shortstop to third. It was a very difficult chance that was originally scored a hit. Still, the results proved to be the Orioles undoing as the next batter, Jose Bautista hit a two run home run followed by a solo shot by Alex Gonzalez giving the Blue Jays the 5-2 lead the Orioles were unable to contest.
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The frustrating loss, another one where the team managed to grab defeat from the jaws of victory already has them at 1-5 all in their division having not yet faced the Yankees or Red Sox and three losses against the team they're supposed to have the best chance against. Only in Saturday night's game where they were shut out, did the team not take the lead only to do just enough to lose. Does this team have the right mindset to understand winning?
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It’s already looking like the same old – same old that has had fans so distressed for way too many seasons. This kind of play is unacceptable. The team is blowing way too many opportunities on both sides of the ball leaving too many runners on base and not being able to hold leads late in games. What can be said that after only four games, the team had to yank its closer, Mike Gonzalez from his role “until further notice.” The reliever’s stuff couldn’t have been worse with a total collapse of pitching mechanics, very basic stuff.
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Okay, everything gets intensified in the early going. Every team goes through some 1-5 stretches during the year, but how the Orioles are playing and what it reveals should be of tremendous concern to the Orioles brass. The starting pitching though, has generally been effective. Miguel Tejada was brought to the team to provide RBI's. He's done so leading the team with six so far. Matt Wieters has nine base hits including a homer. Garrett Atkins has three doubles, but sat out today's game. Kevin Millwood despite two losses has done exactly what the team wanted of him to do. He should be 2-0. There is absolutely nothing else about this team to applaud so far.
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The misery intensifies as the Tampa Bay Rays come to town for a three game series before the O's disappear for two series on the West Coast before coming home through a stop at Fenway Park. When they come home on April 27th to close out the month, they'll face the Yankees then start a series against the Red Sox. It's not hard to imagine, the Orioles might be lucky to win seven more games this month. That would assume going 2-1 in Oakland and Seattle, and going 1-2 against their Eastern rivals. Sorry to be so pessimistic, but this seems to be how this team does business.
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We hate to say this and many would say this is premature, but it was probably a poor decision to retain Dave Trembly as manager. Sure we're playing the time honored game of "the team sucks -blame the manager." However, while Trembly is surely a decent fellow, the team needs a new culture, a new attitude, a stronger sense of intensity, a true hatred of losing. Too often, the losses project an attitude of "just another day at the office." There just seems to be something tentative about how this team does business. They give the impression of a defensive attitude playing not to lose rather than having that fire in their eyes that demands winning. These are the markings of a doomed manager trying to retain his job.
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Fans' patience is in ever shorter supply. We know Andy McPhail had to clear out a lot of garbage before any meaningful rebuilding could get started and making this team competitive is a huge task. Still, 1997 is a distant memory now and years of losing makes it harder and harder to be encouraged and make following the O's enjoyable. If not for hometown pride and a love of the sport of baseball, many of us would have abandoned this team long ago, and given they have attracted crowds in the low 20's after opening day despite great weather, who's going to want to spend hard earned cash to see the same old - same old.
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Same old - same old -- when will we ever stop seeing "same old - same old." It's only April 11th!
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