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Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Orioles fans! I hope that 2010 is full of love, health, and riches in all things that bring joy to you. This is the time to also hope that our beloved team somehow finds a way to provide us with a season that does not leave us pondering our masochistic tendencies while we watch and wonder how fans of certain other teams, though thoroughly soulless, are able to cheer remorselessly and gleefully for teams that win — or at least don’t lose in record — no, it’s the season of joy, so the remainder of that sentence will remain untyped. In short, I wish you a year and season without rue. And for me, I wish a chance to touch Cal Ripken, Jr. again, and maybe, if it’s not too fantastical, maybe Eddie Murray and Earl Weaver. (Dreams came true last year, so why not dream some more!)

Again, I apologize for such a long delay since my last post. Contrary to all logical supposition, my lack of posting is not due to my utter despondency about the Orioles, nor the utter hopelessness that our beloved team will ever see both quality pitching and batting on the same roster. It is not a result of this blog author submitting herself to an Orioles treatment program for depression (only because one does not yet exist - the actual market for such a service being so small — though desperately needed for that small market). No, no. My lack of posting is due only to the limited number of hours in the day. And sometimes, the lack of imagination to say in a brand new way, “Huh! We lost. Funny, that,” or “The Orioles hurt me bad. Bad.”

New Years is always a time for me to make a long list of resolutions — some of which are never realistic, like finishing everything on my reading list, and some of which I actually manage to accomplish (I can’t think of any examples at the moment, but I know they exist). In the past I might have been wont to resolve to no longer complain vociferously about our team. I may have even once promised to not use the words “chipper” and the name of an Orioles pitcher together in the same paragraph. Recent years and this blog have taught me however, that I am weak of character (and mind) and the futility of such promises only assures that I will have just one more reason for self-loathing, one more reason to regard myself as a failure and screw up. Sure, I feel mean and judgmental when I make such statements, but at least I achieve a temporary outlet for the frustration that is being an Orioles fan and loving, despite all reason, a team that elicits a response of laughter and “WHY!?” from anyone outside of our circle. (If you have to ask, I could never explain it to you. And go get a soul you idiot Red Sox fan.)

So may 2010 bring many more Orioles friendships and reason for us to cheer everything in our lives outside of baseball, as well as the pleasures of our favorite past time, even if very few other people understand its appeal or our loyalty and devotion to a hobby that causes sometimes real and physical pain (and occasional alcoholism). Count on much more complaining emanating from this url, and occasional unrealistic and unwarranted enthusiasm. Virtual love and hugs to you and many thanks for your friendship and patience in reading this blog.

Happy, happy 2010!

Important Alert: Calendar Available

I skipped the game entirely last night. I had to attend a meeting with my Drinking Liberally friends and discuss politics and people’s foolishness whilst enjoying a brew. However, while I have no game news, I felt it important to share this very important information with you. The Orioles now have a pet calendar. They might not win, but they sure look good!!!

Enjoy!

Tampa: Game Post Mortem

Out of respect for your precious time, I’ll keep this post short. Last night we played Tampa. We were behind by 3. Weiters hit a homer. In the top of the 9th, we had a couple men on base and a good chance to tie the game. We didn’t.

In summary…we coulda won but we didn’t. Let’s not waste time analyzing why and what went wrong. There’s no point. It’s been done to death. Just eat a cookie and have some chocolate and a glass of Tankeray, official liquor of the Baltimore Orioles, and get on with your life.

No, I’m not despondent. Whatever gave you that impression?

Ouch!

I just tuned in to the game. It’s the bottom of the eighth and Albers just walked a Ranger Cabrera style. The score is now 17-4. What is it with the Rangers and is there a way we can bring the Royals back to the American League and move the Rangers to the National? There must be some way we can get out of playing them.

And here I thought the past two routs were bad.

Bases are loaded and Albers just threw a wild pitch. One thing the last two years have taught me is to not torture myself unnecessarily. I’ve seen all I need to…Now it’s 19-4. I’m out.

My wish for you is that you missed tonight’s game entirely.

Orioles in First Place

It feels good to say it, even if it’s temporary. :-)

Really, I’m writing to share this wonderfully written article with you from the Baltimore Sun. Wasn’t it wonderful yesterday to hear only choruses of “Yankees suck” - even once to a new rhythm. Yay Os fans!! I don’t know what’s changed or what’s different, but I hope our fans stick around this season! It certainly would take some of the sting out of losses to lose with the support of our own fans in our own stadium.

May the rest of your day be filled with the giddiness that has overcome me all day!! Hugs to my wonderful Oriole friend readers.

Best Opening Day In Memory

Okay, I’m going to try to not feel bitter that the only opening day I’ve been to in twenty years was last year against the Rays when we lost against Tampa Bay, with a half empty stadium and very little energy in the crowd and try not to lament too much that I could have been there this year to be part of the crushing blow we just dealt to the Ys in possibly the best opening day I have ever watched. Wow. What a great way to kick off the season. And may I say, “WE’RE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES BABY!!” I’m just kidding, of course, but it certainly was a wonderful way to start baseball this year!!

To be honest, I wasn’t real confident when I say Guthrie would be pitching. Oh ye of little faith.

I found myself wondering who was more honored today, Biden to be standing next to Palmer or Palmer standing next to Biden?

Beauty and happiness abounds!!

Happy Orioles Day!

Perhaps every Monday should be Opening Day. Not only have I been looking forward to this Monday, but in an unprecedented show of morning energy I bounded out of bed before the alarm. And I’m only watching the game on TV.

Though, I do have a long to do list today: update blog to bore precious few remaining readers (check), update Facebook status with a teaser “is so happy today because…To celebrate she is wearing…Can you guess?” (I had to disqualify one friend from playing, the rest will never figure it out. How sad is that). Contact MASN today and tell them again how very much I love them and the great joy they have brought me (along with commensurate suffering to my dear husband, who last week uttered a pain-filled involuntary, “Oh no. Already?” Already! Already indeed!). And the most difficult thing on the to-do list, try to focus on my work before the game. That will be a challenge!

Just like when I was growing up, I am so excited…How I love Opening Day. It’s all goodness from here. Spring, baseball, summer, outdoors, fun, play. Opening Day symbolizes all of these.

May you have a wonderful Orioles filled day. I’ll be back in touch later.

Now…do I wear my “Thanks Cal, I was there” tee, the plain Orioles tee or the Brooks Robinson tee? Or, the “Y n k s s c k, I want to buy a vowel” tee? I’ll save that one for tomorrow. Decisions, decisions!

Happiness Is…

Televised games. MASN, how I love you and love this time of year. Less than a week to go, but Spring Training will do for now!!

Much happiness to you all, as well!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Dear Orioles readers and bloggers, I have missed you! What a crazy few months this has been, and if I do say so myself, a rather inventive way to distract myself from the baseball abyss that winter brings. I’m certainly not pouring over Roch’s blog for any shred of hope via trade like last season.

However, in two weeks time I will suddenly find myself with copious amounts of free time - and not just because the semester is about to end. More on that in another post. Perhaps by the start of the new year I will have time to finally finish creating Sixteen Gold Gloves, which is still in very primitive form at the moment. It’s another undertaking that I find myself asking, “Why do I do this to myself?” However, having this outlet for my Orioles musings is imperative. It allows me to get all my Oriole enthusiasm out of my system, so that I can better keep it under wraps and preserve my husband’s sanity (which as you might imagine, living with me causes a veritable shortage of). He has learned to not ask what seem like simple questions, “Why doesn’t the pitcher just throw strikes?” Is there a short answer to that question? Even with all the understanding he’s gained, he still calls home “fourth” and it tickles me to no end. If I’m having a bad day, all I have to do is think of “the runners going to fourth” and it cheers me. It’s just another one of my husband’s endearing qualities. I love him to bits.

As I update the SGG website, I will be pointing to the numerous informative and useful links that you have provided. If you wish to keep your brilliance anonymous or less visible, just let me know. You should know however, that about two readers a week find this website and then quickly navigate away with the greatest alacrity their fingers can muster. You really have nothing to fear.

Finally and most importantly, may this Thanksgiving be one in which you are surrounded by love, feeling appreciated, knowledge that your presence touches and improves the lives of others, and feelings of gratitude for all the many large and small blessings you have, which I hope are more than you can enumerate even if given a week to do so. Sixteen Gold Gloves is very grateful to know you virtually.

Ahh! Ahh!! AHH!!!

Deep breath… Find inner composure…MY, this is reminiscent of last season, isn’t it.

I’m so depressed.

If you didn’t watch tonight’s game, here’s the brief summary. The Orioles threw away a three run lead at 5-2, to lose 5-10, giving away three runs, you guessed it, in the seventh, and to ensure our loss, another safety five runs in the eigth. That whole not losing in a humiliating way wasn’t working for us. We prefer the soul-crushing kind of losses. We helped Tampa achieve eight runs through stellar improvised pitching moves, such as the highly specialized “walk the batter,” “hit the batter,” and the “give the batter a three-run homer, or at least a solid hit deep into the outfield.” Sarfate pitched so many balls that the MLB reached a consensus to rename the pitch after him. Meanwhile in Seattle, the strike has been renamed “the Bedard.”

Do you know what I was thinking when the Os had the bases loaded in the seventh, was it, I’ve lost track the last two innings were so long? I was thinking, “Oh, poor Tampa Bay.” You see, having been there, the underdog, with bases loaded, so many times, I felt sorry for the Rays. Somehow, silly me, I thought we had a reasonable chance of winning against them tonight. Then there was Sarfate. Bless his heart.

And mine.

Dempsey’s Army is going to have his hands full looking at the pitching patterns tonight. Bad Sarfate. Bad Aquino. Bad…oh, I’ve blocked it out now.

It appears I have to return to some cheerful hobbies to get me through games like this, like picking up the serial killer investigation again. Or jabbing sharp needles repeatedly into my eyeballs. That should be less painful.

I haven’t given up the faith though. Developing my denial muscles, I am. Hopefully, Trembley will taser Sarfate (and Aquino) tonight and he’ll develop and grow. We learn from each loss.

(I can only keep this up for a few more days.)