GO  O's

That is the other bad thing about Trembley, by the way: his record as a manager during the second half of the season is poor, in both the minor and major leagues.

Please get real. Fans are not going to see a change of owners just because they think they can prove the current owner is at fault for poor team performance. It's like blaming gravity because you can't jump to the moon. And I for one will not stop being an Oriole fan just because I may not like whoever the owner is. I've lived through every Oriole owner since I attended the team's first opening game in 1954, and I still believe the manager can make a huge difference in a team's performance, regardless of the owner. 'Want to see the positive difference a new manager can make? Look at what the Colorado Rockies have done in their last 15 games.

Now to be sure, I admit the team could wind up with a manager worse than Trembley, but I personally would take that chance, and I'd do it now, before one of Trembley's losing streaks sets in. I myself lean toward Dempsey or Allanson (the manager now at Norfolk) or Willie Randolph (the ex-Yankee 2nd baseman).

Okay, time for some I-told-you-so updates. Here are some Oriole moves I disagreed with at the time:

Getting rid of Lance Cormier--he's having a great year with Tampa Bay. Trading away Randor Bierd to Boston--he's now turning the corner as a AAA starter with Pawtucket, and I don't think Pauley (at Norfolk) is really going to become a major leaguer. Cutting Adam Eaton before at least trying him in long relief (which is what the Rockies are now doing with him at AAA Colorado Springs). Not picking up Juan Rincon when the Tigers cut him loose a month ago--the Rockies just brought him up from a fabulous stint at Colorado Springs.

I guess the jury is still out on Freel--I just don't think we gave him a fair shake here. Zaun is valuable as a mentor for Wieters, but truth be told, Greg is at the end of the trail. And maybe the jury's still out on Felix Pie--I personally think he's a scary ballplayer, something not quite right about the cat. I keep my fingers crossed whenever he goes near the warning track.

MacPhail is otherwise big-time right about all his other moves. He's a terrific GM. And if he can see the light to get rid of Trembley, I'd bend down and kiss his ass (MacPhail's, not Trembley's).

I believe the Orioles as presently constituted are good enough to play .500 baseball, and were they not in the AL East, they might be good enough to actually have a winning season. A big key is to have better short relief, so the starting pitcher can be routinely pulled after 5 innings of decent work. The days of expecting or planning for a starter to go beyond 5 innings are over, and I mean for any team in the majors.

When Juan Ricon was cut a month ago by the Tigers, I said we should have attempted to sign him. The Rockies did, and he's tearing up the Pacific Coast AAA league with an ERA under 1.50 for 6 relief appearances. I would also have shifted Adam Eaton to the bullpen before I cut him. He's also doing well with the Rockies AAA team now.

But I have very little criticism with MacPhail--he's as good as a GM as there is in baseball. Trembley, however, is another story, and I won't repeat what I posted earlier about him. Players make a difference, sure, but don't tell me a manager doesn't. I want more fire and spirit and less decency.