Baltimore Orioles Soundoff

While watching last night's game, it became clear to me that Lee Mazzilli was not the man to lead the Orioles to the promised land--and they showed so much promise this year.

Here's the old adage, "If you can't run with the big dogs, stay on the porch." And Mazzilli seems to be a miniature pinscher when it comes to his managerial style. He yelps a lot and makes a lot of noise, but in the end, are you really afraid of such a little tyke? No. Neither are the other teams, or even his own players.

Last night I saw Mazzilli make two critical mistakes--one managerial and one spiritual.

With the game still within reach at 5-2, and after Tim Byrdak came in to pitch to a lefty and so dominantly retired the batter he faced, Lee "Matchups" Mazzilli struck again. Instead of leaving in Byrdak, who looked effortless while getting his man out, he decided to bring in Chris Ray because of match up reasons, since the next batter was a righty.

Mistake "Matchups," mistake. Are you telling me Byrdak isn't a good enough pitcher to get two guys out in a row? He looked great, why change? It makes little sense to me.

The other mistake that I saw Mazzilli make was a crucial one to his role as leader of the Baltimore Orioles. This may be why some on the team do not respect the man. After the game got out of hand--Mazzilli's fault for putting in Ray--Mazzilli could do nothing but hang his head in the dugout.

He didn't get fired up, he didn't get mad and scream at anybody, he didn't do much of anything. He just hung his head. Is that what a leader would do in that situation? Would Miguel Tejada just hang his head after striking out? I've seen Miggy slam thing and hit himself so I don't think so.

Would Earl Weaver just sit in the dugout while his starting pitcher was consistently hitting the outside corner of the plate to no avail from the umpire? Weaver would still be kicking dirt in Anaheim right now. And be throwing things.

Would even Davey Johnson just sit back, hang his head and let the bad things happen?

Would Cal?

Where have you gone, Cal Ripken Jr? Orioles nation turns its lonely, losing eyes to you. Woo Woo Woo.

The Baltimore Orioles, as they stand right now, are good enough to contend with anybody. They have one of the best lineups in baseball from top to bottom. They have a good young pitching staff, which nobody can deny. Their bullpen was supposed to be dominant. What are they missing? A leader in the form of a manager, that's what.

Who is the one person that nobody in or around Baltimore would ever dare to put down? Cal. Who would lead the Orioles with the spirit of man who comes to play every single day, and plays hard? Cal. Who does Miguel Tejada emulate more than any other? Cal. That's right. Cal.

On this O's squad, Miguel Tejada is the clear leader. Nobody is looked up to more than Miggy, no, not even Maz. That shouldn't be. The manager is the leader, that is just the way it is. There is only one person in Baltimore that is larger than Miguel Tejada, and a better leader.

Cal Ripken, you could save the Orioles. Please come back.

This team is ready to have a leader show them the way. Cal Ripken is that leader.

Cal Sr. managed the Orioles, and he didn't do that great of a job. Sr. was beloved by everyone but he wasn't a great manager, he was a better coach. That won't happen to Cal Jr.

Cal Ripken Sr. wasn't revered as much as Jr. because he never had the talent or the impact on the Orioles that his son had. Ripken Jr. is the Baltimore Orioles, always will be.

Orioles fans could come to Memorial Stadium and Camden Yards from 1982 until 1998 and count on #8 being in the lineup. They could count on his stellar bat and his golden glove at shortstop and then at third. They could count on Cal, always.

And now, when Orioles fans need it the most, through seven losing seasons and on its way to a most devastating eighth, they need to be able to count on Cal again.

Come back, Cal. Your team, the Orioles, needs you.

Last Game: Angels 8, Orioles 4
Box Score

Erik Bedard pitched a great game for 4 1/3 innings. Then he hiccupped. What had happened was...His pitches, in my opinion were hitting their spots on the outside corner. The umpire didn't see it that way. He called all his pinpoint pitches balls and forced Bedard to come over the plate. The Angels hitters were much obliged, scoring six times in the 5th inning.

If not for that crazy inning, the Orioles might have--gasp!--won a game. Oh well, we'll get 'em next time. HA!

Next Game: Thursday, August 4th, 4:05 p.m. @LAA.

Rodrigo Lopez vs. Erwin Santana