The Last Tantrum

After three plus years of writing about the Orioles I have decided to shut down the blog. This is mostly a time management decision. I have a hobby that might turn into a profitable small business if I put more time into it. I also have a new female friend who I want to spend more time with. As a result I have given up my ESPN affiliation (congratulations to Camden Depot) and made the decision to stop writing in this space.

Since my time as a blogger coincided with Andy MacPhail's time as O's president I would like to wrap up with a few words about his tenure. The two adjectives I have most often employed to describe Andy M. are "competent" and "conservative." His free agent signings were often lamentable but he avoided the big mistake by limiting contracts to one or two years. His drafts have been solid with the notable exception of the Hobgood pick. While I have often wished Andy would get more active in the international market, he has delivered one top prospect (Schoop) and one of the best Japanese pitchers in baseball. Andy's early trades restocked an empty farm system and his later trades filled holes at the major league level. Andy gets credit for hiring Buck Showalter.

MacPhail's risk-averse approach has brought the team to a point where they are able to beat the worse teams in the league but are usually bested by the beasts of the AL East. Sadly, mere competence is not enough in the East. The O's remain the fifth best organization in the division, a fact highlighted by the massive haul of prospects the Jays, Rays, and Sox picked up in the draft last week. The Orioles don't have the money the Sox and Yankees have. They don't seem as good at finding the "extra 2%" as the Rays and Jays. Andy MacPhail succeeded in changing the Orioles from a laughingstock to a competitive team. Can he change them into a playoff contenders though? Can he land the big free agent bat? Can he make the risky trade pay off? I'm not so sure.

One thing I am sure of is that I will come to the Oriole BlogOsphere to find out. Some of the best sportswriting in the country is done on fan-driven blogs devoted to the Baltimore Orioles. Their passion is unbelievable. They pour countless hours into research and writing about a team that hasn't won since the Clinton administration and they do it for little or no monetary reward. Also, some of these writers are flat out brilliant. It has been a real pleasure to be a small part of a great community of fans and writers. Thanks to all of you for the links and feedback.

Go O's!