Day: April 1, 2009

Didn’t See That Coming….Good Luck Penn

The Orioles announced a trade today with the Marlins.  Bye-bye RHP HAYDEN PENN.  Hello INF ROBERT ANDINO. 

I might be in the minority here along with O’s color commentator from 105.7 FM Dave Johnson (also at MASN sports) and ex-pitcher, but I wanted to see Penn get some more innings.  I know he has been battered and brutal…I know.   Thoughts?

Here are the stats:

Penn reached the major leagues with the Orioles in 2005 and was 3-6 with a 9.31 ERA (58.0IP,60ER) in 14 major league starts for the Orioles from 2005-06. After making only 10 minor league starts in 2007, due to bone chips in his right elbow, he spent the 2008 season at Triple-A Norfolk, where he was 6-7 with a 4.79 ERA (99.2IP,53ER) in 21 starts.

Andino has spent parts of the last four seasons in the major leagues with the Marlins, compiling a .201 average (29-for-144) with two home runs and 12 RBI in 79 games. In 2008, Andino batted .206 (13-for-63) with two homers and nine RBI. Andino was originally selected by the Marlins in the second round of the 2002 First Year Player Draft. 

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Homerun Derby

     Gameday traditions, gotta love them.  We have them in my baseball circles and my favorite is the homerun derby.

     Homerun derby is simple.  Everyone who I attend a game with gets to pick an Orioles player who they think is going to rock the yard with a homer.  For fun, we each put up a dollar. 

     If I pick Brian Roberts and he smashes one out that means everyone has to ante up a dollar, Molly is getting paid.  If Neil picks Aubrey Huff and Huff goes yard, it’s his payday.  Money is not neccessarily required to do this, but in my experience it makes it more fun. 

     We’ve had games where everyone was a winner and as you might suspect, this one was a blast!  It happened once.  More often than not though, we all walk away without a winner.  Homeruns are a precious commodity in the bigs anymore.   We’ve also spiced it up by each picking a player on the other team.  But this isn’t nearly as much fun.  Who wants to root for Derek Jeter to hit a dinger?  Not me.

     Last year there was a group of us who traveled to Washington to check out the new stadium for a game and watch our Orioles.  We had great seats and yes, it was a nice stadium.  Not as good as Camden Yards though.  As is custom,  we made our picks right before entering the game. 

     As the six of us loaded onto an already crowded elevator with a bunch of other O’s fans, Neil said that each of us had such good picks that one of us was bound to win! Markakis, Huff, Roberts, Mora, Jones (can’t remember the last one).  The entire elevator erupted in cheers for the Orioles.  We were ecstatic.  

    Of course, this was early in the first half (I believe) of the season when the Orioles were on a tear so that only added to the bliss! The O’s were definitely getting it done with the wood.

     Man, I cannot wait for baseball.  The Orioles are on the verge and if you can’t feel that, well, you are missing out. 

     What are your game day traditions?  For even the purists of the game know it can be a long night, what do you to keep yourself into it?  The wave?  Do you keep the score book?  Let’s get pumped here, people.

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