Base Hits: 4/3/2009

Tangotiger is relying on the wisdom of crowds to create a projection system based on playing time. What's missing? Your input? To quote Tango, "Who knows more about whether a pitcher will be in the starting rotation or the bullpen: an algorithm or a true fan?...There are certain human observation elements that are critical for forecasting."

Go give him a hand; it's kind of fun.

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Two Oriole related post at The Hardball Times: Evan Brunell asked Five Questions about the 2009 Orioles and Colin Wyers tempers some of the insane projections for Oriole prospect Matt Wieters. The good news? Wieters still looks like the real deal.

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Weaver's Tantrum takes a look at Robert Andino through the eyes of Marlins fans.

Dave and I disagree about the merits of this trade...but more on this later in the post.

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FrostKing has finished up his WAR spreadsheet now that the roster is more settled. I may finish up mine over vacation...when I'm not so depressed.

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The Baltimore Sun rips the Spring Training facilities in Ft. Lauderdale and Sarasota and quotes several players.

And it's rare that I wholeheartedly agree with Nestor Aparicio but he throws his two cents in on the stadium in Ft. Lauderdale too. He's 100% correct. It's a joke. (tip of the hat to Anthony at Oriole Post for linking to Nestor's post...)

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Some things are so good and so consistent that you take them for granted. It goes without saying that I read Rock Kubatko's School of Roch blog religiously. What hasn't been said is that Kubatko's Spring Training coverage is always stellar and that he provides the better coverage of the Orioles than any other writer on the beat. And it's not even close.

Really, his posts are unmissable if you are a diehard fan.

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The Wayward Oriole is ready for the season to start.

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Just a few parting shots and predictions for the season...

I hate the Hayden Penn trade. We could have just kept Jolbert Cabrera if we needed a fourth bench player. I'd rather fail with a 24-year old pitcher than with a bunch of retreads or never-were's like Eaton, Simon and Hendrickson. So my first prediction is that Penn turns out to be way more useful to the Marlins than Robert Andino will be to Baltimore.

Alfredo Simon is out of the rotation by the end of May. He won't be with the big club by July.

Matt Wieters is here in May.

Brad Bergeson is here in July.

Brian Matusz is here is September.

The Orioles win 72 games.

Lou Montanez won't OPS better than .750 at any level...unless he goes back to Bowie.

Nick Markakis OPS's .900+

Felix Pie gets better in the second half.

Adam Jones hits 20+ home runs.

Luke Scott and Ty Wigginton provide the best Oriole platoon since...well, in a very long time.

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Ironically, I won't be posting much next week as I'll be on vacation and will have limited access to the internet during that time. Let's hope for a respectable opening series...