What's Wrong With The Ravens, Defense Edition

I've found that both the Pass and Run D have a similar main problem, they are passive. There's been an insane amount of rushes with only the D-Line going this season. That might have worked in the past but not anymore. Aside form Ngata, our D-line is mediocre at best. Gregg and Pryce have both "lost a step" and Bannan and Edwards just aren't very good.

So if you don't have that great of D-Line why don't you use 4 fantastic linebackers to help. They'd close up lanes and put more heat on the quarterback. But no! You use a mediocre line. That's what wrong with the Ravens' defense.

What's Wrong With the Ravens, Offense Edition

On Sunday the Ravens suffered a embrassing loss to Bengals, the 17 to 7 score didn't show how overmatched they were by the Bengals. Every facet of the team needs to improve if we want to have even the slightest chance of making it into the playoffs.

Pass Offense- It's getting over used. Joe Flacco is a good QB, don't get me wrong, but he's not ready for throwing 30-45 passes a game. We beat Denver because we were balanced, Flacco threw only 25 and completed 20 of them. You're not going to get beat when your QB has an 80% completion percentage. Reduce the load on Joe and give the three headed monster more work. Speaking of the three headed monster...

Run Offense- The three-headed monster isn't using two of it's heads. I love Ray Rice, he's so agile, so bouncy and just all around explosive, but he's no where near being a downhill runner. McGahee has been nothing more then a benchwarmer during 1-4 run, and McClain hasn't come in much at all. The part with McClain particularly bugs me, if McClain isn't in then that means the Ravens are running with no Fullback lead blacker is usally a bad idea. Rice has been getting hit more in the backfield then anytime before that. If you put McClain in there, he should give Rice way more lanes and more opportunities for him to do his thing in the open field. You can't be successful when you have three good running backs, and only one of them is being used often.

I'll share my thoughts on what's wrong with the Ravens defense tomorrow.

The Hunt For A Backup Catcher

Lots of things going on right now in the sports world, there's the World Series, there's some Division 2 school beating Syracuse but the present to you an issue far more important..THE HUNT FOR A BACKUP CATCHER.

The Orioles recently declined the option of Chad Moeller meaning that we don't have a back-up catcher. Not even a switch-hitting jesus can catch 162 games.

There are several possibilities for back-up catcher. We need someone who's low cost, a solid defensive catcher and a guy who should know how to help a young pitching staff. Right now I can only think of one guy who comes even close to the bill.

GREGORY OWEN ZAUN!

I think the re-return of Zaun would be a good decision. Wieters praised Zaun for giving him many useful tips relating to catching. Gregg has been in the league since King Kelly was playing so he knows a helluva lot about catching, and managing pitching staffs. He seems to be perfect to play once or twice a week, as mentioned above, he could be signed for dirt cheap, plays fundamental baseball and could be very useful as a mentor for the team.

Oh and he's also related to this guy.

Remember, It's Buy The Bats Not Trade For Them

I've heard plenty of talk about Adrian Gonzalez becoming an Oriole this offseason. Hell, I've heard Prince Fielder in a couple places.

However there is one problem, acquiring these names would require a trade, A trade that would most likely involve Brandon Snyder and/or Jake Arrieta, the current two jewels off the Orioles' farm system.

There really is no chance Andy would trade away any pitching prospect or the his team's future at first base. Andy has to much baseball smarts to trade his top prospect(s) for an over-priced star.

Now you may say, what about free agency? Jed Hoyer, the current GM would be a moron to trade away Gonzalez, he's the team's only star and Gonzalez goes so does the majority of their fans. Gonzalez single-handily puts fannies in the PETCO seats, get rid of him you're doomed.

As much as I would like to see Adrian Gonzalez or Prince Fielder, it won't happen. There's no way that Andy would trade away Synder/Arrieta for either one of them.

Ravens Fans, Leave Steve Alone

For the past 24 hours, anybody I talk to who has a clue about football has said something about Steve Hauschka. The most common phrase was "Stover would of made that."

If you look at Stover's stats the past few years, you'd see that Stover was far from Mr. Reliable from beyond 40 yards.

Stover missed 4 from 40+ last year, he missed 4 again in 2007, and missed 3 in '05.


You have to also remember this, Hauschka is in his first full season as a kicker and every kick for him is a learning expirence. It was his first shot at a game winning kick. He'll improve with every kick.

You also have to look at Hauschka after Brad Childress called the timeout, he was a nervous wreck and looked to be sick to his stomach. I don't know of anybody who can perform a task when you're right in the middle of having a panic attack that you'll mess up said task.

So please Ravens fans, leave Steve alone and cut him some slack.

O's Don't Fire Juan Samuel, Do Fire Bench Coach

In a questionable move by Andy McPhail, the Orioles announced that they have fired bench coach Dave Jauss. Now what makes it questionable is the fact that the Orioles held on to Juan Samuel.

If I had a dime for every time Samuel held someone when he should of sent someone or the other way around, I'd have $30.

Just look through the Camden Chat gamethreads through this season, I'd estimate one in every five threads has something negative to say about Juan.

There are plenty of great third base coaches in the MLB and Samuel just isn't one of them.

The Fall Classic, In November?

I was looking on MLB.com and decided to see when the World Series games were going to be played. And I discovered that games four, five, six and seven will all be played in November. And I ask why?

It just doesn't seem right to have a thing so storied as the World Series get pushed back to November.

So what are your thoughts?

Hope It's All We Got Left

Welcome!

To just another Baltimore Sports Blog!

I will post my thoughts, analysis, and observations on the Orioles, Ravens and Terrapins, as well as sports in general.