Stealing Signs: A Study of Pie

Mark Buerhle accused Felix Pie of stealing signs last night.

Quite frankly, that's just fine with me. Baltimore still has marginal talent and still could use every edge they can get to win games.

But Pie was only on second base (the traditional place a runner needs to be to steal signs), and that was during a Cesar Izturis groundout in the 6th.

Maybe Buerhle thoughtt he team was stealing signs all game. Maybe but every hit of consequence for the O's came with nobody on second. Matt Wieters doubled in Pie in the 5th but Pie was on first. Runners were on first and third when Corey Patterson singled to drive in Wieters later that inning. It was the same in the 6th when Wieters his a sac fly to plate Ty Wigginton and there was nobody on when Brian Roberts hit his solo shot in the 7th.

It is rare for hitters to steal signs from first base (although not unheard of) but even if Baltimore was stealing signs, it doesn't appear to by why they got the big hits on Wednesday night.

Bergesen Pounds 'Em

Or should I say, "get's them to pound it into the ground". Brad Bergesen won his major league debut with the ground ball. 81% of balls put into play by the White Sox, a staggering number and impressive for a major league debut against a pretty good veteran lineup.

Obviously, Bergesen can't maintain that pace but he has had groundball rates in the mid-50's for the last two seasons and his starts this year in Norfolk. For comparison, Scott Erickson was getting groudballs at a 60% rate when he showed up in Baltimore in 1996, the major reason he was able to be productive and not have the greatest stuff at that point in his career.

So that's the key for Bergesen. Make them hit it on the ground.

He seemed to work away from the hitter's well last night. I wonder if the next team to take him on will crowd the plate to adjust for it.

Disrespectful Fans: Dave Trembley Wants To Get Medieval On Your Ass

The Orioles are not to be trifled with. These comments from Dave Trembely regarding fans running out on the field Friday night are as ominous as they are fantastic.


"I wish I could have taken them in the back room," he said. "I would have kicked the snot out of both of them. I'm serious. You think I'm kidding you. I don't have any patience for disrespect. These guys bust their [rear] out there every night, and for two lunatics to come out there like that -- who do they think they are? Turn them over to us one time. I'll show them where the other side of the fence is. I believe in respect and common courtesy. Those two idiots last night did not show any of that."


All of which leads us to the first poll ever on Dempsey's Army. Which current Oriole would you like least to meet in a dark alley?



Gun and Bible Toting Luke Scott ("You read the Bible much, Brett?)
Gator Hunting Jamie Walker
Administrator of Respect Dave Trembley
Night-Life Loving Aubrey Huff
Brandon Fahey (hey, sometimes it's the littlest guy you have to watch out for...)



Of course, after these two White Sox fans assaulted a Royals coach a few years back, I think one could reasonably claim self-defense for taking out a fan...