It will be painful at times.
The Orioles are 25 years removed from their last appearance in the World Series and with a roster devoid of proven talent, the team appears headed for an 11th consecutive losing season.
But at least there?s direction.
“I think the course we took, as much as it?s going to have its painful moments, I think it?s the only course we could take,” Andy MacPhail, the team?s president, said. “If there were a different way, I sure would have explored it. I think if we?re serious about winning ? and I mean really winning, not just floating around .500 ? then, this is what you had to do.”
The Orioles dealt two of their best players this winter, sending former MVP shortstop Miguel Tejada to Houston and ace left-hander Erik Bedard to Seattle. In return, the team received 10 players ? nine of whom are under 30 years old. Three of them ? closer George Sherrill, right-hander Matt Albers and promising center fielder Adam Jones ? are on the Opening Day, 25-man roster.
But as the team builds for the future, the present is in question. Analysts are predicting this team could be one of the worst in Orioles? history ? one capable of losing more than 100 games.
But the Orioles disagree.
“We concede nothing to nobody,” Manager Dave Trembley said. “We?re going to play every game to win. People can look at our roster and compare ours to others. But we haven?t played a game yet. And to a man, the people in this clubhouse feel they can compete with anybody.”
Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer agrees with Trembley.
“While it doesn?t look good on paper, you don?t win and lose ballgames on paper,” Palmer said. “If it was that easy, we could just go to the World Series.”
Palmer looks back to the team?s most recent winning season of 1997, and calls attention to the team?s league-leading payroll of roughly $100 million.
This season, the Orioles? projected payroll is expected to be about $70 million ? one of the league?s lowest.
And it could get even lower if the team trades its veterans.
“In a perfect world, you don?t have to do these things,” Palmer said. “But the Orioles don?t live in a perfect world.”
The Orioles? world is the American League East, where the defending World Series Champion Red Sox and perennial playoff contending New York Yankees spent an average of $177.5 million on players? salaries this season.
But to the Orioles, they?ll measure success by simply exerting more effort every game than they did during last year?s 69-93 debacle.
“We?ll play the game the best you can,” Trembley said. “I think you will see a difference, and if you don?t, come and tell me.”
