It’s time for one more business bailout.
You thought we were done helping support failed companies run by horrendous management. But we’ve got one local company that used to be at the top of its field that has now fallen on hard times. If it were on the stock market, it would have been delisted because of gross incompetence.
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First Bear Stearns. Then Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Followed by AIG.
The next bailout? The Baltimore Orioles.
One of the most storied organizations in baseball, owner of three World Series championships, is officially a disaster area. This year, no matter what happens, the team is guaranteed last place. Since the 1997 playoffs, the team is nearly 200 games below .500.
At this writing, the O’s have mustered a losing record at home and away. With several home games left, they could eliminate that embarrassment. Just don’t count on it.
Back in April, mouthy Aubrey Huff had five homers and was crowing to the Associated Press about the team’s 15-11 record. “A lot of people are surprised, especially you writers,” said Huff. It was all downhill from there for the team, though Huff had a strong season.
As of Monday, the team had lost 25 more games than it’s won since. It’s not surprising. President of Baseball Operations Andy MacPhail dealt away shortstop Miguel Tejada and left-handed ace Erik Bedard to rebuild the franchise.
The rebuilding season has turned into a season of collapse.
How bad are things? Remember this promise of “Orioles Magic?”
“Something magic happens, every time you go
You make the magic happen, the magic of Orioles’ Baseball!”
Someone should investigate the Orioles for claims of false advertising. Maybe the team should embrace its sad sack image and change the theme song to “Bad Day.” You know the song. It’s been used in YouTube videos that spam the Internet with angry employees bashing computers.
“Sometimes the system goes on the blink
And the whole thing turns out wrong”
No kidding. Since the Angel-O’s have been under the current ownership, a fantastic franchise has become a laughingstock.
When the Orioles still had a viable major league team — way back in 1997 — owner Peter Angelos was raving about the future. “We’ve had a Yankees dynasty. Let’s have an Orioles dynasty.” Angelos listed our assets including a great stadium, fan support and “a great local ownership group.”
Clearly, he was delusional. The stadium is still great, but a decade of folly has chased away the fans, and his leadership has been nonexistent. The salary says a lot. ESPN ranks the Orioles 21st out of 30 — one-third the Yankees field, yet 50 percent more than divisional leaders Tampa Bay.
That means we don’t spend as much as our top rivals, and we aren’t as well run as Tampa. Not exactly the sweet spot that hitters seek.
No, we don’t need a government bailout to save Baltimore baseball. But it would be nice if someone who knows something about baseball owned the team.
Dan Gainor can be seen each week on Friday afternoons on the new Fox Business Network. He is T. Boone Pickens Fellow at the Media Research Center’s Business & Media Institute, a career journalist and media commentator. He can be reached at [email protected].
