Some days you just don't know whether the Windex is best used on your eyeglasses or down your gullet. Yesterday was one of those days, and because I work for a medium that's still printed on dead trees, I feel comfortable blaming the Internet.
Clicked over to ESPN.com yesterday looking for some sports news and insight. I clicked on Joe Morgan's weekly chat instead. As did Brian in College Park.
Brian in College Park wanted Joe's opinion on the Orioles. He noted how the Orioles are stockpiling prospects but also playing above expectations this season. "What do you see the O's doing in the next few years?" Brian in College Park asked.
Here's how Morgan responded (and I'm not making up any of this): "My suggestion would be to use some of those minor leaguers to get big league help. You build your minor league system to help your big league system.
"If you can bring some of them up, fine, but if you can trade them for a major league player who is playing well, do so."
OK, Orioles fan, take a few deep breaths. Leave the Windex in the cupboard. It's times like this that I remind myself: Morgan earned his way into the Hall of Fame playing baseball, not talking about it.
If I can analyze Morgan's analysis for a second, he seems to suggest the Orioles' primary concern right now should be contending for the playoffs this year; that they should take the minor league basket and dump it in the trade market, in the hopes of improving their big league roster for a big September push.
"It's what the Brewers did with CC Sabathia," Morgan said in the chat, concluding his response to Brian in College Park. "I don't care how good your minor league teams are - they are there to make your major league team better."
The Orioles should be like the Brewers? The same Brewers who were nine games above .500 entering last night, four games off the division lead and just a half game behind the wild-card leader? The Orioles, on the other hand, are holding strong at .500 but show no signs of a late push and have as many pitchers on the disabled list as they do in the clubhouse. They are not a veteran or two away from catching the rest of the division.
What's somewhat refreshing about Morgan's comments is that finally this season such lunacy isn't validated by the Orioles front office. In years past, the Orioles did exactly what Morgan prescribed. They fooled themselves into believing they were on the verge of being relevant. Thankfully, for the first time in a decade, Morgan might subscribe to the absurdity, but the Orioles do not.
