I appreciate the passionate fan, but I have issue with the mean-spirited, unreasonable zealot. In this case, I speak of the rabid fringe of Oriole Nation that was so quick to blame Peter Angelos for the delays in the Erik Bedard trade to Seattle. Angelos has a history of involving himself in the work of his general managers and has a reputation around Major League Baseball of being meddlesome. He hired Andy McPhail as team president with the promise that McPhail would be given the power to do his job. McPhail was doing his job when delays came up in the Bedard trade, and the outcry of criticism from fans (and media) directed at Angelos was harsh and loud. No one produced a shred of evidence that suggested the delays had anything to do with Angelos, but the outcry took on a life of its own and reached a fever pitch fueled further by columnists and talk show hosts who declared the deal a disaster, get this- even if it was completed! Ponder that for a moment: normally sane journalists declared the deal a disaster even if it was completed. How ridiculous is that?

Angelos is damned by his past, that much is understood. But let’s allow the McPhail era a chance to breathe. I’m not suggesting that McPhail and Angelos will skip arm-in-arm in leading the Orioles back to baseball nirvana. No, I’m just suggesting we let these situations play out before unleashing harsh, unreasonable, uninformed and unfair judgments. Could situations arise in which McPhail feels stymied by the owner? Sure. Has that happened yet? No, not if you ask McPhail, which I’ve done numerous times. McPhail has traded Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard for 10 prospects. He’s handed out record salaries to draft picks, established a new Orioles development plan in the Dominican Republic, set up a scouting system for the Pacific Rim, and outfitted the organization with new computer and video resources- and done so all with the blessing of Angelos.

You don’t have to like Angelos if you don’t want to, but at least be fair in your opinions of the man. Andy McPhail has made some significant moves and to this point, the owner hasn’t stood in his way.

Posted on Friday, February 8th, 2008 at 10:56 pm.
Categories: Opinion.
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