We've seen this movie before

The second half swoon is well underway in 'Birdland', and after another wrenching defeat, this one to the Tigers, it is hard not to succumb to cynicism. I still hold that there is more reason for optimism with the Orioles than in many years, but there are a few changes that must be made. Melvin Mora needs to be shown the door... NOW! Mora provided the Orioles with 8 years of service, lives in the Baltimore area, and his wife had quintuplets during his tenure here. Thanks Melvin - now goodbye. He was part of the veteran mafia that helped get Sam Perlozzo fired - not that Perlozzo didn't deserve it - but the kind of backstabbing for which Mora was accused - was simply unexcusable. His apparent whining to the owner that Perlozzo was 'uncommunicative' says more about Mora than it ever did about Perlozzo. And now he has the audacity to criticize Dave Trembley for having the guts to actually give Mora the straight scoop on his non-production. It takes a special kind of gall to be critical of a manager, who is fighting for his own job, for not playing a guy who has been an albatross around the Oriole offense all year long. It's really ridiculous and is reflective of the loser mentality that has plagued this team for far too long now. Melvin Mora is now the poster child for Oriole ineptitude this decade.
In addition to Mora - there are several other folks that deserve special criticism. Danys Baez is a morale killer. Yet again - for what seems like the 5th time in the last week - Baez gives up a crushing home run to lose another game. Manager Dave Trembley's hands were tied on this one because his bullpen was exhausted after the Bosox plated 18 runs on 23 hits the day before against the beleaguered Oriole staff but still... BAEZ? Come on now. Send him packing and bring up a youngster to fill his minimal void. I know there are no takers - but Aubrey Huff must go as well. If it means simply cutting him and paying off the remainder of his contract - then do it. Huff had one good year as an Oriole, but that time has past and Huff's abilities are crumbling. Finally, Dave Trembley. This is it for Dave. Unless the Orioles win 50 of their final 55 games - Trembley must go. I believe he did establish a reasonable rapport with most of the players - but he clearly lacks - oh shall we say - gravitas? to handle the pressures of managing in the AL East. I like Trembley, a solid baseball man who served as a bridge between the abysmal Oriole past to a hopefully brighter future. But he is NOT the man to put the Orioles over the top. There is still an attitude - an expectation to lose - and a sloppiness of effort that is a direct indictment of the manager. There aren't that many things that a manager really controls - but if the team plays sloppily or makes an inordinate number of mental errors as the Orioles have throughout this year - then the manager must take the heat. Bye bye Dave. It was a pleasure knowing you.