You Gotta Laugh – Orioles and Ravens Quotes
Feb 14, 2014; Sarasota, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Tommy Hunter (29) fields a bunt during Friday
This is the second edition of a new feature here on The Baltimore Wire. We’ll pick out some of the best quotes from recent days and compile them in one place. The Orioles and Ravens will be the main focus, just as they are on the blog. But we will also pull in the Terps and other Maryland sports quotes and links to stories.
New Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith on the frequent assertions that he is the replacement for the departed Anquan Boldin …
“I’m no Anquan Boldin. I respect the heck out of ‘Q.’ I’m Steve Smith. What I bring to the table as a Baltimore Raven, I have to earn that. We play similar games. We want to win, and we go all out. But we’re also individuals. So I’m not here to replace anyone, I’m here to be myself.”
In an ARTICLE about Dan Duquette’s ability to find players from all sorts of places …
Baltimore will break camp with 25 players like every other team, but the O’s see their overall roster as including, say, 50 or 60 players. Over the past two years, Showalter’s late-night telephone calls to his Triple-A manager, Ron Johnson, have become legendary. “Who do you have that can help me?” Showalter will ask.
In a BALTIMORE SUN ARTICLE about Ray Rice losing weight, his Timonium-based trainer Kyle Jakobe of Sweat Performance said …
“I got him hooked up with a personal chef, so he doesn’t have to think about anything about what he’s going to eat. Everything is set up — his breakfast, lunch and dinner. His nutrition is great now … Ray knows he was too heavy last year and didn’t feel like he was moving as well as the past.”
I definitely need one of these personal chef dudes!
Also from the Baltimore Sun, in a Peter Schmuck ARTICLE, indeed the veteran writer states the point thought about by thousands of Orioles fans …
Now that the Ervin Santana derby is over and the Orioles still have the money they reportedly offered him, it’s fair to point out that $13 million would probably knock out the first year of a contract extension for Silver Slugger shortstop J.J. Hardy.
In anticipation of a Monday game (that was eventually rained-out), where the Phillies were not going to let the Orioles use a DH and thus having Matusz and Gausman hitting, Buck said …
“Brian Matusz is acting like he’s excited about it …Kevin Gausman is sincere about being excited about it.”
Alexi Casilla has somehow gotten into the Nolan Reimold school of bad luck this spring. The Orioles pulled the plug at the last minute on him playing his first game in a while. And he said …
“The head trainer (Richie Bancells) pushed me off the bus. My knee is still a little bit swollen. I feel great. I feel good to play. I know in the past I’ve played with worse. Right now, I feel great, just a little swollen. But they pushed me off the bus.”
Marc Sessler of NFL.com, in an article on the worst free agent signings so far said of the Titans’ signing of former Ravens tackle Michael Oher …
“Baffling! “We have to trust that Tennessee’s coaching staff sees something to like about Oher’s game film, but paying him $20 million over four years with $9.5 million in guarantees is jaw-dropping. Especially after this once-promising offensive tackle struggled mightily last season. Oher rated as the worst run blocker in the league, per Pro Football Focus, and his middle-of-the-road pass protection didn’t make up for that. To be fair, he wasn’t alone on Baltimore’s crash-and-burn line, and we expect the change of scenery to help. If it doesn’t, the Titans have overpaid something fierce.”
Tommy Hunter was sent over to Twin Lakes Park – the minor league side of the Orioles operation – to get in some work against live hitters. Throwing consecutive fastballs to work on his placement, he said …
“They were swinging. They like fastballs. After the first six or seven pitches, they figured out fastballs were coming and they were going to be away … I didn’t mix anything in … I’m just pretty used to getting my [butt] kicked there. Pretty common occurrence when I go over there. I usually get dominated by our own guys.”