Orioles decline option on Mora

We have in the past and still have a need for some good pitching and until it happens this team is never going to get any better then it has been able to. Yes I would love to see Cal take over but he is just one person and still would need to make improvements to the pitching to help

We have in the past and still have a need for some good pitching and until it happens this team is never going to get any better then it has been able to. Yes I would love to see Cal take over but he is just one person and still would need to make improvements to the pitching to help

As I have said before untill baseball gets a salary cap and take away the power of the big market teams then maybe baseball will be worth watching. Untill then Orioles will keep on losings years after years after years........

I hope Angelos wants to sell the team soon because Ripken has already said he would buy the team. I think with Ripken as owner, he will definitely give the team what it needs to get back to the playoffs. Ripken would do right by the O's.

I hope Angelos wants to sell the team soon because Ripken has already said he would buy the team. I think with Ripken as owner, he will definitely give the team what it needs to get back to the playoffs. Ripken would do right by the O's.

We need to keep everyone from last year except for a few of our starting pitchers and our closer. We need to have an ace! I know that I'm not the only person that has been saying this for the last 9 YEARS, but it's still true. Ever since Mussina left, we have needed a great #1 pitcher. We have 2 or 3 starters that we can keep, but I'd like to see a true ace and maybe an older pitcher that can give more help to our younger guys. I'd say we have some of the best hitters in the majors right now, but they have no back up on the mound. I've seen way too many games where we put up 8+ runs and still lose. Or we are down by 5+ runs, come back and take the lead, and then still find a way to lose.

I think the main reason they didn't take the option is because they want to negotiate a lower salary, probably around 4-5 mil. Chances are, Mora will be back, but probably just a 1 year contract for now.

Said it once, Mora was a pretty good outfielder, quite, but just a regular 3rd baseman (except for 2004). Anyhow, let´s talk about pitching ONLY!

I'm a Mora fan, but its time. This is a smart move. Kudos, O's. Daniel V, the rotation is very young, and will all (hopefully) get better together. 2011 = O's 84-78!

They should take that $8 million and invest in some pitching. The offense has been there the past few seasons with them, but the overall pitching staff has been awful.

@Paul - I have run into B.J. Surhoff around town a few times over the years, between shopping for sporting goods and getting pit beef sandwiches in@#$%eysville. He is a very nice, if somewhat reserved gent. Not exactly warm and engaging, but very doting on his children, and nice to fans who recongize him. So I say this with no malice towards the man at all - he was *at best* an above-average player. He had one extremely good half-season, the first place, wire-to-wire year, but faded down the stretch. His first tour with the Orioles wasn't bad, but his last three were injury plagued and forgettable. Are we going to make the 20-year careers of Jim Palmer, Brooks Robinson, Frank Robinson and Cal Ripken somehow less-stellar by bringing in a guy who had 4 good years? Under that rationale, we should retire Nick Markakis' jersey next season.

it's not about his play it's about the 8 million they don't have

In my view, several things made Mora's departure a certainty:

1. Age
2. Declining production
3. Salary
4. His blasting of Dave Trembly over reduced playing time:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-sp.mora03aug03,0,4173744.story

Regarding #4, over the years, Melvin has been a "good citizen" by any objective measure: generous, involved in the community, and deserving of his status as somewhat of a fan favorite. But when the manager reduced his playing time due to his lack of production at the plate, his whining about being "disrespected" made me forget about all of the good, and lump him in with so many of the other whining, self-absorbed millionaires who make up the ranks of today's professional atheletes. I wish he would have stayed on the high road.

In my view, several things made Mora's departure a certainty:

1. Age
2. Declining production
3. Salary
4. His blasting of Dave Trembly over reduced playing time:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/bal-sp.mora03aug03,0,4173744.story

Regarding #4, over the years, Melvin has been a "good citizen" by any objective measure: generous, involved in the community, and deserving of his status as somewhat of a fan favorite. But when the manager reduced his playing time due to his lack of production at the plate, his whining about being "disrespected" made me forget about all of the good, and lump him in with so many of the other whining, self-absorbed millionaires who make up the ranks of today's professional atheletes. I wish he would have stayed on the high road.

It will be nice when major leage baseball comes back to baltimore. Never happen while angelos owns the team. I lost count how many straight losing seasons its been 12 or 13 for what was once the best franchise in pro sports. don't see a winner here any time soon.

It will be nice when major leage baseball comes back to baltimore. Never happen while angelos owns the team. I lost count how many straight losing seasons its been 12 or 13 for what was once the best franchise in pro sports. don't see a winner here any time soon.

Aubrey Huff was a great ballplayer and deserving of being an Oriole for life. 60 homeruns in less than three years and an average of 80 RBI's, that's damn good. As far as BJ, whoever made the comment about not retiring his number hasn't followed the Orioles for very long. BJ poured his heart and guts out for the Orioles. I do hope Wieters, Markakis, and Roberts hang around but unless Cal buys the team, I don't see it happening!!

Houston Astros need a 3rd baseman...i say they should look at Mora

It seems to me that Trembley is really buying into this whole "youthful exuberance" philosophy with the Orioles club.
Personally, I like it. Mora is a fair player, but he makes a lot of defensive mistakes and his bat is streaky at best.
Huff was exhibiting a very negative attitude all season long---as if he was just biding his time til a trade happened. Good riddance.
I was actually the most upset at the Zaun transaction. Greg is a helluva player, and Weiters was benefiting a ton from his experience and game-savvy.
I hope to be able to keep the likes of Markakis and Roberts in the lineup, but, I am very pleased with all the young players coming up.
Bring on the pitchers!!

Aubrey Huff a great Oriole? He played for the Oriole's for less than 3 years and had a total of 60 homeruns. If that is your definition of greatness, it's pretty sad!

melvin mora was a monster as recently as 2008. sure, he had down year, but showed signs of life down the stretch.
the orioles are too cheap.
mora gave his best years to this losing team and this is how they treat him. wow. i'm speechless.
even my employer is better than that.

Retire Surhoff's number?
Whaaaaaaaaaattt??????

Are the Orioles ever going to let a veteran retire as an Oriole?? I mean the Orioles aren't going to be contenders so let's enjoy seeing players like Mora go out as an Oriole. It was sad to see Aubrey Huff get traded, another great Oriole. Hopefully we see Brian Roberts and Matt Wieters retire as an Oriole. Was BJ Surhoff's jersey ever retired??

they are letting Mora go because of his age, dont get me wrong, he was a hell of a player for us, but its time to keep the rebuilding process going, and bring some kids up from the minors.
We'll miss you Melvin!!

That's a bit of a surprise. He didn't exactly have his best year in '09 but Baltimore wasn't too sharp themselves. Maybe they'll bring him back at a lower rate and reap the rewards of the gamble he reverts back to his '08 form which was MVP caliber. He's been a mainstay since he left the Mets in mid 2000 and has provided much needed offense and versatility. There's no doubt he'll find a place to play in the big leagues in 2010. He'll be 38 next year but he's much younger than that physically.

Jim Johnson can stay in Baltimore and Danys Baez can go to hell! These two aren't helping the ORIOLES WIN.