FanHouse Orioles

There have been plenty of moments in baseball involving steroids that stand out in our memories, but one that's always stuck in the back of my mind was Rafael Palmeiro sitting in front of Congress back in March 2005. There he was wagging his finger at Congress and saying "I have never used steroids. Period. I don't know how to say it any more clearly than that."

Then five months later Palmeiro was being suspended 10 games by Major League Baseball for failing a steroid test. Of course Palmeiro then began backtracking and saying that he'd never "knowingly" taken any steroids in his life, and he wasn't changing his story on Friday as he was inducted into the College Baseball Hall of Fame.

Starting Five is our wrapup of the previous day's baseball action, with a quick nod to what is ahead.

You Oughta Know ...
That the Red Sox probably did not sleep well Tuesday night.

Boston held a nine-run lead in Baltimore with nine outs to go. Then the Orioles exploded for five runs on seven hits in the seventh inning and five runs on six hits in the eighth, handing Jonathan Papelbon his second blown save of the season. When George Sherrill struck out Jason Bay with two on in the top of the ninth, it finished off a wild 11-10 victory for the O's.

[Said Orioles manager Dave Trembley:] "It was the shootout at the OK Corral except it was Camden Yards."

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Best 1-2 punch in baseball? Maybe Josh Beckett and Jon Lester.

Best young 1-2 combo? Probably Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain.

Best young 1-2 starters you may not have heard of? Josh Johnson and Chris Volstad.

It's impossible to really evaluate a baseball draft until years after it's over, when the players have all had a chance to develop and grow into whatever type of big leaguers they are destined to be.

Of course, here at FanHouse we're not patient enough for that. We waited, oh, about an hour after the first day of the draft was over before we hit up three independent analysts to get their take on what transpired.

We talked to John Manuel, editor of Baseball America; Ben Hyman, director of amateur scouting for Real Baseball Intelligence; and John Klima, editor of Baseball Beginnings.

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SECAUCUS, N.J. – The latest estimate of the top eight in today's baseball draft, according to a major-league source:

1. Washington, Stephen Strasburg, RHP, San Diego State

2. Seattle, Dustin Ackley, 1B/OF, North Carolina

3. San Diego, Donovan Tate, OF, Cartersville, Ga.

4. Pittsburgh, Tony Sanchez, C, Boston College.

5. Baltimore, Zach Wheeler, RHP, East Paulding, Ga.

6. San Francisco, Tyler Matzek, LHP, Capistrano Valley, Calif.

7. Atlanta, Mike Minor, LHP, Vanderbilt

8. Cincinnati, Alex White, RHP, North Carolina

Also, if Minor is picked in the top nine, as expected, Washington will take Stanford RHP Drew Storen with the No. 10 pick.

Every Sunday, MLB FanHouse empties out its notebook in Baseball Brunch.

Everyone knows the No. 1 prospect in Tuesday's draft (and if you don't, read this). But after Washington selects Stephen Strasburg, things get less precise.

"Anybody from [No.] 2 to 15 could be just as good as the other guy," an executive from an NL team with a high pick told FanHouse. "It's really a strange year because it is in the eye of the beholder."

For example, Arizona State right-hander Mike Leake has been discussed as high as No. 3 overall, to the Padres. But he's more likely to go in the middle of the first round, no lower than Arizona's picks at 16 and 17.

Saturday Spotlight is a weekly look at the stories and personalities of major leaguers.

Luke Scott has been just about the hottest player in the big leagues over the past couple weeks. Getting most of his action as the Orioles designated hitter, Scott is hitting .323 with 13 homers and 33 RBI. Acquired from the Astros in the Miguel Tejada deal, Scott could be playing his way into the All-Star Game. Oh by the way, he's also packing a .45-caliber Glock, so don't mess with him (seriously).

You can hear the audio interview by clicking after the jump.

OAKLAND -- Matt Wieters' first week in the big leagues looked something like this: three hits, 217 stories written about him (give or take).

Gregg Zaun thinks the two may be related.

"My personal feeling is he's getting too much media attention and people should just leave him alone and let him play and stop talking about him," Zaun, the Orioles backup catcher, told FanHouse on Friday night. "He doesn't show any signs of being totally stressed out or overwhelmed by it. Obviously he hasn't gotten off to the start he's expected to, and I think a lot of that has to do with the amount of attention he gets. If everyone really wants to see the kid do well, let's back off and revisit this in a month."

OAKLAND -- Orioles shortstop Cesar Izturis was set to undergo an appendectomy on Friday night. He will obviously be placed on the disabled list before Saturday's game.

Before Orioles manager Dave Trembley knew the extent of Izturis' condition, he said his loss would be a big one.

"It goes without saying that if we lose a guy like Izturis for any length of time, it would be a major blow to this team," Trembley said.

Robert Andino started at shortstop on Friday night.

Trembley said Izturis began feeling uncomfortable during the off day on Thursday. He was taken to the hospital for tests shortly after arriving at the ballpark on Friday afternoon.

Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos isn't all bad?

A few years ago that notion would have seemed unfathomable. The Orioles have reeled off 11 straight losing seasons and appear headed for a 12th. Frustration grew so high among fans in the Charm City in 2006 that almost 1,000 fans walked out of Camden Yards in late September of that season.

Baltimore was once a proud baseball town. Earl Weaver. Brooks Robinson. Cal Ripken Jr. Jim Palmer. We all know the names. But that glory has faded over the last decade as the team has become an afterthought in the loaded AL East.

Given that his reign as Orioles owner has coincided with one of the darkest periods in the franchise's history on the field, it probably isn't much of a surprise that Sports Illustrated recently named him the worst owner in baseball.