“I’m outta here?…You’re outta here!”

September 13, 2007, 9:18 p.m., Camden Yards, Top of the 9^th, Orioles 3 Angels 0

Did you see the new “Earl of Baltimore” out there during the fourth inning of Wednesday night’s 18 – 6 loss to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim/Los Angeles/Burbank/Southern California?  Dave “Earl” Trembley treated the Oriole Park crowd to a great show as he earned a three game suspension and an undisclosed fine for pretending to eject umpire Paul Emmel after Emmel made a poor call on a double-play turned by the Angels.  Though it was an instant ESPN SportsCenter highlight, Trembley’s embarrassing antics paled in comparison to the team play of the Birds.  Oh, where to begin…

9:23 p.m., its Final! Orioles win 3 – 0

After 17 losses over their last 20 games, many lost in embarrassing fashion (need anyone be reminded of the 30 – 3 drubbing at the hands of the Texas Rangers) I have to wonder what motivates a Manager to act like a three-year old without a nap.  Trembley earned his first career ejection in Boston just 12 days before while arguing runner interference.  At the time, I thought it was a well-timed effort to motivate a team that seemed to be content with playing a 130 game schedule while making vacation plans for the final 32 — not uncommon for the Orioles over the past 5 years.  On that Friday night in Boston, I thought “Finally, the fire’s been lit!” and for nearly 2-hours thereafter I witnessed an apparent turnaround as the Birds went on to beat Boston 9-8.  Oh, how I gloated the next day “Did you see “Earl” get in that umps face?  Arms crossed, veins popping out of his neck…awesome!”  He truly looked maniacal.  The next night’s game was going to be a guaranteed win, right?  After all, the Birds had their prized minor-league pitcher, Garrett Olson going against some kid named Clay Buchholz making only his second career start.  Just thinking back upon what happened that first night of September…Choking back tears now.  A no-hitter by Buchholz that first night of September was followed by 8 losses in a 10 game stretch; including Trembley’s Wednesday night audition for an Abbott and Costello road show.  Again I wonder, what was his motivation?

Trembley’s rant took place during the Orioles 5-run fourth inning.  Yes, you heard me right, 5 runs…the Birds…one inning!  In lieu of charging after Emmel, Trembley should have taken that time to write thank-you letters to any baseball God still looking over his squad.  Instead, he threw a tantrum that was nothing short of showboating for the sake of showboating.

With bench coach Tom Trebelhorn managing the team tonight while the new “Earl” serves the first game of his suspension, the Orioles won 3-0 against the AL West leading Angels.  The victory ends a three-game losing streak and was their first shutout win since an August 15 victory over the Yankees.  The good news is that the Birds avoided a no-hitter after a Trembley ejection the night before.  The bad news is that Trebelhorn and the Bird’s win will be talked about on tonight’s SportsCenter for about as long as it takes to yell “You’re outta here!”