Orioles Magic (Almost)

Ever since Buck Showalter took over on August 3, 2010, the Baltimore Orioles are 40-26. Before that, they were 32-73. 41 painful games under .500. A beaten team, a beaten fanbase, and a totally beaten city. How has he restored so much confidence and energy into a team and city that was lacking?

Simple: He reminded them that they were good major league players.

Ok, it isn't that simple. But instilling confidence in somebody can go a long way. It helps to get your second basemen and leadoff batter (Brian Roberts) back in the fold, too. But Showalter reminded the team that they were good, young major league players who were more or less just playing for the paycheck instead of the name on the front of their uniform. The end result? Well, so far they are 40-26 in just over two months of baseball.

The pitchers were skiddish before Buck took over. They nibbled around the plate and refused to challenge hitters in the vaunted American League East division. Suddenly, pitchers like Brian Matusz and Jake Arrieta weren't nibbling anymore. Instead they were using their best stuff against the hitters. In baseball, that's the only way to pitch. Showalter's confidence in the young arms went a long way.

Showalter has gone out of his way to boost the confidence of young catcher Matt Wieters. Wieters, who arrived to the majors with an immense amount of fanfare and expectations, was quickly starting to crumble under the weight of his own success in college and the minors. However, Showalter wanted everyone to see just how great the young catcher could be. Wieters has begun to take control of the pitching staff and is the clear leader on the field. His hitting is still lacking, but being a top-notch major league catcher is a terrific thing for a young team to have. He controls the entire game and controls the running game. 28 of the 30 teams would kill to have him.

In the coming days I'll continue blogging and talking about the Orioles, major leagues, and other Ravens news as we get close to the draft. I took a few months off from this blog as I was looking for work; but I'll continue writing in this space. Hope you all enjoy it.

The Defensive Descent of the Ravens

Much has been made about the Baltimore Ravens sudden falling off as a defense. Is the sun setting on the Ravens once proud defense? Is it now an offensive team? The answers to those questions are yes; and this has been brewing for some time now. The Ravens defense is not close to the unit it used to be. There are many reasons for this change, too. Rex Ryan, now the enigmatic head coach of the New York Jets, is no longer the defensive coordinator. The Ravens knew they needed a better offense in today’s pass oriented NFL to succeed and get to the next level. They finally drafted a quarterback who can win games for them with his arm. With all that said, there is another reason why the Ravens defense just isn’t as good as it used to be: the players in 2010 aren’t as good as they were from 2000-2008.

Building an Identity

When Art Modell moved the franchise from Cleveland to Baltimore in the fall of 1995, he came with a great offense and a terrible defense. The offense consisted of such players as quarterback Vinny Testaverde, wide receivers Michael Jackson and Derrick Alexander. General manager Ozzie Newsome realized that the team could put up big numbers on offense but couldn’t stop anybody on defense. In those days, the quarterback play in the league wasn’t quite as good as it is today, and the rules weren’t as much directed towards the offense as they are today. Newsome knew that if he could build an elite defense he could maybe win a championship or two.


The Ravens had two first-round picks in the 1996 NFL Draft. They selected offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden with the no. 4 overall selection, and a linebacker from the University of Miami with the 26th pick who was thought to be too small to play inside. His name? Ray Lewis. Lewis was named defensive player of the week after his first professional game and would just keep getting better. Lewis instantly became the leader and helped set the tone for the defense. Building the defense wouldn’t stop there.

Stacking the Defense

For the next three drafts, the Ravens had top-10 picks in the first round of each. They proceeded to take three defensive players. In 1997 the Ravens took Peter Boulware (Florida State), arguably the best defensive player and best pass rusher in the draft, with the 4th overall pick. In 1998, the Ravens took another Hurricane in cornerback Duane Starks with the 10th overall pick. In 1999, the team took another cornerback 10th overall in Arizona star Chris McAlister. They added a few free agents in defensive end Michael McCrary and defensive tackle Tony Siragusa. Suddenly, by 1999, the Ravens had the makings of an elite defense. In 1999, they also signed former All-Pro Rod Woodson to be the free safety and to provide leadership in the secondary. All of the pieces fit together, and in the year 2000 the Ravens won a Super Bowl largely because of their defense.

The offense continued to struggle in the early to mid 2000’s. Their first round quarterback pick of Kyle Boller in 2003 failed miserably, and only one of their two first round offensive picks in 2000, Jamal Lewis, had longevity with the team. In 2001, the Ravens took Arizona State tight end Todd Heap in the first round. However, the long-term goal was always to have an elite defense.


Rebuilding the Defense


In 2002, the Ravens were ready to undergo a rebuilding project because they couldn’t keep some of their best players due to the NFL salary cap restrictions. They took another Miami Hurricane, safety Ed Reed, with the 24th overall selection. Reed, like Lewis, is likely headed for the hall of fame when his career is all said and done, as he is arguably the best safety of his generation. The Ravens used other high-round selections (1-4 rounds) on defensive players around this time, too. Cornerback Gary Baxter and linebacker Jamie Sharper come to mind right away. Both players were too expensive to keep in the end because their play garnered too much money for the Ravens. Once again, the salary cap stripped the team of a few good players. Another terrific linebacker picked in the high rounds named Edgerton Hartwell also had to go because he couldn’t get the money he felt he deserved from the Ravens.

The Ravens always kept their core players on defense. McAlister, Boulware, Reed, and Lewis were able to stick around. The Ravens figured they’d just fill in players around them. The Ravens were also able to draft pro bowl performer Terrell Suggs in 2003 in the first round. Suggs is a core player, too. However, it became obvious in the mid-2000’s that the Ravens needed a much better offense if they wanted to become an elite team. Around 2005, they started drafting more offensive players with their high round picks.

Beginning the Offensive Transition


In 2005, the Ravens selected wide receiver Mark Clayton with their first round selection. In the 4th round, they selected offensive lineman Jason Brown, who has since gone on to sign the biggest contract for a center in history with the St. Louis Rams. Both of these players are no longer with the team, but they signaled a change in philosophy within the organization. They also signed veteran receiver Derrick Mason, who is statistically the best wide receiver the team has had. In 2006, the Ravens took offensive lineman Chris Chester in the 2nd round and Demetrius Williams in the 4th round. Both players failed to live up to expectations, but Chester has come on strong the last few years and is currently starting with the team. Williams was a huge disappointment and was cut in training camp in 2010.

In 2007, the Ravens took guard Ben Grubbs in the first round. They were trying to go for a new look offensive line that would feature quicker, more athletic lineman. Third round pick Marshal Yanda is now the starting right tackle, and is another smaller lineman with excellent feet. The Ravens were able to find two-time Pro Bowl fullback Le’Ron McClain in the 4th round. They only took two defensive players in this draft, both after the 4th round.


Finding a Franchise Quarterback


Now that the Ravens had their line, they could pick a franchise quarterback. Boller was clearly never going to lead them to where they wanted to go, and they needed to find a new quarterback to lead them. They picked a little known University of Delaware product named Joe Flacco in the first round, and a well-known running back considered by many to be too small to be a first round pick named Ray Rice. Flacco and Rice have had excellent starts to their careers. Later in the draft, the Ravens took safeties Tom Zbikowski and Haruki Nakamura, but neither of these players was picked in the higher rounds.

Flacco has been everything and more that the team could have hoped for. In his first two years, he started every game and won three playoff games on the road. Through nine games in 2010, he has thrown 15 touchdowns to 7 interceptions and has the team 6-3 with a good chance to win the AFC North division.


The Beginning of the End


With the defense starting to lose key members like McAlister and linebacker Bart Scott, it became obvious the Ravens needed help on this unit. Lewis was still playing at a high level, but he was approaching his mid-30’s by now. Suddenly, the cornerbacks weren’t as good as they once were. They lost some players who could rush the passer, as well. While the offense was starting to get better, it was clear the defense wasn’t as good. Many thought the team would choose a cornerback in the first round of the 2009 draft, but they selected offensive tackle Michael Oher instead. While this was a tremendous pick, it also meant the defense couldn’t get any high impact players. They picked defensive end Paul Kruger in the 2nd round, but he has yet to make a true impact. Many observers feel that he is too small to be a defensive end and not quick enough to be a linebacker. He is still a work in progress. The Ravens signed cornerback Domonique Foxworth via free agency. While he did very well in 2009, he tore his ACL in training camp in 2010 and was lost for the year. The Ravens now had to turn to players in the secondary who are not nearly as good as the players before them. Corners Frank Walker and Fabian Washington are not nearly as good as McAlister, Starks, or Baxter. Reed developed a nerve impingement in his neck and virtually had to change his game. What used to be a sure tackling, take all chances safety, turned into a tackling liability, but still a tremendous ball hawk. Because he played differently, he ended up hurting his hip in late 2009. He is back, but he isn’t nearly the same player he once was.

The Ravens defense has slipped. Other than 2006 first round pick Haloti Ngata, who is a pro bowl caliber player, the team has not used a first round pick on a defensive player since 2003. This has contributed greatly to not having playmakers anymore on defense. They once used first round picks on defense four years in a row (1996-1999) and each of those players except Starks made multiple pro bowls. Because of the salary cap in the NFL, there had to be a tradeoff. While the offense got better, the defense had to get a little worse. It’s a reality of the NFL today. My guess is now that the offense is better; they will probably use a first round pick on a defensive player in 2011. Getting Foxworth back next year will also help them out greatly in the secondary.


What does the Future Hold?


The Ravens are in good shape going forward. They have a franchise quarterback, a tremendous running back, a number one receiver in Anquan Boldin (acquired from the Arizona Cardinals), and a young offensive line. Their offense will only continue to get better. The transition from defensive team to offensive team was bound to happen. The defense had been becoming less dominant over the past couple of years, and 2010 seems to be the real boiling point. Nobody should be surprised by what has happened to the defense based on the number of great players they’ve lost and the lack of high picks they’ve used on that side of the ball. It will just have to take Baltimore fans time to let it soak in: the defense isn’t the same defense it used to be.

The Ravens Will Take Flight

If the Baltimore Ravens are going to reach their goal this season of making the Super Bowl in Dallas, they know their passing attack will have to be better than the past. Third-year quarterback Joe Flacco will have to continue to grow under offensive coordinator Cam Cameron’s offense, and the proverbial “next-step” must be taken.

With the additions of Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth, it appears Flacco is ready to take that step.

“Anquan is a guy that can just…You can put the ball anywhere around him, and he’s going to come to it strong and go get it for you,” Flacco said. “[Boldin] knows football. So, when he goes out there and takes the field, he understands what we’re trying to accomplish each play, and he’s really helped out the rest of our guys.”

Head coach John Harbaugh also likes what he sees from Boldin.

“Well, so far in camp he’s brought us a lot of first downs, so we like that,” Harbaugh said. “But, the intangibles…[Boldin]’s a hard worker, he’s a positive guy, he’s really pushing the envelope with our guys so far as teaching them the game along with our coaches. I think that’s been a big help. So, it’s good to have that veteran presence along with Derrick [Mason], so he’s done a great job.”

Asked if Boldin has position flexibility on the field, Harbaugh joked about Boldin’s high school exploits in Florida.

“Oh yeah, he can play anywhere. He can play quarterback-high school, right? So, he can do it all. But yeah, he’ll play all the positions at wide receiver.”

Boldin will join Derrick Mason as the two starters, while Stallworth and fifth-year receiver Mark Clayton will fight for the slot position.

The Ravens have been lining up in more and more three and four receiver sets this camp, and having the new receivers and running back Ray Rice as a receiver out of the backfield only makes the attack more potent. The wide sets will also allow more running room for Ray Rice between the tackles.

The Ravens have also added new tight ends to the mix through the draft. They will still rely on veteran Todd Heap, but his workload will be made easier by the presences of Ed Dickson and Dennis Pitta. Flacco already likes the smooth, athletic abilities of the tight ends in camp.

“We’ve got some athletic guys out there,” says Flacco. “Todd [Heap], Dennis [Pitta], Ed [Dickson]. They’re all doing a great job. They bring a lot to the table. They’re good athletes that can really catch the ball and run routes. So, they’re going to open up a lot of things for us this year, and it should be exciting to see their progression and them getting better each game.”

The Ravens will undoubtedly look to continue their offensive resurgence this season. With their defense missing key cornerbacks for an extended period of time, their offense will need to put up more points per game.

Does Flacco think he’s ready to take the next step in year three?

“It’s me and Ray [Rice]’s---it’s both of our third years-and we’re just more and more confident. We know each other better, and I’m more confident with everybody in the huddle and just understand all of our players better. So it’s easy to get in the huddle and get out there, and you know which guys are going to have questions on certain plays, and it’s just easy to answer them right away. But I think everybody is just getting more and more used to playing with each other, and it’ll show out on the field.”

2010 Baltimore Ravens Wide Receivers

The 2010 Baltimore Ravens wide receiving corps has to be the most complete receiving corps the team has ever had. With the likes of former Arizona Cardinal Anquan Boldin teaming with Derrick Mason and newcomer Donte Stallworth, these receivers make one forget the days of Travis Taylor and Kevin Johnson quickly. Remember those days? They are well in the past. That can only be a good thing.

The Ravens have been trying to assemble a solid receiving corps for the last few years starting with the drafting of Mark Clayton in the 1st round of the 2005 NFL draft. Clayton has not been a bust, but he hasn’t been the number one receiver the Ravens thought they were taking with their first pick either. Instead, Clayton has been a solid third or fourth receiver to go along with other good players like Derrick Mason and tight end Todd Heap. Clayton will battle Donte Stallworth and Demetrious Williams for time in the slot, while Boldin and Mason will be the starters on the outside as each player has proved they are more than capable of producing at a high level in the NFL.

Boldin was a player coming out of Florida State in 2003 with a reputation for being a bit of a “tweener.” He was injury prone and didn’t run a very fast 40-yard dash. However, as general manager Ozzie Newsome said at Boldin’s introductory news conference in March, "I think I made a mistake in that draft, to worry more about measurables than about the football player. And Anquan is a football player."

Boldin is the physical receiver that can make tough catches over the middle and break tackles that result in a lot of yards after the catch. The Ravens haven’t had a player with Boldin’s combination of size and strength at receiver in a very, very long time.

Mason has been one of the best receivers in franchise history. He continually puts up 1,000 yard receiving seasons and has developed a terrific rapport with quarterback Joe Flacco. Mason is terrific in intermediate routes and has perfected the 10-yard out route. He’s also tough as nails as he played the last half of the 2008 season with a torn labrum. Mason has hinted that 2010 could be his last season.

Battling for the last two spots on the depth chart will be Williams, Clayton, and rookie David Reed. Reed is a 4th round pick in this years draft and is said to be like a little Mason. He has terrific hands and is a solid return man, and he will make the roster because of his abilities on special teams. This means that Clayton and Williams will be fighting for the final spot on the chart. It should make for a terrific camp storyline. If I had to make a prediction, I would be that Williams makes it over Clayton because Clayton makes more money and is in the same mold as Mason. Williams brings a little more playmaking ability to the table.

The 2010 receiving corps should bring a great amount of excitement to Baltimore this season. They haven’t had much depth at receiver in the last 10 years, and this year if somebody gets hurt or isn’t playing well there isn’t as much pressure to produce as there was before. Boldin and Mason by themselves could carry this team for a while. Throw in Stallworth and his 4.3 speed going down the field to open things up and you have an aerial attack not seen since the days of Johnny Unitas and Raymond Berry in the 1950’s and 60’s.

Ravens 2010 Running Backs

The 2010 Baltimore Ravens could have the best running backs group in the NFL this season---at least on paper. They return 2,000 all-purpose yards halfback Ray Rice, former pro bowler Willis McGahee, and fullback/short-yardage back LeRon McClain.

Rice is quickly becoming one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league. He ran for 1,339 yards and compiled over 70 receptions out of the backfield. Rice should be able to run for even more yards this season with the additions of wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth. These new wide-outs should command the presence from the defense that will not allow the opposition to just stack the box and stop the run. Rice, 23, should be able to hit the ground running from the opening game against the New York Jets.

McGahee is in his 4th season with the Ravens, and third as the backup after the Ravens drafted Rice in 2008. He went to the pro bowl in his first season with the team, but management and the new coaching staff didn’t care for his work ethic. The rest is history. McGahee, however, has handled his demotion with class and has taken it in stride. He continues to be one of the best backup backs in the league, and he continues to be a touchdown machine. He had 12 touchdowns and averaged 5.0 yards per carry in only 109 carries. With McGahee on board as the backup, the running game will not suffer one bit if something happens to Rice.

McClain has made the pro bowl as the fullback the last two seasons. He is a tremendous short yardage back and has accumulated 12 rushing touchdowns in 2008 and 2009. He has developed into a terrific lead blocker, as well. He figures to keep getting some short yard opportunities, and he has publicly pleaded to get more carries. That probably won’t happen, but McClain is all about winning and will do what it takes.

The running back situation in Baltimore is one that probably 30 teams would like to have. They have two backs capable of over 1,000 yards and a fullback that can knock people’s heads off. Look for big production out of this group.

Next post: Wide Receivers

Flacco Ready To Take The Next Step

Today marks the first day of my look at the Baltimore Ravens roster. Since it’s the most important position on the field, I’m going to look at the quarterbacks. What do the Ravens have at qb? What did they do this offseason at quarterback? Did they need to do anything?

The quarterback of the present and future is Joe Flacco. Flacco has taken this team to the playoffs in each of his first two seasons, and a third trip to the playoffs in consecutive seasons would be a remarkable achievement. Flacco has improved each of the past two seasons, and is the first Raven quarterback to throw 20 or more touchdowns since Vinny Testaverde did it in 1996. Flacco also set a Ravens record for quarterback rating at 88.9.

Flacco, a 2nd round pick in the 2008 draft, has been a terrific pickup. He came from the University of Delaware, a Division I-AA school, and has not disappointed. He is much further along in his career than anybody could have imagined to this point, and he only figures to get better. Flacco has one of the strongest arms in the game, is very intelligent, and is much more mobile and athletic than people give him credit for. He will benefit from having newly acquired wideout Anquan Boldin and newly signed receiver Donte Stallworth. These two targets give Flacco a tandem, along with Derrick Mason, that Baltimore hasn’t seen in a very long time.

I look for Flacco to have a big season. I can see him throwing more than 25 touchdown passes with close to or over 4,000 yards passing.

In the unfortunate case that Flacco gets injured this season for any period of time, the Ravens signed former pro bowler Marc Bulger to be the backup. Bulger has been a starter in the NFL since 2002, but injuries and a bad team caught up with him. He’s a very capable insurance policy, and is somebody the team can rely on to play well if called upon. It was a great depth move by Ozzie Newsome and his people to bring Bulger aboard.

Tomorrow I will preview the running backs

Two Weeks until Launch

We are coming up on the MLB All-Star break, which usually means two things: the pennant race is about heat up and training camp is roughly two weeks away.

The Baltimore Ravens will fly into training camp in Westminster, MD, with lofty expectations and visions of grandeur. They have made the playoffs the past two years with head coach John Harbaugh and rocket-armed quarterback Joe Flacco, and now they will look to make the big game in Dallas in their third year. Flacco became the first quarterback in Baltimore since Vinny Testaverde in 1996 to throw more than 20 touchdown passes.

Flacco will be surrounded with the best wide receiving corps---at least on paper---that the Ravens have had in their 15-year history. The additions of Anquan Boldin, Donte Stallworth, and the resigning of Derrick Mason make this squad deep at the position. Add in Mark Clayton, Demetrious Williams, and rookie David Reed, and there is a serious competition for the last two spots in this group. Flacco will have the ability to hit Boldin over the middle, Stallworth deep, and Mason all over the field. Time will tell, but this group is easy to get excited about on paper.

The Ravens will also feature star running back Ray Rice and former pro bowler Willis McGahee in the backfield.

Did I mention the defense? That unit will be rock solid again, and with the rededication of Terrell Suggs, the drafting of Sergio Kindle, and the presence in the middle of Terrence Cody, the Ravens pass rush should make their ball-hawking secondary even better.

Over the coming weeks, I will do a preview of each position on the team heading into the season. It looks to be a very, very deep squad this season.

It’s time to get excited. We are two weeks away from football season.