Admittedly, there was a time when I didn’t enjoy listening to Jim Palmer on Orioles broadcasts. He was too eager to talk about himself for my tastes, and I preferred the other color commentators.
However, over the years, my tastes have changed. Just like I used to reach for a Milwaukee’s Best Light, whereas I’d now prefer an IPA, I now very much enjoy listening to “Cakes.” And it’s not just because he’s that much better compared to the other color options MASN offers – he’s not a lesser evil; he’s really, really good.
Palmer is Orioles royalty, and he knows it. As a result, he never plays the “cheerleader” role like so many others on MASN do; Jim tells it how it is. While he offers praise if a player deserves it, he doesn’t hesitate to level criticism when the time is right.
Last night, his barbs were directed not at an Orioles player, but squarely at the team’s front office and management. The subject of his ire?
The team’s treatment of Kevin Gausman. Gausman has been yo-yoed all year long. He’s currently scheduled to make a start at Single A Aberdeen on Wednesday night, and may or may not be called back up to start a game for the Birds on Sunday against the Boston Red Sox. We O’s fans have been frustrated to no end by watching the kid be a pawn in the team’s game of Roster Chess, and Palmer spoke for all of us.
It started with Jim Hunter explaining (excusing) the fact that T.J. McFarland was starting game two against the Texas Rangers, and what might happen the next time this turn in the rotation comes up. He was paraphrasing Buck, and it went like this:
“The doubleheader, and Bud Norris being on the DL is why the Orioles are in this predicament,” Hunter started. “And Kevin Gausman is gonna pitch [Wednesday night] for Aberdeen, which would put him in line to possibly start on Sunday.” He went on to explain Buck “planting the seed” that instead of Gausman getting a chance this weekend, maybe it would be McFarland again.
“Well, [McFarland] could [make another start]” Palmer said. “But…wait a minute. Tomorrow is gonna be Wednesday.”
“Yeah but it’s gonna be a short start,” Hunter said, speaking again about Gausman. Basically, the start at Aberdeen is being used as a quasi-side session. The last time they did that, at Norfolk, Gausman gave up a home run and got hit in the leg by a line drive. Not exactly ideal.
Palmer then went off on his beautiful rant.
“Yeah, but I HATE that,” Palmer said, and you could almost visualize Hunter squirming in his chair.
“Ya know, I mean, I know they run this organization, it’s just harder to do that,” he went on, speaking about Gausman’s yo-yoing. “It’s my opinion, and they’ll do whatever they want and they have every right to do that, but they better get Kevin Gausman up here on a regular plan to see if he can pitch at this level, because he’s got the best arm out there – he’s not the best pitcher; he doesn’t have the experience – and give him a chance.
“Sooner or later, you want [Gausman] pitching every fifth day…and you know, I understand the schedule hasn’t presented that…I don’t wanna mess with Kevin Gausman. Because he needs to learn to pitch at this level, and I still think [the team] can win and do that at the same time. You want him to get his innings, because you want him to be able to pitch close to 200 innings next year.”
Birdland approved…
Yeah Palmer…take it to them!
— Bird's Eye View (@BirdsEyeViewBal) July 1, 2014
God I love @Drunk_JimPalmer. You could hear @notJimHunter quivering at questioning Orioles front office.
— Bird's Eye View (@BirdsEyeViewBal) July 2, 2014
Jim Palmer preaching about the O's handling of Kevin Gausman and he is 100% right.
— Phil Backert (@PhilBackert) July 1, 2014
