Tony Tarasco, 1996 Fleer Orioles #17

I'm sure you've all been waiting for my level-headed, well-considered, and erudite response to the controversial home run hit by Francisco Cervelli in last night's rain-soaked Orioles-Yankees game. I've given the matter lots of careful thought, and I am of the following opinion:

AAAAAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHHHHHH! DEAR GOD, IT HAPPENED AGAIN! What in the bloody Hell have I done to deserve half a lifetime of torment like this? Why did it have to be Orioles-Yankees again, and couldn't the O's at least come back to win this one? They're 55-85, throw them a damned bone! Damn you, Jeffrey Maier Jeffrey Maier Jeffrey MaierrrrrrrrraaaaaAAAAAAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!

If anyone needs me, I'll be grinding my teeth into dust.

Tony Tarasco, 1997 Score Hobby Reserve #HR382

Lost in the navel-gazing of yesterday's grand anniversary, I failed to realize that it was also the 13th anniversary of a much darker day in Orioles history. Lo and behold, late last night after I'd written my post, another blatantly blown call in the outfield in the Bronx benefited the Yankees in a playoff game. Sigh.

Many people (most of them probably snotty Yankee fans) wonder when we in Baltimore will "get over" the Jeffrey Maier Game. I, for one, will get over it when:

1) Lousy umpiring stops working out in the Yankees' favor in the postseason, and

2) The channels broadcasting baseball games stop playing the clip of that snot-nosed little punk stealing a fly ball from the grasp of Tony Tarasco as if it were one of the greatest moments in the history of the game.

So it looks like it's going to be a while.