How low can the O’s go! The fortunes of the Baltimore Orioles took another huge hit today as their #1 star Miguel Tejada was quoted as requesting a “Get out of Town” pass because the team has failed to take the necessary steps to become more competitive.

As the Yankees, Red Sox and Blue Jays continue to buy up all the available talent in the free agent market, it becomes apparent that the Orioles are mired at the bottom of this powerhouse division. For anyone with a drive to be successful and reach the playoffs, it must be discouraging to be stuck on a losing team with no hope in sight.

However, that doesn’t mean that one has the right to demand that his lucrative long term contract be torn up and he be allowed to set out for greener pastures. The high school players on my indoor soccer team can look around at the talent on the other seven teams and see that it will be tough sledding for us. But you don’t see them jumping ship and quitting. They understand that sometimes you are dealt the short straw.

What Tejada fails to realize is how devastating his announcement is to the little guys in town – the ones whose financial fortunes hinge on the investment they have made in Tejada related merchandise. Take my friend and co-worker “Flea Market Al” (one of the mainstays at the weekly Dundalk Flea Market). He deals in all types of sports memorabilia and collectibles. The steroid mess has already stung him badly – his Palmeiro and Sosa merchandise is gathering dust in his basement (better known as “The Museum”). Now he anticipates taking it in the shorts on all of his Tejada items as well. How can a man eke out an honest living?

Even if the Orioles hold the line and force Miguel to honor his existing contract, the fans will turn on him and reject forking over big bucks for his merchandise. Tejada should take the high road here and just purchase the items himself! Why make it tough on the little guys who have loyally supported him? It’s not like he’s not being fairly compensated. Can you imagine the reaction of the powerful player’s union if a team came out and said that they got a raw deal with the contract of player X because he has terribly underperformed and they demanded some relief so that they would not have to honor the remaining terms? Let’s stop the posturing in the press and Play Ball!

(P.S. Mention this blog to Flea Market Al for a 10% discount on already depressed merchandise!)

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