Day: December 2, 2010

Shorebird of the Week Hall of Fame: 2010 induction

Quite frankly, I’m surprised that I only have one inductee this year for the class of 2010. Yet this man builds the SotWHoF by 50 percent, so I suppose I shouldn’t complain. It’s not all that far from the time I’ll be honoring a Shorebird player each week at 7 p.m. on Thursday (naturally this post was set to that day and time.)

So let me tell you a little about this year’s honoree.

When Brandon Snyder was first drafted in 2005 (a first round pick and 13th overall) it was a rare occasion in the last decade where the Orioles didn’t have a top-10 pick. Originally drafted as a catcher out of Westfield High School in Virginia, he first came to the Shorebirds to begin the 2006 season but struggled both at the plate and with injuries – eventually he hit just .194 here before being shipped off to Aberdeen. Quite honestly, at the time he looked more like a continuation of a series of draft busts the Orioles had endured.

But 2007 brought a more healthy and confident Snyder back to Delmarva and he hasn’t looked back since. He hit .283/11/58 in 118 games here, which was really good considering he changed positions to become a first baseman. Brandon did even better at Frederick in 2008, and aside from a brief rehab stint at Aberdeen this season has steadily moved up the chain after a position change to first base. It culminated with his September callup to the Orioles and 20 at-bats with the big club.

Along with the new inductee, I have also updated the status of the two current members of the SotWHoF, Brad Bergesen and David Hernandez. With more former SotW honorees (there are now eight, including the three already in) added to the Orioles’ 40-man roster, the chances are excellent there will have more than one in the Class of 2011.

With the page updated over the last couple days, it’s now restored to its rightful position on the blog header.

And then one dropped out…

There is one less name in the field for the GOP Chair’s race.

Citing the need to keep his independence in his position as president of the nonpartisan Institute for Liberty, Andrew Langer told supporters that he’d not pursue the position of Maryland GOP Chair. His withdrawal narrows the possible field to around seven names, five of whom have already announced their intention to run. (Update: Mark Newgent has Langer’s official statement at Red Maryland.)

Despite the fact he’s not in the field, though, his set of principles still may influence the race and the direction the party takes over the next four years. Last month he and Mark Newgent (with a little help from yours truly) wrote the Chambers Compact. This document lays out a platform for the party to follow over the next four years, including a call to:

…take a cue from the grassroots and the blogosphere and become (an effective) opposition.  To do the research, to oppose, to poke, to prod, to hold its own hearings if necessary—all of this in order to demonstrate that Emperor O’Malley has no clothes!

We all know this emperor has no clothes; unfortunately enough people didn’t see it the last time we had an election.

While Langer’s withdrawal from the race leaves a void (and several disillusioned supporters) there’s no reason a good conservative voice can’t become the leader of a revitalized Maryland Republican Party. Our job as voting members of the MDGOP is to make sure that happens.

Postscript: Since people had so much fun with the concept, I’ll rework the MDGOP Chair odds later this afternoon to reflect Andrew’s absence. (4:45 p.m. – finished.)