So Much to Cover

Major League Baseball, I have but one question; Which school of thought do you subscribe to, that there are unwritten rules of baseball that should be followed?  or that throwing at a batter is unacceptable?

I ask this question because the MLB has cleared nothing up, and made a complete joke out of the suspensions handed down for the Orioles-Red Sox melee.  I understand the four games for Gregg and Ortiz (Ortiz charged the mound, so his suspension is greater.  Gregg being a closer, the suspension is likely for less games).  The three games for Gonzo is also difficult to argue.  However, where is the suspension for the Red Sox pitchers who hit Orioles after warnings had been issued?  Where is the Kyle Weiland suspension?  And where is the subsequent Francona ejection?  Last I heard Weiland did not even receive a fine.

Day 24 of one of the most humiliating runs the Orioles have ever had (feels a bit like the beginning of last year, hopeless).  The biggest question that STILL needs answered is "what has changed that has made the Orioles change from the brink of mediocrity to completely terrible?"

There are two major things that changed at almost the exact same time as the Orioles went into their serious downspin.  I have addressed one of these occurrences already; Mark Connor's resignation.  It is easy to point at his resignation and blame that for the team's woes (mainly because it feels like the Orioles have gone months without a quality start).  It is also highly likely that a big part of the problem is the change in pitching coach.  The other significant event, however, is that John Russell moved from being the Orioles third base coach and became the bench coach.  Since Connor left the Orioles are 6-20, but since Russell has taken over as bench coach, the team is 4-16 (that is 2-4 after Connor, before Russell moved). 

That is not a lot to go on to be able to tell if Russell's move might be part of the issue, but that is why it is worth a look at the matter of wins and losses.  In the four games the O's lost post Mark Connor (before Russell's move) the Orioles lost by 3 runs of fewer in 3 of the four losses.  In the 16 losses the Orioles have had since Russell moved, they have lost by 3 runs or fewer in only 5 of the games (including a 9-3 to Pittsburgh, 10-5 loss to Cincinnati, 13-4 and 13-5 losses to Texas, getting outscored 32-13 in a four game sweep in Boston, and last nights 8-4 loss at home.

Is it possible that John Russell (someone without a great track record managing) is a bad voice to have in Showalter's ear?