Is this the best the Orioles have got?

Am I really witnessing the abysmal play of my Baltimore Orioles this season (“Orioles’ 24-2 loss, sloppy start validate fear about wasting title window,” April 21)? Have I entered the Major League Baseball version of “The Twilight Zone”?

I sense no real chemistry with this club, and their play in the field is so dull and just plain vanilla. I sense that a long, frustrating season awaits Orioles fans. Right now, the team is being shakily held together with baling wire, adhesive tape and paper clips.

This team is actually hard to watch at times. I‘m just numbed by the lack of fundamentals. “God Save the Queen?” How about “God Save the Orioles” first?

— Patrick R. Lynch, Towson

Magnetic levitation train would be a nightmare

We 100% agree with the recent commentary by Angelette C. Aviles about the maglev dream (“Why Maryland’s maglev dream doesn’t track,” April 21).

Instead of a dream, the proposed maglev train has been a nightmare for the people of the Linthicum community and surrounding areas. Our community does not want it because it will destroy our neighborhoods, our homes and businesses.

Aviles’ assessment of the cost to build this high-speed train along with all the environmental issues and costs underscores how this would be a financial burden to a state already dealing with budget deficits. In addition, the high cost of daily ridership does not serve the people of this community or the state of Maryland.

Yet the politicians and “powers that be” are still pursuing this massive project after 20 years of study. It does not make sense! Thanks to the author for writing such a refreshing and thoughtful commentary.

— Joan and James Mainhart, Linthicum

Can Orioles salvage their season?

The only possible blessing in Sunday’s 24-2 loss is that it will hopefully light a fire under Orioles owner David Rubenstein to take action. It would have been more fitting had this embarrassing loss happened on his bobblehead giveaway Saturday (“Orioles temperature check: Amid slow start to season, fans want more,” April 19).

Here we are with some of the best young talent in baseball, a great farm system and are languishing in mediocrity. Why hasn’t General Manager Mike Elias used that farm system to acquire top pitching instead of signing aging has-beens? Why hasn’t he improved the depth on the bench and in the rotation?

The window of opportunity for this team to win a championship is probably 3-to-4 years before their young stars leave in free agency. And who can blame them when management is not committed to winning or signing them to extensions?

Please, David Rubenstein, do something!

— Greg Spangenberg, Halethorpe

Clinton had better approach to budget cuts

President Bill Clinton did his own version of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and actually balanced the federal budget (“Federal judge in Baltimore temporarily limits DOGE access to Social Security data,” April 18).

There were no chainsaws or a certain percent here and a certain percent there. It was done in an empirical, thoughtful way with no Sharpie involved nor did President Clinton feel the urge to get it all done in his first 100 days. Nor did he fire the inspectors general before he began.

Thoughtful, reasoned decisions get results.

— Jim Mundy, Ellicott City