As a loyal O's fan, I urge you to stop your daily printing of "The bottom line." It prominently displays how our 2010 Orioles compare with the worst teams in franchise and major league history. Nobody could have predicted how several key injuries and a lack of timely offensive support would translate into our current miserable record. Printing this reminder every day hurts the community and its sense of pride in the local team. It hurts ticket sales and tax revenue for a city struggling to make ends meet. It increases the pressure on our young players who are trying to develop into quality major leaguers. It hurts our veteran players who will have to grind out a 162 game season that is not even at the All-Star break. It may even hurt your readership, lessening fan interest in your Orioles coverage.

If you must, print "The bottom line" once a week or keep it available daily online. That will satisfy those fans obsessed with baseball statistics or those who want to cry in their beer each day. The rest of us don't need a reminder every morning that the baseball team to which we devote our interest and loyalty is doing so poorly.

Eugene Wu, Sparks