The Orioles weren’t supposed to be contenders or even a team closing in on a winning record, but most would argue with a 9-13 record for April and two more losses to begin May, the Orioles are not even meeting the slim expectations they have as a team in reconstruction. The cold hard facts deal with pitching. When a team averages 5.27 runs a game as the Orioles scored in their first month of competition, the team should win more often than not. Even in today’s game of inflated ERA’s, this should still be sufficient offense to win. However, here is the miserable reality, the Orioles’ pitching is throwing batting practice to their opponents giving up an average 6.64, almost seven runs a game during the same period.
Starting at the top of the rotation with Jaime Guthrie, there are few bright spots both among starters and in the bullpen. Let’s look at the pitching staff’s performance, note the problems and see who meets or exceeds expectations. Japanese free agent, Koji Uehara is doing his job, 2-2, 4.50 ERA, 5 starts. Brad Bergesen looks worthy of his call up, 1-0 in 3 starts but a 5.71 ERA. The bullpen is a struggling. Aside from Danys Baez, 1-1, 2.63 ERA, Jim Johnson 1-0, 270 ERA and Jamie Walker appeared in ten games with a low 1.93 average, the rest of the relief corps is putting out fires with gasoline. The Orioles have only four saves in seven opportunities, six of those opportunities belong to George Sherrill who adds a loss and a 5.06 ERA.
Help is on the way. The Orioles have a cadre of young pitchers almost ready for prime time pitching at Norfolk and more in various states of development at Bowie and Frederick. Brad Bergesen is the first call-up from the homegrown talent, but the Orioles must resist the temptation to rush these youngsters up to the parent club just for the sake of replacing nonperformers if all that accomplishes is a possible quick fix. Team President, Andy McPhail, has a clear blueprint for how to build the Orioles into a contender in Major League Baseball’s most difficult division. His overall philosophy is to grow pitching then buying hitters if needed to form a winning team.
Put the Orioles in perspective, the team they could best be compared to is the Atlanta Braves once John Schuerholz took control and began to build a team that would dominate the National League for over a decade finishing in first place for thirteen consecutive seasons. Who would see that possibility as the 1990’s began, but they had the major pieces of their championship team beginning to experience success in the major league. Starters Tom Glavine and Steve Avery were home grown talent. They traded off veteran, Doyle Alexander, for prospect, John Smoltz. These pitchers were settling in to their major league rolls as some final tweaking nailed down the finished team that would leap to first place and a trip to the World Series in 1991.
Great throwers don’t make great pitchers. Pitching is a craft developed over time, and with only rare exceptions, major league pitchers should move up one year at a time from level A to Triple A before being ready for the big leagues.
A team’s defense can make or break a pitcher. This is far more evident with young pitchers who need the confidence to throw pitches batters will hit but should be recorded as outs with good defensive play.
The first priority is defense up the middle, with Geoff Zaun catching, Brian Roberts at second base and Cesar Itzturis forming the double-play combination, and Adam Jones in center, that need is addressed. Add to that, Nick Martakis proves there is no better fielding right fielder with one of the strongest, most accurate throwing arms able to cut down runners trying to advance an extra base or tag and speed home. Opponents realize what they’re up against in right field and take fewer chances.
Melvin Mora has not been healthy for much of April, but he is a quite capable third baseman while Aubrey Huff becomes the team’s full-time first baseman and has done a good job so far. Left field is hardly a danger zone, but manager Jeff Trembley is still trying to find which player belongs there. Felix Pie has struggled miserably at the plate but has tremendous range. Lou Montenez continues reputation with his bat but was considered a so-so fielder. He played winter ball and sought help to improve his fielding skills. Meanwhile, the Orioles future left fielder could be a phone call away at the other end of the Chesapeake Bay in Norfolk. Nolan Reimold is batting .362 with 8 home runs and 24 RBI’s against AAA competition. Meanwhile, eyes are on Norfolk Tides catcher, Matt Wieters, the Orioles’ most valuable player of the future who has struggled with a hamstring injury so far slowing his meteoric rise shown last year as he dominated Level A ball beginning the year and got even hotter when he was promoted to AA Bowie.
While fan frustration continues to fester after not having a winning season since 1997, since Andy McPhail’s arrival, the Orioles do have a blueprint. Empty seats and angry talk show callers and sports pundits will exert pressure for any kind of quick fix to stop the bleeding, but if the Orioles are ever to be a competitive team again against the rest of the division, they cannot afford to force talent before players are ready for the next step. Brad Bergesen might not be the only hurler to be shuttled up the Chesapeake Bay in the weeks to come. However, prospects Chris Waters and David Hernandez have given up over 4.5 runs a game in their first four starts. While Chris Tillman is 2-0 with a dazzling 2.37 ERA, he has only pitched 19.2 innings. David Pauley, obtained from the Red Sox is struggling at 1-3 and 4.71 ERA. Rich Hill, obtained from the Cubs as a potential 3rd or 4th starter in Baltimore has just begun his rehab assignment giving up two runs in just 3.1 innings of work in his first stint at Norfolk. Meanwhile, Bowie has four starters to keep an eye on, doubtfully this year, but they demonstrate that soon starting pitching could be the Orioles greatest asset. Bobby Livingston, 1-1, 3.57 ERA, 4 starts; Troy Patton, 2.0, 1.21 ERA, 4 starts; Brandon Erbe, 1-3, 0.90 ERA, 4 starts, and Jake Arrieta, 2-0, 2.00 ERA, 4 starts.
Yes, bringing up these results from Norfolk and Bowie and looking at how the Orioles are pitching the armchair beer swilling GM’s will surely be screaming in their best Balmerese, these guys need to be up here now. Truth be told, where can they get the best preparation for a team that might be ready to push toward the playoffs in 2011?
Patience, patience, patience. The future looks bright but overnight sensations are rare. Baltimore fans know with the Ravens forcing someone into action immediately was a disaster with Kyle Boller but a success with Joe Flacco. Back in the days of the mythic Orioles’ way, pitchers spent a year at each level of the minors before being ready for Baltimore.
We cannot ignore that in recent years, the Orioles generally have gotten worse in the second half of the season. We cannot be conditioned for that expectation this year. This team must improve as the year continues. However, if the starting pitching can’t hold the game for six innings, the bullpen, which has been far below expectations this year, will be completely burned out and ineffective.
Let’s hope April is the cruelest or it will be one long summer. Take pleasure in the individual performances as witness to brighter days ahead. It really hurts to see a ballpark as beautiful as Camden yards so cavernous and empty on television.
Starting at the top of the rotation with Jaime Guthrie, there are few bright spots both among starters and in the bullpen. Let’s look at the pitching staff’s performance, note the problems and see who meets or exceeds expectations. Japanese free agent, Koji Uehara is doing his job, 2-2, 4.50 ERA, 5 starts. Brad Bergesen looks worthy of his call up, 1-0 in 3 starts but a 5.71 ERA. The bullpen is a struggling. Aside from Danys Baez, 1-1, 2.63 ERA, Jim Johnson 1-0, 270 ERA and Jamie Walker appeared in ten games with a low 1.93 average, the rest of the relief corps is putting out fires with gasoline. The Orioles have only four saves in seven opportunities, six of those opportunities belong to George Sherrill who adds a loss and a 5.06 ERA.
Help is on the way. The Orioles have a cadre of young pitchers almost ready for prime time pitching at Norfolk and more in various states of development at Bowie and Frederick. Brad Bergesen is the first call-up from the homegrown talent, but the Orioles must resist the temptation to rush these youngsters up to the parent club just for the sake of replacing nonperformers if all that accomplishes is a possible quick fix. Team President, Andy McPhail, has a clear blueprint for how to build the Orioles into a contender in Major League Baseball’s most difficult division. His overall philosophy is to grow pitching then buying hitters if needed to form a winning team.
Put the Orioles in perspective, the team they could best be compared to is the Atlanta Braves once John Schuerholz took control and began to build a team that would dominate the National League for over a decade finishing in first place for thirteen consecutive seasons. Who would see that possibility as the 1990’s began, but they had the major pieces of their championship team beginning to experience success in the major league. Starters Tom Glavine and Steve Avery were home grown talent. They traded off veteran, Doyle Alexander, for prospect, John Smoltz. These pitchers were settling in to their major league rolls as some final tweaking nailed down the finished team that would leap to first place and a trip to the World Series in 1991.
Great throwers don’t make great pitchers. Pitching is a craft developed over time, and with only rare exceptions, major league pitchers should move up one year at a time from level A to Triple A before being ready for the big leagues.
A team’s defense can make or break a pitcher. This is far more evident with young pitchers who need the confidence to throw pitches batters will hit but should be recorded as outs with good defensive play.
The first priority is defense up the middle, with Geoff Zaun catching, Brian Roberts at second base and Cesar Itzturis forming the double-play combination, and Adam Jones in center, that need is addressed. Add to that, Nick Martakis proves there is no better fielding right fielder with one of the strongest, most accurate throwing arms able to cut down runners trying to advance an extra base or tag and speed home. Opponents realize what they’re up against in right field and take fewer chances.
Melvin Mora has not been healthy for much of April, but he is a quite capable third baseman while Aubrey Huff becomes the team’s full-time first baseman and has done a good job so far. Left field is hardly a danger zone, but manager Jeff Trembley is still trying to find which player belongs there. Felix Pie has struggled miserably at the plate but has tremendous range. Lou Montenez continues reputation with his bat but was considered a so-so fielder. He played winter ball and sought help to improve his fielding skills. Meanwhile, the Orioles future left fielder could be a phone call away at the other end of the Chesapeake Bay in Norfolk. Nolan Reimold is batting .362 with 8 home runs and 24 RBI’s against AAA competition. Meanwhile, eyes are on Norfolk Tides catcher, Matt Wieters, the Orioles’ most valuable player of the future who has struggled with a hamstring injury so far slowing his meteoric rise shown last year as he dominated Level A ball beginning the year and got even hotter when he was promoted to AA Bowie.
While fan frustration continues to fester after not having a winning season since 1997, since Andy McPhail’s arrival, the Orioles do have a blueprint. Empty seats and angry talk show callers and sports pundits will exert pressure for any kind of quick fix to stop the bleeding, but if the Orioles are ever to be a competitive team again against the rest of the division, they cannot afford to force talent before players are ready for the next step. Brad Bergesen might not be the only hurler to be shuttled up the Chesapeake Bay in the weeks to come. However, prospects Chris Waters and David Hernandez have given up over 4.5 runs a game in their first four starts. While Chris Tillman is 2-0 with a dazzling 2.37 ERA, he has only pitched 19.2 innings. David Pauley, obtained from the Red Sox is struggling at 1-3 and 4.71 ERA. Rich Hill, obtained from the Cubs as a potential 3rd or 4th starter in Baltimore has just begun his rehab assignment giving up two runs in just 3.1 innings of work in his first stint at Norfolk. Meanwhile, Bowie has four starters to keep an eye on, doubtfully this year, but they demonstrate that soon starting pitching could be the Orioles greatest asset. Bobby Livingston, 1-1, 3.57 ERA, 4 starts; Troy Patton, 2.0, 1.21 ERA, 4 starts; Brandon Erbe, 1-3, 0.90 ERA, 4 starts, and Jake Arrieta, 2-0, 2.00 ERA, 4 starts.
Yes, bringing up these results from Norfolk and Bowie and looking at how the Orioles are pitching the armchair beer swilling GM’s will surely be screaming in their best Balmerese, these guys need to be up here now. Truth be told, where can they get the best preparation for a team that might be ready to push toward the playoffs in 2011?
Patience, patience, patience. The future looks bright but overnight sensations are rare. Baltimore fans know with the Ravens forcing someone into action immediately was a disaster with Kyle Boller but a success with Joe Flacco. Back in the days of the mythic Orioles’ way, pitchers spent a year at each level of the minors before being ready for Baltimore.
We cannot ignore that in recent years, the Orioles generally have gotten worse in the second half of the season. We cannot be conditioned for that expectation this year. This team must improve as the year continues. However, if the starting pitching can’t hold the game for six innings, the bullpen, which has been far below expectations this year, will be completely burned out and ineffective.
Let’s hope April is the cruelest or it will be one long summer. Take pleasure in the individual performances as witness to brighter days ahead. It really hurts to see a ballpark as beautiful as Camden yards so cavernous and empty on television.
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