Monday, January 25, 2010

Time to Start Talking O's? The Hot Stove Report


In less than a month, the Orioles pitchers and catchers will report to the Orioles’ new, much needed new Spring Training home in Sarasota, Florida before playing their first preseason game against the Tampa Rays on March 3. Finally, the Orioles have a facility where they are close to other teams and can build a training camp worthy of a 2010 major league effort. So what kind of team will be showing up for work?

Are you having trouble figuring out what to make of the Orioles’ off-season moves?

This writer surely is.

Here’s a summary of what’s happened around the hot stove.

Their first move that was expected practically all season long was not to resign third baseman Melvin Mora perhaps one of the least recognized stars in Orioles’ history, but age was taking its toll and the team hoped to find more offensive clout at the hot corner.

November was largely a month of housekeeping adjusting the roster moving players around to form the basis of the 40 man roster that would report to spring training. In the process, they added two catchers to their system with limited major league experience claiming Craig Tatum off of waivers from Cincinnati and signing free-agent, Michel Hernandez from Tampa Bay. They also grabbed a left-handed reliever, Mike Hinckly who worked with the Washington Nationals.

Action picked up in December first addressing the need for an experienced starter acquiring Kevin Millwood from the Texas Rangers for reliever Chris Ray and cash. Millwood is a twelve year veteran who posted a 13-7 3.67 ERA record with Texas last year having been more or less a .500 pitcher for most of his career but enjoying some highly successful years with Atlanta through 2002 when he was sent to Philadelphia for the 2003 season. Backing up the rotation, the Orioles hope to have found their closer in lefty, Mike Gonzalez, signed as a free-agent from Atlanta.

Needing help on the corners, the Orioles signed free agent first or third baseman, Garrett Atkins, a solid RBI threat capable of over 20 homers based on his experience from 2005-2008 with Colorado though having a tough 2009 season with some injuries,

To provide solid backup for Matt Wieters, the Orioles offered Chad Moeller a minor league contract to play his way onto the roster in Spring Training. Moeller did a satisfactory job as a backup and worked well with the young pitchers after the team traded Greg Zaun.

This week marks perhaps the biggest move of the off-season signing Miguel Tejada expecting him to play third base. Tejada still swings a hot bat with 46 doubles hitting for a .313 batting average.

What the moves the Orioles have made so far in the 2009-2010 off-season indicate is that the team is not truly seeing itself as a contender for 2010, but in addressing weaknesses that were painfully obvious in 2009, they gain upgrades in crucial areas without throwing up barriers as the young players close to reaching the majors continue to develop.

The Orioles still could use a proven starter, preferably a left-handed starter and a possible designated hitter capable of around 30 homers. Doing such could give the O’s a shot at their first winning season since 1997.

Speculation continues that the team might have some interest in bringing back Erik Bedard, 31 years old, who was practically missing in action for Seattle the last two years after the Orioles pulled off one of their most dramatic trades ever trading him to the Mariners for a bevy of players not the least of which is a possible future superstar in Adam Jones. Bedard surely would represent a significant risk since he was limited to thirty starts over two years, 11-7 over all having serious injury problems. If recovered and playing like the pitcher he was in 2006 and 2007 with miserable Orioles team, such an addition especially as a lefty, could provide significant benefits to the Orioles.

While additional moves might take place in the next three weeks before pitchers and catchers report, this off-season does not appear to be one for blockbuster moves for the Orioles. Still, while the 2009 Orioles were obviously a team rebuilding, that they lost 98 games and tumbled terribly once again in September, such a dreadful performance was a major blow to the confidence of all expecting to see a team moving toward better things in the future. 2010 will be the year Baltimore baseball fans can truly judge if Andy McPhail’s master plan is building a winning team in the near future. The goal for 2010 should be to at least hit the .500 mark or slightly better.

Facing the future, the Orioles organization has a tremendous stable of young pitchers. Brad Bergesen, Brian Matusz, and Chris Tillman showed potential to be at least acceptable major league starters. Matt Wieters showed tremendous growth since being called up to the majors finishing with a .288 batting average supported with 15 doubles, 9 homers, and 43 RBI’s in about a half a season’s worth of at bats. Brian Roberts remains one of the best second basemen and lead off hitters in the business and Cesar Izturis provides a fine double play partner while surely the weakest bat in the lineup. Finally, the Orioles could well have the best outfield in baseball. Nick Markatis is as good as ay right fielder in the game. Adam Jones was well on his way to a breakthrough season as he started to add a fine power stroke to the rest of his tools in center field. Jones could well be a legitimate five tool player. Left field should belong to Nolan Reimold who was playing a stellar rookie season before being cut short by injury hitting 15 homeruns and 18 doubles in just 358 at bats.

While fans watch what’s going on at Orioles Park at Camden Yards they’ll still keep an eye cast at what’s happening in Norfolk and Bowie. Eyes will be on third baseman, Josh Bell and more prospective starters led by Jake Arrieta and Troy Patton.

The Orioles must see huge improvement on the mound. Starters must be able to not give up early leads and last six innings. The bullpen must not pour fuel on the fire as was too often the case in 2009.

Can the Orioles win twenty more games in 2010? Doing so would put them at 84-78, not good enough to get in the playoffs in the American League East but possibly good enough for third place. Meanwhile, fans will remain grumpy and impatient many not giving any credit for Andy McPhail’s efforts but viewing thirteen years of continued frustration seeing a team that was once the pride of baseball for consistent winning fall so miserably.

There’s nothing wrong with Baltimore baseball winning won’t cure. The time has come.

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