SB Nation - Lou Montanez

Orioles 5, Blue Jays 4: SWEEEEEP

Camden Chat — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:39:23 -0000

2 months ago: Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Brandon League reacts after making his second throwing error in the 11th inning of a baseball game allowing Baltimore Orioles Michael Aubrey, pictured at right, to score the winning run Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009, in Baltimore. The Orioles won 5-4. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

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The Orioles ended the season on a high note as they swept the Blue Jays for their fourth win in a row. It took 11 innings and a few errors by the Blue Jays, but they got it done. When I said prior to the first game that I wanted a sweep I didn't actually think it would happen, but I'm glad they listened.

Jeremy Guthrie had a personal goal this year of reaching 200 innings pitched, and going into today's game he was at 192.1. He ended up pitching 7.2 innings to give him 200 innings on the nose. He didn't pitch horribly, but he did do what we all expect him to: give up home runs. Three of them, to be exact. Overall he allowed 4 runs on 9 hits. I have high hopes that Guthrie will be able to bounce back in 2010. I don't have anything on which to base that, but I have those hopes all the same.

Nick Markakis had a good final game, collecting 2 hits to make his total on the year 188, the most on the team in 2009. With Brian Roberts on 2nd base in the first inning, Nick hit his 18th home run to give the O's a 2-1 lead. Guthrie gave back that lead with single runs in the 4th and 5th innings. In the bottom of the 6th inning the Orioles loaded the bases with zero outs but after a Matt Wieters ground out and a Markakis strike out it looked like they might waste their opportunity. With two outs Dave Trembley sent Justin Turner in to pinch hit for Melvein Mora. It seemed strange to pull Mora on his last game as an Oriole, but Melvin didn't seem upset at all. He was grinning on the bench receiving congratulations from his teammates, and it turned out to be a good move. Turner lined the first pitch he saw right up the middle to score Roberts and Andino and give the O's a 4-3 lead.

Between innings the fans gave Melvin Mora a standing ovation in appreciation of his years of service to the Orioles. I didn't see the entire game as I mostly checked in during commercials during the Ravens game. I did happen to see the ovation as well as Melvin's teammates giving him hugs and handshakes, and I admit I got a little emotional.

Just after all that, however, Guthrie unfortunately gave up the lead in the top of the 7th inning with another home run. After light hitting John McDonald hit his 4th HR of the year (and 2nd against the Orioles), the score remained tied at 4-4 until the bottom of the 11th, when the O's walked off with a little help from Toronto's pitcher Brandon League.

Michael Aubrey led off the 11th inning with a single, and Lou Montanez followed with a very good bunt up the first base line. League fielded with plenty of time to get Montanez, but threw the ball away. With runners on first and second with on zero outs, Jeff Fiorentino bunted in an attempt to get the winning run to third. Again League fielded, and AGAIN he made a throwing error. Michael Aubrey raced home to score the winning run and end the Orioles season.

-Stacey

Poll

For the final time, who was today's Most Birdland Player?

Nick Markakis (2 run HR)

68 votes

Brian Roberts (2 hits, 2 walks, 2 runs, 1 stolen base)

63 votes

Justin Turner (pinch hit 2 RBI single to give the O's the temporary lead)

35 votes

Jeff Fiorentino (sac bunt that lead to the winning run)

7 votes

173 votes | Poll has closed

Nolan Reimold is my new best friend

SC — Fri, 29 May 2009 10:51:10 -0000

I know it's a mere 12ish hours from the debut of Matt Wieters!!!, but with all the Wieters hubbub and the early Lou Montanez-Felix Pie debate and the pitching debuts of David Hernandez and Jason Berken coming this week, I think Nolan Reimold has gotten somewhat lost in the shuffle.

I'm not pretending he's doing, like, absolutely awesome out there or anything. A quick look at his line shows his OBP to be less than satisfactory thus far:

	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG
2009 - Nolan Reimold	14	53	6	14	1	0	5	10	3	10	0	0	.264	.304	.566

But, still, let's compare that to this:

	G	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	K	SB	CS	AVG	OBP	SLG
2009 - Felix Pie	35	87	9	17	2	1	2	4	9	23	1	2	.195	.271	.310

And Montanez (whose widget is not currently available) was hitting a robust .204/.273/.347 at the time of his trip to the DL.

Lou can't hit. Deal with it. Pie is not in any way, shape or form better than Reimold. We've got the guy that should be playing. Reimold is 25, two years older than Pie and two younger than Montanez. Does Pie really have more upside than Reimold? I say no, he does not.

But really, the point is that with Reimold contributing and the young pitching influx in the form of Bergesen, Berken and Hernandez, plus the emergence of Adam Jones and the continued coolness of Nick Markakis, we're seeing it, and it's starting to feel different quicker than I expected.

There's a fine AP article that talks about this, too. We're really getting younger quickly, the front office and the staff seem to truly believe this is the way to do it (rather than giving lip service and waiting around on guys that are old and stink), and it's getting fun.

Are the Orioles good yet? No. They're hot right now, but this is not a contending club by any stretch of the imagination. There are still many bricks to put into the foundation. Many of the pieces are already in the system. You know the names.

I've never been a huge believer in Reimold, but damn am I enjoying watching him whack the hell out of the ball. It beats the tar out of Pie and Montanez flailing about, helpless in all areas.

And what about the non-Felix pies?

Minutes after the game, Jones stuffed a shaving-cream pie into Hernandez’s face during the rookie’s postgame interview. One day earlier, rookie Nolan Reimold got the pie treatment after hitting a walkoff homer in the 11th against Toronto.

How long can this continue?

“As long as we keep winning,” Jones said. “I guess Wieters will be here tomorrow, so hopefully we can pie him.”

I hear that. Nolan Reimold is my new best friend, but it's starting to feel like I have a posse on this team for the first time in a long time.

Wednesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:01:29 -0000

More photos » by Morry Gash - AP

St. Louis Cardinals' Adam Wainwright (50) is congratulated by teammates after hitting a home run for the fourth consecutive season.

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Some things to read while I finish the last chapter of Help Wanted.

Actually, I probably won't have much time for video games today, as the first pitch for this afternoon's game is already about two hours away. Ryan Braun likely won't be in the starting lineup: X-rays came back negative on Braun's wrist last night (h/t FanShot), but it's still a quick turnaround from a night game to a day game, and resting him today would give him two full days off, with the off day tomorrow. Paul Noonan of Brewed Sports might not have to spend the rest of his life harassing Adam Wainwright after all.

J.J. Hardy, however, is expected to play. Today's game is listed in the top spot in Baseball Musings' Games of the Day.

Adam Wainwright shut the Brewers down last night, and has been lights-out lately. Fungoes credits a change in release point for his sudden dominance. Wainwright's home run last night also gives him one in each of the last four seasons.

Along with the good news, though, the Cardinals got some bad news yesterday: Troy Glaus is being given a 50-50 shot at returning to the lineup in 2009, and Kyle Lohse is expected to be scratched from Friday's start against the Giants.

This week's schedule has been pretty rough for the Brewers, with a road night game on Sunday followed by a day game at home Monday, then a night game last night and another day game today. One would think that would be enough, but Mat Gamel also found time to visit a grade school in Racine before yesterday's game.

Maybe he was campaigning for write-in votes. Ryan Braun and J.J. Hardy are the leading vote-getters at their respective positions in All-Star balloting. In fact, no Brewer position player is lower than second.

Looking back for a moment: The Brewers are 3-1 in 1-0 games this season, but Monday's was the only of the three games to go to extra innings. It was only the seventh 1-0, extra inning victory in franchise history, and just the second since 1989.

For the first time in several days, I don't have a note on Jake Peavy today. I do, however, have Two-Fisted Slopper's argument for Erik Bedard.

I have a handful of draft notes today:

FanGraphs reviews the Brewers' last three drafts and looks ahead to June. They list second base as an organizational need, despite the fact that Cutter Dykstra and Brett Lawrie have both been moved to the position in the last three months. (h/t FanShot)
Andy Seiler has the Brewers selecting Chad Jenkins, a RHP from Kennesaw State, in the first round along with Tommy Joseph, a HS catcher from Arizona, and Brody Colvin, a HS pitcher from Louisiana, in the supplemental round.
Jim Gantner will be the Brewer representative at the draft.

Somewhat related, here are today's minor league notes:

Wily Peralta has been named Midwest League Pitcher of the Week following a week that saw him go two starts without allowing a run with a 17:2 K:BB ratio.
Mike Jones, a former #1 pick who's become a bit of an afterthought, pitched six scoreless innings in his first start in Huntsville and hit 94 on the gun.
Chris Duffy accepted his assignment to Nashville and should join the team today.

Also, Adam McCalvy is looking for mailbag questions, if you have one in mind.

Around the league:

Angels: Placed Scot Shields on the DL with patella tendinitis.
Marlins: Signed Clay Hensley and Gary Glover to minor league deals.
Mets: Placed Jose Reyes (calf tendinitis) and Ryan Church (hamstring) on the DL.
Nationals: Designated Daniel Cabrera for assignment and must add Mike MacDougal to their roster today or lose him to free agency.
Orioles: Placed outfielder Lou Montanez on the DL with torn ligaments in his thumb.
Rays: Jason Bartlett has been placed on the DL with an ankle injury.

Jason Bartlett's DL trip in Tampa opened the door for former Brewer Joe Dillon, who has been called up by the Rays. On top of Dillon (and Gary Glover), here are some other former Brewers in transactions, courtesy of Baseball America:

Former Nashville Sound Abraham Nunez signed with the D-Backs.
The Reds acquired Justin Lehr from the Phillies for future considerations.
The Indians called up Greg Aquino.
The Twins brought Ben Hendrickson off the minor league DL. Hendrickson threw one inning in his 2009 debut, and has now pitched for four teams in the last six seasons in AAA, posting a 3.88 ERA in the process.

Also, Eric Gagne has signed with Quebec in the Can-Am League. Apparently he'll be a starter there, but if he's healthy he probably won't be there long.

Speaking of players who could be available: Ken Rosenthal says the Rockies could be looking to sell, but the Pirates are probably not.

Tomorrow will be a big day in Baltimore, as #1 prospect Matt Wieters is expected to make his major league debut. In a note that's probably not unrelated, the Orioles drew just 10,130 fans to Camden Yards last night, the smallest crowd in that ballpark's history.

The Nationals have the #1 pick in June's draft and have a wide variety of needs, but perhaps they should look for someone who can spell. Roosevelt has two o's and one s.

I'm not sure what's worse, a "Teddy Rossevelt" bobblehead or a Scratch and Sniff Cap.

Oh, and happy birthday to John Jaha, who turns 43 today.

Drink up.

Red Sox 12, Orioles 1: Totally Rad!

SC — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 19:03:43 -0000

More photos » by Michael Dwyer - AP

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Let me say this but one time, and hope it's the last time I have to say it for a long while: Radhames Liz is terrible. He was terrible last year, and somehow he's even worse this year. When the Orioles demoted him from starting pitcher to bullpen fodder for the Tides, I think it sent a message that the staff and the coaches and the front office and everyone knew Liz wasn't really very good. When you're 25 and have been looked at as a starting pitcher your entire career and you get bumped down to relief work, and it's not caused by an injury that has affected your ability to pitch a lot of innings, it's not a good sign.

Liz wasn't the real problem today. Even if someone pitches his one-third of an inning and doesn't allow any runs at all and the six that came in earned on him don't happen, the Orioles got ripped for their fifth straight loss in a row, completing a four-game sweep at the hands of the Red Sox -- who came in struggling, mind you -- at Fenway Park. Take those six runs off the board and Boston still comfortably wins, 6-1.

But Liz now has a season ERA of 67.50. He has gotten 1.1 innings of work in and surrendered TEN EARNED RUNS.

Maybe it's just me, but I'm guessing a week in Norfolk wasn't really long enough for him to get acclimated to relief pitching, which is surely different than starting. (It might also just be me, but I don't think he's ever going to stick around no matter what he's doing.)

But I'm not trying to pile on Liz and nothing more, though surely they've seen enough that he needs to be sent back down to Norfolk in exchange for literally anybody with a healthy arm. Look, bottom line before I really move on: The team made a career decision for Liz and then gave him a week of real baseball to work on it before they threw him into the fire. There are guys in Norfolk that have been relieving for years and even if they aren't great, could certainly be doing better than this. It is clear Liz isn't ready. He might never be. And yeah it's a rebuilding year and that's great, but putting Liz on the hill right now is like asking the other team to score. Period. I don't expect to contend, but giving the games away by putting completely incompetent players on the field is another story.

And I'll exhale...

The offense was limp for the second game in a row, scoring once in the third inning when Cesar Izturis got Robby Andino in from third base. Andino came into the game to play third base after Ryan Freel (who started at third) was drilled in the back of the head, near his ear on a pickoff attempt at second base by Justin Masterson. It kind of looked like Freel was knocked out solid in mid-dive, because the ball hit him and he faceplanted pretty hard into the dirt. He was down and not moving for a minute or two, and looked really groggy as he was helped off the field. Hopefully he's OK, but I wouldn't rule out a concussion.

Mark Hendrickson played with fire and had a bad first two innings, but he got out of there after five innings having allowed just three earned. And then the bullpen tanked it something fierce:

IP H R ER BB K HR Season ERA

M. Hendrickson (L, 1-2) 5.0 5 3 3 3 6 1 3.86

D. Sarfate 1.0 4 3 3 1 1 0 7.36

R. Liz 0.1 3 6 6 1 0 0 67.50

M. Albers 1.2 3 0 0 0 1 0 5.87

Albers finished it out OK, so that was nice.

For the life of me, I don't understand why all the writers and commentators and everyone keep going, "Well the bullpen was supposed to be good, it was supposed to be the rotation that had issues." What bullpen were they looking at? Sarfate has major command issues and one plus pitch (a hard fastball), Johnson is a sinkerballer that was absolutely bound to regress from last season because his K-to-BB really stunk for a guy with an ERA that low, and Sherrill was junk in the second half. Add that to Walker coming off a terrible year, Ray coming off of a season lost to injury, Albers with some arm issues, Danys Baez coming off of a season lost to injury and a rotten one before that, and coaching staff love child Brian Bass (batters are hitting .386 off of him) and I just don't see where this solid bullpen was supposedly coming from. There was a chance it was going to be decent, but it was 50-50 at best, man. The other 50 is winning right now.

I said last season and this spring that knowing your team isn't there to contend and accepting it mentally is one thing, but watching them fail so dramatically hard is another thing entirely. It's frustrating, it's maddening, and it's painful. Everyone winds up wanting the quick fix. "Get rid of this guy, bring up that guy!" It's easy to say, but there's hardly any guarantee that Lou Montanez or Brad Bergesen or any of these guys are going to fare any better. They got Pie to play left field because MacPhail believes in him, so like it or not we're stuck with Pie, his awful glove and his 5-for-34 start at the plate for the time being. They needlessly picked up Adam Eaton in spring training even though they already had 36 pitchers in camp, and he's exactly what we expected.

My point is, this team is going to anger you mightily many, many days. There may seem to be obvious fixes to at least upgrade to mediocrity instead of wastes of time, but they're going to let Pie play himself out of the position. He has no options left, they traded for him, he's going to play. And they went to the trouble of signing Adam Eaton for God knows what reason -- nobody say "to eat innings" because he doesn't eat innings, he just stinks and then gets hurt -- so Eaton is going to pitch for a bit.

And just remember: We all knew this team wasn't going to be good, and if you expected a repeat of last year's offense, I don't know what to tell you there.

Final note: Gregg Zaun can't hit for beans.

Poll

Most Birdland Player (MBP) for today's game was:

Mark Hendrickson (5 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K)

65 votes

Ryan Freel (1-for-1)

41 votes

Cesar Izturis (1-for-4, RBI)

7 votes

Matt Albers (1.2 IP, 3 H)

42 votes

155 votes | Poll has closed

Down on the Farm: Norfolk Tides

Stacey — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:14:47 -0000

The rotation: Brad Bergesen, David Pauley, David Hernandez, Chris Waters, and Chris Tillman.

Bergesen has started two games this year, pitching a total of 11 innings while giving up 6 hits, 3 walks, and striking out 9. Brad is on the short list to be called up and will probably see action for the Orioles sooner or later. Sooner of course being this week due to Alfredo Simon's injury, later being whenever Trembley and MacPhail can't stand to see Adam Eaton any longer.

David Pauley has one start under his belt, taking the hard luck loss against the Charlotte Knights 3-1. He allowed 2 ER, 1 BB, and struck out 3 in 5.2 innings. Pauley couldn't impress enough in Spring Training to make the cut but my gut tells me he'll be one of the sacrificial lambs called upon while we continue to wait for the big guns.

David Hernandez allowed one run and struck out 9 in 4.2 innings in his only start so far this season. I've heard tell that Hernandez is more suited to the bullpen, which if true is fine. God knows the Orioles need the help in that department.

Chris Waters is who he is. The only Norfolk starter to have a rough outing so far, he's allowed 4 ER in 3 innings in his start, walking 3 and striking out 1.

The youngest member of our holy trinity is Chris Tillman, and he's also pitching at the highest level. Tillman is the youngest player on the Tides, with the next youngest, Matt Wieters, coming in at almost two years older. In his only start of the year, Chris Tillman threw 4 no hit innings, walking 3 and striking out 5.

WIETERS WATCH!!

Matt hasn't done much with the bat this year, going just 4 for 18. But who cares? We're coming up on the magical day when Wieters can be called up to save us from Chad Moeller. I just don't think it'll be right away, although I can't for the life of me figure out why. I'm hoping it will be soon, though, because I'm going to the game Tuesday and would love to see his debut. Although, who am I kidding, I'll be there no matter when it is.

The other batters:

Nolan Reimold has been lighting up AAA. He's 10 for 25 with 2 HR and one 2B, posting a cool 1.124 OPS. This is Nolan's first go at AAA so let's hope he can keep it up.

Lou Montanez, the most controversial player in the Orioles' organization, has gone 12 for 26 and is doing everything he can to prove he belongs in the majors. He has spent part of two seasons at AAA before without much success. I know some might not believe me, but I really do want Montanez to be successful.

Other players of note on the Tides include Scott Moore (6 for 25, 1 HR, 1 2B), Justin Turner (3 for 16), and Oscar Salazar (7 for 25, 1 2B, 1 3B).

I like Lou Montanez now

SC — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 09:28:48 -0000

That's right. I read an article on the internet, and now I like Lou Montanez.

Not only does Montanez come off like a humble guy that has learned from some mistakes, but openly attributing his failure to live up to his draft spot and early hype to a poor attitude sort of endears me to him, and even sort of gives me the hope that maybe he'll actually be a good player in Major League Baseball.

It's foolish, but sometimes I'm a sucker.

What's really turning me on Montanez is his competition, Felix Pie. While Montanez is hitting .354/.415/.438 this spring, Pie is batting a paltry .200/.260/.267 -- a .527 OPS. Against spring pitching.

Making that even worse is the fact that his glove has stunk, and that was supposed to be his biggest asset. But then we heard that about Luis Hernandez, too.

Let's not beat around the bush about it, because others have stopped doing it, too. Felix Pie was a vanity pickup by Andy MacPhail, or perhaps an obsession pickup. His top prospectdom had a lot to do with tools that may have made him a good baseball player. Pie is 24, which isn't old, but when your Major League line is .223/.284/.331 in 260 at-bats, it starts looking kinda old. Montanez finally made it to the bigs late last season and his mediocre .295/.316/.446 line is better than Pie has to offer.

It's also not like Pie has torched the minors at any point. He didn't stall like Montanez did, but he wasn't exactly lighting it up down there. He's hit .299/.353/.470 in 2500 minor league at-bats. Better than Montanez's mediocre career minor league numbers, yes, but isn't the point that he's supposed to be better? If he can't actually outplay Montanez (and he has not this spring, make no mistake about that), then why did we even get him?

MacPhail has done a great job so far and this won't be some make-or-break deal either way. Neither of them are likely to be the long-term solution, I don't think. But Pie was acquired because he's Andy's boy and Andy thought this was the right situation for him. If he can't hit and can't field, the situation was not right for him no matter what the team's expected W-L record was.

Now if Pie plays well and shuts me up, then great! We have a good left fielder, and Montanez is just sort of SOL unless someone gets hurt. But they're talking platoon with Ryan Freel, who hasn't been healthy in years and is a great idea in the superutility role, but not much further than that. They're talking platoon with Ryan Freel, and we're talking about the guy MacPhail went out and purposely got to start in left. He has no minor league options left, he's been left for dead by another organization, and this just isn't a great start in Baltimore for Felix Pie. If he flops as hard as it looks like he might, Andy will have some 'splainin to do.

I also feel it's worth mentioning that Luke Scott is a better player than both of them and that we wouldn't even be having this conversation if the team had signed a first baseman.

Know Thy Enemy: Baltimore Orioles, 2009 Preview

hugo — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 23:23:48 -0000

This is the first in a 4-part series examining the Jays' competition in the AL East.

The Baltimore Orioles had another tough season in 2008, losing 90 or more games for the 3rd consecutive season and failing to finish above .500 for the 11th year in a row. There were some bright spots, however, and the O's hope to improve in 2009 in an increasingly tough AL East. The O's weren't playing all that badly until the end of the season, when they went an almost unthinkably awful 5-20 in September to close out the season.

Projected Possible Lineup : (I'm not giving a lot of thought to batting order)

Vs. LHP
2B - Brian Roberts
CF - Adam Jones
RF - Nick Markakis
DH - Ty Wigginton
3B - Melvin Mora
1B - Aubrey Huff
LF - Luke Scott/Felix Pie
C - Gregg Zaun
SS - Cesar Izturis

Vs. RHP
2B - Brian Roberts
LF - Felix Pie
RF - Nick Markakis
1B - Aubrey Huff
DH - Luke Scott
3B - Melvin Mora
CF - Adam Jones
C - Gregg Zaun
SS- Cesar Izturis

4th OF - Ty Wigginton (also 1B/3B/DH)
Bench - Ryan Freel, IF/OF
Lou Montanez, OF
Guillermo Quiroz, C

Although Zaun is penciled in here as catcher, in truth it is likely that the young Matt Wieters will soon work his way into the everyday lineup and become an offensive force - the only question is when. Wieters is one of the best prospects in baseball and is expected to both hit a ton and do a great job behind the dish, so his development is one of the biggest stories of the season for Baltimore.

Baltimore's offense in 2008 was almost exactly league average (team OPS+ of 99), due to a few holes, most glaringly at SS. They patched that hole by bringing in former Jay Ceasar Izturis, who isn't much with the bat but will bring some stability to the position and plays fine defense. The O's also signed Gregg Zaun to play catcher - Z-Man will bring his Z-game and his love of "heavy metal" (which to him apparently means Guns N' Roses) to start the season as the everyday catcher and then move into a mentor role as Wieters hopefully comes into his own. Not satisfied, Baltimore brought in Ty Wigginton, who has a nice bat and is versatile and makes a nice match for lefthanded hitters Huff, Scott, and Pie.

Melvin Mora is interesting, he looked to be in steep decline over the past few seasons and then for the first half last year, but then went nuts in the second half, hitting .376/.417/.656 after the all-star break. He wasn't great on defense (-4.8 UZR), but finished with a quality 114 OPS+ to make him a 2.5 win player, his best season since 2005. Aubrey Huff also had a big rebound year -- his .387 wOBA was the best of his career and he hit 32 dingers. Luke Scott continued to hit righties fairly well (.838 OPS) but again showed why he is a platoon player (.702 OPS against lefties). Adam Jones struggled at the plate (.711 OPS), really struggling with his pitch recognition and plate discipline, but was absolutely fantastic in the field (10.3 UZR in center), making him a 2.2 win player. And Brian Roberts had another excellent year as one of the league's premier second basemen and leadoff men, getting on base at a .378 clip, hitting 51 doubles, and swiping 40 bags at a nice 80% success rate. The O's will be countin on all five of those gentlemen, as well as their new acquisitions and of course, Markakis (.306/.406/.491 last season) who has developed from a promising young player to a well-rounded star with no holes in his game at all.

The O's offense should be better, since they have added some nice depth and some young players are continuing to develop. Mora is old, but Huff and Wigginton can both play third, as can Freel, so there's some cover there.

Projected Rotation I'm including 6 starters, because history shows that most teams have a 6th starter who makes about as many starts as the 5th starter, due to injuries/ineffectiveness in the 5-man rotation. However, in the O's case, there are a number of potential 6th starters.

RHP - Jeremy Guthrie
RHP - Koji Uehara
LHP - Rich Hill
LHP - Mark Hendrickson
RHP - Radhames Liz
RHP/RHP/LHP - Hayden Penn/Matt Albers/Chris Waters

Baltimore got a quality season from Jeremy Guthrie last year (3.63 ERA) although, while he perhaps had more than the 10 wins he got coming to him based on how many runs were scored against him, his defense-independent numbers (4.53 FIP, 5.66 K/9, .267 BABIP against, 101 tRA+) suggest that he may have actually been quite fortunate in 2008. He is likely to give the Orioles another solid year.

After Guthrie, Baltimore's rotation was an absolute mess last season. They were the worst rotation in the AL (with a 5.51 team ERA), and also finished last in the league both in strikeouts and walks (actually pretty crazy since low strikeout pitchers typically at least limit walks), with a staggeringly bad team 1.30 K/BB ratio. Daniel Cabrera (30 starts, 86 ERA+,1.05 K/BB ratio), Garrett Olson (26 starts, 6.65 ERA), Radhames Liz (17 starts, 6.72 ERA), and current Jay spring training invitee Brian Burres (22 starts, 6.04 ERA, 1.13 K/BB ratio) were the most significant contributors to the damage, although the O's also got 10 very bad starts from Steve Trachsel (8.28 ERA). The good news for the O's is that none of these gentlemen, other than perhaps Liz, is likely to factor heavily in the Orioles 2009 rotation plans.

The Orioles signed 2-time Sawamura award (the award in the NPB going to the best starting pitcher in the Japanese league) winner Koji Uehara in what is looking like a pretty shrewd move. Uehara seems like a good bet even in the AL East and is set to begin 2009 as Baltimore's number 2 starter. Baltimore also made a nice move to acquire former Cubs lefty Rich Hill, who is an interesting case. Hill had a good half season as a 26-year old and an excellent (119 ERA+) season as a 27-year old for the Cubbies before completely falling apart in 2008, spending most of the season in the minor leagues and showing absolutely no control at all, walking almost a batter per inning. Hill also floundered in Winter ball this year, but if he can get his control back, he's a quality lefthanded starter with good K numbers. His flyball tendencies are going haunt him a bit, especially in the cozy confines of Camden Yards and the AL East, but a nice low-risk pickup for Baltimore, since it's not like he's blocking anyone.

Baltimore also picked up former Jay Mark Hendrickson who, while he has no means been an above-average pitcher over his career (89 ERA+ career), is better than what 4/5 of what the O's had out there last season and is at least capable of being a #5 starter (though not sure how well he will fare in the AL East).

The O's rotation should be better in 2009 than it was in 2008. That's not saying much, I know, but Uehara looks like a solid addition, while Guthrie isn't anything special but should continue to enjoy modest success, giving them at least 2 average or better starters. Hill has plenty of potential and Hendrickson will usually manage not to embarass himself on the mound. And Baltimore does have some young starters with potential.

Significant Bullpen Members

LHP George Sherrill (closer)
RHP Chris Ray (setup)
RHP Jim Johnson
RHP Dennis Sarfate
LHP Jamie Walker

The Orioles bullpen tried valiantly to pick up the slack left by an awful starting rotation (it was 3rd in the AL in innings), and helped to limit the damage, although a 4.59 team bullpen ERA is nothing to shout about. Closer George Sherrill isn't really what you want from a closer or bullpen ace, and he could lose his job to Chris Ray, who previously performed those duties before going down to arm surgery back in 2007. However, Ray is coming off a major surgery and is a question mark himself. On the other hand, Jim Johnson had a great season last year out of the pen, pitching in 54 games with a 2.23 ERA, and he will be hard-pressed to repeat that performance given his unimpressive strikeout and walk numbers (38/28 K/BB ratio over 68 2/3 innings, and shutting the league out from hitting a homer, like he did in 2008, is always tough to repeat). LOOGY Jamie Walker had an awful season out of the pen (1.68 WHIP, 6.87 ERA, almost 3 home runs per 9 innings) but will look to rebound. hard-thrower Danys Baez will also return from surgery, but I was never a big fan of his, and that was before he got hurt.

In Summary

Having attended Law School in Baltimore, a city with some hilarious nicknames: "Charm City," "the Land of Pleasant Living," and "the City that Reads" (though more often referred to by locals as "the City that Bleeds"), I have a soft spot for the Orioles, having enjoyed many home games at Camden Yards following a pint or two at Pickles Pub, including a bunch when I should've been in class. I like the Uehara pickup, and it looks like the O's are finally on the right track with an excellent farm system and some quality young players. I don't think 2009 will be the year, though. The problem will be pitching - Uehara will help, and Hill and Hendrickson really can't hurt, but B-more's young arms in the majors haven't proven anything despite several shots. What Baltimore is likely to do on the mound just isn't good enough in the AL, let alone the AL East. The Orioles have solid pitching prospects in Chris Tillman, Brian Matusz, and Jake Arrieta, but none are real close to pitching in the majors. Baltimore may hit more and pitch a little better, but I don't see them making up the gap between themselves and the rest of the AL East.

Newsies: Baltimore Orioles Nick Markakis Adam Jones Felix Pie Oscar Salazar ZAUN Nickelodeon

SC — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 20:07:38 -0000

Yahoo! does these "Team Reports" and since I'm super bored, I thought we could shoot the sh breeze about the tidbits contained within.

Felix Pie gives the Orioles one of the youngest, best defensive outfields in baseball.
The former Cubs center field prospect likely will get every opportunity to win the left field job after coming over in a trade for left-hander Garrett Olson and a low-level minor league pitcher. At worst, he’ll platoon with utility man Ryan Freel.

Pie, 24, teams with rangy center fielder Adam Jones, 23, and newly signed right fielder Nick Markakis, 25, who led baseball with 17 outfield assists last year.

However, the left-handed hitting Pie hasn’t translated his above-average minor league numbers to the majors, where he failed in two stints with the Cubs. He’ll likely bat in the lower third of the order, but—if he produces—could see some at-bats in the No. 1 or No. 2 slots to utilize his speed.

"Utilize his speed"? Pie is a career .299/.353/.470 hitter in the minors, with a 63% steal rate. He hit .287/.336/.466 and was 11-for-18 stealing bases with the Triple-A Iowa Cubs in 2008 (335 AB). It was a big regression for a guy in his age 23 season, and not exactly the sort of line I'd want to see perched at the top of the lineup. He's got really bad K-to-BB numbers for a potential top of the order guy, too. Felix looks like a bottom order hitter to me even if he succeeds in sticking around, which is certainly no guarantee. He has bombed in major league play (.223/.284/.331 in 260 AB).

I'd say I'm not trying to harsh Felix's buzz but I don't think Felix has much buzz left. Getting traded for Garrett Olson sort of gave me the impression the Cubs have flat-out given up on Pie, and usually when a team gives up on a guy, it's not good news. Yeah, I know, we gave up on John Maine and the Indians gave up on Jeremy Guthrie. Success stories do happen. But I'd also point out that Maine is merely a league average pitcher (the sting there gets a little better every year, even if we could use about four more league average pitchers) and that Guthrie's mid-career rebound is very rare. This trial with the Orioles is probably Pie's last best shot at becoming a major league regular. There are new players coming down the line every single year, and he's 24 now, so he can only ride the reputation as the Cubs' former top prospect so much longer.

Mostly I just think it's silly to consider Pie as a No. 1 or No. 2 hitter even if he hits, because his level of "if he hits" would have to surpass most everyone's expectations for him to be a better option up there than what's in place.

Of course Mora could collapse, leaving Markakis in the three hole, and then someone does have to hit second, which I'd sooner guess would be Adam Jones than Pie, but Jones' power might develop some more, which would probably make him the three hitter to break up Markakis and Huff (two lefties), instead of going Roberts-Pie-Markakis-Huff-Scott (five left-handed bats in a row on RHP days), but really it's more likely that Trembley leaves Mora somewhere in the middle of the lineup almost no matter what happens, because that's how Diamond Dave rolls. But I guess if all hell broke loose or Brian Roberts needed a day off, Felix Pie might hit leadoff in order to utilize his speed.

Luke Scott, the primary starter in left field last season, will take his powerful left-handed swing and average-at-best defense to the designated hitter slot.
Right-handed hitting Lou Montanez might be able to crack the outfield picture, as well, if he can improve upon his defense.

We've had the discussions in comments recently, but Did You Know? that Luke Scott actually scored quite well in many defensive metrics for 2008? I know some of you statophobes that see with your eyes, MAN, can't be bothered with such nincompoopery, but it's science and maths, deal with it. Luke Scott is not the butcher he's sometimes made out to be. He is a totally adequate left fielder.

Lou Montanez might be able to crack the outfield picture, as well, if he can defy logic.

Markakis’ contract should go a long way toward convincing second baseman and impending free agent Brian Roberts to consider a long term contract extension. The Orioles and Roberts, their 31-year-old leadoff hitter, have been far apart on figures for most of the offseason, according to most reports.

I don't really know why Markakis' contract would go a long way toward convincing Brian Roberts to sign a long term contract extension, and truth be told as much as I like Roberts and see him being fine the next few seasons, I don't think he's so good that you want to crack the checkbook for five years or anything.

Adam Jones might be on the verge of a breakout season. After hitting nine home runs in his first full big-league season, Jones has put on 25 pounds of sheer muscle this winter, though he plans to trim down by five to 10 pounds by spring training. Jones’ right-handed bat would be a much-needed boost to the middle of the lineup.

This is crack reporting. In summary:

1. Muscles make you good! My mom told me to drink my milk so I'd grow up to be big and strong and my gym teacher told me to lift weights so I could be strong so I do that. Muscles make you good at sports, always. That's why people take steroids, so they can have big muscles and hit home runs. If you take steroids you wake up the next day looking like Gary Strydom:

2. Players hitting for power is good! If muscles make Adam Jones hit for more power, the Orioles will benefit.

RHP David Pauley, acquired from Boston for RHP Randor Bierd, could win a spot in the rotation with a strong spring. Pauley, who is out of minor league options, went 14-4 with the Red Sox’s Class AAA affiliate last season.
RHP Radhames Liz will get an extended look as a starter in spring training; Orioles president Andy MacPhail has suggested the club’s former prospects will be given every opportunity to prove the club’s previous executives right. Liz, 25, could be used in the bullpen if he falters as a starter.

Considering the team has four open rotation slots, I'm pretty sure it goes without saying that Pauley and Liz are in the running.

1B Oscar Salazar was designated for assignment when the Orioles signed C Gregg Zaun. The right-handed hitter was a valued hitter to the club but had no established defensive position. The Orioles would like to bring him back on a minor league contract.

They're saying that Salazar was a valued hitter to the club. If true -- and I suppose it must be -- then that's strange, considering he's 31 years old with a career .805 OPS in the minors. The Orioles treating Salazar for what he is (a journeyman with no big league hope whatsoever, and a piece of a AAA team) is fine. If they wish to consider him more than that, there's a wire loose somewhere.

By The Numbers: 8—Teams Nick Markakis can list each season in his no-trade clause, part of the six-year, $66.1 million contract he signed recently.

I wonder what eight teams he's going to list this season? I'll guess Warshington, Colorado, Kansas City, Oakland, Pittsburgh, San Diego, Toronto and Texas. I know you might be thinking Seattle, but I figure they have the Space Needle and that Moose and Ichiro.

Your likely 2009 Opening Day Orioles

SC — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 14:51:42 -0000

What do you want? We're getting close to February and I'm getting antsy.

1. Brian Roberts, 2B
.296/.378/.450, 9 HR, 57 RBI

Brian Bob appears likely to return for his ninth season as an Oriole, and his sixth straight season as Baltimore's first batter of the year.

Roberts took over the leadoff role on May 21, 2003, in game two of a three-game series at Anaheim. Jerry Hairston, Jr., had been leading off prior to that, and was the team's starting second baseman. Roberts has not relinquished the role but for minor injuries and days off for the past five and a half years.

Roberts was 1-for-5 with a strikeout in his leadoff "debut" against the Angels, for the record.

Since Roberts took the job, here is a list of others who have served as leadoff man for the O's: Luis Matos, Hairston, David Newhan, Little Rock Raines, Larry Bigbie, Ramon Nivar (subject of the first-ever mini-outrage at Camden Chat), Eric Byrnes, Bernie Castro (the man merdon said would be better to keep than Roberts), Luis Terrero, Corey Patterson, Brandon Fahey, Chris Gomez, Ed Rogers, Jay Payton, Tike Redman, Freddie Bynum, Adam Jones, Eider Torres, and Lou Montanez.

The longest the Orioles have gone without Roberts' service as a leadoff man is 21 games (April 30 through May 23, 2006). In 14 of those 21 games, Sam Perlozzo hit Brandon Fahey leadoff. Ask again why Perlozzo was an idiot. But the team did go 8-13 in that stretch, since it happened early in the year and not during the usual late season collapse.

2. Nick Markakis, RF
.306/.406/.491, 20 HR, 87 RBI

It's probable that the Orioles' first two hitters will be their best two hitters, which may change if the lineup needs to be tweaked to get Nick into one of the traditional run-producing spots.

Markakis' 2008 was fantastic and maybe silenced those from other team blogs that I had seen -- and they had their case -- say that Markakis was a good player, nothing more, and probably overhyped as a superstar of the future. Markakis is not Manny Ramirez or anything, and he likely won't become that. But he's gotten 50 points of OPS better in each of the last two years after a damn good rookie season. He's gone from .799 to .848 to .897.

He hits for average, gets on base, can run the bases, has B+ power, and plays a fantastic right field. If the Orioles actually get good, Markakis should be a frequent flyer for the Gold Glove, and should make his share of All-Star teams. The way it is now, Markakis' All-Star chances are slim due to the fact that the Orioles are generally only going to send one or two dudes, and outfield is a packed house.

These things are usually coincidence more than anything, but 2008 splits:

Batting 2nd: .345/.439/.534 (281 AB)
Batting 3rd: .271/.374/.452 (314 AB)

3. Melvin Mora, 3B
.285/.342/.483, 23 HR, 104 RBI

April: .245/.296/.387

May: .253/.311/.442

June: .190/.284/.345

July: .311/.373/.533

August: .418/.455/.765

September: .306/.342/.361

I expect Mora's good finish to 2008 will keep him in the three-hole to start the year, but when it comes to a 37-year old third baseman with this goofy a career arc, you buys your ticket, you takes your chance. Mora might flatline, and the truth is he'd probably have to hit with June numbers for three months to actually get replaced given that the options otherwise are Ryan Freel, Scott Moore, and Mike Costanzo, and while Freel is a perfectly capable major league player, he's most valuable when his versatility is being used to your advantage.

4. Aubrey Huff, 1B
.304/.360/.552, 32 HR, 108 RBI

There is a disappointing lack of goofy Aubrey Huff photos. Just sayin'.

The AL's best DH looks like he'll be taking over full-time at first base with the overdue departure of Kevin Millar and the team's inability to find a suitable first baseman for 2009, even though they reportedly looked into such amazingly interesting possibilities as Richie Sexson and a conversion of 40 year-old Jim Edmonds.

More splits. Small sample size for the good stuff, but hey:

As 1B: .321/.426/.583 (84 AB)

As 3B: .301/.346/.463 (123 AB), fear of line drives

As DH: .303/.351/.576 (389 AB)

First base defense is important in that it's important the guy be able to make it to the bag in time to field the throw and things like that, but you can get away with a brick s-house over there if he can do that and hit. Huff's not immobile or anything. He won't be as good as the actually sort of immobile Millar, whose glove at first base I will always trumpet as vastly underrated, but he should be fine. It's great to have a guy like Mark Teixeira (control your tears of anger, friends!) who can do it all, but outside of Albert Pujols, I'm not sure there's another guy like that in the majors.

If Ryan Howard and Carlos Delgado and the like can play first base every day, so can Aubrey Huff. The real burning question is whether he can hit like he did in 2008 now that it's 2009. In the immortal words of Gorilla Monsoon, "Highly unlikely." Let's temper expectations but stay optimistic at the same time. .280/.350/.500 sounds just fine by me.

5. Luke Scott, DH
.257/.336/.472, 23 HR, 65 RBI

I don't think there's any argument that Luke Scott is cooler than he is really good, but he's a very serviceable bat to have around for a rebuilding project, and on a better team, he would be SUCH a fan favorite that he'd probably be forever memorable. Considering Luke probably won't be here by the time this team is any good, he'll be a memory only for folks like us that are watching all these crummy games.

Scott looks to inherit the DH throne from Huff, at least so long as someone steps up in left field between Pie, Montanez and Reimold. Freel is there, too, but again, he's probably best utilized by making his versatility the key.

Still, I foolishly hold out hope that Luke Scott could blast 35 bombs or something any given year. Hey, Aubrey Huff rebounded from an undeniable career downturn to go bananas last year, and Luuuuuke ain't old just yet. A few big hot streaks and he can do it. Scott is a lot like Millar in one way: when he's cold, he's really, really cold. It's to the point where if I'm Dave Trembley, I give Luke a few days off at the first sign of slump.

HOW AM I GONNA LEARN TO HIT IN THIS LEAGUE IF YOU'RE ALWAYS PINCH-HITTING FOR ME?

One thing I know for very certain damn sure guaranteed master lock: if the numbers stay as they were, Luke cannot be playing against left-handed pitching this season. He hit .215/.300/.402 last year against lefties. Throw Freel on the field somewhere and into the lineup on those days. Might I suggest Freel take some reps at 1B this spring for that reason? We've let Chris Gomez start at first base in recent years, so I don't see why not.

6. Adam Jones, CF
.270/.311/.400, 9 HR, 57 RBI

I'll admit that when the Bedard trade went through, as much as I loved it, and as much as I still love it, and as much as I love Adam Jones, there was that nagging part of my brain that focused on the dude's K-to-BB numbers in the minors, which were horrible, his lack of plate discipline, and the fact that he looked like another tools guy who would have to survive the harsh realities of talent at the major league level if he was to make it. A lot of guys can't do it. A lot of really talented players have been unable to make those final tweaks.

But watching Adam Jones last year, my doubts subsided. He struggled. And he adjusted. He was fantastic in center field and is another future Gold Glover, he picked up enough at the plate to instill real confidence in his future, and he always seemed like he was having a great time. Not a real analysis, I'm aware, but AJ was fun to watch because he seemed like he was having fun playing.

More is expected this season, obviously. That line won't cut it as far as goodwill goes. I think most of us expect at least 15 home runs (probably 20, really), a bump in the OBP and SLG numbers, the same great glove, and maybe even 20 steals. Jones is deceptively fast because of his long stride. When you watch him run, he doesn't look like he's going as quickly as he really is. He's not like Roberts, who seems like he's going 100 miles an hour. I think we all know he's quick, but I think he's probably even quicker than many notice.

Jones could also hit fifth if Trembley (1) wants to break up lefties Huff and Scott, and (2) has the gumption to do it without worrying about Jones' frail athlete psyche over a single spot in the batting order.

7. ZAUN, C
STATISTICS IRRELEVANT

THE TURMOIL YOU HAVE CREATED IS NOTHING BUT A GRAIN OF SAND. A DESERT WHERE A FOX HOLE WILL BE CREATED, THAT WILL LEAD YOU DOWN TO DEFEAT.

WE NEED NOTHING TO DO WITH ANYTHING CLOSE TO PERFECTNESS. I'VE ASKED ALL THE SKELETONS THAT HAVE ALREADY MADE THE SACRIFICE TO FOLLOW ME AND THE ZAUNBIE NATION INTO THIS BATTLE! WHETHER TO WALK FARTHER THAN ALL THE REST, OR TO STAY BEHIND AND MAKE THE SACRIFICE. IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE. I SURROUND US IN THIS FORCE FIELD AND WE HAVE BECOME ONE. WE HAVE FORMED A BOND LIKE NO OTHER. AND NO ONE CAN BREAK WHAT WE HAVE CREATED. THERE IS NO POISON, NO CREATION, AND NO MEDICINE TO CURE WHAT WE HAVE. YOU WILL NOT SURVIVE!

WHEN IN THE COURSE OF HUMAN EVENTS, IT BECOMES NECESSARY TO PROTECT MY INALIENABLE RIGHT TO BE THE STARTING CATCHER. I MUST DO WHAT OUR FOREFATHERS HAVE ALWAYS DONE. NEVER AFRAID TO FACE AN ADVERSARY. ALWAYS WILLING TO STEP INTO A NEW FRONTIER. ALWAYS WILLING TO MAKE A SACRIFICE. AND, YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PREVENT THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A MORE PERFECT UNION BETWEEN ME AND MY ZAUNBIES. FOR THE SACRIFICE THAT WE ARE PREPARED TO MAKE AGAINST AN ADVERSARY IS FAR GREATER THAN ANYTHING YOU COULD EVER KNOW!

WE DON'T FEAR THE UNKNOWN OF A NEW FRONTIER, WE REVEL IT!!! IT IS THESE THINGS THAT ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE ZAUNBIE NATION! AND IT IS THESE THINGS THAT ARE THE LIFEBLOOD OF ZAUN!

(Note: Gregg Zaun never said any of this.)

8. Felix Pie, LF
.241/.312/.325, 1 HR, 10 RBI (Cubs) ... .287/.336/.466, 10 HR, 55 RBI (AAA)

If I was a betting man, I don't think I'd bet on who the O's will actually start in left field on Opening Day. Felix Pie seems to be the dude they'd prefer; as the Cubs former No. 1 prospect, he comes with real talent and skills, but whether or not they're going to make him an effective major league baseball player is still up in the air.

So it's between 24-year old Pie, 25-year old Nolan Reimold, 27-year old Lou Montanez, and 33-year old scrapper Ryan Freel. Montanez did hit at Bowie last year and acquitted himself just fine in a trial run with the big club, but he's a distant third in terms of potential impact behind Pie and Reimold. Reimold still hasn't played AAA ball, not that that always matters. Markakis didn't either, but then Markakis has been in the majors for three years now and he's a month younger than Reimold, so that's a bum comparison.

I think the best case scenario is that it winds up being Felix Pie. Reimold has never been considered a top prospect. Pie has. If Pie pans out, that probably means more than Reimold panning out. Either are better than Montanez.

Pie does already have a great glove, which would mean we would have one of the best outfield defenses in baseball, period.

9. Cesar Izturis, SS
.263/.319/.309, 1 HR, 24 RBI

Cesar Izturis is here to play defense. As a distant second, he's here to hopefully poke a few singles at the bottom of the order and keep innings moving. But he's here to play defense after that pathetic display last year from the likes of Luis Hernandez (whose glove had been heralded in the minors, perhaps only because he couldn't hit his way out of a wet paper bag), Brandon Fahey, Alex Cintron and Freddie Bynum. Juan Castro did an OK job closing the year out, but when you're praising Juan Castro...

Izturis won a Gold Glove in 2004 and was an All-Star in 2005. He started with the Blue Jays, did his best work with the Dodgers, went to the Cubs, Pirates and Cardinals, and now returns to the AL East. He's a stopgap. He's not the future. But there's nothing close to a future star SS in this system, and someone had to do it. The revolving door last year was embarrassing. Izturis can't hit for beans, but neither could any of those schmucks last season.

Izturis is basically Castro-plus, a more advanced breed of the same player. I can live with it.

Rosenthal: O's considering 39-year old Jim Edmonds at 1B

SC — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:27:09 -0000

From Ken Rosenthal via Roch:

Ken Rosenthal reports that the Orioles have shown interest in Jim Edmonds as a first baseman. I haven't heard this, but anything's possible. It would be a curious move, however, given that they'd prefer a right-handed bat.

Edmonds was a spark for the Cubs last season, hitting .256/.369/.568 with 19 homers in 250 at-bats after looking completely, 100% finished with the Padres. His decline began in 2006, and he's going to be 39 in June.

If he could hit like he did with the Cubs, he's a great help. Preferring a right-handed bat is ... well, whatever. Ryan Garko is a right-handed bat, but he's really not very good, and Peter Schmuck says he's told the Orioles and Indians have had no discussions about Garko anyway.

A few brief thoughts:

Edmonds > Millar, period.
If they think it's a good idea to run Chris Gomez out there in a platoon role at first base, they're bonkers. He's a nice guy to have around, but as much as I don't mind having Gomey back, he hit .273/.322/.333 last season with the Pirates. He's 38. It's about time his extended career collapses.
Can't we just play Huff at first base, Scott at DH, and figure out Montanez or Reimold in left field during spring training? Adding a player for addition's sake seems silly, and with names like Richie Sexson and Jim Edmonds floating around, it's really all we're talking about.
At least no one's mentioned Darin Erstad.

Poll

Jim Edmonds: Yea or Nay?

Yea!

113 votes

Nay!

161 votes

274 votes | Poll has closed

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	Season ERA
M. Hendrickson (L, 1-2)	5.0	5	3	3	3	6	1	3.86
D. Sarfate	1.0	4	3	3	1	1	0	7.36
R. Liz	0.1	3	6	6	1	0	0	67.50
M. Albers	1.2	3	0	0	0	1	0	5.87