SB Nation - Nick Markakis

A Preliminary Look at the 2010 AL East Offenses - Part 3

Stacey — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 22:33:41 -0000

Bring it. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

The final look at Bill James' projections will focus on the Orioles young outfield. In Part 1 I drooled over Matt Wieters, in Part 2 I went into fantasyland, and here in Part 3 I will bask in the talent of the Orioles outfield.

It's hardly news to anyone here that the Orioles outfield is one of the most promising in baseball. All four outfielders will be 26 or younger on Opening Day 2010, all have shown a lot of promise, and one has already established himself as one of the most solid outfielders in the MLB. There will surely be discussions here about what exactly to do with the outfielders given that over the course of 2009 four of them showed they are capable of being starters. Should Nolan DH with Pie in LF? Would the outfield be better with Pie in CF and Jones in LF? Is Pie too good to be a 4th OF? Should he be traded for something the Orioles need more? These are the best kinds of questions to have because they all revolve around the actual talent of the players. It's a far cry from the O's outfields of recent past (Players to man the outfield for the Orioles from 2005-2008: Jeff Fiorentino, Eli Marrero, Eric Byrnes, 40 year old B.J. Surhoff, Jay Payton, Corey Patterson, Jay Gibbons, Tike Redman, 40 year old Jeff Conine, Luis Matos, David Newhan, Sammy Sosa, Larry Bigbie, Brandon Fahey, Luis Terrero, Freddie Bynum, Lou Montanez, Luke Scott, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis).

I'm going to operate under the assumption that the Orioles outfield will be, from left to right: Nolan Reimold, Adam Jones, and Nick Markakis, with Felix Pie being the 4th outfielder who hopefully gets a good chunk of playing time. It's also safe to assume that at least one of the starters will have some injury problems (*cough* Adam Jones) and it would be nice to have someone competent to fill in.

Right Field

Nick Markakis' 2009 was something of a disappointment. After watching his batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage increase each of his first three years in the majors, they all took a step back in 2009. His walks were nearly cut in half from 2008 to 2009 which resulted in about a 50 point drop in OBP. It was disheartening to watch, but I'm not worried about Nick. I'm sure he'll be just fine. Of course, if it happens again in 2010 I will probably have a melt down.

Nick Markakis	G	AB	H	2B	HR	R	RBI	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
James '09 projections	159	598	185	46	22	104	99	83	99	.309	.396	.503	.899
Markakis '09 stats	161	642	188	45	18	94	101	56	98	.293	.347	.453	.801
James '10 projections	161	630	189	47	21	101	103	72	103	.300	.374	.481	.855

Really, if you think about it, Nick's plate discipline was the only real thing that took a hit in 2009. Will that stick in the future? I don't think so. Whatever was happening with him I have the confidence that he'll be able to get it together. zknower hypothesized that the trade of Aubrey Huff took a toll on Nick, and FanGraphs pointed out that he started swinging more at pitches outside the strike zone and less at pitches inside the strike zone. FanGraphs also talks about his defensive dip, but I won't bother with that as one year of defensive data is hardly incriminating. I think in 2010 those numbers will go back up, he'll hit 40-45 doubles and 20ish home runs, and he'll take a few more walks. James has his OBP projected to .374, obviously affected by his 2009 season. That's not the .400 I hope to see from Nick, but it would have been tops on the team this year.

James '10 Projections	G	AB	H	2B	HR	R	RBI	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Nick Swisher	150	507	125	32	26	85	80	90	131	.247	.365	.467	.833
J.D. Drew	142	498	134	30	22	90	76	91	119	.269	.385	.474	.859
Matt Joyce	120	375	97	27	17	59	60	49	92	.259	.346	.483	.829
Jose Bautista	121	369	89	21	13	51	48	48	90	.241	.335	.409	.744

Man. Look, I know the Orioles suck. They lost 98 games, they have a bunch of question marks, they're not in any place to point fingers. But wow, do the Blue Jays have a lousy lineup. It wasn't that long ago that the Blue Jays outfield looked pretty sweet with Alex Rios manning right and Vernon Wells in center. They signed them both to extensions (Wells' was ridiculous from the get-go, but Rios' didn't seem too bad) and then they both started to stink. They're stuck with Wells; no one is going to take him when he makes $20M a year. They gave Rios to the White Sox for nothing but payroll relief and he played even worse there. So now it looks like their option in RF is Jose Bautista. He played LF for most of the year but after Rios left he moved to RF to make room for prospect Travis Snider. I took a glance at John Sickels' Pre-2009 prospect list and there doesn't appear to be anyone waiting in the wings, so barring a FA signing or trade, it's Jose Bautista.

Matt Joyce played just a handful of games at the big league level in 2009 but he seems to be the heir apparent to RF in Tampa Bay. Joyce, you might remember, was traded to the Rays by the Tigers in exchange for Edwin Jackson. Joyce has had two successful seasons in AAA so it seems there's nowhere left to go for him but up. The Rays re-signed Gabe Kapler to a 1 year deal so I'd imagine he'll get a chunk of time in RF as well.

J.D. Drew played 137 games in 2009. I predict he will play anywhere from 75-150 games next year. Dude tends to get hurt, but he's a great player. I would be very happy if Nick Markakis grew up to be a J.D. Drew clone who plays at least 155 games every year. A lot of people think Nick Swisher is a tool, but he can play. He makes up for his low-ish batting average with a ton of walks. I would be very happy if Nick Markakis grew up to be Nick Swisher plus 50 points on BA.

Verdict: I'll take Nicky every time. He's the youngest of any of them besides Joyce, he's always healthy, and he'll throw your ass out at second if you try to run.

Center Field

Oh Adam Jones. You're the center fielder of my dreams. You've made me forget all about the center fielders I adored as a young girl. Brady who? Devo what? You hit home runs, you leap over walls, you blow bubbles. You're just plain cool. And you're only 24! Thanks for coming into my life.

Adam Jones	G	AB	H	2B	HR	R	RBI	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
James '09 projections	150	480	134	24	15	71	65	30	108	.279	.326	.444	.770
Jones '09 stats	119	473	131	22	19	83	70	36	93	.277	.335	.457	.792
James '10 projections	154	571	162	29	22	95	83	40	115	.284	.336	.468	.804

Adam Jones is the yin to Nick Markakis' yang. In the perfect scenario, Nick is the well rounded hitter who gets on base a lot and has some pop but isn't going to mash. Adam Jones is always going to strike out some, probably won't take that many walks (although I would like to see him improve), but he'll hit you some home runs. I think 22 is a conservative estimate for Adam. He came out of the gate in 2009 absolutely crushing the ball. Then he had a few injuries and started to slump a little and couldn't quite get HR #20. He hit #19 on August 5th but then only played 20 more slumpy games before being shut down with an ankle sprain. I don't know that he'll do it in 2010, but if Adam can even himself out some and stay healthy, he'll hit 30 home runs.

James '10 predictions	G	AB	H	2B	HR	R	RBI	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Brett Gardner	104	325	90	11	3	63	28	45	58	.277	.368	.368	.744
Jacoby Ellsbury	157	635	192	32	9	106	62	52	73	.302	.360	.420	.780
B.J. Upton	142	507	135	30	13	59	75	67	136	.266	.354	.414	.768
Vernon Wells	144	549	149	33	19	77	77	43	75	.271	.327	.443	.769

Life is good in center field. Well, unless you're Vernon Wells. Not only is Vernon Wells 5 years older than the next oldest CF (Ellsbury), he's not all that good defensively, he can't hit, and he plays in Canada.

B.J. Upton is a mystery. While his defense is top notch, his hitting in 2009 was just atrocious. After putting up monster stats in 2007, his numbers dropped in 2008 and were anemic in 2009 as he hit .241/.313/.373. He's been touted as one of the best young talents in baseball for a number of years, but the future is cloudy for him. I honestly have no idea what to expect. Bill James projects him to be better than in '09 but worse than he was in 2008. He'll be just 25 years old on Opening Day with 513 big league games under his belt so he's already ahead of the curve. I think he has plenty of time to get it together.

Jacoby Ellsbury just finished his second full big league season and is a good guy to have on your team. In 331 career games he's stolen 129 bases with a nearly 85% success rate. He doesn't have power but he gets on base a lot and steals pretty much all the time. He hasn't posted an OPS+ over 100 in either of his two full seasons, but if he can learn to take a few more walks he could be a force at the top of their lineup. His BB% in 2009 was just 7.3%, easily worst among AL East leadoff batters. Roberts, Jeter, and Scutaro all had BB% over 10% and B.J. Upton was at 9.2%.

It might be Brett Gardner for the Yankees next year, it might be Melky Cabrera. Gardner looked like he'd get a lot of playing time in 2009 but kept getting injured. Neither of them can really hit, but Gardner runs circles around Cabrera defensively.

Verdict: Dr. Jones is the best CF in the AL East.

Left Field

While there was no doubt who would play right field and center field in 2009, left field wasn't as settled. Luke Scott wanted to play there but got sent to DH, Felix Pie was supposed to get a shot but got pulled after a few weeks, and Lou Montanez somehow got in there a bit as well. All the while Nolan Reimold just chilled at AAA Norfolk, hitting .394/.485/.743 with 18 BB, 9 HR and 11 2B in 31 games before injuries to Adam Jones, Luke Scott, and Lou Montanez forced the Orioles to call him up. Once they did Nolan didn't give them a chance to even act like they would send him back down and left field was his for the rest of the year. He was truly one of the brightest spots of 2009. Nolan hadn't spent any time above AA before 2009 so Bill James didn't do any projections for him.

Nolan Reimold	G	AB	H	2B	HR	R	RBI	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Reimold '09 stats	104	358	100	18	15	49	45	47	77	.279	.365	.466	.831
James '10 projection	152	538	157	34	29	84	105	68	102	.292	.373	.524	.898

Remember I said before that Bill James tends to be pretty optimistic about young guys without much historic data? I'll try to keep that in mind, but when I first read those numbers I may have clapped my hands like I was Felix Pie beating out a throw to third. I mean, if Nolan Reimold can hit like that? If he can hit 29 HR in his second big league season? I won't even know what to do with myself.

James '10 Projections	G	AB	H	2B	HR	R	RBI	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
Matt Holliday	155	605	191	43	27	105	109	66	112	.316	.391	.531	.922
Jason Bay	153	560	150	32	32	99	103	88	159	.268	.374	.504	.878
Carl Crawford	140	528	156	24	12	82	62	36	84	.295	.346	.439	.786
Travis Snider	141	527	145	35	26	82	90	65	159	.275	.357	.493	.850

Yes, I made Matt Holliday a Yankee. I mean, it's inevitable, isn't it? Or maybe the Red Sox will sign him and the Yankees will settle for Jason Bay. Either way, the chart works. And can I say, left field is stacked. No offense to Adam Jones or Felix Pie, but this right here is why you don't move Reimold to DH and put one of them at LF. If Reimold can possibly put up numbers like the ones Bill James projects, that means he can play with the big boys. Yes, his defense is sometimes questioned, but it's left field. He'll be ok.

Verdict: Try not to get your hopes up too much, try not to get your hopes up too much, try not to get your hopes up too much.

And Felix

I can't leave him out, can I? Felix went from curiosity to object of disdain to most likable Oriole over the course of the season. This kid is awesome.

Felix Pie	G	AB	H	2B	HR	R	RBI	BB	K	AVG	OBP	SLG	OPS
James '09 projections	143	498	138	26	12	70	59	33	94	.277	.320	.407	.727
Pie '09 stats	101	252	67	10	9	38	29	24	58	.266	.326	.437	.763
James '10 projections	143	345	94	18	11	53	42	27	71	.272	.325	.443	.769

James predicts that Felix will be a little better than he was in 2009. I don't know if that's true. I don't know what to believe. I know I like this kid way more than I probably should, and once I get an emotional attachment it's hard for me to be rational (see Scott, Luke). But those of us who watched Felix Pie in 2009 know that he's was like two different baseball players. If you divide his games right down the middle (so it doesn't look like I'm cherry picking), here is what you get:

First Half: 50 G, 114 PA, 3 2B, 2 HR, 10 BB, 25 K, .235/.304/.363
Second Half: 51 G, 167 PA, 7 2B, 7 HR, 14 BB, 33 K, .287/.341/.487

I know, I know. That's not enough to tell what he'll be in 2010. I agree. But his improvement was so remarkable. We saw it with our own eyes . Who knows what will happen to him, but if he can hit like that over a whole season then he can't sit on the bench. He can't. If he can hit like that over a whole season, you have to find a place he can play every day, even if it's (sniff) on another team.

I love our outfield. Here's a quick side-by-side of the OFs in the O's Division.

Orioles	Blue Jays	Rays	Red Sox	Yankees
Nick Markakis	Jose Bautista	Matt Joyce	J.D. Drew	Nick Swisher
Adam Jones	Vernon Wells	B.J. Upton	Jacoby Ellsbury	Brett Gardner
Nolan Reimold	Travis Snider	Carl Crawford	Jason Bay	Matt Holliday

Obviously Holliday is the best player on the board, but taking the outfields as a group? It's close, but I'll take the O's.

Fantasy Baseball: More dudes you need to love in 2010.

Ian, yo — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:25:47 -0000

More photos » by Charles Krupa - AP

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1. Jacoby Ellsbury- It's time to compare players!

Player A (2009): 606 ABs, 15 HR, 96 R, 68 RBI, 60 SB, .305, .816 OPS

Player B (2009): 624 ABs, 8 HR, 94 R, 60 RBI, 70 SB, .301, .770 OPS

Pretty close, eh? What if I told you that player A will likely be drafted as a top three outfielder in 2010, while player B could be drafted near the third round in drafts. I'm sure you know this but Player A was Carl Crawford and B was Jacoby Ellsbury. Crawford may give you a few more home runs and Ellsbury may get you more SBs, but I'm just not drafting Crawford in the first or second round when you can get someone at a thinner position and wait on Ellsbury.

2. Jayson Werth- Could be one of the most underrated players going into drafts next year. After putting up a season with 36 home runs, 98 runs, 99 RBIm, 20 SB and hitting .268, I could see Werth being drafted after the likes of Grady Sizemore (returning from elbow surgery,) Nick Markakis, Alfonso Soriano, Jason Bay, B.J. Upton and Josh Hamilton. Each one of those players has their downside, whether if be age, durability or just plain production and I'll be happy getting a four category stud in the later rounds than to gamble on one of the bigger "names" out there.

3. Brian Wilson- I understand how it may be tough to hold off on a closer when you have such elite talents like Joe Nathan and Mariano Rivera, but there's one player who impresses me just as much as the elite closers and that guy is Brian Wilson. Over his first two seasons as the Giants full-time closer, Wilson has racked up 79 saves, 150 K, 55 BB, 122 hits in 134.2 innings. In 2008, Wilson had an ERA of 4.62 but his FIP suggested he'd pitched like a 3.93 guy and in 2009, his FIP suggested he'd pitched better than his 2.74 ERA with a 2.50. If your reliever puts up excellent K/9 and save totals, it makes it worth his higher possibility of putting up an ugly whip or ERA since one bad outing for a reliever can be offset by one decent start by another pitcher.

Poll

Which would you prefer to draft in 2010 taking ADP into account?

Your 2009 Most Birdland Player: It's a Tie!

Stacey — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 17:00:53 -0000

More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

The residents of 2110 Eutaw Street take home the Most Birdland Trophy. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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daveh873 came up with the idea. dayzd toe created the awesome spreadsheet. And you guys spent all year voting. Here's your Most Birdland Top Ten:

Nick Markakis - 14
Adam Jones -14
Brian Roberts - 10
Brad Bergesen - 9
Nolan Reimold - 9
Matt Wieters - 8
Jeremy Guthrie - 6
Luke Scott - 5
David Hernandez - 5
Brian Matusz, Koji Uehara, Aubrey Huff - 4

Congrats to Adam and Nicky!

It's worth noting that Bergy won 9 while appearing in just 19 games and Brian Matusz won 4 in just 8 games. A full season for both of those guys and they might have mopped the floor with Nick and Adam despite only appearing in 30 or so games. Let that serve as warning, Adam and Nick, this award will be a lot more competitive in the future

Poll

Officially it's going to remain a tie, but if you had to vote for one of these fine lads to be the undisputed Most Birdland Player for 2009, who would it be?

Dr. Jones

70 votes

Nick the Stick

106 votes

176 votes | Poll has closed

Midday quick hits: Cubs, Derek Lowe, Giants, Twins vs. Tigers

Eli Greenspan — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 17:09:59 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sancya - AP

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Here are some links making the headlines on this Tuesday afternoon:

The Cubs have some issues they plan to address early this offseason, which start with moving Milton Bradley. The Cubs may look to swap bad contracts, but could look into trading for Jeremy Hermida, who the Marlins plan to shop. After that, the Cubs may dangle Jake Fox on the open market. Fox dominated Triple-A hitters and put up impressive numbers with the big league club. He could draw interest from an AL team looking for a cheap DH option. The Mariners come to mind, and the Orioles could emerge if they fail to find a replacement at third base.
Speaking of the Orioles hot corner, MASN suggests that the Orioles could make a strong push to land infielder Chone Figgins. Figgins would give the Orioles even more speed at the top of the order, while also giving them a legitimate run producer. They would have to overpay to lure him to Baltimore, but he could have an impact on Brian Roberts, Nick Markakis, and Matt Wieters.
The Braves plan to shop Derek Lowe this offseason, who regressed this season in his first year with the Braves. His sinker wasn't as deceptive, which hurt the effectiveness of his other pitches. He has three years and 45 million dollars left on his contract, so finding a taker may be difficult. The Braves could look to swap bad contracts, contact the Tigers about Magglio Ordonez or even the White Sox about Alex Rios.
The Giants would not go as far to rule out trading Matt Cain, but at the moment appear reluctant to make a move. The Brewers' Prince Fielder has been talked about before, and it is possible they could explore that avenue again this offseason.
Who is going to win the Twins vs. Tigers one game playoff tonight? Focus in Detroit has been shifted to Miguel Cabrera's off the field incidents, which could have an impact on tonight's game. Playing at home, riding a lot of momentum, and following an impressive Vikings win on national television, it seems like the Twins have the advantage. What do you think?

Orioles 5, Blue Jays 4: SWEEEEEP

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

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP

about 1 month 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

Goodbye, Goodnight: Orioles 5, Jays 4

hugo — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 21:04:00 -0000

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP

about 1 month ago: Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Ricky Romero delivers against the Baltimore Orioles in the third inning of a baseball game Sunday, Oct. 4, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

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The Jays' season came sputtering to a close this afternoon with a series sweep at the hands of the Baltimore Orioles. Today's game was an extra-inning affair the Jays lost in the bottom of the 11th.

On the Mound: Ricky Romero pitched pretty well for the Jays, though he gave up 4 runs. Three walks in 7 innings hurt him, but he struck out 8 and only gave up 5 hits (one of which was a 2-run home run by Nick Markakis). The long ball has been a thorn in Romero's side all season and will surely be something he works on next year.

At the Plate: Edwin Encarnacion hit another home run, which was encouraging. Edwin had a very good close to the season, batting .261/.343/.500 from September 1st on. If his wrist issues are behind him, he could have a good season at the plate next year. Jose Bautista and John McDonald also hit solo shots, and Travis Snider added an RBI double. Randy Ruiz had 2 doubles, a single, and a walk for a nice afternoon at the office. Vernon Wells had one of those days, going 0-5 and leaving a lot of men on base before Joe Inglett took his spot in the lineup to give him a bit of an early end to the season.

From the Pen: Jesse Carlson and Shawn Camp combined to hold the line for three innings, giving the Jays the chance to tie it at four on J-Mac's home run in the 7th, but Brandon League had some serious problems in the 11th, giving up a leadoff single and then throwing two away in a row and allowing the run to score. His focus just wasn't there - understandable, I suppose, given the circumstances - he has had a ridiculously hard-luck season and likely just wanted it to be over. I'm going to go ahead and pencil him in for a big season next year.

The Jays finish the season at 75-87, pretty poor considering how hot they started. Their pythagorean record, however, was over .500 (83-79), showing that the Jays have been the victim of poor run distribution. Normally, I might say bad luck, but this is the third straight season that the Jays have underperformed their pythagorean record and particularly struggled to hit with runners in scoring position, so that really won't fly.

Orioles 3, Rays 2: Finally

Stacey — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:38:07 -0000

More photos » by Chris O'Meara - AP

Good job, Chris. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

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Our long national nightmare is over! The Orioles won their first game since September 16th. I couldn't even remember that game, so I looked back at the recap. Wow. I was happy back then. Sadly, even then Jim Johnson pitched poorly as he blew the save that night and was saved by Matt Wieters' walk off home run.

Matt Garza made the start for the Rays and pitched 6 innings, giving up three runs. He didn't pitch poorly by any means. The only extra base hit he allowed was a first inning double to Cesar Izturis, who would score on a single by Nick Markakis that deflected off of Jason Bartlett's glove. The O's other two runs were scored on singles by Melvin Mora and Jeff Fiorentino. Most days 3 runs wouldn't be enough for this team and its pitching staff, but tonight it held up.

Chris Waters made his first start of the year and came through in a big way. He pitched 5 innings, allowing 1 run on just two hits. He was rolling after 5 innings, but since he hadn't started a game since September 5th in Norfolk, he probably didn't have much left. The effective and decidedly un-Oriole like pitching continued as Cla Meredith, Alberto Castillo, and Danys Baez pitched the 6th, 7th, and 8th innings without allowing a hit.

The O's entered the 9th with a 3-1 lead when poor, sad, awful Jim Johnson came into the game. The perfect way for this losing streak to end would be if JJ had been strong and looked good. If he'd thrown that sinker we all know he's capable of, struck a few guys out, and restored our faith in him.

Yeah, that didn't happen. Johnson allowed a lead off double to Ben Zobrist, who is pretty much my least favorite Ray ever. He retired Upton on a popout, and Willy Aybar hit a fly ball to center field. It wasn't hit deep and Jeff Fiorentino, who was playing on the warning track, couldn't get to it. Zobrist moved to third and then scored on Pat Burrell's sac fly. Gregg Zaun hit a pinch hit ground ball single that just eluded Brian Roberts and the tying run was on third with two outs. Jim Johnson looked miserable. He and Matt Wieters couldn't agree on any pitches so Wieters had to go to the mound. Kranitz also went out for good measure. I've never seen anyone sweat more in a temperature controlled dome than Jim Johnson. But he ultimately got the job done, getting Iwamura to ground out right back to him.

O's win! It wasn't pretty, but it worked. They now head home for the final three games of the season where Jason Berken, Mark Hendrickson, and Jeremy Guthrie will do their best to go out on a good note.

Poll

Hey it's been forever since we've done this, but who was tonight's Most Birdland Player of the game?

Chris Waters (5 IP, 2 H, 1 R)

87 votes

Cesar Izturis (2-3, 2B, BB, R)

6 votes

Melvin Mora (RBI single, several sweet plays at 3B, plus there are only three more days to ever vote for him again)

48 votes

141 votes | Poll has closed

Tuesday Bird Droppings

Camden Chat — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:00:29 -0000

Pie In The Face | FanGraphs Baseball

Dave Cameron at FanGraphs thinks Felix Pie would be great trade bait in the off season. I'd rather keep him. -Stacey

HeraldTribune.com: Expert at bat for Orioles' spring training renovation
"With all due respect to Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Matt Wieters and other rising stars of the Baltimore Orioles, Janet Marie Smith might be the team's most valuable player as the franchise consolidates its Florida operations in Sarasota." - duck

Consumerist: Oriole Park Serves Up Sad Hot Dog, Ignores Pleas For Help
"When we went to Sunday's game, we purchased a Super Dog. The foil wrapper was kind of crumbled, but we thought nothing of it until we opened it up to dress it. It was a very sad hot dog." Oh, there are pictures, people. - duck

TheStar.com: Scutaro could be lost to Jays for season
"(Marco) Scutaro's plantar fasciitis has nagged him since late July, and Saturday he likened the feeling to playing with a rock in his shoe. But he said that afternoon that the foot felt better than it had at any time since the flareups started. "Yesterday was great," said Scutaro, who leads the team with 100 runs. "Now look what happened." Wow, losing a starter late in the season to ensure a collapse? Good thing that never happens to the Orioles. - duck

[Tyler and Narrator are discussing ideal opponents]
Tyler Durden: OK: any historic figure.
Narrator: I'd fight Gandhi.
Tyler Durden: Good answer.
Narrator: How about you?
Tyler Durden: Open Thread.
Narrator: Open Thread?
Tyler Durden: Big guy, big reach. Skinny guys fight 'til they're burger.

Orioles 10, Rays 5: Bow to Wieters

Stacey — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 03:23:05 -0000

More photos » by Gail Burton - AP

about 1 month ago: Baltimore Orioles' Matt Wieters, right, is congratulated by Nick Markakis, center, and Robert Andino after hitting a three-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the eighth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Gail Burton)

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Oh man. What a fun, fun game. Good pitching, mammoth home runs, and a comeback win. I did have some issues with Dave Trembley's management of the pitching staff, and I still do if I stop to think about it, but my mind was pretty much wiped clean on Matt Wieters' home run and now I'm in Oriole heaven for at least one day.

I feel like I say this a lot about our young starting pitchers, but Jason Berken pitched so well other than one inning tonight. Unfortunately, that inning was the first. Before the fans could even get settled into their seats, Berken was in trouble. Singles by Jason Bartlett and Evan Longoria put runners on the corners with one out for Ben Zobrist. Zobrist doubled in Bartlett and kept two on base for Pat Burell who hit a 3 run HR. Just like that the O's were down 4-0. Berken retired Aybar and Upton to end the first, and for the rest of the game looked good.

The Rays scored their 5th run in the 3rd inning on two hits, but Berken retired the Rays in order in the 2nd, 4th and 5th innings (with Felix Pie making a great catch to end the 5th). Zobrist started the top of the 6th with a single but was eliminated on a double play and Berken again faced just three batters. Despite a four run first inning, Berken finished the 6th with just 77 pitches. He was rolling out there, he looked great, it was awesome. In the 7th inning Berken got Upton to ground out for the first out before walking Dioner Navarro. It was his first walk of the night and he was only at 83 pitches, but Trembley pulled him. If you want to know my heat of the moment reaction, check out the game thread. I railed about it for awhile. Berken was pitching better than I've seen him the entire year but rather than give him a chance to get out of it, Trembley pulled him at the first sign of trouble. It was so disheartening. I subsequently got over it thanks to the Orioles offense, but thinking back on it I'm still pretty salty.

Speaking of the O's offense, what a night. They were down 5-0 after 2.5 innings and facing a very good Rays pitcher in Jeff Niemann, but they didn't let it get them down and they didn't waste any time. In the bottom of the 3rd inning, Jeff Fiorentino and Felix Pie hit back-to-back singles in front of Brian Roberts. Brian, who was on fire in this game, hit his 52nd double of the year, scoring Fio and putting runners on 2nd and 3rd. With that double Brian broke his own record for most doubles in a season by an Oriole. So now, just like Derek Jeter, he'll make history every time he does it again! Nick Markakis has been struggling, but he managed an RBI groundout to make it 5-2.

The O's would come back in the 4th with another run. Matt Wieters got on base via a double (I know, right?) and scored when Cesar Izturis got his first hit of the night. In the 5th, Roberts led off the inning with a walk and after singles by Melvin Mora and Markakis, the bases were loaded for Matt Wieters. Wieters singled up the middle and Roberts and Mora came home, putting the O's up 6-5. This team doesn't quit.

Luke Scott got in on the action in the 7th inning with a vintage LUUUKE home run to the Eutaw Street bleachers. That pushed the O's lead to two, but if you know the Orioles bullpen the way that I know that you do, two runs isn't enough to feel at all comfortable. Luckily, the O's weren't finished. In the 8th inning Brian Roberts singled for his third hit of the game, but was erased on a Markakis fielder's choice. With Nick on second and two outs, Luke Scott took a walk and Matt Wieters stepped to the plate. He launched an absolutely gorgeous home run onto the flag court to give the Orioles a 10-5 lead. It was the 6th home run of the year for Wieters and the first one he has pulled. His power is mighty.

After Berken was removed from the game with one out in the 7th, Alberto Castillo and Chris Ray faced one batter each to finish the inning. Danys Baez pitched a very good 8th inning, but Jim Johnson continued with his recent troubles. He allowed a leadoff single to Aybar but was saved when Izturis made a great stop to start a double play. JJ then walked Dioner Navarro of all people, but got it together enough to induce Gabe Gross to ground out to Roberts to end the game. All's well that ends well, but JJ did not look good.

You can put this one in the win column as the Orioles continue to play hard in September. Jason Berken outlasted Rookie of the Year candidate Jeff Niemann for the win and looked good doing it. Tomorrow at 7:05 is game three of the four game series, Chris Tillman vs. Andy Sonnanstine.

Poll

Who was tonight's Most Birdland Player (MBP)?

Matt Wieters (3-4, 2B, 3 R HR, 2 R, 5 RBI)

178 votes

Brian Roberts (3-4, 52nd double of the year to break his own record)

7 votes

Jason Berken (recovered from a bad inning, allowing just 3 hits in innings 2-6, gave the O's a chance to comeback)

11 votes

Cesar Izturis (3 hits, RBI, web gem in the 9th inning)

1 votes

Luke Scott (double, HR, BB, 2 RBI, R)

2 votes

199 votes | Poll has closed

Orioles 10, Yankees 4: Orioles don't care who's night it's supposed to be.

Camden Chat — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 05:48:11 -0000

More photos » by Frank Franklin II - AP

2 months ago: Baltimore Orioles' Cesar Izturis (3) follows through on an RBI single during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the New York Yankees on Friday, Sept. 11, 2009, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

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Tonight's game was one of the most ridiculous exercises I've witnessed in recent history. The game started late due to rain and even when it started it was still pouring. Both teams played through the sloppy weather and the sloppy umpiring until they finally called a rain delay with two outs in the top of the 7th at about 11:30 PM. They could have called the game but instead started playing again at just about 12:50 AM. Yes, they resumed a game at nearly 1 o'clock in the morning, when the teams play again at 1 p.m., just twelve hours later.

Andy Pettitte, the Orioles arch-nemesis, didn't look so tough tonight. In the 2nd inning the O's scored their first run off of him on back-to-back doubles by Melvin Mora and Luke Scott. They'd strike again in the 5th. Brian Roberts got his first RBI of the night on a sacrifice fly to score Felix Pie (who'd reached base on a walk). Three batters later, with the bases loaded, Pettitte hit Mora on the elbow to force in a run. Melvin was in quite a bit of pain. He took his base but eventually had to come out of the game.

Damaso Marte relieved Pettitte to start the 6th inning and the O's greeted him quite rudely. They loaded the bases on two singles and walk for Brian Roberts. Roberts lined a hit into left center to score two runs and Cesar Izturis followed him with another RBI single. Nick Markakis would knock in the fourth run of the inning with a sacrifice fly.

The O's weren't finished, though. They came back in the 7th for 3 final runs off of Kevin Millar's BFF Edwar Ramirez. Ramirez struck out Wieters and Fiorentino to start the inning, then proceeded to give up RBI singles to Izturis and Markakis. The Orioles wouldn't score again after the rain delay, but 10 runs is pretty impressive.

Although he allowed four runs, Chris Tillman pitched a pretty good game. It didn't look good in the first inning. After striking out Derek Jeter to get things started, he walked Nick Swisher, gave up a single to Mark Teixeira, and then did what he does every now and again. He left a fastball up and over the plate and Alex Rodriguez just CRUSHED it. It was a no doubter into the second deck in left field and gave the Yankees at the time a 3-0 lead. They'd score their fourth and final run in the fourth inning as a result of some sloppy fielding. With two outs and a runner on first, Brett Gardner hit a ground ball to Luke Scott at first base. Luke ranged wide to get it and looked a little uncertain on the throw. He finally shuffled it to Tillman, who was hesitantly running to first. Gardner was hustling down the line and beat Tillman, which extended the inning so that Jeter came to bat and got an RBI single to right.

Tillman only pitched 5 innings and gave up 4 runs on 9 hits and 2 walks. He struck out a career high of 8 and earned his 2nd career win. The line wasn't that pretty but I'll take it for Tillman's first ever start against the Yankees and in New York, especially on a night when the crowd was especially electric and loud for some reason.

Mark Hendrickson pitched the final three innings after the rain delay, saving most of the bullpen for the game later today. In doing so, Hendrickson earned his first ever major league save.

Finally, I guess I should address a history making hit that occured tonight. In the top of the 9th inning, at approximately 1:17 a.m., rookie Justin Turner got his first major league hit, a clean single up the middle to center field. Congratulations, Justin! I hope it's the first of many.

You can put this one in the win column as the Orioles get their first win in New Yankee Stadium. They play again on Saturday afternoon at 1:05 PM as Brian Matusz looks to lead the O's to back-to-back wins.

-Stacey

Poll

Who was tonight's MBP?

Brian Roberts (1-3, BB, 2 R, 3 RBI)

12 votes

Nick Markakis (2-5, BB, 2 RBI)

3 votes

Cesar Izturis (2-5, BB, 2 R, 2 RBI)

2 votes

Chris Tillman (5 IP, career high 8 Ks)

29 votes

Mark Hendrickson (3 scoreless innings post rain delay, first career save)

40 votes

86 votes | Poll has closed