http://masnsports.com/2009/03/eaton-speaks-1.html

This is Roch's blog showing more excuses from a big leaguer about poor performances in a spring training game.  The excuse is followed by him publically lobbying to the team to keep him. 

George Sherrill has talked somewhat like this too, and everyone keeps going "yeah, he is bad at spring training."  Quite frankly, I am tired of hearing players talk about how they don't care about spring training and that their bad performances can be excused because of things like "I don't get paid" (Eaton) or "I never do good in spring training" (Eaton and Sherrill).

Plus, what is up with Eaton going to the media lobbying for a spot on the team?  I had respect for him as a veteran though I did not want him on my team.  Now, I have no respect for him and I really don't want him on my team.

2010 Free Agents:
Aubrey Huff
Melvin Mora (club option that I can't see being picked up)
Danys Baez
Jamie Walker
Ryan Freel
Mark Hendrickson
Gregg Zaun (mutual option, but Wieters...)
Adam Eaton
Chad Moeller

Arbitration Eligibile:
Luke Scott
Chris Ray (I believe)
Jeremy Guthrie
Dennis Sarfarte (I believe)

2010 Line-Up w/o Free Agents:
C- Matt Wieters (I only put him here since we all know he WILL be here)
1B-
2B- Brian Roberts
SS- Cesar Izturis
3B-
LF- Felix Pie
CF- Adam Jones
RF- Nick Markakis
DH- Luke Scott

BN- Ty Wigginton
OF-
IF-
C-

2010 Rotation:
Jeremy Guthrie
Koji Uehara
---
---
---

2010 Bullpen:
CL- Chris Ray
SU- George Sherrill
SU- Jim Johnson
MR- Dennis Sarfarte
MR- Matt Albers
MR-
MR-

After compiling this data, what does it tell us? First, it means we have some holes to fill, and we can do it in-house or through free agency. I would like to take a series of posts to talk about the in-house candidates that would fill these holes if no one is traded for or if no one is signed via free agency. I will list them and talk about why they are my choice for in-house candidates in the next couple of blog posts.

This blog post is dedicated to the people listed at the top. I was going to break up why these people will get re-signed, traded or released, but I decided to group them all together. I will start with the ones who could return, and I believe will be returning to 2010.

Re-Signed:
Jeremy Guthrie - He will put up another season of quality numbers as our ace. Do not judge him by his WBC stats or his spring training numbers. He has not lost anything, and he is just getting the kinks worked out. He'll be fine for the Yanks opening day.

Dennis Sarfarte - They will come to some sort of agreement for a 1 year contract. Dennis has to have a solid season as a reliever and prove himself as a late game option or a solid middle option. His multi-year deal will come 1-2 years from now after he proves himself reliable.

Chris Ray - Do I really need to say why? After he puts up great numbers this year, they should nail down a long term deal to nail down our closer for the next 3-5 years buying out his arbitration years.

Arbitration Eligible Who Will Be Traded:
Luke Scott - Low average, decent power, and inability to hit lefties means he has to be platooned no matter where he plays. Too many players are in our system that would do better in his position than he would (Nolan Reimold, Lou Montanez, Scott Moore). The Orioles have the in-house options right now to replace him with people who can play the field a lot better. I anticipate him being traded at the deadline this year if he is putting up good numbers or shopped after the season.

Free Agents to Be and Why They Will Not Be Back With the Team:
Aubrey Huff - He won't be back because he will be traded at the deadline. Huff represents a hot commodity that will be traded, a la Mark Teixeira, at the July trade deadline. As long as Huff is putting up last year's numbers, he will bring back a nice little package. It won't be Tex worthy, but it will help bring some more prospects in. Orioles will not bring him back because they won't want him for multiple years.

Melvin Mora - This team has been trying to get rid of him for a year or two, but his no trade clause has been binding. There will be a need at the deadline, and he will have to decide if he wants to get a ring or if he wants to retire. The Orioles will not bring him back at the end of the year if he is still here. He does not fit in with the plans.

Everyone Else - All of these guys are place holders. Ryan Freel may get a look next year as a super utility, but there are several players who will need the spot over him (Justin Turner, Reimold, Montanez, Moore, Brandon Snyder). If we get anything for these guys at the deadline, then we have succeeded by leaps and bounds. My guess is some of these guys are cut before we make it to July.

http://masnsports.com/2009/03/surprising-roster-move.html

http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/sports/schmuck/2009/03/orioles_bergesen_cut.html

Roch and Schmuck both express how much they are surprised by this move.  You can count me in for this as well. 

I know that he had options, but Brad was the only pitcher down there earning his spot in our rotation.  Guthrie pitched like crap in the WBC, but we know what he can do.  Uehara is being given a spot despite not really pitching this spring.  Hill is in a similar spot.

Then we have the out of option boys of Penn and Pauley.  Pauley has been downright awful, but Penn has been decent at times this spring.  They have the Baez experiment still going, and I can't blame them for trying it, but he has only had one, maybe two good outtings this spring among a mountain of bad ones.  The Eaton signing is ridiculous, and I was pissed when I heard about it.  Hendrickson is stuck on this team as well.

So, according to Schmuck, the veterans will be used to fill out the rotation (most likely).  Based on that information, we should be looking for Baez and Eaton to fill out our rotation.

Guthrie, Uehara, Hill, Eaton, Baez.

If this is our rotation to start the year, I may have to tune out the Orioles until someone comes to their senses.

Forbes Ranks Orioles Fans 9th for Most Loyal Fans

That's right O's fans, we made the top 10.  All our hard work of keeping a steady fan base while the casual fan hides in shame has finally paid off.  While I don't really care about the methodology of how they came about the number, I was just surprised we were not much lower considering the immense drop in attendance over the past 10 years.  They explain how they do it, but you can figure that out for yourself.

Roch is posing this question, but I think it will get more quality responses here at Camden Chat.  I will put my 2 cents worth on it and see how everyone else puts their rotation out there.

My Rotation:

• Jeremy Guthrie - He is our ace and he is pitching like it.  Guts may be the only lock for the rotation for 2009 if you base it on performance alone.  Prediction: 15-6, 3.50 ERA, 150K
• Daniel Cabrera - There is speculation he could be traded, but the O's front office likes his potential (there's that word again) to get rid of him.  While I don't believe he is a #2 by any means, he does eat innings and is potentially dominant.  He is our old veteran.  Prediction: 10-10, 4.35 ERA, 120K
• Garrett Olson - AAA is too easy for him and the majors are a challenge.  He pitched a gem in his last outting, but he needs to work on his consistency (of course, they all do).  As a lefty, he really needs to step up and take over this role because we need it.  Prediction: 13-8, 3.95 ERA, 145K
• Hayden Penn - I would normally put him as the number 5 starter, but I don't like lefties pitching back to back.  He will be up with the major league ball club as soon as they figure out that Sarfate can't make the transition to starter.  While he has struggled some in AAA, it is time for him to come to the majors and start learning in the big leagues.  Liz may be a candidate, but he needs more time in the minors and the Orioles need to realize he may be better suited for the bullpen.  Prediction: 8-12, 4.75 ERA, 145K
• Chris Waters - Knee-jerk reaction to a gem!  No, not really.  Hear me out before you write your bash.  I checked some of his box scores to see what kind of pitch count he had at the 6th inning when he was being taken out of his AAA games, and it generally was no more than 90 pitches.  He has the ability to eat innings, and he is left handed.  Brian Burres is not a starter, and, barring Chris throwing softballs in there for the hitters to mash in his next few starts, I see him getting this opportunity.  I have been following him since the beginning of the year in AA ball and have been waiting to see what he can do.  Take a look at his last month or so in AAA to see what he does before dismissing him on his overalls.  Prediction: 9-11, 4.50 ERA, 130K

Here are the other candidates and why I feel they are not going to be in the rotation or what role they may be filling in 2009:

• Rhadames Liz - It is very apparent that he needs more time at AAA before he comes up to the bigs again.  A firm handle on 3 pitches with consistency is required, and he might want to do this sooner rather than later or he will be jumped over by the other men in our system.  I think he has the stuff to a quality reliever, but it would take, again, consistency.
• Brian Burres - He's a swingman, and he always will be.  I give it up to him because every year he pitches better than anyone expects, at least for an extended period of time.  He does not belong in the rotation for any more than a spot start, ever.
• Matt Albers & Troy Patton - They have the exact same reasoning though I believe they will end up in different places.  Torn labrum recovery.  Patton will be in AAA working on his stuff while Albers will probably still be recovering.  If he returns to the bigs, it would be as a reliever.  There are too many guys with too much talent getting close to the bigs to be messing with Albers in the rotation again.  Let him fight for a spot in 2010 if his arm is fully healthy and he has some more games underneath of him.
• Jim Johnson - A lot of people are clammoring to put JJ in the rotation.  My question is why?  He has accelled in his role as setup man, and he is a candidate for the closer's role next season.  Even if Chris Ray returns strong and healthy next year, JJ should challenge him for the closer's spot.  George Sherrill should be put in the setup role next year.  Chris Ray, JJ, Flat Brim at the back end of the bullpen.  I like that.  A lot.
• Brad Bergeson - I followed the kid in A ball.  I am following him in AA ball.  I will follow him next year in AAA ball.  He has to prove this year is the real deal and is young enough that he can prove himself at Norfolk next year. 
• Chris Tillman - Not next year, but I would look for him in 2010.  At 20 years old, he should see AAA before he sees the majors.  The last thing we need is another Hayden Penn type of situtation.
• Jason Berken - I would put him in the same class as Brad Bergeson.  His success seems to be a learning curve and he is 25 in November.  He, along with Brad and others, will be a constant reminder to Daniel Cabrera that we don't necessarily need his services much longer if he doesn't figure things out.
• David Hernandez - I look at him like I do Rhadames Liz.  A future reliever.  I could be wrong as this guy can rack up K's.  I am salivating to see how the AAA rotation is going to perform.  I realize it is mainly just the AA ball rotation with another A in it, but it is refreshing to know this many guys are doing well.
• Jake Arrietta/Brian Matusz/Tim Bascom/Any Other 2007/2008 Draft Pick as a Pitcher - No.  Plain and simply just no.  If you think they are ready or will be ready please see your neurologist as soon as possible as you have probably suffered a heavy blow to the head.

Going over this list makes me that much happier to be an Orioles fan.  The young guys are progressing, and we are starting to put together a nice young group of pitchers.  I figure this is a good place to start to debating 2009.  Let me know what you think (and I am prepared to get trounced for including Waters).

I'm sure everyone has seen the Prince video, by now, of him shoving Manny Parra during a game.  If you have the time, check out this article.  It is nothing too special.  A sports writer posing the question of whether or not something was more than the manager was playing it out to be.  What you should focus on is the comments at the bottom when the people react to this team disply.

"Prince should be fined and suspended for 5 games. You don't just attack a teammate, especially a young starting pitcher who is just frusterated because he lost 5 of his last 6 games (well the team didn't he had 3 no decisions in that timeframe)"

 

"I think Prince needs to be traded to the California Penal League.

Any respect I had for him left with two pudgy paws to parra's face."

 

"I do think that Fielder should stay on the bench for a game or two.  That's it.  You just have to send the message that it's not ok to hit a teammate.  At the worst, if Fielder is still angry, send him back to Milwaukee for two days and he can rejoin the team on Thursday."

While not all the Milwaukee fans overreacted like these coupe, there were plenty of people jumping on board with similar reactions.  Did any question Parra wanting to skip out on the rest of the game?  Nah.

I am just shocked at the fans of this team.  Anyone who knows anything about this team knows that Prince has to be in the line-up for it to work.  He is David Ortiz and Ryan Braun is Manny Ramirez (if you would allow me to make that analogy).  I would bet Braun's numbers are down if Fielder is not batting behind him or in front of him, and with less than 2 months to make up ground and get in the playoffs the fans would rather set down their clean-up hitter for disciplining (albiet public and inappropriate manner) a pouty rookie pitcher? 

This type of response is what is wrong with today's society.  These are the same people that believe everyone deserves a trophy for trying and that everybody should get equal playing time.  These are the types of fans that don't deserve a pennant race and a playoff team.  Most likely, before last season, they had never heard of Prince Fielder.  In fact, some probably hadn't even paid attention to baseball until they realized they had a decent team.  It just sickens me to think that they'd rather see discipline for this small scuffle than see their team succeed. 

This PC society can kiss my ass.

It's all I want as a fan; the little things to be executed and done right.  I'm an admitted optimist for my O's, but I am not ignorant to our many shortcomings either.  Going into the season, the offense was a huge question mark for production, and it came out on fire with many come from behind wins and solid production up and down the line-up.  Unfortunately, the first 2 weeks ended and the real Orioles started to show.  Markakis and Roberts faltered, Millar caved under the pressure, Razor proved he has only gotten worse, and our many shortstops proved their inability to have any kind of offense.

This does not anger me.

Lack of production for solid pitching outtings by our guys is nothing to be mad about.  We should be happy that our staff is finally giving our team a chance to compete unlike past years.  Of course, the offense hasn't stepped up recently to win any of these games.  The reason for this is simple execution.

Getting picked off.  Caught stealing.  Doubled up.  GIDP's.  Not moving the runners to scoring position.  Not driving runners in with less than outs in scoring position.  Turning double plays.  Fielding routine grounders.  Covering bases. 

There is more but that is a lot already.  These things are not big things, but they have become common to our team.  Yes, we are young team, but when the veterans are the ones who are doing the majority of the mistakes you have to question whether they are helping or hurting the team.  Ramon Hernandez tries a pick-off at first with 2 outs and throws it into right field.  Melvin Mora can't field a routine grounder.  Luis Hernandez hangs Brian Roberts out to dry on a routine double play.  We keep losing games because of this bush league play.

Our pitching has been good.  Our bullpen has been solid.  Our offense is terrible, but it is not for lack of opportunities.  A runner on 3rd with 1 out is a simple ground ball from scoring.  Give yourself up to score that run because we need any run we can get as a team.  Instead, we get a veteran swinging for the fence to be a hero and popping the ball up, or we get someone who decides to swing at the first pitch and pop out in foul territory.

As a player and a pitcher, I have been on the end of zero support, and it killed me everytime an opportunity was squandered.  My pitching coach in college was a former Oriole by the name of Dan Morogiello.  He played for the 1983 Orioles in his only major league season while playing 10 seasons professionally.  He told us a story about how in the minors, after receiving zero support for a few games from his hitters, he took all the bats, poured lighter fluid on them, and lit them on fire after the game.  He said he was fined big time for it, but the team responded in his next start by giving him a huge lead in the first inning.  I know it is purely lore, but will it take St. Guts lighting the team bats on fire to spark some sense into these hitters to be team players and execute the fundamentals?

That old school passion is needed on this team.

If he is not DFA'd and replaced in the rotation by someone more deserving (Albers, Johnson, Liz), then I refuse to watch any game he's pitching in. I already know the outcome because the Orioles are going to lose. Everytime he runs out onto the field it is an embarassment to this franchise. He did a great job for us last year, but he isn't even able to be traded pitching like this. Also, he is not worth any kind of bullpen spot because what good is a long reliever that would just get hammered and not eat innings. Trachsel's sole job on this team is to eat innings and not put so much strain on the bullpen. Instead, 3 of his last 4 starts have yet to go for more than 3 innings. He has allowed 20 runs in 21 innings since his first start. He only has 21 innings since his first start! On top of that, he's allowed an exhuberant amount of hits and walked nearly a batter an inning.

Get this embarassment off my team MacPhail before the fans and I take it upon ourselves to end his season.

[Note by SC, 05/05/08 6:07 AM EDT ]: PWubbs is granted Official Recapper Status for today because he's absolutely correct. And by the way, during the Community Projection for this season, I said, "Every possible sign there points to this being a final, disastrous season in the sun for the 37-year old crafty righty." This is similar to how I compare Sammy Sosa to Mickey Mantle in same-age seasons when Sosa came to Baltimore. Mantle retired the season after the two I compared, and Sosa was then out of baseball after his Oriole experience. I'm like the harbinger of death over here.

Welcome to the first edition for the 2008 season. I plan on running this weekly and posting up at the beginning of the week. Inside, I'll break down a few players, highlight some performances, and give any other comments to things that I have come across. Lastly, I'll give the Scott Moore Update (SMU) because that's just what I do.

Opening Words from P-Wubbia

Now, I know it has been pointed out before, but it is still fun to talk about. We are in first place folks, and we have the best record in the bigs tied only with the Milwaukee Brewers. We were tied with St. Louis too, but despite Jose Valverde's best efforts to tank the game, the Astros defeated the Cards. 5-1 in our first six games with a 5 game winning streak. Brian Burres starts tomorrow against Jason Jennings in Arlington, and I fully expect him to step up like he did in spring trianing. I have been a full beliver that Burres is a major league contributor as a swingman, but he has to impress me to show he deserves to be in someone's rotation. Can he do it against the pitching-less Rangers? He better because I want to be talking about a 6 game winning streak tomorrow night.

Luis Luis!

In the first 4.99 of games you were without any hits and really living up to your reputation for having no ability to swing the bat. With Dave Trembley exhausting all of his reserves earlier in the inning other than the inept Brandon Fahey, you were left to face Mark Lowe to try and cap off the big comeback. Luis, I was there, and it was beautiful. I couldn't believe how much they were playing you to slap because they left you a huge gap in right center field and you hit it perfectly. You have given me hope that you will contribute to this team more than with your glove as you added a couple more hits in today's game. Here's to a good season for you because who knows how long you'll have this job.

Luuuuuuuke!

In my memory, I go back to the early 90's with Randy Milligan when he was called "Moose." I was fairly young and thought the crowd was booing before someone pointed out what was really being said. Soon after Milligan came Mussina and the crowd yelling "Muss." Now, it is Luke Scott and the resounding "Luuuuuke!" from the crowd. Batting a cool .500 in your first 16 ab's, you have won over this Baltimore crowd. I am a big supporter for you to be in the team's plans for the next couple of years as the LF and, eventually, DH when Huff is sent packing. You provide solid pop to the line-up and have earned a starting job on this ballclub.

Huffmeister

You pretty much have won 2 games for the Orioles, and the fans still won't give you a break. Eventually, the fans will find someone else to boo, but you are all we have at the moment. D-Cab hasn't had a complete meltdown, Mora hasn't bragged about his post-season experience, and no one cares about Jay Payton, so you are stuck being the hated guy in Baltimore. I think it works for you, anyway. Now, you have a reason to go out and try and shut up the home crowd. A real nice start to the season with 2 HR and 7 RBI. That .217 avg is nothing to flaunt, but every hit seems to be a clutch one. The sooner you get hot, the sooner we can ship you off to a contender and pick up some prospects because Scott Moore would love to have your full-time DH job. It would, also, be nice because we'd have some solid home run power in the middle of the line-up and we'd keep winning games.

RANDOOOOOOOR!! (Say it like Strongbad's "Trogdor" and you'll understand)
Sar-fah-tay
Texas Walker
Pornstache Bradford
Babyface Albers
George Flatbrim

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. This group has done more than our $45 million bullpen of last year already, and we are 6 games into the season. I am confident that if any of you get a call out of the pen that the job will get done. You should tell your boy Aquino that only donuts are allowed on the field. Young on one end of the pen and wiley veterans on the other side has blended into a solid bullpen that is delivering like the pen that everyone that we should've had last year. Chris Ray can come back and replace Aquino, but someone has to let him know that weak he was bringing last year won't be tolerated. Anyone else get a funny feeling thinking about the Ray Gun closing, Sar-fah-tay and RANDOOOOR setting up? I do. We might have to add Rhadamas Liz to the list soon if he doesn't fit in with all the arms we brought in.

Statistical Highlights

- 29:22 K/BB in 54 innings. 9 of those 22 walks come from Daniel Cabrera.
- 3-0, 21.1 innings from our bullpen, 2 ER, 0.84 ERA, 0.66 WHIP. Yeah, wow. Both ER belong to Aquino.
- 13:5 K/BB from the bullpen
- Luis Luis 3 for 9 with 2K's; Fahey 0 for 5 with 3K's. Why is Fahey on this team again? Cintron will replace him soon enough.
- 7 SB's in 6 games, 3 belonging to Brian Roberts
- 2 Errors as a team in the first 6 games

SMU

Scotty doesn't know
That he hasn't started yet
Trembley tells him he will
But Scotty didn't go
Still he pinch hits
And Scotty doesn't know

0 for 2 with 2K's. Scotty, we know you'll deliver when you get your chance this week to play. Make the most of it because we all know you are far more valuable than Fahey and Gibbons. Scotty will be at 3rd tomorrow, 2nd thursday, and 1st on saturday. He'll also be handing out programs friday, taking tickets on sunday and dressing as the oriole bird next wednesday. This kid can do it all.

Closing Words from P-Wubbia

We are in first place, and I am going to suck it up as much as I can. I am bragging to all my yankee fan friends, red sox fan tards, and I pointing out that there is nothing than can do about it for at least 48 hours. I call for a huge party. Everyone get drunk and enjoy the moment because the moment could very well pass faster than we'd ever thought. Still, I think this team could be competitive all year and will perform better than last year's team as I have predicted. If they keep up the small ball, the solid bullpen play, and get some quality starts from the starters, then this team could very well shock the baseball world. Trust me folks, the expectations are low. Let's show the world that the <s>Devil</s> Rays are still the worst team in the East, and they can take their last predictions and shove it.

P-Wubbs Out.

It has been an eventful off-season with some nice surprises. The team really seems to be heading into the right direction, and it seems as if the youth will finally start shining through. The 2008 year is a lost cause in the eyes of the analysts, but I have reason to believe we will win it all, mainly because we haven't played a game and my Oriole optimism is running on all cylinders. In reality, we are probably playing for 4th place in the AL East unless a lot of pieces fall into place (Adam Loewen and Daniel Cabrera finding consistency leading to front end rotation stuff; Jeremy Guthrie showing why he was once touted as an ace prospect; Luke Scott & Nick Markakis putting in 30 home run efforts and Aubrey Huff not sitting out until August; the list goes on). I am extremely excited for this year, and I cannot wait to see the young talent coming up as the year progresses.

Since the final roster is set, I went back on my Review of the Team 2.0 entry that started this blog in the first place. There, I had predictions about what I thought the roster may look like. Lets check out how I did:

Starting Rotation Predicted:
1-Jeremy Guthrie
2-Adam Loewen
3-Daniel Cabrera
4-Steve Trachsel
5-Garrett Olson (I never designated it as I listed the candidates, but I favored him)

Darkhorses: Matt Albers & Brian Burres

Starting Rotation Actual:
1-Jeremy Guthrie
2-Steve Trachsel
3-Daniel Cabrera
4-Adam Loewen
5-Brian Burres

I was off a little with Loewen and Trachsel switching places, but I don't see how anyone predicted that Brian Burres would make the rotation. I remember making a comment that he's a darkhorse in the race as no one was talking about him in the press, but he stepped in when we needed him last year and did a commendable job. I was a little shocked that he was able to get it, but he earned it from the spring numbers. Albers struggled in the middle part of the spring and Burres put the final nail in the coffin with a great effort against the Marlins in his final start.

Honestly, I am not sure how long Burres will last in the rotation. I fell in love with his big sweeping curve as it resembles the one I throw (if you are not familiar, I used to pitch for a division 1 school), but he has a high contact rate and is a fly ball pitcher. Fly ball pitchers in a hitter's park usually do not get along well which is why I had sided with Albers getting the final rotation spot. Burres will have to put up quality starts in the 5th starters role to keep his job as Olson, Penn, Liz and others are chomping at the bit to get up to the majors. Burres will probably end up in the bullpen as long relief when our rebuilding is complete because of the quality of arms lurking behind him. I like the kid, and I hope he works out well.

What I am surprised about in this rotation is 3 righties in a row and 2 lefties in a row. This could be jumbled up as the season goes, but usually the arms are seperated like in a batting order. I don't think it will effect any performances, but I was just a little surprised to see it.

Bullpen Predicted:
CL - George Sherrill
SU - Dennis Safarte
Lefty Specialist - Jamie Walker
Righty Specialist - Chad Bradford
Middle/Long Reliever - Matt Albers
Middle/Long Reliever - Brian Burres
Middle/Long Reliever - Randor Bierd

Darkhorse: Greg Aquino

Bullpen Actual:
CL - George Sherrill
SU - Greg Aquino
Lefty Specialist - Jamie Walker
Righty Specialist - Chad Bradford
Middle Reliever - Randor Bierd
Middle Reliever - Dennis Sarfate
Long Reliever - Matt Albers

I mentioned that Greg Aquino would make the team as insurance at the closer's spot if Albers or Burres was the #5 starter in the rotation, and I was correct with that prediction. Aquino has been great this spring, and the Orioles will be looking for him to be in the late innings sharing setup duties with Walker and Bradford. Sherrill was announced closer as everyone expected, and I had been pulling for Bierd and Sarfate all spring. Those two will provide middle relief to gain experience in the major league pen. Bierd is a rule-5 pick, and he should make it through the entire season. I could see him staying on the big league club next year. Sarfate is hard throwing youngster who had a good spring as well. He was out of options, but he managed to pitch his way onto the club. I believe that the Orioles will eventually look to him to being a shut down setup man, but he will have to gain some experience and work on the control a little bit more before he gets that shot.

I like the make-up of the pen as it is being led by veterans and supported by a young cast. Nothing about this bullpen is over the top, but it could be a strength no one was counting on (please, don't let me just curse our team for what we said last year and our $40 million bullpen).

Line-Up Projected and Actual:
2B - Brian Roberts
3B - Melvin Mora
RF - Nick Markakis
1B - Kevin Millar
DH - Aubrey Huff
C - Ramon Hernandez
LF - Luke Scott
CF - Adam Jones
SS - Luis Hernandez

In my prediction, I had Scott and Huff at either the 5 & 7 spots of the batting order. Honestly, I think whichever one is hitting better will bat 5 while the other bats 7, so I expect that line-up to be a little fluid in that respect. Other than that, it is a concrete line-up in that each person's spot is cemented.

Luis Hernandez made the starting shortstop spot despite being out played by Brandon Fahey. Luis did well last year when filling in for Miguel Tejada, and Trembley took that into consideration. I think it is the right move because Hernandez will figure out his glove once he relaxes and gets settled into his position. Fahey is not an everyday player. Anyone who feels he should be playing everyday should really go back and look at how his numbers started to tank as an everyday left fielder. I think what may end up happening is a bit of a platoon between the players. Luis will get most of the playing time, but Fahey will spell him to get a fresh bat in there once in awhile. I think it will take some pressure off of Luis.

Bench Predicted & Actual:
C - Guillermo Quiroz
IF - Brandon Fahey
OF - Jay Payton
IF - Scott Moore

It became official as of Sunday that the man I have been touting all spring made the team. Scott Moore was named to the Orioles bench and Jay Gibbons was cut from the team. I have gone on and on about what I think Moore can do for this team with his ability to play the corner positions in the outfield and infield, second base, and shortstop if Trembley will let him (Trembley told him that he should stick to learning 2nd base and the outfield). Moore is 1B & 3B back-up with Fahey being the 2B & SS back-up. Moore will serve as 5th outfielder as well.

Jay Payton is the 4th outfielder and many people do not like the move. I, for one, do like the move. Despite him being old and taking at-bats away from younger players, he is the only other Oriole on the roster, as of now, that can play CF behind Adam Jones. Payton has decent range and pretty good defense while his bat is typically not much of a liabilty. I don't see him sticking with the club the whole year as the switch hitting Chris Roberson is in AAA and capable of doing Jay Payton's job. Payton could net some prospects at the deadline.

All in all, I was pretty on with my predictions on the team. I am a little shocked that they cut Jay Gibbons because of the Orioles past, but Andy MacPhail has proven that it is rebuilding mode for the Orioles.

The Stat Round-Up - Leaders of the Spring
Avg - Mora (.407)
2B - Mora (7)
3B - Fahey/Markakis/Mora (1)
HR - Costanzo/Mora/Millar/Scott (2)
RBI - Mora (13)
SB - Roberts (7)
ERA (Min 10IP) - Cherry (0.90)
K - Cabrera/Guthrie/Loewen (16)
BB - Loewen (19)
K/9 - Cherry/Sarfate (9.00)
K/BB - Sherrill (9:0)
WHIP - Sherrill (0.60)

Offensive Standout: Melvin Mora
He had his job challenged by Mike Costanzo and Scott Moore, and he stepped up this spring and is hitting the cover off the ball. Here's hoping that this is a sign to a solid season that sees his numbers move back up instead of declining once again.

Offensive Darkhorse: Ramon Hernandez
Ramon could give the Orioles a really solid middle of the order if he can return to form after having a healthy spring. We lack the 40 home run power, but with several guys threatening 20 home runs and capable of driving in runs, Hernandez could give us another solid contributor. If Millar stumbles in the clean-up spot, it is easy to place a healthy Ramon Hernandez in that spot and get production.

Pitching Standout: Brian Burres and George Sherrill
Burres pitched his butt-off to get into the rotation with great outtings and not walking people. 8:1 K/BB ratio and only 4 ER in 13 innings for a 2.77 ERA. I don't expect the ERA or the K/BB to stay as it is, but if he is able to keep the walks down, then he could be a solid #5 starter.
Sherrill dominated in his spring innings. He allowed 2 ER in 10 innings while only allowing 6 base runners total. He struck out 9 and walked none. These are the types of numbers we need from our closer because someone has to shut the door.

Pitching Darkhorse: Greg Aquino

The guy once had a good season as a closer and fell off the map. Now, he had a great spring and could give the Orioles a 1-2 punch at the end of games. One thing that we have trouble with in the past is getting the ball to the closer in the 9th. The Orioles have stretched their closer into the 8th inning repeatedly because we did not have a solid setup man. If Aquino can deliver as that guy, the Orioles are going to win a lot more ball games because of Walker and Bradford being more rested and effective. I could really see the Orioles bullpen protecting leads well if Aquino steps up and these guys deliver.

Biggest Camp Surprise: Brian Roberts not being traded.

I like to think of it as a blessing in disguise. Roberts is needed at the top of the line-up for it to perform well. It will be nice to have that part of our line-up solid, so young players are not shoved into roles they may not be ready to take over. Unfortunately, Roberts does not want to be a part of this rebuilding project. He is classy and will always play hard, so it is only a matter of time before he is traded to a contender. I could see him netting a large grab bag of prospects eventually, but enjoy #1 while he is still in Baltimore tearing up the basepaths.

Record Prediction: 72-90. 5th Place.

Yes, I predict we will be three games better than we were last year. I think a lot of our games were lost on the bullpen, and we won't lose those games this time around. I still expect us to fall into last place as the Rays seem poised to land one of their best seasons in franchise history. I am not worried because we will be chasing them up the standings soon enough.

Random Player Thoughts:

Adam Loewen - Expect Erik Bedard circa 2004-2005. I see a mid 4's ERA, roughly 150 K's and 75 BB's. He will probably lose more games at the beginning of the season than at the end because I believe we will see Loewen come into his own the 2nd half of the season. His W-L should break down to about even though I worry his high pitch counts won't let him go deep enough into games to get wins that he deserves.

Daniel Cabrera - Call me a believer or an optimist, but I see a different pitcher this year. ERA should be in the low 4's, 190K's, and 80 BB's. The walks will go down a bit; he will go deeper into games; and the change-up will become an important pitch. I think he shows this year that he is capable of being a front-line starter. It wasn't until Erik Bedard threw an effective change-up that he became the K-artist that we all loved. D-Cab gets himself into trouble because of walks, but we will see a much more controlled version of him. Sure, the ugly starts will still happen but with much less frequency.

Luke Scott - I think he proves a lot of people wrong about his lefty on lefty hitting. I think he'll put up 25-30 home runs at lefty friendly Camden Yards and drive in 80 Rbi's. I put his batting average around .270.

Luis Hernandez - .240 average, 5 HR, 35 Rbi coming from the 9 hole of the line-up. I see him putting in roughly 120 games as the Orioles wouldn't want to over-expose him this year.

Adam Jones - Like Loewen, Markakis circa 2006. Nick's numbers were .291 avg, 16 HR, 62 Rbi. I don't expect anymore out of Adam than numbers like that. I, also, see him stealing 10-15 bags this year. Nick didn't really steal at all his first year, but I see more speed in Adam Jones.

Well, here's to a great 2008 season! It will bring much excitement to Baltimore and really give us fans the optimism we have been wanting for over a decade. As always, feel free to comment and ask me any questions you would like.

With 5 games left on the spring training schedule, I have decided to take a look at the different stats. I went to MLB.com to get the leaders in some cats and found some interesting results:

Batting Average:
Jeremy Guthrie - 1.000 (2 for 2)

Yes, that's right. St. Guts is leading all Orioles in batting average. Obviously, with only 2 at-bats, it doesn't qualify, but I still find it interesting. When I looked at his two hits, it was more or equal to the amount of hits by Matt Wieters (1), Freddy Bynum (1), and Ben Davis (2). Perhaps we have a sleeper at DH on non-pitching days.

The real leader of batting average is none other than:
Scott Moore - .500 (13 for 26)

It seems my Scott Moore rave will come early this entry. The kid is doing everything he can do to make this team, and if he doesn't make it then it would be a crying shame. He has proven that he is capable of being a contributor in some capacity to the team. I would like to see him start, but the man standing in his way with six kids is Mora who batted a 2nd best .438. It's obvious Mora has stepped up his game because he knows his job is being threatened.

The other 2 notable names would have to be Guillermo Quiroz and Kevin Millar. They are batting .345 and .342, respectively. Ramon Hernandez is the starter, but I am convinced that Quiroz is a solid back-up catcher. If he puts up a .275 average during the regular season from the back-up role, it would allow Hernandez to be rested a little more. I am not suggesting Quiroz to be the starter; Razor is a major part of our offense this year in the middle of the order, so we need his bat in there regularly. I just think it will be nice to have a back-up catcher come in that could produce and help the team instead of being a liability.

Millar is our clean-up hitter this year. He is in no position to not be hitting well. We need a .275+ batting average from him, so he can drive in runs. His bat got off to a slow start last year, but he performed well once inserted regularly. While he may not give us 20 home runs, I would not put it past him to drive in 90 runs with Markakis batting in front of him.

Stolen Bases:
As a team, we stole 19 bases. Brian Roberts is responsible for 7 of them. If you take out the 7 combined steals of Chris Roberson, Luis Terrero, and Eider Torres, then you are left with only 5 bases being stolen by other people on our roster. Brandon Fahey and Luis Hernandez both stole 2 bases while Nick Markakis stole 1. Since only one of Fahey or Hernandez will be playing this year, I see this as only 3 bases being stolen outside of B-Rob. I don't like this; in fact, I am very worried about this. If we lose Brian Roberts to the Cubs, then we lose 70% of our stolen bases. We are not a long ball club, so we have to rely on stealing bases, sacrificing, and hitting the ball to the right side (otherwise known as "small ball"). Any club that has so much speed wrapped up in one player should have a contingency plan to replace that kind of speed, and we do not have it. I hope we discover another base burglar.

Strikeouts (not the good kind):
Luke Scott - 15 in 35 at bats

First, can i say this? Ow! Scott cannot do this during the regular season and needs to rope in the swing if he is going to stick on this team as a regular. Obviously, this strikeout rate will not continue at its current rate, but he struck out more times than Mike Costanzo (13 in 39) in less at bats. I want him to succeed and give us a solid left fielder. I don't want to see Jay Payton getting at bats on this team nor do I want to see Jay Gibbons out there patroling. He'll have plenty of rope, but if he continues to be ineffective, Trembley will stick someone else out there regularly or platoon Scott. Anyone for Scott Moore? I'm just kidding. I hope he rights his swing and keeps the K's under 120 this year.

Doubles - I will make mention of a few names here:
Melvin Mora - 6 in 44 ABs
Adam Jones - 4 in 43 ABs
Scott Moore - 3 in 26 ABs

A good sign of a good hitter is one who ropes a lot of gappers. It usually means he is hitting the ball solid and seeing the ball clearly. Anyone who is in a hot streak will be hitting a lot of doubles and a few will turn into home runs. Mora having 6 this spring makes me start to believe he will step up and be a capable #2 guy in the line-up. I don't think he'll bat .300+, but if he can bat .280 with 35 doubles, it would allow Markakis and Millar plenty of RBI opportunities.

Adam Jones hitting 4 doubles and Scott Moore hitting 3 are good signs for good young players. Jones will be a future stud and cornerstone of this team, but at the bottom of the order he could provide some hidden gap power to spark some runs. If he stays focused on hitting it to the gaps instead of muscling up for home runs, he will move up in the order much faster with a much higher batting average. Markakis is a great example. In 2006, his first full season, he batted .291 with 25 doubles and 16 home runs. He stuck with his patient approach and hit 43 doubles and 23 home runs the following year. In fact, he hit 26 more extra base hits in his 2nd season than he did in his first. Adam Jones should put up 2006 Markakis numbers this year with some more steals. You should not expect anything more out of him, but when he does exceed those numbers, then you can take it as a pleasant surprise. Moore was already discussed, so I'll leave him be.

Continue reading this post »

It has been awhile, but that's what happens when real life gets really busy.  A lot has happened since I last got on here, but I think some things are starting to get sorted out on this roster.

Closer - George Sherrill.  We all knew it, but they finally decided to announce it.  

5th Starter - Matt Albers or Brian Burres.  It seems like we are still talking about the same two names with the loser becoming the long reliever, but there are names that have been eliminated.  Hayden Penn and Garrett Olson have both been optioned to AAA.  Roch thinks Jon Leicester has a shot at one of the two spots, but I disagree and believe that the spot is filled with Albers being the fifth starter and Burres being the long reliever.  Unfortunately, if we get Sean Gallagher or Sean Marshall coming back in the Cubs trade for Roberts, than the 5th starter spot will go to one of them.  If Jason Marquis is added to this trade, I'll flip out.  There is one hidden scenario here.  If Jason Marquis is included in the rotation, Steve Trachsel will be let go.  I believe this will happen because they have to make room for Marshall or Gallagher at the #5 rotation spot.  Both of these guys are ready for the bigs with Marshall having been here for 2 years.  Obviously, it depends on who we are getting back.  

Shortstop - Luis Hernandez or Trade.  Unless we receive Ronny Cedeno in the trade with the Cubs, Hernandez has a job on this team.  We will have to put up with the nervous shortstop who has been riddled with errors this spring training and his .200 avg for this season.  Blake Davis came up to the big league camp and was playing well while Hernandez was not, but Hernandez is more polished than Davis.  Hopefully, Hernandez rights himself before the season starts because nothing irks me more than a shortstop constantly screwing up on the field.

Bench Spot - Scott Moore.  I couldn't go an update without talking about this guy, but he has some competition.  Mike Costanzo has been playing well with Tike Redman also vying for a spot.  This spot is still going to Moore who was dealing with a groin strain.  He came back and played two games before Olson pegged him prior to today's game in practice.  Hit him on the elbow and he sat out today's game.  I guess Olson was upset getting news about being optioned down, or he lost control (big surprise) and the pitch got away from him.  Moore will be on the opening day roster unless another pitcher hunts him down and puts him down again.

Well, the round-up is over.  Hopefully, I get enough time to get another one done at the end of the week.  If you have any questions or concerns, then just leave a message.

Another glorious day for baseball, and back to back losses for the Birds. Our #3 & #4 starters pitched and we weren't able to come up with wins. These are the games that the good teams will find ways to win, but we are young and we will find our stride soon enough.

Steve Trachsel's outting was pretty good for Trachsel standards. 2 ER over 3 IP, 6 base runners, a walk and a strike out. If he can make his starts between 5-6IP, 3 ER or less this year, then it is a great start for Trachsel. I have to give it up to the vet for coming back to this team. He knows he's a stop gap and probably going to get traded again, but he was willing to come back and be the veteran presence we wanted.

Daniel Cabrera was much different from before, and most Orioles fans new it was only a matter of time before we would see it. I am glad it happened the start after his good one because I want to see if he can bounce back with another quality outting. Anyway, you can't jump completely on Cabrera's case as 2 of the 5 runs scored in the first inning were earned. Hopefully, he rebounds but he did his job to ground the hope of some that saw his first performance. I predict he will be better than last year, and Kranitz will help him.

Mike Costanzo is Scott Moore light. Ok, maybe he's like Version B. Anyway, Mike had a great game and has looked good in his last 2 games. He is showing his ability to hit home runs and his versatility with the ability to play the corners, and how he is a little behind on the catching. I guess that's to be expected. He's doing whatever he can to make the team but there is nothing he can do except hope Scott Moore falls off the planet. They both are lefty swingers who play the same positions. Costanzo is on a minor league deal, so he loses by default. Hopefully, we'll see him soon in Baltimore later this year.

Props to the bullpen for backing up Steve Trachsel with 6 scoreless innings. Sherrill, Bradford, Cormier (yeah... I know, I was shocked too), Deza (still shocked), Bob McCrory (no one is surprised), and Greg Aquino. The last name is the one I want to highlight. I know a lot of people are pulling for Hoey to get a spot in the bullpen, but I believe Aquino will land the role as he will give the Orioles a veteran closer should Sherrill fallout. Hoey struggled last year in his call-up, and I believe with all the arms that he'll be kept in AAA and be one of the first to get a call to the show. Aquino and Hoey are pitching really well this spring training, so it should be a story to follow.

Tike Redman is someone I pull for because he played hard last year and proved he deserves a big league job. The problem is that he's another left handed swinger. Yes, he can play centerfield, but so can Jay Payton and his right handed bat off the bench is more valuable than another set of legs. He is batting .300 this spring and playing well, but without a move of Jay Payton, I am having problems finding a spot on the bench for him. If Scott Moore is looked at as the much better offensive option than Brandon Fahey for utility man, then Redman may make it as a pinch runner and spelling of Adam Jones in center.

Back-up catcher update... Guillermo Quiroz is winning. By a lot. He is batting .545 and showing good promise. Chris Heintz is batting .231 while Ben Davis is batting a whopping .091. Trembley always says, if you can hit, we'll find a spot for you on the team. Well, Quiroz can hit.

Dennis Sarfate took his news about being on the major league team in stride, came out, and pitched 1.2 innings, gave up 1 hit, 1 BB, and 1 K of scoreless baseball. I hope I am right and he lands a late inning set-up role.

Last part of the entry, the Scott Moore Update. He's got a slight abdominal strain and will need a few more days. My take on this is he needed to take some time off to heal from the burns because he was one of the hottest O's this spring.

Anyway, back to the grind. As always, you can ask any questions.

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080304&content_id=2405612&vkey=spt20 08news&fext=.jsp&c_id=bal

Sarfate was in my bullpen prediction to make it on the team.  I have him setting up because of his great velocity and ability to strike batters out.  Yes, he is wild, but in our bullpen, we have options to go to if he gets too wild.  That gives the Orioles 4 spots in the pen completely sured up.  Sherrill closing, Bradford righty specialist, Walker lefty specialist, and Sarfate somewhere in there.  It leaves 3 slots open in the bullpen as Trembley said he would be carrying 12 pitchers.  I give one of those spots to Brian Burres as a swingman like he did last year.  The other 2 spots I am giving to Randor Bierd and Greg Aquino/Matt Albers.  If Matt makes the team as the 5th starter, Aquino will make this team as insurance for the closer spot.  If Albers doesn't make the 5th spot, then I expect him in the pen where he pitched 13 games last year for the Astros.  If anyone else, besides Bierd, is up for the pen, I would go with Hoey as a middle man who has pitched well this spring.

The Orioles have had some good games the past couple of days getting wins in 3 of the last 4 games played. Hey, who says we can't do well this year. Let's get into some of the players' performances and see how this team is shaping up:

Esteban Yan should be released now. I know it has only been two games, but I think it is safe to say that he will not beat out any of the young arms that we have. He made a statement that he has mainly thrown all fastballs in his first two outtings, but he hasn't really gotten anyone out. If you can't get anyone out with your fastball, then you are not a pitcher. Coming from a guy who is a pitcher, I know a little something about the subject.

Adam Jones has been having a solid spring training. Despite some of the early miscues in the first few games, he has some good hitting numbers. Currently batting .500 with a home run as his lone extra base hit. The XBH will come with time as he gets more comfortable on this team. For now, I'll take a solid average because it means he is getting base which is what you want from someone at the bottom of the order.

Melvin Mora, despite my wishes, is playing well this spring in 4 games. He nearly hit for the cycle today against the cardinals but was replaced by a pinch runner after his single that made him 3 for 3. He was a triple short. I'd love to say that Mora is back to his old self, but I am not sure I want to say that. For one, old self could mean the numbers we've been seeing the past couple years. I just hope that if we have to have him at third base all year that he can be a person we can rely on to get on base and move runners around in the two hole because that's where he is going to be hitting until Adam Jones earns his keep.

Matt Weiters is struggling with the bat in his limited action so far. I could've called that as he didn't get to play any professional ball last summer. The defense has been there though and he has showcased in a real strong arm. It was his defense that makes him nearly major league ready because everyone knows hitting comes around with experience, but you can't teach a catcher to gun down runners like Weiters can. He'll be in minor league camp soon so enjoy his presence while he's still here.

Guillermo Quiroz is in the lead for the back-up catching role. His biggest competitor is Ben Davis and he's struggled with the bat. Quiroz, on the other hand, is 4 for 6 in his 3 games and playing well. He's still young and was a 16 year old phenom when he signed originally to the Blue Jays. Injuries have held him back, so it's possible we could have a hidden gem. And by hidden gem, I mean a solid back-up backstop. It'd be nice to keep one around instead of going from 35 yr old to 35 yr old looking for catchers.

Mike Costanzo, who I know some of you are excited about (I am), is living up to reputation of a free swinger. He has 6 K's in 14 at-bats. No need to worry though, 3 of his 4 hits are XBH including a home run yesterday. He doesn't really have much of a shot of making this team with all the left handed hitters we have already, but it will be fun keeping up with him in AAA until we make room for him. The problem for him is he has competition at the corner positions from another lefty swinger.

This brings me to my still favorite Oriole, Scott Moore. I've been pushing fans to take a good look at this kid all winter and he has shown up this spring on a mission. In 5 games so far, he's 8 for 14, .571 avg, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K and 4 total extra base hits. He hit his home run, a solo shot, on saturday giving the Orioles a 1-0 lead early in the game against the Nationals and doubled later in the game driving in 2 for 3 RBI on the day. He came back the next day to get an RBI double in the 9th inning and score the winning run on a Luis Terrero single. In the tie, he was only 3 for 4 with a double and 2 runs scored. The kid is on a tear. In all those games, he was playing 3rd, left, and first base. Like I've said all along, pencil this kid in on the major league roster.

They have been talked about on this site a lot more than some of the other sites I know, but I thought I might throw my two cents worth into the mix and tell you about the possible names.

Sean Gallagher is a to be 22 year old right handed starter. Last year in AA + AAA, he combined to go 10-3 with a 3.10 ERA, 101.2 IP, 91 K's, 37 BB. He was brought up and pitched 8 games out of the pen for the cubs.

A full scouting report prior to the 2007 season can be found here: http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=42328

I will give a sum up of what I found. He throws a fastball that can touch mid 90's but routinely is 89-91. He has a plus curveball, change and a slider. His other 2 pitches are considered average. He has good composure and good command (3 to 1 K/BB). He is projected to land as a middle of the rotation guy with #2 being his ceiling.

As for my analysis, he would rank up there with Hayden Penn as top right handed starting prospects that the Orioles have. He would land in AAA and spend the year there until the Orioles would make room for him because I can't see the O's giving the 5th starter job to someone they haven't seen all spring training. I'm, of course, thinking the Brian Roberts trade isn't happening tomorrow but rather in a week or two.

Ronny Cedeno is a to be 25 year old shortstop/2nd baseman. I would, for all intensive purposes, view him as a shortstop because the Orioles see him that way. He has spent 2 of the past 3 years part time on the major league roster with the cubs and one year as a full-time player which was in 2006. His major league numbers are not very impressive and not worth mentioning with the bat. Though, he was only 23 when he was shoved into the full-time shortstop role in Chicago. He has decent speed but he doesn't steal very well, 6 of 10 in the minors. It is said his defense is strong with a major league arm.

His full scouting report is here: http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=40270

He seems to be a contact hitter who could steal a few bases and focus on hitting doubles. If he could hit +.300 like he did in AAA last year (.359) he would be our lead-off hitter this year. He would be our starting shortstop, as well, and Luis Hernandez will either have to move over or be sent down to AAA. I think he'll be sent down. I am not that thrilled with Cedeno as he is starting to develop a AAAA reputation, but he is worth giving another chance to prove his worth.

Eric Patterson is a lefty swinging second baseman to turn 25 this year. He spent all but 8 games down in AAA last year putting up a .297 avg, 24 sb's, and 14 home runs. Yes, this is Corey Patterson's brother but he is able to draw a walk (54 last year) and not strike out as much (85).

His scouting report is here: http://www.moundtalk.com/prospects/ericpatterson

I am happy about Eric Patterson. Speedy lefty with good contact and good defensive ability. He likes to hit line drives instead of swinging for the fence (like his brother). If he were to come over instead of or with Ronny Cedeno, he'd be our lead-off hitter. I'd much rather see him coming back in the deal because it would give us a legit speedy guy at the top of our order.

Matt Murton is a right handed outfielder to be 26. I'll give my analysis right now; I don't know why this kid hasn't been given the starting gig in Chicago. A solid line drive hitter, 2 years in the bigs, 1 as a full-time and 1 platoon. Both years he had a plus .280 batting average. He nearly walks as much as he strikes out (62/45 K/BB in 2006 as full-time player). The scouts say he's 15-20 home run power with 25-30 home run ability. To me, that sounds like a Nick Markakis type of player only without the speed. I'd be happy to have him in Baltimore because it would give us a reason to get rid of Jay Payton. Jay is there because he's the only right handed hitter we have in the outfield. The problem with Murton is that he would have to play left field and we got Luke Scott to do that. It would force Scott to a DH role or create a platoon. Both players played in a platoon last year. I think if we get Murton, we force out the riff raff and let the kid play. Put Luke Scott in the DH role and ship Huff & Gibbons out.

Here is his scouting report: http://www.baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=38460

Sean Marshall is a left handed starting pitcher to be 25 years old. Marshall has had 2 partial seasons with the cubs pitching 100+ innings in both years. He has had moderate success with a 4.83 ERA in the combined 2 years. Last year, he took a jump in maturity and notched a 3.92 ERA in 103.3 IP. He is not a strike out pitcher. His K/BB is roughly 2:1 and he struck out 65 last year. He throws around 90 consistently and tries to keep the ball on the ground with a plus splitter. He, also, has a plus curveball. Curve balls generally cause fly balls. He would be another polished prospect and would be handed the 5th starter's spot. There is no reason to keep this guy in the minors anymore. It is time to sink or swim for him.

Here is his scouting report: http://baseball-fever.com/showthread.php?t=39433

I would imagine this trade is a combination of at least 3 of these guys with 1 or 2 others. If the Orioles can grab anymore of these guys it would be a nice haul. Tyler Colvin and Felix Pie are the talent that the Orioles have been trying to get to headline the trade but the Cubs have been stubborn. Hopefully, with the DeRosa heart situation, the Cubs have been pressed into putting one of them into the deal with Gallagher and Patterson. That would be a solid haul for Brian Roberts and MacPhail would probably get another prospect on top of it.

Hope y'all are better educated. You can send me any questions if you like.

Good morning! Been fairly busy the past couple days, but I managed to take in as much of the Orioles as I could. The first two games against the Fish were everything you could expect from two young teams playing their first games of the year. A good amount of sloppy play and plenty of mistakes, but hey, it's spring training. Let's get into the performances.

First thing, hats off to Steve Trachsel and 2 shutout innings. Tractor took advantage of the rusty Marlins throwing everything he had at the kids. I'm just hoping he doesn't peak too early. Actually, I was pulling to sign Steve Trachsel again this off-season when we were going to sign a veteran starter. I didn't want the O's pulling in some veteran on his last leg who felt he deserved a 2 or 3 year deal. Tractor will eat innings and hopefully play just well enough to be traded before the deadline. I can't see him staying with the team all year.

Brian Roberts is apparently really annoying to pitchers. He has his own friend, Mark Hendrickson, cutting him down in the media for stealing bases during a baseball game and giving them a chance to win. I know, what was he thinking. Roberts is off to a great start, and I think we should really enjoy it while it is here because the Cubs scouts are going to be calling their bosses saying "give them what they want." He's a hard nosed player who has always played hard, and I will miss him when he's traded for a bag load of cubbies.

Our bullpen has been horrendous so far. Jamie Walker got tagged for 5, Lance Cormier got tagged for 3, and Esteban Yan was tagged for 4. Luckily, only Walker will actually be on the roster come opening day. I don't read anything into Walker's performance; he's a veteran and we know he's possibly the most reliable option in our pen. He'll be ready. Matt Albers and Randor Bierd both gave up 2 runs in their outtings.

Adam Jones drew two walks in his spring training debut, and I couldn't be happier. He did get caught leaning, but everyone gets picked off now and then. Patience is going to be a great thing if we learned anything from Markakis. Nick sat back and watched pitches go buy and didn't get anxious. Even when he was slumping and batting under .200, the team was happy with how he was handling himself in the box and knew it was a matter of time before he put it together. The more patience Adam Jones has the better hitter he is going to become this year. I'll take this as a good sign.

The last name of the entry will go to my favorite new comer in Scott Moore. Thanks to Roch on this news piece. Scott Moore scored on a single by Eider Torres. Apparently, Scott didn't know Juan Samuel was a guide for him to use on the basepaths, or he is just a rogue looking to create a stir. Moore ran through a full on stop sign to score on the play. According to Roch, Moore got the stare down all the way to the bench. Well, I think Juan should stare at him, and he should wonder why he ever doubted the speed of Scott Moore to begin with. Kudos Scott for playing hard.

As before, feel free to comment because I'm always up for anyone's opinion.

Another intrasquad game for the Orioles where Scott Moore, Adam Jones, and company rolled 5-0. The game was scoreless until Fredy Deza walked Scott Moore with the bases loaded. Adam Jones followed it up with a grand slam. There wasn't as much written about this game, but I will opinionate on what I could read.

Adam Jones had another day of mixed feelings. He played well, obviously hitting a huge grand slam, but he had another miscue in the field when he let a fly ball fall in front of him. Personally, I think the grand slam makes up for it, but I am a little disheartened that so many miscues are being made. Spring training just started and mistakes will happen, so I will waive this miscue off with those of yesterday. Good day overall.

Kameron Mickolio was all over the place today and really struggled with his command. I am not surprised by this report, and I look forward to him pitching more this spring because he will ultimately right the ship. The best part is no one scored off of him.

Luis Hernandez is holding his own with the bat. He was batting lead-off for his team and had two hits today. I think this is pretty notable because he would be the guy to take over the lead-off spot if we were to ship Brian Roberts off. Unless, of course, we get a high average middle infielder to replace Roberts at second or Hernandez at short. If someone else is brought in to play shortstop, Hernandez won't make the team and will start at AAA.

Chris Tillman was impressive and struck Roch Kubatko with the impression that he definitely has the stuff to be a big leaguer. Roch noted that it was pretty cool to see him and Matt Weiters working together as that could be a vision of the future. I have to agree with Roch on that one. Tillman is the real deal and should be looked at as a steal from the Mariners. He'll move up the ranks and will be ready to compete when the Orioles are ready to compete. A fantastic addition to this franchise.

One of the interesting storylines that I keep trying to gain more information on is Ben Davis and Guillermo Quiroz going for the back-up catching spot. I have grown to like Ben Davis from what I have read about him in clubhouse but Quiroz I have not heard much about. He did make an impressive move to run out and calm down Garrett Olson in a jam. He told him what he was doing wrong and got consecutive outs afterwards. It may only be the back-up catcher position, but it is important because he will be working with these pitchers as much as Ramon Hernandez and needs to establish a good line of communication. I am hoping to learn more about each player in the coming weeks. It may not be a race that anyone else is interested in, but my ears are perked for any information on it.

I am making this article based off what I could read about the intrasquad game that went on today.  Final score was 1-1.

Matt Albers started off his bid for the 5th starters spot with a strong outting.  Reports were that his velocity was up and he was keeping the ball down.  He gave up a home run to Millar which was basically a mistake pitch, a hanging slider.  20 of 26 for strikes.  

Garret Olson, favored for the 5th starters job, did not fair out as well in his opening outting.  He threw 14 of 30 for strikes, walked one and hit two people despite not giving up any runs.  The positive is that he overcame the jams he put himself in and worked out of the inning.  The negative is that his command is still questionable.  Quiroz noticed he was rushing to the plate, so he will have to start getting the kinks out or Albers will snatch the job away from him.  Obviously, it is the first outting and you shouldn't judge too harshly, so I am giving him a pass for the day.  Being a pitcher myself, I know when facing your own team it's a different world then going against other teams.  We'll see how he bounces back in his first grapefruit outting next week.

Adam Jones had a poor day.  He's still young and mistakes are going to happen, and I think they all just compounded as he might've been trying hard to impress in his first game action.  I look for him to shake it off and have a good day tomorrow.

Kevin Millar is loving the long ball this spring.  I had to mention the man because I know he's out there having fun and that's the kind of player I like.

Scott Moore continues to impress me, and he is easily one of my favorite Orioles.  I liked him when he came over from Chicago last year, and he is showing he can play just about anywhere they stick him.  He started at first base and moved to second base toward the end of the game.  He made a nice play fielding the ball and throwing a runner out at home.  I contend that he is on the opening day roster with or without a Brian Roberts trade.

Matt Weiters is getting even more praise, and I think I'll hold off raving on him until after he gets behind the plate tomorrow.  He went 1 for 2 with an rbi, so a solid offensive day.

The last man to mention is Randor Bierd.  The rule 5 pick that I think the Orioles should keep and will make the roster.  Hard throwing righty got in a jam of 2nd and 3rd no outs and worked out of it.  He's just getting used to the team, and I give him the same kudos I gave Olson for working out the jam.  I can't wait to see more of him.

I'll come back tomorrow with more impressions from tomorrow's game.

I did the review of the team at the end of the baseball season last year, and I got my wish. The team is officially rebuilding. I, for one, am very happy with the Erik Bedard and Miguel Tejada trades. We got a bunch of kids that I think could really solidify this team in areas we didn't have in house candidates to replace. Let's take a look at the original order I had.

C - Ramon Hernandez/Paul Bako
1B - Aubrey Huff/Kevin Millar
2B - Brian Roberts
SS - Miguel Tejada
3B - Melvin Mora
LF - Jay Payton
CF -
RF - Nick Markakis
DH - Aubrey Huff/Kevin Millar

Obviously, a lot of things are different now. Miguel Tejada is gone, we picked up a new centerfielder, and a left fielder. In minor news, Paul Bako is gone. From what I have seen from early in the camp, this is my projected line-up unless something else changes.

C - Ramon Hernandez/Guillermo Quiroz
1B - Kevin Millar
2B - Brian Roberts
SS - Luis Hernandez
3B - Melvin Mora
LF - Luke Scott
CF - Adam Jones
RF - Nick Markakis
DH - Aubrey Huff

The two darkhorses for the line-up that I stated before were Jay Gibbons and Scott Moore.

Jay Gibbons has a 15 game suspension to start the season, and he will not be on the 40 man roster for that time period. But, when he comes back, he is expected to fight for at bats in left field and designated hitter. Trembley has said that he will not be taking any ground balls at first base. Essentially, the Orioles have no place for Jay Gibbons. He bats lefty and so does his counterparts at left field and designated hitter. The Orioles are hoping to get him some at bats and be able to trade him at the deadline or next off-season. It only makes sense because of prospect timelines and the additions to this team have finally caught up to Gibbons.

Scott Moore, on the other hand, is a clubhouse favorite, and Melvin Mora loathes him. I am not sure why, but I was drawn to him when he came over in the Steve Trachsel deal. He's got some pop and can play the corners. He is showing that he can play left field, as well, to help him stay on the opening day roster. I think you see him make the team this year.

Mike Costanzo is a new dark horse to the mix. Dave Trembley is completely impressed by his work ethic as he is usually the first on the field and last off the field. He is working on becoming an emergency catcher so he can catch on as the 3rd stringer. He plays 3rd base, but he can play first and he's taking fly balls in left (yes, the entire team practially is doing this). He has a lot of pop and home run potential, but he strikes out a lot. I would love to see him make this team and as a right handed bat, he very well could.

Rotation as it stands right now:

1 - Erik Bedard
2 - Jeremy Guthrie
3 - Adam Loewen
4 - Veteran FA
5 - Daniel Cabrera/Hayden Penn/Garrett Olson

My attempt at the rotation was right on, but the Erik Bedard trade has made a big change.

1 - Jeremy Guthrie
2 - Adam Loewen
3 - Daniel Cabrera
4 - Steve Trachsel
5 - Matt Albers/Brian Burres/Hayden Penn/Garrett Olson/Rhadamas Liz

Everyone jumped up a notch, and Daniel Cabrera avoided having to fight for a rotation spot with the departure of Erik Bedard. The signing of The Tractor rounded out the roation, and the fifth spot has a lot of contenders.

A lot of people were looking for Troy Patton to fight for the 5th starting rotation spot, but with his shoulder injury, it looks like he will be in AAA if he plays this year. As for the rest:

Brian Burres is a shoo-in to make this team. He just doesn't know what role he is going to fill. He's Baltimore's swingman and has an outside shot at the 5th rotation spot.

Garrett Olson is the most polished pitcher the Orioles have with prospects. Unfortunately, he didn't show any command of his pitches last fall. I think we will see a much different Olson this year because he has never had control problems in the minors. He is my favorite to win the 5th starters job at the moment.

Matt Albers will make the team, and I see him starting out in the middle to long reliever role. This is, of course, if he doesn't win the 5th starters spot. I think Albers is a close 2nd behind Olson which is why I see him on the Orioles no matter what.

Hayden Penn has fallen out of favor with some fans, but he is still pretty young. I don't think he makes the team out of camp, but I think we see him middle of the year.

Bullpen projection:
CL - George Sherrill
SU - Dennis Safarte
Lefty Specialist - Jamie Walker
Righty Specialist - Chad Bradford
Middle/Long Reliever - Matt Albers
Middle/Long Reliever - Brian Burres
Middle/Long Reliever - Randor Bierd

My darkhorses for the bullpen:

Greg Aquino who was picked up. He has closer experience from Arizona, but I am having problems fitting him in if Bierd makes the team. Bierd is a hard throwing reliever we got in the Rule-5 draft. I would like to hold onto him, so I have included him in the projected bullpen.

Kameron Mickolio was picked up in the Bedard trade, and he is often overlooked. He shot through the minors and has end game stuff. A lot of people have been impressed with him with one scout saying he wouldn't be surprised if he was closing for the Orioles before the end of the year. I think he has an outside shot of making the team, but I think he ends up in AAA.

Jim Hoey has gotten some chances, and I think he has to remain patient. He'll start in AAA.

I neglected to talk about the bench.

Freddie Bynum & Brandon Fahey - unfortunately, they are the same player. The Orioles will only keep one super utility player, and Bynum played outfield during winterball and not shortstop. I think because of that, Fahey wins because he will back up Hernandez at short.

Jay Payton - I would love for him to be traded as soon as possible. I have never liked him. But, he does provide a right handed bat that can play all 3 outfield positions. He is useful in that regard. He makes the team no problem causing Tike Redman to go looking for work elsewhere.

Chris Roberson - This is the man that can replace Jay Payton if the Orioles could get rid of Payton. He is capable of playing all 3 outfield positions and prefers centerfield. I would like to see him on the roster rather than Payton, but he'll be in AAA waiting for Payton to pack his bags.

I think I will wrap this up with the roster I hope the Orioles end up with by the trade deadline this year and how they get there:

2B - Brian Roberts
CF - Adam Jones
RF - Nick Markakis
1B - Kevin Millar
LF - Luke Scott
C - Ramon Hernandez
1B - Aubrey Huff
3B - Scott Moore
SS - Luis Hernandez

Bench:
C - Ben Davis or Guillermo Quiroz
IF - Brandon Fahey
OF - Chris Roberson
CI - Mike Costanzo

Rotation:
1 - Jeremy Guthrie
2 - Adam Loewen
3 - Daniel Cabrera
4 - Garrett Olson
5 - Matt Albers

Bullpen:
CL - George Sherrill
SU - Dennis Safarte
LS - Jamie Walker
RS - Chad Bradford
Middle Reliever - Randor Bierd
Middle Reliever - Jim Hoey or Kameron Mickolio
Middle Reliever - Brian Burres

Traded:
Jay Gibbons - his time is up in Baltimore
Jay Payton - he doesn't want to be here
Melvin Mora - the youngsters are better than him, and he'll get sick of them taking his playing time so he'll lift that no trade clause
Steve Trachsel - he'll be traded or DFA'd by this time

I thought about including Huff in the to be traded area, but I can't see the Orioles giving up that much pop in one year. Moore and Costanzo have to prove their 20 home run potential before Huff can be moved because, like it or not, he's one of the best power bats the Orioles have at the moment.

This is where my opinion stands right now. Feel free to ask me any questions.