Baltimore and Florida in first? Boston in last? The Detroit 0-6? You gotta love the first week of the baseball season.
The biggest suprise is the winless start for the Detroit Tigers. The pre-season world series favorite started the season by dropping 3 games apeice to the Royals and Whitesox. The offense has been dormant and pitching has been eratic. Brandon Inge leads the team in Home Runs and RBI's, while freshly signed Miguel Cabrera has knocked in exactly 1 run on a solo homer on opening day, and is hitting .111. On the pitching side the team ERA is well above 5 with the only starter under 5 being 43 year old Kenny Rogers. Justin Verlander has been hit hard giving up 8 runs in just over 11 innings.
On the other end of the spectrum there is the Baltimore Orioles. After losing their first game 6-2 against the Rays, they then preceded to win their next 5, includng a 4 game sweep of the Seattle Mariners. Brian Roberts(yup, still an Oriole) came out of the gate on fire batting .368 with 3 stolen bases and a 1.170 OPS. However he has been upstaged by Luke Scott. Aquired by Baltimore in the Miguel Tejada Deal, the outfielder is sporting a .500 average. Aubrey Huff hasn't been the hitter he once was in Tampa since being aquired, but has put up decent power numbers to start his 2008 campaign with 2 homers and 7 RBI's early on. Starting pitching hasn't been great, Steve Trachsel is the only starter with an ERA under 5 , but the bullpen has been fantastic. In just over 21 innings of work the orioles pen has given up just 2 earned runs.
Some other notable opening week observations:
Chien-Ming Wang is just fine. After his poor performance in the playoffs, he has pitched 2 supurb games to start the season and has looked dominat at times.
Milwaukee is for real. Braun and Fielder can rake, Sheets is fantastic, they may not win the division, but they will be in the hunt.
Hanley Ramirez is good. The rest of the team, especially the pitching, is awful, but that kid is special.
The Mets could be in trouble. With pedro Down again, the Mets better hope Maine and Perez are for real and Pelfrey and Hernandez can get the job done. Santana has been great, but a so-so offense and bullpen can only get them so far. They will also have to figure out how to beat Atlanta..
With one week doen, just another 26 to go.
Showing posts with label Baltimore Orioles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Baltimore Orioles. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Monday, March 31, 2008
Rays overcome early 2-0 deficit, defeat Orioles
Tampa Bay 6 Baltimore Orioles 2
Recap Box Score
The Baltimore Orioles looked like they might take control of the game right off the bat after a 2-run double by Kevin Millar, but those were the only runs they would score in a 6-2 loss to the Tampa Bay (don't call me Devil) Rays.
A Melvin Mora fielding error led to the Rays first run to cut the Orioles lead to 2-1, then B.J. Upton would put the Rays up for good with a 2-run single and the Rays never looked back. Eric Hinske homered for the Rays in the 4th, his first of the season.
Jeremy Guthrie, who the Orioles were hoping would take the #1 spot in the rotation and run with it since the departure of Erik Bedard, struggled mightily in his first start. He went 5 1/3 innings, giving up 6 runs (5 ER) on 9 hits a walk and 2 strikeouts. Opposite Guthrie, James Shields had an impressive first start, getting the win for the Rays. He went 7 innings giving up 2 runs on 5 hits, walking 3 and striking out 2.
Contrary to last season, the Baltimore Orioles' bullpen was surprisingly strong. Matt Albers and Brian Burres combined for 3 1/3 shutout innings after Jeremy Guthrie departed, giving up just 1 hit.
The two teams will play the 2nd of the 3 game set in Baltimore tomorrow. Matt Garza will go for the Rays, Daniel Cabrera for the Orioles. Game time is 7:05pm EST.
Recap Box Score
The Baltimore Orioles looked like they might take control of the game right off the bat after a 2-run double by Kevin Millar, but those were the only runs they would score in a 6-2 loss to the Tampa Bay (don't call me Devil) Rays.
A Melvin Mora fielding error led to the Rays first run to cut the Orioles lead to 2-1, then B.J. Upton would put the Rays up for good with a 2-run single and the Rays never looked back. Eric Hinske homered for the Rays in the 4th, his first of the season.
Jeremy Guthrie, who the Orioles were hoping would take the #1 spot in the rotation and run with it since the departure of Erik Bedard, struggled mightily in his first start. He went 5 1/3 innings, giving up 6 runs (5 ER) on 9 hits a walk and 2 strikeouts. Opposite Guthrie, James Shields had an impressive first start, getting the win for the Rays. He went 7 innings giving up 2 runs on 5 hits, walking 3 and striking out 2.
Contrary to last season, the Baltimore Orioles' bullpen was surprisingly strong. Matt Albers and Brian Burres combined for 3 1/3 shutout innings after Jeremy Guthrie departed, giving up just 1 hit.
The two teams will play the 2nd of the 3 game set in Baltimore tomorrow. Matt Garza will go for the Rays, Daniel Cabrera for the Orioles. Game time is 7:05pm EST.
Orioles release OF Gibbons
The Baltimore Orioles, on Sunday, released outfielder Jay Gibbons according to David Ginsburg of the Associated Press.
The Orioles, apparently, were done waiting for him to return to 2005 form when he hit 26 HR's. Although Gibbons is still owed $11.9M on his contract, the Orioles decided it was worth the hit.
The Orioles, apparently, were done waiting for him to return to 2005 form when he hit 26 HR's. Although Gibbons is still owed $11.9M on his contract, the Orioles decided it was worth the hit.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Roberts deal dead?
After all the talk about Brian Roberts being traded to the Chicago Cubs over the last few months, it's not being reported that the deal is dead.
Baltimore Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, "we worked at it this long, and we don't have a deal."
Cubs fans were looking forward to this deal going down, bringing a legit 2nd baseman and leadoff threat to their lineup would have made their offense that much better. Now that the deal seems to be dead, the question becomes, are the Cubs now looking elsewhere or are they content to go with what they have for the time being?
Baltimore Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail, "we worked at it this long, and we don't have a deal."
Cubs fans were looking forward to this deal going down, bringing a legit 2nd baseman and leadoff threat to their lineup would have made their offense that much better. Now that the deal seems to be dead, the question becomes, are the Cubs now looking elsewhere or are they content to go with what they have for the time being?
Friday, March 14, 2008
Red Sox, Mets talking trade?
Is Coco Crisp finally on the move out of Beantown?
According to rumors that surfaced during the Mets spring game against the Baltimore Orioles, the Mets were talking to the Red Sox about a trade that would send outfielder Coco Crisp to the Mets for Angel Pagan.
Mets' GM Omar Minaya was asked about the rumor immediately after their 6-2 win over the Orioles, his response was simply "there's nothing to it."
According to rumors that surfaced during the Mets spring game against the Baltimore Orioles, the Mets were talking to the Red Sox about a trade that would send outfielder Coco Crisp to the Mets for Angel Pagan.
Mets' GM Omar Minaya was asked about the rumor immediately after their 6-2 win over the Orioles, his response was simply "there's nothing to it."
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Rob Carlin - WMAR Baltimore
Rob Carlin, Sports Anchor with WMAR in Baltimore, MD made his return to The Hot Corner. He covered everything from the Brian Roberts' rumors, Jeremy Guthrie and who the closer will be for the Orioles in 2008.
Todd Kaufmann: There was an article in the Baltimore Sun that the Orioles had interest in the Astros utility man Mark Loretta. Is this the start to the long rumored Brian Roberts trade?
Rob Carlin: I don't think the interest in Loretta is directly related to Roberts. The O's don't necessarily have a backup 2nd baseman, if the Roberts deal goes down. Freddy Bynum just had surgery, Luis Hernandez is a shortstop and Brandon Fahey is more suited to short as well. They have been working Scott Moore out at 2nd, but it's a new position for him as well, with all those guys, it's learning how to turn with a runner coming at you on double plays, it's always the hardest part.
One of the names mentioned in the Roberts deal is also a shortstop, Ronny Cedeno. I believe the Loretta interest has more to do with depth at 2nd in case the deal does go down, at this point, though, I would hold onto Roberts until the trading deadline. He's been red-hot in spring training and could draw more interest, and better trade prospects, down the line.
Todd Kaufmann: How does Jeremy Guthrie look so far? With the departure of Erik Bedard, is he the ace of this staff?
Rob Carlin: Without actually traveling to Ft. Lauderdale, it's hard to know really how Guthrie has looked. He was outstanding yesterday, going 4 innings, allowing just 1 run and striking out 4 against the Mets, he would certainly be considered the Orioles ace right now but that's both a compliment to him and an indictment on the rest of the staff. Adam Loewen is coming back from elbow surgery and has been wild this spring. Daniel Cabrera is, as always, wildly inconsistent, Steve Trachsel is a solid vet for the 4 spot and they're still trying to find a 5. It's hardly Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz. It's not even Mussina, Erickson and Key. The O's have some good young arms, but there's still lots of question marks, and not much major league ready talent in the rotation.
Todd Kaufmann: Nick Markakis really had a big year for the Orioles in 2007. Do you expect the same for him in 2008?
Rob Carlin: I absolutely have high expectations for Nick Markakis. I think he's going to be one of the top rightfielders in baseball, he's hitting .400 this spring and I expect him to have a monster season. He's a quiet guy, keeps to himself, not a big talker but he'll likely hit around .300 with 25 HR and 100 RBI. The O's didn't exactly make him too happy last week, giving him a very modest raise. He'll make $455,000 this year, up from $400,000 last year. Players with less than 3 years of service must accept a contract renewal if they can't agree to a one year deal. Markakis told the Baltimore Sun, "I don't have much of a choice. I'm just going to have to deal with it." Clearly, he was disappointed, it's really the only time, though, that the club has the power over the player.
The O's will give him a big contract one day and they're going to try to rebuild around him, but it just wasn't a good precedent to set with what they hope will be the face of their franchise one day and it could come back to haunt them down the line.
Todd Kaufmann: With Chris Ray and Danys Baez probably missing the entire 2008 season, who are the candidates for the 8th and 9th innings?
Rob Carlin: The closer role will likely be filled by George Sherrill, he was one of the guys acquired in the Erik Bedard trade with Seattle. He's a lefty, who only has 4 career saves but he's been lights out this spring, they'll likely make the official announcement next week. That pushes Chad Bradford and Jamie Walker back to 7th and 8th inning work, they were part of the horrendous bullpen last year when the O's gave up leads in 120 of the 162 games and lost 16 games in which they led after the 7th inning.
Another name to look out for is Dennis Sarfate, he was acquired from Houston in the Miguel Tejada trade, his fastball is mid-90's. Andy MacPhail has been stockpiling arms in all the trades he's been making, his philosophy, and it's the right one, is you can never have enough pitching, last year, the O's used 21 different guys out of the bullpen.
Todd Kaufmann: Daniel Cabrera really had control problems in his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals, walking 5 in 3 innings of work. Is this something he can fix or is this something the team should be concerned about?
Rob Carlin: I think Daniel Cabrera is past the point of fixing, he's just not consistent never was, never will be. The O's will keep him because he's capable of throwing a 1 hitter(as he did at the end of the '06 season against the Yankees), but he's just as capable of walking 5 in 2 innings. He's a huge kid, with an overpowering fastball, but I don't think he'll ever be a great major league pitcher.
Todd Kaufmann: There was an article in the Baltimore Sun that the Orioles had interest in the Astros utility man Mark Loretta. Is this the start to the long rumored Brian Roberts trade?
Rob Carlin: I don't think the interest in Loretta is directly related to Roberts. The O's don't necessarily have a backup 2nd baseman, if the Roberts deal goes down. Freddy Bynum just had surgery, Luis Hernandez is a shortstop and Brandon Fahey is more suited to short as well. They have been working Scott Moore out at 2nd, but it's a new position for him as well, with all those guys, it's learning how to turn with a runner coming at you on double plays, it's always the hardest part.
One of the names mentioned in the Roberts deal is also a shortstop, Ronny Cedeno. I believe the Loretta interest has more to do with depth at 2nd in case the deal does go down, at this point, though, I would hold onto Roberts until the trading deadline. He's been red-hot in spring training and could draw more interest, and better trade prospects, down the line.
Todd Kaufmann: How does Jeremy Guthrie look so far? With the departure of Erik Bedard, is he the ace of this staff?
Rob Carlin: Without actually traveling to Ft. Lauderdale, it's hard to know really how Guthrie has looked. He was outstanding yesterday, going 4 innings, allowing just 1 run and striking out 4 against the Mets, he would certainly be considered the Orioles ace right now but that's both a compliment to him and an indictment on the rest of the staff. Adam Loewen is coming back from elbow surgery and has been wild this spring. Daniel Cabrera is, as always, wildly inconsistent, Steve Trachsel is a solid vet for the 4 spot and they're still trying to find a 5. It's hardly Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz. It's not even Mussina, Erickson and Key. The O's have some good young arms, but there's still lots of question marks, and not much major league ready talent in the rotation.
Todd Kaufmann: Nick Markakis really had a big year for the Orioles in 2007. Do you expect the same for him in 2008?
Rob Carlin: I absolutely have high expectations for Nick Markakis. I think he's going to be one of the top rightfielders in baseball, he's hitting .400 this spring and I expect him to have a monster season. He's a quiet guy, keeps to himself, not a big talker but he'll likely hit around .300 with 25 HR and 100 RBI. The O's didn't exactly make him too happy last week, giving him a very modest raise. He'll make $455,000 this year, up from $400,000 last year. Players with less than 3 years of service must accept a contract renewal if they can't agree to a one year deal. Markakis told the Baltimore Sun, "I don't have much of a choice. I'm just going to have to deal with it." Clearly, he was disappointed, it's really the only time, though, that the club has the power over the player.
The O's will give him a big contract one day and they're going to try to rebuild around him, but it just wasn't a good precedent to set with what they hope will be the face of their franchise one day and it could come back to haunt them down the line.
Todd Kaufmann: With Chris Ray and Danys Baez probably missing the entire 2008 season, who are the candidates for the 8th and 9th innings?
Rob Carlin: The closer role will likely be filled by George Sherrill, he was one of the guys acquired in the Erik Bedard trade with Seattle. He's a lefty, who only has 4 career saves but he's been lights out this spring, they'll likely make the official announcement next week. That pushes Chad Bradford and Jamie Walker back to 7th and 8th inning work, they were part of the horrendous bullpen last year when the O's gave up leads in 120 of the 162 games and lost 16 games in which they led after the 7th inning.
Another name to look out for is Dennis Sarfate, he was acquired from Houston in the Miguel Tejada trade, his fastball is mid-90's. Andy MacPhail has been stockpiling arms in all the trades he's been making, his philosophy, and it's the right one, is you can never have enough pitching, last year, the O's used 21 different guys out of the bullpen.
Todd Kaufmann: Daniel Cabrera really had control problems in his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals, walking 5 in 3 innings of work. Is this something he can fix or is this something the team should be concerned about?
Rob Carlin: I think Daniel Cabrera is past the point of fixing, he's just not consistent never was, never will be. The O's will keep him because he's capable of throwing a 1 hitter(as he did at the end of the '06 season against the Yankees), but he's just as capable of walking 5 in 2 innings. He's a huge kid, with an overpowering fastball, but I don't think he'll ever be a great major league pitcher.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Orioles interested in Mark Loretta
According to the Baltimore Sun, the Baltimore Orioles apparently have interest in veteran 2nd baseman Mark Loretta, so much so that the 2 teams could be talking about a trade. The Astros sent a scout to watch the Orioles during their spring training game this afternoon.
The reason this is significant is, it could mean that the Orioles could be close to a deal to send their 2nd baseman, Brian Roberts, packing and it could be to the Chicago Cubs, who have coveted Roberts for the past few months.
The reason this is significant is, it could mean that the Orioles could be close to a deal to send their 2nd baseman, Brian Roberts, packing and it could be to the Chicago Cubs, who have coveted Roberts for the past few months.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Bedard to Mariners finally done
Erik Bedard is officially on his way to Seattle to become the newest member of the Seattle Mariners.
After a lengthy delay, the deal was finally done early Friday morning. Baltimore received outfielder Adam Jones, reliever George Sherrill and pitchers Chris Tillman, Tony Butler and Kam Mickolio.
Bedard will be a heck of a 1-2 punch behind ace Felix Hernandez and in front of former Angel Jarrod Washburn and Miguel Batista.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Will Roberts follow Bedard, Tejada out the door?
With Erik Bedard, seemingly, a Seattle Mariner pending him taking a physical in Seattle and with Tejada now in Houston as an Astro, will Brian Roberts be the next one to go?
According to Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles should try to get the best deal possible for the 2nd baseman. Only one problem, owner Peter Angelos has been reluctant to approve any deal involving Roberts. There was a rumored deal, last month, that was vetoed by Angelos that would have sent both Roberts and Erik Bedard to the Chicago Cubs.
Ken Rosenthal had a tid-bit about a Roberts deal yesterday afternoon, saying the Cubs and Orioles have had talks, though infrequently, over the last month but that the Orioles are asking for Felix Pie who the Cubs will not entertain moving.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Orioles have interest in Josh Fogg
Troy Renck of the Denver Post reports, the Baltimore Orioles have interest in free agent right-hander Josh Fogg, especially since a void will be left if or when left-hander Erik Bedard is dealt to Seattle.
The other team that has interest in Fogg is the Minnesota Twins, especially since they dealt Johan Santana to the NY Mets.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Target date set for Bedard trade
2.4.08 8:37pm PST
According to Spencer Fordin of MLB.com, the target date for the completion of this deal is midweek. Apparently, Erik Bedard has not yet flown to Seattle to complete his physical but is expected to do so later this week.
2.4.08 12:04pm PST
ESPN.com is reporting Adam Jones, the 22 year old outfield prospect from Seattle is in Baltimore to take a physical.
Jones is the centerpeice of the Mariners offer to Baltimore for Erik Bedard. If he passes, it could bring an end to the soap-opera sorrounding the trade of the lefty ace to the Seattle Mariners for Jones, reliever George Sherrill and pitching prospects Chris Tillman, Tony Butler and Kam Mickolio.
If all goes well with the physical, a trade could be completed within the next 24 hours.
Bedard trade nearing conclusion
ESPN.com is reporting Adam Jones, the 22 year old outfield prospect from Seattle is in Baltimore to take a physical.
Jones is the centerpeice of the Mariners offer to Baltimore for Erik Bedard. If he passes, it could bring an end to the soap-opera sorrounding the trade of the lefty ace to the Seattle Mariners for Jones, reliever George Sherrill and pitching prospects Chris Tillman, Tony Butler and Kam Mickolio.
If all goes well with the physical, a trade could be completed within the next 24 hours.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Wilkerson signs with Mariners
Jim Street of MLB.com reports, free agent Brad Wilkerson signed a 1-year $3M contract with the Seattle Mariners on Thursday.
That signing could mean that the trade between the Mariners and Orioles for left-hander Erik Bedard could be done in the next few days.
Interview with WMAR's Rob Carlin
Rob Carlin is a sports anchor for WMAR in Baltimore and was nice enough to answer a few questions on the Baltimore Orioles.
Baseball-Rumors: One of the young pitchers that impressed me last season was Jeremy Guthrie, especially posting a 3.70 ERA in his first full year as a starter. What do you see in him that tells you, last year wasn't a fluke?
Rob Carlin: Actually, I’m not entirely sold that it wasn’t. Fluke may be a bit strong but I think it’s a little early to say he’ll be a mainstay in the rotation for years to come. Look at his numbers after the All-Star break. 3-3 with a 5.03 ERA. He wasn’t nearly as strong towards the end of his first full season as he was in the early summer. Having said that, he was dominant at times in May, June & July. He throws 4 pitches well, but nothing is unhittable. He did a missionary run, so he’s a little old at 28. But he was a 1st round pick in 2002. He’s a smart guy (Stanford grad) who seems to work hard so I think he’ll be a solid 2, if not an ace one day.. but we’ll have to wait and see!
Baseball-Rumors: There's been a lot of rumors surrounding 2nd baseman Brian Roberts. Is he that much of a favorite of Peter Angelos that there's just no deal that he'll agree to that involves Roberts?
Rob Carlin: If you’re asking me to get into the head of Peter Angelos, forget it. I can’t, nor would I want to. At the time I’m writing this, we’re all waiting to hear if Angelos is the only thing holding up the Bedard-to-the-Mariners trade. If Angelos does like Roberts that much, it’s for good reason. He’s a solid player, an All-Star last year, but an even better person. The Orioles are not very good at getting out in the community. But Roberts makes it a mission to do just that. He’s great with kids and fans of all ages. He’s been the face of the organization for a few years now and deservedly so. Would I trade him?? Yes, because they’ll win 68-72 games with him or without him so they better get something for him now before he leaves as a free agent.
Baseball-Rumors: With Ramon Hernandez coming back from injury, is he automatically the starter behind the plate in 2008 or will he have to compete with Guillermo Quiroz for that spot?
Rob Carlin: Barring injury, Ramon Hernandez will be the starter. Quiroz has not shown an ability to stay healthy. He’s only played in 100 games or more twice in his 8 years in the minors and hasn’t done it since 2003. When healthy, Hernandez is an above average major league catcher. I wouldn’t even say it’s his job to lose. It’s his job and Quiroz will be the backup.
Baseball-Rumors: I assume we can safely say that the Orioles are "rebuilding". How long until they start seeing the benefits of the young prospects they received from the Astros and other up and coming minor leaguers?
Rob Carlin: That is the multi-million dollar question. The answer, unfortunately for O’s fans, is……. Who knows?? Keep in mind, prospects are, by definition, prospects. Nothing is certain. Do things look bright? Absolutely. Billy Rowell was a first round pick who has played SS but might be better off at 3rd base one day. Matt Wieters was their first round pick last year. A catcher from Georgia Tech who’s supposed to be a “can’t miss”. He might get called up late this year and could be behind the plate in ’09. There’s a ton of young pitching being groomed. But O’s fans would’ve thought Matt Riley, Beau Hale, Mike Paradis and Richard Stahl would be the top of their rotation by now. Ed Rogers was supposed to be Cal Ripken’s heir apparent, playing next to Ryan Minor on the left side of the infield. Darnell McDonald was supposed to man centerfield, with Larry Bigbie in left and Keith Reed in right. Rick Elder was going to be the power hitting 1st baseman. O’s fans know them all. Baseball fans may have never heard of them. Not a single one has made a mark in the bigs, most never even made it for the proverbial cup of coffee. It’s an imperfect science. And Andy MacPhail will earn his money if he can turn this franchise around.
Baseball-Rumors: One of the young pitchers that impressed me last season was Jeremy Guthrie, especially posting a 3.70 ERA in his first full year as a starter. What do you see in him that tells you, last year wasn't a fluke?
Rob Carlin: Actually, I’m not entirely sold that it wasn’t. Fluke may be a bit strong but I think it’s a little early to say he’ll be a mainstay in the rotation for years to come. Look at his numbers after the All-Star break. 3-3 with a 5.03 ERA. He wasn’t nearly as strong towards the end of his first full season as he was in the early summer. Having said that, he was dominant at times in May, June & July. He throws 4 pitches well, but nothing is unhittable. He did a missionary run, so he’s a little old at 28. But he was a 1st round pick in 2002. He’s a smart guy (Stanford grad) who seems to work hard so I think he’ll be a solid 2, if not an ace one day.. but we’ll have to wait and see!
Baseball-Rumors: There's been a lot of rumors surrounding 2nd baseman Brian Roberts. Is he that much of a favorite of Peter Angelos that there's just no deal that he'll agree to that involves Roberts?
Rob Carlin: If you’re asking me to get into the head of Peter Angelos, forget it. I can’t, nor would I want to. At the time I’m writing this, we’re all waiting to hear if Angelos is the only thing holding up the Bedard-to-the-Mariners trade. If Angelos does like Roberts that much, it’s for good reason. He’s a solid player, an All-Star last year, but an even better person. The Orioles are not very good at getting out in the community. But Roberts makes it a mission to do just that. He’s great with kids and fans of all ages. He’s been the face of the organization for a few years now and deservedly so. Would I trade him?? Yes, because they’ll win 68-72 games with him or without him so they better get something for him now before he leaves as a free agent.
Baseball-Rumors: With Ramon Hernandez coming back from injury, is he automatically the starter behind the plate in 2008 or will he have to compete with Guillermo Quiroz for that spot?
Rob Carlin: Barring injury, Ramon Hernandez will be the starter. Quiroz has not shown an ability to stay healthy. He’s only played in 100 games or more twice in his 8 years in the minors and hasn’t done it since 2003. When healthy, Hernandez is an above average major league catcher. I wouldn’t even say it’s his job to lose. It’s his job and Quiroz will be the backup.
Baseball-Rumors: I assume we can safely say that the Orioles are "rebuilding". How long until they start seeing the benefits of the young prospects they received from the Astros and other up and coming minor leaguers?
Rob Carlin: That is the multi-million dollar question. The answer, unfortunately for O’s fans, is……. Who knows?? Keep in mind, prospects are, by definition, prospects. Nothing is certain. Do things look bright? Absolutely. Billy Rowell was a first round pick who has played SS but might be better off at 3rd base one day. Matt Wieters was their first round pick last year. A catcher from Georgia Tech who’s supposed to be a “can’t miss”. He might get called up late this year and could be behind the plate in ’09. There’s a ton of young pitching being groomed. But O’s fans would’ve thought Matt Riley, Beau Hale, Mike Paradis and Richard Stahl would be the top of their rotation by now. Ed Rogers was supposed to be Cal Ripken’s heir apparent, playing next to Ryan Minor on the left side of the infield. Darnell McDonald was supposed to man centerfield, with Larry Bigbie in left and Keith Reed in right. Rick Elder was going to be the power hitting 1st baseman. O’s fans know them all. Baseball fans may have never heard of them. Not a single one has made a mark in the bigs, most never even made it for the proverbial cup of coffee. It’s an imperfect science. And Andy MacPhail will earn his money if he can turn this franchise around.
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Sources: Bedard to Mariners deal close
According to sources, young Mariners' prospect Adam Jones has apparently flown to Baltimore to complete a physical, meaning a deal between the Mariners and Orioles for left-hander Erik Bedard is close to being done.
Neither team has made a statement confirming or denying it.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Padres have interest in Cubs' Murton
According to Ken Rosenthal, the San Diego Padres apparently have interest in Cubs' outfielder Matt Murton.
The Cubs, however, may be reluctant to deal Murton to San Diego, especially if they use him to land Orioles' 2nd baseman Brian Roberts.
Looking Forward to 2008: Baltimore Orioles
For a team that hasn't had a winning season since 1997, you wouldn't think the Baltimore Orioles would be in a rebuilding mode, but that's exactly what they're doing.
The team's president of baseball operations Andy McPhail began the project by dealing SS Miguel Tejada to Houston, but got top pitching prospects Troy Patton, Matt Albers and Dennis Sarfate as well as outfielder Luke Scott and third baseman Mike Costanzo.
There has been a lot of talk that Tejada wouldn't be the only Orioles' star to be traded this offseason, left-hander Erik Bedard and 2nd baseman Brian Roberts have also been rumored to be on the move to new teams.
But, for sake of this article, let's say the Orioles' will open the 2008 season with both Bedard and Roberts in the mix. What this team has, actually isn't horrible, but let's not forget that they're in the AL East with the Yankees and Red Sox so the wild card is their only shot at getting in the playoffs and even that is a big stretch.
Here's a list of their arrivals and departures from 2007:
Arrivals:
LHP Patton
LHP Albers
LF Scott
RHP Sarfate
3B Costanzo
C Guillermo Quiroz
Departures:
CF Corey Patterson
SS Tejada
RHP Jaret Wright
RHP Kris Benson
C Paul Bako
Erik Bedard isn't the only pitcher in the rotation that has dominated teams, young right-hander Jeremy Guthrie opened eyes last season, going 7-5 with a 3.70 ERA. Though Guthrie struggled down the stretch, it was the first time he had been a full time starter in the big leagues. Behind the front two are right-hander Adam Loewen (3-0 3.56 ERA), right-hander Daniel Cabrera (9-18 5.55 ERA) and possibly left-hander Troy Patton (0-2 3.55 ERA).
Offensively there are some familiar faces. Guys like Brian Roberts, Kevin Millar, Melvin Mora, Nick Markakis and Aubrey Huff, but when you bring back Ramon Hernandez who missed a lot of last season to injury as well as newcomer Luke Scott, you're going to score runs. How many is the real question and how much will your pitching give up?
Prediction Time:
The Orioles play in the, stacked, AL East, so that should tell you that they're not going to win a lot of the games they play inside their own division, but I think they'll surprise a few teams here and there, but not many. I think until the Orioles start reaping the benefits of the prospects they received from Houston in the deal for Tejada, they'll have another couple of losing seasons.
Orioles - 60-102
The team's president of baseball operations Andy McPhail began the project by dealing SS Miguel Tejada to Houston, but got top pitching prospects Troy Patton, Matt Albers and Dennis Sarfate as well as outfielder Luke Scott and third baseman Mike Costanzo.
There has been a lot of talk that Tejada wouldn't be the only Orioles' star to be traded this offseason, left-hander Erik Bedard and 2nd baseman Brian Roberts have also been rumored to be on the move to new teams.
But, for sake of this article, let's say the Orioles' will open the 2008 season with both Bedard and Roberts in the mix. What this team has, actually isn't horrible, but let's not forget that they're in the AL East with the Yankees and Red Sox so the wild card is their only shot at getting in the playoffs and even that is a big stretch.
Here's a list of their arrivals and departures from 2007:
Arrivals:
LHP Patton
LHP Albers
LF Scott
RHP Sarfate
3B Costanzo
C Guillermo Quiroz
Departures:
CF Corey Patterson
SS Tejada
RHP Jaret Wright
RHP Kris Benson
C Paul Bako
Erik Bedard isn't the only pitcher in the rotation that has dominated teams, young right-hander Jeremy Guthrie opened eyes last season, going 7-5 with a 3.70 ERA. Though Guthrie struggled down the stretch, it was the first time he had been a full time starter in the big leagues. Behind the front two are right-hander Adam Loewen (3-0 3.56 ERA), right-hander Daniel Cabrera (9-18 5.55 ERA) and possibly left-hander Troy Patton (0-2 3.55 ERA).
Offensively there are some familiar faces. Guys like Brian Roberts, Kevin Millar, Melvin Mora, Nick Markakis and Aubrey Huff, but when you bring back Ramon Hernandez who missed a lot of last season to injury as well as newcomer Luke Scott, you're going to score runs. How many is the real question and how much will your pitching give up?
Prediction Time:
The Orioles play in the, stacked, AL East, so that should tell you that they're not going to win a lot of the games they play inside their own division, but I think they'll surprise a few teams here and there, but not many. I think until the Orioles start reaping the benefits of the prospects they received from Houston in the deal for Tejada, they'll have another couple of losing seasons.
Orioles - 60-102
Orioles close to deal with Cormier
Spencer Fordin of MLB.com reports, the Baltimore Orioles are close to a deal with right-hander Lance Cormier.
According to an AP report Cormier had signed a 1-year $450,000 contract, but sources close to the negotiations say the deal is not complete as of yet.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Angelos killed Roberts/Bedard deal?
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Orioles' owner Peter Angelos killed a deal between the Cubs and Orioles, a reported 7-for-2 deal.
The trade would have sent 2nd baseman Brian Roberts and left-hander Erik Bedard to Chicago for 7 minor league prospects.
Another source says that there was no such deal and says there were no serious discussions between the two teams. It's well known that Roberts is a favorite of Angelos' and has been reluctant to trade him.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Astros should have waited
Ken Rosenthal has an article out today about the Astros acquisition of Miguel Tejada, who was named in the Mitchell Report less than 24 hours after the Astros sent 5 young minor leaguers to Baltimore for Tejada.
Rosenthal brings up a great point, if the Astros waited even just 1 more day, would they have made the deal? If they did, I think they would have been able to part with much less to make the deal, although Orioles' owner Peter Angelos isn't always the easiest guy to deal with.
Here's what could hit the Astros the hardest. The FBI has opened a preliminary investigation into whether Tejada lied in front of a Congressional Committee in 2005 when asked if he used performance enhancing drugs.
When Tejada was asked, he said it was "B-12", the same B-12 that Roger Clemens says he was injected with by former trainer Brian McNamee....see a pattern here?
Tejada's former teammate in Oakland, Adam Piatt, told the Mitchell's investigators that he had bought steroids for Tejada, and produced canceled checks from Tejada for $3,100 and $3,200 respectively.
Speaking of canceled checks, remember when Fernando Vina, an ESPN Baseball Analyst was asked about checks he had given to former Mets' clubhouse guy Kirk Ridomski, said when asked about those supposed "checks" and what they were for? "I don't know what they were for, maybe for picking up dry cleaning."
So now we have 2 separate, but almost matching, items if you will (B-12, canceled checks) that were produced by Kirk Ridomski and Adam Piatt.
Coincidence? Maybe, but I doubt it....Rosenthal is right, the Astros should have waited and they may pay dearly for it.
Rosenthal brings up a great point, if the Astros waited even just 1 more day, would they have made the deal? If they did, I think they would have been able to part with much less to make the deal, although Orioles' owner Peter Angelos isn't always the easiest guy to deal with.
Here's what could hit the Astros the hardest. The FBI has opened a preliminary investigation into whether Tejada lied in front of a Congressional Committee in 2005 when asked if he used performance enhancing drugs.
When Tejada was asked, he said it was "B-12", the same B-12 that Roger Clemens says he was injected with by former trainer Brian McNamee....see a pattern here?
Tejada's former teammate in Oakland, Adam Piatt, told the Mitchell's investigators that he had bought steroids for Tejada, and produced canceled checks from Tejada for $3,100 and $3,200 respectively.
Speaking of canceled checks, remember when Fernando Vina, an ESPN Baseball Analyst was asked about checks he had given to former Mets' clubhouse guy Kirk Ridomski, said when asked about those supposed "checks" and what they were for? "I don't know what they were for, maybe for picking up dry cleaning."
So now we have 2 separate, but almost matching, items if you will (B-12, canceled checks) that were produced by Kirk Ridomski and Adam Piatt.
Coincidence? Maybe, but I doubt it....Rosenthal is right, the Astros should have waited and they may pay dearly for it.
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