"4M" News of the Weekend: Mora, Mason, Matusz, and More

What a weekend for Baltimore, wouldn't you say? Lots of Orioles news plus Derrick Mason returning all in the long weekend. Let's get to the news and my opinions on it:

Derrick Mason Unretires, Returns to the Ravens

Derrick Mason has returned to the Ravens after retiring after a few weeks ago. After he left the team, the front office tried out a number of wide receivers in hope of finding a temporary replacement, but after Drew Bennett's retirement the Ravens were short of options. But their #1 wide receiver has returned to training camp and will be playing for the Ravens again this season.

I'm not sure what happened to change Mason's mind or if he was serious about retiring in the first place. Maybe he wanted a new contract, maybe he was still upset about the recent murder of Steve McNair, or maybe he felt that it was his time to leave. But whatever the reason, he has returned and he is ready to play again. So I don't consider this to be a big deal, and with his great career and recent injuries, it would have been reasonable if he had retired. But he is back and that will ease some concerns at receiver.

But only some. Keep in mind that the talk around the draft and free agency was that the current pair was not enough for the Ravens offense. The wide receiver corps is still a problem, but at least now the Ravens have two reliable targets at receiver plus two good tight ends. And I still say trading for Brandon Marshall would be a huge mistake for the Ravens; some issues are not worth dealing with like that.

Melvin Mora Feels "Disrespected" by Dave Trembley

This was getting hot around the weekend, with Mora, the most senior Oriole who was benched for the third time in four games, saying that he feels "disrespected" by Trembley. Trembley says he is disappointed to hear that. Rumor is even going around that the Orioles may release him due to this.

Mora has been here nine years and has been a solid third baseman for most of the time. This season has been rough, hitting just .256 with just three home runs and 27 RBI in 79 games, his worst year since 2002 (.233, 19 HR, 64 RBI). He has only seven errors at third, which is about normal pace for him at third.

On the one hand, I understand that Mora is frustrated. It has been a tough year and he wants to play, and at 37, he may not have many years left. And he has done a lot for this organization in his time here, including nearly getting a batting title. On the other hand, Trembley is trying to win games plus prepare for the future. All signs point to Mora not returning next year, plus the fact that Ty Wigginton is doing pretty well right now. It is perfectly reasonable that Mora loses his spot at third, and although Trembley does not want to upset Mora, he needs to do his best to win right now.

I personally hope the Orioles do not release Mora. It would seem like a quick judgement based on recent events, plus it is unclear who in the short run would replace him.

Brian Matusz Called Up to Start Tuesday?

This comes as quite the surprise to many. In wake of Brad Bergeson's injury and another bad start by Jason Berken, the Orioles may send up their 2008 1st Round Pick Brian Matusz to the mound from the Bowie Baysox for Tuesday's start. Matsuz would be the second of the big three to come up; Chris Tillman is already with the Orioles and will have his second start today, while Jake Arrieta remains with the Norfolk Tides.

First off, Matsuz is tearing up his double-A competition. In eight starts he has a 7-0 record with a 1.55 ERA and 46 Ks to just 11 BB. No doubt he is ready to go up to the next level. Plus, chances are this is only a temporary move until the return of Bergeson, and because he is already on the 40-man roster his clock has already begun. The Orioles will not be worrying about options with Matsuz, as he will be in the orange and black permanently by next year.

But this still worries me to a degree. Normally it is not a good thing to rush a player up, and the Orioles especially have a bad history of rushing people too quickly. Jeff Fiorentino, Jim Hoey and Daniel Cabrera are prime examples. Brian Matsuz is a prospect the Orioles can not screw up with, as he is the most highly touted pitcher in the farm system. Why risk Matsuz when there are a few other players in triple-A that can go with no penalty? Players like Chris Waters and David Pauley would not be that solid in the majors based on their triple-A faring, but wouldn't they be safer options right now? The Orioles will not have Pauley or Waters as part of the future, but let's see if they can go with causing issues with the premier prospects.

I wish Matsuz well against Detroit, I just hope that this is not a mistake the Orioles will regret.

Other news:
--Darrius Heyward-Bey, former Maryland receiver and 7th overall pick by the Oakland Raiders, has signed five-year deal with $23.5 million guaranteed and a base salary of $38.5 million. (Facts courtesy of the Baltimore Sun)
--The trade deadline passed on Friday with no dealing from the Orioles after the Sherrill trade. George Sherrill has appeared in two games for the Dodgers, going 1.1 scoreless innings combined with three strikeouts and a walk with no hits.
--Michael Phelps earned five golds and a silver in Rome, continuing his dominance in swimming.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun (Matsuz), The Examiner (Mason)

Any More From MacPhail on Deadline Day?

Today is the non-waiver trade deadline day in baseball, so by 4:00 PM the deals must be done.

Already the Orioles have been players in the trading. George Sherrill was traded to the Dodgers yesterday for prospects Josh Bell and Steve Johnson, and Oscar Salazar was traded to the Padres for Cla Meredith. Andy MacPhail has said that the Orioles "will not be anyone's farm system," but is willing to trade players that are not part of the Orioles future to fill the farm system, which needs more future prospects.

But Sherrill and Salazar were not the only players talked about, so for MacPhail, will he trade any other player?

Possible players for trade:
Aubrey Huff
Huff has long been speculated for trade, and the Orioles left-handed first baseman has attracted attention by others teams. Huff, who will be 33 at the end of the year, has had a very bad July, putting him at .250 for the season. He has only 11 home runs to this point, where as he had 32 last season. It is hard to gauge what the Orioles will get for him, considering he is in the last year of his contract plus he's struggling, but his potential could earn a prospect or two. But my guess is he'll stay in Baltimore for the rest of the year.

Luke Scott
Scott is also a valuable target, a left-handed outfielder that is hitting .275 with 18 home runs. He was having a lot of success in the first half and has cooled off since then, plus the fact he has been a DH for most of the season with the left field situation may lower his value. Rumor is the Tigers have interest in him, but again, like Huff, I expect Scott to be here on August 1st.

Danys Baez
Baez has had an interesting season in terms of his trade value. Earlier in the year he was considered very valuable, then a big slump destroyed, then he rebounded and again drew interest, but then had some issues to pull it down again. The righty reliever is 4-4 with a 4.41 ERA. The 31-year-old's contract is up after the year, and a trade would likely get nothing more than one prospect, but it would be worth it. But some of the struggles may keep teams away.

Mark Hendrickson
After he was terrible as a starter, Hendrickson's performance in the bullpen with a sub-3 ERA in non-starts has drawn interest from the Rockies, according to the Denver Post. Hendrickson is a useful player to trade, a low-paid lefty reliever than can go for a long amount of innings that is not part of the Orioles future. Even if means just one prospect, the Orioles may pull the trigger on the 35-year-old, and my guess is the deal will be done.

So Andy MacPhail has a lot of work to do before the clock strikes four, but he has some people that could bring in prospects, and the trigger could be pulled on a few of them.

Prediction on the trade deadline:
--To be traded: Hendrickson to the Rockies
--Remaining as Orioles: Huff, Scott, Baez

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

No More Excitement in Baltimore, Sherrill is Traded

The "Brim Reaper" is no more in Baltimore. George Sherrill, Baltimore's reliable closer the past two seasons, has been traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers for two minor leaguers, third baseman Josh Bell and pitcher Steve Johnson, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Sherrill was gracious is his leaving Baltimore, saying that "The future is bright in Baltimore" and that it was fun to be here. He will be on a team that will compete for the playoffs this season. He'll likely be a left-handed specialist and not a closer due to Jonathan Broxton being a solid closer already in LA. For the Orioles, probably Jim Johnson will take the closer's role.

The rundown on the new prospects in the Sherrill trade:
Josh Bell, 22 (23 in November)
--4th round pick by the Dodgers in 2005
--Third baseman, switch hitter
--This season hit .296 with 11 home runs and 52 RBI in 94 games in Double-A Chattanooga
--70-50 BB-K ratio
--Had "preventative knee surgery" in June 2008
Steve Johnson, 21 (22 on August 31st)
--13th round pick by the Dodgers in 2005
--Baltimore native, St. Paul's graduate, son of MASN's Dave Johnson
--Starting Pitcher, right-handed
--Promoted to Double-A Chattanooga, in two starts: 1-1, five runs, two earned (1.69 ERA), 15-2 K-BB ratio

So the Orioles try to improve their minor league pitching as well as a player that looks like a future third base star.

This is a trade that is hard to see if it was good, but this is what Andy MacPhail needs to do. The minor league system still needs work due to its lack of depth, and the best way is to get new prospects. Third base is a clear void in the minors for the Orioles, so Bell gives that position a great prospect, and MacPhail's strategy is always to improve pitching in the minors.

Sherrill is a fan favorite here due to his "exciting" closing ability and his flat cap, but as much as we love him, he was not part of the Orioles future. Obviously MacPhail does not want to trade every good player will value that is over 30, but Sherrill was valuable now and it seems as if they got two decent prospects out of it.

It will take a while before we find out if this trade will work out. Likely both these prospects will head to Bowie for their assignments and we probably won't see either of them until at least 2011. For MacPhail's sake, one of these two better pan out; it is not a good thing for fans to trade one of the fan favorites. But good luck to George Sherrill, and bring some excitement to the Dodgers.

Free Kicks

Yea, no particular edition today, but I am on a half-day at work so I need to catch up before the day even starts. With AC Milan and Chelsea FC ready to do battle in Baltimore, let's celebrate by lining up for the kick...

Perfection for Mark Buehrle
Rarely do we get to see the magic of a perfect game. It requires precision not only by the pitcher but by the defense, who have to cleanly field every ball even as the pressure mounts and the possibility of a perfect game becomes more and more definite. Buehrle can thank Dewayne Wise for making that play in the top of the 9th, making a leaping grab at the wall and recovering the ball as it slipped out of his glove to preserve the no-no. Heck, I get nerves when my softball game is close, I can only imagine the poise Wise must have had as he went up to make the catch. This is actually Buehrle’s second no-hitter of his career, the first coming in 2007 when he narrowly missed a perfect game due to a walk drawn by Sammy Sosa in the fifth inning of a 6-0 win by the Sox. I guess I can’t blame the Orioles for losing to Buehrle last week if he was warming up for this outing.

Perhaps the White Sox pitcher will begin to receive credit as one of the better pitchers in the majors. His accelerated pace on the mound, mowing through batters and getting crowds home in time for primetime TV, certainly helps him keep the opposition off balance, but it is a skill that he is able to work his pitches so quickly without minutes of preparation before each one. He has also been the hallmark of consistency, his ERA never exceeding 4.99 en route to a career mark of 3.73. No, it isn’t in Randy Johnson or Tom Glavine territory, but he ranks annually among the tops in the majors in quality starts, showing that he rarely has an outing where he comes completely unraveled. If he made his starts with the Yankees, Red Sox, or Cubs we would surely hear more about this All-Star pitcher. In the meantime we will have to appreciate this unique athlete on another team that is oft-overshadowed by neighboring markets.

At Least One Place is Still Hiring
The Ravens were greatly in need of receiver help before Derrick Mason retired, but with his return still greatly in doubt the need has become dire. This very well could be the position that prevents Baltimore from returning to the playoffs, and certainly will likely end any hope of a title if 2nd year quarterback lacks a reliable set of receivers. Opposing secondaries will be able to rely on man-to-man coverage or a very broad zone defense if Flacco can’t make them pay deep. The same argument that can be made about the inability to stretch a defense without a quality quarterback can be repeated when the quarterback is lacking targets.

Ozzie Newsome did bring in a group of 4 wideouts to try out for the team, a move the front office claims they decided on before Mason’s sudden retirement (which shows you how dire they see the situation to be). Drew Bennett seems to be leading the group, but it isn’t as though the ravens have a whole lot of options. Bennett served as a solid 2nd receiver earlier in his career, but faded when he was asked to be the leading man. In Baltimore he wouldn’t have that role by a long shot, and his speed (if he can stay healthy) would make him a valuable deep option if Demetrius Williams is hurt or simply doesn’t have the ability we have all been waiting for. I am lukewarm on DJ Hackett, who was made to look halfway decent by a resourceful Matt Hasselbeck in Seattle and struggled in Carolina. The other two receiver’s names aren’t known at this point, but there is a reason these guys are unemployed on the eve of training camp. Either of these players could have a resurgence, but neither of them will make the Ravens much better.

Deadline Dealings for O’s?
I am not sure how I feel about trade deadline deals. They rarely work out for the contending team that picks up the player- his impact that season is generally minimal compared to the high-end prospect(s) they give up in return- and the value the struggling team gets is not usually has high as it could be when the bidders feel like the team has to move the player somehow. Luckily for the Orioles, they have Andy MacPhail, which means that every other General Manager in the majors knows that no decision will be made quickly or without more than adequate compensation.

Which is why, when I look Baltimore’s current trade chips, I doubt any of them will be moved in any sort of blockbuster deal. Sure a Gregg Zaun or a mid-level prospect might be shuttled around at the deadline, but I doubt that the big deal that is built up to every season will actually take place this year. The asking price for Sherrill has always been based on closer-value while bidders are offering set-up man value, and the value of players like Aubrey Huff and Danys Baez have been watered down by recent struggles. At the end of the day I just don’t see MacPhail getting what he wants, and I don’t see any big names on this team getting moved in the next week.

Now watch Sherrill get moved for 2 top level prospects and make me eat crow… I’ll take it if it makes the Orioles that much deeper in the minors.

Will George Sherrill be Traded Now?

After the trade that sent Oscar Salazar to the Padres for relief pitcher Cla Meredith, there has been increasing speculation in the media that George Sherrill is being highly sought after and that the Orioles may trade him. The team reportedly to have strong want for him is the Angels, but also according to sources, the Cubs and Dodgers may as well among others.

For Sherrill, 32, this has been a great season for him. He has converted 20 of 23 saves, holds a 2.35 ERA, lefties only bat .125 against him right now, plus he has a strikeout to walk ratio of 35-12. Plus, he would be under control until 2011. All of this wraps up into a very valuable reliever.

The questions for the Orioles for losing Sherrill would include who would take over as closer. Likely Jim Johnson would take over considering his very solid play the last two years with Danys Baez and Cla Meredith having the setup roles. The O's would again not have a lefty specialist, though this is a problem for another day. But really, Sherrill is likely to be traded eventually, and although many fans would be upset to see a solid closer go, it may be time to try another prospect run.

But it is important that Andy MacPhail be careful with this. Sherrill is a player with real value, but he would not be as useful or as valuable as a big position player or a starting pitcher. Sherrill to some teams could be a closer, to others just a useful lefty. The latter idea won't get much value from teams, but a closer could at least land one or two solid prospects. The Angels, Dodgers, and Cubs certainly won't use him as a closer; they already have solid, dependable closers; they will want Sherrill as a lefty specialist.

Obviously the deal would target an infielder or a big starter prospect. Any deal will likely not have the results of the Bedard trade, but it could bring in someone good. But it is important for MacPhail not to waste Sherrill's value. He is a solid lefty closer, and the prospects the Orioles get should be worth their while. But if the Orioles can get a good deal for Sherrill, it should be done, even though it will hurt some Orioles fans to lose him.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

Turnabout is Fair Play

As they said in the movie Coach Carter, "Not quite the storybook ending we hoped for."

Obviously this was not a fun loss. This is one of those losses that lingers for a few days. It is especially bad because it is the Red Sox; everyone wants to beat them, especially at home to win a series.

It is hard to place a lot of blame. You can't blame Dave Trembley for the ninth inning, as he was relying on the Orioles two best relievers to hold down a 4-run lead in the 9th. Jim Johnson can't be blamed, he gave up a home run on a good pitch to an All-Star hitter. George Sherrill may have been tired from the day before plus he did nearly get out of it.

It is even hard to blame the umpires. The last two home plate umpires were probably the worst strike zone callers ever for both the Orioles and the Red Sox. Tony "Rain Delay" Randazzo clearly wanted to go home quickly after the rain delay on Tuesday and on Wednesday Chris "Anything You Can Do I Can Do Better" Guccione wanted to end it quickly with a constantly moving strike zone. Both teams got terrible calls their way.

Basically though, with regard this series the Orioles will just need to move on. There is still plenty of time in the season and they need to move on. They have the Angels for a four-game series, and the O's normally don't do well against them. But the starting pitching for them is struggling, so they do have chances.

O's Sweep World Champs, Have Won Five Straight

Jeremy Guthrie is struggling. Brian Roberts isn't showing enough energy. The starting pitchers are not lasting. They are playing with a backup shortstop. This team has no power. Get a lead against them into the ninth, and Baltimore has no chance.

Despite all of these criticisms the Orioles seem to be getting by outside sources, the Birds are responding with victories, winning five straight including sweeping the World Champion Phillies as two come-from-behind wins in the ninth inning after having zero such games before Thursday.

Of these five wins, only one was by more than two runs. The bullpen was stellar for the most part, with pitchers from Mark Hendrickson to George Sherrill doing very well. The bats are coming alive with more home runs and key hits from leaders Brian Roberts and Aubrey Huff. Interleague play has been good to the Orioles, who have a 9-3 record against National League teams this year, the best in the AL East. Some strange things have been happening. Robert Andino has been playing very well in place of the injured Cesar Izturis both offensively and defensively. Gregg Zaun hit a home run in the comeback win against the Angels. Guthrie finally had a big start. And finally, people other than Luke Scott and Nolan Reimold hit home runs.

Even though the Orioles are still in last place in the division, this five-game win streak is important in other ways. Not just for the morale of the team, but also for possible trade deadline deals. Names that have been thrown around include Aubrey Huff, Danys Baez, Melvin Mora, among others. Andy MacPhail has stated that there will not be any salary dumping, so if any trades go down, it will be because they get prospects in a good deal. But the cornerstones of the franchise and the potential young guns will still be here.

For now, the Orioles should enjoy the winning. The Orioles have two series left in interleague play, at Florida and the second round of the Battle of the Beltway with the Nationals.

(Photo credit: AP)

He's Back.......Erik Bedard against O's on Tuesday in Seattle

For the first time since the infamous trade that dealt him to Seattle in 2008, Erik Bedard will be facing the Orioles on Tuesday. It has been over 15 months since the deal. The game is in Seattle. Bedard had normally been out when scheduled against the Orioles last season.

The big deal had the Orioles shearing a lot of the sheep of the Mariners. Among the players sent to Baltimore included Adam Jones, the future star centerfielder, George Sherill, the Orioles closer, and Chris Tillman, a current top prospect and bigtime starting pitcher in the farm system.

This year, Bedard has been showing his stuff of old. In his nine starts he has fanned 54 batters with just 15 walks and a 2.48 ERA. But he is facing similar problems when he was with Baltimore; he has a 3-2 record. Very often he is not getting run support. But he is still showing his stuff.

This is quite the reunion between Bedard and the Orioles. Bedard did not seem happy in Charm City, especially in his final year with the O's. After Andy MacPhail got here, he needed to rebuild the farm system, and with Bedard being a relatively low paid pitcher with the possibility of being an ace, the O's shopped him around and found a suitor in Seattle. MacPhail also traded Miguel Tejada, but this deal was the headliner. When asked about the game today, Bedard told the media, "Seeing the guys again, I'll try not to laugh."

This is also a reunion for the other traded players. Seattle was an extremely disappointing team last season, and Adam Jones and Chris Tillman were two of the best prospects in the system that were lost in the trade. Though Tillman is still in the minors, Jones has been shining for the O's. But him coming back more is the reminder of last season. Last year Seattle was supposed to compete in the American League, and the acquiring of Bedard was supposed to push them over the top. Instead, despite a large payroll, the team lost over 100 games as saw the firings of GM Bill Bavasi and manager John McLaren. Though it happened yesterday and not today with Bedard pitching, in some ways it was just as important.

David Hernandez will be on the mound for the Orioles. After a huge game from Rich Hill on Monday, the Orioles look for the series win today. But the reunion between the two is finally here. It should be an interesting game.

(Photo credit: Baltimore Sun)

What do you do With O's Bullpen?

Last year, George Sherrill was the hidden gem of the Erik Bedard trade. O’s fans were excited over the prospect of center fielder Adam Jones solidifying the position for the next decade, and pitcher Chris Tillman one day taking on a #2 or even #1 role in the rotation. Sherrill, at the time, was an extra bonus for a team that needed all the pitching it could get. With Chris Ray injured for the season, Sherrill would be thrown into the closer’s role to simply see what would happen.

In the season that ensued, Sherrill went on to start the season 22 of 24 in save opportunities, but as the season dragged on his workload caught up to him, causing him to struggle down the stretch along with the rest of the ballclub. At least, that is what we thought was the reason. This year he has started the season wild and inconsistent, blowing 2 of his 6 save opportunities and making the rest way too interesting and anxious for O’s fans. And it isn’t just bad luck for a pitcher who has always played things a little loose. Opposing batters are hitting almost 100 points better than last season, clocking in at .326 this season. His home runs given up are also way up on last season. Most recently, Manager Dave Trembley conceded that he is now taking the closer role “day-to-day,” giving Chris Ray and Jim Johnson save opportunities, depending on the situation.

Like many O’s fans, I assumed the bullpen would be a strength this year, buoyed by Sherrill, Ray, and Johnson and a rejuvenated Danys Baez. Johnson, while still pitching well, has an ERA, WHIP, and batting average against that is higher than last season. Ray is still tentative and trying to rediscover the pitches that once made him a no-brainer at the closer spot. His 7.56 ERA is a good indication that he has a long way to go. However, Ray also has yet to step into an actual save situation. As I saw when he took the mound against the Rays several weeks ago in the 9th, sometimes a true closer can shine when he feels as though the game is actually on the line. That is clearly wishful thinking on my part, but Baltimore has got to be pulling for Ray to get it together. Oddly enough, the most effective pitcher in the bullpen so far has been Baez, who is on paper having one of the best years of his career. His fastball is clicking and while he doesn’t make great use of his other pitches he has been great in a relief role.

So what should the Orioles do? I am having trouble seeing why Baez shouldn’t be given a shot to save some games. Johnson struggled in the closer’s role when forced in last season, and Baez does have significant closer experience. From 2002-2005, Baez saved 102 of 126 opportunities with the Indians and Rays as their closer, including saving 41 of 48 chances in 2005. Chris Ray needs more time to find his groove in my opinion before I would be willing to push him out there with the game on the line. Put Baez out there and see what happens, he has the ability and a track record for success.

As for Sherrill, his style is one that keeps fans and players in suspense. He puts guys on, he gives up a hit here and there, but generally is able to complete the save. However, that style lends itself to coming apart if the pitcher loses even a little bit of control or leaves his fastballs hanging up there a bit too long. Sherrill will likely find his way back to the closer’s role once he is able to manage his mechanics or whatever else is wrong with him this season. In the meantime, the O’s are in for a rude awakening in a disappointing bullpen this season.

What We Learned from Opening Day

It is very easy to make too much out of Opening Day and view it under a microscope. After all, you don’t judge a marathon on how a runner takes his first steps. However, yesterday afternoon’s 10-5 smash over many analyst’s pick to win the AL East (and perennial heart of evil in baseball) can give Orioles fans a host of reasons for jubilation, and a few reasons for concern moving forward. If nothing else, every win is one step closer to an improvement on last season. No matter what happens this season (100 losses is not out of the question), there will be plenty of story lines to follow.

Well, if yesterday’s game was any indication, the defense is for real. Aside from a ball falling out of Nick Markakis’ glove in foul territory late in the game, the fielding was exemplary. While the waterlogged infield may have helped slow the ball down slightly, Cesar Izturis played up to and beyond expectations in keeping balls from getting to the outfield and hustling to complete double plays. Brian Roberts should be able to play to his side and not worry about covering for a shortstop with limited range. Additionally, it seems as though Melvin Mora is putting off the defensive decline that comes with age for another year. His incredible grab to rob a base hit on a line drive showed that his reflexes are as good as ever- every year I am convinced that he will start to break down and every year he seems to prove me wrong at third. He isn’t the best defensive third baseman in the game, but he still does a solid job.

On the other hand, the bullpen might not be as strong as we thought. Chris Ray, coming off of a year-long absence from the game and a 0.00 ERA in spring training, served up a two run shot to Jorge Posada and Ray simply did not look like his old self. Let’s hope this was just due to jitters and not a greater problem with his health. He may need some time to readjust to the big leagues, but this pitching staff might not have much time to let him tinker away. Jamie Walker does not appear to have rebounded very well from last season (which he insisted was due to injury, but this writer is starting to doubt that), with the left-handed specialist struggling and failing to get out his one batter. Overall the Orioles had to burn through 6 relievers in 3 innings of work, with only Dennis Sarfate not allowing a man to get on base. Jim Johnson’s command was off, throwing way off the plate and showing obvious signs of frustration. He is going to have to get under control, as the 7-8-9 line of Ray, Johnson, and Sherrill will be critical for the starters to have a bit of rest now and then. Yesterday it didn’t happen, but Johnson’s wild pitching could have made things a lot worse for Baltimore.

As expected, these boys can hit. Every player except Luke Scott got at least one hit, but the biggest surprise has got to be Adam Jones’ patience at the plate. Jones consistently made pitchers throw him a good pitch before he’d swing, and it led to his 2 walks and 3 hits, with not a single at-bat wasted. Generally hitters who are impatient tend to stay that way; they can get slightly better or slightly worse but a high strike-out rate usually stays with a guy through his career. We had heard rumblings of Jones improving in that department, but I didn’t expect what I saw yesterday. It bodes very well for a 1-2 high on-base-percentage punch in Roberts and Jones at the top of the order. As I said earlier, Cesar Izturis came to play yesterday. His home run might or might not have come due to fan interference, but until I hear Yankee fans bemoaning the illegitimate “Jeffrey Maier” home run of 1996, I will take it with a shrug when playing New York. It was close enough not to overturn anything, anyway. Any time you score 10 runs it is a great output, and please let’s not pull the ESPN routine and blame the Oriole’s offense on CC’s bad day. As Manager Dave Trembley said in his postgame press conference, his players simply worked the count and forced CC to give them the pitch they wanted. No, the $161 million man didn’t have a great outing, but the O’s were not just cherry picking out there.

This was a great way to open the season, but there are still plenty of concerns. Luckily O’s fans have until Wednesday to bask in the glory of an Opening Day win. Enjoy it- there may be a rough season ahead, but yesterday’s performance was certainly uplifting. Let’s see how Koji Uehara fares in his MLB debut against this same vaunted Yankee lineup.

Looking Back: 2008 Orioles Trades

The Orioles went absent from this year's trade deadline, which isn't entirely surprising. Earlier, George Sherrill seemed to peak some team's interest, but MacPhail's wanting a future shortstop halted most talks. Perhaps the struggle to sign 2008 5th round pick Gregory Miclat had something to do with that (he is finalizing a deal soon, Windsor I expect a Prospect Report on him before the year ends!). But, let's take a stroll down memory lane and take a look at the Orioles trades this year and see how they worked out.
(Note: all pictures show players from their former teams)

December 11th, 2007: Orioles trade shortstop Miguel Tejada (left) to the Houston Astros for outfielder Luke Scott (middle), pitcher Dennis Sarfate (right), pitcher Matt Albers, pitcher Troy Patton, and third baseman Mike Costanzo.

The reasons: All right, I'm cheating by a month, but it mainly affected 2008. Tejada supposedly wanted out of Baltimore and his value had gone way down since two years before. Two days before he'd be named in the Mitchell Report, Tejada was traded to the Houston Astros for five players. The Orioles big land was Troy Patton, a possible future star pitcher.

Results: Often trades don't work out for both teams, but this trade seemed to. Though Patton got hurt before serious work, the Birds found usefulness in three other players. Scott has been a fan favorite as the primary left fielder, Sarfate has been a solid reliever in the new bullpen, and Albers was a solid long reliever before his season-ending injury. Despite controversies with his age and steroids, Tejada became an All-Star shortstop for the Astros. Everybody wins on this deal.


January 2, 2008: Orioles give cash to Philadelphia Phillies for centerfielder Chris Roberson.

The reasons: Don't worry if you never heard about this, Roberson was on the Phillies Triple-A club. The Orioles were trying to rebuild their farm system before the season's start, and Roberson's decent play when up in the majors briefly must have enticed MacPhail. The Phillies got cash for Roberson.

Results: Baltimore getting Adam Jones the next month would nullify the need for a future centerfielder. Though he has had decent success with the Norfolk Tides, 28-year-old Roberson isn't expected to be a big part of the Orioles future.















February 8th, 2008: Orioles trade ace Erik Bedard (left) to Seattle Mariners for outfielder Adam Jones (center), and pitchers George Sherrill (right), Chris Tillman, Tony Butler, and Kam Mickolio.

The reasons: The Orioles, still trying to rebuild the farm system with solid future prospects, were trying to deal Erik Bedard, a low paid lefty ace that wasn't happy in Baltimore. They found a suitor in the Mariners, who were looking for a top ace for a possible race in the AL West. Seattle traded their best prospect, Adam Jones, along with four other pitchers to the Orioles. Both sides seemed happy, Seattle got their ace and the Orioles got solid future players.

Results: Jones immediately began as the Orioles centerfielder, steadily improving during the year and is a big part of their future. Sherrill took the role as closer, making to the All-Star Game and as of today saving 30 games, not to mention a fan favorite with the duckbill cap. Mickolio and Tillman have shown decent progress in the minors. As for Bedard? The Orioles seemed to have a crystal ball on this one. Though Bedard is 6-4 in 15 starts, he's constantly been on the injured list and seems to be just as unfriendly in Seattle as he was in Baltimore. Big, big, big win for the Orioles. The Mariners might still get the ace in Bedard, but it looked like they blew it on this one.

July 19th, 2008: Orioles trade infielder Mike McCoy to Colorado Rockies for infielder Juan Castro.

The reasons: With the injury of Alex Cintron and the struggles of Freddie Bynum and Luis Hernandez, the Orioles were looking for a new shortstop. Knowing they weren't going to get a star in trades, MacPhail elected for the temporary fix, trading Mike McCoy for the veteran Juan Castro.

Results: Though not showing much with the bat, 36-year-old Castro is helping out with the glove, giving strong defensive help at short, which would send Bynum out of the majors. McCoy is doing well in the Rockies farm system in his short time with the Triple-A Sky Sox (I just wanted to say Sky Sox on this blog). Neither is expected to be a huge deal, but time will tell for 27-year-old McCoy.

Overall, McPhail has done a very good job so far on trades with the Orioles. These trades have landed key pieces to the Orioles system without giving up too much. But, as we always have mentioned around here, more work needs to be done before the Orioles can be back to glory days.

(Photo credits: Minorleaguebaseball.com (Jones), MLB (Bedard, Sherill, Scott, Sarfate, Castro), ESPN (Tejada), Sportsline.ca (Roberson)

Orioles Strategy: Trade Deadline

As the July 31st trade deadline approaches, the Orioles may be big players in the market for prospects. They have already made one deal, trading Mike McCoy for Juan Castro, a Triple-A shortstop. But, the Orioles are going for the long term. So, what are the Orioles needs, and will they move anyone to fill them?

Keep a few things in mind. The only teams that will trade for Major League roster players are teams that competing for a playoff run and not in the AL East division. This will limit options, but teams will still seek players to fill-in needs. Also, if the Orioles make too many moves, then big name free agents won't believe the Orioles will win in the near future; Mark Teixeira comes to mind. If the Orioles don't make any moves, then the value for current players may go down and the Orioles possible prospects would not be as talented. This happened with Miguel Tejada. It isn't an easy process for anyone to deal with.

Orioles primary needs- shortstop, first baseman
Secondary- third base, left field, starting pitching

(Note: All stats are as of July 18th and according to Yahoo Sports)


Will B-Rob stay in B-more?
Tale of the Tape: .292, 49 extra base hits (7 HR), 27/36 SB
Salary: $6.3 million
Brian Roberts is probably the most wanted player on the O's. A very consistent player the last few years, the 30-year-old second baseman is a solid leadoff hitter. History has shown that Peter Angelos is very protective of Roberts. The Cubs had shown interest before the beginning of the season, but there would have to be a big deal for the face of the franchise to be traded.

By George, is he leaving?
Tale of the Tape: 2-4, 3.98 ERA, 40.2 IP, 29 SV
Salary: $980,000
The 31-year-old George Sherrill has been quite the surprise for the O's. Southpaw relievers are prized since there a few of them in the majors. No contender would want Sherrill as a closer, so they won't trade talent equal to a closer's worth. Likely by this season's end, he'll have never pitched more innings in a season. The counter: there is no telling whether Chris Ray would be ready next year or if Baltimore could replace Sherrill with another lefty.

Will the O's huff, puff, get "blow your house" down deal?
Tale of the Tape: .289, 19 HR, 61 RBI
Salary: $8 million
Aubrey Huff has become the Orioles best power hitter. The 31-year-old is mainly a DH but can play third or first base. Though he's had two decent years with the Birds, he hasn't shown power like this the last few years; no telling if he'll be consistent. The Orioles probably wouldn't get much from a trade with Huff except a dump of salary, which isn't a huge deal to Angelos right now.

Will the submarine launch from the harbor?
Tale of the Tape: 3-3, 2.62 ERA, 34.1 IP, 11 K
Salary: $3,666,667
Chad Bradford is a solid short relief pitcher: a righty submariner who forces many ground balls. The 34-year-old has only given up a 4+ ERA one season since 2001. He normally can't go longer than an inning during an outing. Like Sherill, Bradford's value is limited due to the fact that he wouldn't be a closer to a contender, but his services could be useful to team with bullpen needs.

Is it Millar Time for someone?

Tale of the Tape: .239, 12 HR, 47 RBI

Salary: $3.8 million

Kevin Millar wouldn't get traded for his potential numbers or for the future (he's 36). But Millar is the undesputed leader of the clubhouse, and a few teams might want his presence to help morale of a team. He is in a contract year and isn't part of the Orioles future. But, the fact that the Birds wouldn't get much for him and that he's such a great teammate might keep him here.

I believe at least one of the above will be traded before the deadline, but Andy MacPhail will not make a deal unless he believes it is very helpful to the future of the franchise.

(Photo credits: Major League Baseball)

Saving the Closer

Closing out a game with a 1-run lead is a much more tasking inning on the body than holding a 6-run lead in the 7th, regardless of the situation. Those 3 outs can take much more out of a pitcher, mentally and physically, than any other role in baseball. Of the many afflictions the Orioles faced last year, relief pitching may have been the worst. Danys Baez was not worth the paper his contract was written on, and with Chris Ray’s struggles and eventual surgery, no lead could be considered safe. Having a quality closer to lock down that final inning is essential for any team’s success, particularly one that has relied on late-game comebacks like the Orioles have this year. The Orioles were fortunate in the Erik Bedard trade to get a pitcher in George Sherrill who could come in and immediately step in to the closer role, though some adjustment period was expected.

Much to our joy and surprise, for most of this season Sherrill has been lights out in the 9th. The “could-be closer” was drilling through lineups like he was pitching against Delmarva. Starting in the middle of May, Sherrill began walking more batters and allowing the occasional big hit, but usually with enough of a run cushion from the late-inning Orioles offense to survive with nothing but sighs of relief for another exciting win. Dating back to June 14th, Sherrill has allowed 6 earned runs through 7.2 innings, and blown 3 saves in 8 opportunities. To that point, Sherrill had only blown 2 saves in 24 opportunities.

In five years in the majors, George Sherrill has never pitched more than 45 innings in an entire season. This season, he is on pace for almost 80 innings, in a more taxing role than he had encountered before to this point in his career. The amount of stress being placed on his arm is likely something he has not felt since before his arrival in the majors in 2004. As such, his complaint of arm soreness (that he did not report to Manager Dave Trembley or the training staff) could be worse than he has been letting on, as he has been reticent to admit that he needs time off to rest. When a player, fails to report a potential injury, he often exacerbates it and causes his team to suffer in the process. Even if he is able to tough it out, he has an obligation to at least notify the team so they have accurate information going into every game. This season could be far more taxing on George than we as fans or even the coaching staff is possibly aware of.

Trembley has indicated his desire that another player look to take some of the closing duties from Sherrill, but who? Tuesday night he got the save, but not before allowing a base hit that scored 2 inherited runners from Dennis Sarfate. Sarfate wouldn’t have been taken out of the game had he not put the game into a save situation after taking over with a 7-3 lead. Sarfate had been the leading candidate to take some of the closing duties, but he has struggled as much as Sherrill recently, allowing 5 earned runs in his last 8 innings. With Matt Albers out for the season and Jamie Walker on the DL with an injury that might or might not effect him for the rest of the season, The O’s may be short on relievers at a time when we are looking for an extra one to rely on, despite Adam Loewen’s long-awaited return- and 3 run disaster last night. Jim Johnson is probably the most likely candidate, but the void left in his place might be almost as difficult to fill.

Sherrill may get some necessary rest over the All-Star break, unless he turns out to be the O’s obligatory representative and once again denies injury to pitch in the game. The impact of Sherrill’s tired arm and other injuries in the bullpen could make those trademark Orioles comebacks fewer and farther between if the pieces don’t continue to fall into place for this “charmed” Charm City team. It looks very shaky for relief pitchers that just a few weeks ago were carrying the O’s to win after win.