Orioles News - Staying Or Going? (Part Two)

For the next couple of blogs, I will write about a player on the Baltimore Orioles and whether or not I think they will be back next season. The player I will write about today is Jeremy Guthrie.

Jeremy Guthrie, Starting Pitcher

Jeremy Guthrie, a great pitcher with some not-so-great run support. Guthrie is a great pitcher, but it seems every time he goes out to take the mound, the Orioles don't score. But, Guthrie could be the O's future Ace, especially since current Ace Erik Bedard might be traded. So, what are the odds of seeing Guthrie back in an Orioles uniform next year? I'm going to say that there is a 99% chance he will still be on the O's next year. Why? Well, no trade rumors have involved him. That's some convincing evidence, because it's not like the O's are going to release him. - John T.

Orioles News - Staying Or Going?

For the next couple of blogs, I will write about a player on the Baltimore Orioles and whether or not I think they will be back next season. The first player I will do is Erik Bedard.

Erik Bedard, Starting Pitcher

Ahh, Erik Bedard. A possible CY Young candidate late last year before he got injured. He also led all of Major League Baseball in strikeouts before he was injured late last year. So, what are the odds of him still being an Oriole by the start of next season? I'm gonna say 50%. Why? Well, he was trade bait at the Winter Meetings in Nashville, but he still has yet to be traded. Keep in mind that he is signed through 2009. Yes, contract talks with him and his agent have stalled, but I don't see the Orioles giving him up unless they get a very good deal. Which, apparently still hasn't happened because he still plays for Baltimore. Or it could be the fact that the O's are asking too much... Either way, there's a 50-50 shot that Bedard will be a Baltimore Oriole next year. - John T.

Orioles News - Is Roberts Outta Here?

Could Baltimore Oriole second baseman Brian Roberts be leaving Baltimore? Apparently talks between the Orioles and the Chicago Cubs have gotten very serious. The talks have gotten so serious that the O's have actually contacted Rocky Hall, the agent of free agent second baseman Tadahito Iguchi. They have done this to see if Iguchi would be interested in playing for Baltimore, so the O's know they would have an option at second base should Brian Roberts be traded. It could be a three player deal, including a starting pitcher coming to the O's. But, this could be all talk. Roberts is a fan favorite, and owner Peter Angelos has killed deals in the past that would send Roberts to another team. I say that the Orioles should hold onto Brian, unless the deal being offered is too good to pass up. Roberts is a great player, (one of the few good players on the O's), and a fan favorite. Without him, what player would people come to Camden Yards to see? Erik Bedard could likely be traded, and he only plays every 5 days anyway, so what player would put the fans in the stands? Nick Markakis can't do it alone...

Bottom line: Keep Roberts unless the Cubs are giving some top pitching prospects away. - John T.

Orioles News - Most Wanted

Erik Bedard could be Major League Baseball's most wanted. Most wanted pitcher, that is. Yes, Johan Santana is still on the market, but it appears as if only the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees are the remaining candidates. The Yankees appear to be the front runner, though. At the Winter Meetings in Nashville Tennessee, the Baltimore Orioles have apparently had discussions with several teams about Erik Bedard and/or Miguel Tejada. The O's aren't currently negotiating with Bedard and his agent, but the door is still open to go back and sign Bedard to a deal.

Also, catcher Guillermo Quiroz was signed by the Orioles to a Major League contract. He will be the back up for catcher Ramon Hernandez. The O's also met with a few agents of free agent Relievers. - John T.

Orioles News - Winter Meetings

A slight change has been made to my blog. I will no longer put yesterdays date in the title, a habit that was useful during the season when the O's were still playing games. From now on, my blogs will not include a date in the title.

For all of Major League Baseball, the Winter Meetings will begin Monday in Nashville, Tennessee. So, what are these Winter Meetings? It's where GM's and top executives from all of the Major League teams go and talk baseball. They talk about trades, rumors, etc. So, which Baltimore Orioles players could be moving? Well, Andy MacPhail has said that no Orioles player is untouchable, but there are a few leading candidates to go. Disgruntled Oriole Miguel Tejada will probably be traded at the meetings. Ace Erik Bedard could also be traded. Several teams have offered good packages for him, and since contract negotiations between his agent and the O's have stalled, it is more reason to believe that he will be dealt. Also, Aubrey Huff, Jay Payton, Ramon Hernandez, and Melvin Mora could also be traded. What will the O's be looking for in return? The Orioles will most likely try to add a few relievers. The O's had their worst bullpen ERA in franchise history last year. Plus, Dany Baez and Chris Ray will be out for most of this year, leaving the O's short two more relievers. The O's will probably try to add some young arms. That's a good start... - John T.

Orioles News - 11/29/07 - Bedard Contract Talks Cool

Baltimore Orioles ace Erik Bedard's contract extension talks have stalled. For the moment, at least. The O's have been having recent contract talks with Bedard and his agent, Mark Pieper. The talks really haven't gotten serious, because it has been said that the O's and Pieper haven't even discussed figures. But, any start is a good start I guess. Anyway, it is unlikely that the O's will sign Bedard anytime soon. The O's just want to know what it would take to re-sign him first. Bedard is locked in a contract until 2009, and it's doubtful that the O's will continue contract talks anytime before or during the winter meetings for GM's. There is a lot of interest in Bedard, though. The New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, Los Angeles Angels, and Los Angeles Dodgers are all reported to have interest in Erik. That's good news. Unfortunately, that's about the only good news the O's have had this off season... - John T.

Orioles News - 11/25/07 - Random Thoughts On The O's

Sorry I couldn’t write my blog yesterday, my internet went down. Here is my blog for today.

For this blog, I will just spit out my thoughts on the O’s. It just may become a weekly special… Anyway, here it is.

Aubrey Huff recently went on the Bubba The Love Sponge show, and he talked bad about Baltimore. Nice. You can tell Huff was thinking clearly. It’s not like the fans that he dissed on help pay his salary or anything like that…

Miguel Tejada just might be leaving Baltimore soon. My response: Finally. Haven’t the O’s been wanting to trade him for years? Oh yeah, they have, but they’ve never been able to finish the deal. Maybe this is the time… (Fingers crossed)

Ace Erik Bedard could be traded too. Andy MacPhail has said several times that no player is untouchable. I don’t want Bedard to go, but if the deal is that good that Baltimore will trade their Ace away, then I just might believe in it. Then again, the O’s have made some very bad trades before… I’ll leave you with that. – John T.

Orioles News - 11/14/07 - How The Team Is Dealing With Huff's Comments - A Trade For Bedard?

Baltimore Orioles officials are looking into a pretty big issue. The issue is Aubrey Huff. After several comments by Huff on a radio show called Bubba The Love Sponge, including when he called Baltimore a horses--t city, O's officials are upset. The officials are looking into possible disciplinary action against Huff for his comments. That's just a shame that another O's player has ran his mouth. But unlike most other players who run their mouth, Huff won't go back on his comments. (Sigh.)

Baltimore Orioles president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail might be lying when he claimed that no Oriole player was "untouchable." Meaning no player was off limits to a trade. Left hander Erik Bedard could soon be off limits if he is signed to a contract extension. The O's are prepared to begin conversations with Bedard's agent sometime before next month's Winter Meetings begin. There is a lot of interest in Bedard via trade, but the O's don't want to trade him without at least trying to resign him first. (Bedard will be a free agent in 2009.) The Yankees, Angels, Mets, and the Dodgers all are reported to have interest in Erik. The Dodgers are considered to be the most aggressive team going for Bedard. The Dodgers could be offering outfielder Matt Kemp, reliever Jonathan Broxton, and minor leaguer Clayton Kershaw. Kershaw is a starting pitcher and is considered to be one of the best young starting pitching prospects in the league. Broxton and Kemp have had some success over the last two years in the Major League. That deal looks as if it would be pretty sweet. But, that would leave the O's without a real Ace for next year. It wouldn't help the O's win a lot of games in the short term, but it could pay off in the long run. I'm tired of the rebuilding that has lasted what seems like forever, but this deal seems to good to pass up. - John T.

Orioles News - 11/12/07 - O's Helping Nats - No One Is Untouchable?

The Baltimore Orioles are going to help the Washington Nationals. How so? By helping break in the Nationals new Stadium. On March 29, the O's and Nationals are going to play an exhibition game in the Nats new park. So, how can you get tickets? You can't unless you are have a season ticket package. No tickets are being sold to the public. The rest of the tickets that aren't taken by the season ticket holders will be given away. The O's helping their cross-town rivals. Who woulda thought of that?

Orioles president Andy MacPhail has said that no one on the O's team is "untouchable." Meaning that no one will be off limits to a trade. But really, are there untouchables? I gotta say yes on this one. Don't tell me that Baltimore is really going to trade a home-grown star like Nick Markakis. Or Erik Bedard? Are the O's really going to trade him? They better keep these players if they ever want to compete... - John T.

Orioles News - 10/23/07 - Two Players Come Up From Minors, Five Taken Off DL

Well, it's official. The Baltimore Orioles took two players up from the minors yesterday, and took 5 players off of the Disabled List to bring their amount of players on their roster to the limit of 40. The players who came up were right handed pitcher Fredy Deza and right handed pitcher Bob McCrory. They both came up from Double A Bowie.

Also, five players came off of the 60 day Disabled List. Those players were pitcher Erik Bedard, pitcher Kris Benson, pitcher Adam Loewen, closer Chris Ray, and Outfielder Jay Gibbons. My first thought: Kris Benson is still here? My second thought: If Gibbons took steroids, why is he still on the team? Weren't the O's going to release him after it was found that he used steroids? It appears the O's were all talk and no walk. Ain't that the story of the last 10 years? - John T.

Orioles News - 10/9/07 - Changes The O's Need To Make To Compete

Now that the Baltimore Orioles season is over, some of the many questions on every one's mind are these: What changes do the O's need to make to compete? Should Miguel Tejada leave or at least move to 3rd base? Should Daniel Cabrera leave or at least head to the bullpen? Today I will answer the first question, What changes do the O's need to make to compete? The rest will be answered in the coming days.

What Off Season Changes Do the Baltimore Orioles Need to Make to Compete?

The Baltimore Orioles off season checklist should look like this:

1. Relievers.

2. A good, middle-of-the-order hitter.

3. Starting pitchers.

Why is getting relievers ranked first? Well, reliever Dany Baez will most likely be out for all of 2008 with an arm injury that will require Tommy John Surgery. Not that he was all that great. He was 0-6 with a 6.44 ERA. He won't be missed by me. But, closer Chris Ray is also expected to be out for all of next year as he is having Tommy John Surgery too. Reliever Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford were good this year, but other then that, Baltimore didn't really have any good relievers. With two more arms gone from the bullpen, we need more relievers.

Why is a good, middle-of-the-order hitter a need? Well, the O's scored 756 runs last year, but the pitching gave up the 3rd most runs in all of baseball. Your not going to win a lot of games when your being outscored like that. Plus, this move would take pressure off of Miguel Tejada and Nick Markakis, because they would know they have a great hitter coming up behind them.

Why are starting pitchers a need? They are because our rotation has only 1 proven pitcher, Erik Bedard. Yes, Jeremy Guthrie is good but he was a rookie last year, and he'll need another good year to prove himself. Adam Loewen is good but who knows how he'll be after coming off major surgery. Other then that, we don't have any good pitchers for our rotation. We have young pitchers but they're just that: Young. And young pitchers means inexperienced pitchers. The O's need to pick up at least 1 veteran starter to help out the rotation and the younger players.

Coming tomorrow: Should Miguel Tejada Leave The Orioles Or At Least Move To 3rd base? - John T.

Orioles News - 10/8/07 - Looking At The O's Pitching In 2008

Now that the Baltimore Orioles season is over, some of the many questions on every one's mind are these: What will the Orioles' pitching rotation look like in 2008? What changes do the O's need to make to compete? Should Miguel Tejada leave or at least move to 3rd base? Should Daniel Cabrera leave or at least head to the bullpen? Today I will answer the first question, What will the Orioles' pitching rotation look like in 2008? The rest will be answered in the coming days.

What Will the Baltimore Orioles Pitching Rotation Look Like in 2008?

The O's pitching staff is one of the worst in the league, a fact that's not likely to change this year. But, with some key off season moves, the Orioles could have a chance at a mediocre pitching staff. Don't believe me? I'm not surprised considering the fact the Orioles pitching was ranked 2nd to last in ERA last year. But, the foundation has been laid. With left hander Erik Bedard as our ace of the present and future, the number one spot in the rotation is securely held down. Now comes number two. This will be close, as right hander Jeremy Guthrie and left hander Adam Loewen are likely to be duking it out for the number two spot. The runner up will likely take the third spot. Then there's the fourth and fifth spots up for grabs. It is unclear whether Daniel Cabrera will get a spot in the rotation after 4 frustrating seasons in Baltimore. If he does, it's likely that he does because of a lack of other good pitchers. There's also Kris Benson, the pitcher who was on the Disabled List all season. He could get a spot in the rotation once he comes back from injury. Throw in Radhames Liz, Garrett Olson, and Brian Burres and there is a 5 man battle for two spots in the rotation. It should be interesting during spring training...

Coming tomorrow: What Changes Do the O's Need to Make to Compete? - John T.

Orioles News - 10/4/07 - Grading the Pitching in 2007

As a part of the 2007 season wrap-up for the Baltimore Orioles, I will grade the Orioles pitching. Some pitchers were good, but most were bad. Here are my grades. (Note: Players who finished the year injured are not included, with an exception of Erik Bedard.)

Grading the Baltimore Orioles' Pitching in 2007:

Pitcher: Grade: Key Stat:
Erik Bedard A 3.16 ERA in 182 innings
Jamie Walker B+ 81 games
Chad Bradford B 1 homer allowed all season
Jeremy Guthrie A- 175 1/3 innings for the rookie
John Parrish C+ 33 walks
Daniel Cabrera F 18 losses
Rob Bell C- 5.94 ERA
Brian Burres C- More hits then innings pitched
Dany Baez F 0-6 with a 6.44 ERA
Radhames Liz D Walks: 23. Innings pitched: 24.
Fernando Cabrera F 7.21 ERA
Jim Hoey D- 7.30 ERA
Jon Leicester D- More hits then innings pitched
Rocky Cherry F 7.71 ERA
Garrett Olson F 28 Earned runs
Kurt Birkins F 8.13 ERA
Victor Santos D- 5 homers allowed in 4 games

In other Baltimore Orioles news, executive Jim Duquette resigned. He has been with the team since October 2005. So long Jim.

Coming tomorrow: Grading the Baltimore Orioles position players in 2007. - John T.

Orioles News - 10/2/07 - Best of the 2007 season

As a part of the 2007 season wrap-up for the Baltimore Orioles, I will write about the Orioles best moment and best players of 2007.

Best Moment in the 2007 Season:

There were few great moments for the Orioles in 2007, but this one really stands out.

- Aubrey Huff hitting for the cycle. This was on June 27, as Aubrey hit for the cycle against the Los Angeles Angels. He began with a triple, his 1,000th hit, followed by a double, his 200th of his career, and then he homered. Only a single to go... And... Huff hit the single he needed, a bloop hit that gave him the cycle! He was the first Oriole to hit for the cycle at home. And what a game! His 1000th hit, his 200th double, and the cycle all in one day! Amazing.

Best Oriole of 2007:

There is 1 player that deserves this award the most. Here he is:

Nick Markakis, Right fielder, Baltimore Orioles, Number 21. That's what his bio says. They forgot to mention "Savior of the Baltimore Orioles." Nick Markakis has provided hope in another losing season. He has given fans hope for the future, that maybe, just maybe, he will be able to one day carry this team on his shoulders out of the cellar in the AL East, and into the playoffs. So by now your probably saying "Yeah right, fat chance." But just look at his stats. He hit .300 with 23 home runs and 112 RBI's this season. And he's only in his 2nd year, as he blew the sophomore jinx theory away with those stats. If these are his stats for his 2nd year, just imagine his stats in his prime...

Runner up:

Erik Bedard. He had a great year, going 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA and 221 strikeouts. He would have had even more impressive stats had it not been for an oblique injury that sidelined him towards the end of the season. He probably would have led the league in strikeouts too, had it not been for that injury. He is still a Cy Young award candidate, but his chances are slim due to him not playing late in the year. Oh well, there's always next year...

Baltimore Orioles Rookie Of the Year:

There's really no question about it. It has to be pitcher Jeremy Guthrie. Guthrie did good, finishing with a 7-5 record and a 3.70 ERA. In 26 starts, that is. Yes, 26 starts. That means Guthrie had 14 no-decisions. Those no-decisions are due mainly to poor run support. Guthrie, like Bedard, got hurt towards the end of the season but still came back to pitch one final game before the season ended. As of right now, he is still a possible Rookie Of the Year candidate, though his chances were hurt by his injury.

Coming tomorrow: The worst of the 2007 season. - John T.

Orioles News - 9/9/07 - Gibbons & Steroids - Bedard out for year, Guthrie too? - O's lose again

Yesterday was a very busy day for the Baltimore Orioles. Jay Gibbons, a Orioles outfielder, was linked to HGH and other steroids. This information was found when a pharmacy was raided last spring, linking Gibbon's adress as a buyer. Jay recieved these shipments from October 2003 to July 2005. That's a shame. In more O's news, Erik Bedard's oblique strain is now ending his season. Rookie pitcher Jeremy Guthrie just suffered the same injury, and it looks as if his season might be over also. Ouch. Double Ouch. In more Orioles news, the O's lost to the Boston Red Sox, 3-2. In case your keeping track, that's 16 losses in 19 games. Ouch again. This loss has now assured the Orioles of their 10th straight non-winning season. Nick Markakis and Melvin Mora both hit solo homers in yesterday's game, providing the Orioles only runs. In the 8th inning, JD Drew singled, stole 2nd base, went to 3rd base on a sacrifice fly, and then scored on Coco Crisp's single off of Chad Bradford. That was it, the final run that secured a Boston victory. It was a busy, yet terrible day for the Baltimore Orioles. - John T.

Orioles News - 8/31/07 - O's snap losing streak

The Orioles won last night, 9-8 over the Boston Red Sox to halt their losing streak at 9 games. It wasn't a very pretty game, but a win is a win. Rookie pitcher Radhames Liz went only 3 innings giving up 2 runs (both earned), on 72 pitches. Of those 72 pitches, only 37 went for a strike. He looks like a Daniel Cabrera in the works, great one night and terrible the next. The O's took the lead in the 4th inning as a double by Nick Markakis followed by a home run from Miguel Tejada (In picture) gave the O's their first runs. Then Kevin Millar walked and Aubrey Huff singled, sending Millar to third base. A single from Melvin Mora scored Millar, followed by a single from Ramon Hernandez which scored Huff. That gave the O's a 4-3 lead. Also in the 4th inning, manager Dave Trembley was ejected for arguing that a Red Sox player had interfered with Ramon Hernandez on third base. In the 6th inning, the Orioles busted this game wide open. The bases were loaded with no one out and Jay Payton hit a sacrifice fly to bring in a run. Brian Roberts then walked to load the bases again, but this time with one out. Another sacrifice fly, this time from Corey Patterson, scored Melvin Mora. Nick Markakis then ripped a 3 run homer to rightfield, and the O's now had a 9-3 lead. The Orioles were done scoring after that outburst. The Red Sox weren't though, as they would score 5 more times and as our bullpen nearly blew a 9-3 lead. In other news, starting pitcher Steve Trachsel was traded away to the Chicago Cubs for 2 minor leaguers, 3rd baseman Scott Moore and reliever Rocky Cherry. Both of them have been staying at AAA this year. Trachsel's stock rose after a 2.37 ERA in 6 starts this August. He was 1-1 in August and would have been better if not for the bullpen collapsing and poor run support that has cost him wins. Also, pitcher Erik Bedard, a Cy Young canidate, could be out for an extended amount of time with a strained right Oblique muscle. That loss is going to hurt the Orioles badly. So, a busy day for the O's. The O's won, the manager got tossed, Trachsel was traded, and our ace, Erik Bedard is injured. - John T.

Orioles News - 8/26/07 - Twins sweep O's - Bedard gets strikeout record

6. Thats how many losses the Orioles have in a row. Let me throw another number at you. 21. Thats how many games back the Orioles are in the AL East. The O's lost again yesterday, 11-3 to the Minnesota Twins. Our ace, Erik Bedard got rocked for 6 runs. It's his first loss since June 10th. The O's have now dropped 8 of their last 10 games. In the first inning Bedard walked the first batter he faced. He then struck out the next batter he faced, giving him the single-season Orioles strikeout record. After that though, Torii Hunter singled sending the runner on first base to third base. Hunter then tried to steal 2nd base and a bad throw from catcher Paul Bako sent the runner on third base, Casilla, home and Hunter to third base. Justin Morneau hit a sacrifice fly to send Hunter home to score the game's second run. Then in the 2nd inning with 2 men on, Bartlett tripled to knock in both runners. The O's fought back in the 3rd and 4th innings. In the 3rd, Tike Redman singled to start things off. Redman then stole 2nd base. Brian Roberts singled after that and that sent Redman to third. On an error, Roberts addvanced to 2nd. Corey Patterson reached second base after an error by Alexi Casilla which scored both runners, Redman and Roberts. In the 4th inning, Aubrey Huff singled to start things off. Freddie Bynum also singled to advance Huff to third. Paul Bako then hit a sacrifice fly and Huff scored. The O's were done scoring after that. But the Twins weren't as they scored 7 more runs. In other Orioles news, Kevin Millar failed to reach base as his Orioles record of 52 straight games reaching base ended. He nearly had a homer that would have tied the game in the 5th inning but Torii Hunter robbed his home run. So, 6 straight losses...- John T.