Orioles News - Staying Or Going? (Part Three)

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 Adam Loewen.

Adam Loewen, Starting Pitcher

Adam Loewen appears to be a pretty good pitcher. Too bad about last season... What happened last season? Let me fill you in. Loewen was off to a great start, 2-0 with a 3.56 ERA in 6 games. Then, he was injured. He needed season-ending surgery. It was frustrating from an O's fan's point of view. A player who was well on his way to having a breakout year, and he suffers a season ending injury and is forced to undergo surgery. He'll be able to return this year. But, what are the odds that he will still be in an Orioles uniform at the start of next season? There is a 95% chance that Loewen will be in a Baltimore Orioles uniform next season. How do I know this? No trade rumors have really involved him. And, he is happy in Baltimore. So, yeah, he'll be back next year. - 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 - 10/1/07 - 2007 season in review

This blog will be about the Baltimore Orioles 2007 season in review.

Season-changing moment:

Firing manager Sam Perlozzo and hiring Dave Trembley. This was key as the team did great when Trembley was the interim manager, but the same night that it was announced he became the Orioles' official manager, August 22, Baltimore lost to the Texas Rangers 30-3. That was a major turning point in the 2007 season as the O's would lose 8 straight after that and be stuck in a slump for the rest of the season.

What was good:

There were few things that were good, but I would say that Nick Markakis' season was the best thing for the Orioles this year. Markakis led the team in doubles (43), home runs (23), and RBI's (112). He also led the team with a .300 batting average. That's great because this shows that maybe, just maybe, the Orioles do have some good, young players that could help them win. But, I'll go into the subject of good moments in the 2007 season more tomorrow...

What was bad:

Just about everything. But to pick one main thing, I would say that injuries tore the team up. Adam Loewen, Jaret Wright, Kris Benson, and Chris Ray all suffered season ending injuries, with most of the injuries coming at the beginning of the year. Not to mention Miguel Tejada and Ramon Hernandez getting hurt... But, I will have more about the bad moments of the 2007 season in a few days...

In more Baltimore Orioles' news, pitchers Jaret Wright and Victor Zambrano were released by the team. Zambrano had a 8.76 ERA in 12 1/3 innings pitched and 11 walks during his stay in Baltimore. He won't be missed.

Coming tomorrow: The Best Moments Of The Baltimore Orioles 2007 Season. - John T.