Orioles Offseason

As the Orioles see all the division rivals once again loading up like it's an arms race in the AL East, Dan Duquette and company have been quiet this offseason.  The biggest move(s) we have made include resigning Nate McLouth for $2 million and NOT bringing back former 1B/3B Mark Reynolds. The birds also added Adam Russell and signed Conor Jackson to a minor league deal, neither of which stole the headlines of the Baltimore Sun Sports section.

The Yankees added Kevin Youkilis while Boston added Koji, Victorino, and Dempster. Toronto made two blockbuster trades netting Jose Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buerhle, and R.A. Dickey. Even the Rays made their own trade saying goodbye to "Big Game" James Shields and Wade Davis and getting the Minor League Player of the Year, Will Myers. With every team in "win now" mode, it will be extremely difficult for the Orioles to replicate their 2012 success if they stand pat and make no moves.

Personally, there is one player that I think the Orioles would be complete idiots to not get.  He currently resides a short way down the beltway.  Former Nationals first baseman, Adam LaRoche is sitting out there in free agency.  The Nationals are not willing to go past 2 years in a contract offer for him, so they are currently at a stalemate.  LaRoche provides that middle of the order presence that the O's need while being a plus defensive first baseman.  I read that Duquette was hesitant at the thought of forfeiting a draft pick in order to sign LaRoche.  The way I see it, they have no first baseman on the current roster or in the minors that would get the job done.  Chris Davis, while great offensively, would not be my choice to start at the position come opening day.  I'd much rather him at the DH spot.  It's never great to give up a draft pick, but in this case, it is definitely worth the investment.  The Orioles HAVE the money, time to go spend it.  At worst we have a 3 year investment for $33-36 million for a player that I think would age well and fits Camden Yards perfectly.  All Duquette needs to do is guarantee that third year.  The hole that was left with Reynolds power numbers when he left needs to be filled.

That move, plus one more starter, will reverse my opinion of what has currently been a waste of an offseason.  While I don't implore the team to spend for the hell of spending, I think this would be a wise investment for the franchise.  I don't want to see the team fall back to non-contending like it's been for most of my life.  Signing LaRoche should keep them competitive now and in the next few years.  To me, a move like this is a no-brainer!

D-Train Comes Off The Track For The Final Time

Dontrelle Willis has officially retired.  The pitcher with the funky wind-up, otherwise known as D-Train closes the book on his career.  Dontrelle's best days came as a member of the Florida/Miami Marlins early on in the major leagues.  He had some great years for that franchise.  He has a 22-win season to his credit, as well as a ROY award, plus two All-Star selections.  He also was on the Marlins team that won the 2003 World Series.  Willis most recently pitched for the Triple-A affiliate of the Orioles, Norfolk.  It was a good career, spanning nine MLB seasons.  Best of luck to Dontrelle in his future endeavors.

Orioles Release Tejada and Moyer

In the span of three days, the Orioles released both Jamie Moyer and Miguel Tejada, both at the request of the players.  Roch Kubatko reported the Tejada release on his Twitter.  The team had announced the request and release of Moyer on Saturday.

Moyer was lighting it up in Triple-A Norfolk, posting a 1.69 ERA over three starts.  He had 16 strikeouts in 16 innings for the Orioles affiliate.

Miguel Tejada was not fairing quite as well in the minors.  Also playing for Triple-A Norfolk, Tejada had a slash line of .260/.327/.290.  He hit no home runs and drove in 18 runs in 35 games played.

Best of luck to the two of them as they look to continue their careers and make it back to the major leagues!

Orioles Bring Back Moyer

In a career that has spanned what seems like forever, Jamie Moyer has once again signed on with a major league franchise.  The Orioles, one of Moyer's former employers, decided to give the 49-year old pitcher another opportunity.  Moyer previously pitched for the team from 1993-95 and compiled a record of 25-27.  Before he inked a deal with Colorado this past offseason, the Orioles were the other team that Moyer had narrowed his choice down to.

The career of Jamie Moyer started in 1986 with the Chicago Cubs.  As of right now, Moyer has 269 career wins and has an outside shot at 300.  If he makes it, he may be the last 300 game-winner to be seen.  Due to the specialization of the bullpen, pitchers not going as deep into games, and five-man rotations, 300 victories looks unreachable nowadays.

According to Baseball-Reference, Moyer has finished top-10 in the Cy Young award voting three times in his career.  While it's clear that those days are behind him, I still believe Moyer can be a serviceable arm at the major league level.  His fastball may not blow hitters away, but he is a crafty pitcher.  As of now, he will start in Triple-A tomorrow.  Remember, he is coming off of Tommy John surgery, so there may be some good starts up ahead as he completely heals.

I think it's a good move by the Birds.  Definitely low-risk, but could potentially pay some dividends.  At the worst, he can tutor the young pitching staff.  Who better, then a pitcher who has been around 26 years?  I can't help but root for this guy.  He's a class act!

Orioles Roster Changes

Amidst the teams recent stuggles, the Orioles have made more adjustments to the major league roster.  First off, 3B/1B Mark Reynolds has been activated from the disabled list, replacing pitcher Stu Pomeranz, who suffered a torn oblique. Roch Kubatko also reported, Endy Chavez will rejoin the team and pitcher, Miguel Gonzalez has been summoned from Triple-A Norfolk to the big leagues.  As a result, young outfielder Xavier Avery and pitcher Tommy Hunter have been sent down to the minor leagues.  Both are going to the Orioles Triple-A affiliate, Norfolk.

Hunter had his worst outing of the year the last night, getting touched up for 6 runs (five earned) and 9 hits over just three innings.  With Zach Britton inching closer and closer to returning, Hunter's spot is definitely in jeopardy as the season progresses.  Xavier Avery had a good showing for a young player being thrust into the big leagues.  Avery still needs to learn to play LF since he is a natural CF.

Next injured players to keep your eyes on for returns are Brian Roberts, Zach Britton, and Nolan Reimold.  Hopefully Mark Reynolds can have a power surge to help out Adam Jones and Matt Wieters with the offensive support.  I only hope Buck Showalter puts him nowhere near starting at 3B.

Until then, let's hope the O's can snap out of this funk tonight against the Blue Jays as we have more AL East rival games upcoming.

The Beltway Series Summary

I don't know about the rest of you, but this series always gets me extra pumped up as a local fan.  We get to see not one, but two franchises battle it out for MD/DC supremacy.  The best part is that the series takes place twice a year.  As you all probably know, the Orioles took two of three games from the beltway rival, Washington Nationals.

Nationals Park looked to have been sold out on Saturday, when a few friends and I went to see the game. We were luckily able to get standing room only tickets for a mere $20.  The only other seats available were $185, which shows the fans definitely came out for this series.  It was my second time at Nationals Park, and while I am a bit biased towards Camden Yards, I like the park in "Natstown" as well.

Now, on to the actual games.  The first two games were played very well, while Sunday's game was a six run loss by the Birds.  Orioles fans got their first look at both of the Nationals young phenoms, Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg.  Strasburg pitched five innings, striking out eight Orioles, while only giving up one earned run.  He also made another highlight, hitting his first major league home run.
Wei-Yin Chen got torched, giving up six runs in 4 1/3 innings.  Chen also had five strikeouts and three walks. 19-Year-Old Bryce Harper went a combined 4-for-12 in the three game series with 2 RBI.

The other two games featured home runs by Adam Jones and Nick Markakis.  Pedro Strop picked up his third save of the year in game one, followed by Jim Johnson closing it out for save number 15 in game two.  Adam Jones is pacing the Orioles offensively so far this season, leading the team in home runs and RBIs, while hitting at a .308 clip.

Overall, it was a great first series with the Nats this year.  We took the series, and the Orioles fanbase came out in large numbers this weekend.  At the game, there were alternating, "Go Nats" and "Go O's" chants, showing team pride.  On Saturday, there was even a free hat giveaway.  This was my first beltway series in person and the atmosphere was ELECTRIC!!  I hope this truly can become a great rivalry.  It also helps when both teams are off to great starts!  Can't wait till the Camden Yards trip for the Nats!! Keep it here for Orioles news/updates and commentary!

Orioles Switch Up The Roster

After finishing off a three game sweep of the Boston Red Sox yesterday, the Orioles made some adjustments to their roster before the series with the AL Champion Rangers began.  Yesterday's starting pitcher, Tommy Hunter, along with Ronny Paulino, have both been demoted to Triple A.  Both moves were surprising, even given that Hunter did not fair well in Sunday's game.  He allowed five runs on eight  hits in 4 1/3 innings.  Paulino definitely hadn't been doing badly.  He was hitting .300 with three RBIs in limited duty.  Paulino made some sense only because the Orioles had called up Luis Exposito and I figured they would not go with three catchers for long.

While Hunter and Paulino were optioned, two relief pitchers were recalled to the team.  Jason Berken will replace Hunter's roster spot while Stu Pomeranz will take over for Paulino.  O's fans recognize Berken from past years.  He is currently pitching to a 1.23 ERA in Norfolk.  Pomeranz, is the brother of Rockies pitcher, Drew Pomeranz who was the centerpiece in the Ubaldo Jimenez trade from Cleveland.  Hopefully, they can make an impact and help the team while this brutal stretch in the schedule continues.

Tsuyoshi Wada Needs Tommy John Surgery

One of the more interesting offseason signings by Dan Duquette, pitcher, Tsuyoshi Wada is headed for Tommy John surgery.  Ken Rosenthal first reported the news on Twitter.  Wada has not made an appearance yet this year due to injury.  Wada, along with Wei-Yin Chen, were the major international signings for the Birds.  Chen has been great so far this year.  Before news broke of Tommy John surgery, if Wada were to have returned, it was being debated whether he was headed to the bullpen or to start.  Here are his stats from the Japanese League.  Wada, 31, signed a two-year contract worth $8.15 million, plus a club option for 2014.  Even with advances in Tommy John surgeries, Wada will still miss the rest of the 2012 season, but should be back ready to go next year!

Betemit Hits Walk-Off Home Run, Orioles Win 5-2

The Orioles are coming off a great come from behind victory yesterday at Camden Yards.  This weekend series with Oakland was a fun one.  The O's won the series, taking two of three games against the Oakland Athletics.  On Saturday night, the team put together a very nice ceremony for former player, Frank Robinson, who had a statue made in his honor at the stadium.  Other former Orioles made appearances, such as Eddie Murray, Jim Palmer, Earl Weaver, and Brady Anderson.  Robinson's family came to the dedication ceremony as well.  Hall of Fame outfielder Hank Aaron was also on hand for the festivities.  The Orioles won that game 10-1 over Oakland.  Chris Davis hit a moonshot home run that just stayed fair as the O's offense was clicking on all cylinders.

On Sunday, the situation was a bit different.  Former Cleveland ace, Bartolo Colon, stifled the Orioles offensively.  Colon gave up two earned runs in 8 1/3 innings while striking out five.  On the other side, Tommy Hunter matched Colon, giving up two runs in 7 innings.  After lifting Colon, the Athletics brought in closer, Grant Balfour to shut down the Orioles in the final inning.  Balfour inherited two runners and ended up allowing a game-tying two-run double to Matt Wieters.  Chris Davis was then walked intentionally to put two runners on base for Wilson Betemit.  Betemit lifted Balfour's pitch over the fences and gave the Orioles the victory, with his third home run on the season.

Now with that series concluded, the Orioles face a grueling few weeks upcoming.  EVERY team they will be playing was in the playoffs last season, minus the Red Sox.  Boston can still not be overlooked.  They have the star power to turn it around at anytime.  The upcoming schedules looks like this.  Tonight starts a three game series in New York with the Yankees, followed by an off day Thursday. Friday, the Orioles open a three game series in Boston with the Red Sox.  Afterward, the AL Champion Texas Rangers come to town for a four game series.  Next up, the Rays stop to Camden Yards for three games.  Lastly, a short two game series at home versus the Yankees once again.  The next fifteen games will certainly show whether the Orioles are a contender or just a pretender.

Tonight's game features pleasant surprise, Jason Hammel, pitching against Hiroki Kuroda.  Kuroda has struggled adjusting to the American League thus far on the season so let's hope those struggles continue.  More good news for the Orioles, Nick Swisher will most likely be out of action due to an injury.  Swisher is one of the O's killers in that lineup offensively.  The Orioles need to get off on the right foot by beating Kuroda and the Yanks tonight!  Keep it here for more Orioles news and updates!

Could Inge Be The Solution at Third?

The third base situation so far for the Orioles this year has been a revolving door.  Mark Reynolds was supposed to have a stronghold on the position, but with his anemic offense and horrible defense, the Birds have explored other options.  Recently, in-house candidates Wilson Betemit and Ryan Flaherty have been getting starts at the hot corner.  The team also traded Josh Bell recently.

That situation, coupled with the Nick Johnson/Chris Davis platoon struggling, has made fans wonder what the team will do.  Davis displayed his power tonight in the Orioles win over Toronto, but is far from the productive first baseman the Orioles want.  Both corner infield positions are still question marks in my mind.

News broke yesterday that third baseman, Brandon Inge was released by the Detroit Tigers.  Inge, one of the longest tenured Tigers, was off to a bad start in 2012.  He lost his starting job when Prince Fielder was signed, forcing Miguel Cabrera to move to third.  The Orioles, a team desperate in need of a third baseman who is more efficient defensively, should give Inge a look.

According to Orioles writer Roch Kubatko's tweet, there is at least discussion:

#orioles are still looking for ways to improve defense, and there's some interest in Inge. Can't completely dismiss him as possibility
— Roch Kubatko (@masnRoch) April 26, 2012

I hope we move forward and continue looking into this signing.  If it unfolds, Inge starts at third, move Reynolds to first base or DH, and split time with Davis/Johnson at the other spot.  Another option would be to release Davis or Johnson and rotate Betemit as a DH/1B/3B option.  I think that his presence in the clubhouse as well as his versatility would make him a great asset to the team; one that is definitely worth investing in.

Dontrelle Willis' Grievance With Orioles

The situation between pitcher Dontrelle Willis and the Baltimore Orioles started out innocently enough.  The pitcher was signed to a minor league contract and was to report to Triple-A.  Willis' signing was looked at by Orioles brass as adding a left hander to pitch out of the bullpen and function as a lefty specialist.  Apparently, Willis and his agent had other ideas.

Reported on MLBTradeRumors, Willis was placed on the restricted list by the Orioles, which eliminates his option to sign with another team.  If he does, the Orioles can receive something in return.  The reason for this, according to the GM, Dan Duquette, was that Willis had left Norfolk (Triple-A affiliate) without permission.

In an article written by Jerry Crasnick on ESPN.com, it was stated that Willis' agent, Matt Sosnick, said the following:

"Willis received permission from Tripp Norton, Baltimore's director of baseball administration, before leaving the Norfolk Tides last Wednesday."

It all just comes back to a disagreement over how Willis would be used by the Orioles when he came up from the minors.   This has become quite a messy situation with both parties.  It seems that Willis just sees himself as a starter and wanted a chance to have that opportunity, even if that meant signing on with another franchise.  I am not here to assess right or wrong, but I see the best course of action at this point is for both parties to end the relationship.  It's a shame because I think Willis definitely would have extended his career being a lefty out of the pen.

I will keep you all posted if any other updates come out.

Orioles Sign Bill Hall!

The Orioles signed veteran infielder, Bill Hall to a contract. Hall serves as a utility infielder and has played for several organizations in his career.

Most recently, Hall was in the Yankees minor league system at Triple-A. He chose to become a free agent. He also has some outfield experience as well.

It was reported by Ken Rosenthal that Hall will report to Triple-A and take the spot of recently traded Josh Bell.

Hall is a good pick up because of his experience at many positions and his power potential. In Milwaukee in 2006 early in his career, Hall hit a career high 35 home runs, according to Baseball Reference.

Time will tell if Hall manages to crack the Orioles roster. For now, he is good depth in the minors.

Josh Bell Headed to Arizona

The fate has been decided for former Orioles third base prospect, Josh Bell.  Once labeled a great prospect, he was unable to live up to the hype surrounding him.  Orioles fans once saw Bell as the 3B of the future here in Baltimore, while Mark Reynolds was just a warm body bridging the gap to his arrival.

Last week, Luis Exposito was claimed off waivers from Boston and Bell's designation for assignment was the corresponding move to open the roster spot for him.  The trade of Bell came on Saturday, as he was shipped off to the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for a player to be named later.  As far as I can remember, this is the first time that these two franchises did business together via trade.

Bell will be headed to the Triple-A affiliate of Arizona to try and find his stroke.  His power and average have dipped for three years straight now, while his strikeouts have risen.  While we do not know the identity of the player to be named later as of yet, you have to think he would be better than a hitter, (Bell) who did not even crack the .100 mark in average at Triple-A.  Best of luck to Bell with Arizona and I hope he can turn it around and make it to the major leagues.

Orioles Take Two Of Three From The White Sox, 5-3.

The Orioles and White Sox played a day game Thursday to close out the four game set in Chicago.  After a tough loss on Wednesday, the Orioles were looking to regain their winning ways and stay atop the AL East division.  Those wishes came true as the O's ended a brief one game slide, winning 5-3.

The home run ball came again, this time from center fielder, Adam Jones.  The three-run homer was Jones' 5th homerun of the 2012 campaign.  Nick Johnson and J. J. Hardy also added RBIs in the victory.  Buck Showalter decided to give Matt Wieters some rest, having Ronny Paulino make the start at catcher.  No one expects Wieters to start EVERY game, so the day off was welcomed.

On the pitching side of the ballgame, Jason Hammel got the victory, improving to 2-0 on the year.  It was an impressive performance for Hammel, striking out 10 over six innings of work.  Early returns on the Jeremy Guthrie trade suggest the Orioles got the better of the deal.  Hammel has been very good so far in the rotation and Matt Lindstrom has an ERA of 0.00 out of the bullpen.  Meanwhile, if we go out to Colorado, former Oriole Jeremy Guthrie has been quite disappointing.  His stats show that the move to the NL has been horrible so far for him.

Out of the bullpen, Jim Johnson notched his 6th save of the young season.  He had two strikeouts, for a pretty calm 9th inning.  Pedro Strop and Lindstrom also made performances in the game, each pitching a scoreless inning.  The Orioles improved to 8-5 so far in 2012.

The team now takes to the road to face the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  Brian Matusz will be making the start for the Orioles today, opposing Jerome Williams of LA.  The game starts at 10:05 pm so don't fall asleep too early.  Let's see if these winning ways continue for the Birds!

Orioles Take Second Game Against White Sox, 3-2

The Orioles improved to 7-4 with another win last night against the AL Central's White Sox.  Nolan Reimold continued his hot streak, hitting his 4th home run in as many days.  Another homer was added by J. J. Hardy.  Home runs accounted for all the O's scoring on Tuesday, but that was all that was needed as Wei-Yin Chen plus the Orioles bullpen held the Sox to two runs.  Chen recorded his first win in the majors, going five innings with two earned runs, two walks, and four strikeouts.

Jim Johnson came on to record his 5th save of the year, after a shaky 9th inning, where he walked two to get the bases loaded.  A ground ball was hit to Wilson Betemit at 3rd base to get the final out.  Last night's game also featured Mark Reynolds in the DH spot.  The error-prone Reynolds would benefit from some more time to just focus on hitting and not having to play on the defensive side of the ball.

The third game out of four in this series will be tonight at 8:10 pm.  The pitching matchup tonight is Tommy Hunter against former San Diego ace, Jake Peavy.

Orioles Designate Bell For Assignment

A piece of the Orioles future that hasn't panned out, will now have to await word on his new destination.  In a move to clear a roster spot for newly acquired Luis Exposito, the Birds designated 3B Josh Bell for assignment.  Bell has not produced like the Orioles hoped.  As his statistics show, he currently has a slash line of .094/.256/.250.  That comes out to three hits in thirty-two at bats for the 25 year old.  

Exposito is a catcher who has spent his entire career in the Boston Red Sox organization.  He has yet to debut in the majors, but has exhibited some power hitting ability.  While Exposito will not crack the big league roster, it is good to have depth in the minors.  The Orioles start Matt Wieters six out of every seven days, with Paulino handling backup duties.  Taylor Teagarden is also in the organization, currently on the shelf with an injury.  

The coming days will reveal what the Orioles plans are with Bell moving forward.  They can place him on waivers, trade him, or release him.  This just goes to show that in baseball, anything can happen.  A once can't miss prospect is on the verge of being out of a job.  Whichever course of action the Orioles choose to take, I hope it benefits both parties in the future.  

Orioles Comeback In GRAND Fashion Against The White Sox

The Orioles had a comeback win last night against the Chicago White Sox to propel them into sole possession of 1st place in the AL East!  With six runs in the top of the 10th inning, capped off by a Matt Wieters grand slam, the Orioles improved their record to 6-4 on the young season.  Wieters came to play last night, as the switch hitter blasted two home runs with five runs batted in.

It was also the second great start for  young ace, Jake Arrieta, who only gave up two runs while striking out seven.  Matt Lindstrom and Pedro Strop both came in and neither allowed any earned runs.  The Orioles are also coming off a good series in Toronto, where they took two out of three from the Blue Jays.  Nolan Reimold has caught fire at the right  time.  We are showing good power early on in the year, with a balanced offensive output.  Our pitching, Matusz aside, has been quite good as well, keeping us in ballgames.

It feels good to be an Orioles fan right now, especially when we are STILL above those pesky Yankees in the standings.  Hopefully, the Birds can keep this good run going.  Best of luck to them and keep supporting and watching our team!

Orioles Lose A Heartbreaker to Yankees, 5-4 in 12

Tonight was Wei-Yin Chen's MLB debut.  It started off a bit rocky, as he gave up a leadoff homer to none other then, Derek Jeter.  The home run was followed up by a double off the bat of outfielder, Nick Swisher.  After that first inning came to a close, Chen settled down.  He was economical in his pitch count and was around the plate, evidenced by his 7 strikeouts.  There was one point where Chen even retired 11 straight batters.  Overall, a solid debut for the Taiwanese import.  He walked a batter and gave up 7 hits with 2 earned runs over 5 and 2/3 innings.

The bullpen also gave good performances; Lindstrom, Ayala, Johnson, Troy Patton, and Pedro Strop all were solid.  Our bullpen totaled 8 strikeouts tonight while only surrendering 2 walks.  The Orioles pitching turned in another above average performance.  

The problems started with the offense.  Other than Hardy's home run, the other runs scored were due to Freddy Garcia's wild pitches.  The offense stagnated at a time when runs were desperately needed.  The Orioles were 0 for 8 with RISP and left 8 men on base.  Both of those numbers are unacceptable normally, but magnified when playing the Yankees.   The situational hitting was non-existent tonight, as the Orioles could get NO rally together whatsoever.  Hats off to the Yankees relief core, as they picked up Freddy Garcia tonight and bridged the gap to Mo Rivera at the end.  

My biggest complaint of the night is our defense.  I am not upset with the collective defense, just an individual.  First, I'd like to compliment Matt Wieters, who made some definite game changing plays.  Wieters is always dependable and he totally deserves his Gold Glove for the difference he makes day in and day out. 

 I'm normally not one to call out one player, but tonight, I shall make an exception.  Mark Reynolds single-handedly cost the Orioles the game tonight.  There were three plays I can think of, just off the top of my head, that most other third baseman would have handled with ease.  He gives the opposing team extra outs, which will burn you in the end.  A perfect example was that pop-up in foul territory that he overran.  That "extra out" led to the Yankees scoring what would be the game winning run.  I, along with MANY others have grown quite frustrated with these defensive "lapses".  There is ONE solution and one solution alone; MOVE Reynolds to DH or 1B so we can win some games!!!  Frankly, I want Reynolds nowhere near the field when the game is on the line.  Even if he were moved to 1B, at least he is passable there.  Put Davis at 3rd, or Betemit, or even Josh Bell; just PLEASE do not have Reynolds continuously costing us on defense. That was my rant for this evening, after an all too draining loss.  

PS:  If anyone has a petition for moving Reynolds off the hot corner, please forward me a link.  Much appreciated.

Guerrero's Trouble in the Dominican

Former Oriole Vladimir Guerrero was reported to be in police custody today for his part in a brawl that took place in the Dominican Republic.  As MLB.com's Joey Nowak reported:

"Nine-time All-Star and 2004 American League MVP Vladimir Guerrero was in police custody in the Dominican Republic on Tuesday and was being charged with physical and verbal assault to an authority, according to multiple reports."

Guerrero is still currently a free agent, having not caught on with an MLB team this year.  He was linked to Cleveland and the Yankees, but it seems that both teams moved in other directions.  As most Oriole fans can remember, Guerrero is just a DH nowadays, having lost his mobility and ability to play the outfield at a high level.

Nowak also went on to report that:

"A report by the newspaper Dominican Today said that the National Police revealed that Guerrero was being sought for an alleged aggression against a police major and for "unleashing a brawl in the discotheque."

"An NBC Sports report said that Guerrero had been taken into police custody and charged." 

This news story could very well impact Guerrero's chances of returning to an MLB team this year, even later on in the season.  It's sad to hear things like this about former Orioles players.  With that said, Guerrero was always a player that I admired.  His accomplishments certainly warrant consideration for the  Hall of Fame one day!  Best of luck to him getting through this ordeal and returning to baseball.

Is Wieters' Future With The Orioles?

I know it's early, but let me pose a question for you all.  Who has been the MVP so far this season?  Take a moment, think about it.  My vote of course, is backstop, Matt Wieters.  Yes, I realize we now are a whole 4 games into the 2012 season.  This topic came to me and got me thinking; we seem to be witnessing another season in the maturation of our young catcher.

Wieters is playing his age 26 season in 2012.  A quick glance at his career numbers, courtesy of Baseball Reference, indicate that his offensive capabilities are beginning to be realized at the major league level.  In 2011, Wieters hit 22 homeruns, which was good enough for the fifth highest total for a catcher that year.  The Orioles backstop also received a Gold Glove, awarded for defensive excellence over all other AL catchers.

Over the years, as Wieters was set to debut, I heard from analysts on TV, that he profiled as a "Mauer with power."  While that comparison was ridiculous at the time, if we revisit the conversation now, I think they compare favorably.  While Mauer is certainly the better overall athlete and pure hitter, Wieters holds the edge in power, durability, age, and is approaching Mauer defensively.

Another story that made me consider this topic was that of current St. Louis Cardinals catcher, Yadier Molina.  As many of you may have heard,  Molina signed an extension to stay in St. Louis (reaction to losing Pujols), which amounted to 5 years and $75 million.  You may ask, what does this have to do with Wieters?  The answer is that while Yadier Molina is currently better than Matt defensively, he has not shown the same power potential throughout his career.  Once the ink is dry on one contract, that contract effectively sets the market for that position.

The earliest that Matt Wieters can become a free agent is 2016.  If Wieters keeps improving his game and becomes a star, will the Orioles be able to resign him?  Wieters' agent is Scott Boras, notoriously known for pushing his players to test the free agent market.  I think the Orioles have no choice but to start exploratory talks to lock up their catcher now, before he effectively prices himself out of their range.  As of now, Molina set the bar at $15 million a year.  That number will probably only increase, given that Mike Napoli and Brian McCann (two other star catchers) are set to hit the market soon.

It would ABSOLUTELY be in the Orioles best interests to try and lock Wieters up now.  He can be a building block for our organization for years to come.  He handles the staff well, can throw out baserunners, holds his own offensively, and is a good clubhouse guy.  If Dan Duquette is listening or reading this, DO NOT let Wieters get away!! There would be NO worse feeling than seeing a homegrown guy flourish in another uniform!

Orioles Lose First Game to Yankees, 6-2 Final

Well it's official.  The Orioles are no longer undefeated.  The Yankees handed it to us tonight.  It was nice while it lasted.  It was evident tonight that Brian Matusz did not have his best stuff.  His pitch count was high, he wasn't getting first pitch strikes, too many walks, and overall inconsistency plagued him tonight.

The offense was held in check by Ivan Nova, other than a solo HR by Matt Wieters.  Wieters did have a 4 for 4 day at the plate which was the one bright spot.  The Orioles totaled five pitchers in todays game, with Matusz getting hit the hardest.  His four free passes certainly did not help things.  When you face the Yankees, having 13 hits but only 2 runs is unacceptable.  You CANNOT expect to win a game with two runs against them.

With all that said, tomorrow is a new day.  Wei-Yin Chen will take the mound in his MLB debut.  The Orioles may have that as an advantage since none of their players have faced the Taiwanese import.  All we can hope for is that the Orioles learned from today's mistakes and are able to salvage what is left of this big series with the Bronx Bombers.

AL East Showdown

At 7:05, the Orioles will be taking on the vaunted New York Yankees to open up a three game set here at Camden Yards.  Keeping much of their roster from last year intact, the Yankees are once again an offensive juggernaut.  Taking the mound tonight for the Orioles is Brian Matusz, opposing Ivan Nova. Matusz will definitely be tested tonight by Alex Rodriguez, Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, and Nick Swisher, the thump in the Yankees order.

A big key this series for the Orioles pitchers is to get first pitch strikes.  The Yankees are a VERY patient lineup from top to bottom and will make a pitcher work.  This series brings excitement to Baltimore early in the season as the Orioles try to prove they are not just a pretender so far this season!  It may finally be time for the shifting of the powers in the AL East.  Tampa Bay has already risen and the Blue Jays are certainly capable of surprising some people.  I say the Orioles use this series and make a statement; not only to the Yankees, but to ALL of Major League Baseball!

2012 Baltimore Orioles

After a leave of absence yet again, here I am returning to update everyone as the 2012 season has began.  A bunch of new faces are in Camden Yards this season.  The Orioles acquired Nick Johnson, Jai Miller, Taylor Teagarden, Dana Eveland, Matt Lindstrom, Jason Hammel, Wilson Betemit, Ronnie Paulino, Tsuyoshi Wada, Wei-Yin Chen, Endy Chavez, Matt Antonelli, and Luis Ayala via trades and free agency.

Hammel and Wada will be in the rotation to start the season.  Hammel pitched a gem yesterday, allowing just 2 hits.  While his no-hit bid was broken up by Justin Morneau, Hammel made a great first impression.  Even prior to that, Jake Arrieta (on Opening Day) and Tommy Hunter had great pitching performances as well.  The Orioles swept the series from the Minnesota Twins and currently reside at the top of the AL East Division.

Right fielder, Nick Markakis is off to an excellent start offensively having 3 extra base hits (two homeruns and one triple) through the first 3 games.  The Orioles have gotten timely hitting with power so far this season plus great pitching.  The keys to doing well over the long haul this year will be maintaining a well balanced team plus avoiding the injury bug.