Santana for Closer? (and other Orioles notes)

In order to compete with the elite teams in MLB, you need a consistent closer. If Tommy "Heartburn" Hunter continues to struggle, I think the Baltimore Orioles should give Johan Santana a chance in that role when he is ready in June. It'd be a way to maximize his potential to reach his former skill level, while safely limiting him to only one inning every few days.

Hunter has only 2 blown saves, and fortunately the O's came back to win both of those games, but it hasn't been pretty. He hasn't had a 1-2-3 inning yet, always allowing several baserunners before shutting the door. This is nothing new for Hunter. He deserved a shot in the role, but he isn't a stable enough pitcher to stay in it.

Baltimore Orioles 1B Chris Davis is back and starting in today's lineup. Unfortunately, C Matt Wieters was put on the DL. The Orioles are in 1st place in the AL East, even though haven't had all of their positional starters in the lineup at the same time for even 1 game yet. 

©2014 Denim McDemus

"You did what?!"

The Baltimore Orioles made YET ANOTHER terrible roster move. To make room for returning 3B Manny Machado, they sent 2B Steve Lombardozzi, batting .292, down to AAA Norfolk, instead of Ryan Flaherty (.188), David Lough (.172), Steve Pearce (.143), or recent call up Jemile Weeks.

In my opinion, Lombardozzi has earned the starting 2B job, or at least a right to share time with Jonathan Schoop.

Why does Orioles manager Buck Showalter persist on keeping Flaherty and Pearce around for year after year of mediocrity, while blocking deserving players from the roster? The team as a whole has to be more important than any individual player. This team will never succeed with Flaherty and Lough being automatic outs every time through the lineup. The O's always use the excuse that Flaherty is "versatile" on defense. Sure he'll play any position, but he plays them all poorly.

This is not the roster move of a team that wants to "win now". Stop digging the team into a hole, just to give repeated chances to players who will never be more than they are. Schoop deserves to be in the Majors. Lombardozzi belongs in the Majors. Flaherty, Pearce, and Weeks never will. Lough isn't ready yet.

Apparently I care more about the Orioles success than their management and front office do...

©2014 Denim McDemus

4/8/14 Sports Notes

MLB:

The Baltimore Orioles hammered the New York Yankees 14-5. The O’s outhit the Yanks 20-13. Orioles catcher Matt Wieters (1-4, 3RBI) had one hit, a 2-run homer. Every other Orioles starter had at least 2 hits: Markakis (2-5, 1RBI), Young (3-6, 3RBI), Davis (2-3, 2RBI), Jones (2-4, 2RBI), Cruz (2-4, 1RBI), Lombardozzi (3-5, 1RBI), Flaherty (3-5), Schoop (2-5, 1RBI). Every Orioles starter scored at least once. Every Orioles starter had at least one RBI except Flaherty. Doubles by Schoop, Jones, Flaherty, and Cruz. Homers by Jones, Young, and Wieters. The bottom 3 of the Orioles lineup, which had been struggling, went a combined 8-15, 2RBI, 4R.  

Wei-Yin Chen gave up 9 hits and 4 earned runs in 5 innings, but still recorded his first win of the season (1-1), and struck out 3. Josh Stinson went 2.1 innings (1H, 1W, 3K). Brian Matusz gave up 2 hits, including a solo home run to Kelly Johnson. Darren O’Day gave up 1 hit and stuck out 1 in a scoreless 9^th.

Today’s game combined the 2 best things in baseball, an Orioles win and a Yankees loss.  

Orioles Manager Buck Showalter said a player will be going on the DL tomorrow and replaced by someone from AAA Norfolk, but would say who, other than it not being SS J.J. Hardy, who has been inactive with back spasms. I’m wondering if maybe it’s Chen, who hasn’t looked right at all, being replaced by Gausman or another starter?     

Hockey:

After being eliminated from the NHL playoffs, the Vancouver Canucks fired President/GM Mike Gillis. Rumor has it that former team captain Trevor Linden, one of my favorite players of all time, may be his replacement.

The Reading Royals of the ECHL were sold to local businessman Jack Gulati, who said he will keep the team in Reading, PA.

Update: The Colorado Avalanche defeated the Edmonton Oilers 4-1 to climb to 109 points, only 2 behind the St. Louis Blues, who lost tonight, for 1st place in the NHL Central Division, with 3 games left in the regular season. Avs goals: Paul Stastny, Erik Johnson, Tyson Barrie, and Jamie McGinn. The Avs also set a franchise record for most road wins. Nice game in goal by J. S. Giguere. 

©2014 Denim McDemus

Orioles Notes 4/7/14

The Baltimore Orioles made a nice minor league trade, landing closer Preston Guilmet for OF Torsten Boss. 26 year-old Guilmet has had success in the minors since being converted to a closer:

2010 (A): 2.25ERA, 11Sv

2011 (A) 2.16ERA, 35Sv

2012 (AA): 2.39ERA, 24Sv

2013 (AAA): 1.68ERA, 20Sv  

The Orioles expect him to contribute at the Major League level at some point this season.

The Orioles spent HOW MUCH on starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez? I hate to say I told you so, but...one good HALF season doesn't change a bad pitcher into a good one. He did have a good season back in 2010 too, but he’s also had seasons with 12, 12, 13, and 17 losses.  So far this season, Jimenez has given up 8 runs in 10 2/3 innings.

Where's Ervin Santana when you need him? 

Ervin Santana makes his season debut for the Braves on Wednesday against the Mets by the way.

If you're disappointed with the Orioles offense so far this season, keep in mind, they are missing Manny Machado and JJ Hardy, so it will get better. And once those two INF return, there will be a competition for 2B, which will hopefully push Flaherty, Lombardozzi, or Schoop to step it up.

With the Orioles bullpen being overused so far this season, why has Darren O'Day only been given 2 innings? He's one of their best relievers.

©2014 Denim McDemus

0-For Flaherty is a Cancer to the Orioles

Baltimore Orioles INF Ryan "0-For" Flaherty is now 0-15 with 7 strikeouts in 4 2014 starts. His overrated defense has been hit or miss.

This is nothing new. He was terrible the past 2 seasons. He is a career .213 hitter. He is not a major league caliber player, and never will be.

So why does the club insist on keeping him around year after year, hogging a roster spot from more deserving players? Why did they trade away Alex Gonzalez to keep Flaherty? Why is Flaherty slated to take over 2B when Manny Machado comes back, taking the spot away from Jonathan Schoop, the Orioles top position player prospect? Why does manager Buck Showalter insist on constantly giving Flaherty starts, ensuring an automatic out in the lineup for the 3rd season in a row?

The worst thing is, Ryan Flaherty seems to not be bothered by his lack of production. He comes off as way too laid back and uncompetitive, often even smiling after each guaranteed strikeout.

Sometimes, it seems as though his "I don't care" attitude seems to rub off on his teammates. It did last season, when the team seemed to lose their "refuse to lose" 2012 mentality, in favor of an "oh well, we lost today" approach. This season, the mentality seems similar.

The Baltimore Orioles still have not been able to sign stars JJ Hardy, Matt Wieters, and Chris Davis to extension, and may not be able to keep any of them. They need to be in "win now" mode. That is why they went out and signed several free agents in February. Keeping a laid back, underachieving player like Ryan Flaherty around is not going to achieve that goal. Giving at bats to a guy who is almost always a guaranteed out is not the way to achieve that goal.

Yes, the Orioles are only 4 games into the 2014 MLB season, but they are also 1-3 in the toughest division in baseball. It's not panic time yet. Yes, Ryan Flaherty has only had 15 at bats so far this season, but this is his third season with the Orioles (previously hitting .216 and .224). We know what he can and more importantly can't do.

I know a lot of people who are nice guys, but I wouldn't let them start in a Major League Baseball game for a team claiming to be contending for the post season.

©2014 Denim McDemus

Orioles Notes 4/3/12

Last night was a poor Orioles debut for Ubaldo Jimenez (5H, 4R), Ryan Webb (3H, 2R), and David Lough (0-4). That being said, it was only the 2nd game of a 162 game season, and was against the defending World Series champs.

Nice start for Orioles FA OF/DH Nelson Cruz: 2HR, 3R, 3RBI. He has basically provided all of the O's offense so far. Take that, people who wanted them to sign Morales instead!

I know it's early, but let's compare stats. Ryan Flaherty: 0-7, 2Ks (nothing new there…). Alex Gonzalez: 3-8, 1 Triple, 2RBI (1 game winner). Who would you have kept as Manny Machado's placeholder?

©2014 Denim McDemus

Orioles/MLB Notes 3/27/14

Orioles LF/DH Nelson Cruz was hit in the head with a pitch by Tampa's Alex Cobb near his left ear. His CT scan came back fine, and he doesn't have any concussion symptoms.

RHP Alfredo Aceves decided to take his opt-out clause after finding out he won't be making the Orioles roster.

Sports Illustrated's Joe Sheehan doesn't seem to think very highly of the Baltimore Orioles. I can't wait to laugh at him when they prove him wrong this season.

Sports Illustrated’s American League team by team scouting report only has 1 advertisement in the whole section, right before the last team listed, the Houston Astros. Was this to symbolize the talent gap between the rest of the league and the Stros, or did they almost forget Houston is in the AL now?

Orioles 25 Man Roster?

After their recent moves, the Baltimore Orioles have 36 players left in Major League camp. They have until Sunday to weed it down to the 25 who will be on the Opening Day roster.

Here’s how the roster seems to be shaking out:

Starting Lineup:

1B Chris Davis

2B Steve Lombardozzi

SS J.J. Hardy

3B Ryan Flaherty (while Manny Machado is on the DL)

C Matt Wieters

LF David Lough/Nelson Cruz

CF Adam Jones

RF Nick Markakis

DH Nelson Cruz/Delmon Young

Bench:

C Steve Clevenger

OF/1B Steve Pearce

INF/PR Jemile Weeks

Starting Rotation:

RHP Chris Tillman

RHP Ubaldo Jimenez

LHP Wei-Yin Chen

RHP Miguel Gonzalez

RHP Bud Norris

Bullpen:

RHP Tommy Hunter (Closer)

RHP Darren O’Day

LHP Brian Matusz

RHP Ryan Webb

LHP Zach Britton

RHP Josh Stinson

RHP Evan Meek

(LHP Troy Patton is suspended for 25 games)

When Manny Machado returns from the DL and a possible rehab assignment, he’ll take over at 3B, which means either Flaherty, Weeks, or Lombardozzi will be headed to AAA Norfolk. Weeks would probably be the odd man out, although he has value as a pinch runner, so it may be Flaherty, although he is a favorite with management. All three are just placeholders for youngsters Machado and Jonathan Schoop.

Top position player prospect, 2B Jonathan Schoop, will most likely start the season in AAA Norfolk to gain more seasoning, despite having a terrific spring. Spring Training stats are what they are, facing pitchers who may not even see the major leagues. Regardless, Schoop definitely needs to work on his defensive decisions. He won’t be used as a utility INF, because he needs at bats, and those are at Norfolk right now. Look for Schoop to show up in Baltimore by midseason at the latest.

Lefty Troy Patton is suspended for the first 25 games of the season for violating the league’s banned substances policy. He will most likely need some game action in the minors before being up to speed. Then the Orioles will have another roster decision to make, deciding if they have a spot for him, since fellow lefty Zach Britton is out of options and had a nice spring.

Expect to see pitchers Brock Huntzinger, Eddie Gamboa, Steve Johnson, Brad Brach, and Kelvin De La Cruz, C Johnny Monell and OF Henry Urrutia at some point in the season.

The Orioles will take time to see what South Korean RHP Suk-min Yoon brings to the table, as he starts off the season at AAA Norfolk, after being delayed in Spring Training by visa issues. He could be used as a starter or reliever, but is coming off of a bad year pitching in relief, after an injury kept him from starting. His contract stipulates that he cannot be sent to the minors after the first year, so this is the window for sorting it all out. He was a bargain though, so it’s a low-risk situation for Baltimore.

The O’s are also eagerly waiting to see if two-time Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana has anything left in the tank once he’s at full-strength.

All in all, I think it’s a pretty solid team, especially when Jonathan Schoop takes over 2B at some point in the season, and 3B Manny Machado gets back to full health.

©2014 Denim McDemus

Orioles Roster Moves and Possible Trickery

Baltimore Orioles OF Nolan Reimold will start the season in his usual spot, on the DL. Honestly, why is this guy still employed? He plays even less often than walking wounded Brian Roberts.

Reimold is still being bothered by his neck, which he's had 2 surgeries to repair, which kept him out most of the past 2 seasons. He last played on July 13, 2013.

Reimold has been a problem child for the Orioles, showing flashes of power, but never fully reaching his potential, while struggling to stay healthy. This is likely his last chance with the club, as he is out of options, meaning he would have to make it through waivers to be sent to AAA Norfolk.  

Rule 5 INF Michael Almanzar is also likely headed to the DL with tendinitis in his left knee. He had a good spring and definitely has talent, but isn't really ready to be in the major leagues. The Orioles claimed him from division rival Boston in the Rule 5 Draft, but he was a long shot to make the roster in the Orioles crowded infield.  

I have to wonder though, if this is a slick way to keep both Reimold and Almanzar around longer, in case roster spots open up, since they are both players the O's will lose if they aren't on the 25 man roster (Reimold is out of options. Almanzar would have to be sent back to Boston)? Putting them on the disabled list gives the Orioles more time to decide what to do with them. 

In other roster notes:

Bullpen candidates Brad Brach, Steve Johnson, and Kelvin De La Cruz, and OF/DH Henry Urrutia were optioned to AAA Norfolk, further weeding down the Orioles' roster. 

The Orioles signed free agent and former Houston Astro 1B Brett Wallace to a minor league deal.

Opening Day starter Chris Tillman threw 79 pitches in his last Spring Training start, getting the Orioles ace ready for the 3/31 opener. 

OF/DH Delmon Young and RHP Josh Stinson continue to prove they have earned roster spots. Young is almost assured to make the team now that Urrutia, Reimold, and Almanzar are no longer in the running. Stinson is out of options and has had a dominant spring, so he likely has won a bullpen spot.

©2014 Denim McDemus

Thanks For Stopping By

The Orioles traded veteran INF Alex Gonzalez for 25 year-old INF Steve Lombardozzi.

The Tigers are going to start Gonzalez at SS. That's right, a top tier team thinks he's starter quality. After a great spring, I don't blame them.

The O's are going to use Lombardozzi to fill in at 2B or 3B until Manny Machado comes off the DL, the exact same way they could have used the more experienced Gonzalez. They are talking Flaherty at 3B and Lombardozzi at 2B, which pushes top position prospect Jonathan Schoop to AAA, and Jemile Weeks to the bench, if not AAA himself.

In order to make room for Lombardozzi on the 40 man roster, the Orioles DFAed catcher Johnny Monell, who also had a great spring.

Apparently the Tigers, and I, see much more value in Alex Gonzalez than the Orioles do...

Some Baltimore Orioles roster notes

OF hopeful Francisco Peguero will start the season on the DL with a right wrist injury.

LF David Lough will return to the lineup tonight. C Matt Wieters returned yesterday.

OF Xavier Paul has been reassigned. Korean pitcher Suk-min Yoon (who was delayed by visa problems) and C Johnny Monell have been optioned to minor league camp. The Monell move most likely cements Steve Clevenger as the backup C, although the two put up similar numbers. The roster is now down to 43 (for 25 spots).

Top pitching prospect Dylan Bundy, and former Cy Young winner Johan Santana have been making progress throwing off the rehab mound, and should be eventual options for the Orioles.

Bullpen hopeful non-roster invitee Evan Meek hasn't given up a run in 6 spring innings over 5 games, and is 2 for 2 in save opportunities.

Take Spring Training stats for what they are, but it's a good feeling when your team's slugger, Chris Davis, leads the team in RBI (9).

The Orioles are in "win now" mode, with the uncertain contract status of SS J.J. Hardy, C Matt Wieters, and 1B Chris Davis. That being said, I don't know why they are still up in the air about 2B and top position player prospect Jonathan Schoop starting the season in the majors. The time is now. This team isn't playing for the future anymore.

Bullpen candidates Steve Johnson, T.J. McFarland, and Alfredo Aceves are all scheduled to follow projected 5th starter Bud Norris tonight vs. the Pirates.

©2014 Denim McDemus

Roster Surgery

Ugh. The Baltimore Orioles have had an exciting spring, with many players outperforming expectations. But a lot of the upcoming roster decisions seem to be headed horribly wrong.

Alex Gonzalez is a much better option to fill in at 3rd than Ryan Flaherty. Flaherty has minor league options, so he can get more seasoning at AAA Norfolk, without hurting his longterm place on the team, if he has one. Keeping him on the roster just because he's been on the team for 2 years doesn't change the fact that he was an automatic out his entire Orioles career, other then a brief period right before Brian Roberts came off the DL. Jemile Weeks seems to be a bust, other than freeing up FA money from trading Jim Johnson, but at least he has speed.

Kelvin De La Cruz and Evan Meek have had way better springs than the pitchers being mentioned above them for the last bullpen spot, as did Eddie Gamboa and Brock Huntzinger, who have already been sent down. Britton and Stinson will be there since they are out of options, but give the last spot (if there is one) to someone deserving.

They are considering bringing in someone from the outside to backup C Matt Wieters. Picking a backup catcher who can field but can't hit is a problem that seems to plague the O's every year, giving them an automatic out in the lineup whenever they rest Wieters. Clevenger and Monell are both having good springs, so give one a chance, with the other on standby.

Why in the world is Nolan Reimold considered a frontrunner to make the team in a bench/OF/DH position? HUH?! He is terrible, and always hurt. He is behind in his spring progress. He is a bust.

The O's almost have to go with Delmon Young to DH when Cruz plays LF, and Berry as a pinch runner. Steve Pearce, Reimold, and Flaherty are never going to be more than bench players. It's time to accept that.

I'd love for once to see them go north with the best 25, but that's not how baseball works these days.

©2014 Denim McDemus

3/12/14 Sports News

Some quick hits for today:

NFL:

In NFL Free Agency, so far the NY Giants resigned RB Peyton Hillis, CB Trumaine McBride, S Stevie Brown, K Josh Brown, & LB Mark Herzlich.
They signed Oakland RB Rashad Jennings, & Seattle LB O'Brien Schofield.
They lost DT Linval Joseph, & S Ryan Mundy.
The Giants really need to stock up on wide receivers and offensive linemen.

MLB:

Orioles vs Phillies today at 1:05pm ET. The O's won 15-4 last week with similar lineups.

Orioles catcher Matt Wieters tweaked his ankle rounding the bases yesterday, but says he won't get x-rays, just sit out an extra day. He plans to play again on Saturday. 

Korean FA pitcher Suk-min Yoon is expected to make his Orioles debut on Saturday.

The Orioles sent reliever Brock Huntzinger down to AAA Norfolk, despite an impressive spring. Seems to be to accommodate out of options pitchers such as Britton and Stinson.

FA pitcher Ervin Santana finally signed, surprisingly not with the Orioles or Jays, but with the Atlanta Braves.

NHL:

Huge game tonight in the Central Division, Colorado Avalanche vs. Chicago Blackhawks at 9:30pm ET. The 2 teams are only separated by 1 point. The Avs have 4 more wins, but Chicago has 14 points from OT losses...

The Vancouver Canucks take on the Winnipeg Jets tonight at 7:30pm ET.

Orioles Springing Through Spring

The Baltimore Orioles still have 53 players in their Major League camp, obviously for 25 Opening Day spots. 2B, backup C, backup INF, backup OF, and several bullpen spots are the positions with multiple players making the decisions hard, which is a good problem for any team to have. Even better for the Orioles, is that most of the spots still in question are for backups to their stacked everyday lineup.

Second Base:
Once again, 2B is wide open for the Orioles, as it has been since Brian Roberts' last full season in 2009.

Underachieving former Rule 5 Draft pick Ryan Flaherty is often mentioned as the favorite, after being a part of the team all of 2012 (only because he had to be to remain with the organization) and most of 2013. Flaherty's defense is overrated, and his hitting has been streaky. In 2012 and the first half of 2013, he was an automatic out. Later in 2013, Ryan seemed to finally find his offensive groove, but then his new-found momentum was pushed aside by the return of the prodigal son, Brian Roberts (now a rival NY Yankee). Flaherty may never be more than a utility infielder and stopgap.

Streaky Jemile Weeks was brought in from Oakland in the Jim Johnson trade to compete with Flaherty. Weeks was up and down with the A's,  but down more than up. He has plus speed, but hasn't really mastered consistent big league hitting. His bat has not been impressive so far this spring.

Orioles top position player prospect, 22 year-old Jonathan Schoop, was projected to start this season at AAA Norfolk, and be a mid-season call-up. So far this spring, Schoop is doing his best to derail that plan. Jonathan is hitting .529 with 1 HR, 3 doubles, and 5 RBI. He also hit a homer in each of Baltimore's 2 intra-squad games. Schoop is making it awfuly hard for the Orioles to keep him in the minors to start the season, especially since 2B is open, and he is the heir apparent.

If Schoop is sent down, both Flaherty and Weeks will most likely make the team, Flaherty as the starter, Weeks as a utility infielder, depending on how the rest of the bench shakes out. If Schoop wins the job, Flaherty may start at Norfolk, since Weeks also has value as a pinch runner, although Flaherty has the proven versatility to serviceably play any position other than catcher.

Backup Catcher:
Here is a definite bench spot. Every MLB team carries a backup catcher. The Orioles plan to rest starter Matt Wieters more often this year. After having a revolving door at backup catcher the past few years, the Orioles have two solid candidates in camp this year: local product Steve Clevenger, who came over from the Cubs last season along with the departed Scott Feldman, and former San Francisco Giant Johnny Monell. Both are hitting well and playing well, Clevenger at .429, 1 HR, 5 RBI, Monell at .417, 1 HR, 1 RBI. The pitching staff has fared well this spring with either player behind the plate.
Baring injury, this competition will go until the end of spring training, and the Orioles can't lose either way.

Utility Infielder:
The Orioles core infield is the best in baseball, with 1B Chris Davis, SS J.J. Hardy, 3B Manny Machado, and C Matt Wieters, with only 2B in question (insert Schoop here). How many bench spots the Orioles have will depend on how many pitchers they decide to carry.

Along with Flaherty and Weeks, veteran Alex Gonzalez is another infielder with a shot at making the Orioles Opening Day roster. Gonzalez could be the Orioles utility infielder, having played SS, 1B, and 3B in his career. The Orioles have given him a lot of playing time this spring, mostly at 3B, and Alex has responded by batting .353 with 1 double, 1 HR, and 4 RBI. He is almost a shoe-in to start at 3B if Manny Machado isn't ready by Opening Day.

Rule 5 pick Michael Almanzar has a lot of promise, and Baltimore would love to keep him out of Boston's system, but he is a long shot to make the team. As much as the Orioles like him, they just don't have a spot for him, unless he beats out Alex Gonzalez for 3B if Machado isn't ready for Opening Day. Being solely a corner infielder, it wouldn't be practical to make him the utility man.  

Outfield/DH:
With Adam Jones and Nick Markakis entrenched in CF and RF respectively, the Orioles have replaced last year's LF, Nate McClouth, with a platoon of newcomers: David Lough, acquired from the Royals for Danny Valencia, and free agent slugger Nelson Cruz. The plan is to start Cruz at DH and Lough in LF against RHP, with Cruz in LF and possibly Delmon Young playing DH against LHP.
Henry Urrutia and Steve Pearce both have an outside shot of securing backup OF/DH roles.

Speedster Quintin Berry, has a shot at being the bench outfielder if the Orioles carry one, but Lough, Cruz, and Young take the total to 5 already, and it all depends on how many pitchers the team carries. Xavier Paul and Francisco Peguero are also somewhat in the running. Cuban product Henry Urrutia needs more at bats in AAA. Briefly successful, often injured, long-time prospect Nolan Reimold is out of options and out of favor. Expect to see him in a different uniform soon, one way or another.

Pitching:
Barring another free agent signing (Ervin Santana anyone?), the Orioles starting rotation is pretty well set as: Chris Tillman, Ubaldo Jimenez, Wei-Yin Chen, Miguel Gonzalez, and Bud Norris.

Bullpen sure-things are: Tommy Hunter, Darren O'Day, Brian Matusz, and Ryan Webb (Lefty Troy Patton is suspended for the first 25 games). That leaves 3-4 bullpen spots, depending of how many bench players the team carries.

Non-roster invitees Evan Meek, Brock Huntzinger, and Eddie Gamboa have been impressive so far this spring, as has out of options LHP Kelvin De La Cruz. Former San Diego Padre Brad Brach has an outside chance of making the Orioles bullpen.

The Orioles will need another Lefty alongside Matusz in the bullpen during Patton's 25 game suspension. De La Cruz, Zach Britton, and T.J. McFarland are the best options, with De La Cruz pitching the best currently. They also need a long man in the pen, with Britton, Josh Stinson, and Steve Johnson as the prime candidates. All three have struggled to pitch consistently at the Major League level, with Britton failing as a starter several times. Britton and Stinson are both out of options, and would be claimed on waivers if DFAed, most likely pushing Johnson aside for now. The O's will have a hard time keeping both Britton and Stinson. Bud Norris would move to the long man role if the Orioles signed Ervin Santana.  

Expect to see top prospect Kevin Gausman and former Rule 5 pick T.J. McFarland start the season in AAA Norfolk's starting rotation. Due to work visa delays, Korean free agent Suk-min Yoon will get a late start to Spring Training, and may be kept in Florida for extended Spring Training, before beginning is US career at AAA Norfolk or AA Bowie. Former 2-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana was a no risk gamble on a Minor League contract, and the Orioles won't know what they have in him until mid-season.

Outside Looking In:
This spring is the last Orioles chance for underachievers Zach Britton and Nolan Reimold. Potential only goes so far before it must be replaced by performance. You can't be a prospect your entire career. It's put up or shut up for these two out of options players, and Reimold isn't playing the right tune. Britton has to prove he can go beyond Spring Training and succeed in the Major League regular season. If they don't make the Opening Day roster, and the Orioles can't work out a trade for either of these players, they most likely will be designated for assignment, and snatched up on waivers by a team which hasn't yet been disappointed by them.

Obviously, it is too early to hand out any of the contested jobs yet. Spring Training stats are what they are, when facing many batters and pitchers who won't be in the Major Leagues this season or even ever. Injuries and further signings are always possible.
Competition is a great motivating factor, and having many answers for each question is an enviable position in professional sports.
The Baltimore Orioles currently have a Grapefruit League best 9-2 record, nice stats, and a lot of promising players. Their last-minute moves sured up the holes on their team. A lot of the "second chance" type guys are rewarding the team for taking a chance on them. Hopefully it all will translate into a successful Orioles regular season and a trip back to the postseason.      

©2014 Denim McDemus

Why Not?

The Orioles starting rotation is for real.

Chris Tillman is a legitimate ace. Miguel Gonzalez is a legit 2 or 3 and owns the Yankees, Wei-Yin Chen is a legit 3, Bud Norris is a legit 3 or 4. Now throw Ubaldo Jimenez in at the 2 spot behind Tillman, and you have one of the better starting staffs in the AL.

The Orioles signing Johan Santana to a minor league contract is a no brainer. There is no risk, and if he can be even a shell of his former self, he'll be a valuable injury replacement or a bullpen arm, maybe even given a shot at closer if Tommy Hunter falters down the line?

If the Orioles do end up singing Ervin Santana too, why not? That pushes Norris into the bullpen as a long man and spot starter.

But even without signing either Santana, the Orioles staff is looking pretty solid, combined with a potent offense, promising bullpen, and the best defense in the history of baseball.

The Orioles in 2014? Why not?

©2014 Denim McDemus

Wounded Warrior

Yankees Manager Joe Girardi said he expects Brian Roberts to be the Yankees’ full-time 2B all season. Orioles fans know how hilarious that statement is.

"Misappropriated Funds"

The Orioles spent $50 mil & a 1st round draft pick on a Ubaldo Jimenez, a guy who loses an average of 12 games a year, has a career ERA just barely under 4.00, & who no other team even wanted. Their only other signing was a guy named Suk, but Jimenez sucks...

"Blackout Blues"

Major League Baseball's blackout rules are completely ridiculous, especially in this area.

I live in Eastern Pennsylvania, in the Philadelphia Phillies home television territory. Therefore, only their games should be blacked out for me, with the assumption that I can watch their games on a local channel or regional sports network. For some reason, MLB ridiculously has Phillies, NY Yankees, Pittsburg Pirates, and NY Mets games blacked out here.

People with Comcast Cable receive Phillies games on CSN, but do not get the YES Network.

People with Directv or DISH Network get Yankees games on YES, but not the Phillies, as Comcast won't allow satellite companies to carry their channel, CSN, since they are also their competitors.

It is a conflict of interest that Comcast owns both the regional sports network and the local cable company. It's an unfair business practice for them to deny their competition the regional sports network. It's unfair for local residents to be cheated out of having a local sports network just because they chose satellite over cable.

So basically, people in this television area get EITHER Phillies games or Yankees games, depending on their television carrier.

No one in this area receives Mets or Pirates games, so I don't know why they're blacked out.

So if the team you follow is playing one of those 4 teams, you cannot see the game live on MLB.TV, MLB Extra Innings, or any subscription package, or on ESPN, FOX, or any national broadcast.

If you are a Mets or Pirates fan, you can't view their games live at all.

The point of MLB's blackout rules is supposed to be so viewers watch games on local broadcasts, but in Eastern Pennsylvania, viewers don't receive 3 out of 4 blacked out games anywhere... Why are we punished more severely by blackout rules than other areas?

Hey MLB, it's time to stop alienating your fanbase, or you may someday fade into obscurity like the NHL? Maybe it's time to go back to airing your product on local broadcast channels like the immensely successful NFL does?

Copyright 2013 Denim McDemus

The Ryan Flaherty Blues

It's finally here, my favorite season of the year, baseball season. The Baltimore Orioles' exciting 2012 season, including their first winning season and playoff appearance since 1997, and a thrilling post season campaign in which they beat juggernaut Texas in the Wild Card play-in game and came a game shy of reaching the ALCS, gave Orioles fans a solid reason to look forward to 2013. 

The club didn't make any major acquisitions in the off-season, but they really didn't have to. Last year's young, talent-laden roster is mostly intact, minus streaky and overpriced 1B Mark Reynolds. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. What the team did do, is amass incredible depth in pitching and outfielders, creating a stockpile of players for the Big League club to pull from, all hungering for a chance to join and contribute to this exciting Orioles team. 

Orioles Spring Training was exciting this year too. Take Spring stats and records for what they're worth, but a good Spring Training usually means good organizational depth. The Orioles compiled a dominent 19-9 record. Many players really stepped up their game to prove they deserved a spot on the team: Pearce, Jackson, Ford, Robinson, Dickerson, Casilla, Exposito, Valencia, Jurrjens, McFarland, Gausman, Bundy, etc. Unfortunately, most of those players didn't make the Major League team. Ryan Flaherty did not make that list, but was handed a roster spot anyway, despite having options, no longer being a Rule 5 player, and needing to learn how to bat and field.

Early on, the Orioles 2013 Regular Season has been exciting as well. Oriole Park at Camden Yards has averaged over 40,000 fans for the first home series. The crowd is full of orange shirts this year, rather than Yankees, Red Sox, and Phillies jerseys. The fans are loud, raucous, and excited, creating a playoff atmosphere in April. The team hasn't disappointed. Through the first 5 games, 1B Chris Davis is having a historic run: .556Avg. 4HRs 17RBI. CF Adam Jones has been solid: .552Avg 12H 7RBI. RF Nick Markakis is hitting .348. C Matt Wieters has thrown out 3 of 4 baserunners and is batting .333. Nate McLouth has added hustle and speed at the leadoff spot and acrobatic catches in left field. Young 3B Manny Machado is playing defense like Hall of Famer Brooks Robinson. SS J.J. Hardy is showing a resurgence in his power hitting. The team is excelling in speed, timely hitting, and turning double plays. Reliever Darren O'Day has been brilliant. Starter Miguel Gonzalez had a great first start of the season. Rule 5 pick T.J. McFarland pitched 3 1/3 shutout innings in his Major League debut. There has been a lot to be excited about so far, but not from Ryan Flaherty.                

I know you've heard me complain about Flaherty over and over. You may ask why I pick on a young guy who looks like he's 12 years old. Unfortunately he's proving me right. Do I wish Ryan would have a great season and help out my favorite team? Sure. I wish that of everyone in the Orioles organization. But that's not what he's doing so far. 

The Orioles selected Flaherty from the Cubs in the December 2011 Rule 5 Draft, meaning they had to keep him on the Major League roster for all of the 2012 season, or they would have to send him back to Chicago or trade for him. For some reason, Baltimore's front office and coaching staff believed enough in Ryan to waste a roster/bench spot on him for the entire 2012 season and get him into 77 Big League games, despite his anemic hitting and bumbling defense. How did Flaherty reward them? With a .216 batting average and 19 RBI. He often looked like a deer caught in headlights at the plate, almost always being an automatic out. He couldn't run, grounding into many double plays. Calling him "versatile" just means he played poorly at multiple positions. The Orioles wasted a spot on their 25 man roster for all of last season on a guy who will never be more than a utility bench player. Maybe there's a reason why Chicago didn't protect him from the Rule 5 Draft by not even having him on their 40 man roster?    

So far this season, Flaherty is 0-10 and has played poorly defensively. He misplays a lot of the balls that come his way. He always seems to be out of position. He does not have a good throwing arm. I'll give you one guess who misplayed the ball that allowed the Twins to score the go ahead run last night...

Yet the guy who shouldn't even be on the roster continues to be handed at bats, starting at 2B in both games since walking wounded 2B Brian Roberts unsurprisingly went down with yet another injury, despite 2B Alexi Casilla having much better stats in Spring Training and last season. And for some reason manager Buck Showalter hasn't even had automatic out Flaherty batting 9th. 

I'd love to be excited by Ryan Flaherty since he's on my favorite baseball team, but I just can't. He's hurting the team by taking away a roster spot and at bats from more deserving players for the second straight season. I'm not sure what the Orioles coaching staff and front office see in him, but I certainly haven't seen it yet.        

Copyright 2013 Denim McDemus

Opening Day!

Opening Day for the Baltimore Orioles is finally here! Today at 3:10pm, RHP Jason Hamel takes the mound to face the Tampa Bay Rays' David Price.

Here is the announced Orioles Opening Day lineup:

Nick Markakis, RF
Manny Machado, 3B
Adam Jones, CF
Matt Wieters, C
Chris Davis, 1B
J.J. Hardy, SS
Nolan Reimold, LF
Steve Pearce, DH
Brian Roberts, 2B
Jason Hammel, RHP

I agree with manger Buck Showalter starting Steve Pearce at DH today, since he's been tearing the cover off the ball, but I certainly do not agree with starting Nolan Reimold in LF instead of Nate McLouth. McLouth earned his spot. Reimold still has a lot to prove, and is an awful fielder.

Without McLouth in the lineup, I agree with Nick Markakis batting leadoff, but McLouth should be in there batting 1st.

SS J.J. Hardy should be batting 8th, not 6th, until he proves he can hit again.

I LOVE that young 3B Manny Machado is getting a chance to bat 2nd.

After Last year's exciting Post Season run, a quiet offseason, and a Spring Training full of pleasant surprises, the wait is finally over! Opening Day is here! Let's go O's!

Copyright 2013 Denim McDemus