Atkins designated for assignment; Uehara activated
Garrett Atkins, who the Orioles signed a $4.5 million, one-year deal to be their starting first baseman this offseason, has been designated for assignment.
The Orioles will have 10 days to trade, release or ask waivers on Atkins, who had 30 hits in 140 at-bats with the Orioles (.214 average). He had just one homer and nine RBIs this season and had been relegated to the bench.
He had just 14 at-bats and 18 plate appearances in all of June.
While designating Atkins, the Orioles activated relief pitcher Koji Uehara from the 15-day disabled list. He will be available to pitch today, according to Orioles interim manager Juan Samuel.
"That was the decision that was made Unfortunately things did not work out for him here,” Samuel said. “It was getting kind of tough trying to get Atkins some at-bats. … We just wish him luck. Sometimes these things work, will help these players.”
Said veteran first baseman Ty Wigginton about the move: “I think any time you see a player get sent out or get designated, you obviously feel for him. Hopefully he gets another opportunity somewhere. I’ll be checking the papers every day to see if he signs somewhere else. Or goes somewhere else, and hopefully he comes out raking.”
Atkins left before commenting to reporters, but he said earlier this week that if he leaves the Orioles, he’d want to continue his career elsewhere and would consider a minor-league deal in the right situation.
A previous version of this entry gave the wrong number of hits this season for Garrett Atkins. The Baltimore Sun regrets the error.
A Baltimore native, 
Comments
Awesome, hopefully Sarfate for Albers is next
Posted by: Cereal Blogger | June 27, 2010 12:11 PM
I wish Atkins the best. He handled himself professionally off the field; he just could not produce on the field and hopefully this is a lesson for AM that when he says "buy the bats" he should make sure he is buying bigger bats. I think the O's have added by subtracting an unproductive player -- everyone on this team needs to be contributing
Posted by: willycee | June 27, 2010 12:39 PM
Wigginton used the phrase "checking the papers" rather than saying he would be calling Atkins on the phone or sending him emails. THAT tells us everything we need to know about Atkins.
Posted by: James | June 27, 2010 12:39 PM
Why did it take this long? No way the Rockies would have completely given up on this guy if they saw any chance of him going back to his old form.
The Orioles probably could have had him for half of what they paid him as there were certainly no other takers.
Posted by: Canice Murphy | June 27, 2010 12:54 PM
Shocking....who saw this coming?
Posted by: VeryFrustratedFan | June 27, 2010 1:04 PM
Wrong I want lugo to go next and hope we add a 1B prospect from somewhere to let him go.. We can release Albers when Gonzalez comes back and I will welcome another lefty in the BP whatever role he is given.. If we can get Andy to bring in a 1B prospect with power potential we can watch him the rest of this year and even if he produces put him in scotts place if you manage to buy a bat in the off season..
Posted by: GRANT | June 27, 2010 4:16 PM
O.K., here's the math: $4.5 million dollars divided by 14 hits equals $321,429.00 per hit.
Nice work if you can get it.
Posted by: Randy | June 27, 2010 4:41 PM
I guess that means Bergesen stays in the rotation.
Posted by: Cecil | June 27, 2010 5:21 PM
What a bunch of imbeciles the math idiot doesn't even know how many hits atkins had.. I hate to burst your bubble but there is no chance the orioles get the #1 pick next year..
Posted by: GRANT | June 27, 2010 11:43 PM