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July 30, 2008

Final post

Brady Anderson stood at his locker before an Orioles game many years ago, checked out my new haircut – buzzed on the sides, much shorter on the top than how I had previously worn it – and said, “Dude, you need a little gel on that moss.”

I once approached Scott Erickson and asked if he had a few seconds, and he replied: “Not for you.”

You can’t put a price on memories like that.

I’ve been in a reflective mood lately, and with good reason. I’m leaving The Sun -- taking a voluntary buyout -- after 21 years (I started my internship in pre-school). The timing just seemed right. The business is changing, I’m changing. . .  

Well, I’m not changing THAT much. But everyone needs to re-invent themselves at least once in a lifetime. And Adam Loewen already stole my idea of becoming a position player.

I’m not leaving the area. I’m just leaving a paper that rescued me from unemployment one year out of college and threw me into the preps pit.

I managed to fight my way out of it and climb all the way to the Orioles beat – along the way working with some remarkable people. And I’m talking friends as well as reporters: Peter Schmuck, Ken Rosenthal, John Eisenberg, Joe Strauss, Joe Christensen, Jeff Zrebiec, Dan Connolly, just to name a few. I learned a lot from them, though not as much as I did from Brady (but I’m all about the hair!).

I’m a better writer and reporter because of them. Most important, I’d like to think I’m a better person. They’d line up to dispute that fact, but I’m running with it anyway.

Thank you, Andy Ratner, for hiring me as a sports clerk for the Anne Arundel County bureau in Pasadena. Thank you, Chris Kaltenbach, for always using a delicate touch when editing my raw copy back in those days – and for not talking too much about death, because you  know how that freaks me out. Thank you, Jack Gibbons and Molly Dunham, for putting me on the Orioles beat full-time in 1997 and trusting me to not screw up. Thank you, Randy Harvey, for giving me Roch Around the Clock – after defining the word “blog” for me and explaining that, no, it wasn’t something that required a prescription ointment.

I’ve been blessed by my friendships with the “competition,” guys like David Ginsburg, Dave Sheinin (brilliant writer, brilliant musician), Jorge Arangure, Marc Carig, Kevin Seifert, Mark Zuckerman, Gary Washburn, Spencer Fordin . . . the list could go on and on, but I’d rather exclude a few people and have them wonder if it was intentional.

They haven’t seen the last of me. I’m not moving to Vermont and making my own maple syrup. I’m just won’t be working at The Sun anymore. But I’ll still be reading it every day – and I mean the print version, too. Some people still like to get ink on their fingers. And I’ll always been grateful to all of you for making my blog so darned popular that I can’t cross the street without someone yelling out my name.

And for a change, they’re not trying to serve me papers.

We’ll talk again soon. In the meantime, thanks for the memories. And for whatever hair gel you can send my way.
-- Roch Kubatko

Posted by Tim Wheatley at 10:59 AM | | Comments (167)
                    

July 28, 2008

Mostly about me

First, the rumors...

It's true that I accepted The Sun's buyout package. My last day is Aug. 1. I'll have much more to say on the subject as the date draws closer.

As for where I land, nothing is official yet. I'm weighing my options - and it's not like I have a lot of them. I guess the best I can do right now is ask that you stay tuned. Hopefully, it will all make more sense later this week.

This will be an interesting week for the Orioles. Heck, it could be a very interesting day.

The rotation is going to undergo some radical changes. You already know that Radhames Liz is out. His spot will be skipped this week. And Brian Burres is hanging by a thread.

Manager Dave Trembley can't sit in the dugout any longer and watch his guys struggle to reach the fifth inning. It's unacceptable, even in a season that's been tagged as "rebuilding."

His options are limited, which is why he might have to go against his initial instincts and consider a Double-A pitcher. Team president Andy MacPhail appears to be more open to the idea, as well, though it's far from ideal. But what we're seeing now can't continue.

 

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 9:22 AM | | Comments (4)
                    

July 27, 2008

Roster move

The Orioles optioned Radhames Liz to Triple-A Norfolk after the game and activated reliever Jamie Walker from the disabled list.

Liz needs to work on his command in the minors. He pitches up in the strike zone and falls behind too many hitters. He wasn't gaining any advantage by trying to learn here and taking a beating every five days.

Liz's spot can be skipped this week because of Thursday's open date on the schedule. And Brian Burres isn't assured of starting Wednesday. He's tentative. More moves could be coming.

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 5:13 PM | | Comments (32)
                    

Quality start

Garrett Olson became only the third starter to go six innings in the last 11 games since the break. His pitch count stood at 89 after the sixth, and manager Dave Trembley sent him back out for the seventh.

I'm sure that sparked a debate in a few households and in the stands. Leave him in and you've pushed him too far. Take him out and it makes no sense to complain about starters not pitching deep enough in games if you don't let them.

I agreed with the decision to let him start the seventh, but now it could haunt the Orioles. Chad Bradford let an inherited runner score, but he just got a clutch double play to preserve a 5-2 lead.

Meanwhile, Jamie Walker wants to be activated from the disabled list. Trembley is waiting to consult with team president Andy MacPhail.

 

 

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 3:38 PM | | Comments (20)
                    

The lineup

Brandon Fahey - 2B

Adam Jones - CF

Nick Markakis - RF

Aubrey Huff - 3B

Kevin Millar - 1B

Luke Scott - DH

Jay Payton - LF

Guillermo Quiroz - C

Juan Castro - SS

Garrett Olson - P

Jamie Walker threw a scoreless inning last night at Single-A Frederick, allowing one hit. He's back in the Orioles' clubhouse today. Alex Cintron hit a two-run homer to right field.

At Double-A Bowie, Luis Montanez and Nolan Reimold hit back-to-back homers. Montanez's 22nd homer was a three-run shot. Reimold belted his 18th.

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 10:21 AM | | Comments (25)
                    

July 26, 2008

Updating Mora

Melvin Mora went down hard in the eighth inning after Angels reliever Darren Oliver buried a fastball behind his left knee. Mora said he couldn't feel his foot for about 45 seconds, but he seemed much better while standing at his locker after the game.

Mora isn't sure whether he'll play tomorrow. It depends, of course, on how the knee responds.

Early prediction: He won't be in the lineup. Aubrey Huff will play third base. But that's just a hunch. 

Mora stopped eating and put down his plate to talk to us. I had every intention of waiting. The meal comes first. But the gesture was most certainly appreciated.

 

 

 

 

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 10:49 PM | | Comments (14)
                    

Kids today

I'm pretty sure Radhames Liz has been reminded that he shouldn't chase a foul pop up between home and first base. It's more important to direct traffic. Call out catcher Ramon Hernandez's name. But don't get in the way.

Liz tried to make the catch with two outs in the sixth and the ball clanked off his glove for an error. Given new life, No. 9 hitter Jeff Mathis walked to drive Liz from the game.

(Hernandez also could have gotten in better position, but either way, it's not Liz's ball).

Manager Dave Trembley said he needed innings from Liz. Do 5 2/3 count?

Liz was charged with six runs and seven hits. He walked four, struck out two, allowed two home runs and threw a wild pitch.

At one point, Liz retired eight batters in a row after Torii Hunter's solo homer in the third.

Aubrey Huff hit his 20th homer in the first inning, a three-run shot that traveled 390 feet. Luke Scott's two-run shot in the sixth, which reduced the Angels' lead to 6-5, traveled 400 feet.

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 9:09 PM | | Comments (16)
                    

Pre-game Trembley

It’s a tired topic that can’t be put to rest until the young starters – or any starter besides Jeremy Guthrie – begin pitching deeper in games.

The attachment to this topic involves the lack of viable options at Triple-A Norfolk or the bullpen. But it’s becoming clear that manager Dave Trembley won’t stand pat much longer.

“I think at this particular point and time, you have to consider every possibility, just from the standpoint of keeping the morale of your team from going bonkers,” he said. “You guys know all the numbers and all the situations. Look at the last x-amount of games and how quickly we’ve been behind in the first or second inning. Not by one or two runs, but by crooked numbers of runs, and how this team has responded. Now, you would have to be someone that would expect to be Moses and part the Red Sea to think that’s not going to take its toll on your team. And I think they’re waiting and looking to see if we can do something. I have a new respect for the term ‘patience.’ I really do, because people look to see how you’re going to react, how are you going to handle it, how are you going to deal with it. Just trying to keep an even keel approach on it. The last thing I want to do is accept it, and the last thing I want is the players to accept it. I hope people are upset about it. I wish somebody would light a fire under somebody and say, ‘Hey, enough is enough.’ Like in the movie, the guy opens up the window and yells out, ‘We’re not going to take it anymore.’ It’s hard. It really is.”

Finally, a Peter Finch reference from “Network.” It’s been a while.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dib2-HBsF08

So what can the Orioles do, besides open up a window and yell?

Asked about dipping into the minors for pitching help, Trembley said, “I think sometimes you have to do something that you feel will give you a little shot in the arm. Sometimes, a shot in the arm will do wonders, so you have to consider all the possibilities, and yet also understand the ramifications of all the other things to be considered – makeup, service time, roster spots, all those other things. My wife told me last night she’s never seen me run out of a dugout so fast, up those stairs to take Burres out. I guess I did because I didn’t want to see that anymore. It’s not that I didn’t want to see it anymore, I didn’t want those guys out there to see it anymore and think I’m going to sit back on my hands and say it’s OK. It’s not OK. What I can do about it, I don’t know. What I’d like to do about it is another story. What we will do about it is, stay tuned.”

And more:

"We want to play better, we need to pitch better. We have 60 games to play. We want to win the majority of those games, we have to get better starting pitching. If we don’t get better starting pitching, it’s not going to be what we’re looking for. I’m trying to be realistic about it and not say, ‘Oh woe is me,’ but we’ve gone through the down period long enough and I think we’ve been patient for a long time and given people ample opportunity to pull their socks up and to button up their chin strap and just give us a little sense of encouragement, and let me see something that makes me feel like, ‘OK, we’re going to get out of it.’ And to be honest with you, I’m still waiting, and I don’t know how much longer I can wait. And I don’t know how much longer Andy’s going to wait. I’m not trying to be threatening or anything like that. I love all these guys. They’re great. But if it ain’t working, we’ve got to try to do something to fix it. And the solutions and the answers that we have might not be the best for right now, but I don’t think we have anything to lose by at least trying maybe something different. I’m not saying that’s going to happen tomorrow or next week, but I think it definitely has to be considered. I think that’s fair. I don’t think anybody would argue about that.”

Trembley didn’t buy the suggestion that he could switch catchers to see if a new voice – or set of fingers – behind the plate would aid the starters.

“If there’s blame to be placed anywhere, it’s on the guy putting them out there,” he said, pointing one finger at himself. “These guys are starting because it’s on my watch and I’m running them out there. The blame doesn’t go on Ramon or the guy who’s catching or the pitching coach or any of that. And I think that sends the wrong message. Trust is a very difficult thing to obtain, in life and in this game, and I think you could do something to scar some people and you may not get them back. And I don’t want to do that. It’s not Ramon’s fault.”

And it’s not Matt Damon’s fault. (F-bomb alert. Watch at your own risk):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOVS_SYyXe8

 

 

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 5:25 PM | | Comments (16)
                    

The lineup

Brian Roberts - 2B

Adam Jones - CF

Nick Markakis - RF

Aubrey Huff - DH

Melvin Mora - 3B

Luke Scott - LF

Kevin Millar - 1B

Ramon Hernandez - C

Juan Castro - SS

Radhames Liz - P

Looking at the condition of his bullpen, manager Dave Trembley said, "Liz better give us some innings. Otherwise, I'll be asking a little bit too much of some people."

Gulp.

Dennis Sarfate was supposed to replace Matt Albers as the bridge to the set-up man. He went 3 1/3 hitless innings last night, and Trembley noted that Sarfate "did what he's supposed to do. That's the job of a long guy."

Sounds like a different role for Sarfate, though each day can bring change, depending on who's available.

Brian Burres is still scheduled to pitch Wednesday in New York. "If it changes before that," Trembley said, "I'll let you know."

 

 

 

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 4:39 PM | | Comments (2)
                    

Down on the farm

I’m back at the laptop today. We’ll see if I can stay here.

Thanks to all for wishing me good health.

I’m heading downstairs in a few minutes to copy down the lineup. In the meantime, Jamie Walker and Alex Cintron reported to Single-A Frederick today and Cory Doyne is pitching for short-season Single-A Aberdeen on his injury rehab assignment.

Chris Roberson is hitting .607 (17-for-28) in his last seven games at Triple-A Norfolk.

Matt Wieters hit a two-run homer last night for Double-A Bowie and has nine RBIs in his last three games. Chris Tillman struggled again, allowing five runs and walking four in four innings.

Single-A Frederick’s Brandon Snyder hit his ninth homer, and Jake Renshaw tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and striking out five.

Eric Perlozzo drove in three runs at Aberdeen.

 

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 3:29 PM | | Comments (9)
                    

July 25, 2008

Last entry tonight

Unfortunately, I won’t be working the blog tonight. I’m feeling under the weather and will be heading home. The press box is no place for a sick person (insert joke here).

My apologies. I hope to come back strong tomorrow.

If you’re interested, here’s what manager Dave Trembley said about his lineup changes:

“I think when you lose games, you have to do something to try to mix it up. You can’t stay status quo. You’ve got to try to balance out your lineup a little bit better. You have to do something different that you’ve been doing. You get stagnant, people get comfortable.”

Have you noticed that Fernando Cabrera has been charged with runs in only one of his nine appearances? If not, it’s probably because he’s allowed nine hits and walked seven batters in 12 1/3 innings. But his ERA is 1.46.

Here’s Jamie Walker on yesterday’s outing at Double-A Bowie (notice that he exaggerates the number of hits he allowed. It was actually five):

“I felt good. They ambushed me, though. If you look at the line, it was (bad). One inning pitched, I don’t know…18 hits? I gave up some rocket ships. Nothing was down, but it felt good. The adrenaline kind of got going. They asked me to go Saturday to Frederick and throw another day, and I understand. That’s fine. I probably need to. But I’m still wanting to get back here and compete, where I know I belong.

“I made a nice play on a bunt play. That was a positive. I didn’t walk anybody. I threw seven pitches to the first guy, I think, and the next five or six hitters saw a total of maybe eight or nine pitches. I hit bats. I didn’t get the ball down like I wanted to, but it was good to get out there.”

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 6:34 PM | | Comments (34)
                    

The lineup

Brian Roberts - 2B

Nick Markakis - RF

Melvin Mora - 3B

Aubrey Huff - DH

Ramon Hernandez - C

Adam Jones - CF

Kevin Millar - 1B

Jay Payton - LF

Juan Castro - SS

Brian Burres - P

Manager Dave Trembley changed a few slots in the lineup, lowering Jones to sixth, because the team's been losing and he doesn't want to stand pat.

Jamie Walker is scheduled to pitch an inning at Single-A Frederick on Saturday.

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 4:28 PM | | Comments (18)
                    

July 24, 2008

Daniel Cabrera

Make that one win in his last 12 starts.

If it wasn't for the Kansas City Royals, Daniel Cabrera would be looking for his first victory since May 20. He's gone the distance twice to defeat the Royals this season. He owns them. It's the rest of the league that's causing him problems.

Cabrera allowed seven runs and 11 hits in five-plus innings. He threw two wild pitches and hit a batter.

The silver lining with Cabrera has been his ability to eat up innings. But he hasn't gone six complete in his last three starts.

The bottom third of Toronto's order is 6-for-8 with three RBIs and three runs scored.

 

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 3:59 PM | | Comments (62)
                    

Where's the rain when you need it?

Well, that was uneventful. It was most certainly uninspiring.

Maybe it was just a rehearsal. Time to really start playing.

The Orioles lost the suspended game, 5-1, with Kevin Millar’s throwing error allowing two runs to score in the eighth after Randor Bierd walked the first batter he faced.

Manager Dave Trembley ordered an intentional walk to Matt Stairs with Lyle Overbay on second base and one out. Bierd replaced Lance Cormier and walked Scott Rolen to load the bases before Millar fielded Adam Lind’s grounder and fired the ball over catcher Ramon Hernandez’s head. John McDonald, an RBI machine in this series, lifted a sacrifice fly to complete the scoring.

Here’s the lineup for the regular game, which is supposed to start at 1:55 p.m.:

Brian Roberts – 2B

Adam Jones – CF

Nick Markakis – RF

Aubrey Huff – 1B

Melvin Mora – 3B

Luke Scott – DH

Jay Payton – LF

Guillermo Quiroz – C

Juan Castro – SS

Daniel Cabrera – P

Before the game, Trembley was reminded that Hayden Penn had an impressive start on Tuesday for Triple-A Norfolk, allowing two runs in seven innings.

“One time doesn't get him a plane ticket here. It puts him back on the radar is what it does,” Trembley said. “We'll follow him a little more closely and we'll be anxious to see if he can repeat it.”

Jamie Walker allowed three runs – including a homer – and five hits in one inning today at Double-A Bowie.

Alex Cintron went 1-for-2 with a strikeout.

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 1:44 PM | | Comments (15)
                    

Now pitching...

No. 54, Lance Cormier.

The Blue Jays will counter with left-hander Jesse Carlson.

Just a reminder that the Blue Jays lead, 2-1, in the sixth inning and have a runner on third base, two outs and a 1-0 count on Scott Rolen.

Jamie Walker will throw an inning today at Double-A Bowie before the Orioles decide what to do with him.

Chris Ray update: The Orioles have "backed off him" a little, according to team president Andy MacPhail. Nothing serious, we're told, but Ray definitely isn't going to return this season.

The Orioles already figured that Ray was done in 2008, but he wanted to come back in late August or early September.

 

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 11:56 AM | | Comments (5)
                    

Mystery pitcher

Manager Dave Trembley won't reveal Jeremy Guthrie's replacement today because the Blue Jays haven't named their pitcher.

Trembley joked that he could have Guthrie throw eight warm-up tosses and then remove him. Guthrie offered to keep pitching, even writing on the magnetic board that he'd get the last out in the sixth and see how his arm felt.

I'm predicting that Lance Cormier will take the ball, but that's only a hunch.

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 11:10 AM | | Comments (6)
                    

Lone man in the press box

I knew it was going to be an early morning. I just didn’t know it would be this early.

I’m heading to the clubhouse to see whether manager Dave Trembley has chosen a pitcher to replace Jeremy Guthrie, and whether he’ll go situational on us or find someone who can give him multiple innings because he has another game to play.

Down on the farm, Jake Arrieta made his final start for Single-A Frederick last night before joining Team USA, tossing seven scoreless innings and striking out eight.

Brad Bergesen won his 12th game for Double-A Bowie, one short of the franchise record. Rain halted play after 4 ½ innings. Bergesen retired the first nine batters he faced on 30 pitches. He allowed two hits before umpires stopped the game.

“Bergy pretty much had it going right from the get-go. I could tell down in the bullpen,” Baysox pitching coach Mike Griffin said. “You know, I can usually tell what kind of possible start we could have when the starter’s warming up out there. Something told me from his demeanor on the mound warming up in the bullpen and the way he was finishing.”

Single-A Delmarva’s Sean Gleason, a 20th-round pick in last year’s draft, tossed a complete-game shutout yesterday, allowing only two hits in a 3-0 win over Hickory. He faced one batter over the minimum. Gleason posted a 2.93 ERA last year at Bluefield.

Need more proof that there’s a big difference between Triple-A baseball and the majors? Freddie Bynum batted sixth last night for Norfolk, going 1-for-5 with two strikeouts.

 

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 9:14 AM | | Comments (14)
                    

July 23, 2008

And now we wait a little more

The game has been suspended with two outs in the top of the sixth inning and the Blue Jays ahead, 2-1.

It will resume tomorrow at 12:05 p.m. The regularly scheduled game will be played 20 minutes after the conclusion of the first one.

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 10:38 PM | | Comments (20)
                    

The imperfect storm

The timing won't be great, but it's going to happen.

We have a nice 1-1 tie that's about to be put on hold. Storms are coming from the east and the west, ready to make a sandwich at Camden Yards. The grounds crew is positioned behind the tarp.

Woe is us.

Aubrey Huff hit his 17th career triple in the fourth inning, his seventh since joining the Orioles last season. 

Jeremy Guthrie has thrown 80 pitches in five innings. It's nice to see a starter who hasn't reached triple figures by now.

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 8:36 PM | | Comments (14)
                    

Belated lineup

(Now it's really late. I sent it almost an hour ago and it didn't land) 

Brian Roberts - 2B

Adam  Jones - CF

Nick Markakis - RF

Aubrey Huff - DH

Melvin Mora - 3B

Luke Scott - LF

Kevin Millar - 1B

Ramon Hernandez - C

Brandon Fahey - SS

Jeremy Guthrie - P

I missed manager Dave Trembley's pre-game session with the media, but I'm told he spent most of it venting about his young pitchers and their inability to work deep into games. The frustration is building. But again, there isn't much he can do about it. It's on them. 

Posted by Roch Kubatko at 6:42 PM | | Comments (10)
                    

July 22, 2008

The 10-8 final

Melvin Mora has four home runs and 14 RBIs in six games since the break – and six games since he stranded 11 runners in Boston. Glad to see that game didn’t stick with him. He’s on fire.

His four hits and five RBIs tonight were season highs. He’s also taken over the team lead in RBIs with 62, passing Aubrey Huff.

Does it surprise anyone that Mora is the RBI leader?

Ramon Hernandez has homered in three straight games. He might have produced a better at-bat with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth if plate umpire Jim Joyce hadn’t called a 2-0 pitch from B.J. Ryan a strike when it almost hit Hernandez in the gut.

Here’s what manager Dave Trembley had to say about Garrett Olson tonight:

“I think he’s got a whole lot more opportunity to be successful than what he’s showing right now. If he trusts his stuff and attacks the hitters maybe a little more aggressively, he’d probably find the outcome to be a little bit more positive for him. But that’s something he’s going to have to figure out on his own.

“I think he’s a very confident young man. I think he’s always been that way. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with his makeup. I think he’s a quality individual, works hard, competes. I think he’s got a tremendous upside. This is the major leagues. There’s a big learning curve here. Some of the things you might be able to get away with in Double-A and Triple-A, it catches up to you in a hurry here. In a hurry.”

Trembley had to decide whether to push his starters longer to save his bullpen – which isn’t easy to do when guys are running their pitch counts past 100 in the fifth inning – or pull them earlier and risk burning out his bullpen even more. And his relief options aren’t overwhelming right now.

“The numbers will prove themselves out,” he said. “I’m in a push-pull situation. Do you go with the starters longer and let what happened what occurred tonight, or do you pull guys early and your bullpen by Aug. 15 will be dragging? There are certain guys at this particular point and time, before the games are starting, I’m telling them they’re not pitching. They’re not pitching out of that bullpen. There’s nobody who’s going to pitch out of that bullpen three days in a row. The other day I told Sherrill before the game, ‘You ain’t pitching three days.’ That might happen later on after some guys maybe get a blow here or there, but if the starting pitcher doesn’t allow you to go deep in the game, you’re faced with a hook or crook situation. You’ve got to face the dilemma of maybe hurting somebody down there in the bullpen, or you’re faced with the other one, what happened tonight. You leave the guy in there and it doesn’t work out, then you’ve basically got to eat it.”

Down on the farm, reliever Bob McCrory has been transferred from short-season Single-A Aberdeen, where he was pitching on an injury rehab assignment, to Triple-A Norfolk. He tossed a scoreless inning tonight after Hayden Penn allowed only two earned runs (four total) and eight hits in seven innings, with one walk and four