What do O's, Phillies and Dodgers have in common?
I'm pretty sure a lot of O's fans know the answer to this fairly easy trivia question. Phillies outfielder Jayson Werth (left) was a first-round pick (22nd overall) by the Orioles in the 1997 draft and was eventually traded to the Toronto Blue Jays for pitcher John Bale without having made a major league appearance in an O's uniform.
He was traded to the Dodgers for Jason Frasor in 2004 and signed with the Phillies as a free agent two years ago. It's been a long and difficult road to his place now as an everyday player on an NLCS team, and he came full-circle when the same GM (Pat Gillick) who drafted him into the Orioles organization signed him in Philadelphia.
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The Phillies and Dodgers have also both lost to the Orioles in the World Series, but of course that was last century.
By the way, I don't understand all the fuss about your name. Lots of men are named Peter.
Posted by: Rusty | October 9, 2008 4:11 PM
Pete--Here's another thing that the Birds, Phils, and Dodgers have a common--the services of Davey Lopes.
Posted by: Barry | October 9, 2008 6:11 PM
I'm watching all of these talented youngsters in the post season and can only hope that the O's are only slightly behind this curve. The Dodgers and Phillies lineups are made up of young and homegrown talent: Ethier, Loney, Utley, Howard. I'm not even bringing up the Red Sox.
If this isn't the most important winter in O's history I don't know when that might have been.
Posted by: Jason | October 10, 2008 9:23 AM
As I recall, Werth was catching for the O's. Any idea why they gave up on a #1 pick so early and for so little? John Bale and Cy Young have never been used in the same sentence.
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Pete's reply: Jayson was just slow to develop in the O's system.
Posted by: JLS | October 10, 2008 10:02 AM
Let's hope they don't give up on Rowell who is slow developing in Frederick.
Posted by: Chris | October 10, 2008 2:31 PM
Jason. Good point about the home grown talent. That's the route to take; even the Dodgers seem to get it now, after years of bringing in costly, ineffective free-agents(Pierre, Jones, Schmidt).
Bring in a few free agents if necessary, only after you have all the other pieces in place. Therefore, the O's shouldn't even be thinking any free agents this year.
Posted by: TerryP | October 12, 2008 8:40 AM