Trembley: Strength in numbers
In his first post-workout press briefing of spring training, manager Dave Trembley addressed the inordinately large number of pitchers in camp (37) and explained that the club brought in so many in part because of the number of pitchers coming off injuries.
It's going to be difficult to get innings for all of them during the exhibition season, but the extra week of training camp that was added because of the World Baseball Classic should help.
"I hope they make it as tough for me as possible,'' Trembley said. "If they do, that will mean we had a very competitive camp."
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Comments
Anybody disappointed that the Os didn't get Joe Girardi as manager now?
Posted by: Rusty | February 15, 2009 4:46 PM
After looking at the 37, he looks like he's going to hurl or something. If 37 was good, why didn't they just give him 67 or something? Or maybe 69. A 5th place team is a 5th place team. Andy is doing as well as he can, but he is like the BACKUP iceberg watcher on the Titanic. That's the guy they gave the job to after they hit the iceberg. I have a full season plan, and will be there this year, but I have no doubt where the O's will be this year. Or next.
Posted by: BA Ray | February 15, 2009 4:54 PM
Pete,
You list Mark Hendrickson as the fifth man in the Orioles starting rotation. Where do you get that? Andy MacPhail, Dave Trembley and Rick Kranitz have all stated unequivocally that the team signed him primarily as a reliever/swingman, not a starter, and to date none has changed his position.
Maybe you'll be proven right, but if you are it will mean that the O's are in worse shape than I think they are. Surely there are five stronger starters on the staff than Hendrickson; if not, the team is in trouble right out of the gate.
Question: You wrote that when Matt Wieters is sent down to Norfolk to start the season, it will happen because that's his "developmental blueprint." By that do you mean to hone his catching skills?
I'm wondering, because it's my understanding that Gregg Zaun was signed largely to mentor him on that sort of thing. If that's the case, his development can just as easily take place in Baltimore as Norfolk.
I also ask because I'm hearing that the real reason Wieters will start in the minors is to delay when he will be elegible to be a free agent. But should that even be a concern to the Orioles? Unless the MacPhail rebuilding plan falls flat on its face, Wieters will want to play for the O's and they could sign him the way they did Nick Markakis.
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Pete's reply: They're both the "real" reason. He can use some time in Triple-A and the Orioles can use the extra year of his service. If he's as good as advertised, they're doing you a favor by making sure he can't leave for seven years.
Posted by: Ken Francis | February 15, 2009 4:59 PM
"I hope they make it as tough for me as possible,'' Trembley said. That could go two ways. I'm hoping the glass is half full.
Posted by: Punk Flamingo | February 15, 2009 6:47 PM
Not sure what you're getting at. Trembley hasn't done anything much one way or the other to say he's appreciably better or worse than Girardi. Yanks sucked last year, too (albeit, not as much as the O's). I like DT's attitude and what he says, so let's see how things work out, eh?
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Pete's reply: Who brought up Girardi and why? Wasn't me.
Posted by: Noel Johnston | February 15, 2009 7:07 PM
Pete-
I have a gut feeling that Girardi is not going to last the full season as the Steinbrenners' chosen whipping boy. With the unyielding press and blowhard offspring Hank, the hothouse is going to heat up right quickly this spring...
Posted by: patrick lynch | February 16, 2009 6:56 AM