So it's looking like:

Guthrie
Uehara
Eaton
Baez
Hendricksen

Why do we even have Spring Training? all the decisions are based on options. When a guy like Pie gets the job after his Spring, and a guy like Bergeson or Reimold or Montanzez is sent down, it makes Trembley's line about a "competition" laughable!

WOW ....I had Brad Bergesen as the 5th SP.So I guess it will be Guthrie , Uehara , Easton , Hill , Simon .

Bergesen will be waiting in the wings at Norfolk when the first retread blows up in the rotation in April and May. Not a bad idea.

i seriously doubt pitchers like baez, hendrickson or pauley are good major league starters but to me it appears macphail wants any potential big league prospect to get to the big leagues very gradually. going thru all levels of the minors gaining experience. bottom line the orioles aren't concerned at all about this yr. it's all about 2010. that said those who bought season tickets should get a 40% discount for the year. unless toronto falls on their face it will last place for the o's.

They could have cut Eaton instead. Would anyone really have argued with cutting a guy that hasn't had a league-average ERA since his rookie year a decade ago and has "Eaton" innings at a rate of 5 2/3 career and 5 1/3 the past three seasons?

"I think (Adam) Eaton and Simon have gotten our interest," Trembley said. "They need to pitch well again, especially Simon. Eaton's got more of a track record. He's done it before and he's pitched innings." (From another familiar local blogger's site)

He definitely has a track record. Unfortunately it is not near a good one.

I wish MacPhail would tell us the truth, that Eaton is just a placeholder until he shows how poor he is and someone at Norfolk dominates over several starts, because it would make me feel much better to hear those ideas from the team than what Trembley is saying, empty as it hopefully it.

Say it ain't so Pete! Brad was the only healthy consistant arm in camp! What are they thinking in the warehouse! I mean they have all stunk! Even our Ace Guthrie in limited action has been horrid! 100 losses a banged up bullpen by 1 June and less than 1.7 in attendance! Worse part 2010 won't be any better! A loooooooooooooooooong season!

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Pete's reply: I'm not ready to write off 2010 just yet.

I have a feeling we'll be seeing Bergesen in Balmer real soon, my guess is early May. He might even bring Wieters with him.

dang. who's gonna pitch?

That sucks. I really thought he was going to be the the fourth or fifth pitcher.

Let me clarify my statement. Bergesen should have made the rotation. I could care less whether or not Mitchell made the team.

That makes sense to send down one of the most consistent pitchers of the spring.

Obviously, there was never an "open competition" for the starting rotation, because if there was, Brad Bergesen would've already locked up a spot. It's unbelievable that Bergesen is gone and the incompetent Baez is still in the running. Hey Pete, do you think that Trembley and Kranitz came into camp with the 5 starters already decided in their heads? Penn has not pitched well AT ALL, but he's still hangin' around too. I think it was a done deal before it started!

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Pete's reply: No, I don't think that, but options do matter at this point, so those guys get the longest look. Doesn't mean Bergesen isn't in the rotation two weeks into the season...or sooner.

This move puzzles me, and it annoys me as well. What do we have to lose by keeping Bergesen around for a few more days in the camp. Obviously we're having trouble finding innings for all these guys, but the man just turned in a great outing only the day before.

To be honest, I am a fan of his, and I really hope that he will have a successful career with us, but it would have been a much better decision to wait until after Mark Hendrickson and Hayden Penn have pitched tomorrow, would it not?

And on a somewhat note, what do you think the chances are of keeping Hayden Penn as a long man until he can build up his strength and muscle memory? It'd be a good idea to keep a couple guys around who have the stamina to start, not if, but when our starters start going down. Matt Albers and Dennis Sarfate are capable, but Albers still has that torn labrum he's working through, and Sarfate is just too much of a 2- to 3-inning pitcher.

At this point, it seems like our pitching situation would be:
Starting Five
-----------------
1. Guthrie
2. Uehara
3. Eaton
4. Simon
5. Hendrickson/Penn
-----------------
Long Man - Baez and Hendrickson/Penn
Middle Men - Albers, Sarfate
Lefty Set-up - Walker
Righty Set-up - Ray, J. Johnson
Closer - Sherrill

Thoughts? With 38 guys to choose from (It was 37 until Eaton arrived, I know), I'm sure I missed a few. Also, i know David Pauley is absent, but he's very accurate... so accurate that he hasn't missed a bat yet. I think he's going through the waiver wire.

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Pete's reply: If they picked the staff today, I think you're pretty close.

Pete,

I agree with these bums Bergesen will be back by 15 May! If the rotations is:
Gutherie
Koji
Eaton
Simon
Hill (Out of Option)

I really don't see how they can carry Walker in the pen and waste a spot! Sherrill, Ray, Johnson, Sarfate, Albers would be 10 pitchers. Hendrickson, Penn (options), Baez (big $$$ but pitches to more than one batter) that would be 13! How can you keep Walker? If they are giving Pie all this chance, I can't see them giving up on Hill and Penn quite that easily. Besides when our starters only go 3 1/3 its nice knowing Penn and Baez have been stretched out because our starters are going to redefine LONG RELIEF!

The Os won't be competitive with or without Bergesen. For a guy who has yet to throw a pitch at the AAA level I don't see what all the fuss is about. This is still a rebuilding year. Understanding what the Os are doing is a lot simpler is you accept this idea. Experienced players with little money owed who do okay in the first half will bring prospects with an upside at the trade deadline. The Os aren't considering moving Bergesen at the trade deadline but Pauly , Baez, Hendrickson and Eaton could easily be had for the right price. Same goes for Luke Scott.

I just spent the past hour, or more, on some good comments to your blog but then hit the wrong button somehow and suspect that they're now floating around in blogsville somewhere. I'll try again, just because they are that noteworthy, at least in the eyes of this author. (I'm sure you feel the same way - sometimes.) Here goes:
In watching that riveting "30 clubs-in-30 days" program on MLB, (after being pleasently surprised by the intuitive comments from a certain former Cal-Ful student, (now more full than Bal- here in the Land of the Chesapeake) who participated in an interesting segment called "Players who are not in the Hall of Fame but should be", or something like that) I note that, in interviews conducted in "30...", most managers have already decided on, or are now deciding on, their #5 starter even though there are still two plus weeks left of Spring Training. Also, that they base that capability on the additional length afforded by this year's preseason which enabled them to bring into shape their choices for the best five in their organization or to incorporate, mostly through 1 year contracts, qualified, proven major league pitchers who were in the free agent marketplace.
Sadly, in spite of the extra time for Spring training, the O's are still looking for a staff to complement Jeremy Guthrie. (Uehara, contrary to the annointed #2 designation, is neither proven nor major league yet. In fact, right now he is semi-disabled and thus unable to be designated as anything but). Three months plus of off-season and one and one-half months of preseason have not produced anything more than what was on paper at the end of last season. In fact less, if we take into account the inability of some minor leaguers to take the step up into the bigs as well as the injuries befalling most of the imports who, by the way, were not that assured of a position in the first place.
Each day, it seemed, I watched as, throughout the off-season, good, quality free agent pitchers were signed to one year contracts for $1.5 to $2 million. Supposedly, because they couldn't reach agreement with various clubs on their worth over long term contracts, the one year deals afforded them the opportunity to receive a paycheck and improve their position while hoping for a better environment next year. Admittedly, they weren't Johanna Santana's but they weren't Pedro Martinez's either (although your latest suggestion that he might be worth a look could be sound now considering the position the club is in). By that I mean they could have been reasonably priced stop-gap pitchers who could be relied upon in 2009 to do an adequate job while the club is waiting for a couple of the young pitchers down on the farm to assert their qualifications for promotion. We all accepted the admonition that this was to be a rebuilding, wait-and-see-til-next-year season. Additionally, should the add-ons have a better than expected first half or so, they could have been offered during the second half trading season for future prospects, all at a cost somewhat less than that paid to Benard or Miggie. Hopefully, by that time, minor league replacements would be fully ready to assume place on the team.
Was the lack of action on the part of the front office the result of even more penny-pinching on the part of the owner (Angelos could have taken the money he swiped from Guthrie this year and, together with the $$ he shorted Markakis, not have had to add anything to sign two or three of those guys). Or was it due to the lack of foresight (or the apparent turtle-like immobility) that the GM has shown so often over the past several years?
Now, when its almost midnight, the O's are looking in the "cast-off" bin for help, something that will almost assuredly result in excuses during the season over how this pitcher or that one "failed" to live up to expectations (it wasn't OUR fault.). We had a bushelful of that last season, and not at $4.99 a bushel either.
Looking down I-95 I'm getting the feeling that the Nats, with the way their front office has been working, will be moving past the O's in ranking among major league teams thus inculcating upon our storied franchise a variation of that sobriquet hung on the Washington franchise in days gone by: "First in war, first in peace and last in the American League". Is that to be our legacy? Say it ain't so, Pete/Andy!

I don't know why everyone is surprised. No minor league pitcher with options was going to win a starting job unless they pitched the lights out. Bergeson was pretty good, but not that.

He'll be at AAA and ready to come up if/when one of the ones they keep flames out.

So much hate on Trembley and the "competition!" Money and options DO matter, and very much so. Imagine if we kept someone like Arrieta or Matusz up here. The sooner we bring them up to the majors, the less time they will be under the Orioles' control. They are talented young kids who would succeed in the majors, but it is better to keep them in the minors to develop, so that they will still be Orioles as 2014 and 2015 roll around, rather than hitting the free agent market.

The Bergesen decision confuses me, but since he has yet to pitch a major league inning, he may actually be the first call-up when a pitcher gets injured so that his clock doesn't start ticking as soon. But "Doug," with the players like Reimold, it's pretty obvious why we want them in the minors, so they aren't stuck in roster gridlock, and their arbitration clocks are not yet ticking.

How sad. DJ talks about Eaton's less than stellar track record, but compared to Simon's, you might comfuse it for Cy Young's stats. I ask anyone to look at his career marks in the minors (see below link), and then please tell me why the Orioles are talking about this guy like a potential starter. He wasn't just bad, he was sooo bad that if you throw out his 5-0 W-L record in his first year of A ball, and you'll see a 16-30 mark with an ERA over 5.00.

Andy MacPhail dismissed signing Pedro Martinez because they were looking for someone who could help the staff, and now we're supposed to believe that that savior is Alfredo Simon? Love what your doing for the team, Andy, but please don't insult our intelligence, okay?

http://minors.baseball-reference.com/players.cgi?pid=28182

Pete,

Not sure I really sure I follow the logic on this move. I just can't see Baez making this team, unless the organization goes with not eating the contract. Then again, 90 losses or 100, what's the difference!

I believe it's time to move on with Penn as well. The kid just doesn't seem to have the make up. If the team just wants to give extended looks to Pauley & HILL, during the beginning of the season, then so be it!

But if I'm the FO, if the pitching falters, and Pie isn't hitting by June, then I put the guy on waivers, bring up Reimold, depending on his AAA play, and perhaps find a place for Montanez. I also make sure Bergeson gets his chance.

The staff by June:

Starters

Guthrie
Koji
Hill
Simon
Bergeson

LR

Hendrickson
Sarfate
Albers

MR

Johnson
Perez

Set Up

Ray

Closer

Sherrill

What kind of management is this? Bergesen proved he was better than 3/5ths of the projected pitching rotation. This is a bunch of bull and the Orioles need new eyes because this is ridiculous.

Curiouser and curiouser, as the old line goes. Let's see, who's next? Based on the demotions of Reimold, Perez, and Bergeson the next candidate(s) has to be a player(s)having a decent spring. Bass, Montanez? They seem to fit the criteria set by the front office. These moves are really hard to figure out.

It's just funny how the O's nitpick their own layers but are willing to accept any amount of baggage from McPhail's folly players.

Here's some examles of what the O's org. guys need to work on.

Liz..Repeat his delivery.
Matuz.Refine fastball and changeup.No curves allowed.
Reimold..Work on bunting.
Montanez..Work on defense.
Bergesen..Work on slider.
Turner..Get better in the hole at SS.
Penn..Needs to open some eyes soon even though he's not pitching.

On the other hand..
Simon gives us a different look..In.
Baez..Only throws fastballs. No problem.
Pie. Can hit .220 because his defense is sooooooooooo good.We need good defense for the "young" pitchers.
Hendrickson/Bass..Swing men because uh. we don't really have a clue what thier roles are.
6 bullpen guys who spent some time on the DL last year.No problem,they're all healthy.
Koji. Hey at least we cracked the Asian market.We all make mistakes the first time around.
Hill. Hey that shadow pitching is looking good. We like the way the air is coming out of your hand.

The Orioles are not even attempting to be competitive. If MacPhail had been the GM of the 1966 Orioles, he would have sent down 20 year old Jim Palmer and 21 year old Wally Bunker for more seasoning. Maybe 23 year old Dave McNally would have been brought up later. Now THAT would have changed baseball history!

Hayden Penn? Pulleaaaaaaaaase! Hendrickson? Come on....

Sending Matt Wieters down will cement the fact that the Orioles are more interested in delaying arbitration and free agent years than they are fielding a competitive team.

I remember Tommy Lasorda saying once, "If I listen to the fans, I'll likely become one." Kranitz and Trembley have said that Bergesen is the most polished of all the pitching prospects. This is a rebuilding season. Put him in triple-A and assuming he continues to pitch well, he'll be the first call up. Obviously people that are outraged about this, know nothing about baseball. David Price will likely start the season in Triple-A for the Rays and they ARE a contender. The Orioles aren't going to contend this year, so why rush people. If Eaton or whoever else makes the team sucks, then someone else will get a chance.

Bergesen is definitely pitching better than at least a couple guys in the projected starting 5, but he's not pitched above AA (has he?). Its important not to overextend him. Lets see how he does at Norfolk and I'd expect he'll be one of the first call ups. I like that they're doing their best to protect these young pitchers - and not just the highest rated ones either. Plus Bergy can continue to work on his chemistry with Wieters while he's down there. I'm interested to see who makes up the AAA starters too. Hernandez is another that might start there and end up in Camden later this year.

I think that I read somewhere that the fifth starter won't be needed the first two weeks of the season due to days off. Therefore, I think that it is a good idea to have him start as the #1 in Norfolk and move him up if he continues to do well. If he is going to be a starter, he should not be sitting on the bench or releiving the first two weeks of the season in Balt.

Pete,

How bout the begining of the original Major league Movie! You remember the part when they are going around the Cleveland area asking their opionion of the new team, the asian ground keeping crew say "s***ty" I know you remember.

Well we didn't have to be that way! While we stopgapped shortstop and paid BROB and Nick, why not drop another 4-6 Mil and sign Mike Hampton and some of the other 1-2M proven major league pitchers for a year with options and at least look respectable. OR if were gonna have the same record as the Pirates, trade all our good players and become a cash cow and minor league team for the Yankees and Red Sox in lieu of being their whipping boys!