Orioles: The morning news
Today is going to be all about Hayden Penn, who has been moved into the start against the Marlins at Fort Lauderdale Stadium. If he performs well, he's got a chance to jump right into the regular season rotation. If he doesn't, I think you can be pretty sure Alfredo Simon gets the last slot.
It's not out of the question that Penn and Simon both make the rotation, but manager Dave Trembley would have to make the tough decision to go with five right-handers. He said he might do that recently, but I don't believe him. I think Mark Hendrickson is in.
The other important outing today will not take place in the game. Jim Johnson will throw a bullpen session and see how his sore shoulder is coming along. If it goes well, he'll stay on schedule for Opening Day. If it doesn't, he'll likely start the season on the disabled list.
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Comments
How would you rank the Spring performance for the starting pitchers? From what I have seen and can gather this is how I would rate the Spring so far:
1. Uehara
2. Bergesen
3. Guthrie
4. Eaton
5. Penn
5. Simon
7. Hill
8. Baez
9. Pauley
Posted by: David B | March 26, 2009 9:32 AM
I hope he's kick some but ! I have no problem going with Guthrie , Uehara Eaton , Penn & Simon if they are the best 5. April going to be a hard month to win away.One more thing I don't see Easton on the roster in May it will be Hill or Bergesen. BP would set as Albers , Hendrickson, Bass , Walker , Sarfate , Johnson , Ray , Sherrill and I don't see Baez making the team.
Posted by: John | March 26, 2009 9:44 AM
Good morning Pete,
I was watching Oriole classics on MASN the other night and the 1997 playoffs between the Orioles and the Mariners.
I guess in the last 12 years I had forgotten how deep the Orioles bullpen used to be, with the likes of Alan Mills, Arthur Rhodes, Randy Myers, Jesse Orosco, Armando Benetez, Scott Kamanicke, etc.
Other than Mike Mussina and Scott Erickson, the starting rotation that year was not outstanding, and it included Jimmie Key.
Go Back even farther to the four 20 game winners we had nearly 40 years ago. It makes me sick to my stomach to watch the pitchers the Orioles now have compared to those of my childhood back in the 50's and 60's.
As I drifted back and watched, what I had forgotten was that the pitching staff then worked fast, threw strikes, and changed speed and location, and were very effective.
This years entire pitching staff can't be counted on to do any of those things consistently. Pete, how is it possible to botch up an entire pitching staff so consistently like the Orioles have done in the years since? As Brooks Robinson said on WBAL radio a couple of months ago, "Eleven staright losing seasons. That's pretty hard to do"
Who is really to blame?
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Pete's reply: Everybody is to blame, from the ownership to several front office configurations, but it appears that next year's staff might be the start of a new pitching era.
Posted by: Gil Jr | March 26, 2009 10:02 AM
I believe Hill and Bergeson will both be up early and replace two starters! So whoever makes it Opening Day will be on a short lease unless they excel...
Posted by: BirdsFan66 | March 26, 2009 10:05 AM