Hendrickson: Decent outing...but
Mark Hendrickson pitched pretty well for five innings, especially when you factor in the drop by Cesar Izturis that played a big role in the two-run rally by the Red Sox in the first. He has pitched well enough to win two of the three times he has started, which you have to be willing to accept from the guy who was designated as the No. 5 starter out of spring training.
That said, he throws so many pitches that he isn't going to get deep into the game, which is going to cost him the chance to win some of the games in which he keeps the team close. The high pitch counts also have an effect on the sharpness of the defense. It probably isn't a total coincidence that two of the Orioles biggest defensive breakdowns have come in his last two starts, but that is no excuse for the way the club has struggled in the field recently. The O's started the season playing great defense and clearly have lost some focus as their overall fortunes have turned.
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Comments
Hey Peter,
I do not know about you... but I am already 100% sick and tired of the Felix Pie experiment. He cannot hit, cannot bunt, and even worse.... he cannot field. What good is he!? I know he is "Andy's boy" from the Cubs but I have no idea what he sees in him or what he thinks his up-side might be.
Reimold and Montanez played GREAT all spring and are continuing to do so down at Norfolk... why can't we give these guys a shot!?
Posted by: Alex | April 20, 2009 1:36 PM
Schmuck, if you will be kind enough to indulge my petition on your blog. I think it is pertinent.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/felixpieexperiment/
Posted by: Jordan | April 20, 2009 1:41 PM
One word for him. Bullpen
Posted by: cb coach | April 20, 2009 1:49 PM
This is ugly, what a line for Liz. Did anyone really think this staff would be this bad? Pete: I am sure your next blog will be interesting!
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Pete's reply: I glad you're confident, because I'm not.
Posted by: cb coach | April 20, 2009 1:55 PM
I am glad he's going to be ok ,but he's still need to be CUT !
Posted by: John | April 20, 2009 2:03 PM
Radhames Liz currently has a 67.50 ERA. I believe this experiment is over. He is like gasoline to a fire.
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Pete's reply: So you're saying 67.50 isn't good?
Posted by: Grundy | April 20, 2009 2:04 PM
Love the blog, Pete! The forgotten man among all our filthy young pitching seems to be the jewel of the Miggy trade (Patton) who's quietly thrown 11 shutout innings in two starts at Bowie and already had a little success in the bigs in 2007. Might he get a shot this year? I could see a July rotation of Guthrie, Uehara, Hill, Arrieta and Patton (or Tillman if he can throw more strikes).
Also, count me among those who think it's way too early to give up on Pie, as I don't think he'd ever clear waivers.
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Pete's reply: Thanks for the support from my old stomping grounds. I'm not sure Pie would get claimed right now, but I don't think it will be an issue for awhile.
Posted by: Jay (L.A. O's fan) | April 20, 2009 2:05 PM
It's far from an acceptable outing from the rest of the team.
There's plenty of excuses, but it seems like the only ones not getting tired of them are Dave and Andy. The pitching stinks and the defense offers them no helping hand. It's only April, but do we have to watch this the rest of the summer???
Half the lineup is swinging a rolled up newspaper, the bench doesn't exist. Good teams bring in guys who can play. The Orioles bring guys who can't even play ballplayers on TV.
The past few years at least we didn't have to watch this kind of play until August. If it's going to start in April we shouldn't have to watch retreads playing like this. They may as well switch half the roster with Norfolk and play for next year.
This is horrible!!!
Posted by: Steve "The Nuclear Guy" | April 20, 2009 2:20 PM
Any word on Adam Jones? He missed the game today- is it serious?
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Pete's reply: I believe he'll be out for at least a few more days.
Posted by: James | April 20, 2009 2:31 PM
Sticka fork in the O's after this Boston Massacre. Please take Baltimore off the road jerseys.
Posted by: John | April 20, 2009 2:37 PM
In that pic of Hendrickson, he looks like Glass Joe from Mike Tyson's Punch Out! Steve Trachsel had that same look on his face in his pic last year. Coincidence? (Probably...but it's still pretty funny!)
Posted by: BaltoJim | April 20, 2009 2:48 PM
this plan to spare the young pitchers isnt going to work with these guys. there are still some free agent pitchers out there that might at least eat up some innings. is there any chance that any of the guys on this list would be affordable options, so that we could at least cut eaton and simon without destroying our young arms and/or the bullpen?
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/12/2009-mlb-free-a.html
Posted by: jp | April 20, 2009 3:06 PM
Later on this year when the O's are about 60-95 we'll all be thinking "I remember back in April when the O's had a winning record".
Posted by: Coach | April 20, 2009 3:57 PM