At least Bergesen gets the team into the 6th inning unlike the disasters that were Liz, Olson, & Co. last year.
Unfortunately Ray needs some work in the minors. His performances this year have been poor and with the good performances of guys in the minors there isn't any reason to tolerate it.

next blog headline should be "Dunn In"

Jaime Walker, doing what he does best - getting lefties out, er, giving up grand slams. Geez.

....and then there's the brilliant move of bringing in Jamie @#$%$^# Walker to pitch to Adam Dunn. Jamie hasn't gotten a lefty hitter out since Moby Dick was a minnow. This game has been totally mismanaged. Chalk the loss up to Dave Trembley today.

Grand slam. Okay, fair enough--some things are just very clear. Our bullpen is mostly wonderful. Ray and Walker aren't up to the task.

Rather than flip out about it, can't we just admit it and move on?

Ray needs to figure it out in AAA; Walker... well. Maybe these next few weeks will tell.

Pete just tell me what purpose Jamie Walker serves on this team. His only job the last 3 years was to get left handed hitters out and he has never fullfied that purpose. What a complete waste. They bust there buts to win a game and the same relief pitchers can't do there jobs day in and day out. Chris ray is another disappointment.

...............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Can't argue right now. Walker definitely is struggling. I don't know if Ray needs to go down, but he needs some help to get back to where he was before the injury.

Pete,

Why does Dave Trembley say he is going to consider when he puts Ray in (pressure situations, etc) and then bring him in to a one run game?

Should not the Jamie Walker experiment end? It's sad to see the end of a career but there just comes a time for an organization to move on. I mean it's not like we don't have some options at AAA. Do you think he will be released or will they be patient?

I'm all for moving cautiously and prudently......but the Walker thing seems like a no brainer.

Have you changed your mind yet about Chris Ray needing to go down? Deja vu. Ray let's 'emn, Walker can't get a lefty out, and the series ends n a down note. I know DT can't pitch DB and JJ every day, but this one hurts.

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: I haven't changed my mind because I don't have a strong opinion. If it would help him to go down, absolutely, that's what you do. The question is, who takes his place, and it isn't as simple as saying "anyone would be better." Doesn't work that way. Sometimes, you have to go through a tough span with a player and not give up on him.

The O's seem to have turned yet another corner or two and are now facing in the same direction they have been all year.
It seems as though any O's pitcher who actually pitches even moderately well, can count on getting very little run support. The team seems to save it's big offensive bursts for pitchers who regularly get shelled, while not scoring much if the pitcher is doing well. Either way they generally manage to score just enough to lose.

He is going thru some growing pains just like every young player does. He will learn the hard way and with experience. Just like all the pitchers, he has to stop throwing down the middle and keep the ball down low and where they can't hit the pitch.

I still don't understand how the Orioles can always find a way to lose on Sundays.

Jamie Walker 2008 .325 BA, 12 HRs in 38 IP

Jamie Walker 2009 .370 BA 3 HRs in 10 IP.

What is considered grounds for dismissal?

Pete,

How many times does Jamie Walker have to fail before he's released? He has nothing left and he's keeping a roster spot away from a young pitcher.

Hey Pete, what are your thoughts on Chris Ray? Do the O's just keep him around to get torched every time he goes out, or might it be a good idea to send him down for a while to get his mojo back? I can't see how getting lit up like a roman candle every appearance helps him get back to his old form.

............................................................................................
Pete's reply: The reason I don't have a strong opinion is because I haven't been able to talk to Rick Kranitz about him. From a distance, it looks like he needs to be more consistent with his mechanics, but I'm no pitching coach.

Now that we've seen our lefthanded go to guy give up another Grand Slam, isn't it time to say goodbye to Jamie Walker. He has'nt been able to get lefties out for two years. Pete, tell me how wrong I am.

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Can't say you're wrong. Just don't know what they are going to do. Believe it or not, Dave doesn't like his relievers giving up grand slams either.

Little help please. WHAT IN THE LIVING HELL IS CHRIS RAY STILL PITCHING AT THIS LEVEL FOR? The guy is baked, done, finished. Stop using this damn deadwood, dump him, and bring in someone deserving. This is just plain stupid. What is the plan? Someone decides we need to lose a game so bring in Ray???? Good GRIEF!!

.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: He's definitely in crisis. That doesn't mean he's done.

another mismanaged game by the Genius Dave Trembley,should have pulled Bergeson and brought in Hendrickson to face Dunn,it was obvious he was getting tired and how many times have we seen Orioles pitchers run the bases and give up runs.Secondly,he should have batted Mora for Moeller with ducks on the pond,and us with a lead,and finally why oh why would you walk anybody to let JamieWalker pitch to a lefty with the bases loaded.Why would you let Jamie Walker pitch to anybody at this point.Doesn't matter what kind of talent you bring up when you have a clueless manager and that's what Trembley is.Whenever his tenure as O's manager is done,he'll be lucky to win about 40 % of the time.So go ahead Sun readers,keep giving him an A.there's a reason our Sunday ERA is over a run higher and our Runs scored is almost 2 runs lower.Zaun,Izturis and Mora out of the line-up,and very questionable bullpen handling,but we've seen that from Trembley for 2 straight years.What a joke.Enter the letter U for u stink Trembley.Didn't like the move when we made it and like it even less now.

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: The "genius," as you so sarcastically put it, had a choice between Jamie Walker and Mark Hendrickson to face the National League home run leader. If he had brought in Hendrickson and Dunn had gone deep, what would you have said about him?????

Oh and Pete,let's see if you post anything on questionable AL strategy,after this loss.Won't that be surprising.No pinch hitting,Putting Pie in left so he can do his usual strikeout in the 8th and who does Jamie Walker have compromising picture of anyhow?How discouraging.Weaver would have had Bergeson out after the first baserunner in the 6th,with a chance to win the ballgame.But I forgot we have good old Super Dave managing our team.Much rather see Hendrickson then Walker now anyday.he's actually done a decent job out of the bullpen in the past and did so again today.

.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Lots easier to pitch when the game is already over. The problem with this game wasn't strategy. It was lack of adequate personnel. Ray and Walker are struggling and something will need to be done about that. Now that the game is over, they should have let Pie pitch. The outcome could not have been worse. I love how we all look at the game in highsight, and poor old Dave is an idiot because he either left the guy in too long or took him out too soon. The bottom line, except Friday and Saturday, is that the bullpen has been a big disappointment. I thought during the spring that it was the only part of the team that wasn't going to be a problem.

Pete; Do we have any pitcher that can go 7 innings??

Also, as I blog on your site like many have bring up Reimold
which he will need a real chance!!! PIE he hasn't proven it at chicago and i hope mcphail isn.t to close to the Cubs.

He is one of his draftees.

When will we understand the operation of a great Oriole pitcher Flanagan-- But not a front office man Jamie Walker he's wore out And, look at the 3 bullpen improvemnents of 3 years ago.
Sad. All were tired.

JH

Jamie Walker strikes again!

When will they learn?

I agree - he has shown composure. Here's what the deal is: the team doesn't have a whole lot of wins to show him, not that he doesn't have a lot of wins to show for his attempts. Team failure. He and Koji are the Guthrie's of last year.

But ironically, both of those pitchers need to develop the mid-innings repertoire adjustment a bit more.

You are dead right about Bergeson..He also strikes me as the kind of youngster that WILL learn to make the adjustments.
I wrote awhile back about Ray just not looking ready from his injury. I wish they would give him a chance to work it out at Norfolk or Bowie and make sure he knew that a demotion did not mean the team was quitting on him.
Walker, well, I love the guy, but his job is to shut down lefties. ...how long of a leash do you think he is going to get? I am rooting that he finds it somehow, and he does show flashes, but it's not consistant at all.

He is a fifth starter at best.
Needs another pitch.
Good kid but very limited upside including innings

I usually am one of the last fans to give up on a player and call for him to go....but at this point, what value does Jamie Walker have to the Orioles? He's a left-handed specialists who can't get out lefties.....or righties for that matter. Can we give his spot to Luke Scott when he returns rather than send down a younger player? It's a shame because I know you reporters talk about how nice a guy he is, but at some point...doesn't he have to go?

Palmer did it again...mentioned the possibility of the winning HR just SECONDS before it was hit. Wish he'd keep his yap shut. But that's like wishing a tiger would loose his stripes.

Pete,

For the five hundred time, RELEASE WALKER! This guy sucks, but what might be worse is the manager 73% of those survey thinks Dave is doing a an "A" job! When you continually repeat the same unsuccessful move and it continues to produce negative results, the manager should have a DUNCE CAP not a baseball cap! Numbers don't lie!

I am a 45-year Oriole fan. This year, I have watched maybe three games, as I'm not willing to pay for the MLB package. Anyway, from someone who hasn't watched, and the fans can all crucify me, but back the heck off and leave Trembley and MacPhail alone. I don't want to criticize the intelligence of the posters here, so I won't. There's all kinds of talent in the minors. Bergeson, for one, was considered a back-of-the-rotation guy at best. As for Walker, it's completely obvious they are hoping and praying he turns it around enough to get 2 prospects in July. Same as they hoped with Eaton. Sometimes it doesn't work. OTOH, look how Kranitz worked with Sherrill, and now Georgie Porgie is doing OK. And what about Baez? Doing OK? They'll get a couple of nice prospects if Baez keeps this up. Talk about a good GM. Look what they club got for "Mr. Personality" Erik Bedard and "Mr. Juice" Miguel Tejada. Cut the guy some slack. I will hold of criticism until the end of Sept, 2010. I think by then it will be kind of all right.

Pete, The Orioles' radio announcers had a different take on Bergesen's mid-game woes. Rather than it being a case of the opposing team making adjustments, like we've seen with Koji, they say it simply was a matter of him repeatedly getting his pitches up. Maybe it's a combination of both.

I like Jamie Walker, so it hurts me to say this, but think he's lost it. I don't see any point on the team hanging on to him, regardless of what he's owed by Peter Angelos. What Walker's doing now isn't what Angelos envisioned when he signed that multiyear contract.

An attempt should be made to trade him now, and if there are no takers, then release him and bring up Chris Waters or Wifredo Perez to fill that spot. It's counterproductive to keep Jamie on the roster.

What do you mean you don't know that Ray needs to go down? He's killing the team's chances every time he goes out there. How much more batting practice do you want to see?

Oh, right, we're not supposed to care if the losses pile up any more. It's rebuilding time and rebuilding means that fans don't matter anymore. Ray can "practice" being a big league pitcher and we're supposed to sit back and watch and say, "Hey, he stinks, but it's okay for him to stink while the O's are supposedly trying to hold a lead.

Which leads to an interesting queston: What's with Dave Trembley bringing Ray into any game except if it's mop-up duty? And please don't tell me he had to use him. He didn't. He could have used Matt Albers or Mark Hendrickson, and while neither of them is automatic the way George Sherrill's been of late, but they haven't been stinking up the mound the way Ray has, either.

Isn't it more reasonable to send Ray down where there's less pressure and he can put his game back together without hurting the Orioles? And bringing up someone to replace him makes perfect sense in the context of rebuilding.

It's time to move on. It Chris Ray gets it back together, fine, then bring him back; if not, get on with building the winner for which everyone craves. It's time for this team to step into the future and quit making excuses to avoid taking that step, even when it's clearly the right move.

The Orioles are now 4 and 28 in their last 32 Sunday games.Why can't we win on Sunday?

.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Maybe they're the only major league team that rightly considers Sunday a day of rest.

Koji's a fighter. He wouldn't have been acting like he was if he wasn't sure he was hurt. I can't imagine it'll be much worse than what caused him to miss 2 weeks this Spring, but I don't imagine that he will be back sooner because he'll be coming back to start real Major League ball games. They can't pull up Hernandez because he just pitched a phenomenal game yesterday and might be due for a little extra rest after going more than an inning longer than he has in any previous start this year. Which is why he should take Koji's next start and spot in the rotation while he's rehabbing. As far as Tuesday's concerned, Berken was just brought up to AAA and could use a few more starts before they consider drawing him up to the big leagues. My money's on Waters. He has experience and we don't have to worry as much about hurting his feelings by bringing him up and then sending him back once Koji's healthy. Hernandez is the long term option to replace Eaton and will stay up when Koji's brought back. Tell me I'm wrong...

... seriously though.

I really have to agree with the masses for a change. With the vast array of all stars and Cy Young award winners on this team, why does Tremblay continue to depend on the only bad players on the roster.With Eckersley, Lee Smith and Mariano Rivera fresh in the bullpen, why call in Walker? With proven pinch hitters like Manny Mota, Smokey Burgess and the Crow available, why did Pie bat? It would be one thing if this was a last place team devoid of talent but as stocked as this team is, Tremblay has to be tanking intentionally to keep this powerhouse from going undefeated.

As a regular blogger who loves the O's as much as anyone, I really think EVERYONE needs to objective when critiquing the O's, the manager and the GM. Congratulate them when they have done well and let them know when they have erred. I don't care if its family, if you can't see the issue clearly and fairly you demonstrate a bias. We have some issues in personnel, Walker has no business on the roster, release him! When Scott returns send Montanez to the DL. Get us the best starter available up here to replace Eaton, not some retread that's just taking more space. BRING WIETERS UP NOW! Get a second starter up here and let them pitch in relief and if Koji can't go, that will take care of itself. Lets not continue to overthink these things and lets try to put as good of a team as possible on the field. Ok, no Arieta, No Matusz, no Patton, got it, but for the love of Earl Weaver himself, lets give our team a chance! This team is not that horrible but it took them 1 1/2 months to figure out what most knew in Spring training that Riemhold was better than Freel or Pie and many, me included have wanted Walker, Eaton and Hendrickson (as a starter) gone for months. Yeah, Yeah, Yeah they have a plan, well watch the plan in action, Reimhold getting 100 ABs in AAA and Wieters getting 150 AB's in AAA are just facade as Wieters issue is control and money! I almost feel like this is the movie Major leagues and the owner (in this case the GM) wants us to lose until we get on his timetable!

I disagree with everyone on Walker, well that he doesn't serve his purpose, he did have to come up with bases loaded and one of the best hitters in the league. Chris Ray needs to work on things but he was still mid 90's today. Although from the three innings I watched it seemed to me that Moeller's pitch calling was as big if not a bigger issue than the pitching itself. I mean are either of them really any better than Castillo or Mickolio or Wolf? Probably not. Why we let Bradford go for some cash that I'm not sure of.

I know this is a baseball blog, but please bear with me for a second for a political analogy! Many dispise George W. Bush because he would never admit he made a mistake, we are a very forgiving country and fans for that matter. But when the GM says he is not second-guessing the decision to sign Adam Eaton or the deal for multi-tool outfield project Felix Pie it's this cavalier attitude kind of grinds me. Had the article said, we took minimal risks and thus far they haven't worked out, I could live with that, or that Mr. McPhail grossly overestimated that he could get two marginal starting pitchers for the Major league minimum, that too I could accept, But to say were on course is no longer acceptable, when the bullpen is horrid, the bench is non-existent and our starters can't get through 6 innings! A lot of good things have been accomplished the last two years, but many other decisions have been handled poorly and it shows on the field, in the dugout and in the Warehouse!

.............................................................................................
Pete's reply: I fear, Keith, that you will never see the forest for the trees, but I admire your persistence. You seem to be saying the front office is incompetent for doing exactly what it set out to do. Just because there might have been a $5 million pitcher out there who's better than Hendrickson has nothing to do with where the team is headed. Andy did say that Eaton was a guy with minimal risk, as was Rich Hill. One was a bust. The other might be a find. The same could have happened with Pie. The whole point was to give the organization a chance to build real depth for the first time since the 1980s, while not losing draft choices and future resources to sign short-term free agents. Yet you obsess about the mistakes that left the team with 17 wins instead of 22 in a division it cannot possibly compete in this year. The point isn't to spend the next several years filling holes to try and win 80 games. The point is to try to find a way past that.

Orioles have now lost 27 of 30 Sunday games dating to last season. There's gotta be something to this...partying too much on Saturday night? Less effort in series finales? I just don't get it.

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: My opinion. The team has lacked bench strength the past couple of years and Dave Trembley generally plays the bench guys on Sundays.

Mr. Schmuck,
I don't profess to be a manager or coach
like so many of your posters, but I'm beginning to think that our pitchers lack
baseball smarts. They don't seem to be able to throw the right pitch in the right situation. Just observation. They also seem to lack stamina. Another observation. But I do have a question: Who was the baseball Einstein who said Aubrey Huff could not play 1st base? He has saved the Oriole infielders numerous errors in these first few weeks of the season. Just another observation.
Thanks for your time and thanks for being a dedicated student of the game. If it wasn't for you and Kevin Cowherd I wouldn't read the Sun at all.
Thanks again.

...............................................................................................
Pete's reply: It's definitely stamina with Uehara, but I don't know about the other guys. It's possible that it's more a matter of talent than physical fitness.

Pete,hendrickson's ERA out of the bullpen is much betterthan his ErA as a starter especially after the 3rd inning.I think he has demonstrated in the past that if used judiciously he can be effective in that role.If he's supposedto be the long man,why shouldn't he have been brought in to start the 7th ,especially considering the surprising escape Chris Ray made in the 6th.seconly,the fact that the only position player move Dave made was to bring in Pie was absurd.That experiment needs to end now.Oscar Salazar is still scalding the ball and is playing the outfield as well as st and Dh,has several outfield assists already this year and would make an adequate backup in left.DH and 1st.And finally our Sunday records are because Dave sets too many players in the bottom of an already weak lineup ,Izturis just came back from the Dl and played for 2 days,you mean he was tired already?That makes no sense.I would have definitely had Mora pinch hittingfor Moeller with runners on base before the Dunn homerun which I predicted before the first pitch.Lastly,I don't think you give up on Chris Ray,you send him down much like the Blue Jays did with Roy Halliday to allow him to get his mechanics straightened out.His velocity is there,his ball is just all over the place.Oddly enough in the last 2 weeks or so,Albers,Baez,Bass,Johnson and Sherrill have all pitched quite adequately.Ray and Walker have been horrendous.And when the year started I said if Baez pitched efficiently I would get on here and eat my words.although that was when he wa a starter,so far I have to eat crow because with the exception of one outing,he has far surpassed any expectations I had of him,looking more like the guy who saved a lot of games for almost two years in the NL.Did Chris Gomez retire?Because I sure miss him after watching Andino.By the way did you happen to catch that highlight reel play Ryan Freel made for the Cubs the other night?Almost makes you long for Geronimo Gil who is still playing in the independant leaugues with RodrigoLopez who won the other night after going 7+ innings.oh for the good old days,lol.

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: If Hendrickson is your long man, you wouldn't bring him in in the seventh inning of a close game, but in the situation they're in right now, you probably could be forgiven for throwing out the blueprint. It's a lot different pitching in relief in a tough situation and taking over in the third when somebody gets hurt or shelled.

Chris Ray isn't the same pitcher since the injury so I am not sure what we he is getting by being hammered night in and night out by major league hitters? If they send Chris down, he gets a chance to work on things without the pressures of doing it in the big leagues.

Pete, your talk with Andy about vets buying time for the young starters to come up like keeping Eaton and Hendrickson as starters longer than probably anyone would like, is reasonable strategy for a team rebuilding, but why doesn't that include relief pitching? Jamie Walker is not getting the job done, but he bought time for Perez to follow up his great spring with a great start in the minors, but that only works if they bring him up so what's the deal? He would clearly help.

..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Been wondering the same thing.

Cut Walker now! I need a left handed specialist to pitch batting practice for my pony league team. He might not be the best but he will do.

Trembley had two choices: Walker who hasn't been effective for two years, or Hendrickson who has never been effective. How can anyone judge him as a major league manager until he has major league pitchers to work with?

Some of the problems with the O's is a lack of fundamentals. Monday -- Huff on second no outs -- Wiggington grounds to SS on the FIRST pitch !! Jones cannot slide correctly. 0-2 pitches right down the middle. The O's miss Millar for his enthusiasm and presense. Also' stop babying pitchers!!