You're Just Another Victim, Kid: The Brian Burres Story

by SC on Jun 3, 2008 2:49 PM EDT

Hot starts are what they are. But it's generally important to keep in mind that someone as totally fringe-y as Brian Burres, who battled for the fifth spot in the ORIOLES rotation during spring training and has never been much of a prospect or anything, should be looked at kindly.

If he starts hot, then great! Sometimes a 2005 Bruce Chen happens, and the guy keeps it up all year. Generally speaking, though, not the case.

And that's what we're seeing with Bri Bri right now. Take a look at the ghastly figures from his past two starts--IF YOU DARE!

05/27 v. NYY: 3.2 IP, 10 H, 8 ER, 4 HR, 0 BB, 0 K
06/01 v. BOS: 4.0 IP, 12 H, 7 ER, 2 HR, 1 BB, 2 K

Ruh roh...

Sure, he faced a couple of good lineups. But to quote the great Sidney Deane, it is hard g-damn work to make anyone look that bad, especially two starts in a row. Bad pitch placement, leaving meatballs up, and hitters also seeming to get some timing on that Flanagan-taught mess he pulls out of his sleeve.

Coming into the May 27 start against the Yankees, Burres' ERA sat at a pretty, highly surprising 3.16. Now? 4.87. And climbing.

I'm not really complaining, just talkin' some shop on Burres. This is not unexpected, nor should it be considered as such. But if it keeps up, then you have to start considering taking him out of the rotation. He's not a guy that has a big future, not someone you're going to ride through terrible streaks and wait for him to pull out of the funk. The funk may, in fact, consume him. He'll be consumed by the funk.

I hope he does pull out of it in his next start and get back to throwing well (though he was treading on thin ice in many starts, to be sure), because like a lot of these guys I had no real opinion on prior to the start of the 2008 season, I've grown to like Burres. Grown accustomed to his face, if you wish. I love that his BB rate has been cut down a ton, and I think he's made some legit strides. But will that make him good enough?

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I don't often get the chance to rock out textually to House of Pain, so...

Holy Godiva, I’m a survivor
feeling like DeNiro in Taxi Driver
with Jodi Foster & Harvey Keitel
looks like I’m walking thru a living hell
so spark that L & I’ll get lifted
feelin’ the effects of what my spliff did
cuz’ I’m gifted I read Sun Tzu
I brought a gun too, so you’ll never come to
the weight of the world ridin’ on my shoulders
cuz’ I’m a soldier, I thought I told ya…

From the Land of Pleasant Living...

by OEutaw on Jun 3, 2008 3:54 PM EDT 0 recs

Ugh

You beat me to it! I was just about to go all Judgment Night on these suckas! I prefer that Page Hamilton riff on “Just Another Victim” to anything Everlast did post-House of Pain.

...but I bet some creative fan could re-write the lyrics to “What It’s Like” to apply to us O’s fans.

by blawk359 on Jun 3, 2008 3:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

Helmet did the better half of that song

in my humble opinion

Victimized
But you’re in bed
Stumble out
And run dead
If it ever paid
To self start
Enviroment
Make you smart

Just another victim
Just another victim
Just another victim, kid

I heard it once
But not before
Begging off
And livin’ bored
My hands are tied
Webbed feet again
Fell in behind
And claim us dead

Just another victim
Just another victim
Just another victim
Just another victim

"I wasn't here for the losing years. But it feels a little like the days with Earl in charge and John Lowenstein smashing birthday cakes in the middle of the clubhouse with a bat." - John "T-Bone" Shelby

by duck on Jun 3, 2008 4:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

I think

that at this point it’s seems pretty clear the Guthrie is not a fluke, which is really cool for the Orioles because you’ll have him through at his prime at low prices. Cabrera might still regress, but even if he does I think he’s capable of maintaining an ERA in the mid-to-low fours. That’s helpful. Olson’s 7.35 K/9 and the fact that he’s succeeding without being particularly hit-lucky, to me, seems like another pitcher the O’s can really use going forward.

Which leaves the other two spots, not discounting the idea that the O’s might want to upgrade through free agency if opportunity arises. Liz gets the start tonight, and hopefully he can start doing better this time around dealing with major league hitters. I don’t know what the prevailing wisdom is on whether Liz is going to be a starter or a bullpen arm, but if Liz does reasonably well that’d be a fourth good, cheap part of what is shaping up to a nice “home grown” rotation going forward.

Now, as for Brian Burres…he’s fine as your No. 5 guy, I think, if the gains in his walk rate are real. You can “get away” with giving up too many homers and hits, to some extent, if you’re not giving the opposition any free baserunners.

You know who Brian Burres is? He’s the guy who gets replaced by some young stud (Arrieta) when the team takes a step forwards towards contention.

(insert song lyrics here)

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jun 3, 2008 4:09 PM EDT 0 recs

i think...

loewen will get another shot at the rotation once (if?) he’s healthy again.

foghat goes with everything--birdman, 5/16/08

by j.q. higgins on Jun 3, 2008 4:13 PM EDT up 0 recs

Oh, right.

I forgot about him. To be honest, I don’t really count him as someone the Orioles should consider in their future plans. He hasn’t shown much.

A mind without purpose will walk in dark places.

by NHZ on Jun 3, 2008 4:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

Can anyone explain Palmer's man-love for Burres?

by drj on Jun 3, 2008 4:13 PM EDT 0 recs

I like Burres.

Hope he pulls out of this and goes back to ~3.00 ball (haha.)

But really, he’s been more helpful to this team than Adam Loewen. I know that’s not a fair assessment, but I don’t care.

by Y Not on Jun 3, 2008 4:37 PM EDT 0 recs

OKAY.

Enough.
I can’t believe you would even say that. ” He has no future ”. Are you serious?! Have you forgotten how hard that boy had to work to even get where he is? These blogs make me so pissed off sometimes. He had a rough outting against the 2 toughest teams in baseball, give him a f*ing break. If he had won both of thoes games you people would be in LOVE with him. Brian Burres is a great pitcher and will become much more in the future. He’s knows what he needs to do to step it up….you dont.

by BurrBurr on Jun 3, 2008 5:30 PM EDT 0 recs

Burres in da house!

Wolf, wolf, wolf.

by birdman on Jun 3, 2008 5:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

ok

I’m really sorry if this ruined your entire day, but (1) he’s not a great pitcher by Major League Baseball standards, and (2) you’d have a really hard time finding anyone who can analyze numbers to any degree that would agree that he is.

I didn’t forget how hard he had to work to even get where he is. It has absolutely nothing to do with the conversation. Every other player has had to work hard, too. If you’ve never criticized a professional athlete’s performance, then good for you. I will continue to do so, even if it gives you an another aneurysm.

"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum

Camden Chat
Bad Left Hook

by SC on Jun 3, 2008 6:02 PM EDT up 0 recs

Can I say it? Can I?

Fuck it…

“I can get truck drivers in here that will try hard….” – Tommy Lasorda

by duck on Jun 3, 2008 11:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

also

Did you even read the last paragraph? I like Burres. I also never said he has NO future, I said he doesn’t have a big one. He’s 27, which is young for a welder but if you’re still performing at this level, makes you sort of old for a major league baseball player.

"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum

Camden Chat
Bad Left Hook

by SC on Jun 3, 2008 6:04 PM EDT up 0 recs

mr. palmer?

BIG fan of your work, but you’re off base, here. brian burres is not a great pitcher and has almost NO chance to become much more. i think sc is right that he’s a fringe-y guy that’s been on a very good run. i think we all would like to believe that he can figure it out and get back on track, but past performance suggests otherwise.

if he had won his last two starts, i don’t think anyone here would be in love w/ him b/c his numbers were terrible. they were poorly pitched games. period.

and, yes, if i’m wrong…terriffic.

foghat goes with everything--birdman, 5/16/08

by j.q. higgins on Jun 3, 2008 6:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

SC is definitely right

Burres is kinda the definition of fringe-y. Fringe stuff, fringe results. Not a guy that will necessarily kill you, but not a guy who is irreplaceable either. These are the kinds of guys its good to have in your system, but its foolish to pay one more than a million or so or to rely on any one. Interchangeable.

Helps that he’s a lefty.

by pipkin on Jun 3, 2008 10:01 PM EDT up 0 recs

though...

last year he had better numbers against righties than lefties.

foghat goes with everything--birdman, 5/16/08

by j.q. higgins on Jun 4, 2008 2:03 PM EDT up 0 recs

BurrBurr!!!!

What’s up girl?? Holla @ a x%x$#^*!! :-)
How’s everything in ‘click-clack’ nation? Can’t wait to see your new promo!!
Great to see you are still in love and have your boy’s back. No worries, it’s harmless stuff here. Hey, we gonna see you and Bri at our summer picnic this year???

by Bluehen on Jun 4, 2008 7:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

what the butt.

"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum

Camden Chat
Bad Left Hook

by SC on Jun 4, 2008 10:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

yeeeeah...

I’m still lost.

"Chickens are hard to catch." Jennifer Scott (Luuuuuuuke's Mom)

by dayzd toe on Jun 6, 2008 2:34 PM EDT up 0 recs

it may just be 1 start...

but methinks Mr. Radical may vie for b-train’s spot.

"Don't worry, the fans don't start booing until July." - Earl Weaver

by daveh873 on Jun 3, 2008 11:15 PM EDT 0 recs

Burres had some decent starts last year too. I think he’d be best at long relief/spot starter. He seems to do well the first two times through the lineup, but most hitters figure him out the third time. I see Jim Johnson as the right handed version of Buress. Both would be great used in long relief.

by edsachs1 on Jun 4, 2008 5:07 PM EDT 0 recs

maybe?

Johnson is shutting it the hell down in high-leverage situations. I think it’d be butt awful to move him into the Lost Cause role.

"Yesterday I was lying, today I am telling the truth." -- Bob Arum

Camden Chat
Bad Left Hook

by SC on Jun 4, 2008 6:26 PM EDT up 0 recs

You Caught Me!!

BLUEHEN haha! I do what I can. Nothing seems to work. People will always talk, talk, and….talk. He’s this, he’s that….
Promo went well, its out now. That picnic sounds a little to good to pass up, so count us in.

by BurrBurr on Jun 5, 2008 6:24 PM EDT 0 recs