Hayden Penn's Last Stand?

Because he won’t clear waivers. But I also suspect he won’t finish the year with the team, unless it’s on the DL

The key to Penn’s season depends on whether he grows back his awesome porn mustache. I like Penn’s chances if he grows back the stache. Without it, not so much.

Serious Penn prediction: He makes the team as a reliever, gets some spot starts, is largely ineffective, is released/traded at the end of the season. I’m hoping Kranny can teach him a sinking fastball like JJ.

What do you guys think? I’ve always liked Penn, and I think he should be a tail of caution for the team when considering Tillman, Matusz and Arrieta. While they are highly regarded, pitching prospects fail most of the time. Just a few years ago our future rotation was Cabrera, Loewen, Bedard, Maine and Penn. And while Bedard and Maine have been very good, they aren’t in Baltimore.

Does he have a chance? Yeah, I think so. I think his biggest advocate is the manager, so hopefully he’ll get 20 starts. If he puts up, great, if not, well it wasn’t meant to be.

Will he stay healty? It would help if I threw away my Hayden Penn voodoo doll.

Even if he does stay healthy, will he be any good? I actually think so. I think he can post an ERA of 4.75 and he’ll reward those who still have faith in him. That or he’ll be adducted by aliens during a game.

I don’t know if he ever will prove to be a solid ML starter, but I do know that I’d rather take the chance on him then a guy like Hendrickson who has pretty much proven he isn’t a ML starter and even if he does have a adequate season will be of no use to the Orioles of the future anyway.

Even if he can’t cut it as a starter, I would think a guy like Penn would have some use in the bullpen.

I remember him being up during the magic half of the O’s 2005 season, and while he didn’t do all that well I remember thinking he had big league stuff and just needed more seasoning. I agree that he’s definitely preferable to jerks like Baez.

The problem with putting Penn in the bullpen is it’s already stacked. There’s no room unless Baez or Hendrickson are traded or released. Plus, with Bergesen and Hernandez bound for the pen when they’re ready for the big show, what then? Sure, you want to have the strongest bullpen you can get, but at this point, he either makes it as a starter or he’s waiver fodder.

unless Penn’s spring numbers are absolutely horrible, the O’s should give him the #5 spot in the rotation. The kid has had horrible luck the past couple years, and I think he’s been trying too hard to catch back up. I think it could help if the O’s take the pressure off and just give him the spot (again as long as he doesn’t have a +6 ERA in spring training). It’s not like he’ll be blocking anyone or would hinder our chances of getting a playoff spot.

why hendrickson? i mean, does he have a guaranteed deal or is it an invite like eaton’s? i mean, if there’s a substantive difference b/w the two, i’m not hip to it.

I know Trembley is Penn’s BFF, but color him impressed:

Baltimore manager Dave Trembley came away from the 5-0 intrasquad matchup comforted about three pitchers — Dennis Sarfate, Jamie Walker and George Sherrill — and raving about two others. Trembley said that Hayden Penn and Kam Mickolio distinguished themselves Tuesday, even if it wasn’t an actual game.

“I’ll be very careful to give him too much, too soon as far as praise is concerned,” Trembley said of Penn. “He needs to continue doing what he’s doing. He’s improved. He’s gotten our attention.”

Penn didn’t just dominate, he also worked through adversity. The right-hander experienced a blister on his finger midway through his start, but he didn’t let it derail his progress. Penn worked three innings and allowed just one hit, a double from Guillermo Rodriguez that came after he’d retired eight straight hitters.

And that kind of modest success — even in an intrasquad game — may go a long way. Baltimore has seen two early favorites for a rotation job (Rich Hill and Brad Hennessey) get slowed down by elbow ailments. And Penn, who hasn’t pitched in the Majors since 2006, can sense that there may be an opportunity for him.

“It’s easy to think about that, but I’m going to come out here and pitch my butt off,” Penn said. “If it’s not good enough, it’s not good enough. I’m going to come in, really try to make this team and show that I deserve to be here.”

Trembley, who also managed Penn in the Minor Leagues, said that the former fifth-round draftee is beginning to round into form. And he also said that Penn survived quite well after the blister took hold, pitching his final inning without throwing his breaking ball and getting by just fine with just his fastball and changeup.

Stacey, it sounds like the blister thing may have been minor—he probably just needs to get his hands calloused for lack of pitching! :)

is that Hayden will indeed get a chance to prove himself at the back of the rotation this year. As mentioned above by many…why not? Sink or swim Mr. Penn.