Birds Up, O's Down for April 11

by duck on Apr 11, 2010 6:00 PM EDT in Birds Up, O's Down

Here’s a weekly look at players making an impact, for good and bad, for the Orioles this week:

Birds Up

	Matt Wieters (C) - He's batting over .400 after 5 games and has been told that the pitching staff is his. And he's acted on that. Good first week.
	David Hernandez (RHP) - The O's #5 starter had the best start of the five Saturday with 6.0 IP and just 2 runs allowed. It wasn't always pretty, but it was one out shy of the longest any O's starter lasted for the week.
	Miguel Tejada (3B) - The bat started slow, but the glove's been there all week, and O's fans welcomed him cheerfully upon his return to Baltimore. And he's taking the sure out instead of attempting the flashy play.
	Mark Hendrickson (LHP) - He's done his job flawlessly so far. Come in, stick around 2 innings, get people out. Mission accomplished so far.
	Garrett Atkins (1B) - Believe me, I'm as shocked as anyone to list him here. But he's rocking an almost .400 AVG and come through with some timely hits. Not hate for the G-Man this week.

O's down

	Mike Gonzalez (LHP) - So, about his first week...when you get booed in pre-game introductions AND on your way to the mound before you throw your first pitch at home AND then blow the save? You've had a bad week.
	Brad Bergesen (RHP) - Not what we're used to seeing from Brad. He got knocked around pretty good in the home opener.
	Adam Jones (CF) - He's not hurt, he's just not producing at the plate after getting 3 hits in the opener. It's more likely than not just a slump, but many more swings in the dirt will earn the ire of his manager and hitting coach.
	Brian Roberts (2B) - Rough week with the bat, now out for 4-6 games with an abdominal strain.
	Luke Scott (LF/DH) - He may have 1 HR, but that's half his hits for the season. If Scott and Jones slump at the same time, as they are now, that's a serious power drain on a lineup that needs all the help it can get.

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Comments

don't put atkins on the good list!

he won’t be upset enough to stay there!

cxcxcxcxzzzzzzzzz

by Steve. on Apr 11, 2010 7:26 PM EDT reply actions

i blame atkins

by twistedlogic on Apr 11, 2010 7:28 PM EDT up reply actions

atkins has ruined this post

he ruins everything.

by kba26 on Apr 11, 2010 7:30 PM EDT up reply actions

I promise not to say anything nice

when he’s actually at bat.

"How's that s---house of an Eastern Shore?" - William Donald Schaefer

by duck on Apr 11, 2010 8:16 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

I worry that may not be enough

The man needs constant negative reinforcement. Also, his teeth are stupid.

by kba26 on Apr 11, 2010 8:26 PM EDT up reply actions

How did Nicky not end up on the Os down list?

I guess its because he has better ABs than Jones. He just is not making great contact right now.

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by John Stephens on Apr 11, 2010 8:44 PM EDT reply actions

9 walks in 6 games will get a guy a reprieve.

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by Stacey on Apr 11, 2010 8:46 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

That’s what I was referring to with better ABs.

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by John Stephens on Apr 11, 2010 9:24 PM EDT up reply actions

He is, however, getting on base with walks

which is a lot more than Jones is doing right now.

That, and I limit myself to 5.

"How's that s---house of an Eastern Shore?" - William Donald Schaefer

by duck on Apr 11, 2010 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Everyone knows the best way to prevent Os from hitting is to have Os on base ahead of them. In fact, I expect that opposing pitchers are going to start giving 4-pitch walks to the leadoff Oriole hitter every inning just to ensure that no runs are scored!

by fishoutawata on Apr 12, 2010 6:42 AM EDT up reply actions

hes among the highest OBP on the team right now

not swinging the bat particularly well, but hes getting on base.

by twistedlogic on Apr 11, 2010 8:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Leading the AL in walks actually

hitting .167/.444/.278, now that’s a weird line.

I want to breed [Matusz] with that female Japanese knuckleballer to create a race of super pitchers. --Weaver's Tantrum

by CoachOfEarl on Apr 12, 2010 11:07 AM EDT up reply actions

While watching the game today

I couldn’t help wondering if the 1-9 hitters were even professionals. Adam Jones swings at the same slider off the plate. Luke Scott looks like he can’t hold a baseball bat. Lugo, Izzy and Pie all make me terribly sick to my stomach. Wieters and the pitching is the only reason I’m still watching. I hope it gets going soon.

by craig3816 on Apr 11, 2010 8:49 PM EDT reply actions

Tejada

I hate to bring up a negative but that booted ball killed us today. If he makes that play in the 8th, the innings ends with the O’s lead in tact. It was a difficult play in his defense. And overall, Tejada has played well. Along with Reimold just missing a fly ball on Wednesday (?) on a critical play, it illustrates why teams are ponying up money to shore up run prevention. I’m not sure how or how much Andy evaluates defense, but I’m concerned about our infield defense going forward.

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by birdman on Apr 11, 2010 8:50 PM EDT reply actions

tejada's defense is pretty bad

but he had been doing a nice job up until that point.

by twistedlogic on Apr 11, 2010 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions

are you kidding?

his defense this week has been otherwordly. He doesn’t need as much range at 3B as he did at SS.

"I doubt he could reach [second base]...mostly cuz his fucking arm was in Aybar's nuts." – twistedlogic

by zknower on Apr 11, 2010 9:42 PM EDT up reply actions

otherwordly?

by twistedlogic on Apr 11, 2010 10:03 PM EDT up reply actions

in the games i saw (earlier this week)

he was making sick plays. web-gem-worthy plays.

"I doubt he could reach [second base]...mostly cuz his fucking arm was in Aybar's nuts." – twistedlogic

by zknower on Apr 11, 2010 10:21 PM EDT up reply actions

and PS

I’m a miggy hater. I hated the signing and I still do. but his D earlier this week was pretty awesome.

"I doubt he could reach [second base]...mostly cuz his fucking arm was in Aybar's nuts." – twistedlogic

by zknower on Apr 11, 2010 10:22 PM EDT up reply actions

thats what i said he had been doing a nice job up to his error today......

by twistedlogic on Apr 11, 2010 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Everybody has errors

It’s just dumb luck that his came at the exact moment that Millwood’s needle hit E.

by fishoutawata on Apr 12, 2010 6:44 AM EDT up reply actions

From my seats on the 1st base side

I had a perfect view of that play. Miggy played the ball poorly. He easily could have gotten in front of the ball but played it to his side. No excuse for that. Funda-fucking-mentals.

Playing on my iPod- Justin Bieber, Hanna Montana, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove and The Jonas Brothers.

by Knubles and Bits on Apr 11, 2010 9:15 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

my perfect view from the tv cameras with replays said differently

It wasnt an easy play. He probably should had it and was rightfully charged with an error, but he didnt totally botch it. Plenty of good third basemen dont make that play.

by kba26 on Apr 11, 2010 9:55 PM EDT up reply actions

He decided as soon as it was hit

That he was going to play it at his side. Never tried to get in front of it. If he had played the ball like you are taught from day one then at worst it hits him in the chest.

Playing on my iPod- Justin Bieber, Hanna Montana, Miley Cyrus, Miranda Cosgrove and The Jonas Brothers.

by Knubles and Bits on Apr 11, 2010 10:05 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

man jones really needs to pick it up

without his bat producing in that lineup we’re as good as fucked.
plus he’s on my fantasy team.

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by danielreese05 on Apr 11, 2010 8:58 PM EDT reply actions

Yea mine too. Yet to make up for it i got Wieters

Matt Wieters Was Drafted 5th Overall Because The First 4 Teams Thought That Harnessing The Power Of Ten-thousand Suns Was Playing God.

by 17oriolesfan on Apr 12, 2010 6:56 AM EDT up reply actions

Considering at this point...

…that our offensive problems are mostly due to failures with runners in scoring position, and that offensive success is randomly distributed, I’m not that worried. We should regress to the mean in short order.

To be understood is to be a prostitute. ~ Fernando Pessoa

by James F on Apr 11, 2010 9:10 PM EDT reply actions

You sound like Billy Beane talking about RISP.

In one game as a freshman at Miami, Wieters hit a two-run homer in the top of the ninth to put the Yellow Jackets ahead, then pitched the bottom of the ninth for the save. On that day, the God nickname was bestowed. - Sports Illustrated

Unofficial Leader of the Brain Matusz For ROY Campaign

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Apr 11, 2010 9:20 PM EDT up reply actions

“mostly due to failures with runners in scoring position” . BS. They just aren’t hitting well. Period. The pitching is actually worse.

The O’s are batting .231, .319 OBP, .379 SLG, all for a 94 OPS+. Runners in scoring position or not, they’re batting on the bottom half of the league. Pitching, they are last in the league in WHIP. So what mean are the O’s going to regress towards that will have them rebounding in short order? Sounds to me like you just wanted to simply say the odds are the O’s won’t continue to be this pitiful (playing .167 baseball).

by drj on Apr 11, 2010 10:25 PM EDT up reply actions