Birds Up, O's Down for Sept. 14-20

Matt Wieters (CA) - He's batting .286 since Buck took over, and put up a .385/.467/.385/.851 slash line for the four games he played last week. It would be nice to see Matt hit for more than a few weeks at a time, though.

Brad Bergesen (RHP) - A complete game with just one run allowed and touching 94 mph on the radar gun. Since when does 3E1N hit 94?

Kevin Millwood (RHP) - He threw 7.0 IP, gave up just one run and surrendered just five hits with six strikeouts. Aside from the home run, pretty much everything you could ask for one start aside from a complete game. Now only if he'd done that in May, June, and July.

Ty Wigginton (1B/3B) - With only two strikeouts in 20 AB and a .300/.318/.350/.668 slash line for the week, Ty is making headway out of his almost two-month-long slump.

Jake Arrieta (RHP) - For his last start of the year, Jake went 6.0 IP, four hits, zero runs and five strikeouts versus one walk. He's got a lot to be encouraged about going into 2011.

Cesar Izturis (SS) - No strikeouts, a .333/.438/.333/.771 slash line and did I mention no strikeouts? Sure, it's Small Sample Size Theatre, but for a week in September when the O's are trying to remember what winning in fall feels like, I'll take it.

Felix Pie (LF) - Felix did about as well as you can do in four games last week (.417/.500/.417/.917). The argument can be made he should be playing CF instead of LF, but if he can continue his improvement at the plate, he just may be a starter for a while.

Adam Jones (CF) - If only he could field adequately. He hit  .316/.350/.632/.982 for last week, and .333/.412/.514/.926 since Buck took over. That's a 29 game span where hi's OPS'd over .900. That's a hitting line we need to see continue.

Robert Andino (3B/SS) - While Nugget is sitting on the bench thinking about what he did, young man, Andino put up a .353/.389/.824/1.212 line in four games. Now that's how you take someone's job. But do something about the four strikeouts, Robert. Get on that.

Nick Markakis (RF) - Not a good week for Nick - .211/.273/.368/.641 at the plate, a slip in the OF that arguably let a run score on Monday, and just two walks last week.

Josh Bell (3B) - Six plate appearances, four strikeouts, one hit. And no one's wondering why Robert Andino is getting time at 3B.

Jeremy Guthrie (RHP) - That was a stinker of a performance on Saturday. Six runs, just 5.0 IP, and yet another home run allowed.

Chris Tillman (RHP) - For someone who's confident he can pitch in MLB, he sure didn't look like it this week. Six walks, three runs and 84 pitches in just 3.2 IP. Consistency is thy elusive goal, Christopher.

Alfredo Simon (RHP) - If nothing else, Weak Sauce is guaranteeing we don't see him next year. He allowed the earned run against NYY on Saturday that pretty much sealed the fate of the game, and since Buck arrived has pitched to a 6.48 ERA with two of five inherited runners scoring.

MIA - Hey, anyone seen Brandon Snyder? Pedro Viola? Jake Fox? How about Craig Tatum? Nolan Reimold, anyone? Yeah, that's what I thought.