Birds Up, O's Down for August 15 - 21

by twistedlogic on Aug 22, 2011 1:35 PM EDT in Birds Up, O's Down

Just thought this was a cool picture. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

Rotation
	Jeremy Guthrie	Skipped his normal turn in the rotation due to shoulder stiffness.
	Tommy Hunter	His ERA with the Orioles is over 6 and he's striking out just 2 per 9 innings. Did have one good start this week, but quickly followed it up by getting hammered in Anaheim.
	Brian Matusz	As Eat More Esskay pointed out, Brian entered yesterday's game with an 8.63 ERA and still managed to leave the game with a higher ERA than he started.
	Jo-Jo Reyes	5 innings pitched. 5 earned runs. Orioles lose.
	Alfredo Simon	Approximately 5 innings pitched. 5 earned runs. Orioles lose again.

Bullpen
	Brad Bergesen	Nearly 5 innings of relief with just 1 earned run. That'll play.
	Jason Berken	Suffering from some sort of elbow injury, although it doesn't appear to be anything serious.
	Willie Eyre	Allowed his first two runs as an Oriole on Friday, but recovered with a scoreless inning on Sunday.
	Mike Gonzalez	Has pitched well of late. This week: 2 innings pitched, no runs, 3 strikeouts.
	Kevin Gregg	The usual.
	Chris Jakubauskas	Allowed his first run in the month of August, but pitched alright beyond that.
	Jim Johnson	Three huge scoreless innings in relief on Saturday, but the Orioles lost the game anyways.
	Troy Patton	Got dinged a bit by Oakland, but recovered with 2 less eventful innings.
Lineup
	Robert Andino	Had a hit in every game he played in over the week. Has good career numbers against Minnesota, so might be looking at a better week.
	Josh Bell	Back to Norfolk because he can't play defense and really can't hit.
	Blake Davis	Played absolutely brutal defense at 3B in yesterday's game.
	Vladimir Guerrero	Just ask AMD how great Vlad and his batting average are for the team. He'll fight you!
	J.J. Hardy	Didn't homer this week, but continues to hit the ball well.
	Adam Jones	His one XBH this week left the park. Hit the ball pretty well, but his defense left something to be desired.....
	Nick Markakis	Solid week at the plate has his OBP up to .342 and the OPS to .750.
	Felix Pie	Watching him out in LF yesterday was pathetic.
	Nolan Reimold	Lollygagged at the plate and in the field. Really wish we had a better option.
	Mark Reynolds	Took his talents to 1B and actually played some halfway decent defense. Now the team has an even bigger hole at 3B (if you could even imagine that given Reynolds' awful, awful defense at that position). Might have to sit after an injury sustained in a collision at 1B. 146 soul-killing strikeouts.
	Craig Tatum	Really can't hit.
	Matt Wieters	Looked much better at the plate during the Angels series.

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Comments

Those 5 icons under rotation

tell the story of the season (with clinic league defense providing the comic relief)

Like a bad, suave dude. You know what I'm sayin'. COOL. SC 7/24/08

by 33 on Aug 22, 2011 1:44 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs

Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.

by Astronaut Mike Dexter on Aug 22, 2011 2:17 PM EDT reply actions

I always appreciate someone taking one for the team.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Aug 22, 2011 2:33 PM EDT up reply actions

Gotta love seeing 5 down in the roatation

Sick picture too btw

"I wear tinted visor not to trick other players, but so hot girls in stands don't see me looking at them" - Alex Ovechkin

by sami426 on Aug 22, 2011 2:58 PM EDT reply actions

4 down*

"I wear tinted visor not to trick other players, but so hot girls in stands don't see me looking at them" - Alex Ovechkin

by sami426 on Aug 22, 2011 2:58 PM EDT up reply actions

They all suck

all those guys were not even in the opening day rotation except guthrie and he has no clue how to win!

This season is a complete waste.

"Grow nothing, buy the 'Pen" (Wieters Weiners)

by IggesRule13 on Aug 22, 2011 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions

Although to be fair, Matusz would have been in the Opening Day rotation if not for the intercostal injury.

Now we can’t even say for a certainty he’ll be in next Opening Day’s rotation. God, this season is depressing.

"That ball is gone. We'll pause ten seconds to commit suicide ... I mean, for a station identification." - Joe Angel, 6/17/11

by Eat More Esskay on Aug 22, 2011 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Matusz would have been in the Opening Day rotation if not for the intercostal injury.

I know but had to use it for my exaggerated point…

"Grow nothing, buy the 'Pen" (Wieters Weiners)

by IggesRule13 on Aug 22, 2011 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

sigh, tommy hunter

well, at least he did have one good start. shouldn’t that be a neither up or down sign? one good start, one bad? or i guess the bad start outweighs the good one?

The Andy MacPhail plan: "Grow nothing. Buy the pen," (Wieters Weiner 2011).

by birdman on Aug 22, 2011 3:00 PM EDT reply actions

I thought about it and decided on the down arrow because I don't like him.

And to be honest, his “good” start wasn’t really that good. 10 hits over 6 innings.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Aug 22, 2011 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions

why you no respect the hunter?

The Andy MacPhail plan: "Grow nothing. Buy the pen," (Wieters Weiner 2011).

by birdman on Aug 22, 2011 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Because he isn't good at baseball.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Aug 22, 2011 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL, fair enough.

The Andy MacPhail plan: "Grow nothing. Buy the pen," (Wieters Weiner 2011).

by birdman on Aug 22, 2011 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Sadly, he's probably the best SP on the team right now.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Aug 22, 2011 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Tommy Hunter sucks.

Tommy hunter still sucks!

by Steve. on Aug 22, 2011 5:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Well said.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Aug 22, 2011 6:31 PM EDT up reply actions

and not that i mind

i think his ERA was slightly above 5 over those two start. not exactly good performance.

The Andy MacPhail plan: "Grow nothing. Buy the pen," (Wieters Weiner 2011).

by birdman on Aug 22, 2011 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep. Over 6 since coming to the O's.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Aug 22, 2011 3:14 PM EDT up reply actions

So I was thinking this morning

I started thinking about September’s roster expansion, and the possibility that it is the only reason the Orioles are keeping Vlad and Pie around. Like the Front Office just wants to keep them on the roster, and then release them when they can call up multiple people to replace them. So that, if the people called up actually do something(not hard, considering how little the two in question actually do), the FO can take claim that they made a smart move.

Just a thought, but it feels like something I wouldn’t put past our GM.

"The plate is 17 inches, and I’m gonna use all 17 inches, and they don’t like it because they think they’re better than everyone else." - Kevin Gregg

by Jakattak88 on Aug 22, 2011 3:17 PM EDT reply actions

Don't ascribe cunning motives where there are probably none.

I don’t think these guys are going to try to put lipstick on the pig at this point. It’s bad, they know it, we know it, and I don’t think anybody’s really trying to fool us (although I wonder sometimes when I see them talking about Kevin Gregg).

I think they keep Vlad and Pie around because they don’t believe there are better options internally.

"That ball is gone. We'll pause ten seconds to commit suicide ... I mean, for a station identification." - Joe Angel, 6/17/11

by Eat More Esskay on Aug 22, 2011 3:24 PM EDT up reply actions

this is exactly correct

From a develomental standpoint, I think the optimal roster would probably look like this:

C Wieters
1B Reynolds
2B Adams
SS Hardy
3B Bell
LF Reimold
CF Jones
RF Markakis
DH Snyder

Bench: C Fox, IF Andino, IF Davis, OF Angle

But let’s be honest: that’s a pretty putrid team to run out there, and you’ve got to suffer through Reynolds learning how to play first, plus Josh Bell standing around looking confused at 3B, plus Nolan Reimold looking lost in LF, plus Jones and Markakis not giving a crap in the other two outfield spots.

And what do you get for this? A worse team — there’s no question that Snyder < Guerrero and Angle < Pie right now, no matter how bad the vets look. And, um… you get to take a look at a bunch of players who probably aren’t even fringe major-leaguers anyway.

So, yeah: I’m not sure Guerrero and Pie, bad as they are, are the problem. Gosh, that’s depressing.

by AndrewTorrez on Aug 22, 2011 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions

there’s no question that Snyder < Guerrero and Angle < Pie

Where exactly do you get this “no question” from? Have you been watching the games?

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Aug 22, 2011 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Pie needs to be released

he is a disgrace.

"Grow nothing, buy the 'Pen" (Wieters Weiners)

by IggesRule13 on Aug 22, 2011 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions

because those two aren't hitting at AAA?

by AndrewTorrez on Aug 22, 2011 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions

gotta give them a chance though.

See if they can hack it or not.

"Grow nothing, buy the 'Pen" (Wieters Weiners)

by IggesRule13 on Aug 22, 2011 4:17 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree -- that's why I said this would be my developmental roster

but I can’t really blame the FO for not saying “Hey! let’s call up two guys, each with a sub-.700 OPS, and release $10 million worth of players to make room for them!”

Still have no answer for Guerrero batting cleanup, obviously.

by AndrewTorrez on Aug 22, 2011 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions

So we argee

The Orioles have no good players worthy of playing LF at the Major League level.

Awesome!

"Grow nothing, buy the 'Pen" (Wieters Weiners)

by IggesRule13 on Aug 22, 2011 4:20 PM EDT up reply actions

well sure, if you put it that way

it sounds pretty bad

by AndrewTorrez on Aug 22, 2011 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions

it ~~sounds~~ is pretty bad

"Grow nothing, buy the 'Pen" (Wieters Weiners)

by IggesRule13 on Aug 22, 2011 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

Heh...true, but Pie is flat out awful. Gotta imagine Angle can't be any worse.

Neither of those guys will hit at the MLB level, but hopefully Angle’s D is better.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Aug 22, 2011 4:23 PM EDT up reply actions

It's gotta be

It’s just gotta…

by Astronaut Mike Dexter on Aug 22, 2011 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions

Hell, if he stays on his feet for the whole game, his defense would be better already!

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Aug 22, 2011 4:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Angle can at least play defense which Pie can't do even a little bit.

I am eating you, motherfucker. You cannot hurt me. - PhilR8

by O'sFan21 on Aug 22, 2011 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions

From a develomental standpoint

I would put Reynolds at DH and Davis at 1B if developing players is the number 1 goal.

The Andy MacPhail plan: "Grow nothing. Buy the pen," (Wieters Weiner 2011).

by birdman on Aug 22, 2011 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions

I meant for the rest of the season

It’s a fair argument in 2012, although I think that Reynolds has the tools to be a good defensive 1B.

by AndrewTorrez on Aug 22, 2011 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions

In his short stint so far, Davis has surprisingly looked good defensively no?

The Andy MacPhail plan: "Grow nothing. Buy the pen," (Wieters Weiner 2011).

by birdman on Aug 22, 2011 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions

Reynolds v Davis

is pretty much a wash at 1B defensively i think, but Davis has the experience so he gets the edge. Plus Reynolds need to work on reducing those soul killing Ks

"Grow nothing, buy the 'Pen" (Wieters Weiners)

by IggesRule13 on Aug 22, 2011 4:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I think we've seen enough of Pie to know he's a complete disaster.

I would rather see anyone other than Pie. Maybe Matt Angle sucks. I don’t care. I’d rather see a new person suck in the only chance they will ever get at the big leagues than see any more of Pie sucking. Pie’s proven repeatedly this season that he has no business ever appearing in major league games ever again – but they keep running him out there. It’s nuts. His performance in left field yesterday was one of the most embarrassing fielding shows I’ve ever seen, and the only reason it’s not the most embarrassing is because I can’t decide which Pie-in-LF that I’ve seen this year has been the worst.

Vlad is bad but I don’t imagine a scenario where they are going to get rid of him, so in that sense it doesn’t matter. They won’t even stop having him bat cleanup. I would like to see Brandon Snyder up instead, but there’s no guarantee Snyder would outproduce Vlad for the remainder of the season. It’d be less frustrating suckitude, though, by a wide margin.

"That ball is gone. We'll pause ten seconds to commit suicide ... I mean, for a station identification." - Joe Angel, 6/17/11

by Eat More Esskay on Aug 22, 2011 4:15 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

This

"Grow nothing, buy the 'Pen" (Wieters Weiners)

by IggesRule13 on Aug 22, 2011 4:16 PM EDT up reply actions

really...

i was having visions of brandon fahey and ed rogers, but at least those guys were failed shortstops masquerading as utility men. pie is an outfielder playing the easiest outfield position and he stinks. it is inexcusable that he’s on the big league roster at this point.

"the secret to a happy ending is knowing when to roll the credits"

by j.q. higgins on Aug 22, 2011 4:57 PM EDT up reply actions