Baltimore Orioles 2008 Preview

The Orioles have posted 10 straight losing seasons, with No. 11 on the horizon. Team officials might not be using the word “rebuilding,” but their actions speak loudly with the trades of Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard. Tejada was shipped to the Astros for a five-player package. Bedard was traded to Seattle for Adam Jones and George Sherrill among others. They also listened to offers for second baseman Brian Roberts. To finish higher than fourth would be a monumental achievement. However, the future is beginning to look a little brighter in Baltimore for the first time in years.

Rotation 
With the trade of Bedard, who won 13 games and challenged for the AL lead in strikeouts with 221 before being shut down in September with a strained oblique muscle, the rotation is thin, to say the least. Jeremy Guthrie, a former top draft pick of the Indians, emerged as one of the best rookies in the league before also coming down with a strained oblique. He’s the clear-cut No. 1. Lefthander Adam Loewen, the fourth overall pick in the 2002 draft, underwent elbow surgery but is expected to be fully recovered by spring training. Daniel Cabrera continues to tease and frustrate the Orioles with his flashes of dominance and ongoing control and maturity issues. The organization’s patience is wearing thin, but he’ll get another chance. Veteran Steve Trachsel was signed after the Bedard trade to be a one-year stop-gap in the middle of the rotation. Trachsel can eat innings, but is not imposing on the mound. Brian Burres is the early favorite to get most of the starts in the fifth spot.

Statistician
10	Consecutive years in which the Orioles have had a losing record.
1-9	O’s’ record during the Aug. 21-30 homestand, a franchise-worst for 10 games or more.
7.61	Team ERA over the last 39 games of the season.
31	One-run losses, the most in the majors.
13	One-run victories, the fewest in the majors.
19	Times the Orioles allowed 10 runs or more in a game
696	Club-record number of walks allowed by pitching staff

Bullpen 
The backend of the bullpen was a top priority for manager Dave Trembley, who lost closer Chris Ray and setup man Danys Baez to ligament reconstruction surgery. For now, Sherrill is the closer. Trembley doesn’t want to close with lefthander Jamie Walker, who is more valuable in a situational setup role. Walker and righthander Chad Bradford were overused last year because of injuries and the ineffectiveness of other relievers. Hard-throwing righthander Dennis Sarfate, acquired from the Astros in the Tejada trade, is out of minor league options and will be given every chance to win a spot. Burres could be a long reliever if he doesn’t make the rotation. Rocky Cherry and Greg Aquino will fill out the staff.

Middle Infield 
With Tejada gone, the Orioles most likely will turn to Luis Hernandez, who impressed team officials with his range and sure hands after replacing an injured Tejada last season. He hasn’t hit much in the minors, but he could develop into a decent offensive player while providing a defensive upgrade. Freddie Bynum and Brandon Fahey could see some time there. Roberts, the Orioles’ leadoff hitter and two-time All-Star, tied for the AL lead with 50 stolen bases and continued to play excellent defense. The Cubs wanted him badly, but he’s a favorite of owner Peter Angelos despite appearing in the Mitchell Report.

Corners 
Melvin Mora played left field in Venezuela over the winter, but he made it clear that he didn’t want to move off third base. His no-trade clause didn’t give the Orioles many options, and they’ll need him to dial up the run production after trading Tejada. Scott Moore, formerly a first-round pick of the Tigers who came over in a trade with the Cubs, is an intriguing prospect who could take some at-bats from Mora. Aubrey Huff also can play third, but he’ll probably be used more at first and DH. The Orioles don’t have a shortage of first basemen with Kevin Millar also on the roster.

Outfield 
Nick Markakis, voted Most Valuable Oriole by the local media in 2007, has superstar written all over him. And with Tejada gone, more of the offensive burden will fall on his shoulders. But will anyone pitch to him without more protection in the lineup? He deserved a Gold Glove last season for his play in right field. Jones, who was the top position prospect in Seattle’s organization, is a 2003 first-round draft pick and impressive five-tool player. Luke Scott, part of the package acquired from the Astros, could become the everyday left fielder or platoon with Jay Payton. 

Catching 
Ramon Hernandez qualified as one of the club’s biggest disappointments last season. The Orioles are hoping that injuries were to blame. They need him to return to his previous form, the one that led them to fork over a four-year contract in December 2005. The Orioles signed Guillermo Quiroz as a backup. Anyone wearing the gear is doing so only until Matt Wieters, last year’s top draft pick out of Georgia Tech, is ready to take over.

DH/Bench 
Huff is paid mainly for his bat, so he’ll often be assigned DH duties. Huff got off to his usual slow start, except it lasted longer than anticipated. Bynum is the ultimate utility player, capable of moving around the infield and outfield. Tike Redman apparently won a reserve job in the outfield during the final months of the 2007 season. Moore could give the Orioles a left-handed bat off the bench, and he’s able to play the infield corners.

Statline Highest Percentage of Balls Thrown, Last 5 Years Minimum 650 IP
1.	Daniel Cabrera	41.8
2.	Tom Glavine	40.6
3.	Jason Jennings	40.2
4.	Steve Trachsel	39.6
5.	Mike Maroth	39.2

Management 
Andy MacPhail took a deliberate approach to critiquing the Orioles after being hired as team president during the summer, waiting until Aug. 22 to name Trembley manager for 2008. MacPhail also made improving the farm system a top priority and seems in full rebuilding mode. The jury is still out on Trembley, who had no major league experience before being named bullpen coach and field coordinator in 2007. His specialty is working with young players and teaching fundamentals, and he’ll aim to improve the Orioles’ situational hitting and baserunning, and the pitchers’ ability to hold runners.

Final Analysis 
The Orioles are starting over again, and the rewards will be slow to come in the unforgiving AL East. MacPhail stayed away from high-priced free agents, knowing the Orioles were more than a player away from reaching the postseason. They might have to take a step or two back before charging forward. The coaching staff underwent some significant changes, but the losing won’t change. Not in 2008.

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Difference Maker

Catcher Ramon Hernandez batted .275 with 23 homers and 91 RBIs in 144 games in 2006, his first season with the Orioles. So what happened in ’07? Hernandez showed up at spring training in poor condition, went on the DL in early April and dealt with two strained oblique muscles and a badly bruised groin that limited him to 106 games. His offensive numbers and defense went into decline, but the Orioles expect him to be rejuvenated, which will benefit a relatively young pitching staff and a lineup that sorely needs him to drive in runs.

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Beyond the Box Score

Shut out with a bang The Orioles were the last team in the majors to avoid being shut out. When it finally happened on Sept. 1, it was historic. Red Sox rookie Clay Buchholtz no-hit the Orioles in a 10–0 victory. They’ve been no-hit six times in franchise history.

Huff-cycle On June 29, Aubrey Huff joined Brooks Robinson and Cal Ripken as the only Orioles to hit for the cycle. Huff went 4-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored against the Los Angeles Angels. He also became the only Oriole to accomplish the feat at home. The triple accounted for Huff’s 1,000th career hit, and he also notched his 200th double before adding a home run and single.

Lost leads Despite posting a 10th straight losing season, the Orioles held the lead in 120 of their 162 games. They were ahead in 20 consecutive games from May 23 to June 13, but were 9–11 in that span.

Historically bad The 6.62 ERA in August and 6.89 ERA in September were second-highest in those months by a major league club since 1912, according to the Elias Sports Bureau (minimum 10 games). The Diamondbacks registered a 6.69 ERA in August 2005. The Phillies had a 7.93 ERA in September 1930.

No lead is safe According to the Elias Sports Bureau, a 6–5 loss to the Red Sox on May 13 marked the first time in team history that the Orioles were beaten after taking a five-run lead into the ninth inning. They lost a number of games after leading by four runs going into the ninth, most recently on June 22, 2006, against the Marlins, who rallied from a 5–1 deficit and won in the 10th.

Broom service The Orioles and Twins became the 13th and 14th AL teams to sweep a season series of seven games or more against an opponent, and the Orioles were involved in both sides of the equation. They went 7–0 against the Royals, but were 0–7 against the Twins. The Orioles have registered four of the 14 sweeps and have been on the short end three times.

Young arms Rookie pitchers combined to make 54 starts for the Orioles, the fifth-highest total in the 54-year history of the club. Jeremy Guthrie accounted for 26 of those starts, followed by Brian Burres (17), Garrett Olson (seven) and Radhames Liz (four). The team record is 69 starts in 1989.

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