Tremblay tries to turn Orioles season around
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by Silencer76
The Baltimore Orioles, a team that has been in disarray for years, thanks mainly to the meddling of owner Peter Angelos, have started showing signs of improvement. Since Sam Perlozzo was fired on June 18, when the Orioles were 29-40, the club has managed to go 23-18 and climb within half a dozen games of .500.
Trembley, one of just a handful of managers to get a top spot in major league baseball without any playing experience, has managed to keep the O's afloat despite injuries, and in some cases, lack of talent. He has a bona fide ace in Erik Bedard, a hard throwing lefty who is 12-4 with a 3.09 ERA and a major league leading 192 strikeouts. Best of all, Bedard is only 28, so he is entering the prime of his career and can anchor a rotation.
Daniel Cabrera, 26, Jeremy Guthrie, 28, and Brian Burres, 26 all are young enough to give Baltimore a formidable rotation given time and some proper coaching. Leo Mazzone definitely is one that can groom these pitchers into a formidable crew. Cabrera merely needs to harness his control, as he walks far too many batters, (79 in 152.1 innings this season, 359 in 609.1 career innings of work.) He does possess electric stuff, and if he can cut the walks down, he can easily reverse that 8-11 record and chop the 4.90 ERA down. Guthrie was an excellent waiver wire pickup from the Cleveland organization, and can be a solid #3 starter.
After spending a slew of money to upgrade the bullpen, it seems that is still a place that the O's need to fix. Chad Bradford (0-4, 2.60 ERA) and Jamie Walker (1-1, 2.30 ERA) have pitched well enough to be successful, but Danys Baez (0-5, 5.40 ERA) and closer Chris Ray (5-6, 4.43, 16 saves in 20 chances) have been ineffective at key times, and have cost the O's several ballgames. Baltimore has had to use 22 pitchers this season, as injuries, inability to get outs, and wildness has led to many callups and send outs.
Offensively, the O's lack power, as they have just three hitters in double digit homers, led by Melvin Mora's 13. Nick Markakis has 11, and Kevin Millar 10. Markakis leads the team with 67 RBI, while Brian Roberts and ex Cub Corey "Mr. Whiff" Patterson are the speed demons with 32 and 29 steals respectively. Miguel Tejada is just coming back off the disabled list, and Mora and Millar have been slowed by injuries as well.
If Ramon Hernandez can regain some form of health, it could help the O's backstops, as he hit .262 with 43 RBI in 66 games. Paul Bako, the journeyman backup, has shown why he is just that, hitting a crappy .219 with 7 RBI in 46 games.
I don't foresee Baltimore becoming a threat to the Red Sox or Yankees in the next couple seasons, but if they can add a couple decent hitters in free agency and a decent reliever, the club could improve. The rotation has a lot of potential in it, and Mazzone can turn any pitcher around. I see Baltimore becoming a .500 club, perhaps slightly better, by 2009.
