Is a roster move coming?
The Orioles' bullpen is fried like a bucket of KFC. I don't have confirmation, but a reliever could be summoned from Triple-A Norfolk to ease some of the burden.
Either that, or manager Dave Trembley will say his prayers at his desk before tonight's game.
Lance Cormier has allowed runs in nine of his last 11 appearances - that adds up to 17 runs in 13 1/3 innings. And that won't cut it.
Meanwhile, Kam Mickolio has allowed one run and five hits in 15 2/3 innings since his promotion to Norfolk, with five walks and 18 strikeouts over 12 games. Bob McCrory has surrendered four runs in 13 innings over eight games since coming off the disabled list.
If someone goes, it figures to be Cormier, but I'm not pushing him out the door. Just tossing out some numbers.
Speaking of numbers, George Sherrill's ERA is up to 4.66. He's permitted seven runs in his last three outings, and has allowed hits in 17 of his last 20 games (28 hits total).
And more numbers: For whatever reason, I didn't realize Alberto Castillo had allowed only two runs in 14 2/3 innings.
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Categories (click for archive)Roch Kubatko |
That's probably because Castillo keeps allowing everyone else's runners to score instead!
Is Mickolio a long guy or is he predominantly a one inning pitcher? I'm fine with sending Cormier back to AAA to work the funk out, but not knowing how deep Olson, Waters, Sarfate are going to go we really need someone we can rely on to potentially go 2-3 innings every few days.
Which leads me to ask... any news on how things are progressing with Albers?
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Albers is on a progressive throwing program. Mickolio can go two innings if needed. At least he has in the minors. - Roch
Castillo has allowed a few inherited runners to score (most memorably the 3-run home run he gave up to Adam Lind right after entering the game), but has been pretty effective since then.
Roch,
Any news on Matusz?
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Nothing this morning. - Roch
what about Miller, just been named IL pitcher of the week?
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Good call. I definitely should have included him. - Roch
McCrory is already on the 40-man roster and is two years older than Mickolio, so I'm guessing the nod goes to him.
Hey Roch, I've been reading your blog since your first post a couple years ago. I know I'm a bit late on the kudos, but great job with it and I'm glad that MASN picked you up.
Do you think that Sherrill's downward trend has anything to do with the 2+ innings he pitched in the ASG? I mean, everyone else is blaming the ASG for their poor performances and injuries, why can't we? (Granted, everyone who has complained have legitimate complaints, but I'm not sure we don't have a legit one ourselves)
In my humble opinion, I think that it is more likely something to do with his workload. Before this season he has not pitched more than 45 innings in a single season and this year he is on pace for 67 innings. He's also doing this in humid Baltimore, not in mild Seattle.
That being said, as long as he keeps converting save opps, I'll forgive him giving up runs in non-save situations.
Why did we release Yan...Is Benitez still out there? What about bringing up Penn..to Put Sarafate back in the bullpen ...send Cormier to triple A......
Roch
Do you think Andy Mitchell will be the next to be called up? I hear that Penn is getting his spot skipped and I don't think the O's can wait that long before making another move. Also do you think Payton is moved or do we need him to man center for the rest of the year with Jones going down?
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I could be wrong, but I don't think Mitchell is next. Payton is more important now that Jones is injured, but I still think the Orioles would move him. Just not sure who would take his place. - Roch
Miller, McCrory, and Mickolio at best are one, maybe two inning guys. We need someone who can relieve Olson, Waters, or Sarfate in the first or 2nd inning and pitch a minimum of 4-5 innings.
Of course a better solution is getting quality starts. As for Olson, in my mind, tonight should be his last opportunity. If he fails miserably again get Bergeson here. I'm assuming that Hayden Penn will pitch on Friday instead of Sarfate, although I'm not sold on him.
Roch - You took alot of criticism when you predicted correctly that Castillo would get the call when Walker went on the DL. If he does better at keeping inherited rumnners from scoring, he may be a strong candidate to be here next year.
It would be great to see McCrory, Miller and Kornholio all get a shot right away, but we're a little hamstrung in the guys we can send down to get them here. Sarfate is out of options. Bierd has to be offered back to Detroit before being optioned and Walker can (and almost certainly would) refuse to accept an assignment to AAA (and we would have to pay him a lot of money if he walks). That leaves F. Cabrera, Cormier and Castillo (I don't include Cherry because he just got here). There's no guarantee that any of these AAA guys will be better than Castillo has been (and he gives us another lefty which is nice), but I'd readily send the other two down. However, one of the guys called up is going to need to start, which leaves us with Penn likely being one of the call ups (health permitting) and just one of the three relievers coming with him.
Any Bruce Springsteen fans?
What happened to Theriot with the o's that they drafted, i hear he is on the cubs now?
JeffV - I think CRB would ask for a Bedard type package because as he stated the Blue Jays would have to be overwhelmed to trade Halladay, especially within the division. Yes, Weiters is more of a sure thing than Adam Jones was and doubt the Orioles would trade him even up for any pitcher in baseball, but I completely understand what CRB is saying. Without including Weiters I'm not sure the Orioles could match a Bedard type deal. How about Reimold, Tillman, Sherrill, Mickolio, and Butler. Would the Jays do that. I would think not and I don't believe the O's would either. The Jays would take a public image hit by trading Halliday and giving up that much while rebuilding just wouldn't make sense for the O's either.
A package of Roberts(signed to an extension), Tillman, Sherril, and Reimold might do it for the Jays, but makes no sense for the O's.
Mickolio will hopefully someday be a long-term staple in the bullpen, but his time is not now. He needs to continue to build on his success in AAA for the rest of the year, and can fight for a bullpen job with the Os next spring. Jim Miller deserves to be in Baltimore ahead of both McCrory and Mickolio. Let's see what Miller can do, as he has very little more to prove in AAA.
Jeff: If I were Toronto looking to trade Halladay, yes, I ask for a Bedard type package as a start without calling it such—basically, multiple young players with high upside and perhaps a player that may be ready now for the big leagues. If you’re the team with Halladay, you ask for the most possible, hoping some team such as the Mariners is shortsighted and answers. Even though Bedard was a bust for the Mariners, such deals will continue to be made by clubs who think that by acquiring a top player they become a contender or put themselves over the top (and Halladay has to be more valuable than December 2007 Erik Bedard).
Other than unloading salary or rebuilding, which Toronto doesn't seem to be doing, why deal Halladay this offseason without getting the best possible return for one of the best pitchers in the game when he’s under contract for a couple more years? Toronto would probably wait for someone to overwhelm them with an offer, which seems to be what we say around here regarding the O’s with Roberts and Sherrill.
Santana is a different story—he would’ve been a free agent after this season, and in case anyone forgot, the Yankees, Red Sox, and the Mets went after him hard (basically, the only teams that would be able to afford what would be over $20-$25 million per year in a contract extension). Barring any possible trade clause restrictions in Halladay’s contract, the field would be wider for him.
And, yeah, I can name the O’s best pitching prospects. Tillman, Arrieta, Erbe, Bergesen, David Hernandez, McCrory, Spoone, and I guess to some extent Liz and Penn. I’m sure I forgot someone, which must disqualify me somehow. Didn’t realize listing names was a prerequisite to having this discussion. Should I start putting together a package for Halladay? What’s the point?
I think Sarfate needs to go to the minors for a little bit to work on his pitch location and bring Penn or Bergeson. I noticed last night on the homer to Cabrera, Ramon set the pitch down, and the pitch was at the letters.
I was and still remain very in favor of trading Sherrill. I think the biggest problem for MacPhail is that in all likelihood other teams don't value him as a closer, and will not offer a package that includes top flight prospects. His arbitration situation will be one of the more interesting one's this offseason. I'll be curious to see how much he and his agent ask for, and whether the O's are in the same ballpark.
Hey roch i was just about to ask you where tracy and jennifer are. They were so busy blowing rose pedals up your A%% yesterday i didn't think they had time to blog today. After further review i see tracy came through with flying colors. It must make you feel so special that Peter is taking all the heat in his new position and you are feeling so warm and fuzzy over here.
Bob is off his meds again.
is the trolling really necessary bob? i don't usually mind your comments but srsly, do you always have to be so whiney?
I'd really like to see Kam come up, Walker anywhere but here and a healthy Hayden who has actually looked pretty good down here in Norfolk recently. (without the splintered bat obviously)
Halladay discussion is idiocy. A rebuilding team suddenly reverts to trading the pieces we assembled through trades and drafts for a 32 year old pitcher who is due over $14 million next year and nearly $16 million in 2010? Great idea.
It's crazy to hear everyone thinking that the O's should trade a bouty of young talent to the Jays for Roy Halladay.
Sure Halladay is a very good pitcher... but think of the long term people! Think about What Andy McPhail is doing in the first place.... he's building up the O's with young talent for the future.
And relax the future is not now for the O's. Give it a few years!!
Trading all that young talent for Halladay is just what Seattle did when we traded them Bedard...hmmmm people.. do we have a short term memory loss?? Relax and let the Young Birds mature in to a Good team...it's going to happen...you can see it!
Last time I saw Castillo he was being bombed all over the park only to have Mora, Payton, and Markakis turn a couple doubles and homers into outs. I know his neck was sore after that scoreless outing.
I don't know about Cormier. His stuff looks okay...Jamie Moyer does it w/ less.
I thinks it's time for new blood, I'm not just talking about Hayden Penn. Poor guy needs to report to Baltimore in an ambulance so he'll make it. Thank you, I'll be here all week.
No point in trading the farm for Halladay when Sabbathia and Sheets-- among others-- will be free agents this off-season. I don't know if signing a big name is the answer either, although Guthrie would truly dominate as a #2 starter. (And CC has always excelled at Camden Yards and would look great in the orange and black.)
Roch, I have to tell you that I felt you last night and you ARE warm & fuzzy like bob says!
Stay classy bob. You're twice the man that Tracy and Jennifer are!
That's because Castillo comes in, lets all of the inherited runners score, before he is taken out. Then someone comes in and bails his butt out.
We need the help...Sign the petition!
http://bringmarkhome.withthispetition.com
Roch,
Can you have your network staff trace where Bob's message is from? I think he might be from Sun's site.
Mike N. You forgot Jorge Julio!
People that talk about trading for a #1 starter remind me of that commercial where the guy buys a painting then wants to immediately sell it. The Minors are finally stocked with young pitchers. Why would you trade them when they're younger, cheaper, and give the Organization much more flexibility?
Not to mention MacPhail has said NUMEROUS times he believes in building a pitching staff through the system, not free agency.
I guess the trade dreamers can keep dreaming, but it ain't gonna happen.
I was reprimanded by my employer for wearing opposing team gear while making use of employer-provided seats last night. So I moved. And continued to cheer for the O's. I may have yelled out "WIETERS WOULD HAVE MADE THAT PLAY!" more times than was necessary. But I think even he would have stopped a ball that rolled right past Cintron, who was clearly thinking, "Oh... yeah, THAT'S the ball I'm supposed to stop..."
Can we just raffle off the SS spot? Monies raised can go toward the signing of an actual SS.
I'll be up in the mezzanine again today. Running a tab with Robert the beer guy (best beer guy in the ballpark, in case anyone comes to CLE)...
Off the subject of the O's for a minute... anyone else think it's time for the Rays to sign Bonds? I'm still hoping for a postseason without the Yankees and the Red Sox and am worried, with all the injuries, the Rays aren't going to be able to hold onto their division lead.
Rose pedals? Where? Ouch! Petals maybe.
Would you think Mickolio would be the next person to be called up? For the bullpen, of course.
But for the starters, who do you think would be next? Penn or Bergeson? I do feel like I want Bergeson even more because he's shown he can go very deep and has a better track record than Penn does.
Roch,
How did the cubs get Theriot from the orioles?
While I certainly understand the frustration regarding the performances of Sarfate, are they really any worst than the majority of Burres' starts or Olson's starts? Neither of those guys have had ANY consistancy in their major league careers. Sarfate may not last more than 3-5 innings right now, but he also hasn't been a starter since before he was called up by Houston. He was a starter in the minors and for the past few years has been reduced to a one inning guy for both clubs. It takes time. When an injured hitter is deemed healthy, regardless of how he hits in BP, he almost always goes on a minor league assignment to get back to his old self or, at the very least, comes back as a DH for a while. Consider this as a strengthening program.
I'd much rather throw a guy with an explosive arm out there than a soft tosser like Burres or Olson or any of those other guys who throw 85MPH and can't get anyone out. This team is in desperate need of starting pitching and since the organization seems reluctant to dip into the majority of the minor leaguers as potential fill ins, continue to give Sarfate the ball. This team is heavy with middle relievers. Someone needs to take some innings.
If Sarfate has just one good outing, his confidence next time out should be much higher. He is pitching like a mistake knocks him out of the rotation and he hasn't really gotten any assurances that would change his mindset.
Im just saying that if they are going to continue to throw inconsistent guys out there to start games, why should Sarfate's experiment only last 3 or 4 games. Certainly, Cabrera has been an experiment for years now and while people constantly call for him to be removed, he continues to go out every fifth day. What's the harm of letting Sarfate finish the season as the fifth man in the rotation? I don't think that it will make a difference in the standings one way or the other.
If anything, Olson should be the next starter to go. He's had only a handful of good starts. You can't pitch as many games in a season as he has and still feel ok with an ERA that high. For the long leash they've given him, I'd expect more from him.
If you do the math it makes sense to give up FAIR (any three PITCHING prospects) value for Roy Halladay. Of course, you only make that trade if you acquire Texiera.
Why it works for Baltimore:
It adds REAL stability to our brotation and allows the bullpen to be more effective. You don’t make the deal unless he signs a three year extension at market rate. That means we have him until he is 36 (through the 2013 season). The FO talks about being competeitive in 2010. Do you really think that one of the group of talented pitchers we have will establish themselves as a pitcher of Hallady’s (or even Guthrie’s) talent by then?
If you give up any of these three (Bergesen, Tillman, Hernandez, Liz, Penn, Patton, Berken, Arrieta), you still have FIVE prospects left to fill ONE spot in the rotation. Even if you have to throw in one more from the next wave (Erbe, Spoone, Butler, and a talented group at low A and short season that we will be hearing a lot more about) there is a lot of talent left in this organization. And that’s not counting Matusz who couldn’t be traded until this time next year even if someone insisted on him.
How many more games do you think we would have won this year if we would have had one more Jeremy Guthrie? What would it have meant to our bullpen? And Halladay is a better pitcher than Guthrie at this stage of their respective careers.
Why it works for Toronto:
They will lose Burnett this off season. That will leave them with an aging team with a small nucleus of talent. Their upper level farm teams have virtually no young pitching talent. If they are smart they will begin to rebuild. Because Halladay is the oldest, he makes the most sense to move.
The two big names on the free agent market this winter are Sheets and Sabathia. Sheets has an injury history and Sabathia has not yet proven (to me at least) to be worth Santana money which Angelos wouldn’t pay regardless.
These last two drafts and the trades this offseason have shown that Andy MacPhail knows how to accumulate talent. We MAY have a chance to spend some that talent to obtain a REAL building block: Roy Halladay.
For all the people that want to open the bank to get Teixeira here, you need to realize that Huff currently has more HR's and a higher average. His bat would make little difference.
We need to spend all the money we can on starting pitching!
Blaine & Roch,
If Payton is moved, wouldn't we just call up Tike Redman. He is tearing it up in Norfolk.
Roch,
Congrats on the move over to MASN; The Sun is that much worse off for your departure. When you get a respite from writing 25 posts a day, I'm curious if you can address something that interests me as a fellow reporter. Now that you're at MASN, which is essentially owned by the Orioles (right?) do you have any limits on what you can report? Do you have the same freedom of objectivity from your editors there that you did at The Sun? Is there any right to review what you write? Don't expect this to be a big deal in the day-to-day stuff, but certainly when team employees, for example, are fired as part of gambling probes, I'm curious whether you think you'll be free to write about it.
Cheers,
rob in San Diego
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I had the same questions. I haven't been told that there are any restrictions. I have a feeling a few feathers will be ruffled from time to time, but it appears that the people here are willing to accept that in exchange for...whatever else it is I bring to the party. - Roch
Hey roch do me a big favor and tell Dave T and terp fan that i said high. They are two very special people to me.
Glad to see that this post basically appears now on the Sun blogs, just a couple of hours later.