Key contributors
Lou Montanez and Juan Castro came up with big hits in the eighth inning tonight. Actually, Montanez came up with two of them. And absolutely no one could have predicted back in April that they'd be reading that sentence on Aug. 14 and it would apply to an Orioles game.
I understand the logic in easing Montanez into a major league outfield and letting him get acclimated. He endorses the decision. But at this point, the way he's swinging the bat, he needs to play. And if he's going to be a fourth-outfielder candidate in 2009, the Orioles will need to find out whether he can play center field at this level. Running him out there in spring training - and minor league ballparks - doesn't do much good.
Castro looks pretty good defensively. He's made a few plays - including turning a double play tonight by taking a throw from Brian Roberts on the run, racing across the bag and making the throw in one smooth motion - that had me wondering if anyone else who's been at shortstop this season would have gotten the same result.
Down on the farm, Triple-A Norfolk's Andy Mitchell allowed four runs and six hits, with four walks, over five innings in a 4-0 loss to Durham.
Freddie Bynum started at third base again and committed a throwing error. He also had a single. Luis Terrero went 2-for-4, and newly acquired reliever Scott Chiasson tossed two scoreless innings.
Single-A Delmarva beat Charleston, 4-1, in a game shortened to six innings by rain. Sean Gleason, a 20th-round pick in 2007, improved to 10-1. Anthony Martinez belted a towering two-run homer.
Albie -
Uh yeah there is a reason Payton is out there playing night after night. Probably 2 good reasons.
#1 - Defense! You need to be strong up the middle. Payton & Castro help in that area, while Ramon doesn't. Vital part of the defense on the field. Don't think so? Ask our starters!!
#2 - Keep Payton's game as sharp as possible, in the event a contender comes in with a devastating injury to one of their starting outfielders. Payton would be a cheap acquisition, in terms of what a contender would have to give up, and receive a guys that can play all 3 outfield spots, and has a little pop!
Matthew every guy you mention has a contract that goes past 2009 for their respective teams. Now look at places like Seattle who got rid of both Sexson and Vidro and are using younger guys. Cincy traded away or released Hatteberg, Dunn, Ross and Griffey and are playing younger guys. SF released its 3B and are playing a young guy there. And SD is playing many more young guys then veterans except for a few who they want to deal in the offseason.
Not many of them choosing to play 3 players that are 35+ everyday.
I love the things Andy MacPhail has done for the team but don't you think we should give some props to Mike Flanagan, also. Nearly all of the major contributors (Guthrie, J. Johnson, B. Roberts, A. Huff, N. Markakis) are from the previous regime and even the 2 major trade chips (Bedard and Tejada) were from the previous regime. Also, without some major injuries (H. Penn, A. Loewen, C. Ray) this team could look totally different. I don't think anyone realized how close Flanagan's plan was to coming to fruition. We were told several years ago that '08 and '09 were the years. Imagine if we had kept Tejada and Bedard and Penn and Loewen had panned out. This might be a contending team. I'm very happy with the direction of the team but I think Flanagan had a good plan and should be given some credit.
We all need to take a deep breath. The orioles are finally on the right track. No one said it would be easy. We have the money and the room for two sure things, pitching and hitting. The foundation is there. We have three all-stars in the lineup. Huff, Roberts and Markakis. Guthrie has been remarkable all season. The stock-pyling of young pitchers in the minors was essential. we got this and money. Get an outstanding starter,pay as much as possible, and Tex out west, and you have a contender.
You know, considering that Scott keeps being given the ball because of his bat and that Huff is a better defender than people give him credit for, one wonders if next year they'll put Huff in the field, Luis in left field, and Scott as the DH. This assumes, of course, that Huff isn't traded, either Mora or Millar are let go in the offseason, and that Montanez keeps this up.
Oh, and as to why we're playing veterans over young guys: Because those veterans are being paid a lot of money. You're telling me you'd actually sit a guy (who's been red hot ever since the All-star break) who's being paid millions and millions of dollars and play another guy who may or may not be ready for the Majors just because the first guy is over 30? What kind of logic is that? You don't see the Blue Jays sitting Vernon Wells just so they can get younger or the Royals sitting Jose Guillen. And hell, if Hafner and Martinez were healthy, you can bet they'd be in the Indians lineup.
And don't bother bringing the Montanez arguement, as he had extensive minor-league play before coming up. Most everybody else in the farm system has had less than 2 years service.
Re: Montanez: Mike Young had a great August, too.
Bandwagons are bad business.
I was looking thru the 1998 O's Media Guide today. The seeds of destruction were firmly planted at the time. None, and I mean NONE of the players in the farm system went on to do much of anything. Matos had a good year. Parrish (the lone exception) and Paronto are still in the majors. Towers had a little success.
Oh, and one of them lost a ball in his uniform during a major league game.
That must count for something.
What do you think? Do we blame Gillick? He had the same thing happen in Seattle. Built a winner which almost got to the WS and then came apart. He did the same thing in Philadelphia.
Do we blame the GM? Scouting director? Ownership?
What do you think, Roch?
hey yo roch-o
do you know who has interest in huff? and should we expect anymore than a double-a nobody (adam stern) for him? and if so, wouldn't it make more sense to keep him for next year? unless the o's are just try to cut as much off their payroll as they can... is that what they're doing? freeing up money for our big 1B acquisition this offseason!?! ARE WE SAVING UP FOR CHRISTMAS!?!? if not i want to keep him. but my name is not andy mac.
btw... 'the schmuck stops here' is like king kong on denzel... it ain't got nothin
luv ya buddy
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You da man! The only thing preventing a profitable trade for the Orioles is Huff's contract. It's heaviily backloaded and that might scare off teams. The Orioles will have to eat a chunk of it. Now that he's blown up this season, they could get a decent prospect for him if a team is in dire need of a bat, but again, they'll have to work it out so their trade partner isn't taking too big of a financial hit. - Roch
I don't really think anybody would have done what Castro did tonight. It would be interesting to have a comparison of Castro vs. other shortstops and see how many games we win with Castro, and with the rest of them.
My move of the week: Play Lou Montanez in left field and rest Luke Scott with his sore foot.
I cannot wait to break out the champagne for tomorrow, i.e., Matusz.
Trembley has shown his preference for trotting out subpar veterans on this "rebuilding" team throughout the season so it shouldn't come as a surprise that he's only willing to play Montanez on days Luke Scott comes to the ballpark in a full body cast.
God forbid that Jay Payton and his .240 batting average ride the pine for a night when we're in the middle of a pennant ra - whoops, strike that, but I'm sure there's a real good reason Payton's out there night after night!
At least he's no Sam Perlozzo, though, who seemed to trust no one under the age of 35 in his lineups.
You have to wonder how much longer Bynum will be with the organization. He's had many chances and he doesn't appear to be capable of playing in the MLB.
Roch, I cannot subscribe to your feed alone - it keeps subscribing to the full masn blog. Is there some hanky panky going on, or is it just me?
Montanez does need to get more ABs but putting him in center isn't wise at this point. He is hustling on defense but he is a bit shaky out there. Maybe he should DH a few games.
Castro makes the Orioles look like a bona fide Major League team. He makes plays look easy. I know he doesn't hit well, but the way the other batters are hitting, who cares? His defense is much better than we have had in a long time. He should be our regular SS the rest of the season.
On to Detroit. Another series where little to no pitching will be the norm. With the way Huff, Mora, Markakis and Roberts are swinging, combined with the pitchers the Orioles are tossing to the wolves in this series to go up against Ordonez, Cabrera, Sheffield (not a DH, apparently) and Co., this could be a very high scoring series. So that being said, Friday's game will be a 1-0 nail-biter.
Hmm... let's see. Johnson had already been warming up for a bit, and with our BP lately I didn't see the harm in letting us get through a nice and boring 8th inning. He sure did rack up a lot of innings, you're right.
So yes, I think you're the only one who feels that way. I mean, I know where you're coming from. But he was warming up already, and if it had not been Johnson who pitched the 8th, the game probably wouldn't have ended until 11'ish and I would have missed Michael Phelps winning #6.
On the subject of a previous topic. Safarte still in the rotation? Isn't Brian Burres still in the organization? He was better than Dennis has been. Safarte just can't seem to throw strikes. Never could as a reliever either.
Would really like to see the O's make .500 this year. 10 years is too long.
Tonight's key contributor? Earl Weaver. Happy Birthday, Earl!
Keep hitting those exactas, knocking one stiff off the pin now and then, and good days forever to you, Earl.
terpfan - when your name appears in the title of this blog you can tell me what I can and cannot post here. I've never directed a comment to you, or commented on anything you've posted, so I'm not sure how my comments are any of your business.
But, as a 43-year-old man with better things to than post blog comments 12 hours per day, I'm glad to hear I can still bring the teenage slumber party stuff when I need to.
Friday night we make smores.
So, who was saying Castro can't hit? I'm totally impressed with how heady his game is defensively. If they can get him to hit .250 or so, I'd have to say we've found the SS we've been needing. Even if he is 36, he's much rangier and smoother than Tejada was at a younger age. If he can give us 4 pretty solid years until a SS they just drafted can be groomed, that sounds like a plan.
Psssst! Does anybody notice Cabrera turned in a solid performance with Castro behind him? What did I say before about the philosophy of "let 'em hit it" being fine only if your fielders catch it?
why in the dickens is j.johnson pitching the 8th inning of a 9 run ballgame? he should be resting to use when we need him in a tight one tomorrow or the next day. some of those other bums (cormier, etc.) should be pitching now to work on stuff to try and get their act together. am i the only one that feels this way? i just think we shouldn't have johnson out there racking up innings in a meaningless situation.