Reviewing the winter
Monday: More on Tejada, some on Guthrie | Tuesday: Bits on Tejada, Scott and Guthrie | Wednesday: O's farm system is getting stronger | Thursday: Hendrickson back for a second year | Friday: A look at the bullpen, Snyder and Hendrickson | Saturday: Examining the offense and the winter moves
Sunday, January 31:
Roch Kubatko writes on Jason Berken and David Hernandez: "[P]itching coach Rick Kranitz is a firm believer in letting young starters gain experience in the bullpen, something the Orioles used to do.
It's possible that David Hernandez or Jason Berken will be moved to the 'pen if they don't make the rotation on Opening Day. The other option, of course, is to keep them on an every-fifth-day schedule at Triple-A Norfolk." [masnsports.com]
Dan Connolly examines the O's offseason: "[Andy] MacPhail's focus included a top-of-the-rotation starter, one or two right-handed hitters to play the corner infield positions, an established late-inning reliever and perhaps more bullpen help.
Position-wise, anyway, each goal was met - MacPhail traded for veteran starter Kevin Millwood, signed first baseman Garrett Atkins, third baseman Miguel Tejada and closer Mike Gonzalez, and re-signed versatile left-hander Mark Hendrickson.
Whether the offseason moves - all one-year contracts except for Gonzalez's two-year deal - will help the Orioles break their 12-season streak of losing is open to interpretation." [Baltimore Sun]
Spencer Fordin features Luke Scott: "Luke Scott's seasons are consistent, even if his paths to his final statistics are widely divergent.
The Orioles veteran slugger's batting averages have been virtually identical over the past three seasons, and his on-base percentages have dropped within a 15-point window (ranging from .336 to .351), and his slugging numbers within a 32-point frame (from .472 to .504). Now, Scott is trying to prove that he still has a breakout season in him while also trying to fend off multiple challenges for playing time.
The Orioles seem determined to let Nolan Reimold and Felix Pie split the job in left field, which all but pigeonholes Scott in regular duty at designated hitter. Garrett Atkins is set to play first base, further mooring Scott into place. And while he'd prefer to play in the field on a regular basis, Scott said he can use the competition for playing time as incentive to hit better." [MLB.com]
Millwood's 198 innings of sub-4.00 ball would be a welcome force in what reckons to be a volatile young rotation. On top of that Millwood did a very good job in a home stadium that has slightly fewer things flying out of it than the Southwest hub in Dallas. The 2009 Orioles gave up a league-worst 218 home runs so the team needs all the help it can get in that department and Millwood will offer that.
Prediction: 180-200 innings; 4.50 ERA" [The Oriole Post]
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