Patton kept putting up zeroes and the call to Baltimore finally came

Troy Patton will admit that there was some frustration for him recently. He was putting up really good numbers for Triple-A Norfolk but watching other pitchers get called to Baltimore. That included other lefties like Pedro Viola and Mark Hendrickson. Patton was happy for those guys, but wondering if his chance would come. It has and now he is back with the Orioles, officially recalled from Norfolk after the game last night. With the Tides, the 25-year-old southpaw was pitching mostly out of the bullpen and was 4-1 with an ERA of 1.83. Over 44 1/3 innings he allowed 44 hits with 12 walks to 30 strikeouts and a .257 batting average against. He said he got a little frustrated he was still in the minors, but he didn't question it or make his feelings known to anyone with the organization. "I just try not to say anything. I don't want to be a guy that complains. My agent gave me great advice. He said just keep putting up zeroes and good things will happen. I was just trying to put up the best numbers I could. There was a little frustration, but it's all erased now," Patton said this morning in the Orioles clubhouse. After making 25 starts at Triple-A last year, this season 15 of his 17 appearances have come in relief. "It's been fun. Been a change out of the bullpen. It's a different mentality definitely. But I've found having the pitches I have, I can use more pitches then a normal bullpen guy. Pitch backwards more and pitch more like a starter out of the 'pen and that's been really successful for me so far," he said. Patton was with the Orioles for one day earlier this year and on May 19 gave up two runs and two hits over 2 1/3 against the Yankees. Most recently at Norfolk, he allowed just one run over 18 2/3 in his last seven games. "Even when they've hit the ball it hasn't been hard," Patton said of his recent solid stretch. "They haven't been squaring the ball up much which makes me feel good as a guy that, you know, doesn't throw very hard." Patton could give the Orioles multiple innings out of the pen, something they can always use. He's made two starts this season and feels he could throw as many as 80 pitches if needed. Patton came to the Orioles from Houston in December of 2007 in the Miguel Tejada trade. He has never gotten much of a chance with the big league club. Maybe this time will be different. His pitching this year at Triple-A has certainly earned him a shot.