Patton's parting words

By Roch Kubatko

Orioles

August 08, 2010, 1:05pm

Comments

Troy Patton's timing could have been better. He gets called up and the rotation strings together six consecutive quality starts, making his role of long reliever obsolete. "It's really a tough situation," he said after the Orioles optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk. "I came up here to be a long relief guy and it just happens to be the one week of the season that literally no long relief guy was needed. I wasn't needed to go in the games. "I understand it. It's good that I go back down there and throw a little bit so that if I'm needed in September, I can be fresh." He's pretty rusty. Patton hasn't pitched since July 28 in Norfolk. The Orioles didn't promise Patton that he'd return when rosters expand. "I would hope that if I go back down there and do my business, I would," he said. "If not, I understand. It's just a tough situation." Down on the farm, Double-A Bowie's Brandon Waring went 3-for-5 with two homers, five RBIs and three runs scored. He's batting .260 with 19 homers and 65 RBIs. He started in left field today. Wynn Pelzer, acquired from the Padres in the Miguel Tejada trade, allowed two runs and three hits in two innings. He walked one and struck out two.