By James Bailey
Since the All-Star break the Orioles have lost 13 of their 18 games. They’re firmly entrenched in last place in the AL East at 45-61, 19 games behind the Yankees. The Orioles haven’t had a winning season since finishing first in the division back in 1997. But the rest of the league better get their kicks in while they can, because things are starting to look up in Baltimore.
Lefthander Brian Matusz, the No. 4 overall pick in last year’s draft, won his big league debut Tuesday night, striking out five and allowing only one run in five innings against the Tigers. Monday’s starter was righthander Chris Tillman, acquired last year from the Mariners in the Erik Bedard loot job. It was Tillman’s second big league start. He debuted a week ago, allowing three runs in 4.2 innings against the Royals. It’s not often a club can welcome two such promising arms to the big leagues within a six-day span.
Baltimore’s lineup is stocked with rising stars right fielder Nick Markakis, center fielder Adam Jones, left fielder Nolan Reimold and catcher Matt Wieters. Since opening the year as one of the surprising offensive clubs in the American League, the Orioles’ attack has steadily receded, dropping to the middle of the pack. It’s a 4.99 team ERA, however, that is primarily responsible for the club’s -66 run differential.
The O’s have relied on rookie starters Brad Bergesen (7-5, 3.43, 19 GS), Jason Berken (1-9, 6.93, 13 GS), Koji Uehara (2-4, 4.05, 12 GS, out since late June with an elbow injury), and David Hernandez (3-3, 3.28, 8 GS). With the exception of Berken, the newcomers have done a solid job. Yet they have been regarded by most observers as the B-tier wave. Tillman, Matusz, and righthander Jake Arrieta (currently at Triple-A Norfolk) constitute the A-tier.
Tillman went 8-6 with a 2.70 ERA in 18 starts for Norfolk before getting the call last week. In 96.2 innings he allowed 85 hits and 26 walks while striking out 99. He was 3-1 with a 1.88 ERA in four July starts, and the Orioles, who have been patient with him, finally decided he was ready. Last year they left him at Bowie for the entire season and he went 11-4 with a 3.18 ERA and 154 strikeouts in 135.2 innings. At 21, he’s the youngest of the trio, though he has the most professional experience, having been drafted out of high school in the second round by the Mariners in 2006.
Matusz, 22, was the first pitcher taken in the 2008 draft, and the only pitcher in the first 14 picks to actually sign (Missouri righthander Aaron Crow didn’t come to terms with the Nationals). After signing too late to pitch last year ($3.2 million at the deadline), he made up time this season, going 11-2 with a 1.91 ERA in 19 starts split between Bowie and Class A Frederick. In 113 innings he allowed just 87 hits and 32 walks while fanning 121. In eight starts at Bowie, he allowed a total of eight earned runs, with six of those coming in one game at Akron. Against Harrisburg on July 7, he struck out 11 in eight innings while allowing only one hit and no walks. He won his first seven starts for Bowie, and could have stretched that streak to eight games Saturday but he was pulled after one inning so he’d be able to pitch for Baltimore on Tuesday.
Arrieta, 23, slid to the fifth round in the ’07 draft due to signability concerns. The Orioles inked him for $1.1 million and he’s motored quickly through the system the past two seasons. He opened this year at Double-A Bowie, going 6-3 with a 2.59 ERA in 11 starts and striking out 70 batters in 59 innings. That earned him a promotion to Norfolk, where the going hasn’t been quite as easy. He’s 3-5 with a 4.92 ERA through 11 starts there.
There likely won’t be room for all three to break camp with the Orioles next spring. Bergesen certainly has done nothing to jeopardize his position on the club, and Uehara was solid when healthy. Veteran leader Jeremy Guthrie is struggling through his worst season since coming to Baltimore, at 7-10 with a 5.37 ERA in 21 starts. But a young staff needs someone who’s been there before and Guthrie’s likely to head the rotation again, assuming he’s not traded in the offseason. With Berken and Hernandez also competing for jobs, it should make for a lively competition in March. Eventually, however, Tillman, Matusz, and Arrieta will all be there together.
There is more offensive help on the way as well. By next year, first baseman Brandon Snyder should be ready to contribute. Snyder, the team’s first-round pick in 2005, hit .343 with 10 homers and 45 RBIs in 58 games at Bowie to open the year. Since moving up to Norfolk he’s batting .269-2-30 in 44 games. Third baseman Josh Bell, acquired last week from the Dodgers in the George Sherrill trade, isn’t far away now, either. He’s hitting .296 with 11 homers in 338 Double-A at-bats this year. He’s also shown a good eye (50 walks against 70 strikeouts). Their addition will give the O’s possibly the best young nucleus in the game.
It’s been a long time, but Orioles fans should have a lot to cheer about soon. Even in baseball’s toughest division, their stock is on the rise.
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I’ll believe it when I see it. Even with the good young players mentioned, they don’t stack up against the Red Sox, Yankees, or Rays, and Toronto will be better when they get their pitchers healthy. But even if the Orioles manage to stay competitive into late July, do you trust Andy MacPhail to make the crucial acquisition, and Peter Angelos to spend the necessary money? The Orioles’ Opening Day roster had a payroll of $67 Million. The Yankees were at $201 Million–three times as much as the Orioles– and the Red Sox at $121 Million. If you give Theo Epstein $51 Million more than Andy MacPhail, it’s my opinion that he’ll have a better team.
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