Base Hits: 6/11/2008

Steve Trachsel, for all intents and purposes, is gone. Trachsel was a placeholder until the youngsters were ready to take over so the bright side of all this is that The Warehouse must believe that there are enough arms in the system ready to take his place.

Trachsel had two very solid starts to begin the season but imploded immediately after and hasn't been effective since.

Later Steve. Thanks for netting us Scott Moore and Rocky Cherry from the Cubs (both of whom will still be good players for Baltimore, eventually.)

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As I type, Jim Palmer is having a chat on ESPN.com.

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Batters against Brian Burres:

1st PA in G: .787 OPS, 2nd PA in G: .794 OPS, 3rd PA in G: .834

Not to harp on this but send Brian Burres to the bullpen please. I like the guy but not as a starter. Time for Matt Albers to get a shot.

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Brian Roberts is quietly putting together a fantastic season. He's the best second baseman in the AL and arguably the best leadoff hitter in the major leagues. He makes Dustin Pedroia look like a punk. He is still going to bring back a nice haul at the trade deadline.

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I find this next item very sad. Jay Gibbons is begging for work. This is the letter he has written and submitted to every Major League club:


Writing this letter is both painful and humiliating.

I am young, healthy and determined. I have acknowledged and apologized for the mistake that I made and writing this letter should be proof enough that I have indeed suffered for my mistake.

I have faith and hope that some team will give me the chance to prove that I can not only be a productive player but also be a stellar member of their organization.

My faith in a second chance has inspired me to work harder than I have at any time in my life.

All I need is a chance -- any chance -- anywhere. I am more than willing to begin the process of proving that I can and will be a productive major league player by playing in the minor leagues.

At 31 years old, I have NO DOUBT that my best baseball is ahead of me.

I know that my agents at ACES have tried to land me an opportunity in the minor leagues but have been met with negative responses by each and every Organization.

I am not blind to the fact that I have made a mistake and that mistake has raised doubt about my character and ability. It is important that you know that my indiscretions, while regretful, were made in an effort to heal a nagging wrist injury.

I respectfully and humbly request that you grant me the chance to play for your organization.

I am so willing to prove myself as a player, and a person, that I will donate ALL of my minor league earnings to your Club's charity. In the event that I earn the right to play at the major league level, I will gladly donate a significant sum to that same charity.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Jay Gibbons

The guy is offering to work FOR FREE! I wish Jay the best of luck with his efforts to continue his career. He may really be done but you'd think some team would take a flier on him. When you look at some of the human flotsam on AAA rosters, Gibbons compares quite favorably.

I can't believe I'm saying this but I wouldn't even mind seeing him in Norfolk.

Good luck Jay. You were always a good guy in my eyes.

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By the way, the Orioles need to go 30-69 to reach the foregone conclusion of 100 losses. Stick it PECOTA!

Base Hits: 2/12/2008

The Orioles have signed Steve Trachsel to a minor league deal. I don't mind this signing, especially since it's only a minor league contract. I like the idea of bringing in a veteran starter as insurance so you don't have to rush your young arms but I was not thrilled with the prospect of signing a guy like Josh Fogg to major league money to do it. A good low risk move that could prove to be a godsend come April.

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I was reading this story in the Sporting News and it mentioned something I've heard a lot lately. The conventional wisdom has the Orioles on their way to losing 100 games in 2008. I don't buy it. The Nationals were written off in this manner before 2007 and they didn't even lose 90. It won't be pretty but I don't think this team will be appreciably worse than last year. More on that later...

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J.R. House is reporting to Spring Training with the Houston Astros. I still don't think we gave this guy a fair shot.

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Quite a detailed look at the Erik Bedard trade at The Hardball Times. The bottom line is most thought Seattle gave up too much for him which, by reflexive property, means that we got the better of the deal on paper.

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Finally, a look at the Bedard trade from Baseball America. There's not much new here except for the detailed look at the prospects (besides Adam Jones) who Baltimore acquired in the deal.

Trachsel Tanks

C'mon Steve. Your career was over. Baltimore picked you up off the scrapheap and you've had a fairly decent year. Now, when we need you to showcase yourself, in your last start before the trading deadline, in your last chance to go to a contender this season, you throw that mess yesterday? We knew we wouldn't get much for you but who's going to want you now? Some gratitude...

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Brian Roberts hit a three-run shot to put the game away yesterday and preserve the sweep. Roberts is having a great year (obviously) and is on pace to hit .300, hit 10+ HR and steal 40+ bases. If he does so, he becomes only the 10th 2B in MLB history to hit for .300, steal at least 40 bases and hit at least 10 homers joining the like of Joe Morgan, Craig Biggio, Chuck Knoblauch (all did it twice), Alfonso Soriano, Ryne Sandberg and Roberto Alomar. Not too shabby.

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Nick Markakis' Rate Stats for 2006: .291 BA/.351 OBP/.448 SLG
Nick Markakis' Rate Stats for 2007: .291 BA/.354 OBP/.446 SLG

Scary, huh? How consistent had this guy been in his young career? And in nearly 100 less AB he has already surpassed his doubles, stolen base and RBI totals from last year. OK, he's only tied his RBI number but he's going to break that any day. Nice progress...

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According to the Elias Sports Bureau, if A-Rod hits a homer in the final two innings of the unfinished game from June 28th that will be completed today, his 500th homerun will be the one he hit in KC, and the one he hits in Baltimore will be retroactively credited as number 493. I wonder what other time warp oddites may occur today?

The Case For Daniel Cabrera....

...was made pretty well last night. Even in his own flawed 5 BB, 3 K in 7 IP performance he showed the kind of talent he has to pitch around those mistakes. The Devil Rays may stink but they are a very good offensive team and D-Cab shut them down. I hate to sound like a broken record but I have to with all the "trade Cabrera now" sentiment. The O's are not exactly awash in proven major league starters. We can afford to wait Cabrera out awhile longer. Don't trade him!


The Answer?

I think Mark Texiera is a very good hitter and this point is probably moot since teams with much more to offer in trade are wooing Texas for his services, teams that will greatly overshadow anything Baltimore will be able to offer.

But what is the fascination with a guy who would maybe hit 30 HR this year (if he had been healthy all year), a guy who for his career (and this year actually) has hit .265 away from hitter-friendly Arlington Stadium and a power guy who will go weeks at a time without going deep? Are O's fans so beaten down that they want just anybody who mentions they would like to play here?

He's good, not great and certainly not worth Baltimore mortgaging the future for.


Let's Cowboy Up...

Speaking of guys who want to stay here, I hope the team keeps Kevin Millar. The pluses: he really seems to want to be here, he has been one of the top hitters for the team all year and for the production he gives you, he's dirt cheap. Obviously, if a team gets desperate and bowls you over with a nice prospect or younger MLB regular, you take it but I'm still holding out hope that he remains.


Guys Who May Be Traded

Steve Trachsel - Get what you can for him. He's pitched well for us this year and that was a bonus in itself. Get bodies for the minors and let Steve pitch for a contender.

Miguel Tejada - I'd like to keep him but if you get the right offer for him, you have to take it. I'm not a fan of just dumping him but if you can get good value you pull the trigger.

Jay Gibbons - Even though he has hit better lately, nobody will want this guy. Still, if somebody bites, you send him on his way. I have serious doubts that he will return to form over the long haul.

This Pitching Staff Won't Waiver

I love winning, man, I love winning! You know what I mean? It's, like, better than losing?

- Ebby Calvin "Nuke" LaLoosh

The O's are back to .500 for the first time in weeks and there are three big reasons Sam Perlozzo's been able to keep this team afloat (and himself employed): Steve Trachsel, Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Burres. What do the 14 year veteran, the rookie former first round pick and the lefty converted from reliever to starter all have in common? All were picked up by the O's after other teams had waived them and all have been at the center of Baltimore's recent turnaround.

Jeremy Guthrie

When the O's claimed Guthrie off of waivers from the Indians this winter, I was sure he was destined for Norfolk. When I found out he was out of options, I figured he had an outside chance of making the team as a middle reliever, which he did, and performed quite well in that role until Jaret Wright went on the DL. Guthrie was pressed into duty and has impressed ever since.

When he moved into the rotation, I figured he would be the kind of pitcher that hitters would really catch up with the second or third time through the rotation but as I've said before, he's proven me wrong and been just the opposite in an extreme way.

BA vs Guthrie 1st PA: .322
BA vs Guthrie 2nd PA: .193
BA vs Guthrie 3rd PA: .081 (!!!)

With a trend like that, Guthrie could well be a workhorse. He seems to get better as the game moves along. this former first round draft pick has blossomed under Leo Mazzone's tutelage.

Steve Trachsel

Trachsel was waiting by the phone as Spring Training began and was seen as a desperation move for the Orioles, a scrapheap signing because nothing better was available when Kris Benson went down for the season with shoulder trouble. I thought the stepdown from Benson to Trachsel was no that far when the signing was made. I expected Trachsel to come close to duplicating Benson's mediocre numbers from the previous year which was probably the best we could have hoped for.

However, Trachsel has been our most consistent pitcher all year. While this may not last (Steve has walked 31 and only struck out only 18 thus far), Trachsel has made batters miss enough and induced enough groundballs to post a WHIP of 1.29 which is good enough in the AL to imagine future success.

Brian Burres

Burres was a 31st round draft pick for the Giants in 2000 and the O's claimed him off of waivers in January 2006. After some light relief work last year, Burres was a major player in the bullpen this season posting a 1.35 ERA as a reliever. When lefty phenom Adam Loewen was lost to a stress fracture in his arm, Burres was pressed into service and has performed better than expected. Although he may ultimately better at relief, it's nice to know we have a capable spot starter in the pen.

We must give credit to Mazzone on these guys since he has a track record of taking John Burketts, Jorge Sosas and John Thomsons and getting the most out of them. Kudos also to the front office for finding these guys in the first place and improving the team while giving up nothing for them.