Earl Weaver Rules

What up B-more? How tough/cool/awesome do you guys feel after the Wire? I know I would. You guys should erect a statue of Omar similar to Rocky in Philly or Robocop in the D. Here’s a look at your starting rotation and key relievers.
STARTERS
1. Jeremy Guthrie. 2010 stats: 3.83 ERA, 11-14, 1.16 WHIP. Brief: A great WHIP and a low strikeout rate (5.1 per nine) for Guthrie last season. He has great control and the added pop in the Orioles order may be able to help his under-.500 record. In a league with so much power at the plate, it’s hard to get by without a higher strikeout rate. But we shall see.
2. Brian Matusz. 2010 stats: 4.30 ERA, 10-12, 1.34 WHIP. Brief: Only in baseball would the fact that Brian Matusz got a wart removed be considered news. These pitchers are more fragile than china dolls man, I swear. Matusz, a first round pick, fourth overall, in 2008, Matusz is still trying to figure out life in the big leagues, but make no mistake, he has nasty stuff.
3. Justin Duhscherer. 2010 stats: 2010 stats: 2.89 ERA, 2-1, 1.36 WHIP. Brief: So many health issues for Duhscherer and so little time. The top teams not only have top end talent in the starting roles…but look at the depth of pitching for the Sox and the Yankees, who knows if the Orioles will ever be able to assemble that depth.
4. Brad Bergesen. 2010 stats: 4.98 ERA, 4-12, 1.44 WHIP. Brief: The key for Bergesen will be whether or not he can get that sinker to stick in the bottom of the strike zone and below. In the first half, he got lit up like a christmas tree (or a manora). But in the second half, he was great (3.94 ERA, 1.26 WHIP).
5. Jake Arrieta. 2010 stats: 4.66 ERA, 6-6, 1.53 WHIP. Brief: Another young pitcher for the Orioles who, at this point in his career, is more hype than proven big league pitcher.
RELIEF
Mike Gonzalez. 2010 stats: 4.01 ERA, 10 holds, 1.30 WHIP. Brief: Middle-to-late relief for Gonzalez but he’s third on the depth chart for closing out ball games. Another pitcher with an injury riddled career. I’m starting to think that throwing a ball with various twisting arm motions as hard as you possibly can may not be good for your arm.
Closer: Kevin Gregg. 2010 stats: 3.51 ERA, 37 saves, 1.39 WHIP. Brief: Manager Buck Showalter tabbed Gregg as the closer heading into opening day because of his experience closing in the AL East with the Blue Jays last season. Showalter also announced, in a surprise decision, to change the fabric in his team’s jerseys from polyester to cotton…we’ll just have to see how that plays out.
ALRIGHT SEEYA NEXT WEEK.

The Orioles signed right handed relief pitcher Danys Baez to a three year, $19 million deal yesterday.  Baez is 29 and he’s a good but not great relief pitcher so once like Jamie Walker, I think the Orioles really overpaid for Baez.  Then again, this is a very strange year.  I guess the “former closer” tag is worth a lot more these days.  Baez has 111 career saves, for what’s that worth, to his name.

Baez got off to a hot start in 2006 and he had eight saves and a 1.32 ERA in the month of April.  He had a 6.60 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP in the second half though and that really roughed up his numbers.

It looks like Baez will set up Chris Ray in 2007.  $6+ million for a set up man.  This stuff is crazy.

There’s no doubt that the Orioles need help, and it couldn’t come soon enough.  Billy Rowell was the Orioles top draft pick this year, and after a slow start, the third base prospect has been lighting up rookie ball.  While he hasn’t shown much with the glove, his hitting numbers stand at an impressive .308/.397/.474.  Not bad for a kid who was playing out his senior year a couple of months ago. 

And I know he’s far off, but Orioles’ fans have to have something to cling too.