[新聞] Orioles' moves of '07 shape future
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Last winter, the Orioles held one eye toward the present. This winter, they're
looking squarely toward the future.
Another frustrating season ate at the club all summer, as injuries and
inconsistencies undermined Baltimore's chances to compete for a run at the
postseason. By year's end, Sam Perlozzo was gone as manager, Miguel Tejada was
out at shortstop and rumors swirled that the team's best pitcher, Erik Bedard,
might be nearing the door, as well.
All of that marked a clear indication that the Orioles had firmly committed to
rebuild. The previous generation of Orioles is now all but gone, with an
exciting new breed of youngsters filtering their way into every part of the
club.
How those new pieces jell in Baltimore will go a long way toward determining
how far the team has come, and just how far it has left to go. Perhaps the
Orioles aren't ready to compete with the league's best just yet, but they're
certainly plowing forward as quickly as they can.
And with a little luck, that just may be quicker than anyone might imagine.
January
He was the face of the franchise for two decades and to this day remains the
Orioles' most recognizable figure. So it was no surprise -- though certainly an
honor -- when the Baseball Hall of Fame voted Cal Ripken Jr. into its ranks in
January. Six months later, Ripken headed to Cooperstown, N.Y., for his
induction. "Certainly, this is one of those moments where you reflect back on
your whole life," he said.
The Orioles made a seemingly minor move when they claimed young right-hander
Jeremy Guthrie off waivers and added him to the roster. But the transaction
turned out to be anything but insignificant, as Guthrie went on to win seven
games and post a 3.70 ERA in 175 1/3 innings with the O's.
February
Just two days before pitchers and catchers were scheduled to report to Spring
Training, the Orioles lost starter Kris Benson to a serious right shoulder
injury. Benson toyed with the idea of surgery throughout camp, eventually
electing for it and missing the entire season. The same day Benson announced
his injury, the Orioles signed another veteran, Steve Trachsel, to take his
place.
March
Exactly two weeks after Perlozzo indicated that Jay Payton would be his regular
left fielder, Payton strained his hamstring and began the season on the
disabled list. But he would quickly recover and reclaim his job, hitting .256
in his first season as an Oriole.
The Orioles extended one of their most dynamic young players during Spring
Training, inking second baseman Brian Roberts to a two-year extension worth
more than $14 million. That came two months after the team also signed
outfielder Aubrey Huff to a three-year deal worth $20 million.
April
Just before Payton's return, the Orioles suffered another loss when starter
Jaret Wright experienced soreness in his right shoulder and headed to the DL.
Wright's season ended that day, after only three starts -- all losses -- and a
6.97 ERA. Yet the move became something of a blessing, giving Guthrie a chance
in the rotation, where he quickly began to flourish.
Three straight losses to open the schedule set the tone for the Orioles, who
dropped near the bottom of the American League East and stayed there all year.
Particularly heartbreaking was a game at Yankee Stadium on the first Saturday
of the season, when closer Chris Ray served up a walk-off grand slam to Alex
Rodriguez. "It's only the beginning of the season," fellow reliever Danys Baez
said. "We're still making adjustments."
May
Dramatic wins gave the Orioles hope in May, as the team began to win with
improved consistency -- even winning six straight to close out the month.
First, outfielder Nick Markakis hit a walk-off single to lead the Orioles over
the Indians on May 4. Then it was Huff's turn, launching a walk-off homer five
days later to lead the team over the Rays. Another week later, the dramatics
continued, when Payton hit a two-run double in the 11th inning to down the
Nationals in Washington. "We're trying to get something going," Perlozzo said
-- and indeed they were succeeding.
Not everything, however, went as planned in May. In the midst of a breakout
season, lefty starter Adam Loewen suffered a stress fracture in his left elbow
and ultimately missed the rest of the year. Loewen made only six starts,
finishing with a perfect 2-0 record and 3.56 ERA in his second season as a
full-time starter.
June
If May brought bits of bad news, June brought giant heaps of it. In the midst
of a nine-game losing streak, the Orioles dismissed Perlozzo as manager and
tabbed former bullpen coach Dave Trembley to take his place on an interim
basis. "It was a tough homestand and a tough month, maybe some of the most
horrific losses that this club has ever endured," said executive vice president
of baseball operations Mike Flanagan.
The next day, the Orioles hired longtime baseball executive Andy MacPhail as
their new president of baseball operations, further shaking up the team's
leadership hierarchy.
On the field, things weren't any less volatile. Though the Orioles managed to
stunt their losing streak, they absorbed an enormous blow on June 21 when
Tejada was hit by a pitch that fractured his left wrist. The injury kept Tejada
out for a month and ended his consecutive-games streak -- the longest active
run in the Majors -- at 1,152. "I don't want it to end like this, but what can
I say?" Tejada said. "There's nothing I can do."
July
First, Ray lost his closer's job. Then he lost more. Battling inconsistency all
season, Ray went on the disabled list in late July with a bone spur in his
elbow, and he eventually missed the rest of the year. That ended a difficult
second season as the team's closer in which Ray saved only 16 of 20 attempts,
posting a 4.43 ERA. Jamie Walker led a group of substitutes in his absence,
though the O's wouldn't see many save opportunities the rest of the way.
Roberts, not Bedard, was Baltimore's representative on the AL All-Star team,
though perhaps Bedard should have been given his due. The left-hander surged in
July, finishing the month a perfect 5-0 with a 2.21 ERA. Against the Rangers,
Bedard tied a club record with 15 strikeouts, and by month's end, he was among
the front-runners to win the AL Cy Young Award. "I think this answers the
question of whether he's a No. 1 or not," Trembley said. "He's No. 1 on this
staff."
August
Already well out of playoff contention, the Orioles couldn't find any luck in
August, when outfielder Jay Gibbons had surgery to repair a torn left shoulder.
The bad news got worse when Bedard had to skip a start with a strained right
oblique and wound up missing the rest of his breakout season. Bedard finished
with a 13-5 record and a 3.16 ERA, and he was fourth in the Majors with 221
strikeouts, despite missing over an entire month of play.
Trembley's ability to improve the Orioles earned him respect, and then it
earned him a job. In August, the Orioles gave Trembley a contract to manage in
2008, after he spent only two months with the interim tag. "I feel a whole lot
more comfortable in a baseball uniform than I do in a suit and tie," Trembley
said at his press conference.
September
With the team already looking squarely to the future, September callups meant a
little more to the Orioles this season. One in particular -- infielder Luis
Hernandez -- shined, hitting .290 and impressing with his defense. In doing so,
Hernandez played his way into early consideration for a starting spot in 2008.
A shock hit Baltimore when reports leaked that Gibbons had allegedly bought
shipments of performance-enhancing substances from October 2003-July 2005.
Three months later, Major League Baseball suspended Gibbons for 15 games at the
start of next season, and later in December, Gibbons, along with Roberts, would
be named on former Sen. George Mitchell's investigation of
performance-enhancing drugs in baseball.
October
Changes were everywhere once the season drew to a close, beginning with vice
president of baseball operations Jim Duquette's resignation. By the end of the
month, the Orioles had brought in a new pitching coach, Rick Kranitz, and a new
first-base coach, John Shelby, to help round out Trembley's staff for next
season.
November
Benson didn't help the Orioles this past summer, and the Orioles announced in
November that he won't help them next summer, either. The team declined to
exercise the option on Benson's contract for 2008, making him a free agent and
ending a stint in Baltimore that produced only 11 wins in two years.
Dominating the Hot Stove were rumors that Bedard would be traded to a
contender, as the Orioles began to look toward their future. Yet Bedard's age
-- 29 heading into next season -- kept the Orioles confident that he could yet
be a cornerstone of a winning staff, and that sparked an attempt to sign the
young ace to a long-term contract extension.
December
An era ended when the Orioles dealt Tejada to the Astros for five players in a
move that signaled a commitment toward rebuilding. In exchange for their star
shortstop, the O's received outfielder Luke Scott, starters Troy Patton and
Matt Albers, and two Minor Leaguers. "I don't think it's ever an easy thing to
trade away a player of Miguel's stature," MacPhail said. "It clearly signals a
change."
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Let's go Orioles.
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