[外電] O's dealt with injuries, underperformance in '11
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O's dealt with injuries, underperformance in '11
By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com | 09/29/11 10:00 AM ET
BALTIMORE -- With hopes high and an offseason made up of modest improvements,
the Orioles still finished 2011 with their 14th consecutive sub-.500 season.
It was a disappointing year, particularly given that this was supposed to be
the start of a gradual ascent back to prominence in arguably baseball's
toughest division, the American League East.
The O's biggest issues were injury and underperformance, as the expected
player development of several key young players didn't happen, leaving the
organization to scratch its head and wonder if the assembled core can morph
into what was envisioned. While some bumps were to be expected in competing
in the AL East with a relatively inexperienced and thin pitching corps,
Baltimore received far more development opportunities than it expected.
Twelve different pitchers made starts for Baltimore, second most in the
Majors, as the rotation struggled almost immediately and underwent a
leadership change when pitching coach Mark Connor resigned abruptly in June.
After injury-prone Justin Duchscherer didn't break camp, front-line arm Brian
Matusz strained his left intercostal muscle before he could make his first
start, setting off a chain reaction in an explicably poor season for the
24-year-old Matusz, who missed two months with injury, spent a month in
Triple-A and pitched to a 10.68 ERA in 12 Major League starts.
The loss of Matusz made room for top prospect Zach Britton, who had an
erratic rookie season -- including a demotion of his own and a trip to the
disabled list. But the 23-year-old Britton showed flashes of promise.
The struggles of Chris Tillman and Brad Bergesen -- both squandered several
chances to establish a spot in the rotation -- forced the Orioles to dip into
a thin pool of pitching, using non-roster invitee Chris Jakubauskas, Mitch
Atkins -- who made his first career Major League start in a brief stint with
Baltimore -- and reliever Alfredo Simon, who missed all of Spring Training
while in a Dominican Republic jail on charges from a New Year's Eve shooting.
The O's also plucked Jo-Jo Reyes off waivers from Toronto to help alleviate
growing concerns over Jake Arrieta's right elbow, and the 25-year-old had
season-ending surgery in August to remove a bone spur, depleting the rotation
even further.
But the Orioles' injuries weren't limited to the starting staff. Second
baseman Brian Roberts, one of the team's most valuable players, has morphed
into one of its most injury-prone over the past two years, suffering
concussion-like symptoms on a head-first slide in mid-May. Roberts never
returned, leaving a gaping hole at the top of the lineup. Luke Scott --
playing with a torn right labrum in his shoulder suffered this spring -- had
his power numbers and overall effectiveness nosedive to a point where he
finally opted to undergo season-ending surgery.
Combine that with the lack of power from newly acquired veterans Derrek Lee
and Vladimir Guerrero, and the lineup -- which had such high hopes coming in
-- struggled mightily the first few months of the season.
There were some signs of building blocks in place for the future, most
notably the emergence of catcher Matt Wieters, who was selected to his first
career All-Star Game, and the impressive season from shortstop J.J. Hardy,
who was signed to a three-year extension.
Center fielder Adam Jones has emerged as one of baseball's budding
superstars, posting a career year offensively and putting himself in the
debate for a second AL Gold Glove Award, and both Arrieta and Britton figure
to be a part of next year's rotation.
But the good couldn't outweigh the bad, as the O's rash of injuries, combined
with trades of Lee and late-inning relievers Koji Uehara and Michael
Gonzalez, ensured the young squad got even younger and more inexperienced as
the season progressed. Without Uehara and Gonzalez, the 'pen became a
patchwork effort, with right-hander Jim Johnson shouldering the bulk of
closing duties in the wake of incumbent Kevin Gregg's struggles to lock down
the ninth inning. Where the team will turn in the ninth -- with the potential
of stretching out Johnson to start next season -- is a big question moving
forward.
There are plenty of other questions as well, as the Orioles face some big
decisions on and off the field. That begins in the front office, with the
expected departure of president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail leaving
the organization at a crossroads and giving manager Buck Showalter, who was
hired last August, a say in who that successor will be. How much of a say
Showalter, who is rumored to have the ear of owner Peter Angelos, gets will
largely dictate how quickly and efficiently the Orioles will move forward.
What follows is a quick look back at a 2011 season in which injury and
underperformance thwarted any hopes of turning around the organization's
recent streak of futility:
Record: 69-93, fifth in AL East
Defining moment: What better way to define a season than a pair of Trade
Deadline deals and a disastrous outing from what had been the Orioles' prized
young rookie? With baseball's rumor mill on overdrive on July 30 -- a day shy
of the non-waiver Trade Deadline -- Baltimore first sent Uehara to Texas in
exchange for two 25-year-olds: pitcher Tommy Hunter and Davis. (More)
The move was done, in theory, because Hunter and Davis were young, cheap and
under team control, with Hunter adding a badly needed starter to the staff
and Davis a potential to fill the organization's goal of adding power-hitting
corner infielders. While Uehara was dealt in between games of a doubleheader
in New York, Lee was shipped to the Pirates -- to clear a spot for Davis to
play -- and Britton was turning in his worst start of the season, an on-field
debacle where he couldn't get out of the first inning. The message of the day
was clear as the Yankees smashed their way to a 17-3 win: The O's are still a
team in transition.
What went right: The offseason trade for Hardy was a steal, with the
shortstop reaching a career high in home runs (30) and locking down the
position for years to come. ... Johnson continued to establish himself as one
of the best setup men in baseball, and the Orioles stood firm on not trading
the reliever, who could be in their rotation next year. ... Mark Reynolds
became the first Oriole since 1999 to hit 35 or more homers in a season. ...
Robert Andino established himself as a legitimate Major League player,
filling in admirably in Roberts' absence. (More) ... The Orioles invested
heavily in the Draft, signing 22 of their selections, including each of their
top 11 picks. They hope those prospects one day emerge in the "what went
right" category.
What went wrong: The offense, due in no small part to the injuries it
endured, simply did not live up to preseason expectations. Losing Roberts was
a big blow, as was Scott, who could be a potential non-tender candidate this
winter. (More) ... Roberts' long-term future outlook is uncertain, leaving
the organization with a huge hole at second base. ... Matusz isn't the only
young arm regressed, but he was expected to be the team's No. 2 starter, and
it's no sure thing he will revert back to form. ... Reynolds' defense and
strikeouts. The infielder was moved from third base to first base, but his
errors were still a major issue for a staff tasked with getting extra outs.
After striking out 221 times last season, the slugger notched 196 whiffs. ...
Gregg's high walk totals and his removal from the closer role at the end of
the season leave the Orioles looking for a closer for the third consecutive
winter.
Biggest surprise: Hardy. The Orioles knew they were filling their shortstop
void with a more offensive-minded player, but they couldn't have imagined
this. For a pair of relievers, Baltimore got back a powerful shortstop who
consistently bolstered the lineup and became a rock in the infield. Hardy has
been hampered by injuries throughout his career, but if he can stay healthy,
his club-friendly extension could be one of MacPhail's best moves.
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