The Baltimore Orioles are not going to the playoffs this year………….and neither are the Boston Red Sox. Hallelujah! What the Orioles did last night will go down in the annals of Oriole history as one of those “Oriole Classics”. The O’s played a part in one of the more historical nights ever in Major League Baseball. The O’s contributed positively by providing losses to the “Greatest Collapse” of a first place team in MLB history. Hallelujah! Nice choke Boston Red Sox. Thank Youuuuuuuuu – Orioles for putting the final game of the 2011 season, “…in the WIN column.” Especially in such dramatic fashion. In my book, the Boston Red Sox and their arrogant fans have surpassed the New York Yankees in rudeness and greed. Last night made the Orioles year.

Terps beating Duke, Ravens beating Steelers and as it has been for the past 5 years for me, the Orioles beating the Red Sox. Maybe it’s because they are winning and the Orioles are not. Maybe it’s because of Roger “Steroids” Clemens. Maybe it’s because they ruined a perfectly good song in “Sweet Caroline” – (Neil Diamond). Maybe it’s because all the bragging in the world about their supposed famous Clam Chowda will never come close to good ole Maryland Crab soup with Old Bay. Whatever the reason, I get more fired up when Boston is in town than the Yankees. Maybe their it’s just been a given for so long to dislike the Yankees – it’s old hat. The Orioles contributed in preventing the Red Sox to going onto Post season play. If that is not music to your ears, stop reading now and move on.

I thought the Birds were cooked at the rain delay in the 7th. Driving up 95 in the rainstorm, knew it was headed to the Yards, did not know how long it was going to last. Men on 1st and 3rd two outs, Adam “supposed Oriole MVP” Jones up to the plate – Struck out. Nice MVP move. All I kept saying to myself was, “Not at Camden Yards”, you guys can NOT let Boston in with a loss at our home park. You might as well just open up the wounds and pour the salt in. The winter just got longer.  More Oriole disappointment. My orange Kool-aid was going to go bad. Woke up this morning, saw something orange in the sky, I believe they call it a sun. I had forgotten what it looked like, so I thought it was a sign that the Orioles had pulled off the improbable, low and behold it was a great day in Birdland.

Now, how about a little controversy? You know how I feel about the “Fix”. How about that Tampa Bay/Yankees game? I thought the game was over early at 7 – 0. Six runs bottom of the 8th, pinch hit home run in 9th to extend it, wait for outcome of Orioles game, 3 minutes later “Let’s Groove Tonight” – (Earth Wind & Fire) – “Here’ s one for ya Evan Longoria, you is in the playoffs!” Coincidence? There are no coincidences. You go Tampa Bay! Anybody but the Yankees or the Phillies.

One down side of the past few days, Adam Jones – the Orioles MVP as voted on by the Baltimore media. Are you kiddin’ me? Every single one of those numbnuts that voted for Jones instead of JJ Hardy, should be fired. More proof positive, in your face – lack of baseball knowledge, minor league journalism that the Baltimore area has had to put up with for many a moon. Ninety percent (90%) of the Orioles print media and broadcasts are not worth your time. My opinion of 2011 O’s MVP: JJ Hardy (unanimous), Matt Weiters, Jim Johnson, Nick Markakis, Adam Jones and I am a Jonesy fan.

The Orioles contributed  in preventing the Boston Red Sox from going into Post Season play. Seize the Moment – we don’t have many. The Birds did not fulfill expectations this year, below .500 and last place again. So what? They ended the year with the sweetest win of them all. It’s gonna get better.

D.I.Y.

Fedman

BALTIMORE – The Orioles open up a four game set against the Chicago White Sox on Monday as Jeremy Guthrie takes the mound against John Danks.

The good news for the Birds, and they sure needed a bit of positive news, is that J.J. Hardy is back in the lineup batting leadoff and playing shortstop. Hardy arrived at the ballpark and declared himself good to go for Monday’s game.

“I went outside and tested it, doing all the things that hurt me in Kansas City, and it felt fine,” Hardy said.

Hardy is looking forward to rebounding from what many consider to be one of his worst stretches as an Oriole.

“It was a rough road-trip depending on how you look at it,” Hardy said. “I know I only got eight hits but they were good hits. Something I already forgot about, thanks for reminding me, but I feel like it will be good to get back in there. Glad it was only three days.”

The O’s other main injury concern, Chris Davis, was in good spirits today as he seems eager to get back on the field and show the O’s brass what he can do. While not in the lineup on Monday, it seems likely that Davis will return by Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest.

“I feel good today,” Davis said. “I feel like I could have played today. I’m going to take BP and I’m going to hit in the cage. I think they’re just being cautious, like I said yesterday. I haven’t done anything in the last couple of days so I’ll do some stuff today and see how I’m going to feel, see if I’m going to be sore. I’m going to go take some BP and try to hit some balls on Eutaw Street, so it will be fun.”

Davis was asked if he tried to coax his way into the lineup for the series opener.

“I’ve tried,” Davis said. “I literally actually put my name in the lineup before anyone else did, and when I came back it said I was pitching so I moved it back out of the lineup. I would love to pitch, but I just don’t want to subject these guys to that.”

Izturis update

Cesar Izturis left Sunday’s game with a groin injury. Buck Showalter said that Izturis felt worse Monday than he did on Sunday, adding that it “doesn’t sound good right now.”

From hearing Buck, I think another DL stint for Izturis is highly likely.

Jo-Jo a go

Buck Showalter confirmed Monday that Jo-Jo Reyes will start Tuesday’s game. Showalter made it a point to stress how important it was for Reyes to take advantage of this opportunity, implying that Zach Britton will be back soon which could put Reyes’ brief rotation spot in jeopardy if he fails to pitch well for the Birds.

Speaking of Zach Britton, Showalter confirmed with reporters that with his stint in the minors, his abbreviated outings against the Yankees and Red Sox, and now his DL stint, there is now no need to think about shutting Britton down early in an attempt to limit his innings. At this point, when Britton returns, he’ll be back for good, assuming good health and performance.

Here are tonight’s lineups:

Baltimore

SS: Hardy
RF: Markakis
CF: Jones
DH: Guerrero
1B: Reynolds
LF: Reimold
C: Wieters
2B: Andino
3B: Bell

SP: Guthrie

Chicago

LF: Pierre
SS: Ramirez
DH: Konerko
RF: Quentin
C: Pierzynski
LF: Rios
1B: Dunn
2B: Beckham
3B: Morel

SP: Danks

**Join us in the Orange Crush chat today at 1:30PM. If you’re watching the O’s, surfing the Internet, or both, stop by and share your thoughts with us. It’s always fun!

BALTIMORE – The Orioles haven’t won a series since they won the rubber game against the Cincinnati Reds on June 26th. They look to snap that streak today as they take on the Blue Jays at Camden Yards behind their most impressive pitcher of late, Alfredo Simon.

In Simon’s last four starts, he has given up just 8 runs in 25.2 innings. As Buck Showalter likes to say, he has seized his opportunity and ran with it. When the O’s have desperately needed a starter to give them quality innings, Alfredo Simon has stepped up.

“He’s pitching real well as a starter and especially with some of our injuries,” said Buck Showalter. “It’s worked out well. He’s been able to defend himself against left handed hitters for the most part.”

Showalter continued discussing Simon’s recent success.

“It seemed like last year in the bullpen he got a little defensive and…always seemed to go to the breaking ball….he kind of got away from his fastball,” Showalter said. “He’s been able to set that up and pitch more aggressively with it which has been able to set some other pitches up. I think he’s gotten more confident with the fastball as a starter.”

On a day when the Orioles are feeling good about the effort they saw from Chris Tillman on Saturday night, another quality outing by Simon along with a series win would certainly represent one of the better days of late here in Birdland.

Opposing Simon will be Ricky Romero. Romero has established himself as one of the better starters in baseball, sporting a mediocre 9-9 record but more importantly pitching to an ERA under 3 runs a game.

Just 10 days ago, Romero pitched into the ninth inning against the Birds in Toronto, going 8.1 innings allowing just four hits and three walks while striking out nine Orioles. Romero has started 11 games against the O’s over his career, going 5-3 with a 3.19 ERA.

Chris Davis and JJ Hardy update

“We’re progressing,” Showalter said. “We’re excited about what we got back from the CT Scan (J.J. Hardy) and the MRI (Chris Davis). We feel like it’s pretty imminent that they’re back on the field shortly.”

On Kevin Gregg’s leadership in locker-room

Buck was asked if it was rare that a relief pitcher can be such a mentor to all pitchers, relievers and even starters, in the locker-room.

“If you look at his background and the things he’s been through in his career to establish himself, there are reasons why those things happen,” Showalter said. “Kind of like the reason why the situation found him in Boston. He gets it. Kevin gets it. He understands the ups and downs and he also will call BS. He’s the voice of reality. If your looking for someone to tell you what you want to hear he’s the wrong guy. If you want to get an answer about reality then go sit down.”

Showalter believes Gregg is a great resource for young pitchers on and off the field.

“He’s very popular, I think he is, to most people,” Showalter said. “It’s kind of revealing the people that don’t seek him out, in a way. He’s not a guy that’s always initiating, but if you ask, he’ll try to help. But he knows he’s got challenges too that he’s attacking.”

O’s fans hope Gregg will get a chance on Sunday to close down the series for the Birds in the ninth inning.

Here are today’s lineups:

BALTIMORE

SS: Robert Andino
RF: Nick Markakis
CF:  Adam Jones
DH: Vladimir Guerrero
1B: Mark Reynolds
LF: Nolan Reimold
C: Craig Tatum
3B: Josh Bell
2B: Cesar Izturis

SP: Alfredo Simon

Toronto

LF: Rajai Davis
SS: Yunel Escobar
RF: Jose Bautista
DH: Adam Lind
1B: Edwin Encarnacion
CF: Colby Rasmus
C: J.P. Arencibia
2B: John McDonald
3B: Brett Lawrie

SP: Ricky Romero

BALTIMORE – The Orioles begin a 10 game homestand Friday night with the first three contests coming against the Toronto Blue Jays. Tommy Hunter, acquired from Texas in the Koji Uehara trade, will be making his first start as a member of the Orioles.

Prior to the game, Buck Showalter met with the media and shared many interesting tidbits.

On Cesar Izturis coming off the DL: “It’s been a long road for Izzy. I’m proud of him to get back. Happy to get him back, as much as a person as a player. He’s ready to go. We’ll move him around a little bit.”

On the J.J. Hardy injury front: “J.J.’s got an upper ankle that’s bothering him. In fact it feels pretty good today. It’s kind of strange because he’ll go through periods when he doesn’t feel it at all early on in the day, and then the game starts and it got a little worse last night as the game went on. He can’t tell any one play or anything he did where he felt it. It just got a little progressively worse. We kind of lose sight that the doctors have other patients as important as our guys. So Dr. Wilkins will be here shortly, and he’s had a full day here to look at J.J. I would imagine we’ll get an MRI done tomorrow morning.”

On Arrieta’s elbow concerns: “He has an appointment on the 10th (of August). He won’t be pitching between now and the 10th. A lot depends on what Dr. Yocum says.”

On Tillman getting an extended look in rotation. “I hope so. I hope so. I hope he pitches well enough to do that. If he could put together (a start) like the first couple innings that he had, that would be there. It’s there for him if he’ll seize the opportunity. Very much like Simon.”

On being surprised at Mark Connor’s decision to return to the Texas Rangers organization: “No. Not at all. He’s very well thought of over there, and that job description fits him very well where he is in his life. He’s very familiar with all the pitching people, and they with him. It didn’t surprise me at all. I know they had called Andy about it.”

On that note, here are tonight’s lineups:

Baltimore:

SS: Robert Andino
RF: Nick Markakis
CF: Adam Jones
DH: Vladimir Guerrero
3B: Mark Reynolds
C: Matt Wieters
1B: Chris Davis
LF: Nolan Reimold
2B: Cesar Izturis

SP: Tommy Hunter

TORONTO

SS: Yunel Escobar
LF: Eric Thames
RF: Jose Bautista
1B: Adam Lind
DH: Edwin Encarnacion
CF: Colby Rasmus
2B: Aaron Hill
C: J.P. Arencibia
3B: Brett Lawrie

SP: Brad Mills

You can count me among the collection of those who were a little surprised by Saturday’s announcement of JJ Hardy’s new deal with the Orioles.

From a financial perspective, I don’t dispute the commitment from the birds. The organization’s top prospect, Manny Machado, is learning his craft at Frederick and limited middle infield options appear on the horizon during the upcoming off-season.

An expenditure of $22 million over 3 years seems quite reasonable for the Orioles.

But, in viewing the deal from JJ Hardy’s side of the fence, I am a little perplexed. In fact, I think a few peculiar questions should exist …..

Given the perceived lack of shortstop depth in the 2012 free agent class, did Hardy’s representatives feel he couldn’t garner at least $8 million, per season, over the next few years?

Has the product of 3+ months on a last place Orioles team provided Hardy with a comfortable outlook over the next 36 months?

Is this deal really about financial security for a lifetime, as Hardy approaches his 29th birthday?
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I guess the preceding questions are a roundabout way of suggesting JJ Hardy and his agents huddled and ultimately said “let’s do the safe thing.” After all, the world knows the Orioles shortstop has realized a big league career littered with injuries and stints on the disabled list.

And, while he’s had a briefly respectable run in an Orioles uniform, it’s quite apparent Hardy is not the player envisioned during the summers of 2008 and 2008, in Milwaukee.

I’ve been quietly impressed with his transition to the leadoff role in Brian Roberts’ absence, and he’s flashed stellar defense with some consistent power potential through the first half of the season.

But, what possesses JJ Hardy to renew with the Orioles – for a modest raise – without testing the market? I’m not ranking him as the complimentary to Jose Reyes, but he would be a formidable consolation prize for a contender that needs a shortstop for the next few seasons.

Does he envision an Orioles team capable of doing something markedly better than what’s been achieved through 92 games? Maybe, he’s just comfortable here …..

Like I said, it’s a good deal for the Orioles. And, the shortstop obviously thinks it’s a contract fit for his immediate future. But, one question lingers for me …..

Why is JJ Hardy staying in Baltimore? I would really like to know.

BALTIMORE — With the trade deadline two weeks away and the possibility of multiple teams being after his services this offseason, shortstop J.J. Hardy decided he was having too much fun with the last-place Orioles this season.

The 28-year-old shortstop agreed to terms on a new three-year contract to remain with Baltimore through the 2014 season. Reports indicate the deal will pay him in the neighborhood of $22 million over the next three seasons and will include a limited no-trade clause. The deal is pending a physical and has not been officially signed.

“There are a lot of things I don’t have to worry about now,” Hardy said. “It’s definitely a relief, a big weight off my shoulders, and just worry about playing baseball now.”

His 13 home runs is third on the club despite missing a month of the season with a strained oblique muscle. While spending a significant portion of the season in the leadoff spot, Hardy’s .490 slugging percentage is tops among regulars in the Orioles lineup.

Hardy had represented the Orioles’ biggest trade chip, but 19-year-old prospect Manny Machado is a few years away from being ready to take over the shortstop position in Baltimore, prompting president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail to lock up one of the few bright spots of a disappointing season. Given Hardy’s injury history, he likely chose to avoid playing out the final two months of the season and risk an injury that could diminish his value.

“The biggest thing for me was the fact that I have been having fun here,” said Hardy, who admitted he and his agent had discussed possible teams seeking a shortstop this winter. “I like this clubhouse, I like this organization, and that was a big part for me.”

The fact that Hardy thought enough of his brief time with the Orioles to want to stay has to be a minor boost for an organization heading toward its 14th straight losing season. The shortstop wants to be part of a turnaround and hopes to be a major reason for it.

“Right now, it’s not going that well, but there is some potential,” Hardy said. “I feel like this team is a lot better than what we’ve been doing the last couple weeks. I like challenges as well as being competitive. I feel like it’s definitely a big challenge to turn this whole organization around. If I can help be a part of that, then great.”

Given the Orioles’ current stretch of nine straight losses and 23 defeats in their last 29 games, there’s been growing sentiment for the organization to sell off players and start the rebuilding process again. However, the Hardy signing means the club appears to be pushing forward with the current group of young players — for better or worse.

Right fielder Nick Markakis expressed his satisfaction with the Orioles locking up Hardy for the next three years. It was just over a year ago when the normally soft-spoken Markakis publicly questioned the direction of the organization before MacPhail hired Showalter to manager the Orioles in late July.

“It definitely means a lot to the club, the organization, and, most of all, the fans,” said Markakis, who applauded Hardy’s work in the leadoff spot for the injured Brian Roberts. “The fans have been been here a lot longer than I have and all the guys in this clubhouse. They deserve it more than anything.

“We’re working, we’re trying to climb that mountain. We’re on that way; it’s just a matter of time.”

Listen to all of Hardy’s comments as well as more from Markakis in the BuyAToyota.com Audio Vault.

So it’s July 7th. The Orioles are again in the midst of their June/July swoon. The wheels are quickly coming off of what once was an interesting and relevant season for the Orioles. Fans are beginning to pay less and less attention to the Birds. The talk of blowing the team up and trading the veterans before the deadline is increasing everyday.

In short, it is a typical summer in Birdland.

The Orioles’ 2011 season is quickly spiraling out of control. Everyone is pessimistic. I get that. But where do the Orioles stand with regards to their future?

How many players on the current team are key pieces as the Orioles head into the future? Which players are long-term nuggets?

Let’s start with the position players.

Nick Markakis hasn’t lived up to the hype that surrounded him after his first two seasons in the big leagues, but the guy is still an above average right fielder. He’s under contract for the next three seasons, so there is no doubt that Nick is the O’s RF of the future.

Adam Jones has two years left before he becomes a free agent, but if no deal is reached by this time next season, he may become a prime trade candidate. Jones has clearly stepped up his play in 2011 to a more productive and consistent level, and he will command a very hefty contract whenever the Orioles decide to extend him. That said, Jones seems to like being in Baltimore, and I can’t imagine why the O’s would let the main piece of the Bedard deal, and more importantly a young, talented outfielder in the prime of his career, walk away in free agency.

When I filled in for Glenn and talked some baseball with Drew a few weeks back, we disagreed on whether Mark Reynolds was a long-term guy at 3B. I felt that he was, and I argued that even if he isn’t even a solid defender, he isn’t nearly as bad defensively as he has been this year. Since then, while Reynolds has continued to accumulate some errors, his offense has picked up dramatically. He has well above-average power and he gets on base at a very good clip. Reynolds has value, and as his defense creeps back to his career norms, that value will only increase. Reynolds is under contract for 2012 and the club holds a reasonable team option for 2013. I feel that Reynolds is the long-term, or at least immediate-term, answer at 3B for the Orioles.

While Matt Wieters hasn’t lived up to his “switch-hitting Jesus” hype, which instantly leaves a bad taste in the mouths of Orioles fans who were desperately craving a franchise superstar, he is still a well above-average catcher with the potential to turn into more. Wieters is the long-term answer at catcher for the Orioles and is under contract for four more seasons after this one. That was easy.

We all know the J.J. Hardy story. MacPhail acquired him for basically peanuts. He had potential, but hasn’t been able to stay healthy. Even though he continued that trend and missed a month of 2011, Hardy has turned it on and is playing at perhaps the highest level of his career. I don’t see why Hardy would extend with the Orioles before the season ends, but many people believe he would want to lock up his multi-millions to avoid risking an injury. Even if he isn’t re-signed during the season, I have to believe MacPhail will make a key run at Hardy. Why wouldn’t he? If he isn’t going to be active in real free agency, he needs to retain the players that he acquires that are successful. If Hardy is re-signed, he would be a key piece of the Orioles’ long-term future. If not, SS once again becomes a very big hole to fill.

Brian Roberts cannot be counted on anymore. That is the harsh, sad reality for the Orioles. But if he can come back from his concussion-related issues, he is very likely to be at worst an average 2B and leadoff hitter. That still has great value to the Orioles considering their alternatives. He is still under contract for two more seasons after 2011, so Roberts’ health really is a key for the O’s moving forward.

It’s really a miracle that I’m not bald by now. Being an Orioles fan in the Angelos era could drive the Pope to drink, and so many nights in the last 13 years after watching them snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, I’ve absolutely wanted to tear my hair out. I guess I never thought about it until recently, but a pattern has emerged in the last few seasons. Has anyone else noticed this? Lately, there always seems to be this Achilles Heel, which makes you say: “the Orioles would be a decent team if it weren’t for (fill in the blank).” One year, it’s the starting pitching. Then it’s the crappy offense. Then it’s always losing on Sundays. And in 2011, it’s been the errors. It is not an exaggeration to say that the Orioles would be a .500 team right now but for all the miscues on the field.

With Buck Showalter’s reputation for running a tight ship, I’m really shocked that this has become the latest reason for the Orioles’ ineptitude. As I’m sure you know, a good portion of the extra outs donated to the other team have come courtesy of Mark Reynolds. Are 40 homeruns worth a .200 batting average, about 40 errors, and at least 150 strikeouts? I’m really not sure, and I’d welcome your take on it. What I am sure of is that this entire team needs to play better defense. As Buck says in that MASN propaganda commercial, you can play against anybody if you play smart. He’s right about that, but the words have not translated into action. This must be the primary focus of the second half.

We are now at the halfway point of the season, and right on schedule the Birds are shifting from “still kind of in it” to “let’s start thinking about next year”. Since we know that yet another October will come and go without any baseball in Baltimore, the next big thing to think about is entering this year’s trade market as sellers. So what do the O’s have to offer and what do they need?

The first bargaining chip that comes to my mind is Jeremy Guthrie. My heart absolutely aches for that man. We all know that he’s far better than his 3-10 record, and that he may well be the unluckiest pitcher in all of baseball. Everyone praises him as a guy who works hard, takes lots of extra practice, and really puts forth the effort to be the best he can be. He gives up a few too many homeruns, but on a team that gave him consistent run support (and particularly one that has a pitcher-friendly ballpark) he could be an ace. I’d really hate to see him go but it might be best for all concerned.

Then there’s Koji Uehara. In the reverse situation of Jeremy Guthrie, he was brought in to be a starter and then found his niche in the bullpen. And this year, he has been lights-out as the setup man. I, for one, think he should be the closer instead of Kevin Gregg as he is far less erratic and gets most of his outs via strikeout. While his value might be high, I would be reluctant to part with him because he, Gregg, and Jim Johnson have been the only relievers we can rely on. Koji could very easily be the closer one day, and it would not be wise to gut an already shallow bullpen with a young rotation that is likely to need them for lots of innings. Unless the offer is simply too good to refuse, keep Uehara here.

And finally we come to JJ Hardy. Of all the offseason acquisitions, he has by far been the best. He’s got a good glove, and has really shined in the leadoff spot in the absence of Brian Roberts. There’s no doubt that losing Roberts is the other big reason for this year’s lack of improvement, and at his age, one has to wonder how much longer he can be counted on as the everyday leadoff man. Hardy’s current contract ends at the end of this year, and hot-hitting middle infielders are always in demand at trade time. Presumably, Hardy will only be needed here until Manny Machado assumes the position as our SS (unless they decide to move him to 2B to replace Roberts). Certainly they should shop him, but I’d lean toward hanging onto him and getting him extended before the season ends if no good offers come. Hardy seems to be a very good fit for Baltimore (unlike so many of the imports of late), and he’s young enough to be productive for several more years.

So here we are again, only halfway thru the season and already looking ahead to the next in hopes that it might be better than this one. I’ve been hearing this chatter lately about the Orioles going after Prince Fielder in the offseason. That’s a topic for another day, but I would advise you not to be too optimistic about it. Andy has yet to actually “buy a bat”, at least one that isn’t about 5 years past his prime. Besides cutting down the errors, the other thing the Orioles must do is end this bad habit of signing old guys who have had great careers and are just looking for somewhere to retire. When they brought in Vlad, I had a bad feeling that he’d go the way of Joe Carter, Albert Belle, Will Clark, and Sammy Sosa. Damn it, I hate being right all the time…

This morning Drew and Glenn posted their report cards for the Orioles through the 2011 season; after reading these I felt as if I had a few strong opinions and a different insight into the craptastic “band of brothers” representing the Orioles on a nightly basis…..since I don’t have the power of the radio to express my reasons for the grades I will simply give you the grade followed by a quick validating statement about the grade.  To make this a little more reader friendly I will give you my grades on the position players today with the pitchers on Friday.  So without further ado here are my mid-term……..er……mid-season grades for YOUR 2011 Baltimore Orioles!

Catchers:

Matt Wieters:  A-

I give Matt Wieters a lot of credit; he has become the best defensive catcher in the American League and is a rare difference maker at the most difficult and physically demanding position on the field (Interesting stat, going into tonight’s game Wieters has not had a past ball ALL SEASON!).  Wieters is just beginning to scrape the top of his offensive potential and his ability to hit with runners in scoring position is going to be a great asset moving forward in his career.  He is one of a very select few in the Orioles organization with a realistic shot at being an A+ player.

Craig Tatum: B

Tatum is going to see very little playing time behind Wieters but in his limited action he has actually produced well with a .393 On Base Percentage.  Tatum isn’t going to give you a ton of pop but he is serviceable enough to be a backup catcher on a team with an outstanding starter.

Jake Fox: D

I admit I was a Jake Fox supporter coming out of Spring Training and I was very wrong to jump on his bandwagon.  Behind the plate Fox was a defensive liability for a team with a lot of young pitchers and at the plate he couldn’t bring any of his lofty numbers north. 

Infielders:

Derrick Lee: C

Derrick Lee is still one of the best defensive First Baseman in all of baseball; unfortunately he is also one of the least productive offensive First Baseman in all of baseball as well.  Lee looks to have lost almost all of the “pop” from his once feared bat and has trouble staying out of inning ending double plays. 

Brian Roberts: D

Roberts wasn’t having a great year when he was healthy with an OBP of just .273 before suffering a concussion sliding head-first into first base on May 16^th.  I am sorry to say that I believe Roberts’ career is in jeopardy at this point and I think the chances of ever seeing the “Old B-Rob” ever again are pretty slim.

JJ Hardy: A

JJ Hardy would have an A+ if he hadn’t missed almost a month of the season with a left oblique strain.  When on the field Hardy is without question the most productive player in an Orioles uniform and he has proven he is a better lead-off hitter than the aforementioned B-Rob with an outstanding .351 On Base Percentage and a mind boggling .881 OPS as a middle infielder.  Hardy has also been above average in the field with a .996 fielding percentage with just one error (and that was on a foul ball).

Mark Reynolds:  B+

This is where I think Drew and I are really going to disagree; Reynolds has been everything the Orioles have been missing offensively for the last decade with 20 home runs before the All Star Break and while he is still striking out at a high clip he has shown a very good eye at the plate with a .352 OBP.  Reynolds is actually having a way better season than Adam Dunn, the man everyone in Baltimore seemed be clamoring for in the off-season, Reynolds has a higher OBP, SLG, and OPS with 12 more homers, 18 more RBI, and actually has 32 less strikeouts than the overvalued Adam Dunn.  Unfortunately Reynolds defense has been the worst in baseball with 20 errors at third base; I agree his defense is really hurting us but his bat is really paying dividends in a very bad lineup.  Reynolds has given them more than they could have expected at the plate and an eventual move to DH could make Reynolds a very valuable part of this long rebuilding process. 

Robert Andino: C-

Andino” is what he is”, a light hitting middle infielder that is probably more suited to be a utility player than an everyday starter.   Andino could contribute more if he played a little more to his strengths; he has decent speed so why not lay down a bunt every once in a while to pull third baseman in and he has only attempted three steals all season!  In the field Andino is average at best; he has made some very nice plays but he also made some costly errors in the field, if he were putting up big offensive numbers I could excuse some of these mistakes (see Mark Reynolds) but with his lack of offense and average defense I don’t see how you could move forward with Andino as anything but a utility player. 

Blake Davis: B-

Blake Davis is an interesting player that I think should see more playing time due to his solid bat; Davis provides a lot more pop than Andino at second base and seems to really hustle when given a chance.  With the team going into the dumper why not give Davis a shot at playing second every day and if it doesn’t work out, what have you really lost?

Ryan Adams: Incomplete

Adams only had 23 at bats this season and I don’t really have much to go on when grading his 2011.  To me he seems like a journeyman minor league middle infielder that isn’t going to be a very productive player at the major league level.

Brandon Snyder: Incomplete

Brandon Snyder also gets an incomplete but I still see some upside and a potentially productive player at the Major League level.  Snyder showed decent patience at the plate with three walks in just thirteen plate appearances and an OBP over .400.  I would like to see what Snyder can do for an extended stint with the Orioles but Derrick Lee and Vladimir Guerrero are both blocking his promotion.

Cesar Izturis: D

Izturis only had 26 at bats before going on the DL on May 18^th with an elbow injury.  Unlike Snyder and Adams,  I have a good idea of what Izturis is and that is Robert Andino but four years older but with a better glove and more ability to use his speed on the base paths and by laying down a bunt.

Outfields/Designated Hitter

Nick Markakis: B-

I think the over the past season and a half we have seen what type of player Nick Markakis is going to be; a .300 hitter that will give you 15-18 home runs and play a Gold Glove caliber Right Field.  I would have no problem with Nick and his game if not for two things 1. He is the face of the franchise and is due to make eight figures for the remainder of his contract and 2. His doubles have fallen DRAMATICALLY; Nick is on pace to hit just around 20 doubles this season after never having less than 43 the previous four seasons.  I think Nick is a great contact hitter and a solid bat to stick in the 2-spot in a good offense unfortunately I don’t think he is going to be the cornerstone player the Orioles were hoping for when they gave him a six-year, $66 million contract two off-seasons ago.

Adam Jones: A-

Adam Jones looks as if his on the field production is catching up with his amazing potential.  At the plate Adam has fixed a lot of the holes in his swing and he has become an excellent run producer and shown a little more pop than I expected.  I would like to see Adam’s pitch recognition continue to increase and his pitch selection to improve but if he can be counted on to hit 25-30 homers and knock in 100 RBI while playing Centerfield I can live with certain aspects of his games.  Defensively Adam has made some of the most spectacular plays I have ever seen from an outfielder and he has one of the strongest outfield arms in all of baseball.  I would like to see him pick up the ball of the bat better as he sometimes is forced to make the highlight reel catch because he took the wrong route to the ball. 

Luke Scott: D+

Luke Scott gets a D+ because not only has he been horrendous at the plate this season hitting just .223 with 22 RBI but also because he finally went on the DL with a torn shoulder labrum on Tuesday.   My major issue is that Scott injured his shoulder in Spring Training and continued to play ineffectively for almost half a season trying to tough it out; I have respect for a player trying to “earn his keep” and play through an injury but not when it is clearly to the detriment of your team.  Scott is a below average outfielder and was a major liability in Left Field.

Nolan Reimold: B-

It is time for the Orioles and Buck Showalter to see what they have in Nolan Reimold.  Reimold has played well in the few opportunities he has been given this season with an .854 OPS in VERY limited action in 2011.  I think if Reimold is allowed to finish out the season as the everyday starter in left field the Orioles will have an outfield that they can compete with for the next few years.

Felix Pie: D-

Felix Pie looks as if he has no clue what he is doing on a baseball field; he routinely makes base running mistakes that would be unacceptable in Little League.  Pie avoided being my only position player to get an F because of his all-out hustle on the field.

Vladimir Guerrero: C-

The days of Vlad being a legitimate power bat are in the rearview and it is time for the Orioles to remove him from the cleanup spot.  Vlad only has 17 extra base hits and 28 RBI in 78 games this season.  The combination of diminished bat speed and constantly chasing pitches that are 6 inches out of the strike zone have left Vlad ineffective and a liability hitting in the middle of the Orioles lineup.

See you Friday with my Mid-Season grades for the Orioles pitchers!

The Baltimore Orioles are now two games into the second half of the 2011 season. On Wednesday’s edition of “The Morning Reaction” on AM1570 WNST, Drew Forrester and I gave our grades for Orioles players during the first half of the season.

CATCHERS:

Matt Wieters-Glenn Clark B+, Drew Forrester B
Jake Fox-Glenn D, Drew D
Craig Tatum-Glenn C-, Drew B

INFIELDERS:

Derrek Lee-Glenn D+, Drew D
Brian Roberts-Glenn D, Drew D
JJ Hardy-Glenn A-, Drew A
Mark Reynolds-Glenn B-, Drew C-
Robert Andino-Glenn C+, Drew C
Blake Davis-Glenn C, Drew B-
Cesar Izturis-Glenn D, Drew D
Ryan Adams-Glenn C, Drew D
Brandon Snyder-Glenn C-, Drew C-

OUTFIELDERS/DESIGNATED HITTERS:

Luke Scott-Glenn D, Drew D
Adam Jones-Glenn B-, Drew B+
Nick Markakis-Glenn B-, Drew C-
Nolan Reimold-Glenn C+, Drew C-
Felix Pie-Glenn F, Drew D-
Vladimir Guerrero-Glenn D+, Drew D+

STARTING PITCHERS:

Jeremy Guthrie-Glenn C+, Drew C+
Jake Arrieta-Glenn B-, Drew C
Zach Britton-Glenn B, Drew B
Brian Matusz-Glenn D, Drew F
Chris Tillman-Glenn D, Drew D
Brad Bergesen-Glenn D+, Drew C-
Chris Jakubauskas-Glenn C-, Drew D

RELIEF PITCHERS:

Koji Uehara-Glenn B, Drew B+
Jim Johnson-Glenn B+, Drew B-
Pedro Viola-Glenn C, Drew C
Kevin Gregg-Glenn C-, Drew C+
Alfredo Simon-Glenn C-, Drew C-
Jeremy Accardo-Glenn D, Drew D
Mike Gonzalez-Glenn D, Drew D
Josh Rupe-Glenn D, Drew D
Jason Berken-Glenn C, Drew C-
Clay Rapada-Glenn D-, Drew B-
Troy Patton-Glenn D, Drew F

MANAGER:

Buck Showalter-Glenn C-, Drew B+

If you missed the breakdown of our midseason grades on Wednesday’s edition of “The Morning Reaction”, hit the BuyAToyota.com Audio Vault at WNST.net!

Flexing my mic muscles since 1983…

-G