Because I don't just want to replay the same game over again, I'm going to instead get going with some of the good old Thriftlon Reports for 1973. Going BORINGLY OLD ALPHABETICALLY, we start with Baltimore:
Recap: The O's were looking like a team that was maybe rebounding from a long malaise following a 103 win season back in 1964(!). However, the pitching staff fell apart, the O's were 15-26 at the end of May, and it was clearly time to start rebuilding again. Like all rebuilding projects, some of them worked out and some of them didn't, and like a lot of them, the ones that worked out seem like they might be logjammed at the same position.
1974 Outlook: The O's have some interesting pieces but I'd be really surprised if they even finish .500 next year, let along contend for a playoff berth.
Frank Abagnale
C No. 25
SR, 6'2" 202 lbs.
Born 1948-05-12
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 MID AA | .273 | 6 | 22 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| 1971 ROC AAA | .249 | 108 | 389 | 47 | 97 | 32 | 0 | 5 | 37 | 40 | 65 | 0 |
| 1971 BAL MLB | .306 | 20 | 72 | 11 | 22 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 15 | 0 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | .284 | 109 | 430 | 44 | 122 | 28 | 1 | 10 | 51 | 35 | 79 | 1 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .257 | 122 | 487 | 54 | 125 | 28 | 1 | 13 | 66 | 29 | 77 | 0 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
There's been... a lot said about Mr. Abagnale's character and his comportment outside of the game of baseball. All we know is, within the confines of the diamond he's a pretty good player. In fact, on the field the staff even remarks that he's "a man of high character" and who are we to judge? He wasn't quite about to sock line drives all over the place as well as he was in 1972 but let's be honest, a .257 average with 13 HR power is still plenty nice for a catcher.
There are definitely better defensive catchers out there and you'd think that a guy who's so into, um, deceptive activities (look, go watch the movie "Catch Me If You Can" if you don't know this guy) would be better at pitch-framing, the most deceptive of all baseball activities. He doesn't have a great arm although all that came out to is a lot of people ran on him and not necessarily successfully (37.6% CS) so give me a bad arm, I guess. Abagnale has the speed you'd expect from a catcher, which is to say he doesn't have any.
Write him in ink, and not disappearing ink, as the Orioles' starting catcher in 1974.
Frank Beard
CF No. 3
RR, 6'1" 187 lbs.
Born 1949-06-17
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 MIA A | .196 | 25 | 92 | 10 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 16 | 12 | 21 | 7 |
| 1971 MID AA | .287 | 75 | 275 | 40 | 79 | 12 | 7 | 9 | 38 | 37 | 53 | 7 |
| 1971 ROC AAA | .283 | 44 | 166 | 24 | 47 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 20 | 24 | 7 |
| 1972 ROC AAA | .378 | 46 | 188 | 38 | 71 | 10 | 0 | 11 | 32 | 17 | 36 | 7 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | .248 | 76 | 274 | 38 | 68 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 41 | 52 | 8 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .272 | 146 | 555 | 77 | 151 | 28 | 4 | 21 | 71 | 72 | 94 | 26 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
After sticking with Matt Nugent the previous 2 seasons (he's now a free agent, by the way), the Orioles handed Frank Beard the centerfield job in 1973 and couldn't be happier with the results. Beard made his first All-Star Game, provided the kind of middle-of-the-order power that you normally expect from a corner guy (21 HRs were 9th in the AL), and even walked a good amount (72 walks, good for 10th). He's a dead pull hitter who will punish an inside pitch that's a little too high over the plate.
Okay, I guess when I said "couldn't be happier"... I should point out that Beard looked out of place as a center fielder. He caught virtually everything he got to but he didn't get to balls a lot of the time. Also, his arm is iffy, which of course in this game meant that 15 baserunners were caught napping on him. It really looks like a move to left field is in Beard's future and probably near future at that.
Wherever he plays, though, this guy works his tail off and you can pencil him in as the cleanup hitter for 1974 and heck, probably the rest of the 70s for this team.
Jon Blevins
SS No. 12
RR, 6'0" 201 lbs.
Born 1941-05-11
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 BAL MLB | .252 | 143 | 440 | 43 | 111 | 18 | 3 | 5 | 43 | 40 | 85 | 5 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | .240 | 129 | 391 | 26 | 94 | 16 | 1 | 5 | 47 | 31 | 63 | 4 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .202 | 66 | 168 | 15 | 34 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 11 | 24 | 0 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
You'll be reading through this (I hope!) and seeing me be like "hey, there's all these finesse starting pitchers who looked great last year but are bad this year, what happened?". This is why. Well, Lucky Number Blevins isn't the
only reason why but generally the team already made a couple moves to make the defense not as good (thinking primarily of moving Bryant Tarala... which happened back in 1970, what do I know?), and when Blevins failed to hit and was replaced by Mario Segura, you replaced a plus defender with, let's be honest, a minus one. Blevins even at 32 is one of the better defensive shortstops in the league: good hands, good instincts on the pivot, and solid range. Segura's got none of that, let's be honest.
That said, Blevins has never been a great hitter, as the 235/283/320 career triple slash would suggest (much of this did happen in the swingin' 60s, granted) and last year he fell off a cliff. After missing nearly all of May with a sprained ankle, Blevins did a complete disappearing act in June, hitting .173 with 2 walks and 3 doubles the entire month and an OPS barely above 400. It's not, then, any coincidence that even with the worse defense the team's record actually improved in the 2nd half.
At 32 I really don't see the team moving back to Blevins at short, even if Segura fails. He's a backup here going forward or maybe can find a large role somewhere else.
Dante Chairez
1B No. 28
LR, 5'11" 193 lbs.
Born 1944-03-28
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 ATL MLB | .267 | 158 | 589 | 89 | 157 | 25 | 3 | 25 | 92 | 72 | 110 | 1 |
| 1972 ATL MLB | .226 | 139 | 505 | 63 | 114 | 11 | 2 | 28 | 68 | 53 | 97 | 3 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .238 | 149 | 564 | 75 | 134 | 21 | 3 | 25 | 81 | 64 | 128 | 3 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
The Orioles acquired Chairez from the Braves over the offseason in the deal that sent longtime Orioles veteran Jon Hernandez over to Atlanta. At least from the early verdicts, it looks like Baltimore won this trade going away. Chairez is your classic slugging lefty: everything is hit into the air because of a big uppercut in his swing and he's very all-or-nothing at the plate. He led the AL in strikeouts last year with 128 but where a lot of pundits thought the power might evaporate in the marine air of Crab City it largely hung around. One cause for minor alarm is that he had a long homerless streak from August 29 to September 15 and wound up with just 2 dingers in the final month of the season. These guys are streaky though. It's part of the charm.
Chairez once played in right field and had the rep for having a good arm but he's pretty immobile so first seems like the better spot for him now. He's got deceptive speed although that hasn't translated into steals, going just 3/9 last year (and I'm sure some of those were on busted hit-and-runs). He's a guy who will fall victim to the hidden ball trick if the first base coach isn't right on it.
I see no reason why the 29 year old Chairez isn't the first baseman next year or for that matter the forseeable future. This is a team with a lot of holes; I don't think first is one of them.
T.J. Corron
LF/RF/DH No. 10
RR, 6'1" 199 lbs.
Born 1945-10-17
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 BAL MLB | .292 | 105 | 226 | 27 | 66 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 37 | 20 | 29 | 3 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | .246 | 126 | 443 | 45 | 109 | 18 | 1 | 4 | 46 | 54 | 56 | 4 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .281 | 103 | 388 | 60 | 109 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 44 | 40 | 49 | 7 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
Following a tough 1972, Corron kind of bucked the tide of where the Orioles were headed and had a solid third season in 1973. Corron is a really selective hitter who's also good at fouling off pitches and while he doesn't have that kind of game-changing speed or line-drive ability that would make him an elite contact hitter, an average in the .280s to .290s should be an expectation. Couple that with solid power and patience and he's a perfectly decent, serviceable corner outfielder.
I should say that he does have really nice speed - it's probably his single biggest asset in the field - that just doesn't translate in terms of steals. Corron once stole 25 bases in A ball but that was a long time ago and 7-10 stolen bases a year seems like more of his ceiling now. He's a solid outfielder who doesn't have the instincts to play center but has a gun for an arm.
Don't say this to Corron, who already thinks highly enough of himself, but yeah, he's pretty good.
George Dapson
RHP No. 23
RR, 6'0" 200 lbs.
Born 1945-03-25
Code:
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| yrtmlvl | w | l | sv | era | g | gs | cg | ip | h | r | er | bb | k |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| 1971 BAL MLB | 11 | 11 | 0 | 3.33 | 30 | 30 | 9 | 221.0 | 214 | 93 | 82 | 53 | 123 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | 20 | 9 | 0 | 2.93 | 34 | 34 | 8 | 251.1 | 197 | 88 | 82 | 88 | 140 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | 12 | 15 | 0 | 4.60 | 34 | 34 | 7 | 236.1 | 247 | 126 | 121 | 77 | 145 |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
Dapson pretty much epitomized the issues with this team: after a breakout 1972, the 28 year old struggled mightily last year, finishing 2nd in the AL in runs allowed (to Detroit's Edgar Molina, who threw 72 more innings). That was "good" for the 7th highest ERA in all of baseball among qualifiers. So what happened? Honestly the peripherals looked kind of unchanged; the biggest difference was he allowed a .268 BA last year compared to a .215 the season before. And if I'm being honest, the .268 is probably closer to Dapson's true level of ability. He's got decent control, strikes out... enough guys with a nice change of pace, and is only average at keeping the ball down (20 HRs) and holding runners (16/23 steals, although that's a big improvement on his '72 totals of 16/19).
Dapson finished the year as the Orioles' de facto #1 starter and it looks probable that he'll open 1974 as the same. He has mid-rotation written all over him.
David Delgado
C No. 26
RR, 6'1" 197 lbs.
Born 1948-01-18
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 BAL MLB | .276 | 100 | 348 | 30 | 96 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 38 | 23 | 45 | 0 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | .290 | 46 | 138 | 8 | 40 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 15 | 12 | 1 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .264 | 45 | 148 | 17 | 39 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 6 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
Delgado is a similar overall player to his battery-mate Frank Abagnale and roughly the same age to boot, but is seeing a reduced role as a backup / fill-in against hard lefties. Defense is the main culprit; while Abagnale is only kind of average behind the plate, Delgado is just plain not agile at blocking balls and lacks a quality arm. Offensively, too, his best asset is not striking out, which is useful... ish in the sense that putting the ball in play will usually get you a nice average, but he's also prone to grounding into the double play (9 in 148 at-bats last year). He also doesn't really do a ton of things outside of hit for average, which is probably why the O's weren't bigger on using him in a pinch-hitting role.
Expect that backup job to still be there. One advantage of being young here is that he could hold this for the next decade.
Tom Everett
3B/1B/OF No. 36
RR, 5'8" 187 lbs.
Born 1948-10-22
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 WAL S A | .182 | 3 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1971 LOD A | .229 | 61 | 188 | 24 | 43 | 7 | 1 | 9 | 37 | 26 | 61 | 2 |
| 1971 HAW AAA | .174 | 11 | 23 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 0 |
| 1972 LOD A | .294 | 83 | 201 | 49 | 59 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 62 | 37 | 44 | 2 |
| 1972 ASH AA | .000 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 1973 ROC AAA | .259 | 89 | 251 | 39 | 65 | 8 | 0 | 20 | 49 | 32 | 70 | 0 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .220 | 23 | 82 | 6 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 12 | 24 | 0 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
As an actor, Tom Everett seems destined to live in the shadows of some of the other guys on this team. As a hitter... well, the same might apply. Everett socked 20 HRs in just 251 at-bats in AAA Rochester last year, which earned the 24 year old a September call-up. The power was nowhere to be seen and what's worse, he struck out in more than a quarter of his at-bats. Everett is a dead-pull hitter who loves the high fastball. He looks like he could totally become a major league mistake hitter but in order to stick he's absolutely got to learn to make more contact.
In the pros he mostly played 3rd last year; however, he's also at least up to the job at first and left. Whether he sticks next year or not is really going to depend on that bat of his.
Steve Fenney
OF No. 14
RR, 5'11" 200 lbs.
Born 1941-02-16
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 CHC MLB | .269 | 43 | 78 | 10 | 21 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 1 |
| 1972 CHC MLB | .234 | 82 | 197 | 26 | 46 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 16 | 20 | 4 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .231 | 43 | 117 | 16 | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 11 | 0 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
Fenney is the answer to the trivia question: who was the only Seattle Pilots' All-Star? He hit .308 for the one-year expansion club that year before being moved on to Houston at the end of the year to try and help them win a pennant. That never happened and Fenney's kicked around the league ever since. Now about to turn 33 and not having hit well for 3 years, it may be time for him to hang up the cleats.
Heiner Flassbeck
RHP No. 30
SR, 6'4" 191 lbs.
Born 1950-12-09
Code:
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| yrtmlvl | w | l | sv | era | g | gs | cg | ip | h | r | er | bb | k |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| 1971 GAR R | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2.01 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 31.1 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 11 | 37 |
| 1971 APP A | 5 | 12 | 0 | 4.59 | 21 | 21 | 7 | 149.0 | 136 | 81 | 76 | 81 | 144 |
| 1972 ASH AA | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2.71 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 63.0 | 45 | 20 | 19 | 34 | 44 |
| 1972 ROC AAA | 7 | 14 | 0 | 5.70 | 23 | 23 | 0 | 134.0 | 143 | 94 | 85 | 80 | 134 |
| 1973 ASH AA | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 18.0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 16 |
| 1973 ROC AAA | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2.99 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3.0 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | 2 | 7 | 2 | 4.57 | 42 | 2 | 0 | 78.2 | 74 | 43 | 40 | 46 | 52 |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
For such a heady guy, the 22 year old Heiner Flassbeck, a native of Birkenfeld in the Rhineland part of Germany who's going to college to study economics in the offseason, leaves it all out on the field. He'll challenge anyone in the league, often to his own detriment (15 HRs allowed last year!) and he misses the plate because he's still learning to control his low to mid 90s fastball, not because he ever nibbles. Flassbeck could possibly have used another year of seasoning in the minor leagues last year. Oh well, he didn't.
The O's ended 1973 running a bullpen by committee but it would not be surprising to see Flassbeck get slotted in to become the next Montay Luiso. Those are awfully big shoes to fill.
Juan Gabriel
OF/1B No. 21
LL, 6'2" 200 lbs.
Born 1950-01-07
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 WAL S A | .305 | 36 | 128 | 13 | 39 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 22 | 15 | 0 |
| 1971 LOD A | .346 | 16 | 52 | 11 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 1 |
| 1972 ASH AA | .243 | 123 | 382 | 57 | 93 | 8 | 0 | 16 | 63 | 91 | 59 | 1 |
| 1972 ROC AAA | .250 | 8 | 20 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| 1973 ASH AA | .250 | 33 | 104 | 5 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 11 | 15 | 0 |
| 1973 ROC AAA | .300 | 79 | 200 | 22 | 60 | 10 | 0 | 10 | 40 | 20 | 35 | 0 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .276 | 24 | 76 | 9 | 21 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 0 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
A nice half-year in AAA Rochester gave El Divo de Juarez the opportunity to prove himself in a September call-up. Hey, small sample size and all that but he looks like the real deal to me. Gabriel possesses good bat speed, solid power (although you didn't see it in the bigs last year), and unlike so many of these other Orioles outfielders he hits lefty so should able to platoon well. He's no slouch defensively even though he's strictly a corner guy / first baseman. Baseball-wise Gabriel is not the brightest tool in the shed but if you give him a bat and turn him in the direction of home plate he can do a lot.
William Hart
RHP No. 1
RR, 6'2" 209 lbs.
Born 1944-08-23
Code:
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| yrtmlvl | w | l | sv | era | g | gs | cg | ip | h | r | er | bb | k |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| 1971 BAL MLB | 13 | 7 | 0 | 3.26 | 27 | 27 | 3 | 187.1 | 175 | 77 | 68 | 61 | 73 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | 13 | 14 | 0 | 3.69 | 32 | 32 | 5 | 224.0 | 203 | 94 | 92 | 85 | 108 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | 7 | 12 | 1 | 4.96 | 31 | 25 | 1 | 170.1 | 190 | 99 | 94 | 71 | 108 |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
Hart's taken a step back each of the last 3 seasons and last year he went from capable rotation guy to replacement level. He came in with more stuff than he's ever shown before: 24 Ks in 27.1 IP in April, which helped him to a 2.63 ERA for the month. Then things totally fell apart and Hart posted ERAs north of 5 - 5.62, 5.81, and 6.53 over the next three months. As you might expect, this did not win him a lot of friends on the coaching staff and by September he was relegated to middle relief - a role which, it should be noted, he didn't look any better at than he did as a starter. In fact, even though he did strike out 7 in 8.1 IP in relief, he also allowed 6 earned runs.
The 29 year old Hart's career is at a crossroads, or perhaps he's already past it. He's been a below average starter each of the last two seasons and last year posted the 2nd highest ERA in all of baseball (behind the Royals' Chris Regan (5.54)). Will he have a job at the end of training camp? A lot of things can happen, I guess.
Jorge Martinez
RHP No. 20
RR, 6'0" 187 lbs.
Born 1948-04-30
Code:
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| 1971 SAV AA | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1.91 | 12 | 12 | 10 | 108.0 | 82 | 26 | 23 | 33 | 75 |
| 1971 RIC AAA | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3.43 | 18 | 18 | 3 | 128.1 | 130 | 55 | 49 | 40 | 65 |
| 1972 RIC AAA | 10 | 17 | 0 | 4.95 | 30 | 30 | 12 | 227.0 | 260 | 131 | 125 | 70 | 135 |
| 1973 ROC AAA | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2.12 | 13 | 13 | 2 | 97.1 | 84 | 23 | 23 | 27 | 79 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4.80 | 25 | 10 | 1 | 97.1 | 109 | 63 | 52 | 44 | 66 |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
Martinez was old for a prospect coming into the season but was still interesting enough for the Orioles to get him back as one of the guys in the trade that moved Jon Hernandez to the Braves. He had a lights-out first half in AAA and then upon being called up to the major leagues he fell into much the same malaise that befell the rest of this pitching staff. In spite of the strikeouts, Martinez doesn't have really exciting stuff and has to rely on keeping a fastball/12-to-6 curve/change combination down in the zone to win games, and that is not exactly a pitch combination that leaps out to me as one that can do that consistently. He did, it should be noted, manage to do that in the bigs at least: just 2 HRs allowed.
Martinez looks to me like a guy who's probably hit his potential but hey, I could be wrong. I expect him to have at least another year as a "tweener" while the O's decide what he's going to be going forward.
Akihisha Mera
RHP No. 33
RR, 6'1" 194 lbs.
Born 1948-09-09
Code:
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| 1971 MID AA | 12 | 10 | 0 | 3.53 | 28 | 26 | 13 | 209.0 | 207 | 92 | 82 | 104 | 161 |
| 1972 ROC AAA | 8 | 11 | 0 | 4.56 | 21 | 21 | 7 | 153.2 | 146 | 82 | 78 | 60 | 118 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2.87 | 7 | 3 | 1 | 31.1 | 22 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 19 |
| 1973 ROC AAA | 7 | 5 | 0 | 3.74 | 17 | 17 | 5 | 120.0 | 96 | 53 | 50 | 39 | 101 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | 1 | 8 | 5 | 5.88 | 24 | 5 | 0 | 59.2 | 74 | 41 | 39 | 34 | 40 |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
I am all about giving the kids a chance to shine but Mera flat-out was not ready last year and it showed. He was called up in May and sent right on back down after 3 starts and an 8.03 ERA and then in spite of frankly a kind of average performance in AAA he nevertheless was recalled in June to stay. The results where not great: 5.1 BB/9 and 9 HRs allowed in 59.2 IP meant that if he wasn't literally striking everybody out, he was getting knocked around pretty hard.
Mera has some wiiiild side-to-side movement on his fastball that the Orioles fell in love with last year. The head says he should go back down to AAA Rochester to refine things a bit more; the heart says The Great Kabuki will get rushed again.
Henry Molloy
OF/DH/1B No. 19
RR, 6'3" 212 lbs.
Born 1948-05-06
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1972 ASH AA | .243 | 61 | 140 | 24 | 34 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 30 | 21 | 0 |
| 1972 ROC AAA | .229 | 17 | 35 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| 1973 ROC AAA | .322 | 31 | 90 | 9 | 29 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 12 | 21 | 0 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .261 | 93 | 310 | 38 | 81 | 11 | 0 | 6 | 43 | 45 | 83 | 0 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
When I think of the real-life Orioles from this general era I think of a good to great infield (especially defensively) and then a lot of platooning in the outfield. This team has the outfield part right. Molloy had a solid, if unspectacular, rookie year playing wherever the O's needed him to play. He's more of an all-fields, hit-'em-where-they-ain't type hitter than a classic power guy, although he strikes out too much to really be a good contact hitter in this league. I could see him fashion a Jim Dwyer style career... or maybe I'm too down on him; after all, he's only 25.
Defensively, Molloy is a plus left fielder and average first baseman who can also play in right if you need him to. He's played a smattering of 2nd and center in the minors but will almost certainly not be called on to play those positions in the big leagues. Molloy is also reportedly a guy who will just kind of go with the flow - kids these days! - and that leads him to be pretty adaptable to change.
I think we'll see more of the same. I don't think Molloy's worth starting per se but even as a righty, carving out 400ish plate appearances as a platoon partner and fill-in seems like his ideal role.
Bill Murray
2B/3B No. 9
LR, 6'1" 179 lbs.
Born 1950-09-18
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 MID AA | .272 | 114 | 393 | 64 | 107 | 11 | 10 | 15 | 46 | 78 | 71 | 12 |
| 1971 ROC AAA | .273 | 26 | 99 | 14 | 27 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 0 |
| 1972 ROC AAA | .282 | 46 | 174 | 35 | 49 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 40 | 24 | 38 | 1 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | .251 | 105 | 358 | 48 | 90 | 15 | 8 | 9 | 45 | 55 | 70 | 1 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .269 | 139 | 506 | 67 | 136 | 24 | 2 | 14 | 53 | 58 | 68 | 0 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
Murray's the guy I was talking about when I mentioned "log jam". He's got a bat you most definitely want to get into the lineup and to Baltimore's credit they did find a place for him. In the first half of the season that was at second base; however, the blockbuster Montay Luiso trade brought Kurt Russell back from the Angels and so the decision was made to play Murray at third instead, with a sprinkling at the new DH position for good measure. He's got a bat you just plain need to get into the lineup, that much is clear: he hits to all fields and what he lacks in classic contact he more than makes up for with a good eye and solid power for a middle infielder (although maybe it's only average for a 3rd baseman).
The biggest issue going forward is that Murray doesn't really have the arm to play third base. He was at second and not, say, shortstop because of that relatively noodley arm in fact. Truth be told, he wasn't a super fantastic 2nd baseman last year either. You could sort of see him and Russell as the double-play duo but in addition to putting the .300-hitting Mario Segura on the bench that's not a great use of Russell either. For a guy without a lot of speed, Murray does work hard, both at baseball and, I am told, at comedy.
Marco Perez
3B No. 31
RR, 6'0" 183 lbs.
Born 1944-09-09
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 BAL MLB | .258 | 101 | 388 | 48 | 100 | 18 | 2 | 12 | 33 | 45 | 51 | 21 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | .256 | 121 | 446 | 71 | 114 | 21 | 3 | 9 | 48 | 64 | 59 | 18 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .229 | 123 | 485 | 56 | 111 | 17 | 5 | 7 | 37 | 38 | 53 | 17 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
Baseball is a funny game sometimes. 4 years ago Marco Perez had a monster year for anyone - a .337 average, 201 hits, 17 HRs, 91 RBI, and a .406 OBP - and an outstanding year for a third sacker. How he didn't win the MVP, I'm perplexed. 3 middling years later, he's suddenly on the outside looking in for a starting job, at least in Baltimore. He's still got great speed when he's healthy but Perez just isn't healthy a lot of the time, and back woes seem to have robbed him of a lot of his power - and with it, that ability to draw walks that was based a lot on fear.
Perez, a 5-time Gold Glover, also had a surprisingly average year in the field. He might well win number 6 based on reputation alone but those same back issues seem to have hurt his range to where he's only good, not great, in the field anymore. That's not a good combination when, according to the stat nerds, his OPS was 20% below average.
Perez is a smart guy who likely has manager as a future job. Let's hope that future comes later rather than sooner. For now, he might have to prove himself on another team.
Sitiveni Rabuka
LHP No. 40
LL, 6'0" 197 lbs.
Born 1948-09-15
Code:
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| yrtmlvl | w | l | sv | era | g | gs | cg | ip | h | r | er | bb | k |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| 1971 GAR R | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2.50 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 32.1 | 34 | 15 | 9 | 9 | 39 |
| 1971 APP A | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4.76 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 22.2 | 22 | 14 | 12 | 10 | 9 |
| 1972 ASH AA | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2.18 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 45.1 | 26 | 11 | 11 | 18 | 28 |
| 1972 ROC AAA | 13 | 7 | 2 | 4.20 | 26 | 21 | 6 | 158.1 | 167 | 82 | 74 | 55 | 99 |
| 1973 ROC AAA | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4.31 | 23 | 3 | 1 | 48.0 | 42 | 23 | 23 | 17 | 54 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | 6 | 3 | 1 | 4.92 | 29 | 4 | 1 | 49.1 | 57 | 30 | 27 | 12 | 26 |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
Everyone needs a lefty specialist, right? Rabuka has eventual aims at politics in his native Fiji but for now he's making do as a AAAA type journeyman (drafted by the White Sox in the 9th round but somehow made it into the Baltimore organization). He's got decent enough stuff, at least on paper, culimating in a solid change-up as his out pitch, but last year he didn't strike out a lot of batters. Maybe that will improve as he ages. He did get those Ks in AAA.
Tim Reece
RHP No. 29
RR, 5'9" 175 lbs.
Born 1944-03-04
Code:
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| yrtmlvl | w | l | sv | era | g | gs | cg | ip | h | r | er | bb | k |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| 1971 BAL MLB | 11 | 12 | 0 | 2.77 | 31 | 31 | 9 | 224.0 | 192 | 75 | 69 | 73 | 124 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | 4 | 5 | 0 | 3.72 | 24 | 6 | 0 | 70.0 | 75 | 35 | 29 | 13 | 38 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | 8 | 13 | 1 | 4.35 | 30 | 25 | 4 | 169.1 | 184 | 92 | 82 | 60 | 98 |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
There's a trend on this team... lots of finesse starting pitching that shined in 1972 and fell apart in '73. Reece isn't
exactly that; his big year was 1971 and he spent most of 1972 in long relief after missing out on a rotational role for much of the year last year. Nevertheless, he proved last year why that 2.77 ERA in 71 was not necessarily something to build on: after a solid start (3-4 but with a 2.77 ERA in April and May), Reece struggled the rest of the way (a 5.15 ERA from June 1 onwards) and lost his starting job to prospects in September. Reece throws a fastball that tops out in the mid 80s and so he's got to be right on point with his control to survive. He did so in 71 and 72; this year, even 3.2 BB/9 was too wild to sustain decent play.
Unlike William Hart, Reece did look pretty okay in 5 September appearances out of the 'pen and that plus his 1972 season might be what he does going forward. He does not have the kind of lightning fastball or stuff to live as a bullpen stopper but perhaps he could carve out a career into his 30s as a guy asked to pitch the 6th and 7th innings.
Rob Reiner
LHP No. 7
LL, 6'6" 208 lbs.
Born 1947-01-25
Code:
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| yrtmlvl | w | l | sv | era | g | gs | cg | ip | h | r | er | bb | k |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| 1971 ALB AAA | 19 | 11 | 0 | 2.64 | 31 | 31 | 14 | 248.0 | 206 | 89 | 73 | 81 | 156 |
| 1971 LAD MLB | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3.28 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 38.1 | 37 | 14 | 14 | 5 | 16 |
| 1972 ROC AAA | 8 | 6 | 0 | 3.92 | 18 | 18 | 8 | 144.1 | 139 | 70 | 63 | 36 | 113 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4.05 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 51.0 | 53 | 23 | 23 | 10 | 32 |
| 1973 ROC AAA | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.35 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 13.1 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | 8 | 5 | 0 | 3.60 | 17 | 17 | 6 | 132.1 | 131 | 54 | 53 | 39 | 77 |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
In Reiner, the O's hope that they don't just have an outspoken lefty voice to Archie Bunker but a staff ace going forward. He sure looked the part in AAA Albuquerque in 1971, which is why he was the centerpiece of the trade that moved 2B Danny Fager to the Dodgers in the offseason of 1971. In 1972 he tore a ligament in his elbow in September and so didn't get to pitch at all until June 30 of this year. He wasn't exactly amazing but "Meathead" has probably the best stuff on this team - definitely in the projected starting rotation - and showed enough going forward to give Baltimore fans some hope.
It wouldn't be surprising to see Reiner take the Opening Day start in 1974. An argument can be made that George Dapson, horrible year or not, deserves it as the veteran but Reiner's a guy who's not even in his prime yet and could just take the job in spring training.
Kurt Russell
2B No. 11
SR, 5'11" 179 lbs.
Born 1951-03-17
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 QC A | .269 | 6 | 26 | 2 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 1971 SHR AA | .299 | 23 | 87 | 11 | 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 11 | 16 | 5 |
| 1971 SLC AAA | .358 | 13 | 53 | 3 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 0 |
| 1972 SLC AAA | .249 | 107 | 414 | 52 | 103 | 13 | 2 | 3 | 36 | 44 | 72 | 10 |
| 1972 CAL MLB | .234 | 36 | 128 | 10 | 30 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 22 | 3 |
| 1973 SLC AAA | .288 | 44 | 163 | 28 | 47 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 24 | 24 | 6 |
| 1973 CAL MLB | .318 | 6 | 22 | 4 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .276 | 94 | 362 | 44 | 100 | 15 | 4 | 4 | 39 | 53 | 91 | 14 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
Nothing against Montay Luiso, who was an all-World bullpen ace for the Orioles for nearly a decade (1964-midseason of 73), but this is one of these deals you look back on in 20 years as a fan and you just slap your head. Russell, whose father Bing happens to own the Angels' A-ball team (and by the way there's a great documentary about this IRL called "The Battered Bastards of Baseball"), didn't really have a place in California and they did need bullpen help... but no, there's no excuse. Russell strikes out too much and you'd like to see more power but the man doesn't even turn 23 until spring training. He's got time.
And also he's got a glove. He's never really played shortstop but you could just about project him into the position. The one thing he lacks is a rifle arm; his is only average. This makes him a potential Gold Glove Award winner at 2nd but perhaps only average at short. He's got nice speed and he walks enough to make that speed an issue for opposing pitchers. He's also, as you'd expect from a guy who did a lot of work as a child actor, an amiable guy who gets along with just about everyone.
Russell finished the year as the team's #3 hitter and everyday 2nd baseman. That might be a
little ambitious but if he gets the Ks down he could for sure be the team's 2-hole hitter for the next decade or more.
Mario Segura
SS/2B No. 54
RR, 5'9" 176 lbs.
Born 1948-04-14
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 MID AA | .268 | 74 | 168 | 21 | 45 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 17 | 17 | 30 | 1 |
| 1972 ASH AA | .271 | 36 | 129 | 14 | 35 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 18 | 14 | 2 |
| 1972 ROC AAA | .287 | 86 | 247 | 40 | 71 | 11 | 4 | 3 | 19 | 29 | 35 | 7 |
| 1973 ROC AAA | .261 | 68 | 226 | 28 | 59 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 18 | 21 | 29 | 4 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .302 | 86 | 305 | 39 | 92 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 27 | 34 | 38 | 5 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
So... as I look at this team a bit more, I think a Murray/Russell pairing up the middle might work out after all. Nothing against Segura: that's a great stat line for a shortstop to have. It's just... outside of a 56 game, 216 at-bat stretch at A Fremont in 1970, where he hit .356, Segura's not really show a lot of signs that he's this kind of a high-average hitter, and his other hitting skills are shortstoppy enough that he really does need to hit at least .280 or so to contribute.
All this would be fine if Segura was an ace fielder but he's not. His range and arm are decidedly average, although his hands did keep him from putting up some truly horrible stats in the field (13 errors, a .965 average). On paper he's fairly fast but he's never really translated that into speed on the bases either.
Long-term, Segura might be headed for more of a utility infielder role. Or else maybe I'm just downplaying what is in fact a brand new skill acquired by the 25 year old and we're looking at the Orioles' shortstop of the future.
Dave Thomas
RF/DH No. 17
RR, 6'2" 198 lbs.
Born 1949-05-20
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 MIA A | .271 | 57 | 203 | 29 | 55 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 25 | 34 | 29 | 0 |
| 1971 MID AA | .262 | 49 | 126 | 11 | 33 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 17 | 17 | 20 | 0 |
| 1972 ASH AA | .290 | 19 | 69 | 11 | 20 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 11 | 6 | 0 |
| 1972 ROC AAA | .333 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 1973 ROC AAA | .247 | 71 | 267 | 38 | 66 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 30 | 39 | 49 | 5 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .225 | 64 | 218 | 20 | 49 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 24 | 34 | 35 | 2 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
The youthful Thomas, who, like teammate Bill Murray is an aspiring comedian, looked overmatched in his first trial in the major leagues this year. He'd been promoted pretty well on schedule previously so I don't think he was rushed or anything, he just couldn't get hits. He profiles as a singles hitter with good pitch recognition, although he strikes out a bit too much to hit for average (that seems like a "type" for this team). If he could hit even .260 he'd still be a factor; as a .225 hitter he's replacement level.
Thomas still got on base at a .328 clip last season but then showed a different issue: on the basepaths, he just kind of clogs them up. You'd expect a 24 year old prospect to be a bit faster but on the other hand Thomas, a known Canadian, seems to have a layer of "bear fat" he hasn't lost through several years of minor league baseball. He's got a nice arm that makes him a natural right fielder and he seems to know the game as well as a Canadian can.
It's hard to project Thomas into a bigger role if he can't hit. At the same time, he's young and the Orioles are bad.
Sergio Viera de Mello
LF/1B No. 2
RR, 5'11" 186 lbs.
Born 1947-07-16
Code:
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| yrtmlvl | avg | g | ab | r | h | 2b | 3b | hr | rbi | bb | so | sb |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
| 1971 ROC AAA | .327 | 81 | 278 | 44 | 91 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 28 | 19 | 11 | 1 |
| 1971 BAL MLB | .298 | 28 | 114 | 8 | 34 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 2 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | .272 | 112 | 397 | 41 | 108 | 11 | 7 | 4 | 46 | 17 | 26 | 5 |
| 1973 ROC AAA | .278 | 17 | 36 | 5 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | .228 | 49 | 162 | 14 | 37 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 19 | 2 | 13 | 0 |
+ ------------ + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + -------- + ------- + ------- + ------- +
Viera de Mello followed up a solid rookie season with an absolute disaster of a 1973 and now I'm not sure what to do with him going forward. Even in 1972 it was looking like he didn't have the power to really hold court at the positions he plays and a real success for him would have meant hitting in the .300 range, which, I guess to be fair, he has done in the minors. The bottom fell out last year and he was sent down in June to work on his game. He didn't play much in the minors - what the heck, minor league manager? - and barely got a chance to play after his September call-up.
Yeah, no idea where The Peacemaker goes going forward. I'm guessing more AAA.
T.J. Ziegler
RHP No. 27
RR, 6'1" 200 lbs.
Born 1946-11-13
Code:
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| yrtmlvl | w | l | sv | era | g | gs | cg | ip | h | r | er | bb | k |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
| 1971 BAL MLB | 8 | 16 | 0 | 3.31 | 33 | 33 | 4 | 222.2 | 210 | 95 | 82 | 122 | 115 |
| 1972 BAL MLB | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2.80 | 31 | 31 | 4 | 215.0 | 170 | 74 | 67 | 118 | 139 |
| 1973 BAL MLB | 12 | 13 | 0 | 3.67 | 33 | 33 | 5 | 230.1 | 214 | 104 | 94 | 111 | 129 |
+ ------------ + ------ + ------ + ------- + -------- + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------- + ------ + ------ + ------- + ------- + ------ +
I guess it's fair to point out that the entire league took a step back in terms of defense compared to the season before. Still, Ziegler, too, fell. Now a 4-year veteran, TJ has had 4 years in which wildness has held him back. In fact, last year was even a career-low for walk rate and he still finished 4th in the league. I think that even more than the extra baserunners, the walks mean Ziegler has to throw more pitches per inning and he's already not a true 130-pitch-a-night workhorse. One thing he does do exceptionally well is keep the ball down: his fastball is of the 2-seam variety and he's led the league in groundball rate in the past. Last year he finished 6th in the AL with 56% and added a league-high 36 GIDPs (only Ringo Starr had more overall).
Ziegler will never strike out a lot of guys with his stuff so you'd really like that control to be better. At this point I think it's fair to assume that's just not going to happen. You've still got a mid-rotation guy, although the fact that the O's will be heading into their new future without ace closer Montay Luiso means that that lack of stamina will not help.