Kuzul

Last year when the Baltimore Orioles had a 64-98 finish, there was another disappointing fact behind the season: the team had only one All-Star—Adam Jones.

Jones ended up on the All-Star team last year as a reserve after a strong 1st half.

The question this year is: who is going to represent Baltimore for this year’s 2010 All-Star game in Los Angeles?

The only former All-Stars on this year’s roster are Kevin Millwood (who joined the club via trade), Miguel Tejada (who decided to return to Baltimore via free agency), and last year’s outfielder Adam Jones.

Don’t worry, though, because there are a few strong candidates on the 2010 Orioles.

Matt Wieters

He’s been called the best catching prospect since Joe Mauer.

Last year in 96 games, he showed he is ready for the big leagues—posting a .288 average. The more experience he gets, the more dangerous he becomes.

Wieters seems to be on the radar, as he is a fan favorite, too.

Nick Markakis

His breakout year was 2007, where he hit 23 HRs and drove in 112 RBIs with a .300 batting average.

Last year in 2009, he hit only 18 HRs, but with a .296 average 101 RBIs. He might not have filled his potential yet—which was be a 5 tool player—but he still has the numbers to be an All-Star.

Don’t be surprised to see him in LA this summer.

Miguel Tejada

You might not see the Tejada from his early years with Baltimore, but this guy can still hit, as he was a reserve All-Star last year. In 2009, he finished his fine season with 199 hits.

His power has decreased over the years, but he maintains good fielding skills along with a high contact rate in the batter’s box.

Kevin Millwood

The only well experienced starting pitcher on the Orioles’ staff, Millwood looks to regain his old self, when he had an ERA of 2.86 and won more than 13 games.

A former All-Star, he has been inconsistent over the last couple of years. For example, he posted an ERA over 5.00 in 2008, but rebounded with a 3.67 ERA 13 win season.

With Millwood, anything can happen with him. Consider him a sleeper.

Adam Jones

Oh boy.

He disappointed Orioles fans and fantasy owners in the 2nd half last season, finishing with a .277 average.

He isn’t off to the fastest start this year either. But no worries, this kid can play. Jones was an All-Star in 2009, and he wants to become another one this year.

His motivation and massive potential will keep him on the radar. 

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Baltimore Orioles have been struggling over the last couple of years.

The O’s do have a reasonable excuse for some of their down years: they are in the toughest division in Major League Baseball which includes teams like the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Tampa Bay Rays, and the sometimes surprising Toronto Blue Jays. No team would want to compete in the American League East.

But is it good for the Orioles to be competing in the AL East?

It is, if the organization wants to develop their players over the years and keep the stars.

Why? The experience of tough competition will help the young players. As you know, the O’s are full of young talent. 

As the rookies improve and develop, they will get that sense that they want to beat all the teams, including World Champions and playoff teams. It makes them hungry to beat everyone.

If you are a rookie in the big leagues, and you see other teams dominate in your division for five or more years, you want to win. 

If the young Baltimore players can play in the AL East, they can play anywhere.

It improves the mental mind and their determination for one thing: to win.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Twenty-seven up, twenty-seven down.

Oakland Athletics pitcher lefty Dallas Braden threw the 17th ever perfect game (in the Modern Era) today against the Tampa Bay Rays, and the first one on Mother’s Day.

It was the 2nd time the Rays had been thrown against a perfect game in less than a year. 

Braden, 26, was recently known for his comments on Yankee Alex Rodriguez stepping over the mound to get over to 1st base during a game.

Not anymore, as this game is added to history forever. 

The 27th out came as Gabe Kapler hit the ball, then scooped into Shortstop Cliff Pennington’s glove, and it was thrown over to 1st base. 

His catcher was Landon Powell, who replaced the injured Kurt Suzuki. Powell said in an interview that he and Braden had talked with each other in the tunnel before the game.

As it became official, the first person Braden looked to was his Grandmother, who was very emotional as she was hugging him.

This year will be his first full season as a starter.

The last time a perfect game was pitched was when Mark Buehrle did it last year at Chicago.

A perfect game thrown by Dallas Braden: Do I really need to say more?

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

How great is this story?

Colby Lewis struggles with several Major League teams—the Rangers, Athletics, Tigers, and Nationals—in the U.S.

Then, in 2008 and 2009, he plays for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan. He thrives there, leading the league in strikeouts both seasons. Then he comes back and dominates for the Rangers in the States. Pretty good, huh?

When rumors surfaced about the Texas Rangers bringing back their former first-round draft pick, fans only remembered his 10-win, 7.30-ERA season. How do you win 10 games with that stat line?

Great strikeout pitchers in Japan don’t always transition well to MLB mounds. The Yankees learned that the expensive way with Kei Igawa, who is now a run-of-the-mill pitcher in Triple-A. Lewis has faced his share of troubles, too.

But the 30-year-old righty has dominated in his first month back in Texas, putting up an impressive 3-0 record with a 2.76 ERA. His stuff looks good and his control has been much improved from his last trip to The Show. He is also averaging more than one strikeout per inning.

Lewis is the next big thing in baseball; he might be an All-Star in Los Angles this summer, or even a Cy Young winner at the end of the season.

Keep an eye on him.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Javier Vasquez is struggling in the American League. Period.

Someone needs to send this guy to a National League as soon as possible.

Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman would trade him for prospects or a consistent arm for the American League.

Releasing him would be a big risk, as his salary is $11.5 million.

Yankees fans thought this guy could turn around and be a dependable No. 4 starter, but that proved to be wrong from what we’ve seen from him in April.

There are some National League teams that are in need of a starting pitcher if they want to compete this year. Teams include the Mets, Padres, and San Francisco.

The Padres’ budget is too small for Vasquez’s big check.

The Mets are in need of prospects right now just in case of injuries, and their system isn’t deep. They also do not have a Major League player that would fit with the Yankees.

San Francisco might be his destination, as the Giants need really strong pitching to overcome their weak offense to compete for the playoffs. Imagine a rotation with Lincecum, Cain, Zito, Sanchez, and Vasquez (in the NL).

The Giants will be able to afford him.

I don’t see why the Giants can’t trade Jeremy Affeldt, who is a reliable reliever in any situation for an All-Star in the NL.

Then you can put Joba Chamberlain or (in my opinion the better one) Alfredo Aceves as the No. 5 starter in the Yankees rotation.

Javier Vasquez will land on a National League team by the trade deadline, but San Francisco seems to be a strong possibility.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

For the 2010 season, San Diego Padres General Manager Jed Hoyer took over to make the disappointing team in 2009, better.

Hoyer made some decent additions, such as Jerry Hairston Jr., Jon Garland, and Matt Stairs in order bring this team around (well, at least do better than their 87 loss season).

But they are already 16-9.

Jon Garland was brought in to be the No. 1 starter, replacing Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy, and he has been performing above expectations.

Matt Stairs was to be a pinch hitter.

Hairston Jr., yeah well, he can do pretty much play every position and hit while switching around on the field.

But it isn’t only these players that is leading the Padres to a winning record (as of May 2, 2010).

Everyone on the Pads has chipped in to help the cause.

One of the key factors is Kevin Correia, who has 4 wins.

Wade LeBlanc has been on fire lately.

Matt Latos has the talent, but he has an excuse because he came from Single A ball in 2009 and made the jump to the big league team.

Clayton Richard has an ERA of 3.00, which is acceptable. 

Garland, Correia, LeBlanc, Richard, and Latos are solid five starters, especially for a team with a low budget.

Scott Hairston and Adrian Gonzalez provide the power for this ballclub. Adrian Gonzalez hits 40 HRs playing 81 games at Petco Park, so he has that raw power, especially away from home.

Need speed? Well Tony Gwynn Jr. is perfect for that job, and he can patrol CF as well.

The closing spot has been filled with Heath Bell, who has proven to be one of the best in the game.

There is that veteran presence in the clubhouse and World Series Champion David Eckstein on the team.

The 2008 Rays and the 2010 Padres might not be similar, but they somewhat remind of each other, because both of the teams in their respective seasons, were predicted to be one of the worst in baseball.

Look at the 2008 Rays: they won the AL Pennant.

Same for this year’s Padres? This is one of the sleeper teams that is for real.

Looks like the 35-year-old Hoyer isn’t looking to rebuild now, he is looking to win.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

There is no doubt the Royals have better expectations of themselves every single season from their previous year.

It seems the Royals will have a break out year soon.

The Kansas City Royals struck gold when they called Billy Butler up, a .300 hitter with 20HR power, but it is Third Baseman Alex Gordon that is the key for the Royals’ future.

Alex Gordon was considered to have “very big” potential when he came up, and the fans in Kansas City had high hopes for him.

This year is his fourth year in Major League Baseball but he is yet to hit above .260.

His highs are: 

HR: 16 (2008)

RBIs: 60 (2007)

SBs: 14 (2007)

Average: .260 (2008)

In 2009, he was injured.

No one knows what we can expect from Gordon, who is still only 26-years-old, but if the Royals want to have a shot at the playoffs, he has to step up.

Gordon has the ability to be a 20-20 guy. He hit 16HRs in 543 at-bats and stole 14 bases that same year. Someone needs to get this guy 600 at-bats if possible.

Alex Gordon is the key for the future of this franchise.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Baltimore Orioles.

You need another Tampa Bay Rays 2008 season for them to actually have a chance, especially in the AL East with the Yankees, Rays, Red Sox, and the improving Blue Jays.

Their offense is pretty solid with Miguel Tejada, Nick Markakis, Matt Wieters, and Adam Jones.

But it’s their pitching staff that’s screwing them up.

Kevin Millwood was acquired this past offseason to be the No. 1 guy in the rotation along with Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Matusz.

Though so far, Matusz is the only one with a win in the starting rotation.

Sigh.

Their bullpen was improved when Mike Gonzalez was brought in to close out games, but is now on the disabled list.

Besides, in the competitive american league, he is no guarantee at closer.

For this Baltimore Orioles team to actually compete in their competitive divison, their pitching staff needs to step up: the rotation, the bullpen, and the closer.

Another sigh.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com