Kuzul

It’s been nearly 12 hours since the Giants brought the first World Series trophy to San Francisco, but the question that’s on everyone’s mind is who’s next? 

Who will be next season’s Giants?

Who will be the team that defies the odds, utilizes one of the most talented, biggest upside starting rotations, makes the most of a rag-tag roster and seizes their opportunity to turn Major League Baseball on its head?

I’ve got one team in mind. The 2011 Baltimore Orioles.

Believe it or not, this team isn’t as bad as the 2010 66-96 record indicated. They have a new manager who has instilled a new set of beliefs, and for the first time in a very, VERY long time this team is one that believes it can win. And in a division like the A.L. East, that counts for a whole heck of a lot. Just ask the Rays.

And I know it seems like a super long-shot, but keep in mind a few of these things

-this Giants squad spent the first two-and-a-half months of the season alternating between third and fourth place.

-their offensive effort was led by a 33-year old journeyman, Aubrey Huff, who hit .290 with 26 homers and 86 RBI.

-their two-time Cy Young award-winning pitcher had arguably the worst season of his career

-the ranking veteran, Barry Zito, went 9-14 with a 4.15 ERA and worse than a 2:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio

-offensively, the Giants were a middle of the pack team, ranking seventh in the N.L. in average, and ninth in runs scored.

-no team in the N.L. was worse on the basepaths as the Giants stole a league-low 55 bases, and had the worst steal success rate at 63 percent.

-their pitching staff ranked as the third-worst in terms of walks issued, trailing only the Cubs (75-87) and the Brewers (77-85).

So, taking all of that into account, and fully realizing how unpredictable this season has been, let’s examine why, I think, the Orioles have the capability and potential to emerge as the Giants of next season.

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Baltimore Orioles‘ right fielder Nick Markakis was expected to have a big year in 2010, coming off what many characterized as an “off” year in 2009, a year in which he hit .293 with 18 homers and 101 RBI’s on an Orioles team who lost 98 games.

That big year that many baseball analysts called for, however, did not happen. His average was there, as he batted .297 through 160 and 629 at-bats, but he set career lows in homers (18), and RBI’s (60).

These numbers have caused many Orioles fans who once praised the face of their franchise to call for Markakis’ head. What those people haven’t taken the time to understand, though, is why his numbers turned out to be disappointing for a middle-of-the-order guy, as well as not taking into account what he did achieve during a tough year for everyone involved in Baltimore baseball.

Looking at his low RBI numbers, most people who criticize fail to remember that leadoff man Brian Roberts appeared in only 59 games due to numerous injuries. That being said, the Orioles could not find a suitable substitute for Roberts, leading to a lack of RBI opportunities when Markakis stepped to the plate, as it’d be rare to see him bat anywhere other than second or third in the Orioles’ lineup. So when he racked up one of his 187 hits throughout the season, more times than not, there would either be no one on base, or no one in scoring position to drive in. He’d be stuck with simply moving the runner over instead of driving in the run.

Markakis has said in interviews that he was pitched away most of the time this year, and everyone knows his wheel-house is on the inside. Why try to get a good hitter out when there are hitters that aren’t as capable as him hitting behind him (not to take anything away from Luke Scott, Ty Wigginton, or Adam Jones)? He was then forced to hit what he was given, slapping singles to left or doubles in the left-center field gap. He got nothing to turn on, so he could only put 12 balls out over this past season. Adding a big bat to the Orioles’ lineup to hit behind him would most likely solve that problem, as pitchers would be more willing to pitch in the zone and attempt to get Markakis to fly out then rely on getting the big bat behind him out. Markakis would get more to drive, and his home run numbers would go back up to the 20-30 range.

The absence of Roberts at the top of the order, along with the struggles of everyone during the first two months of the season, caused Markakis to press a little, he acknowledged in an interview with the Baltimore Sun. Not only did he have to hit what he was pitched, but he had to try and get on base any way he possibly could since no one else was. That caused for him to have to settle a lot with what he was thrown and not be able to wait on his pitch.

This past year, Nick Markakis became only the third player in history to have four consecutive 43+ doubles seasons. The other two—Joe Medwick and Tris Speaker—are Hall of Famers. He increased his walk total to 73, hit .361 against left-handed pitching, raised his OBS from .347 in ’09 to .370 this past year, and committed only three errors all year in 159 games in right field. Hopefully, if the voters finally get it right, he will receive that much-deserved Gold Glove award that has seemed to evade him during his entire five-year career.

Not only is Nick Markakis the best hitter on the Orioles, he is also an outstanding fielder and an unselfish team player. He could have a 4-4 game with two homers, but if the team lost, he wouldn’t be happy with the day. The fans of Baltimore have taken him for granted, and unfairly jumped on him as soon as he shows he can have a down year, just like any other player. I suggest waiting to see if he has two or more consecutive years of low power production, even if he is more of a doubles hitter than anything, before you get on him about his performance. But provided he is given the proper threat in the middle of the order, I expect his, as well as many other young Orioles hitters, numbers to go up. And you can quote me on that.

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During last night’s Jays-O’s radio broadcast, I heard a “record” that hasn’t been getting any press and also one that drew me to an even more startling conclusion.

Baltimore Orioles right fielder Nick Markakis became the third (yes, the THIRD) major leaguer in history to have four straight seasons of 43 or more doubles. Wow, really? Ever? That’s quite impressive, well done Nick!

However, what really stuck out to me as the Jays announcers were talking about Markakis was that Nick has more extra base hits (56) then runs batted in (54). While Nick has been hitting in the two hole for a good chunk of the season, having fewer many runs batted in as extra base hits is disastrous!

Possibly that is somewhat of an overstatement. However, how disheartening does it have to be for Markakis to be hitting the ball so well, yet offering so little production for his club?

I suppose this simply highlights the fact that the Orioles have been terrible at creating runs this season. So bad, that they need to have one of their best hitters hitting second as things rapidly go downhill after that point.

The team has three hitters with an on-base percentage above league average. Their first basemen have the second-lowest combined OPS in the league and it can’t be chalked up to Justin Smoak (who has played for both the worst and third-worst teams in terms of team first base OPS).

With as much young pitching depth as the Orioles have, their lack of hitting both at the major league and minor league levels make it increasingly less likely that this team turns around any time soon. We may not be looking at the Pirates, but I’m not sure we are too far off given the depth of the systems and deep pockets of the Yankees and Red Sox.

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As part three of a six part series, the biggest underachievers in Major League Baseball this year are being called out. The AL East is no stranger to the disappointment that a handful of players have brought to their team.

The AL East has had its own battles. There’s a close division race, a team struggling with plentiful injuries, and a home run happy club. Each has seen their fair share of those who have not been producing like they have in the past.

Here are eight beasts from the East who seem to have been tamed for most of the 2010 season.

AL West: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/439609-mlb-underachievers-biggest-disappointments-of-2010-in-the-al-west

AL Central: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/440895-major-underachievers-biggest-disappointments-of-2010-in-the-al-central

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The Angels Series

We know.

It’s only been three games since Buck Showalter took the reigns as the Orioles skipper. But can you really blame O’s fans for the excitement flowing through the Baltimore harbor?

Having just completed their first three-game sweep of the Angels since 1999, the Orioles seem to have a new get-up in their step following the hiring of Showalter, a no-nonsense manager who has twice built teams into the upper-echelon only to be replaced in the offseason before that team won the World Series (see: 1996 Yankees, 2001 Diamondbacks). Without a doubt, Showalter is the best Orioles manager since Davey Johnson, who took the team to the ALCS in 1996 and 1997.

In a season that started with very modest goals (get back to .500), it has been very disheartening to see the O’s sink to the cellar: Of the AL East; of the American League; and of all of baseball. But when you’ve been at least twenty games out of first place since June 2nd, fans start looking for the silver-lining in the rustiest of situations (i.e. At least Garrett Atkins got a hit tonight!).

But in Showalter’s three game debut, even the silver-linings are lined with silver.

The starting pitching over the course of the three-game series was perhaps the best the staff has seen all season, with each starter recording a quality outing. Jeremy Guthrie gave up three earned runs over seven innings in the opener, while rookie Brian Matusz only surrendered one run in his six innings of the second game. The best start, however, likely belongs to fellow rookie Jake Arrieta, who gave up two earned runs over seven and 2/3 innings in a no-decision in which he deserved a Win.

Meanwhile, the Orioles bats came to life to the tune of 20 runs over the course of the Angels series. While scoring runs has proved enigmatic for the O’s throughout 2010, barring a fluky home run here or there, these three games featured timely hitting that has been amiss as of late.

Under Showalter’s watchful eye versus the Angels, the Orioles batted .454 with runners in scoring position (I can’t find the exact stat of what their season average is, but rest assured it is about half this number), while nine of the 20 runs were driven in with two outs. In a season where runners have been stranded on base longer than Desmond Hume on the Island, fans can’t help be be excited that perhaps Showalter has figured out how to get these runners home.

This Author’s Perspective

As a fan of a team that has had a losing record and missed the playoffs every season since 1997, there have been very few things to be excited about over the past decade-plus.

Off the top of my head, my most-favorite recent baseball moments have been: The O’s coming back from down nine runs to beat the Red Sox in 2009, seeing Matt Weiters on the cover of Sports Illustrated (thanks for the jinx), and Dave Roberts’ steal against the Yankees in game four of the 2004 ALCS. Three great moments, only two of which involved the Orioles. That’s how hard it has been to be a fan of the Orioles, who I wholeheartedly believe have the most incompetent owner in all of sports.

Based on the astute moves made in recent seasons, I’m going to guess that Showalter’s arrival in Baltimore had much more to do with General Manager Andy MacPhail’s efforts than whatever fat-cat owner Peter Angelos was doing to replace interim manager Juan Samuel. MacPhail has built the Orioles farm system into one of the best in the league, mostly through his mantra of “Grow the arms, Buy the bats.”

While Baltimore has yet to sign a marquee bat, a line-up featuring Matt Weiters, Nick Markakis, Adam Jones, Josh Bell and other up-and-comers should be appealing for an experienced big-time bat. If these players produce as they have in the minors and at times in the bigs, they could offer some protection in the line-up for a big bat to be bought in the offseason.

If Showalter can continue pushing his young team towards the potential we all want to think is in there, then the Orioles should at least be in contention for the playoffs as early as 2011. Sure, we’ve been saying that for years, but isn’t the scent of success tickling your olfactory for the first time since we thought the first Tejada experiment would make the O’s contenders?

Maybe. Only this time, its a bit more pungent.

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The Baltimore Orioles may have the worst record in baseball, but the team we have seen over the last month or so is one that is very different.

It has been very mercurial (sweeping two teams, but getting swept in two others in the past six), but Orioles baseball has been much more entertaining recently.

Here are some reasons not to give up just yet on the team that just loves to test its fan’s patience.

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We all know that there are certain players who have struggled through the first half of the season. We also know that there are players who notoriously produce better in the second half. Here are five hitters that other owners in your league may be ready to give up on, yet could produce plenty of value in the second half (all stats are through Sunday):

Mark Teixeira – New York Yankees
He’s always been a slow starter, though 2010 has been an extreme case. Still, just looking at his second half numbers from the past few seasons gives us an idea of what he can do:

• 2006 – .291, 24 HR, 61 RBI, 51 R
• 2007 – .309, 18 HR, 64 RBI, 45 R
• 2008 – .366, 16 HR, 52 RBI, 48 R
• 2009 – .313, 18 HR, 59 RBI, 47 R

There are a lot of numbers that we can also point to that indicate an improvement should be coming.  First is his BABIP, which is currently at .258. Considering that his career low is .288, which came in his rookie year of 2003, you have to believe that a resurgence is going to come sooner or later.

Second is his HR/FB, which is also at a career low (11.9 percent). He’s never had a mark below 17.8 percent, and he plays in a park that proved to be a hitters haven in 2009. It’s certainly easy to imagine him still surpassing 30 (he’s currently at 13) by year’s end.

While he’s not likely to live up to the first round expectations, you have to know that Teixeira has a hot streak in him. He’s started showing signs, so now may be your last chance to get him at a discount. If someone in your league is fed up with him, he’s well worth the acquisition.

Nick Markakis – Baltimore Orioles

To say that he’s been a major disappointment is an understatement, despite the solid average. He’s currently hitting .307 with four HR, 27 RBI, and 34 R. So yet again, he has failed to take that next step forward in his progression. Then again, considering he was likely taken as a number two outfielder, he has just failed to produce…period.

There’s nothing in the numbers to make us think that he can’t turn things around. His fly ball rate is down from last season, but right along his career mark (36.2 percent in ‘10 vs. 35.5 percent for his career). His HR/FB, which was over 11.5 percent from 2006-2008, is at just 4.3 percent this season.

He does continue to rip doubles, at 25 for the season, putting him just one behind the leaders (Marlon Byrd & Jayson Werth each have 26).  Sooner or later, some of those balls are going to find their way over the fence. Last season he hit 10 HR in the second half and is not far removed from a 14 HR second half in 2007.

He has been hurt by the absence of Brian Roberts, but if he keeps hitting (which he easily could), the RBI and R will come with it. Couple that with increased power and you certainly have the potential to get a steal. Considering where he was drafted and what you may have to give up to get him, he’s a great buy right now.

Adam Lind – Toronto Blue Jays

It is beginning to look like last season’s 35 HR was a bit of an aberration. All you have to do is look at his HR/FB for the past four seasons to get that indication:

• 2007 – 13.3 percent
• 2008 – 11.0 percent
• 2009 – 19.8 percent
• 2010 – 10.6 percent

Even if he could just get things back to the 2007 mark, there’s reason for optimism, especially when you throw in his BABIP. He’s had terrible luck (.245), and also has been striking out a tremendous amount (27.5 percent).

If he can reduce the strikeouts (he was at 18.1 percent in ‘08 and 18.7 percent in ‘09) and see improved luck, the average will come around. It’s possible he’s trying to hit home runs after his breakout, as his fly ball rate has gone from 36.8 percent to 42.3 percent. Still, it’s hard to believe that it will be a completely lost season.

Now is your opportunity to get him for pennies on the dollar (I actually saw him on the waiver wire of a five outfielder format last week) and given what he did in ‘09, he’s certainly worth the risk.

Matt Wieters – Baltimore Orioles
I’ve discussed him before, but it bears repeating. We have all heard about his potential, but he has not quite shown it yet. His home run per fly ball rate is under 10.0 percent (currently at 8.2 percent). His BABIP is below average, at .283.

Granted, he hasn’t hit many extra base hits (nine doubles and six home runs), but this is still his first full season. He’s now had over 600 total at bats, so it is certainly possible that something clicks in the second half.

Given the lack of depth at the position, he’s certainly worth the gamble.

Carlos Lee – Houston Astros

He’s hit .300 each of the last four seasons and has a career .288 average. Yet, we are supposed to believe he’s a .232 hitter in 2010?

Fat chance. He’s had some terrible luck, with a .232 BABIP. He also just hasn’t had the same type of power, with a HR/FB of 7.9 percent vs. a career mark of 13.0 percent.

Playing in that ballpark, there’s no chance that either of those things continue. Just look at his second half marks from the past few seasons:

• 2007 – .311, 16 HR, 46 RBI, 45 R
• 2008 – .372, 7 HR, 24 RBI, 15 R (in just 78 AB)
• 2009 – .291, 13 HR, 53 RBI, 30 R

While he’s not a notorious slow starter, there’s little question about his bat. If you need runs scored, he’s not the answer. However, if you are looking for some power in the second half, he’s well worth the gamble.

What are your thoughts on these five players? Would you try to buy low on any of them?  Who else are you targeting in your leagues?

Make sure to check out our recent Scouting Reports:

• Brett Cecil
• Wade Davis
• David DeJesus
• Jason Donald
• John Ely
• Brett Gardner
• John Jaso
• Brad Lincoln
• Jonathan Lucroy
• Kris Medlen
• Jonathan Niese
• Andrew Oliver
• Manny Parra
• Jake Peavy
• Sean Rodriguez
• Mike Stanton
• Andres Torres

THIS ARTICLE IS ALSO FEATURED ON WWW.ROTOPROFESSOR.COM

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I had probably the same reaction as most when the Orioles announced Trent Mummey as the team’s fourth-round pick a few weeks ago.

Nice name, but….who?

And like some of you, I dug a little deeper to see what kind of havoc Mummey brought on SEC pitchers this year.

What I found was very, VERY impressive.

Mummey tore the cover off the ball to the tune of a .366 average, 20 points less than Hunter Morris, his teammate at Auburn and fellow fourth-round pick, but still impressive.

Mummey finished third on the squad with 17 home runs, which would have been good enough for the team lead on most NCAA teams.

Mind you, the Tigers had 11 players selected in the 2010 draft, more than any other team.

His 54 RBI also ranked third, behind Morris’s 76, and Brian Fletcher’s 75. He scored 46 runs, rapped 15 doubles and showed off his above-average speed, swiping eight bases.

All of that offensive firepower, and that’s not even the best part. Hold onto your butts…

…Mummey only played in 36 games, 34 of which he started. He missed the first 28 games of the season with an ankle injury.

If you prorate his numbers through a full 64 game season, like the one Morris enjoyed, his numbers look ridiculous: 

.366 average, 27 doubles, 30 home runs, 96 RBI, 82 runs scored and 14 stolen bases.

Let me remind you that the NCAA leader in home runs finished with 27, and the RBI leader topped out at 89. 

Granted, Mummey would have inevitably encountered some kind of slump, or another injury had he not come down with a lame ankle, but the point is proven.

This kid can rake.

And the best part on top of the best part…

…Mummey is usually thought of as a defense-first player.

In addition to being named first-team All-SEC, he was also a recipient of the 2009 NCAA Division I Gold Glove after playing spectacular defense, despite his less than impressive offensive numbers (.289 with 15 homers and 42 RBI).

Mummey possesses many skills that the Orioles have in their system. He has close to top-notch speed (22 stolen bases in 37 Cape Cod League games last summer). He has some pop in his bat, and this season he showed the ability to hit for average. He’s also developed a pretty good eye at the plate, making him all the more dangerous.

Toss in stellar defensive play, and Mummey gives the Orioles all those skills in one player, something they do lack. 

Most of the “typical” lead-off guys in the system feature top-end speed, with little plate discipline or power (see, Xavier Avery, Kyle Hudson). They have a few with a decent combo of speed and discipline (see, L.J. Hoes and Paco Figueroa), but getting one player with all three traits?

That’s straight Mummey.

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“Grow the arms and buy the bats.”

That’s the philosophy Andy MacPhail said he was going to try to rebuild the once great Baltimore franchise with.

So here we are, three years later. The arms have been grown: Brian Matusz, the fourth overall pick in the 2008 draft; Chris Tillman, stolen from the Seattle Mariners in the one-sided Erik Bedard trade; Jake Arrieta, Triple-A superstar, and on the verge of joining the big league rotation any week now; and, Zach Britton, one of the more promising, underrated arms in the minors.

Now, how ’bout those bats?

The O’s made a wild run at Mark Teixeira a few years ago, but aside from that, they haven’t really made a huge splash via free agency, and have done nothing so far this season to salvage their despicable season. Trading in Felix Pie and Justin Turner for Corey Patterson and Scott Moore isn’t going to solve this team’s offensive woes.

In other news, the Brewers have dropped subtle hints that All-Star first baseman Prince Fielder might be on the market.

Hmmmm….

My question is: what would it take to bring Fielder to Baltimore?

No question, he would provide an instant impact, and his left-handed stroke would be perfect for the short right field wall at Camden Yards. He would also give this lineup a power threat and RBI machine that it’s been lacking since the first time Miguel Tejada came to Baltimore.

And better yet, Fielder is young enough that he might still be around when (or if) the Orioles get back around to contending.

Here’s what I’m thinking it would take:

1) Jake Arrieta —capitalize on the fantastic start to the season that Jake is having. He’s a bulldog on the mound, a true inning eater, and a solid starter that the Milwaukee organization is lacking. He has a pretty high ceiling, and if the starting thing doesn’t work out, he has the power game that would work at the back of the Brewers’ bullpen. At best, though, he could be a No. 2 starter.

2) Brandon Snyder —he isn’t having the best start to the season, but he usually does better in his second go-around at a level so I’m not that worried. He’ll hit, that’s what he does. The only question is if he’ll ever develop any power. Shipping him off would clear any obstacle in the way of Fielder holding the position for five-eight years. He would give the Brewers another solid bat for the future.

3) Troy Patton —Patton has proved he’s healthy after undergoing surgery right after being acquired from the Astros in the Miguel Tejada trade, but he hasn’t been able to harness his command, which was once his greatest attribute. Sending him back to the NL might give him some familiarity, and he could develop into a solid back of the rotation kind of guy.

4) Pedro Beato —I know he’s been largely a disappointment for the O’s, who picked him up in the supplemental round a few years ago. He was supposed to be a huge splash as a starter, but that plan fizzled out and now Beato is learning to be a reliever. He’s done a pretty good job too, with an ERA under 2.00 and much fewer walks than he issued as a starter. Beato could be a eighth-inning guy, or even emerge as a serious closer candidate. Milwaukee could use one of those.

And if that’s still not enough to net Fielder, I’d even toss in an advanced arm like a Ryan Berry, or another bullpen guy like Dennis Sarfate or Brett Jacobson.

A four, or possibly five-for-one deal oughta get it done right?

Then Part II is to restructure this lineup. No more Markakis at No. 2 one night, then No. 4 the next. Build it around Fielder, something like this:

1) Roberts—when healthy, of course. Under contract until 2015.

2) Jones—tell him no more horsing around, and no more HR’s. He’s a No. 2 hitter, period.

3) Wieters—sitting later in the lineup hasn’t worked. Try moving him up. It works for Mauer.

4) Fielder—finally, a legitimate cleanup hitter. Gone are the days of Ty Wiggington.

5) Markakis—what the O’s really need out of Nick the Stick is power. Move him down and force him to trade his singles for homers.

6) Reimold—when healthy of course…if that’s possible.

7) Bell—work the rookie in slowly, near the bottom of the lineup. It worked for Markakis.

8) Angle—let Matt Angle and Jones split the CF duties, and put another speed threat in the lineup. Angle would thrive at the bottom of a lineup.

9) Izturis—I got nothing…at least he plays somewhat solid defense.

Come on , Andy…buy some bats.

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It’s been nearly 12.5 years since the Baltimore Orioles have been in a playoff game. It’s been 12.5 years since Baltimore has last finished a season with a final record above the .500 mark. It’s been nearly 5.5 years since the Orioles have seen any place in the final standings better than fourth (and if you don’t count the 2004 season, it’s been nearly 12.5 years, as well).

There have been a number of stars on the Orioles who have come and gone during this time span: guys like Cal Ripken, Mike Mussina, Roberto Alomar, Rafael Palmeiro, Albert Belle, B.J. Surhoff, Brady Anderson, Melvin Mora, Tony Batista, Javy Lopez, Miguel Tejada, B.J. Ryan, Erik Bedard, Aubrey Huff, Nick Markakis, and Brian Roberts, just to name a few.

Even with all of these acquisitions and players who have come up in the Orioles’ farm system, the team has yet to improve. The team that has now been considered mediocre (or worse) for over a decade.

With all these great stars, you might be thinking, “How come they haven’t done well?” To be quite honest, some of the teams the Baltimore Orioles crafted in the first decade of the new millennium had more talent than the teams in 1996 and 1997 (the only two times they have made it to the playoffs since they last won the World Series in 1983).

For instance, look at at the lineup for 2004 (the only time they managed to seal a place outside of fourth or fifth in the AL East):

1. Brian Roberts (2B)

2. David Newhan (DH)

3. Melvin Mora (3B)

4. Miguel Tejada (SS)

5. Rafael Palmeiro (1B)

6. B.J. Surhoff (LF)

7. Jay Gibbons (RF)

8. Larry Bigbie (CF)

9. Geronimo Gil (C)

That’s a pretty talented batting lineup if you ask me. Granted their pitching wasn’t all that great, but it wasn’t all that horrible.

Now, it’s six seasons after the 2004 season, and the Orioles are not only struggling, but with almost a third of the season over they are atrociously on their worst downfall since 1937 (winning-percentage wise) if they don’t turn things around quickly. Some even remember those days when Baltimore was actually considered a winning franchise, through the 60s up until the mid 80s, and again in the mid 90s. The Orioles have watched several legends come and go, but those days are long gone… or so it seems.

Why is this? Well, they still have some pretty experienced veterans who are still worth the money on their contracts in Markakis, Kevin Millwood, and Roberts ( although Roberts is injured), and they have quite a few young guys in Matt Weiters, Adam Jones, and Nolan Reimold, who all emerged last season and proved that they have what it takes to stay in the big leagues. They have an experienced starting pitcher who still has game in Millwood, along with a couple of stars who have the potential to have bright futures in Jeremy Guthrie, Chris Tillman, and Brian Matusz. To top it all off, to work with their pitching, they have a pitching coach who won Baseball America’s MLB Coach of the Year award in 2006 with the Marlins in Rich Kranitz.

*Fun fact: Rich Kranitz was Greg Maddux’s first professional pitching coach in Pikeville, Kentucky in 1984 when Maddux pitched for the Pikeville Cubs.

Better pitching and offense cannot be the solution to this long problem in particular. Could it be the fact that Baltimore needs a new manager? As of late, there has been speculation that there will be a sixth change coming up soon, and that current manager Dave Trembley will lose his job fairly soon. Trembley took Sam Perlozzo’s spot in 2007, 69 games into the season. With the O’s riding on the worst two-month start of the season in the Majors, people think it is time for a new manager.  

Since ’97, the Orioles management has made five managerial changes, which includes a four-year segment with Mike Hargrove; Hargrove led the Indians to five straight division titles and two American League pennants in the mid 90s. None of them were successful in achieving the goal that seems like an eternity to achieve: to reach .500.

This brings me to the main point of this article: what the Orioles have been lacking for the past 12.5 years. If you look at the attendance numbers, you can see that they have decreased radically. They were ranked first in the American League in attendance at one point in time. 1997’s total crowd attendance was the franchise’s peak, as they generated an audience of 3,711,132 people (45,816 per game). Since then, there have only been two occurrences in which the Orioles’ attendance has increased… and both times were not significant at all.

The numbers speak for themselves:

1998: 3,684,650 (45,490 per game), ranked 1st in the AL in attendance

1999: 3,433,150 (42,385 per game), ranked 2nd in the AL in attendance

2000: 3,297,031 (40,704 per game), ranked 2nd in the AL in attendance

2001: 3,094,841 (38,686 per game), ranked 4th in the AL in attendance

2002: 2,682,439 (33,117 per game), ranked 3rd in the AL in attendance

2003: 2,454,523 (30,303 per game), ranked 5th in the AL in attendance

2004: 2,744,018 (33,877 per game), ranked 5th in the AL in attendance (improvement)

2005: 2,624,740 (32,404 per game), ranked 5th in the AL in attendance

2006: 2,153,139 (26,582 per game), ranked 10th in the AL in attendance

2007: 2,164,822 (26,726 per game), ranked 11th in the AL in attendance (improvement)

2008: 1,950,075 (24,376 per game), ranked 10th in the AL in attendance

2009: 1,907,163 (23,545 per game), ranked 9th in the AL in attendance

So that’s that. The Orioles’ total attendance per year has dropped by over 1 1/2 million in just a little over a decade…

It’s amazing what can happen in 12 years. It seems like yesterday when people were talking about being excited about going to an Orioles game. Now, for those devoted Orioles fans who have watched several games it may seem like a chore. The fans have no motivation for their team to give, and therefore have no motivation to give for their players. At Camden Yards, it’s almost safe to say that there is no home-field advantage for the O’s because there are more fans for the other team than Baltimore’s very own. There is, pretty much, no hope in what the O’s do and fans almost know what the outcome is… so why bother go?

*If that doesn’t say enough for you, 2010’s season has reached an ultimate low. On April 12, just a month and a half ago, the Orioles (or shall I say their fans) set a franchise record for the lowest attendance figure since the opening of Camden Yards. Not only that, but it still stands as the record to beat for the lowest attendance figure so far this season in the MLB.

What really interested me, however, was when I looked at the attendance numbers and found that there was a drastic downfall from 2005 to 2006. What could have possibly gone wrong? They only lost four more games than they did the previous year (going from 74-88 to 70-92), so what caused this huge decrease? Well… how about the fact that Sammy Sosa played for the Orioles at the time? It may strike people as odd, but even though he sucked, a name like Sammy Sosa generates money for the franchise. Big names like Sosa, Bonds, A-Rod, Pujols, etc. generate a lot of money. The fans get behind them and start rooting for them… and the team.

Not only that, but bigger names in the MLB tend to have a lot of experience under their belts. A great example is Ivan Rodriguez with the Nationals. One of the greatest catchers of all time, and not only is his contract worth very little for a superstar ($3 million), but he’s playing a very big part in why the Nationals are currently above .500 and in third place in the NL East division.

However, with that being said, guys that generate a lot of money usually cost a lot of money. Now… do the Orioles have money like that to acquire someone who will generate that kind of money for the Orioles organization? No… not really. Their payroll this year is a little over $81 million, which is good for 17th in the MLB. Plus, with the attendance they’ve been getting day in and day out, it seems like owner Peter Angelo might get into some financial trouble with that payroll and might need to keep a tighter budget.

This made me think about a couple of players who might be interested in contributing to the organization. Well, Ken Griffey Jr. is a big name, and he’s making only $2.35 million this year. I don’t think he’ll be up for that, though. Many baseball fans are pressuring him saying that it’s time for him to retire, and I think he’d much rather do it in Seattle than anywhere else.

Pedro Martinez? Eh…  looking back at his history with the Boston Red Sox, I don’t think he’d accept a contract with the Orioles even if they offered him a decent amount of money.

What about: Jim Thome? He’s a pretty interesting case. He’s in the 500 home run club currently playing for the Twins. He’s not doing so well, so it’s not like he’s going to be asking for a lot more than his current $1.5 million contract with the Twins. However, he has yet to win a World Series… and I don’t think he’s going to want to go to a team that’s on its way of going on 13 straight seasons under .500. Plus, if he sticks around long enough, Thome could be on the verge of hitting 600 home runs. He’s 31 shy of the record now.

There are limited options here, but general manager Andy MacPhail needs to realize that he needs to generate a profit somehow… some way. And let’s face it: he isn’t really doing it with the roster he currently has. He’s not putting butts in seats… and he needs to get those butts back in there to cheer the Orioles on.

Do something… or keep “phailing.”

Anyone have any other ideas or feedback…? Please feel free to comment. I’m always up for new suggestions and/or different opinions.

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