Baltimore Orioles

As I watch the New York Yankees erupt for another night of offensive fireworks against the Baltimore Orioles under-whelming pitching staff, I’m tempted to pound out a column imploring team president Andy MacPhail to forget about his plan and go find some pitching NOW.

Then, after I take a few deep breaths and let the blood flow back to my brain, I realize that this is one of the rare cases in professional sports where you can’t dwell on the current win-loss record.

This article originally appeared at the Baltimore Sports Report.

Finally, after many weeks of watching and waiting for the left field dilemma in Baltimore to subside, we watch as youngster Nolan Reimold rushes out onto the field. 

It was one of the last things Orioles Manager Dave Trembley wanted to see in last Wednesday's game against the Rays. 

His emerging star center fielder, Adam Jones, hobbled off the field in the fourth inning with a strained hamstring.  That is not the kind of news you want to face when you are about to embark on a 11 day, 10 game road trip, one that may significantly help define the Orioles character as a team in 2009. 

Catching prospect Matthew Wieters turns 23 years old on May 21st.

On Friday, he hit hit his fourth home run for Triple-A Norfolk.

Wieters played for Georgia Tech, following in the footsteps of players like Nomar Garciaparra, Mark Teixeira, and fellow catcher Jason Varitek.

He was drafted fifth overall in the 2007 amateur draft by the Baltimore Orioles, and four other teams are out of their minds for passing him up. However, David Price was picked number one that year by the Tampa Bay Rays and I can't argue that.

Let's see here...

Pitching, check.

Defense, get back to me in two weeks.

Offense, ehhh.

There you go—the first month report card for the Atlanta Braves.

We all know what's happened, B-Mac and Garret Anderson are hurt, and we are relying on utility guys to spell out upper-mid-tier guys (*ahem* Kelly Johnson) when the others should be playing

What to do, what to do?

Well, the biggest question mark is with the bats, so that should be the focus as the July 31 trade deadline draws closer.

Like fellow Orioles fan/writer Lawrence Barreca said, the Felix Pie experiment is coming to an end in Baltimore, luckily for us Oriole fans.

Like Lawrence, when Pie was acquired for LHP Garrett Olson and minor leaguer Henry Williamson, I was anxious to see an exciting experience with Pie.

Because I follow the Minors, I knew a lot about Pie. I knew he was a consistent .300 minor league hitter, but never really got a legitimate chance to log any at bats with the Cubs.

Don't look now, but Nick Markakis has a 16 game hit streak going. 

Tomorrow night Nick the Stick goes up against Roy "Doc" Halladay, against whom he is 7-30 lifetime, good for a not-so-good .233 average. On the season Markakis is hitting .381, good for a very good third best in the American League.

This article originally appeared at the Baltimore Sports Report.

When the Orioles first acquired Felix Pie from the Chicago Cubs this past offseason, I remember saying to myself, “Hmm…..the experiment begins.”

What started out as a well pitched and well played game, got a little sloppy towards the end of the game.

Adam Wainwright pitched 7 solid innings striking out 7 and giving up 3 runs, 2 were unearned. Ryan Dempster was able to baffle the Cardinals until the fifth inning when Joe Thurston doubled home Yadier Molina and Khalil Greene.