Current Collection - 1968

So far, just one from this year in the collection: a Jim Palmer, with a crease running right across the center of it, dividing the pitcher's face, in the head and shoulders picture on the card (will get the photo of it uploaded one day).

Front-sheet targets on the wish list:

C- Andy Etchebarren or Ellie Hendricks
1B - Boog Powell
2B - Davey Johnson
SS - Mark Belanger
3B - Brooks Robinson
CF - Paul Blair
RF - Frank Robinson
LF - Curt Blefary or Don Buford
SP - Dave McNally

Difficult choice with the outstanding pitching staff, but McNally was absolutely superb: 22-1- with a 1.95 ERA and 18 complete games. Jim Hardin and Tom Phoebus also excelled, both with ERAs in the mid 2's and combining for 25 complete games. Eddie Watt closed things with 11 saves. Their excellent pitching, holding opponents to fewer than 500 runs for the season, propelled the O's to a 91-71 record and second-place finish.

Don Buford led the O's in hitting, this in the year of the pitcher, turning in a fine season with a .282 average, 15 HRs and 27 SB. The next highest average (for players with more than 100 at bats) was Frank Robinson who had for him a very modest, albeit still productive, season, with only 421 at bats: .268 BA, .390 OBP, .444 SLG. Boog Powell led the team with 22 HRs and 85 RBI. Brooks Robinson was the only other player besides Buford and Robinson to bat over .250 (finishing at .253) and chipped in 17 HRs and 75 RBI.

Rebuilding the Orioles - Backstop to Build Around

In the June 2007 draft, the Orioles selected Matt Wieters with the 5th pick overall. This was shortly before Andy McPhail came on. Wieters came in as a very highly touted player, enough for the O's to draft him that high and take the chance that they could indeed sign him. The switch-hitting catcher had drawn rave reviews going into the draft, for his hitting -- .358 average and .477 on-base percentage in his career at Georgia Tech -- as well as his defensive ability and overall maturity. Many wondered if the O's would shy away from picking him, given his agent is Scott Boras, someone the O's have tended to stay away from.

"I think his defensive ability is going to allow him to move quickly," Orioles's scout Joe Jordan said of Wieters shortly after the draft, whose plus arm allowed him to also serve as closer at Georgia Tech. "We think the bat is just a bat that needs Minor League at-bats. He needs to swing the wooden bat for a while, but everything together, this guy should be on an accelerated pace."

Jordan and Mike Flanagan emphasized that Wieters' defense what attracted them most to the backstop, particularly the way he handled a pitching staff.

"It's not prototypical (his size - 6' 5"), but there are some and there have been some," he said. "This guy's done it for three years in college without any problems. ...He's not a vocal throwback type ... but this guy is a leader."

Source:
Wieters earned reputation as one of college's best pure hitters
By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com
June 7, 2007

First Promotion

Wieters did not stay long at his first stop, Class A ball with the Frederick Keys. Excelling over the first three months, he earned a promotion to AA Bowie.

"'We feel like he's gone a little over half the season now and he has made a tremendous stride with the bat and his catching," said Orioles director of player development David Stockstill. "Teams are no longer pitching to him and because he's not being pitched to, we feel like it's better for his development to move him up to a level with people who are going to challenge him.'

"During his time in Frederick, the Orioles' top 2007 Draft pick was the team-leader in batting average (.342), hits (77), home runs (14), RBIs (38) and walks (43). In 225 at-bats, Wieters also boasted a team-high .560 slugging percentage.

"Although the Orioles have been keeping Wieters on a conservative time line, unwilling to rush his development in the Minor Leagues, Wieters' promotion has been expected for some time. Earlier this month, Keys hitting coach J.J. Cannon said he didn't expect to see Wieters in a Keys uniform much past the June 23-25 All-Star break.

Amanda Comak is an associate reporter for MLB.com. June ??, 2008

Current Collection - 1967

Have a nice start to the 1967 Orioles' set, with two outfielders in place, Frank Robinson and Curt Blefary, and a pitcher whom I had not heard of, Gene Brabender. Robinson and Blefary combined for 52 home runs and 175 RBI that season, though the O's, despite scoring nearly 60 more runs than they gave up (654 for, 592 against), had a mighty fall from their championship season the year before, finishing 76-85. Brabender, for his part, pitched well, starting 15 games and going 6-4 with a tidy 3.35 ERA, including three complete games.

Targeted cards to fill up the first 9-sheet sleeve (to join the two OFs mentioned above):

C - Andy Etchebarren
1B - Boog Powell
2B - Davey Johnson
SS - Luis Aparicio
3B - Brooks Robinson
CF - Paul Blair
SP - Tom Phoebus (RC)*

*Brabender will serve in his spot until Phoebus joins the collection. Phoebus will be slotted for this front-page spot, having had a sensational first season (14-9, 3.33 ERA, 7 CG, 208 IP), winning Rookie Pitcher of the Year.

Collecting those front-page cards will be no easy task, with that formidable lineup. It's difficult to imagine what must've happened that season, with a lineup such as the one above and what looked to be some pretty decent pitching.

For the second and third sheets, targets are (again, will be some challenging ones, especially with an early Palmer card and a rookie Belanger):

OF - Russ Snyder
SS - Mark Belanger (RC)
SP - Pete Richert
SP - Dave McNally
SP - Jim Hardin
SP - Steve Barber
RP/SP - Wally Bunker
SP - Jim Palmer
RP - Moe Drabowski
RP - Eddie Watt
RP - Stu Miller
Mgr - Hank Bauer
C - Larry Haney (RC)
OF - Sam Bowens

Special cards:

Bird Bombers - Powell and Blefary
World Series cards
Team Card
World Champs, with three O's on the dugout steps

Should be a fun group to add to the collection.

Rebuilding the Orioles - Taking Note of the Rays' Success

In May 2008, with the surprising Tampa Bay Rays playing terrific ball and winning, Dave Tremley made mention in a May 25, 2008 article on MLB.com of the similar route the Orioles are taking to hopefully achieve similar results as well as gain the staying power the young Rays also are aiming for. The formula is an oft-heard one: pitching, defense and timely hitting. Tampa Bay continued its success throughout that season, winning the AL East and making to the World Series before losing to the Phillies in five games. As reported on MLB.com:

"Under Andy MacPhail, the O's president of baseball operations who took over during the 2007 season, the Birds have begun to replenish a depleted farm system and shoot for the long-term stability also preached by the Rays executive vice president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman.

Devoid of major market money and big-name superstars, both squads are going back to a pure formula for success: good pitching, solid defense and timely hitting.

'We got two of the three ingredients that you need in order to be successful,' Trembley said. 'We've lost games because we haven't had timely hitting, but the pitching, the defense has allowed us to compete. And [the Rays] have had all three going for a while, and that's what's allowed them to win a majority of their games, especially at home.'"

Brittany Ghiroli is an associate reporter for MLB.com.

Current Collection - 1976

Delighted to find a box of 1976 cards in the attic that I had forgotten was there, and even when seeing it again thought I had scoured pretty thoroughly awhile ago. Still, I had thought it strange prior to finding and going through the box again that I only had two Orioles' cards from that year: a team card and one of Wayne Garland, hands above head ready to swing around and deliver a pitch. At the same time, I had numerous 1976 Cardinals as well as several Red Sox (the two other teams I collect in abundance). Lo and behold, sitting in that box was nearly the team set of 1976 Oriole cards, from all the familiar names like Robinson, Blair, Belanger, Baylor, Bumbry, Palmer; a rookie card of Flanagan; and on and on, even a few I did not recognize, with doubles and sometimes triples to boot!

I had taken a stab at lining up the cards in the 9-sleeve sheet with what I imagined the typical starting lineup was, but found I had mostly gone awry. Correct was Paul Blair in center and Mark Belanger at short; I also had Ken Singleton correct, but it looks as though he played more left field than right (or did he DH a lot that season?), and thus need to re-position him. Al Bumbry could be considered correct being placed on the first sheet, having had 499 at bats in 1976, and thus played as much as, even a little more than Blair.

Where I was surprised was not knowing that Andres Mora was one of the DH's that year, but I do not believe there is a card of him, at least not an Orioles card, for that year, and of course that was Reggie Jackson's one-year adventure with Baltimore, and his card for that year still shows him being on the A's. Tommy Davis and Don Baylor both made the front nine, but neither was on the team that year. I also went with Brooks Robinson at third over Doug DeCinces, but the latter came to bat twice as much as the legend and is one of the cards from the set that I do not have. The other surprise: Dave Duncan did more of the catching than Ellie Hendricks (sentimental choice for first sheet) and Rick Dempsey (no '76 card that I'm aware of, unless there's one of him on the Yankees). Lastly, while I realized Jim Palmer was most likely the ace that year, and he has a terrific in-action card, orange jersey and all, I went with long-time lefty Mike Cuellar, as he cocks to fire to the plate, glove thrown out, eye on target and front foot about to land, all from the Memorial Stadium mound. Having checked though and seen that Palmer had a stellar season (yet another one) and Cuellar was in more of a minor role with his career coming nearing the end, I've installed Palmer in the center of the first sheet.

It was also clear to me that I was missing a second baseman from the set. In this case, Bobby Grich will fill the void once acquired. His '76 card is quite a hoot, a profile view without at hat on that makes him look to me like someone who just stepped off a Hollywood set. And Lee May. I need the Lee May card. The first base bopper hit 25 home runs and drove in 109 runs that year.

Rebuilding the Orioles - MacPhail Discusses Highly Touted Prospects and More

In May 2008 the Orioles launched the Andy MacPhail Online Q&A, exclusively on orioles.com. In this first edition, topics such as international scouting, the draft, and the progress of Jake Arrieta and Matt Wieters are explored.

How has scouting gone in Asian countries lately, and do you expect the Orioles to have a greater presence in signing players from there?

Earlier this year, we named John Stockstill our director of international scouting and immediately set out to significantly increase our presence in Asia. John recently returned from Japan after over three weeks of scouting and plans a return trip this summer. International scouting is an important component of any team's player development and scouting programs, as over one-third of today's Major League players are born outside of the U.S. We are still in the process of determining where our resources can be put to the best use.

Andy, I have read that the 2008 Draft is deeper for hitters than it is for pitchers. What is your philosophy? College versus high school? Hitters versus pitchers?

I think the most important thing to do when making a selection is to make sure you take the best possible prospect. We will not focus on whether the choice fills an organizational need or whether he can get to the Majors faster. We will focus on what player has the highest upside and will be most likely to have the most productive career. While I recognize there is possibly a shortage of top-flight position prospects throughout our Minor League system, my philosophy has always been that you can never have too much pitching. We also need to value defense and look for that in the Draft as well.

What is your opinion of Adam Jones so far this season? Do you think he has a chance to move up in the lineup?

We have been satisfied with Adam's first two months as a Major Leaguer. He has played consistently solid defense in center field and has competed well at the plate. Where he bats in the lineup is up to Dave [Trembley]. We are delighted to have him as a part of our future.

Greetings from Malaysia. Which is the bigger surprise: Daniel Cabrera's performance so far or Jim Johnson's poise?

Cabrera and Johnson have both been key reasons why we have played solid baseball over the first two months. It is a credit to both pitchers that they have made considerable improvement in their performances over the first third of the season. It is also a testament to Dave Trembley and his coaching staff, including [pitching coach] Rick Kranitz, that these two pitchers have had success so far this year. Dave and his staff show a lot of confidence in our players, and, in turn, many of our players seem to be playing with greater confidence in themselves. I think many have been on the lookout for this kind of year from Daniel, so I would rate Jimmy's start as the bigger surprise.

Both Matt Wieters and Jake Arrieta are having outstanding seasons so far in Frederick. When do you feel they will most likely be promoted to Bowie?

Both Matt and Jake are clearly having a great deal of success at Frederick to this point, which has been exciting for all of us to see. But it is important to remember that these two players, who we hope will both factor into the long-term success of the organization, have not even played two months of professional baseball yet. [Director of player development] Dave [Stockstill] and I are always reviewing and discussing what is going on in the Minor Leagues, and I will not be shy about moving players along when we feel it is in the best interest of the players involved, as well as in the organization's best interest.

Current Collection - 1966

Just one card so far from 1966, the year of the Orioles first World Series victory. The card is of pitcher Steve Barber and tells us that "The lefty finished the '65 season with a flourish, winning 9 of his last 11 starts." In that year, the card adds, "Steve pitched three three-hitters." At the time, Steve was the only Oriole pitcher who had won 20 games. This is illustrated on the back of the card, with a a cartoon of a pitcher straining to push a baseball twice his size, with the number 20 on it.

I do have another card, depicting the 1966 Series, a Fleer '71 perhaps, not sure. On the front is a cartoon of the Oriole bird zipping in a pitch, with a big 0.50 ERA - that what they finished the '66 Series with - dominating the face of the ball.

Cards on the wish list, at least of the starting lineup, key reserves and core pitching, to fill two 9-sleeve sheets perfectly:

C - Andy Etchebarren
1B - Boog Powell
2B - Davey Johnson
SS - Luis Aparacio
3B - Brooks Robinson
LF - Curt Blefary
CF - Paul Blair
RF - Frank Robinson

Key reserves:

OF - Russ Synder
OF - Sam Bowens
IF - Bob Johnson

Pitching:

SP - Dave McNally
SP - Jim Palmer
SP - Wally Bunker
RP - Stu Miller
RP/SP - Eddie Watt
RP - Moe Drabowsky

How about Moe Drabowsky's performance in the first game of the 1966 World Series, relieving McNally in the third inning and going on to complete the game, giving up one hit(?) and striking out 11 batters, using mostly fast balls - a strategy O's pitchers would use - exceptionally well - the rest of the series.

Rebuilding the Orioles - Albers' Early Days

In this article from MLB.com in April 2008, as the Orioles turn to Matt Albers to start the next game and keep the team in first place, Dave Trembley talks about the advice he gives to young pitchers like Albers and Garrett Olson. Basically, he tells them, keep it simple and just pitch. Don't try to figure everything out.

BALTIMORE -- If his current managerial gig doesn't pan out, Baltimore skipper Dave Trembley might have a career as a self-help guru. Whether he's espousing the power of positive thinking or the notion that a player controls his own destiny, Trembley's folksy ruminations seem to resonate with the Orioles.
Garrett Olson listened Tuesday, as Trembley implored him to pitch within himself in his 2008 debut against the Tampa Bay Rays.

"Just keep it simple -- just get on the mound and pitch," Trembley said of his pregame instructions to the 24-year-old Olson, a notorious nibbler during seven unspectacular starts in 2007. "Quit trying to figure it all out. Quit trying to analyze things. Quit trying to do too much. Quit trying to be perfect."

Olson listened and prospered, but Trembley could have been talking about any of the Orioles' young pitchers, including Matt Albers, one of the four pitchers acquired from Houston in the Miguel Tejada trade in December and Wednesday's spot starter.

Albers spent Spring Training telling observers that he wasn't viewing each outing as a make-or-break opportunity to impress. He's carried that philosophy into the regular season, where he's emerged as a reliable option out of the bullpen and a swingman capable of starting when he's needed. Suddenly, the Orioles -- in first place in the American League East by percentage points over Boston -- are turning to him to keep them atop the division.

"I don't think they're looking for me to do anything different than I have been doing," Albers said. "They want me to go out there and battle and compete, and that's what I'm going to do."

"Probably the easy thing to do is doubt yourself," Trembley said. "The hard thing to do is you have to trust who you are and what you have. It's a different ballgame when they turn those lights on out there and you're facing Major League hitters. A lot of it just comes back to experience. We saw guys come up last year and obviously the ability was there but they weren't polished."

Trembley's down-home philosophy extends past the mound. He thinks the departure of infielder Brandon Fahey -- who was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk in a roster shakeup Tuesday after splitting time at shortstop with Luis Hernandez -- might give Hernandez some much-needed breathing room.

It's one thing to tell a struggling player not to press; it's another to remove seemingly all obstacles to his success and let him grow into a position.

Hernandez was practically handed the starting shortstop job in Spring Training, only to find himself in a dogfight with Fahey, who the organization viewed as a utility man. Hernandez struggled at the plate and was shaky in the field. But Trembley has seen recent improvement in the 23-year-old, whose two hits on Tuesday pulled his average up to .245.

Said Trembley: "If anything, this will give Luis Hernandez, for the next 12 days or so, who he is. ... I've seen him get somewhat better. ... If Luis Hernandez gets a shot, maybe we'll see the Luis Hernandez we saw last year. I've seen glimpses of it."

Rebuilding the Orioles - One Game at a Time

In Dave Trembley's first full season at the helm of the Orioles, in 2008, his charges started out fast, building an unexpected 15-11 record to stay near the top of the AL East. The skipper, while keeping it in perspective, wanted to focus on what the team was doing right rather than how unexpected it may have been. He re-emphasized his focus on "team, attitude, fundamentals, do it right, stick together." Here's an April 2008 report from MLB.com.

BALTIMORE -- When Orioles manager Dave Trembley was asked if he felt surprised by his team's early success, the normally sunny skipper became surly for a second.
Trembley has been asked several times during the Orioles' good start if he felt the early wins were proving the so-called "experts" wrong. That's when the skipper voiced his opinion.

"You know, with all due respect, I don't listen to that, and I don't care who predicted what," Trembley said. "This team has played as well as could be expected. They've played hard; they've competed; they've won one-run games; they've come from behind. We've had contributions from a whole lot of different people. Let's start getting a little bit of credit instead of that other [stuff], how terrible we are, no one expected anything."

The Orioles started Wednesday's game with Tampa Bay tied with Boston for first place in the American League East. Baltimore was percentage points ahead of the Red Sox (.577-.571) with a 15-11 record; Boston is 16-12.

Trembley said he's keeping things very simple for this year's team. He wants the Orioles, a young team admittedly in the midst of a rebuilding process, to take things one game at a time.

"Team, attitude, fundamentals, do it right, stick together, don't let anybody tell you you can't," Trembley said. "The team has been tremendous. I'm not surprised. I know they're winning the fans over."

Trembley likes how the Orioles have gotten a little help from a lot of places. The starting pitching has been getting better, most notably Daniel Cabrera and Brian Burres. The bullpen has remained strong, and they've gotten enough timely hitting to win.

"I think you have to give them credit," Trembley said. "We may fall flat on our face; when we do, I'll eat it ... and I'll deal with that. Expectations are, we didn't say we're going to win the World Series, but our expectations were we were going to compete; we were going to play hard, establish an identity, do things right and try to take it one game at a time, and I think we've done that."

Trembley wants the entire team to contribute, something he's talked about all season. He's hoping to see some of that in Wednesday's game by giving right fielder Nick Markakis a day off and moving struggling left fielder Luke Scott into the No. 3 spot.

Trembley also rested first baseman Kevin Millar a couple of days ago. He made it clear that he wants everyone on the team to have a role and understand it, so contributions can come from many places.

And that's what's made Trembley very happy so far.

It's also what's proved the "experts" wrong.

"These guys have pride," Trembley said. "They don't want to be embarrassed. [But] it's been fun, good fun."

Jeff Seidel is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Rebuilding the Orioles - Building upon Young, Power Arms

This article appeared on MLB.com in March 2008, shortly before the first full season with Andy MacPhail in the GM seat. A poignant point from what the Orioles had done since really beginning the true rebuilding process during that off-season came from Kevin Millar: "It's all about pitching -- young arms and power arms -- and this organization may have been caught short, but what they've done since is phenomenal." Interestingly, though, at the time of the forecasted 2008 season, it was the arms of D. Cabrera, A. Loewen and R. Liz that were to be the immediate future building blocks. Last season, and heading into the season, that has changed dramatically - and offers much more hope - with the likes of B. Matusz, C. Tillman, and K. Patton (shown here), among others, expected to be the foundation. The 2010 season will be a great gauge to Millar's assessment of two years ago.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Rebuilding. It may not be a dirty word, but it took a long time to be admitted into the acceptable usage portion of the Orioles' vernacular. Baltimore has gone 10 straight seasons without a winning record and has only begun to rationalize a complete restructuring as opposed to a perpetual tweaking of the roster's rough edges.

The Orioles have played 153 games under .500 for the last decade, but nearly every winter has brought a new collection of free agents designed to push Baltimore over the edge. That strategy finally changed under the stewardship of Andy MacPhail, a lifelong Orioles fan who was named the team's president of baseball operations last summer.

MacPhail didn't just rush in with a wrecking ball, though. He spent time analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the organization before he came to a hard-and-fast conclusion of what he should do next.

"I tried to stay fairly objective until the season was over, and right after the season we tried to get an overview of everything," he said recently. "Player development, amateur scouting and pro scouting, our Major League club, our Major League financial commitments going forward. I tried to make a realistic assessment of our division and what it was going to take to win. Then I made a presentation to ownership that didn't necessarily have recommendations at that time.

"I just tried to be as accurate, analytical and objective as to where we were, and it wasn't until after we made that presentation that we decided to embark on a plan where we gave up known commodities that could help teams in 2008 in exchange for players we hope and believe will make us better into our long-range future."

That plan went into effect quite easily, and the Orioles turned two of their most talented players -- veteran stars Miguel Tejada and Erik Bedard -- into 10 players that could potentially help their team for years to come. Second baseman Brian Roberts may also be dealt eventually, and MacPhail made it clear that he never really saw another alternative.

"I'm certainly not aware of any other way that we could've done it and realistically thought that we were going to contend. Sometimes you've got to get worse before you can get better," he said. "Everybody knows about the Yankees and Red Sox. But after watching the competition and seeing some of the pitching the Blue Jays have and some of the young position players the Rays have, the conclusion I think you can reach is you're not going to have everything work out just right, win 88 games and get to the postseason in this division. It's going to take more than that."

Baltimore has rarely come to that conclusion before, choosing instead to add veterans in an effort to get better. Much of the team's current core -- Aubrey Huff, Jay Payton, Ramon Hernandez and Kevin Millar, among others -- was acquired as free agents and only two of the starting position players (Roberts and Nick Markakis) are products of the farm system.

Baltimore has had more recent success with developing pitchers, but there hasn't been enough to sustain a winning team. Frankly, the Orioles knew they had to focus more on their farm system, even if they had to punt on 2008 to do it.

"What's gone on here had to happen, and Andy MacPhail made the totally accurate statement that we were stuck in neutral," said Millar. "With or without Erik Bedard and with or without Miguel Tejada, we were in fourth place. I think the bottom line when you look at this organization is there was no foundation. When we lost a few guys at the big league level, who could we call up? It wasn't a matter of buying into it. You just knew that this was the only way to get better."

Not everyone agrees with that philosophy. Melvin Mora, one of the longest-serving members of the team, said that he's seen quite a bit of turnover and nothing to show for it. Mora, who's under contract through the 2009 season and holds a no-trade clause, listed a few names of prominent teammates who have been traded for little or no gain.

"You're talking about two guys and calling it rebuilding," he said of the current movement. "Of course it's a big deal when you get rid of a guy like Miguel Tejada or Erik Bedard, but it's also a big deal when you get 10 players for those guys. That could happen to me or to anybody, but it's not like they're rebuilding the whole club and getting rid of everybody.

"You know when I called it rebuilding? When Will Clark was here, B.J. Surhoff was here, Brady Anderson and Delino DeShields were here. Sammy Sosa and Rafael Palmeiro were here. Charles Johnson and Harold Baines were here. Then they left and we rebuilt. The only thing is if the team gets good offers. If they do, then it can happen to anybody."

MacPhail has said that he doesn't like to put a timeframe on the rebuilding project, but his players are clearly hoping it will happen quickly. The Orioles will get an immediate impact from offseason acquisitions like Luke Scott, George Sherrill and Adam Jones, but there's even more hope for prospects like Troy Patton and Chris Tillman down the road.

"When you bring in young guys, you bring in a lot of energy. The veteran guys have to try to help them, but it's a good mix," said Hernandez. "Maybe it will take two or three years. And we're going to lose some games, but we're going to come out and try to beat everybody. Whoever's going to beat us is going to have to come out and play the game right."

"It's all about pitching -- young arms and power arms -- and this organization may have been caught short, but what they've done since is phenomenal," added Millar. "When you use a word like rebuilding, you have to be careful because that's almost an excuse to lose. But if you create a winning attitude right now, that's different. We can beat anybody on any night.

"Are we going to go through our lumps? Of course we are. But you can create the attitude with the young players and teach them how to go out there, and then you look down the road to when you're right back in the hunt."

MacPhail, who has presided over renovation jobs with the Twins and Cubs, terms his tenure with the Orioles as a "labor of love." But make no mistake about it: He's serious about turning around his favorite team from childhood.

"I think our chief goal is to try to really make a significant investment in the infrastructure," he said. "Judge us by our actions, not our words. We have a brand new complex opening up in the Dominican Republic. We've created an international scouting department. We're going to roll out a new video system for our players and their instruction. We've invested over $7 million in our amateur draft for the first two picks last year. We haven't made any secrets of our course."

Rebuilding the Orioles - Kranitz Takes over as Pitching Coach

In October 2007, the Orioles named Rick Kranitz as pitching coach, replacing legendary guru Leo Mazzone, whose short stint in Baltimore was not nearly as successful as his long tenure in Atlanta - then again he wasn't calling on Maddux, Smoltz and Glavine year after year in his most recent gig. Kranitz, with a history of working successfully with young pitchers, was brought in to share his expertise with mechanics and ability to communicate well. Now entering his third season as O's pitching coach, it figures to be a pivotal one for him, with the many promising young arms now looking to make an impact at the Major League level. Here's the story from October 2007 on MLB.com, announcing the hiring of Kranitz, and a follow-up one early in Spring Training 2008 about his being "a perfect fit for the youngsters."

BALTIMORE -- The Orioles filled one of their few remaining high-profile coaching slots on Wednesday when they reached a deal with former Florida pitching coach Rick Kranitz. Kranitz, who spent the last two seasons with the Marlins, will be replacing veteran coach Leo Mazzone, with whom the Orioles severed ties last week.
"Leo was a good pitching coach, but I believe for what we're going to do and the direction were going, Rick Kranitz is the right guy for the Baltimore Orioles," said manager Dave Trembley, who was instrumental in the hiring. "What he brings to us is a level of expertise in mechanics [and] the ability to adapt to a whole lot of different styles of pitching. He's a real good communicator, which is something I think is going to be real important. We basically have a real young pitching staff."

Kranitz, who was named Baseball America's Major League Coach of the Year in 2006, previously spent 22 years coaching in the Chicago Cubs organization. He has a common background with three men with whom he'll be working in Baltimore -- Trembley, bullpen coach Alan Dunn and Andy MacPhail, the team's president of baseball operations.

All three worked in Chicago for a substantial period of time, and Kranitz calls his new working conditions an "absolute perfect fit." He is intrigued by Baltimore's young rotation and excited to get to work.

"I know Andy and I know Dave. I know what they can do," Kranitz said, crediting Dunn later in the conversation. "I really feel like in a sense I'm returning home, even though I'm thousands of miles away from Phoenix. I didn't talk to Dave during the season, but once we started our conversations again, it was like we never stopped talking."

Trembley, who managed in Chicago's organization from 1994 to 2002, had previously stated that his staff would be filled by people he could pick. Dunn, who was hired in August, was the first piece of the staff's restructuring.

The Orioles have announced that hitting coach Terry Crowley will return next year, but there should be a new bench coach and first-base coach.

"My first priority was to fill the pitching coach slot. I thought that was key and most crucial," Trembley said of the team's prompt and efficient hiring process. "Mr. MacPhail has been tremendous with me. He's allowed me to give him names I'm interested in, and he'll either say 'Yes' or 'No' to me. He hasn't said 'No' yet. The next two slots we have, we'll fill with the best available guys that we can. I'll get input from Mr. MacPhail and we'll go from there."

Kranitz was offered a chance to remain in Florida in his previous capacity, but he elected to pursue this opportunity. He began his coaching career in 1984 with the Cubs' rookie-level affiliate in Pikeville and steadily moved through the farm system. He has also managed for one season and served as a Minor League pitching coordinator.

The Florida job was his first full-time Major League stint as a pitching coach, and he got it because of another former Cub -- ex-Marlins manager Joe Girardi, who was dismissed after the 2006 season. Kranitz considered staying with the Marlins for another season and would have liked more time to make up his mind, but ultimately, he thought that he made the right choice.

"It was a very tough decision for me because I had a lot of great relationships over there," he said. "I had a great young pitching staff, [but] I just felt like I wanted to see what other opportunities were out there for me. It was a very hard decision. Let's just leave it at that."

The Marlins thrived under Kranitz in 2006, posting the fifth-best ERA (4.37) in the National League. Four rookies won at least 10 games for Florida that season, which was a first in big-league history. Those starters stumbled this season, but Kranitz led the team's relief staff to a 4.02 ERA, the third-best mark in franchise history.

Kranitz doesn't know too much about Baltimore's pitching depth but is excited to work with Erik Bedard, Daniel Cabrera and Jeremy Guthrie. He also said that he didn't see them pitch last season -- unless you count Spring Training, when he was quite clearly preoccupied with making sure his own pitchers were prepared for the season.

"I've talked to Dave about a few of these guys. Absolutely, I'm looking forward to working with the young guys. We had a whole host of them in Florida," he said. "You really have to get to know the individual you're working with.

"Communication to me is essential. It's not easy to pitch in the big leagues, and it's not easy to pitch in the division we're in. What I bring is, I know, a good work ethic. I will be a tireless worker. I believe in preparation."

Trembley said that those two factors -- communication and preparation -- were among the reasons he considered Kranitz the perfect fit. Kranitz said that he won't work to a specific philosophy as much as he'll tailor his tutelage to each pitcher's strength, and he said that he's always thought a pitching coach should serve as the manager's "right-hand man."

"I'm just absolutely thrilled," he said. "I know our styles work real good together. I'm just very anxious to get started."

New pitching coach spent two decades as Minor League coach
By Spencer Fordin / MLB.com

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Rick Kranitz doesn't wear his legacy on his arm in the form of a colored tattoo, and he doesn't mention the many pitchers he's tutored when you ask him about his current crop. Kranitz, the Orioles' new pitching coach, seems to be an understated teacher and a fitting counterpoint to his predecessor, Leo Mazzone.

Mazzone, who wore a "14 straight" tattoo to commemorate the record 14 consecutive division titles he won with Atlanta, was let go last winter in one of the first moves that foreshadowed Baltimore's rebuilding movement. Once that became official, manager Dave Trembley began pondering who he'd like to take over and kept on coming back to Kranitz.

When asked why he had Kranitz in mind, Trembley ticks off a list of flattering attributes.

"His demeanor. The fact that he doesn't try to clone anybody," Trembley said on Sunday. "He works with what he has. He's flexibile in his personality [and] he's a very good teacher. He's been in the Minor Leagues for a long time, so he's had to deal with a lot of different personalities. He had to learn his craft with patience. Plus I know Kranny and I trust him."

Kranitz, who spent the past two seasons as Florida's pitching coach, earned his stripes over 22 seasons as a Minor League coach with the Cubs. That's where he met Trembley and Andy MacPhail, Baltimore's president of baseball operations, and more important, it's where he learned how to coax the best results out of young pitchers.

That was a huge part of the job description with the Marlins and will be again in Baltimore, where the Orioles are trying to rebuild around a host of young pitchers. Kranitz knows that his status will be tied to the development of arms like Adam Loewen, Daniel Cabrera and Jeremy Guthrie -- among others -- and he sees no reason not to expect the best.

"Just because they're young doesn't mean they can't be successful. I'm not going to use that as a crutch," Kranitz said. "We can all compete on every pitch, and that's what I expect, whether you're a first-year guy or a 15-year veteran like Steve Trachsel. The approach still needs to be the same.

"My big thing is I want these guys to make sure they're prepared and ready to go when they walk out there. If they're not, then I haven't done my job. I think, for the most part, a lot of these guys are ready to go."

If you don't count Trachsel -- who has more wins (and losses) than any other Baltimore starter has decisions -- the Orioles' projected rotation has just a 55-60 career record. Most of those decisions come from the enigmatic Cabrera, but Kranitz will be equally charged with nurtuting Loewen and helping to make sure that Guthrie can repeat his success.

Kranitz lost the use of a functioning ace last month, when the Orioles dealt southpaw Erik Bedard to Seattle. The fifth starter is as yet undetermined, but will likely come from a pool of high caliber but lightly tested pitching prospects. Still, the coach can see several good arms who seem to need a road map to get to where they need to be.

"The veteran guys know themselves a lot better. They know what they can do and they know the league," he said, underlining the difference in coaching approach. "It just comes down to the ability to make pitches a lot of times. A young guy -- a first- or second-year guy -- still has to figure out what their stuff can do and how they can use it."

Guthrie said he got that precise kind of education and tutelage from Mazzone, but he's confident that Kranitz can help him continue his upward trajectory. Even without Bedard, Guthrie thinks the staff can be successful.

"I don't think there's any more pressure. Everyone needs to go out there and do the best they can," Guthrie said. "I think everyone understands that the majority of us are very young and still learning."

Kranitz is still learning his craft at the big league level, but like Trembley, he can use his Minor League foundation to build a Major League resume. He's used the first two weeks of camp to get to know his pitchers -- both on the field and off -- and said he has a better early feel for the Orioles than he did during the beginning stages of his Florida tenure.

Kranitz will know even more once the Grapefruit League season begins and he can see how pitchers react to game situations, but for now, he's thankful for the opportunity and mindful of all the miles he's put on to get here.

"When you're starting your career as a coach at the lowest level, it's a very surreal experience. You never know where you're going to end up sometimes," said Kranitz of his time in the Minor Leagues. "The next thing you know, you're there and you're doing it. But you'd better be ready when you get the opportunity, and that's the whole thing."

Kranitz said he doesn't know enough about Mazzone to know how their approaches differ, and he said he wasn't worried about changing anything the pitchers wanted to keep. He also said that he'll adapt his routine to each individual pitcher and has even said that sometimes he'll have pitchers throw twice between starts, just like Mazzone liked to do.

When it gets down to business, though, it's the pitchers that have to execute. Guthrie, the odds-on favorite to start on Opening Day, said that he's thankful for having come across each of his last two pitching coaches and eager to put their instructions into action on the mound.

"I think they can offer different aspects of teaching and pitching and have different approaches," he said. "We'll see if the approach that Kranitz has will be more effective with younger pitchers than Leo has. I'm sure there is some experience or some history in his past that would indicate that he is better suited for a staff that has some young kids that need some day-to-day mechanical work and talking. I think that's why he's here this year."

Rebuilding the Orioles - Holding on to Brian Roberts

With both Miguel Tejada and Eric Bedard being traded, speculation was rife that Brian Roberts also would soon be moved, with the likely target being the Cubs. That was in early 2008. Speculation continued off and on throughout over the past year or two. But here we are, nearing Spring Training 2010, and B. is still entrenched at 2nd base and top of the order for the Orioles, with an increasingly promising supporting cast around him. The article below appeared on MLB.com in February 2008.

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Brian Roberts has long been regarded as one of the most eloquent players in baseball, an infielder who speaks with the rare polish of a politician.

That diplomacy was tested to its limit Tuesday, when Roberts arrived for Spring Training and addressed the trade rumors swirling around him and whether he'd like to remain with the Orioles.

Roberts made note of the team's rebuilding movement, touching on the twin trades of staff ace Erik Bedard and shortstop Miguel Tejada. After those moves -- and the rumors surrounding him -- he's just not sure how he fits.

"It's just a touchy situation because I love the Orioles," he said. "I've been here since Day 1 and I do want to see this organization win. I've always said that. I made a commitment when I signed my deal.

"But certainly, on the other hand, when you see two of your best players gone [and] a lot of unknowns come in -- very talented I'm sure, but young still nonetheless. The organization essentially has conceded -- not quote unquote -- but we probably won't win for a couple of years. It's hard to swallow at first, but I'm here. Wherever I am Opening Day, I'll do my job."

That much was never in issue, but Roberts still refused to come out and say whether he wanted to be traded or stay with Baltimore until the end of his contract. When asked again -- this time in rather blunt fashion -- Roberts came a little closer to full disclosure and also said that the Orioles have kept him in the loop throughout the process.

"Obviously, everybody wants to win. That's the bottom line," he said. "Fans have to understand. I think anybody would understand in this profession -- that's what we train for, that's what we play for, that's what we're working for. Would it be bittersweet in a lot of ways [to be traded]? Yeah, of course. It would be hard to leave here. It would be weird to leave here. But an opportunity to win in the right situation, I don't think anybody would necessarily argue against it."

The hottest potential destination for Roberts appears to be the Chicago Cubs, who have been involved in rumored trades for the two-time All-Star since the Winter Meetings. The Cubs are also the former team of Andy MacPhail, Baltimore's president of baseball operations. MacPhail said Tuesday that more than one team is in on Roberts.

"I'm not a big one for speculating about names. I don't really like the idea that players have to read their names in the paper," said MacPhail. "To me, there's family issues [and] there's personal issues I'd rather not put them through. If it were up to me that stuff would not become public knowledge. ... You guys do a good job ferreting this stuff out. It is what it is."

Both MacPhail and Roberts agreed on one key point. Roberts has not, to this point, requested a trade.

"He was very careful and respectful not to really voice any trade demand or anything of that nature," said MacPhail of a recent meeting. "He was obviously -- as you can imagine -- curious, and I did my best to fill him in."

"I would never call this organization and say I want to be traded [or] I need to be traded," Roberts said. "I signed a contract. I signed a deal. I understand when I make a commitment, that's what I'm here for. No, I haven't done that. I won't do that. But as I said earlier, you want to win. That's the bottom line."

Player Spotlight - Scott McGregor

Scott McGregor pitched for the Orioles from 1976 through 1987. Some snippets from his career:

- Was a high school teammate of George Brett

- Drafted by the Yankees in 1972

- Tied for Eastern League lead with 12 wins at West Have in 1973

- He was acquired in a trade by the Orioles in June 1976. In that same trade the O's also acquired Rudy May, Tippy Martinez, Rick Dempsey and Dave Pagan for Doyle Alexander, Ellie Hendricks, Grant Jackson and Jimmy Freeman.

- Named International League's top lefty at Rochester for 1976 season

- Appeared in 29 games for the O's in 1977, pitching 114 innings and earning 4 saves

- Won 7 straight games in 7 consecutive appearances beginning on April 24, 1978. Retired the first 20 Royals in August 9, 1978 game. On September 5, 1978, was credited with a save against the Red Sox without throwing a pitch, picking a runner off 1st base

- Pitched well in the post-season (1979 and 1983): In the ALCS he "went 1-1 with a sparkling 0.57 ERA, including an 8-0, 6-hit shutout over the Angels on October 6, 1979, to to wrap up the ALCS. and in World Series competition he was 2-2 with a 2.12 ERA." (from 1989 baseball card). Won game 5 (final game) of 1983 World Series, shutting out the Phillie 5-0.

- Pitched 1-0 shutout vs the Yankees on August 17, 1980. 20th win of season came in last game of the season, a victory over the Indians on October 5, 1980.

- Was a school teacher during the off-season

- May 20, Shut out Twins; June 8, no earned runs, complete game; July 28, hurled 8 innings for 2-1 victory vs. White Sox (what year?)

- Missed final month of 1984 season with a broken finger

- From 1979 to 1985, had the second highest winning percentage in baseball.

- Ranked first in wins on Orioles in '85 (with 14)

- Going into 1986 season, had thrown only one wild pitch in more than 3 seasons

- First major league win: 4-20-77; first shutout: 9-7-77; first shutout: 5-21-78

- Career record: 138-105, 3.95 ERA, 2,124 IP, 894 Ks, 511 BBs

Rebuilding the Orioles - Micklio Makes Debut

Kam Micklio was one of the four pitchers acquired for Eric Bedard, and one of the two out five players who it took a long time for the O's and Mariners to agree on. This article appeared on MLB.com in August 2009. It should be noted that one person wrote in to say that Micklio had actually made his first appearance in 2008.

BALTIMORE -- Making their third amendment to their bullpen this week on Wednesday, the Orioles called up right-hander Kam Mickolio from Triple-A Norfolk to fill the space left vacant Tuesday evening when Baltimore put its closer, George Sherrill, on the 15-day disabled list.

Mickolio has a 1.50 ERA with 20 strikeouts in 18 innings at Norfolk since being promoted from Double-A Bowie on July 7. The 24-year-old was 2-1 with a 4.70 ERA at Bowie earlier this season.

"We need help in the bullpen, and that's what he'll be," said manager Dave Trembley. "I'm not at liberty to tell you if it'll be in the fifth inning, sixth inning, seventh inning, setup guy, closer, short guy this and that. He's a bullpen guy, so we'll leave it at that."

Mickolio found out about his first big league callup on Tuesday night and admitted that nerves were very much a part of his initial emotions.

"It's very exciting," Mickolio said. "I'm still trying to figure out how to control my emotions right now. Just got done with my first [pitchers' fielding practice] session, so it feels like I got a little bit of the nerves out of the way. But I've still got them."

Mickolio, who attributed the improvement in his numbers from Bowie to Norfolk to mechanical improvements in his delivery, literally, but likely not figuratively, fills Sherrill's spot in the bullpen, bringing his 6-foot-9 frame and unique delivery to the table.

"We kind of thought he'd be here by September if he progressed accordingly," Trembley said of his initial impressions of Mickolio in Spring Training, just after he came over from Seattle with Sherrill and Adam Jones in the Erik Bedard trade. "I think both of our pitching coaches at Double-A and Triple-A did a real nice job with him, and he's a guy that we're glad to have. I'm going to use him.

"He was very good against right-handed hitters. He's got movement. Arm angle is a little different, obviously his size, I think, factors into it, [he has] late life on his pitches. Obviously, he's very excited -- not too many guys from Montana get to come to the big leagues, and he's here for the first time and we're glad to have him."

Rebuilding the Orioles - Big Haul for Bedard

In February 2008, the Orioles made their second major trade in the MacPhail regime, this time sending ace lefty Eric Bedard for four pitchers and outfielder Adam Jones. George Sherrill immediately paid dividends by nailing down the closer role; Jones made the all-star team in his second season with the O's, knocking in the winning run with a clutch sacrifice fly in the late innings; and Chris Tillman made it into the rotation during the latter half of last season. The following article appeared on MLB.com in Februrary 2008, announcing the trade.

BALTIMORE -- The soap opera surrounding Erik Bedard's team affiliation finally ended with a logical conclusion Friday, when the Orioles completed a long-rumored deal that sent their staff ace to Seattle in exchange for five prospects. Center fielder Adam Jones, who unwittingly set off the alarm nearly two weeks ago, was the centerpiece of the deal.
Baltimore also received left-handed reliever George Sherrill and three Minor League pitching prospects, including Chris Tillman, Seattle's reigning Minor League Pitcher of the Year, southpaw starter Tony Butler and right-handed reliever Kam Mickolio

Andy MacPhail, Baltimore's president of baseball operations, broke the trade down fairly easily.

"It was important to Seattle to get better in 2008, so we had to construct a deal that didn't really detract from their 2008 [team]," he said. "It really had to be something where we were giving up more of a known commodity. ... In exchange, we felt we had to get meaningful players that could be big contributors to us over a long period of time.

"We understand that with prospects, they're just that. There's no guarantee, and that's why bulk is important -- that's why you get five. This is the second transaction in which we were able to turn one player into [several]."

With that last comment, MacPhail was referring to the Miguel Tejada trade, which took place back in December. That deal set the rebuilding process in motion, and Baltimore set its sights on moving forward by trading Bedard.

The trade was reported, re-reported and analyzed extensively by several news sources over the 12 days, thanks largely to Jones admitting on the record to a Venezuelan reporter two Sundays ago that the deal was done before it had been offically consummated. That sent officials from both clubs into denial mode, and the story soon found itself out of control.

There were rumors that ownership had nixed the deal and that Jones had a medical condition causing the hangup, and there was also a credible report that the Orioles were making a last-ditch effort to sign Bedard before they traded him. In the end, the initial reports were the closest to the truth, but it took two weeks for that to become evident.

"I was just trying to let everybody know what was going on at the time, all the info I had," Jones said Friday. "It blew up quickly and everybody found out about it. ... I'm just glad nobody got hurt from it and we can move forward."

"I've been privately critical of journalism, in quotes," said MacPhail of the last two weeks. "This is a big move, and both teams needed to satisfy themselves and go through the medical protocol. Even after the 27th, you're talking about a good week before it [could've been] completed. So it took an extra week. In the grand scheme of things, whether the deal gets done Feb. 2 or Feb. 8, what matters is did both teams get what they were hoping to get in this deal?

"I do think its unfortunate that we had to go through a slew of rumors. We might've had a variety of about 10-to-12 scenarios, which by definition, even if somebody had it right on, 11 of them were wrong. We had secret negotiations going on in the backdrop, we had villains and none of that was accurate."

Baltimore manager Dave Trembley said that while it was disconcerting to wait through the process, he understood why it was happening and that his team would be better once everything was completed.

"It was a long and meticulous process. There were definitely certain stages that it had to go through," he said when reached by cell phone Friday afternoon. "There was definitely a protocol that had to be followed. There was a lot of thought that goes into these things and there's a lot of information-gathering that takes place.

"I think with anything of this magnitude, you take your time on it because you want to get it done right."

Even with the Bedard and Tejada trades done, the Orioles may still be looking at more transactions. Baltimore is also believed to be attempting to trade second baseman Brian Roberts, giving the team a complete facelift. The Cubs are the most frequently rumored destination for Roberts, who was Baltimore's only All-Star last season.

Bedard went 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA and set a franchise record for strikeouts last year (221). He'll also leave the Orioles without a true ace, but Baltimore has several younger arms capable of earning a back-end slot. The three starters with guaranteed jobs -- Jeremy Guthrie, Adam Loewen and Daniel Cabrera -- have combined for a 55-60 career record.

"You don't ever want to see Bedard leave, but it's just part of the business," said first baseman Kevin Millar. "You hear everybody say you're going to trade two players now and get nine or 10 players back. You're hoping that the scouting and everything you've done works out. Maybe there's a Francisco Liriano or a Scott Kazmir in there."

Jones, who hit .314 with 25 home runs and 84 RBIs for Triple-A Tacoma, was named Seattle's Minor League Player of the Year last season. That was the second time he's earned that designation. Jones, who's often compared to ex-Twins center fielder Torii Hunter, made his big league debut before his 21st birthday and has hit .230 in 139 Major League at-bats.

Trembley said he expects Jones to be the everyday center fielder from the moment he arrives at the team's Spring Training camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., but he's not sure where Jones fits in the batting order yet.

"Before getting cornered and saying something definite, I'd like to get him acclimated to being in the organization," he said. "I'd like all our coaches to take a look. He'll be in the lineup somewhere, but I just don't know where now."

"In the grand scheme of things, whether the deal gets done Feb. 2 or Feb. 8, what matters is did both teams get what they were hoping to get in this deal?"
-- Andy MacPhail, president of baseball operations

"We believe that Adam Jones -- if he isn't already now -- is going to grow into a great defender," MacPhail said. "I know that Adam's kind of the marquee name in the beginning of all this, but I just want to get this out. We have to understand that Adam is just 22 years old. He's been compared a lot, sometimes favorably to Torii Hunter.

"If you go back in Torii's career, when he was 22 he was hitting .231 for New Britain. Let's not put the expectations on this kid. Like any player, you have to make certain adjustments once you get to the big leagues."

Tillman, Seattle's Minor League Pitcher of the Year, has averaged nearly 10 strikeouts per nine innings in the Minor Leagues. The former second-round Draft pick made 20 starts in the offense-friendly California League last year, notching a 6-7 record and a 5.26 ERA. The 19-year-old rung up 105 strikeouts and walked 48 batters for Class A High Desert.

Sherrill is the early favorite to serve as the team's closer next year, and Baltimore will add him to situational relievers Chad Bradford and Jamie Walker to help settle a bullpen filled with inexperienced arms.

"I want to get there early so I can throw a bullpen on Monday," he said. "It's definitely a sigh of relief to have it done, one way or the other. It's now a matter of being in a new division. I am not sure what role they want me to be in. We haven't discusssed that. I hate to leave Seattle, but this will be a new challenge and I'm looking forward to it."

Mickolio and Butler were the final two names in the trade, and MacPhail said they were part of the reason this trade took so long to complete. Seattle and Baltimore began talking as far back as the Winter Meetings, but the trade was never conceptually finished until the Mariners began to budge on adding two more names.

"[Seattle general manager Bill Bavasi] was thinking that this was going to be a 3-for-1 in the beginning, and that's not where we were going," said MacPhail. "He did a good job holding on to those assets that he thought was important to his franchise to hold onto, and that's why [it took so long]. We agreed to the first three names fairly quickly, but getting the fourth and fifth names out of him was like getting water out of a stone.

"It really wasn't until the end of January that we found an intersection of our self-interests to make the deal."

Rebuilding the Orioles - Parting with Miggy

This article was published on MLB.com in December 2007 to announce the trade of Miguel Tejada to the Astros, the first big step in Andy MacPhail's rebuilding of the Orioles.

BALTIMORE - The inevitability that's lingered over Baltimore for two years finally became a reality on Wednesday, when the Orioles traded former All-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada to the Astros for five players.
The Orioles acquired outfielder Luke Scott, pitchers Troy Patton, Matt Albers and Dennis Sarfate, and third baseman Mike Costanzo from the Astros in a blockbuster deal designed to reshape the team's future.

"I don't think it's ever an easy thing to trade away a player of Miguel's stature," president of baseball operations Andy MacPhail said. "It clearly signals a change."

That change stems less from who the Orioles added, and more from whom they dealt away. Tejada became the face of the franchise when he signed a six-year, $72 million contract before the 2004 season, but after two losing seasons, he made waves by publicly stating his desire for a trade.

Now, another two years later, the Orioles finally granted Tejada his wish.

"Miguel Tejada has been a Hall of Fame-caliber performer," MacPhail said. "It was a great signing with the Orioles. But with that said, the Orioles put on a good streak without him when he was injured. It's a team effort."

And now that team has a few more pieces. MacPhail said he hopes that Scott, 29, can help offset the loss of Tejada's offensive production by adding some pop to an outfield that lacked consistent punch last season. In his first season receiving regular playing time with the Astros, Scott hit .255 with 18 homers and 28 doubles, while logging time at every outfield position. The previous season, he hit .336 in limited playing time.

"We think Luke is kind of one of those undervalued assets," MacPhail said. "While we lost offense at short, he's certainly going to augment the offensive production we had at left field."

Scott's credentials aside, the crux of the trade was pitching. In Patton, 24, and Albers, 22, the Orioles acquired two arms with minimal Major League experience, but plenty of potential. Patton, a left-hander, went 0-2 with a 3.55 ERA in two starts and a relief appearance for the Astros last season, after beginning the season with Double-A Corpus Christi.

Albers stuck with the big club longer, compiling a 4-11 record and 5.86 ERA with the Astros in 18 starts and 13 relief appearances. A year earlier, he earned Texas League Pitcher of the Year honors with Corpus Christi after leading the league with 10 wins and a 2.17 ERA.

"The pitching help was essential," MacPhail said. "You can't have enough pitching."

The Orioles also received Sarfate, 26, a starting pitcher who's earned only brief bullpen cameos in parts of two seasons with the Astros and Brewers, and Costanzo, 24, a third-base prospect who came to Houston earlier this offseason in the deal that sent Brad Lidge to the Phillies.


But one name in the deal was a bit bigger than all the rest.

"Certainly the Astros got back a high caliber player in Miguel Tejada," MacPhail said. "Shortstops that can drive in 100 runs are not easy things to find."

The Orioles found one four years ago, but somehow, that dream transaction never lived up to its hype -- and whether that's Tejada's fault is no easy debate. There's no doubting that Tejada more than made good on the first two years of his contract, hitting a combined .309 with 60 homers. But the Orioles couldn't finish above third place during that span, sparking Tejada's admission two Decembers ago that "the best thing will be a change of scenery."

It didn't happen then, and while the rumors never fizzled, Tejada's production did. The next two seasons saw him hit only 42 home runs and in 2007 -- after a string of 1,152 consecutive games played -- he missed 29 games due to injury.

Rumors continued to fly this offseason that Tejada would finally be traded, and MacPhail spoke to him directly regarding the matter.

"He was clear and direct as to what he thought was in his best interest, and I think I was pretty clear about what the options might be," MacPhail said.

Tejada had two requests: to remain a shortstop, and to hook on with a contender. And MacPhail said that by trading with the Astros -- a team he identified as the most aggressive bidder -- he believes he fulfilled both of them.

The Orioles are left now with a relative surplus of pitching and a gaping hole at shortstop. While MacPhail said he's happy with the shortstops currently on his roster -- Luis Hernandez, Brandon Fahey and Freddie Bynum -- he does anticipate looking outside of the organization to plug that hole.

That could come as a result of trading ace starter Erik Bedard, or as a result of any number of unrelated transactions. The Orioles quite likely aren't done dealing, and even made another minor move Wednesday when they signed outfielder Tike Redman to a one-year contract to remain with the team.

For now, though, the Orioles will focus on adjusting to life with the face of their franchise gone. Trading a popular player is often an unpopular move, but MacPhail believes this deal could prove to be a shining exception.

"I think people have to ask themselves what they were holding onto," MacPhail said. "If you're serious about a change, you have to understand that you have to make a change. It's really that simple."

Player Spotlight - Al Bumbry

Snippets from Al Bumbry's career, as presented on his baseball cards over the years:

- Born in 1947 in Fredericksburg, VA.

- Signed by the Orioles as their 11th round choice in June 1968 amateur draft

- Earned a Bronze Star as a platoon leader in Vietnam

- Won International League batting title in 1972, hitting .345 for Rochester

- Named AL Rookie of the Year in 1973 when he hit .337 in 110 games, tied for the league lead in triples with 11

- Had three triples in one game on September 22, 1973 to tie major league record

- Had tough year in 1974, with his batting average dropping to .233 and only appearing in 94 games

- Off-season between 1974 and 1975, he lights up the Venezuelan league, leading the league in batting and giving Orioles hope he will return to the production of his stellar rookie season. Some of the things that led to Bumbry's sophomore slump included the opposing outfielders playing him deeper to take away extra-base hits, the infielders playing shallower to take away the "leg" hits, pitchers no longer throwing him the pitches he got hits on to LF in his rookie season, and by his estimates of all the off-speed pitches thrown inside to him in '74, 80 percent were out of the strike zone and he still swung at them.

- Hit .317 in 133 games in 1977

- Missed nearly the entire 1978 season after breaking his leg and dislocating his ankle on May 12

- Hit .285 with 37 stolen bases in 1979, playing pivotal role in Orioles' AL pennant season. Led ALCS with 5 runs and hit the ALCS's only triple.

- Led the Orioles in hitting in 1980, with .318 average. Set club records for hits (205), singles (158). Finished 5th in stolen bases in AL with 44. He reached career highs in RBI (53), runs (118), hits and SBs. (He was the first Oriole to have 200 hits ina season.

- Celebrated 35th birthday with four hits in Boston on April 21, 1982

- Alternated in CF in 1983, but showed he was fully recovered from leg problems that hampered him in 1982

- Orioles all-time stolen base leader (according to 1985 Donruss card), with 252.

- Released by the Orioles after the 1984 season. Bumbry played all but 68 games of his career with the Orioles. After signing with the Padres in 1985, Bumbry, along with Jim Palmer, were paid a tribute by the O's by being featured on the club's 1985 media guide.

- Elected to the Orioles Hall of Fame in 1987

Post-career Highlights

Bumbry one of the instructors at Orioles Youth Clinic (from MLB.com article on May 31, 2008)

Carroll Parka, little over a mile away from Oriole Park at Camden Yards, on Saturday morning for the Orioles Youth Clinic. Bynum, Ramon Hernandez and Luis Hernandez were joined by former Orioles Al Bumbry, Curt Motton, Bill Swaggerty and first-base coach John Shelby, each of whom spent time teaching the game to approximately 200 children from the Baltimore area.

Children from the Orioles-sponsored Reviving Baseball in the Inner City Program (RBI) and Baltimore City youth leagues, including those from the City's Department of Recreation and Parks, were among those at the clinic. They received instruction on four separate fields, where the young players were split into age groups and taught hitting, fielding, baserunning and pitching.

Don Salamone, who heads recreation baseball programs for the City's Department of Recreation and Parks, said there's definitely more meaning when an Orioles player says something to a child than a Little League coach.

Bumbry has always loved working with kids. He's a very good communicator and teacher who has little trouble establishing a rapport with children. The former American League Rookie of the Year said he knows that he can add to the things that coaches aren't able to show the children.

"I enjoy working with kids because I know there's a lot I can teach them," Bumbry said. "And they need instruction. So any time I get a chance to work with kids, I'm happy to do that."

Jeff Seidel is a contributor to MLB.com.

Current Collection - 1957

I ordered two beauties yesterday to get my collection of 1957 Orioles going. That was the year Topps turned to its standard-size cards it still issues today. The prior three seasons - the O's first three in their history - were oversized (and thus not so easy to slip inside the sleeves for presentation). I'm not sure what kind of condition these first two cards will be in - well, I have a fair idea, somewhere between very good and excellent - but I'm hoping for something that at least presents well.

The two cards: Ace starting pitcher that year, Clifford C. Johnson, better known as Connie, and slugging first baseman, Bob Boyd.

Johnson's card that year tells us that he "came to Baltimore last year in a deal that helped the Orioles climb up the A.L. ladder....Connie became the hurler with the top Oriole Earned Run Average....Among Connie's 9 complete games in '56 were two shutouts, one a flashy 3-hit job. He is a strikeout artist and in his first 2 seasons led the Provincial and Western Leagues in whiffs." In 1957, he completed 14 games, and was third best in shutouts and complete games.

Boyd's card lets us know that he "made a successful debut with Baltimore last year when he posted the second highest Oriole Batting Mark. He is not a long ball hitter and last season 82% of his hits were singles. Bob's sparkling performance at Seattle in 1952 where he won the Pacific Coast Batting Crown brought him to the Major Leagues for a trial." In 1957, Bob led the Orioles in hiting and finished third, behind Ted Williams, in hitting in the American League.

Others from the starting nine to hopefully join messeiurs Johnson and Boyd:

C - Gus Triandos
2B - Billy Gardner
SS - Willy Miranda
3B - George Kell
LF - Bob Nieman
CF - Jim Busby
RF - Al Pilarcik

Though I will still need to determine which of these players may have had cards - and if so were they Orioles' cards - for this year. Certainly Gus Triandos does (shown here). Also on the list will be some key reserves, with well-known names such as Francona, Goodman, Williams, and Green, as well as what surely will be the most difficult, or at least most expensive, to bring into the collection: the Brooks Robinson rookie card.

The O's pitching staff looked pretty formidable that year, too, with Johnson and the other four starting pitchers having ERAs ranging from 3.20 to 3.64, and spot starter/relief pitcher Billy O'Dell posting a sharp 2.69 ERA in 35 games, 15 of which he started, racking up 140 IP, and collecting four saves. George Zuvernik appeared to do most of the closing with 9 saves, 56 appearances and a team-low 2.48 ERA. Ken Lehman chipped in with six saves.

Update: Just won a 1957 Billy Gardiner on ebay for $2.60 (+$0.50 shipping), perhaps a little high, but this will be one of the special ones in the collection. One reason it will be special is that Gardiner is one of only a few MLB players I've met; the other, more compelling reason is that his son (Bill) and I played Legion ball together and had quite the enjoyable summer doing so back in the summer of 1983. At the time, the elder Gardiner was managing the Minnesota Twins, which were is complete rebuilding mode then, and thus it was rare that he could be there for our games, but I do remember, probably at the all-star break, walking over to him, shaking hands and saying hello. Welcome to the collection, Billy!

Rebuilding the Orioles - Trust in Trembley

Dave Trembley came on board as interim manager in 2007, and the story below, from MLB.com, is published (8/22/07) shortly after the O's name him their manager for 2008 and beyond. MacPhail cited getting a team prepared and communicating with his players as important traits that Trembley, like Joe Girardi, whom the O's had been courting for the job, possessed.

BALTIMORE -- The Orioles eliminated the lone major storyline left in their season Wednesday, when they announced that Dave Trembley would remain as manager beyond this season.
Trembley, who took over on an interim basis in June and was extended through the season in July, seemed thrilled to have the news made official.

"I feel a whole lot more comfortable in a baseball uniform than I do in a suit and tie," he said at Wednesday's press conference. "I'm just trying to do it right, and I've been just trying to do it right for a long time. There are a lot of people that made it possible for me to be here -- and it's all those people that I've gotten phone calls from and e-mails from. There are a lot of fans in this city that have written me letters, and I've read them all -- some of them real nice [and] some of them to the point."

Andy MacPhail, Baltimore's president of baseball operations, said the time was right to announce the decision.

"Once you've decided that this is the right thing, there's no reason not to go forward," he said. "If you don't have a manager in place the first day of the offseason, everything gets backed up. The coaches don't know what their future is, and there's an uncertainty -- you're paralyzed as a franchise until you get that manager in place."

Trembley's deal includes a team option for 2009, and it's hard not to see the job as an endorsement for the way he's handled things to this point. He's gone 29-25 since taking over for Sam Perlozzo and has won over the clubhouse with a back-to-basics approach that stresses attention to detail in everything from arrival time to practice habits.

After managing in the Minor Leagues for two decades, Trembley knows how to get things exactly the way he wants them.

"You can print the T-shirts," he said at one point Wednesday, stressing the simplicity of his message. "It's 'be on time, be professional and respect the game.'

"I'm not really feeling like a tough guy up here today. I know sometimes what you read and what you hear is 'Trembley's really laying the law down and putting the hammer down.' All I've tried to do is get them to respect who they are, what they are and what they represent -- and what they represent is a tradition and history of a very proud organization."

Trembley has consistently declined to discuss his future, preferring instead to take a "don't ask, don't tell" policy in regards to his status heading into next season. MacPhail originally tried to hire former Florida manager Joe Girardi in what he termed a "pre-emptive strike" before settling in and giving Trembley room to work.

Eventually, he saw enough that made him decide he already had the right man under contract. MacPhail has known Trembley for 12 years, and he said Wednesday that he sees a lot of similarities to former Minnesota manager Tom Kelly. MacPhail retained Kelly after his interim stint in Minnesota and was rewarded with two World Series titles.

Trembley -- who has worked with many of Baltimore's players and prospects at various rungs of the organization -- will have a similar opportunity to mold the Orioles into future contenders.

"Everything that was attractive about Joe Girardi -- getting a team prepared, communicating with his players -- as it turned out, we had all of those things in-house with Dave," said MacPhail. "The players have a certain comfort level with Dave. ... Everything that I was trying to achieve there, we have here."

MacPhail said that the relationship between the general manager and manager may be the most important in any team setting, and he also said that he thought Trembley had the right characteristics to mesh with him professionally.

"Dave's relying on me to try to get him the best personnel I can, and I'm relying on him to make sure he tries to use that personnel in the most efficient way he possibly could," he said. "We're going to have different points of view. It's not unusual for a manager to be focused on the short term -- that's their job.

"My focus sometimes has to be a little more long term. You have to respect each other and understand that there are going to be times you see things a little differently. You're going to have to work things out."

Rebuilding the Orioles - MacPhail Comes on Board

This article was published on MLB.com in June 2007, soon after the Orioles hired Andy MacPhail to run baseball operations in Baltimore.

BALITMORE -- Just two days after dismissing manager Sam Perlozzo, Baltimore has begun the process of making a series of upper-level changes. The Orioles hired Andy MacPhail as its president of baseball operations on Wednesday.

MacPhail, 54, who was a integral part of two World Series championships in Minnesota, will fill the position vacated last month when Joe Foss resigned to accept a position with a Baltimore-based developer of retirement communities. Foss' background was concentrated on business and finance, but MacPhail comes from a family of famed baseball minds and said he will be very involved with personnel moves and the final on-field product.

"I'm absolutely responsible for baseball operations," MacPhail said in a press conference. "I like one voice. I like simplicity. I'm looking for all the help I can get, but at the end of the day, I have to believe that it's the right thing. I have to say, 'This is the best thing for the Baltimore Orioles.'"

Much of the familiarity between MacPhail and Orioles' owner Peter Angelos stems from them working together on labor negotiations in 2002 and 2006. MacPhail said he spoke with Angelos on several occasions over the past few months, and was offered the position on Saturday.

"Peter Angelos has entrusted me to run his baseball operations," he said. "I've known Peter since 2002 and I've never seen him do anything he didn't say he was going to do. I probably have the benefit of knowing Peter in a baseball context better than anyone in the game. I think Peter has a level of comfort with me as a human being and he's seen me in a different environment. I've always liked him and admired him."

The close relationship with Angelos isn't the only tie MacPhail has with the city of Baltimore. MacPhail moved to Baltimore in 1958 when he was five and stayed for eight years while his father, Hall of Fame executive Lee MacPhail, ran the Orioles from 1958 to 1965. Lee is credited with building the Orioles' first title team in 1966, though he left for the New York Yankees before the 1966 season.

MacPhail's grandfather, Larry, is also enshrined in the Hall of Fame for his contributions to the game, and the family has a road bearing its name in Bel Air, Md.

"The first team I ever rooted for as a kid never leaves you," MacPhail said after he stepped away from the podium. "It's like your first kiss -- you always remember. This is what I want to do and this is what I want to focus on."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What I'd like to achieve here, other than the obvious, win a lot of games and go to the World Series, is I think it's important to try to develop a team that has a character in it. The Orioles had their 'Oriole Way.' And we need to find ours."
-- Andy MacPhail

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


MacPhail began his baseball career as a Class A business manager in the Cubs organization and won World Series titles in 1987 and 1991 as executive vice president and general manager of the Twins. He then joined Chicago in 1994 as president and chief executive officer, and remained there until stepping down after last season. He was named Major League Executive of the Year by The Sporting News in 1991.

He was long considered a candidate to replace Bud Selig as commissioner, but he said he wants people to drop that subject, as he's focused on his new post.

MacPhail said his last team-building experience came with the Cubs, where he came into close contact with former manager Joe Girardi, who met with MacPhail and other Baltimore officials Tuesday in Chicago to discuss a managerial position. MacPhail explicitly denied that any offer was presented to Girardi.

The timetable for bring a new manager on board, MacPhail said, is still unknown, and he plans to conduct more interviews for the managerial position. And with the July 31 trade deadline only five weeks away, he said he has ample time to be an observer and decide what the Orioles need to change.

"What I'd like to achieve here, other than the obvious, win a lot of games and go to the World Series, is I think it's important to try to develop a team that has a character in it," MacPhail said. "The Orioles had their 'Oriole Way.' And we need to find ours."

MacPhail said the start of his vision for Baltimore future rests with the youthful starting pitchers who have performed brilliantly thus far, namely Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Burres.

"Given the current struggles that we're undergoing, it's going to be difficult," MacPhail said of a quick turnaround for the team. "The one constant that the Orioles have had periodically is that great nucleus of young starting pitching. If that holds up the way they've pitched to some degree this year, you may not be as far away as you think you are. I promise you, there are teams in baseball that would envy having the kind of arms you have here."

"I really think [Baltimore] has a great capability and there's been some great work that's been done here. It can be a great franchise. We're still going to be a little bit of David because we've got two Goliaths north of us. But baseball is cyclical. Things can turn around a little quicker than some people might imagine."

Geremy Bass is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

http://blog2print.sharedbook.com/blogworld/printmyblog/index.html