The Loop could be closing..

[clapdiddy]

Last year the Orioles used 26 pitchers. The year before they used 27 pitchers. Pitchers will get rocked and get demoted and pitchers will get hurt.

Answer this question:

You can never have too much ________.

A. Pitching

B. Pitching

C. Pitching

D. Pitching

E. All of the above

[amateurfan]

We shall see...Remember, many saw Uehera as a reliever and Looper will be worse in the AL than the NL.

I am looking for innings from the rotation...Give me 850ish innings and a collective ERA around 4.80 and I think we will be ok...That should be enough for our pen to be very good.

If this happens, we're looking at an improvement of nearly 80 runs in Run Differential (provided I'm remembering correctly).

Contrasted to the last 11 seasons, that will be fantastic.

[JTrea81]

Albers, Liz, Patton, and Bergesen all most likely need to go to Norfolk to start the season.

Not enough spots for those guys with Tillman, Berken and Hernandez there as well.

Liz goes to the BP in Norfolk IMO as a closer/setup guy and Albers goes to extended ST and the 60 day DL...

Patton, Bergesen, Berken, Tillman and Hernandez make up the Norfolk rotation...

[esscee]

Does anyone else think AM stockpiling all these pitchers makes it more likely we are not trading Roberts. If he just gets 3 prospects for Roberts where are we going to stick them. If he does trade him it would almost have to be for position players.

[byrdz]

Answer this question:

You can never have too much ________.

A. Pitching

B. Pitching

C. Pitching

D. Pitching

E. All of the above

Wish all tests were this easy!

[CalForPresident]

Bring on Looper I think we need him and now if we just had a true number 1 starter. Also I agree 100% you can never have too much pitching.

[Mark Carver]

But Penn, Hill, Hennessey, Pauley, Liz, Albers, Patton, Beregeson...2 of those guys should be able to fill 2 spots without paying Looper 5 million to be below average. I thought that was the point of inventory?

Not enough spots for those guys with Tillman, Berken and Hernandez there as well.

Liz goes to the BP in Norfolk IMO as a closer/setup guy and Albers goes to extended ST and the 60 day DL...

Patton, Bergesen, Berken, Tillman and Hernandez make up the Norfolk rotation...

Or Patton goes to Bowie as per Roch.

Patton isn't assured of pitching for the Tides in April. He, too, could start out with the Baysox, who will be loaded

.

[JTrea81]

Or Patton goes to Bowie as per Roch.

.

Bowie makes no sense for Patton he's proven he can get batters out at that level already...

Granted he did have the injury so I could see him spend maybe a month there but to keep him there all season would be a mistake. Also if he proves he's healthy in ST, he should break camp with the Orioles regardless...

[Joe'sO's]

The O's need to figure out the make up of the bullpen.They are going to need long and middle relievers and most of the bullpen as it now stands are mostly backend types.Sarfate,Baez,Ray, Sherill, JJ,Walker eat up most of the BP slots and all are late inning relivers.. The addition of Pie and Wiggy adds more pressure to a having a 12 man staff. The idea of trading Scott a much needed power bat against RH pitching to make room for another pitcher makes no sense. None of the bench players can play an adequate back up SS and Izrutis is going to have to be PH for most games they are behind. Yeah,McPhail has been busy but the team isn't very well configured overall.Plus there's only so many project types you can carry on a team. If you read the fantasy people's review on the new O's they basically have no fantasy value.That was before Wiggy who could have some value.Botom line is being busy and improving the team are two different things.

[Mark Carver]

Bowie makes no sense for Patton he's proven he can get batters out at that level already...

Granted he did have the injury so I could see him spend maybe a month there but to keep him there all season would be a mistake. Also if he proves he's healthy in ST, he should break camp with the Orioles regardless...

I didn't say Patton was going stay in Bowies all season long. Most of last years Bowie starters will be at Norfolk to start the year. And than their will be others trying for spots in Norfolk. Patton may start in Bowie due to a numbers game and coming off not having thrown a pitch in competition since Sep 7, 2007.

I doubt very seriously even a healthy Patton in ST, that he comes north with the Orioles...

[NCRaven]

Not enough spots for those guys with Tillman, Berken and Hernandez there as well.

Liz goes to the BP in Norfolk IMO as a closer/setup guy and Albers goes to extended ST and the 60 day DL...

Patton, Bergesen, Berken, Tillman and Hernandez make up the Norfolk rotation...

I think that you're very likely wrong on a number of these players. If Penn, Hill and Pauley make the ML roster, with 2 of 3 as starters and one in the bullpen, Hennessey likely ends up in Norfolk along with Waters. Trembley says that Albers is full go for spring training so there's no reason to see him on the 60 day DL, so he starts the season in Norfolk. And, Trembley and Kranitz have both said they see Albers as a starter. There's been nothing definitive about sending Liz to the bullpen, so he too could end up in Norfolk's rotation. Hopefully, they'll decide to cut bait with Burres and cast him adrift at the end of spring training. But, even if they do just cut Burres or work out a trade, I could easily see 3 of your Norfolk starters actually beginning the season in Bowie, and I'm almost positive that at least one or two of them will.

[raypetty]

Sorry, but the thead title has "could". I'll believe we've signed Looper when it's reported.

[MCL1021]

Sorry, but the thead title has "could". I'll believe we've signed Looper when it's reported.

Huh? No one has said we've signed Looper, just that we are close.

[raypetty]

Huh? No one has said we've signed Looper, just that we are close.

Exactly. Seems like alot of people are getting there hopes up. Close can be 1 mile or 1000 miles in a case to sign a ballplayer.

[JTrea81]

I think that you're very likely wrong on a number of these players. If Penn, Hill and Pauley make the ML roster, with 2 of 3 as starters and one in the bullpen, Hennessey likely ends up in Norfolk along with Waters. Trembley says that Albers is full go for spring training so there's no reason to see him on the 60 day DL, so he starts the season in Norfolk. And, Trembley and Kranitz have both said they see Albers as a starter. There's been nothing definitive about sending Liz to the bullpen, so he too could end up in Norfolk's rotation. Hopefully, they'll decide to cut bait with Burres and cast him adrift at the end of spring training. But, even if they do just cut Burres or work out a trade, I could easily see 3 of your Norfolk starters actually beginning the season in Bowie, and I'm almost positive that at least one or two of them will.

Then where do you put Arrieta, Spoone, Erbe, Britton and Clark?

The Orioles have a serious logjam and that's not a bad problem to have, but they shouldn't keep guys down a level to stockpile Waters and Simon type players. That's hurting the development and timeline of the arrival of your top pitching prospects...

Hopefully we jettison all three of Pauley, Waters and Simon as we no longer need them if we get Looper and Hill pitches back to form...