PressBox: Orioles Season-Ending Report Card: Part One

Orioles Season-Ending Report Card: Part One
The numbers are stark: 14 years without at least a .500 record and five straight years of at least 90 losses.

The Birds ended their 2011 campaign Wednesday, leaving many thinking that they were playing their best baseball, especially after spoiling the Red Sox's hope for a wildcard spot. September was the only winning month of the season for the Birds.

Unlike last season, Orioles fans are not entering the offseason feeling more confident about the team than they did in April. In fact, the team's offseason issues are plentiful based off the performances of many of their cornerstone players.

Below are grades for this season's positions. The team's decision-makers will get their own marks tomorrow.

Rotation
Grade: D

No starting pitcher had an ERA less than 4.33 and no pitcher had more than 11 wins. Rookie pitcher Zach Britton was the team's victory leader and he collected five of his 11 victories by May 1. To his credit, Britton earned those 11 victories and was often the victim, like fellow starter Jeremy Guthrie, of poor run support. Britton (4.61 ERA) struggled during the middle of the season and was demoted to Double-A Bowie for several weeks in July. The 2010 Minor League Pitcher of the Year for the Orioles, Britton might have been the team's most consistent performer.

Guthrie was getting flirting with 20 losses late during the season, but finished 9-17 with the team's best ERA. Guthrie's future with the club might be murky, as the front office explored dealing him mid-season. He might be easier to trade during the offseason, without the misleading baggage of losses, and the Orioles could get something decent in return.

The Orioles tried to make Alfredo Simon a starter and got decent results out of the former reliever. Depending on what the team lands during the offseason, Simon could begin 2011 as a starter as well. His 4.85 ERA doesn't show what a battler Simon is on the mound. He's mentally and physically tough, something missing from the team's starters.

Jake Arrieta missed much of the second half of the season with elbow injuries and still was second on the team with 10 wins. Unfortunately for Arrieta, he had nine of them by June 20. By the end of July, his season was done.

Brian Matusz, the team's 2008 top draft pick, had a nightmarish start and had one of the highest ERAs for a pitcher with 10 starts (10.69) in baseball history. Matusz took major physical and mental steps backward and it remains to be seen whether the team can figure out his problems. He lost velocity on his fastball and opposing hitters feasted. Matusz was supposed to be the team's ace and much of the organization's potential success rested on his shoulders. He failed them. Will the Orioles gamble on him again?

Other starters such as Brad Bergesen and Chris Tillman flamed out early and were only considered desperate options beyond June.

The Orioles will rise and fall based on the success of their pitching staff. If 2011 is any indication, the Birds might do some serious shopping during the offseason to not rely on this crew again.

Infield
Grade: C-

Of the Opening Day starters, only shortstop J.J. Hardy was where he started. Acquired in a trade with Minnesota during the offseason, Hardy was an absolute steal. When second baseman Brian Roberts abdicated the leadoff spot because of headaches, Hardy capably stepped in to replace him. Despite missing much of April, Hardy hit 30 home runs and hit .267 with nearly 80 RBIs.

Roberts didn't play 40 games this season and he hit just .221, struck out 21 times and stole just six bases. Roberts will come back next season because he makes too much money. He will try to return, but the Orioles have to seriously consider how much playing time they will actually give him. It's unfortunate. Roberts, the face of the franchise for a decade, could be squeezed out.

While Robert Andino might not ever be an All-Star at second, manager Buck Showalter has found a favorite in him. Andino started much of the season and hit .263 with five home runs and 35 RBIs. Those are not numbers to set the world on fire, but he had some seriously clutch moments and was willing to go all out for plays. He had nine errors at second base and shortstop.

No one had more trouble fielding the ball than Mark Reynolds, who was shipped out of third base late during the season because of his 26 errors there. Reynolds openly criticized his inability to field. With 43 games at first base, he committed four errors and was an OK replacement for Derrek Lee, who was traded mid-season to the Pirates. In total, Reynolds set a club record. All of his errors almost make it hard to appreciate his 37 home runs. Reynolds is one of the best sluggers the club has had in a while. He could have been better in the cleanup slot.

Lee was a meek-hitting shadow of himself. When he left, there was negligible impact on the lineup. He was a solid fielder, but his time in Baltimore was unremarkable. Chris Davis, acquired during a trade mid-season, could still have an impact, but has to prove he should be with the club during spring training.

Hardy and Reynolds became the fifth Orioles duo to have 30 home runs.

Catcher
Grade: B

Matt Wieters was the team's lone All-Star selection and should be a Gold Glove pick as well. He is one of the best defensive players in the game. In 2011, he had just 11 errors and 855 putouts. No one is going to run on him if they're smart. His arm and awareness are strong. The pitchers might be very good right now, but it's not because of Wieters, who calls great games behind the plate.

He's still trying to become a power hitter and might be on the way toward that. He finished the season with 22 home runs and 66 RBIs. Wieters is clutch, though, and picks his moments for extra drama.

Wieters is poised to become a star.

Outfield
Grade: B-

Adam Jones was the team's MVP, with 25 home runs and 83 RBIs. If there's a new Eric Davis, it's Jones. He's a terrific outfielder as well. While he might make the occasional mistake, he makes up for it with his tremendous arm. No player was more dangerous for base runners than Jones, who threw darts to Oriole infielders to get out. In total, he had 16 assists.

Nick Markakis has settled into being a major league singles hitter. The 15 home runs he hit were the second lowest of his six-year career and the 73 RBIs were the third lowest.

Markakis was errorless in the field and had 14 assists.

Luke Scott was sidelined mid-season with injuries and the Orioles used a variety of players to replace him, including Nolan Reimold, Felix Pie and Matt Angle. Scott's return to the club is in doubt and that's not a bad thing. Pie was demoted to the minors late and Angle was more of a fill-in with a penchant for mistakes. Reimold might finally be coming back around to being the team's everyday leftfielder. Nothing's guaranteed and he has to learn discipline at the plate and in the field.

Designated Hitter
Grade: C

How does anyone give Vladimir Guerrero, the team's leading hitter average-wise, a subpar grade? Because Guerrero wasn't brought in to be a singles hitter. In the cleanup spot, Guerrero was supposed to drive in nearly 100 runs. But, he reached just 63 and had just 13 home runs, his fewest since 1997.

Manager Buck Showalter is actually a big fan of Guerrero and views him as a perfect teammate. The Orioles will need to figure out whether his decline is so steep that they won't get much out of the DH spot with him in it in 2012.

Guerrero cannot be the team's cleanup hitter if he does return, which seems doubtful. With Reynolds struggling to be a consistent fielder, he may be a natural power-hitting DH and cleanup hitter.

Bullpen
Grade: D

Outside of Jim Johnson and his 2.67 ERA, no reliever on the Orioles made people feel good at the end of the day. He's so good that the team is still open to him being a starter down the road.

Koji Uehera was shipped to Texas before the trade deadline and his 1.72 ERA was missed. Closer Kevin Gregg finished with a 4.37 ERA and 22 saves. He made Orioles fans feel only slightly better than Mike Gonzalez, who was mercifully traded during the second half of the season, did. Other relievers such as Clay Rapada, Jeremy Accardo, Rick VandenHurk, Mark Hendrickson, Chris Jakubauskas, Bergesen and Jason Berken did little to instill confidence. Others, such as Troy Patton, are hoping to get their shot down the road.

Posted Sept. 29, 2011