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Orioles manager Dave Trembley further clarified his pitching plans for the rest of the season, ruling out a six-man rotation and saying that rookie starters Brian Matusz and Chris Tillman might be treated differently.
"I'm not telling you that both of them are going to get shut down at the same time," Trembley said Saturday while indicating that the club has no plans to call up two starting pitchers. "One might go longer than the other. With some days off, we might need one [starter] and we might be able to piece it together with a spot starter, a long guy, a couple of guys."
At this point, the Orioles are planning on adding three pitchers - most likely Koji Uehara, Chris Waters and Bob McCrory - for Tuesday's series in Boston. All three will be used in relief for the time being with Waters the likely candidate to join the rotation when Matusz is shut down after one or two more starts.
It's likely that Tillman, the 21-year-old right-hander, will go one more turn in the rotation than Matusz, who is in his first professional season. When it is decided that Tillman is done, the Orioles appear willing to fill his spot by using spot starters rather than promoting another from the minors, such as Triple-A Norfolk's Chris Lambert.
"Say Matusz and Tillman both pitch two more times," Trembley said. "Maybe their second time or maybe their third time, depending on how hard they have to work, depending on how many pitches they have to throw, we may cut their innings back. They may be five-inning guys instead of six- or seven-. I'm hoping we have enough to cover it. We should have enough to cover it."
"He looked at my [magnetic resonance imaging], and he said the structure of the Achilles is fine. I just have some fraying," said Reimold, who has been dealing with the injury for more than a year. "He said if it wasn't bothering me, then we'd probably just keep an eye on it. But since it's been bothering me for so long, then we probably should do something about it."
While Reimold has said his goal is to avoid surgery, he might have no choice.
"I'd like to avoid it, but I think I've done everything I could over the last year to try to get rid of it and it still hasn't gone away," Reimold said. "If I get surgery done, I have to do it right away. I would just get the surgery the day after the season ended probably."
Matusz, who grew up in Arizona as a Diamondbacks fan, got Grace to autograph a No. 17 Cubs jersey that the Orioles pitcher bought recently in anticipation of meeting the former player. Matusz wore No. 17 growing up, the number that Aubrey Huff wore before his trade to the Detroit Tigers. Matusz said he got Huff's permission to change to No. 17 next year and has already notified Orioles clubhouse manager Jim Tyler of his desire to switch from No. 52 to No. 17 next season.
"I've been used to a lot of scouts watching me," Givens said when asked whether he was nervous during batting practice. "Right now, it's a big relief to be signed and put on a uniform. I thought I'd have butterflies. It was more everything going fast. It's really fun now to be a big league player and meet big league players and understand what they do every day."
Givens, who was drafted out of Plant High in Tampa, Fla., had played at Wrigley Field, Tropicana Field, the Metrodome and Dodger Stadium during the high school All-Star circuit but Saturday marked his first trip to Camden Yards. He was joined by his parents, who sat in the front row during batting practice and shot video.
"I've played in a lot of major league stadiums, but this is probably one of the best ones," said Givens, who will report to instructional league later this month. "I'm just happy to put on a uniform. It's been a dream come true."
"I'm not telling you that both of them are going to get shut down at the same time," Trembley said Saturday while indicating that the club has no plans to call up two starting pitchers. "One might go longer than the other. With some days off, we might need one [starter] and we might be able to piece it together with a spot starter, a long guy, a couple of guys."
At this point, the Orioles are planning on adding three pitchers - most likely Koji Uehara, Chris Waters and Bob McCrory - for Tuesday's series in Boston. All three will be used in relief for the time being with Waters the likely candidate to join the rotation when Matusz is shut down after one or two more starts.
It's likely that Tillman, the 21-year-old right-hander, will go one more turn in the rotation than Matusz, who is in his first professional season. When it is decided that Tillman is done, the Orioles appear willing to fill his spot by using spot starters rather than promoting another from the minors, such as Triple-A Norfolk's Chris Lambert.
"Say Matusz and Tillman both pitch two more times," Trembley said. "Maybe their second time or maybe their third time, depending on how hard they have to work, depending on how many pitches they have to throw, we may cut their innings back. They may be five-inning guys instead of six- or seven-. I'm hoping we have enough to cover it. We should have enough to cover it."
Still no decision
Nolan Reimold saw Dr. John Campbell, a surgeon of the Institute for Foot and Ankle Reconstruction at Mercy Medical Center, on Wednesday, and the rookie outfielder said he will decide in the next couple of weeks whether to have surgery on his painful left Achilles tendon."He looked at my [magnetic resonance imaging], and he said the structure of the Achilles is fine. I just have some fraying," said Reimold, who has been dealing with the injury for more than a year. "He said if it wasn't bothering me, then we'd probably just keep an eye on it. But since it's been bothering me for so long, then we probably should do something about it."
While Reimold has said his goal is to avoid surgery, he might have no choice.
"I'd like to avoid it, but I think I've done everything I could over the last year to try to get rid of it and it still hasn't gone away," Reimold said. "If I get surgery done, I have to do it right away. I would just get the surgery the day after the season ended probably."
Memorable day, Part I
A couple of hours before taking the mound Saturday for his seventh major league start, Matusz made a trip to the broadcast booth to meet his favorite player growing up, Mark Grace. The former Chicago Cub and Arizona Diamondback broadcasted the game for Fox.Matusz, who grew up in Arizona as a Diamondbacks fan, got Grace to autograph a No. 17 Cubs jersey that the Orioles pitcher bought recently in anticipation of meeting the former player. Matusz wore No. 17 growing up, the number that Aubrey Huff wore before his trade to the Detroit Tigers. Matusz said he got Huff's permission to change to No. 17 next year and has already notified Orioles clubhouse manager Jim Tyler of his desire to switch from No. 52 to No. 17 next season.
Memorable day, Part II
Shortstop Mychal Givens, whom the Orioles selected in the second round of June's draft and signed less than two hours before the signing deadline, took batting and infield practice before Saturday's game, and met current Orioles players and coaches."I've been used to a lot of scouts watching me," Givens said when asked whether he was nervous during batting practice. "Right now, it's a big relief to be signed and put on a uniform. I thought I'd have butterflies. It was more everything going fast. It's really fun now to be a big league player and meet big league players and understand what they do every day."
Givens, who was drafted out of Plant High in Tampa, Fla., had played at Wrigley Field, Tropicana Field, the Metrodome and Dodger Stadium during the high school All-Star circuit but Saturday marked his first trip to Camden Yards. He was joined by his parents, who sat in the front row during batting practice and shot video.
"I've played in a lot of major league stadiums, but this is probably one of the best ones," said Givens, who will report to instructional league later this month. "I'm just happy to put on a uniform. It's been a dream come true."
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What benefit is there for Tillman and Matusz to make starts against the Yankees in New York? If they do well, there may be a false sense of accomplishment and if they get hammered, it may hurt the confidence for the entire off-season. Matusz should be shutdown now after a good start against Texas. I see it as a no-win situation by pitching in New York.
CalRipken8 (09/06/2009, 9:56 AM )