A .370 hitter against left-handed pitchers last season, Orioles outfielder Jay Gibbons isn't finding the same success this year. Instead, he keeps finding a seat on the bench.
Gibbons didn't start again last night against San Diego's Kevin Pickford, the latest left-hander to push him into the dugout. Going back in games, he also wasn't in the lineup against Los Angeles' Kazuhisa Ishii on Saturday, New York's David Wells last Wednesday, Seattle's Jamie Moyer on May 31 and Oakland's Barry Zito on May 21.
With Gary Matthews nursing a sore hamstring, Gibbons received a start Sunday against Dodgers left-hander Odalis Perez. He went 0-for-3 and twice grounded into double plays.
Though manager Mike Hargrove denied that Gibbons has become involved in a platoon situation, he said, "Gibby's not swinging the bat the way he's capable of swinging it right now. This just gives him a break."
Gibbons was batting .235 (12-for-51) against left-handers before last night. He went 10-for-27 (.370) against them as a rookie last season.
"I've been a little erratic against them. Gary's playing real well right now and they're trying to get his bat in the lineup," Gibbons said.
"Obviously it bothers me because I want to be in there every day, but I'm not a guy who complains about it. I'll just go out there and do my job and hopefully I can get back on track here pretty quick.
"I've been streaky against lefties. Once I get them, usually I can hit them pretty well. But the other way around, when I'm bad, I'm really bad against them. I haven't quite figured them out yet this year, for whatever reason."
Towers' mea culpa
Pitcher Josh Towers, who was fined by Triple-A Rochester manager Andy Etchebarren on Saturday for flipping him the ball before leaving the mound, admitted during a radio interview that he made "a terrible mistake."
"I completely screwed up," Towers told Red Wings broadcaster Joe Castellano. "I didn't mean anything by it. I wasn't trying to show up Andy. I was mad."
Etchebarren confronted Towers, the Orioles' No. 4 starter before last month's demotion, and later issued what he called, "the largest amount I've ever fined a player, and it was for insubordination."
Towers had grown frustrated after another poor outing, this one including six runs and four walks in 3 1/3 innings. "Once I did it, I realized I'd made a terrible mistake," he said, "[but] there was nothing I could do."
Syd Thrift, the Orioles' vice president for baseball operations, said the matter was "all finished."
Only a pinch of sentiment
His introduction into Monday night's game as a pinch runner couldn't produce a murmur within a crowd of 30,000. There won't be any video tributes, like the ones played out for three former Orioles who arrived last weekend with the Dodgers.
Trenidad Hubbard snuck into town for this three-game series, and he'll go just as unnoticed when he leaves tomorrow. Sort of like when he played here.
Hubbard, a reserve outfielder for the Padres, came to the Orioles as part of the five-player trade with the Atlanta Braves at the 2000 waiver deadline. His appearances mostly were limited to serving as a defensive replacement, and the Orioles had no interest in keeping him the following season.
Hubbard, in turn, has no interest in being sentimental about his visit to Camden Yards.
"It has no special meaning," said Hubbard, who was batting .194 before last night and scored the tying run in Monday's game. "I love the city and I love the ballpark and the fans are great, but this is my career. It was a wasted trade. I don't know why they traded for me."
More draftees signed
The Orioles signed five more draft picks, including left-hander Trevor Caughey, taken in the ninth round out of Cuesta (Calif.) Junior College, and Calvert Hall graduate Justin Nash, taken in the 31st round.
Other signings included pitchers Carl Makowsky (18th round) and James Cooney (45th) and first baseman Tim Thurman (25th). The Orioles have signed 24 of their 50 top draft picks.