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Interim manager Juan Samuel expressed concern for starting pitcher Kevin Millwood during his post-game interview on MASN.
Millwood lasted only one inning, allowing five runs and throwing 45 pitches before Samuel began parading relievers to the mound. He's posted a 9.89 ERA in his last seven starts, raising his season ERA to 5.77.
"We're starting to be concerned," Samuel said. "We don't know if something's there, his elbow or something. We just know today that Kranny (pitching coach Rick Kranitz) noticed his ball not coming that good. His velocity was down."
Samuel used the word "concerned" a second time before the subject changed.
Interviewed at his locker, Millwood said, "I just stunk today. It sucks to prepare for four or five days to go out and start and you don't do what you expect yourself to do. It sucks.
"It's just been a tough stretch. It's about as bad as it gets."
Samuel isn't ready to announce a corresponding roster move for Felix Pie's return tomorrow, but he said, "Maybe we need an extra arm down there. We just have to weigh our options tonight."
I don't see how they can send down a reliever.
Third baseman Josh Bell could be headed back to the minors. If he was available today, as Samuel told reporters, why didn't he pinch-hit for Cesar Izturis with two outs in the ninth and runners on second and third?
Perhaps, it's time for two moves. Pie comes back and so does Tillman. Mata goes to Norfolk and Millwood is placed on DL (in hopes of a trade before the deadline).
I have another question. Why did Izturis swing at the 1st pitch in the 9th? A .240 hitter with a .288 slugging percentage was trying to hit a 3-run homer and tie it up?
i'm sure the front office didn't really care for samuel's comments about millwood's health. nothing says how about a pair of spikes and a fungo bat for your aging injured pitcher than something like that when the guy is on the trading block. but good for samuel, he speaks from his heart. in regards to tillman's gem. unless he showed he can throw his fastball with movement his game today means nothing. he has already exhibited his ability to get out triple a hitters. but without being able to have command and movement on his fastball he'll never be a successful major league pitcher. of course he needs to command his curve and change as well. but without movement with his fastball, he's not going to get the job done in the big leagues.
Wait till next year--lf-pie 2b-roberts rf-markakis 1b-wigginton dh-free agent cf-adam jones c-matt weiters 3b-josh bell ss-free agent reserves-craig tatum-c or jake fox-c/1b/dh of-corey patterson inf-lugo/moore P-guthrie matusz arrieta tillman britton or bergensen bullpen-simon hernandez berken egan or jim johnson ohlman m.gonzalez Traded--millwood,albers,hendrickson,tejeda,luke scott,cesar isturis released--mata-p aubrey-1b jim miller-p montanez-of uehara-p mickilio=p patton-p
While it's apparent that Millwood's performance over the past six weeks has lessened his trade value, I still don't see the point of his own manager openly questioning him on the eve of the July 31 period where a team can move players without going through the waiver process. It's like telling a prospective buyer of your home all of the things that are wrong with it and in need of repair, and then wondering why the offer is so low.
Some thing is up with Millwood,..I said it today after he did not come back after 1 inning...bet you right now he is hurt....bring back Tillman....they are the same exact 5 day schedule right now...and send Mata down for Pie tomorrow...Bell should stay.....
Roch,
I don't get the games out here in Sacramento, so I'm just going on the box score, but why was Moore pinch-hitting for Lugo? Lugo was 3-4 and Moore grounded to first... Is Lugo hurt or what?
Kyle
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Lefty vs. righty. - Roch
Millwood hasn't pitched well since May and only now they're getting concerned? Am I missing something here? Len, if Millwood is placed on the DL what do you think he's going to bring as trade bait? Surely less than what he would bring now; and that's not saying much. The O's will get stuck with his salary in any trade. I think Samuel should have kept his mouth shut but too late now.
Sure wish TIllman will do in the majors what he's been doing in the minors. But, he is only 21.
Being an Oriole fan has been really painful and depressing to me lately. I glance through player stats for other teams, and I see Brett Gardner hitting well over .300 and with a .400 OBP. Cano is one of the premier hitters in the AL at the moment. Boesch is a power-hitting monster in Detroit. This all makes me sick. Why? Because I know what these guys were in the minors. Gardner is a nice 4th outfielder - good glove, nice speed, will take a walk, not enough else to be a regular (Baseball America's #13 on the Yankee prospect list for 2009). Cano was a .270 hitter in the minors with a brick glove and a propensity to swing at everything. Boesch had power, but a long swing, a crappy OBP, and a questionable at best outlook (BA's #25 on their list of 2010 Tigers prospects). Meanwhile, Oriole prospects that are much more highly regarded by real talent evaluators - not just over-hyped by our own organization - don't pan out. MacPhail must replace the coaching staff soon. Every day he waits the chances of our young talent developing into stars becomes more slim: Adam Jones steps closer to being Gary Mathews, Jr., Matt Wieters slides into a lovely career as the next Greg Zaun, and Tillman and Arrietta come into their own as Victor Zambranos. Saying I'm sick of other organizations having talent that develops into good major league players while our better talent evolves into nice waiver-wire material isn't nearly strong enough for how I feel.
Please hire Showalter. Please give him the power to install two of his own hand-picked coaches by the end of this season, with the promise that he can clean out the rest at his discretion in the offseason. Windows of opportunity are fickle things, and our young talent has to be guided to fulfill its potential before it's too late.
Well, Sammy just took himself out of any consideration of being one of he candidates for the managers job with that "bone headed" statement of being "concerned". I bet MacPhail needed the paddles to get his heart going again. Looks like that means Millwood will finish the year with the Birds instead of getting "something" for him in a trade. Plus, when is he going to stop putting Wiggy in clean up. They didn't pitch to Nick when Miggy was there, or Matt, all year. So why not try a new candidate, like Fox or anyone who might scare some manager to pitch to Nick?
JO
Fox should be the everyday first baseman. What is so kooky about that? Seriously?
Great post, sheets.
Why is anyone surprised that Itzuris swung at the first pitch in the 9th? He's done that all year. Terrible swing to begin with, and terrible, clueless approach to the plate, every single freakin' time.
It is the last inning and the tying run at the plate with two outs. We need to tie the game before you can win it, Why not give Josh Bell that opportunity?? Not sure what the staff was thinking!
"Third baseman Josh Bell could be headed back to the minors. If he was available today, as Samuel told reporters, why didn't he pinch-hit for Cesar Izturis with two outs in the ninth and runners on second and third?"
Good point Roch, also a bit suprised they didn't pinch run for Wieters. I know they were probably thinking that they would have had to play Tatum and lose Wieters bat if it went extras. Being down five runs at the start, that would've have been a nice problem to have. With the way the game was going, it actually felt like we had a chance, albeit small one in the 9th.
I'm guessing Samwell knows he's not in the team's long term plans, so he feels more free to speak his mind.
Roch,
Have you ever seen two guys that didn't want to pitch more than Hendrickson and Koji did yesterday? Fellas, I understand it's hot but save us all a lot of grief and tell the BP coach not to answer the phone next time. Sheez!
sheets--Well said.