BALTIMORE ORIOLES

Baltimore had a dismal 2011, finishing 69-93 finishing 28 games behind the Yankees.

Vladimir Guerrero is probably gone, he is losing bat speed and left fielder Luke Scott is gone to Tampa, a part-time player who will make $6 Million next year!

They managed to pickup Luis Ayala a right-handed pitcher, third baseman, Wilson Betemit .285 BA 8 HR’s 46RBI’s and a .343 OBP. Picking up Endy Chavez a career .274 hitter with a great glove in Center field, Wei-Yin Chen, a Japanese import who signed for 3 years and $11 Million a risk, maybe not a big as Darvish, Tsuyoshi Wada, 2 years-$8 million, another risk from Japan Both never faced major league pitching, Ronnie Paulino from the Mets who signed for a minor league contract for a backup and coming off the bench.

 

As a hitting team they are not bad. There on base percentage is not great, but their slugging percentage is ranked 9^th in the Majors. Their batting average is 11^th and their runs scored is 14^th, average.

 

Mark Reynolds

Mark Reynolds yields a big bat with 37 HR’s and 86 RBI’s while Nick Markakis hits and gets on base. Adam Jones with 25 HR;s 83 RBI’s and a .280 batting average, along with J. J. Hardy’s 30 home runs and 80 RBI’s make for a decent offense. Matt Wieters 22 HR’s and 68 RBI’s along with Andino and Reynolds round out a good hitting team.

 

Their pitching staff headed by Zack Britton with only 11 wins and Jeremy Guthrie with a 4.33 ERA speak volumes for why they finished last in the American League East.

 

Maybe with the acquisition of two new starting pitchers they can improve their record and not be the American League Least finishers. Wilson Bitimet and Endy Chavez are good pickups who will definitely help the team win more games, but I think they will languish in last place for at least one more year.