Okay, back from my much-needed week at the beach, where I watched as little Orioles baseball as I could. Tuesday’s ridiculous nine-run comeback over the hated Red Sox notwithstanding (I caught a replay of the last two innings), the bits that I did watch were too much. Sure, it’s a rebuilding year, and there are rookies learning on the job and highly touted prospects yet to arrive, but some of the veterans are trying to drive me to an early grave. I’d name names, but the head-slapping moments are being spread around without prejudice. Anyway.
#19 Koji Uehara has made his second trip to the disabled list, and he could be out until September. I suppose that’s the risk you run when you sign a 34-year-old starting pitcher who hasn’t actually started since 2006. In his stead, the O’s recalled #63 David Hernandez for his second stint in Baltimore in this, his rookie season. Koji didn’t have to wait long for a little company on the D.L.; yesterday the Birds shelved #37 Chris Ray with shoulder troubles. #31 Kam Mickolio takes his place. This is his third go-round on the big league roster since last summer, and all three times he’s worn that number.
As I type this, Jeremy Guthrie has been knocked out in the third inning in Seattle, and Erik Bedard has seven strikeouts in three innings against his former team. Seriously, can we extend the All-Star Break by a week or so this year?
All of a sudden, Birdland is a much more interesting place to be. Recapping the latest load of roster moves and uni news, and those yet to come:
Whew, Opening Day is finally here, and it was a good one! It was a thrill to be part of the largest first-game crowd ever assembled at Camden Yards, especially since the Birds made mincemeat of CC Sabathia, Mark “Boo” Teixeira and the rest of the overpaid mercenary All-Stars. Savor first place, O’s fans, however long it may last!
Okay, now that Andy MacPhail seems to have eased up on his whirlwind of deal-making, it’s time for a final offseason update. The book is closed on another handful of 2008 Orioles:
Lots more player news to discuss. The first especially significant move of the Orioles offseason came earlier this week, when the club finalized a two-year deal with 34-year-old Japanese righthanded pitcher Koji Uehara (oo-eh-ara). In the short term, he’s a much-needed veteran arm with excellent control. Though he’s struggled with injuries the past few years, he still has a good chance to be a top starter for the Birds. Admittedly, that’s not saying much, but he’s still preferable to having to swallow Tim Redding or Paul Byrd as any kind of improvement over what we had. More importantly in the long-term, the O’s are finally players on the international market. If baseball is not going to subject foreign players to any kind of draft, Baltimore has to get their name out there. According to Uehara, the only thing that the Japanese know about the Orioles is Cal Ripken, Jr. It’s about time we did something about it. As you can see, Koji was given a #19 jersey at the press conference, which was his number for the Yomiuri Giants. It’s not surprising that it was available here, as last year’s #19, Oscar Salazar, is a long shot to make the club. Fingers crossed that Koji has some of the same good fortune in #19 that Dave McNally (and to a lesser extent Scott Erickson) did!
As of Monday, the roster limit has expanded from 25 to 40. The Birds’ roster currently stands at 31 *ahem* strong. So how did we get there?
Geez, I go to the Ocean for a week and things go topsy-turvy in Camden Yards! Since my last site update, there have been eight changes to the Baltimore roster, with #29 Adam Loewen’s shoulder injury signaling more turnover on the horizon. To sum up:
Well, Chapter 2 of the Steve Trachsel Era in Baltimore has ended with an inglorious thud. The ponderous, junkballing veteran who 
In the Trashman’s stead, the O’s promoted infielder Oscar Salazar from AAA Norfolk. The 29-year-old Venezuelan’s entire body of work in the major leagues consists of twenty-one at-bats in 2002 with Detroit. Though the Birds are 0-for-2 in the two games he’s played so far, he does have two hits and an RBI in his first five at-bats for the team. He’s been outfitted in #19, making him just the fifteenth Oriole to don the number that belonged to great lefty Dave McNally for thirteen years. Salazar is the 34th different player to suit up in orange and black in ‘08.