Problem: Struggling Orioles Offense, Solution: Wait it Out or Promote Wieters

Going into Sunday's series finale of the 'Battle of the Beltways,' the Orioles anemic offense had failed to post more than four runs on the board since May 14th, a stretch of eight games.

While the O's have won a few of these low scoring games, no right minded Orioles fan can expect to see the current Orioles pitching staff win games when the offense does not produce.

The Three-Headed Monster (Roberts, Jones, Markakis) at the top of the lineup is no longer the most feared 1-2-3 in baseball. Nick Markakis is slumping, badly. In the past nine games, he is batting .184 with only two extra base hits in that stretch. Most importantly, he has driven in only five runs. His performance is instrumental to the Orioles offense.

Aubrey Huff is another struggling Oriole crucial to driving in runs. Huff, similarly to Markakis, is batting .229 in the past nine games with 4 RBI's. Brian Roberts and Adam Jones have done an excellent job this year getting on base. When Markakis and Huff aren't able to capitalize with runners on base, the Orioles can't win ballgames. It's that simple.

What is going to get this offense going again? First of all, Nick Markakis needs to get back on track. His RBI triple on Sunday is good to see but he went 1 for 5 in the game. I expect that Nick will break out of this slump soon, he is too good of a hitter to continue slumping. Second of all, Aubrey Huff must capitalize with runners on base.

If the offense does not get back on track in their current form, Matt Wieters' inevitable promotion must come to fruition. In the past 10 games, the switch-hitting superstar-to-be is hitting .333 with 4 HR's and 14 RBI's.

If Andy MacPhail is waiting for the right time to promote Wieters, this is it. Chad Moeller and Gregg Zaun are embarrassing at the plate and the O's can't afford to lose games simply because Markakis and Huff aren't doing well.

--BK

1 week down, 25 to go and an Ode to the Blast

Could anyone have asked for a better start to the Orioles 2009 campaign? This first week of top-notch baseball by the Orioles is not surprising (they usually start hot), but it is relieving. The pitching has been hit or miss so far. Three out of five starters have at least one win but the bullpen has allowed the opposition to creep back into games. Jeremy Guthrie has silenced critics who were pessimistic while watching him struggle this spring.

The Orioles offense has performed superbly as expected. Brian Roberts, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis, and Melvin Mora are batting well over .300 with 19 RBI's to go around through Saturday. Most agree that the offense will be among the best in the big leagues this year. Prior to opening day, my major concern with the offense was the bottom 3 hitters. Gregg Zaun, Felix Pie, and Cesar Izturis are not exactly front-line hitters however they have been performing well enough to keep the rest of the lineup afloat.

The Orioles baserunning has concerned me. They have already been thrown out four times this season having only stolen four bases. I understand that Dave Trembley wants his team to be aggressive on the basepaths. What I don't understand is why they need to be aggressive right now while their offense is performing exceptionally well. The Orioles are getting baserunners and scoring runs left and right. There is no need to risk losing baserunners when the offense is hot.

Congratulations to the Blast who won their fifth championship in seven years this past Saturday. They beat the Rockford Rampage 13-10 at the First Mariner Arena. OK, I know it's just soccer, indoor soccer at that. But the Blast have a long and significant history in Baltimore, they deserve some credit.

2009 Orioles Prediction

The Orioles will begin the 2009 regular season believing that they actually are on the right track. This is not an unfamiliar mindset. It seems that almost every season, the Orioles sell a sense of false hope to their fans when in reality the Orioles ship is unguided and heading in the wrong direction. What makes things different this time around? When it comes down to it, not much. The team will probably finish 20 or so games under .500 and they will struggle to fill up the best ballpark in baseball. However most fans, including myself, truly believe that the Orioles' ship is guided and headed in the right direction. Andy MacPhail (pictured) has the proven track record and appropriate mentality while the team's prospects are starting to line up. MacPhail has said that fans need to give it time. Time that is starting to run out on my clock, and the clocks of thousands of die hard fans. When it comes down to it, what choice do O's fans have? We need to stick through the tough times knowing that the possibility for extended success is within reach.


Here are my predictions for the 2009 season:

Orioles Record: 70-92 (5th place)

Team MVP: Nick Markakis. There is no doubt in my mind that Markakis will continue to develop in multiple areas this year. Last year, he blossomed into one of the best right fielders in baseball. Why can't he blossom into one of the most solid hitters in baseball as well?

Biggest Bust: Melvin Mora. Mora shocked the entire organization during the second half last season but I can't expect that burst to continue. He is 37 years old and I suspect he won't be able to sustain the grind of a 162 game season.

Most surprising player: Koji Uehara (pictured). He comes to the Orioles with no experience playing in the United States but that may not necessarily be a bad thing. Very proven and successful in Japan, Uehara has something new to bring to the Orioles organization. His bevvy of pitches and location control should go a long way this season.

Rookie of the Year: Matt Wieters. There is no need to comment further on his oozing potential and indication that the club is headed in the right direction with this prodigy.

Bold Predictions: Adam Jones bats .310 and Alfredo Simon records 13 wins. Jamie Walker gets demoted or put on waivers after two months with an ERA over 7.00.

Expect a new post about once a week during the regular season.