Playing for the Baltimore Orioles is no picnic. The team has not made the postseason since 1997 and routinely loses over 90 games. They play in a division with the Yankees, Rays, and Red Sox-that’s 54 games each year in which they are probably an underdog. The home fans, who once filled beautiful Camden Yards, have long since stopped coming. The team drew a million seven last year, but that is deceiving. When the Sox or Yanks are in town, many of the seats are filled by Boston or New York fans. How demoralizing it must be for the Oriole players to hear most of the crowd on their feet, cheering for the last strike of a win that will be for the opposition. Other days, the park is nearly empty.
The O’s top starter for the last four years has been Jeremy Guthrie. His stats at first do not look impressive. In 5 years in Baltimore, he is 47-65 with an ERA of 4.19. In both 09 and 11, he lost 17 games. But he does eat up innings-200 or more in each of the last three seasons. His hits to innings pitched ratio is not bad, considering the team he has behind him. His walk-strikout ratio is very good. But let’s get back to the ERA. The Sox went through last year with a pitcher in the rotation (we all know his name) whose mark was nearly two runs worse.
Guthrie is reportedly available, but he won’t be cheap. He made nearly 6 million last year. But maybe-just maybe- the Orioles would pick up some of that money for prospects, which they obviously can use. A change of scenery might help Guthrie-at least the fans will be cheering for his team and not the opposition. In Bobby Valentine he will have an established and experienced manager, rather than the revolving door he has had in Baltimore.
The Sox still need another starter. They could do worse than Jeremy Guthrie.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
