http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=519875
All in all, an acceptable review from Mr. Chris Bahr, but there are a couple of glaring issues with the analysis.
1) The article asks the question, “What happens if Guthrie is a 1 year wonder?” Guthrie pitched 175 innings in 2007, and 190 innings in 2008… overall peripheral numbers are basically equal… hard to be a 1 year wonder, when you have already done it twice.
2) The article states that the primary reason Wieters will not break camp with the Orioles is lack of experience, which is simply not accurate. The reason Wieters will not break camp with the Orioles, is the service time issue alone.
3) The Orioles pitching staff receives a Grade of ‘F’, and believes the bullpen is thin…. It is one thing to question the starters… and it would also be fair to say that bullpen could be overextended if the rotation does not perform… but there is plenty of talent in the bullpen.
4) The Orioles bench receives a Grade of ‘C’… I think you have to grade the bench, with the knowledge that Wieters will quickly ascend as the Starter, forcing Zaun to the bench.
Zaun, Freel, Wigginton, Montanez / Gomez / Murphy is better than average.
5) The article projects Mark Hendrickson as the 5th starter… while possible, this borders on the unlikely. There additionally is more upside in Liz, Albers, Penn, Pauley, Patton… (not to mention Bergesen, Hernandez, Tillman etc etc) than is positioned in the article.
6) Felix Pie turned 24 on Feb 8th.. His age, and .825 career OPS in the Minors are of much more significance than the .223 batting avg in 260 Major League at-bats.
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