Pie & The Pitching

Now that the football season is over in Baltimore, I guess it is now time to turn our collective attention to the Orioles. In my opinion, so far, the organization has done a fairly modest job in improving the team.

For the most part, there are rave reviews about the Pie-Olson trade. While you always hate to trade pitching for a hitter, Pie just has way too much potential to just not make this move for Olson.

The Cubs may have put too much of a burden on Pie -- that organization is not a place for on-the-job training -- and he may for once get all the opportunities in the world to play in Baltimore. More likely than not, I see him starting. I think the O's are just going to let him go out there (ala Adam Jones) and hope his minor league numbers can translate in the majors. I see Luke Scott as the designated hitter, and Aubrey Huff playing at first. I think the Orioles are taking the baby steps to rebuild -- as in becoming younger and tad more athletic, and these are things you have to do to create a system.

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Fox Sports Reports Garrett Olson Has Been Traded For Felix Pie..

Fox Sports Ken Rosenthal has reported that the Orioles have traded Garrett Olson for Felix Pie -- a player that Andy MacPhail has always coveted.

The Cubs have reached agreement with the Orioles on a deal that will send Pie to Baltimore for left-hander Garrett Olson and Class A right-hander Henry Williamson, according to major-league sources.

Pie, rated the Cubs' No. 1 prospect by Baseball America in 2007, has yet to prove he can hit in the majors, batting .223 with a .284 on-base percentage in 287 career plate appearances.

Olson, the 48th overall pick in the 2005 draft, could fit for the Cubs as a middle reliever if lefty Sean Marshall moves into the team's rotation.

The Padres wanted Olson as part of a three-team trade for Jake Peavy earlier this off-season, and could ask for him again from the Cubs if those talks revive.

*special tip of the hat for Ian from Sox and Dawgs for alerting me about this...

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A Trade In The Works?

Hope everyone is having a great Thanksgiving holiday weekend and recovering from Black Friday -- assuming you partook in it -- however, it looks like the Orioles may now be involved in some trade talk now.

Well, if you have had your pulse on the news, it seems like the Oriole and Cubs are annual trade partners; thus, there may be something in the works -- again.

From the Baltimore Sun: The Orioles have revisited trade talks with the Cubs about outfielder Felix Pie, according to industry sources, and could end up as the third team in a three-way deal that would send marquee right-hander Jake Peavy from the San Diego Padres to Chicago.

Pie, once considered one of the best young prospects in the game, was an Orioles target at this time last year when the two teams discussed a trade involving two-time All-Star second baseman Brian Roberts.

Orioles president Andy MacPhail said today that a deal is not imminent but acknowledged that Pie is the kind of player the Orioles are pursuing to broaden the club's position depth.

"We have a lot of different irons in the fire," MacPhail said. "We're in the process of determining who our trading partners might be and which free agents we might have a chance to sign. We're basically in the same position as everybody else, waiting for a couple of big dominoes to fall."

Right now, considering Jones is in the fold in center field and Markakis is in right, I don't know if he's a fit for the team unless someone is moved. However, Pie has promise, and a place like Baltimore -- assuming he can live up to his potential -- could be one where he shines, plus could be another young player to be added to Baltimore's long term plans.

Now this tidbit...

The Padres, who are limited in trade talks for Peavy because of the 2007 National League Cy Young Award winner's no-trade clause, covet Garrett Olson, a Southern California native. This offseason, the Padres asked for Olson in exchange for veteran shortstop Khalil Greene, but the Orioles rejected the offer. Olson, 25, is 10-13 with a 6.87 ERA in 33 starts over two major-league seasons.

The Padres and Cubs have been looking for a third team to get involved in the Peavy trade talks because Chicago reportedly doesn't have all the young, major-league-ready pieces San Diego is seeking.

I'm not sure we should trade Olson -- he's shown flashes of brilliance at times, despite being inconsistent in 2008; however, the Orioles need to yet younger, and a player of Pie's pedigree and potential does not come by too often. The Cubs have their needs, as do the Orioles and Padres -- two teams that will most likely be in the second division in 2009.

Again, Pie seems to be quite inciting. What would he coming to Charm City factor into Luke Scott or Lou Montanez's playing time?

I'm split on doing this move; however, if the Padres add another piece -- primarily an infielder -- it might be move worth making especially if it could perhaps open the door to what could potentially transpire.

Then again, there might be a significant hurdle too on making this deal happen as Peter Schmuck notes:

Don't hold your breath on this. There are some complicating factors, primarily the three-year, $52 million contract extension Peavy signed that guarantees him an average of $16 million per year from 2010 through 2012 (on top of his $11 million for 2009 and including a $4 million buyout if his $22 million option for 2013 doesn't get picked up). Taking on that contract probably is going to require approval from whoever makes the highest bid for the Cubs franchise, which is being sold by the Tribune Company. The deadline for bids is Monday.

Stay tuned. Something may happen, or it may not.

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Olson Wins Number Five: O's Beat Twins, 3-2; The Jays On Tap...

In light of what I said about two weeks about the first part of June being very important and telling as to where the Orioles would stand for the rest of the season -- right now, needless to say -- they're doing fine.

With a record of 29-30, and still in last place in the AL East, the Orioles earned a very important series victory on Thursday as both Adam Jones homered, and Nick Markakis added a two-run shot as Baltimore beat Minnesota, 3-2.

Keeping in line of the growth of this in 2008, rookie Garrett Olson won his fifth game as he allowed two runs and eight hits through 6 1/3 innings in Baltimore's third win in four games. Although he got into trouble in the first part of the game, through guts and guile, he was able to hold off the Twins.

George Sherrill threw a scoreless ninth for his 20th save of the season.

The Baltimore Orioles next counter against a tough Toronto team that's 32-30 on the season and are fighting for a top spot in the AL East.

Matchups:

Tonight: Orioles' Brian Burres (4-5, 4.87) vs. Shaun Marcum (5-3, 2.63)
Saturday: Jeremy Guthrie (2-6, 3.58) vs. A.J. Burnett (5-5, 4.32)
Sunday: Radhames Liz (1-0, 3.38) vs. Roy Halladay (7-5, 2.94)

The Jays' strength this season as in the past has been their starting corps, and the Orioles will have it tough this series. Although the Orioles had a very respectable showing in Minnesota, they go up against a great young arm in Marcum on Friday, Burnett who has seemingly owned Baltimore on Saturday, and Halladay -- one of the best in the game -- on Sunday.

Needless to say, the offense needs to be on their game, and despite the Jays only being over two games above .500 along with losers of two in a row, Baltimore has a task on it's hands. Despite the Toronto offense being with Vernon Wells and a lack of power in their lineup, they will be a formidable challenge.

The good news is that the Baltimore offense has picked within the last week, and Adam Jones is starting to come around and show the promise that everyone in baseball has been raving about. As well, Brian Roberts and Nick Markakis have come out their slumps to contribute.

Now, the rest of the team needs to pick it up.

O's Beat the White Sox 9-6; Olson Debuts...

Youngster Garrett Olson was summoned to the big club yesterday, and in his start yesterday, he didn’t disappoint.

Although he only went a little more than four innings and didn’t earn the win, he still looked good and had a solid outing.

Thanks to the bats and contributions from a Jay Gibbons homer, Kevin Millar and Nick Markakis, the O’s beat the White Sox 9-6 on Independence Day.

The O’s whipped up on Jose Contreras and torched him for six runs in five innings.

Rob Bell came into the game in the fifth and earned his second win of the season.

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The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Examiner, & Washington Post have a recap of the action from yesterday.

The Orioles released Scott Williamson on Tuesday to make room for Garrett Olson. He was a little surprised by the news, as he didn’t pitch all that bad for the Birds, just that he was always injured and his appearances were few and far between. In addition, it sounded like the club wanted to see more of its young pitchers in the lower levels have a shot at the big time.

I think it was a good move, and does not hurt the Orioles. Roch Kubatko of the Baltimore Sun has his thoughts on Scott Williamson and also on Garrett Olson.

The O, By the Way blog has their thoughts on Olson’s start on Wednesday.

Matt Palmer believes that Cal Ripken is trying to take a middle ground in the debate between Barry Bonds and steroids.

-- photo from the AP