O's Rebuilding for 2010

When the Orioles closed out their season with a record of 64-98, people knew we were in trouble. A 13-game losing streak and the third worst record in the team’s history is not something to be proud of. [In 1988, the O’s finished 54-107 and in 1954, the first season in Baltimore, they were 54-100]. However, the O’s are working towards a better team in 2010. They’ve been slowly rebuilding their roster this past season; over 11 players are under the age of 25, and only three are over the age of 30. Many of these rookies are off to a great start.

Nolan Reimold, only 26 years old, was called up in May 2009. He impressed many around the league with his .279 batting average and 15 home runs as a rookie. He provided a solid defensive presence in left field as well a fairly consistent bat in the Orioles lineup, until he was placed on the disabled list on September 18th for an Achilles tendon injury. Without Reimold, the O’s were unable to secure a win until October 1st, which ended their 13-game losing streak.

Matt Wieters, only 22 years old, was called up at the end of May as catcher. He replaced Gregg Zaun, who was traded to Tampa Bay. Wieters was having a hard time living up to everyone’s expectations, having batted .345 in the Minors. Although he started off slowly, he ended the season with a .288 batting average and 9 home runs.

Brian Matusz, a 22-year-old rookie pitcher, was called up in August. His 2009 record was a 4.63 ERA and a .292 batting average. Although this young player had shown a lot of potential in a short time, the O’s decided to take him out of the line up September 14th in order to keep his arm safe so he can come back strong next season.

Chris Tillman, a 21-year-old rookie pitcher from California, made his major league debut on September 11th at Yankee Stadium. He has a 5.40 ERA for the 12 starts and 65 innings he pitched. However, he was taken out of the lineup at the end of September for the rest of the season to protect his arm as well.

Brad Bergesen, a 24-year-old rookie pitcher for Baltimore, had a 3.34 ERA in his 19 starts for the O’s. Unfortunately, a bruised shin on July 30th kept him out of the game for the rest of the season.

Center fielder Adam Jones ended his season due to a sprained ankle on September 1st. He has also suffered from a broken bone in his foot, and problems with both his back and hamstring. However, he ended his season with a .277 batting average and 70 RBIs. Jones, only 24 years old, has been with the O’s since 2006 and is an important asset to the team.

Nick Markakis. The name pretty much says it all. Although he is only 25 years old, the right fielder was voted the Orioles' Most Valuable Player, finished the season with 101 RBIs, a .293 batting average and 18 home runs. He is also a nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, which will be announced during the World Series. Markakis has been with the O’s since 2006 as well, and is a major powerhouse for the team.

Felix Pie injured his left quad, ending his season earlier than he’d like. Prior to his injury, Pie had a .266 batting average and 29 RBIs. When Pie, Jones and Reimold were all placed on the disabled list, the Orioles had exactly three outfielders that were capable of holding the team together.

Although the Orioles had a losing season, it’s not because they’re a bad team. They’re just a team that’s working on rebuilding themselves for the future, and bouncing back from numerous team injuries. The best is yet to come. Look out, Baltimore. The O’s are back!