I haven't written anything in a couple of weeks because of lack of free time. But I am finally back to my normal routine. (Damn family) Even with my hectic schedule I still have been able to follow the O's, and I am glad to announce that they are coming back together again.
Let's take a look over the last month. Sammy Sosa was the first to go out with an injury. Sosa was put on the DL with a abscess and staph infection of left foot on May 5th. This injury forced Jay Gibbons to play more right field. In case you didn't notice, Gibby has gone back to first with the O's size and isn't that fast. In total, Sosa missed 20 games and returned to the lineup on the 24th of May. Larry Bigbie was next to go down with an injury when he left a game on May 12th with a strained hammy injury. He finally came back on June 13th. He has only had 13 at bats since returning from the injury. Larry Bigbie has raised his average to .280 and has 11 RBIs. Luis Matos on a freak hit by pitch, broke his right index finger. Matos was out from May 11th till yesterday. The O's have rotated so many players into center field that I don't remember all of the names. I know that Newhan was out there a few times, and a bunch of minor leaguers have made a rotation out there(None are active now).
Two major players for the Orioles are still MIA (Missing in Action for all those who don't watch the news), Erik Bedard and Javy Lopez. Erik Bedard has been MIA since May 22nd and was suppose to be back at the end of this month. Now, Bedard is suppose to be back with the O's after the All-Star break. Before Erik Bedard went down, he was the best and most dominate pitcher for the O's with a 5-1 record and 2.08 ERA. Hayden Penn was called up from the minors to replace Bedard and has gone 2-0 with a 4.23 ERA. Penn has pitched very well thus far in the replacement of Bedard, but he really hasn't pitched against a good team other than the Boston Red Sox. We will really see what he can do when the Orioles go against the Blue Jays, Yankees, Red Sox, and the Braves. Javy Lopez is the other MIA player who really has been irreplacable (if that is really a word or if I spelt that right) since going down May 25th with a broken right hand. Geronimo Gil and Sal Fasano have been splitting time behind the plate, but neither of them can replace Javy's bat. Between the both of them, Gil and Fasano have 9 HRs and 21 RBIs combined. Javy Lopez had 7 HRs and 22 RBIs before he got injured with a .278 batting average. He will also be coming back after the All-Star break.
Last nights game didn't help the injury list of the O's much when Melvin Mora came up lame trying to beat out a throw to first base. Buck Martinez, O's commentator, said it looked to a hammy injury. Not a good sign for the O's. Just when the O's looked like they were finally recovering from their injuries, it looks like the O's will be filling in that vacated spot on the DL that Matos gave up. Everyone cross your fingers.
Posted by helimech24 at June 22, 2005 12:41 AM | TrackBack