Baltimore Orioles: Five Key Players For the Second Half of 2009

(Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The second half of the 2009 season for the Baltimore Orioles isn’t necessarily about wins and losses, but it is about changing a negative aura that has been more than a decade in the making.

Baltimore has posted a winning mark in the second half of the season only three times since 1998 and not since 2004.

But the struggles have gone beyond just registering losing seasons. Almost every year, the Orioles have sleep walked through the last two months of the season.   

Over the last four years, the Orioles have posted a .355 winning percentage after August 1 and since 1998 the team has won only 40.8 percent of their games over the last two months.

In comparison, in the first half of those same four seasons, the Orioles had a winning record twice and a .488 winning percentage.

Even this season, though Baltimore has a losing record at the All-Star break (40-48), the team has played with great intensity and had some dramatic come-from-behind wins.

If the Orioles really want to be competitive in 2010 and beyond, they need to show that they can play with that same level of intensity for the entire season. The Birds cannot have another second half of the year where they look like a team just playing out the string.

So, for the Orioles to start building for 2010 today, these five players need to lead the way and have a big second half of the season.

Brian Roberts – Second Base
As the leadoff hitter and in his seventh season as the starting second baseman, Roberts needs to push the younger Orioles along through the second half of this season.

Even though his batting average is down slightly this year (.273 compared to a .296 average the last four years), his other numbers are right on track. Roberts seems headed for his third straight 100 runs scored season (63 so far in 2009) and has almost as many home runs and RBI through the first half of 2009 as he did in all of 2008.

Roberts is a fireplug and hard-core player. It is time for him to step up and be the team leader.

Jeremy Guthrie – Starting Pitcher
During his first two seasons with the Orioles, Guthrie was unquestionably the most consistent pitcher on an otherwise poor pitching rotation.

Though his record was only 17-17, Guthrie had an ERA of 3.66. In 2008, he allowed two or fewer runs in 17 of his 30 starts.

However, this season he has struggled from the very beginning. In 18 starts, Guthrie has allowed three or more runs 15 times and pitched seven or more innings only five times.

As the Orioles look to give their young pitchers a chance to prepare for full-time duty in 2010, Guthrie needs to re-establish himself as the leader of the staff by going out there every start and piling up the quality starts like he did over the last two seasons.

Matt Wieters – Catcher
Through his first 31 games as a major league catcher, Matt Wieters has shown that he does indeed have the ability to be a long-time standout behind the plate for the Orioles.

Wieters has proven to be an excellent defensive catcher and has done a solid job handling the Baltimore pitchers.

His .259 batting average, three home runs and 10 RBI are really just gravy as he adjusts to major league pitching.

Over the second half of the season,

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?