Orioles' Future Rests with Young Outfield, Pitching

The Baltimore Orioles have not had a winning season since 1997, but the end of the long rebuilding process may be in sight. Previous clubs relied upon aging sluggers to fill the seats. The team now is finally getting younger with a number of high-ceiling prospects waiting in the wings. Matt Wieters’ arrival in the major leagues has received the most media attention, but the Orioles’ starting outfielders are all 25 or younger and have shown they belong in the majors.

Left fielder Nolan Reimold has been incredibly productive in his first month in the majors, swatting seven home runs in 99 at bats. Reimold, a second round draft pick in 2005, will likely be a fixture in left field for years to come. If the first month has been any indication, he will soon have a spot in the middle of the order.

Nick Markakis is also 25-years-old and the most celebrated of the young outfielders. The O’s recently signed him to a contract extension through 2014, likely a shrewd move by the front office despite the $66 million price tag for six seasons. Markakis has already finished among the top 10 in the American League in hits, OBP and batting average, while displaying significant power. He has been in a bit of a slump the last six weeks, only hitting .240 in May. While his average has since risen, Markakis only has two RBIs in the last three weeks.  

Adam Jones is the youngest of the Orioles’ outfielders, and is having a stellar season. Jones, who came to Baltimore as part of the Erik Bedard trade, is currently eighth in All-Star voting. He is also currently mired in a slump, going 3 of 32 in his last eight games. Yet Jones is still hitting .312 on the season, with 12 homers and an OPS of over .900. In the last two and a half months, Jones has already equaled his home run total from 2006-2008, when he had over 600 total at bats. If 2009 is no fluke, Jones will blossom into one of the best hitting center fielders in all of baseball.

The Orioles’ long term success will rely just as much upon its young pitching and Wieters as its outfielders. Brad Bergesen has impressed since being called up from Norfolk. In his last four starts, Bergesen has gone 3-0 with an ERA of 1.69 in 32 innings. Chris Tillman is 5-4 with a 2.55 ERA at AAA Norfolk, and he’s only 21 years old. Tillman plowed through Double-A last season, going 11-4 with a 3.18 ERA and 154 strikeouts in 28 starts. Brian Matusz, the most touted pitching prospect in the organization, made his first start at Double-A Bowie, giving up one run in six innings. Matusz can throw in the mid-90s, and has four above-average pitches.

The Orioles are already 11 games back in the hypercompetitive AL East. This is certainly not the year they’ll in the playoff hunt come September. Therefore, Andy MacPhail and the front office will likely be sellers before the trade deadline.

Melvin Mora is getting old and has seen his power drop considerably this season. His potential replacement, Bill Rowell, the team’s No. 1 pick in 2006, is still young but hasn’t shown he can consistently hit for average or power. Danys Baez or George Sherrill are both over 30. They could serve as attractive trade bait for a team looking to upgrade their late-inning options and perhaps allow the Orioles to pick up a young infielder.