Early Takeaways from the Baltimore Orioles' September Call-Ups

The 2014 MLB regular season is almost over.

We're nearly two weeks into September, and the Baltimore Orioles sit 10 games above the second-place Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East standings and are all but guaranteed of winning the division.

The Orioles have been able to overcome challenge after challenge this season, from a poor start to the season to lacking innings from their starting pitchers early on in the year to season-ending injuries to key players (Matt Wieters, Manny Machado).

The reason they've been able to overcome everything thrown at them? Two words: Deep depth.

As an organization, the O's have quality player depth from top to bottom, helping to soften the blows the team has received throughout the season.

Some of that depth has been on display this month, as many players received call-ups after rosters expanded in September. Manager Buck Showalter will use these players to give the O's regulars some rest as the team keep chugging towards a division crown and October baseball.

Let's take a look at how those guys have performed since joining the big club.

Joe Saunders, Reliever

Reinhold Matay/Associated Press

Joe Saunders was converted to a left-handed relief specialist after signing a minor league deal with the Orioles earlier this season. He struggled as a starter with the Texas Rangers earlier in the season, and the O's figured they had nothing to lose in giving Saunders a chance to revive his career as a bullpen arm.

So far, the results haven't been good.

In his first two appearances, Saunders sat down each batter he faced, totaling 0.2 innings. But in Boston on Wednesday, Saunders entered the game with a 10-1 lead in the bottom of the ninth and couldn't finish the game off, allowing five runs while recording just one out.

Sometimes pitchers become too relaxed when they enter a ballgame with a huge lead and they proceed to give up runs. For Saunders' sake, hopefully that's all that happened.

One thing is for sure: Don't expect to see Saunders on the postseason roster.

Evan Meek, Reliever

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Evan Meek had spent time with the Orioles earlier this season, and though he had many scoreless appearances, a few appearances where he allowed a good bit of runs did him in. He spent the majority of the season at Triple-A Norfolk.

Since his return to the bigs, Meek has pitched a total of three innings in three appearances for the Birds, allowing just one run on three hits while striking out one.

Meek is the kind of pitcher who has a bulldog mentality and isn't afraid to throw any pitch at any time. Sometimes that helps him. Other times it can hurt him.

Showalter will likely turn to Meek when the team needs a late-inning man on the mound but their go-to choices such as Darren O'Day and Andrew Miller both need some rest.

Steve Clevenger, Catcher

Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Steve Clevenger has just one at-bat since arriving back in Baltimore this fall, lining out in the eighth inning on Sept. 7 in Tampa Bay.

With Caleb Joseph and Nick Hundley basically splitting catching duties, it'll be hard for Showalter to get Clevenger into games, though he'll likely receiver at least a couple of starts before the end of the season as to provide some rest for Joseph and Hundley.

On the year, Clevenger is batting .231 with a .286 OBP and eight doubles in 78 at-bats. Solid numbers for a backup catcher, but his defense has lacked in that role. He'll need to improve upon that if he wants to be a factor with the Orioles in 2015.

Quintin Berry, Outfielder

Chris O'Meara/Associated Press

There's not much to report in the way of Quintin Berry.

Berry has had one at-bat, in which he struck out, and has scored one run as the result of being used as a pinch-runner. He's also been called upon as a late-inning defensive replacement in the outfield due to his speed and solid glove work.

The O's still have a division to win, so Showalter will continue to trot out most or all of his regulars on a daily basis until the division is clinched.

After that point, though, Berry could get a few starts and see a bit more action than he has of late. You want to keep the regulars fresh, after all.

Ryan Webb, Reliever

Michael Dwyer/Associated Press

Right-handed reliever Ryan Webb has made three appearances in the month of September, throwing an inning in each appearance and allowing three hits, two runs and a walk while striking out one.

The O's sent Webb to Triple-A after the team acquired lefty reliever Andrew Miller at the trade deadline, and Webb spent the month of August down there waiting for a return to the bigs once rosters expanded.

Webb really hasn't been bad this season, pitching to an ERA of 3.94 in 45.2 innings, but the O's were hoping for a little better after notching a 2.91 ERA for the Miami Marlins last season.

The righty will be battling for a spot on the postseason roster, but will likely end up being the odd man out in a bullpen full of talent once again. Expect to see Webb pitching for the O's in 2015, though.