Open Starting Spot. Adam Jones Is A Beast.

With Eaton’s release made official, the Orioles called up Matt Albers from Triple-A.  This creates an open spot in the rotation, like Michael wrote about earlier.  The question though, is who will fill it.  It seems like the coaching staff doesn’t have much faith in Mark Hendrickson, so let’s discuss some scenarios.

1. The simplest one: Hendrickson takes the spot
2. A bit unlikely: Albers is named the starter
3. This is one of the totally extreme scenarios that I’m about to rattle out: No one fills the spot, and Trembley tries to save the arms in the bullpen.  It’s unlikely, but it makes sense.
4. Also extreme: Danys Baez starts.  They experimented with this idea, maybe they want to carry it out.
5. PLEASE DON’T HAVE BRIAN BASS FILL THE SPOT
6. A trade is made.  Possibly Pie is moved for a mid-range veteran starter.
7. THE O’S SIGN BEN SHEETS OUT OF THE BLUE!!!! 
8. Reimold or (preferably) someone else is sent down when Luke Scott comes back, and either Chris Waters, David Hernandez or Jason Berken is called up.

In terms of the year’ first Battle of The Beltway, the team had a nice win.  Hill pitched very, very well and is looking very encouraging,  very much like his old self.  The bullpen, led by Matt Albers’ clutch pitching just after he learned that he’d been called up, was very good.  Reimold is just wowing me every time he goes up, with his composure and sheer hitting ability.

On the farm, David Hernandez, one of the scenarios, struck out 14 hitters over 7.1 innings.  His previous start, he struck out 6 guys in 5.1 innings.  He hasn’t allowed an earned run in 15 innings.  Looking a little Greinke-esque lately.  This story describes his outing in full detail.

WIETERS WATCH: He’s baaaaaaccckkkk.  Last 3 games: 5-12 (.417 AVG), 2B, HR, 3 RBI.  And now his season stats are looking very, very good compared to the way he started: .288 AVG (.343 vs lefties), 5 HR, 24 RBI, 8 2B, .368 OBP.  His K% rate has fallen from 25% in April to 11.3% in May.  He has 4 HR in May, as opposed to 1 in April.  And the big stat that I noticed: he already has 24 runs, which is tied for 9th in the Triple-A International League, and that’s considering that he had a lackluster month of April.  

***Food for thought: Daniel Cabrera is now a long reliever.  For the Nationals.  Maybe Adam Eaton wasn’t so bad after all.***