Another Orioles Pitcher Arrested

The good news is that Troy Patton is the pitcher who has been arrested and not Brian Matusz. The bad news is the Orioles pitching staff is starting to look like a police lineup. First Alfredo Simon was arrested for a shooting in the Dominican Republic and now Patton has been arrested for a DWI.

Patton was arrested over the weekend and charged with DWI in Texas after reportedly speeding over a curb. Patton failed a breathalyzer test and of course was put in jail. Patton posted the $500 bail and was released from jail. He is going to have to return to court again at a later date.

Obviously these are two unfortunate events that resulted in bad judgment by Orioles players, especially in the Simon case where a life was lost. In Patton’s situation a life certainly could have been lost. It goes without saying that both players made big mistakes and the Orioles shouldn’t take either of these situations lightly. However, it is up to the court system to decide if these players are guilty.

As for the Orioles, they shouldn’t be affected too greatly by either of these unfortunate situations. Neither pitcher really figured to be a main part of the pitching staff, but it will hurt the teams pitching depth. You can never have enough pitching and if Simon and Patton aren’t available at the start of the season (which is just a hypothetical at this point) the Orioles will be losing viable pitching options out of the bullpen.

I would have to guess Patton will be available by the start of the season, but Simon’s situation seems like it will not be resolved anytime soon. The truth of the matter is though, that fans won’t care as much because it’s Alfredo Simon and Troy Patton who were arrested and not Jeremy Guthrie and Brian Matusz. I’m not judging, I’m just saying. These stories just aren’t going to get the coverage because their impact on the Orioles wins and losses will be minimal. The question remains how big the impact will be on Alfredo Simon and Troy Patton.