Here's the latest from Charm City…
- Zach Britton underwent two rounds of platelet rich plasma (PRP) therapy today in an effort to solve the inflammation in his throwing shoulder. The young left-hander told reporters (including Brittany Ghiroli from MLB.com) that Dr. James Andrews recommended the procedure and if it works, Britton will be able to avoid surgery. Britton will be sidelined for at least six weeks and he hopes to be pitching by early May.
- Dontrelle Willis said he received offers from other teams before signing with the Orioles, tweets Eduardo A. Encina of the Baltimore Sun.
- The O's plan to use Willis as a left-handed relief specialist and he'll start the season in the minors, Dan Duquette told reporters (including Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com). Duquette also said the team would look out for other available pitchers but are concentrating on evaluating their current arms in camp.
- "It's going to be hard to pick up another catcher this time of the year," Duquette said, indicating that the Orioles will stick with Ronny Paulino as their backup catcher if Taylor Teagarden has to spend time on the disabled list.
Hope Britton can avoid the dreaded shoulder surgery. It would be terrible to see his career suffer a setback like this so early on.
Agreed. I’d rather he sit for the entire season than have him get surgery.
Shoulder surgery is such a crapshoot
Un, he already was a LOOGY….
Umm, no he wasn’t. He made 13 appearances last year for Cincinnati, all starts. In fact, he’s only made 3 relief appearances (against 202 starts) in his major league career.
He was brought into Philly to compete for the LHRP job. He was going to be used as a LOOGY and most teams knew that was his only value at this point. Too bad he pitched horrible…I really like Dontrelle
It concerns me as to how Britton hurt his shoulder? He didn’t complain about it when he was interviewed on the MLB Network (Intentional Talk) back in December.
Hopefully the O’s can get some production out of Willis, the problem is the Phillies didn’t seem to think they were going to get much out of him.
Ronny Paulino might be the best thing to happen to the Orioles in awhile. He might be the first legitimate back-up we’ve had in Charm City in quite sometime.
PS The Orioles really need a bat in the middle of that line-up, we really do and I would be willing to trade almost anything to get one.
Your first two points: yes.
Are you saying Paulino > Teagarden?I disagree. We already have that guy (2 of them) for our next winning team. Their names are Wieters and Machado.
Well Machado won’t be hitting in Charm City anytime soon with JJ Hardy already here. As for Wieters, I don’t think he’s a clean up hitter at least not right now.
As for Paulino and Teagarden, grant it I haven’t seen much of Paulino and never seen Teagarden play. However, from what I have read so far Paulino has done a nice job so far and Teagarden has been hurt.
I was especially impressed when I read that Paulino called a solid game with Matusz the other week. That is what caught my attention. Maybe Paulino has decided to get his act together, I don’t know.
Like I said. The next winning O’s team will feature Machado heavily.
This is totally off topic and not a rumor but I had to let this out. Strasburg over Zimmerman for the Nationals opening day starter? Really!???? I totally believe Strasburg is the next big thing (If his health permits) but Zim was the ace last season while Stras was out so he should have been a lock. So again no slight to Stras but I think Zimmerman earned it, and seeing as he is every bit a part of the Nats future as Stras is I don’t see why he didn’t get it. Horrible move by Johnson. Once Stras gets in that healthy season he will be entitled to the nod for years to come but this time I really don’t think he deserved it. Just my opinion.
A. commenting on a O’s post about the Nats?!?!?!
B. Who cares? Opening Day starter is a ceremonial honor and has nothing to do with the rest of the season. Maybe it will motivate Zimmerman, and he’ll continue to develop and improve.
I think you have unnecessarily strong opinions on this…
A: I stated its off topic so there was no need to rehash something I already fully acknowledged.
B: The opening day starter is suppose to be whoever has proven to be the best on the staff. Both have small samples but Zimmermans is larger and considering his injury he pitched great so I think he deserved it. Stras riding the bench the vast majority of the season and still getting the nod just seems wrong to me. I totally agree with Lefty177 that fans will probably respond better to Stras but I think managers need to look past that stuff. Call it ceremonial or whatever but it just seems disrespectful. That would be like naming Harper the team captain because of raw talent. Like ok Ryan Zimmerman, Mike Morse ect. I know you have had some good seasons but this kids gonna be better so we are gonna start his career tossing a C on his chest before you deserving and established guys.
i agree with you on all of that but Opening Day is normally for the fans, if the fans go to Nationals Park for Opening Day & expect to see Strasburg & find out that Zim is pitching they’d get upset, that’s just my opinion though, but I do agree with you that Zim deserves it
“Dontrelle said he received offers from other teams before the Orioles” …come on Willis we all know that´s a lie
This Britton thing reminds me of Matusz last year… I hope it doesn’t turn out the same way.