LaTroy Hawkins

3-2, 4.48 ERA, 60.1 IP, 1.46 WHIP, 4.03 K/9

Grade: C

2007 outlook: Hawkins will most likely not pitch for the Orioles next season. Unless he is willing to sign a bargain basement deal, Hawkins will be moving on. He was an improvement over Steve Kline, so the trade was still a good one. His strikeout numbers dropped and he wasn’t a very effective set up man, so I think its time to let him go.

Todd Williams

2-4, 4.74 ERA, 1 save, 57 IP, 1.67 WHIP, 3.79 K/9

Grade: D-

2007 outlook: Williams will get a chance in Spring Training, but he shouldn’t be pitching in any meaningful innings if he pitches in the majors at all. He started off the year hurt and was not very effective when he came back. Most effective bullpens have pitchers that strikeout alot of batters. As you will notice, the Orioles have too many pitchers that don’t have that trait. Williams is another one that falls into that category.

Chris Britton

0-2, 3.35 ERA, 1 save, 53.2 IP, 1.17 WHIP, 6.88 K/9

Grade: B+

2007 outlook: Britton will be in the 2007 bullpen with a shot at the set up role. He had an up and down rookie year in 2006, but it added up to a good start to his Oriole career. He started off in the minor leagues before being called up for an extended time. He produced well before going through a rough stretch and being sent back down to the minors in August. He came back strong in September and is hope that we can provide quality bullpen arms through the farm system.

Sendy Rleal

1-1, 4.44 ERA, 46.2 IP, 1.52 WHIP, 3.66 K/9

Grade: D

2007 outlook: Rleal will get a shot to make the bullpen in Spring Training. There will be alot of pitchers competing for the spots. Sendy was another rookie reliever that was up and down throughout the year. His strikeouts dropped significantly this year, hopefully he can bring it back up to his past numbers next year. It seems he was relying on his changeup way too much.

Julio Manon

0-1, 5.40 ERA, 20 IP, 1.95 WHIP, 9.90 K/9

Grade: D

2007 outlook: Manon may well be another one of those pitchers that competes for a job next Spring Training. He was a pitcher that struck out alot of batters, but also walked a ton. He could be effective if he can cut down on the walks, but he could be getting his strikeouts because hes so wild.

Russ Ortiz

0-3, 8.48 ERA, 40.1 IP, 1.91 WHIP, 5.13 K/9

Grade: F

2007 outlook: Hopefully Ortiz will not be on the Orioles 2007 roster. In one of the most puzzling moments of my Orioles fan career, we signed Russ Ortiz in the summer and left him on the Major League roster for the remainder of the season. Time after time he got shelled and was the worst pitcher on the team (and thats saying something), but we kept a roster spot for him and kept sending him out there.

James Hoey

0-1, 10.24 ERA, 9.2 IP, 1.97 WHIP, 5.59 K/9

Grade: F

2007 outlook: Hoey will be in the 2007 bullpen at some point, but he may start off the year in AAA Norfolk. By the time he reached the Majors last September, Hoey had already pitched (and thrived) at three stops in the minor leagues. I expect him to be a big cog in the future of our bullpen and he’ll get a shot to make it out of Spring Training.

Eddy Rodriguez

1-1, 7.20 ERA, 15 IP, 1.80 WHIP, 6.60 K/9

Grade: F

2007 outlook: Rodriguez was confusing last year. Continuously great in AAA Ottawa, but continuously terrible when he pitched in Baltimore. Could be one of your classic AAAA players. Don’t expect to see him in Baltimore in 2007.

Winston Abreu

0-0, 10.13 ERA, 8 IP, 2.00 WHIP, 6.75 K/9

Grade: F

2007 outlook: Abreu won’t be pitching for the Orioles organization in 2007. He just signed a minor league contract to pitch for the Washington Nationals. He won’t go far, but it’ll be far enough. Abreu showed flashes and pitched great in AAA, but I think he’s another Eddy Rodriguez type.

Jim Brower

0-1, 13.86 ERA, 12.1 IP, 2.76 WHIP, 6.57 K/9

Grade: F

2007 outlook: Brower will catch on somewhere probably, but it won’t be in Baltimore. After pitching horribly early on in April the Orioles released Brower. They did the right thing, which makes the Russ Ortiz fiasco that much more confusing.

Kurt Birkins

5-2, 4.94 ERA, 31 IP, 1.32 WHIP, 7.84 K/9

Grade: C-

2007 outlook: Birkins started off hot after being called up and then got hit hard just before he got injured and missed the last 2 months of the season. His poor stretch may have been a result from the injury, but his good start may have been fluky since he never really showed much dominance in the minors. He’ll most likely get the chance to prove which pitcher was the real Birkins in Spring Training, with a shot at the 2007 bullpen.

Brian Burres

0-0, 2.25 ERA, 8 IP, 0.88 WHIP, 6.75 K/9

Grade: B-

2007 outlook: Burres looked good in a brief look in September. He also pitched good all year as a starter for AAA Ottawa. He’ll get a good look in Spring Training next year for a spot in the bullpen.

John Halama

3-1, 6.14 ERA, 29.1 IP, 1.74 WHIP, 3.68 K/9

Grade: D-

2007 outlook: Halama will not pitch for the Orioles in 2007. I doubt he pitches anywhere for that matter. He did have a decent start thrown in there with his not-so-decent stats. Halama was just too old and didn’t strike anyone out.

Tim Byrdak

1-0, 12.86 ERA, 7 IP, 3.14 WHIP, 2.57 K/9

Grade: F

2007 outlook: Byrdak pitched awful in 2006, before and after he went on the disabled list. I don’t see Tim having any kind of role on the big league club in 2007, maybe a minor league spot.

Eric DuBose

0-0, 9.64 ERA, 4.2 IP, 2.79 WHIP, 3.86 K/9

Grade: F

2007 outlook: DuBose pitched in 2 games early on in the season before being sent down to the minors, never to return. DuBose was awful, as were most Oriole left handed relievers, and isn’t going to be a part of the bullpen in 2007 either.

Erik Bedard

15-11, 3.76 ERA, 196.1 IP, 1.35 WHIP, 7.84 K/9

Grade: A

2007 outlook: Bedard should be the Orioles opening day starter if nothing changes. Started the year off good, then had a bad spell before turning it on for the second half. Pitched like an ace from June 21st on. He gives some hope that our other pitchers can make similar strides in the not too distant future. Should be considered almost untouchable and signed to a long term deal soon.

Daniel Cabrera

9-10, 4.74 ERA, 148 IP, 1.58 WHIP, 9.55 K/9

Grade: C

2007 outlook: We got more of the same from Cabrera this year. Still struck out a boat load of hitters, still walked almost as much. Was very inconsistent, one night throwing an absolute gem, the next night walking 5 in 3 innings. Cabrera got demoted in the middle of the season and he pitched a little better after returning. His last game of the season was a high note, shutting out the Yankees with a one hitter. Enters next year in the starting rotation.

Kris Benson

11-12, 4.82 ERA, 183 IP, 1.40 WHIP, 4.33 K/9

Grade: C-

2007 outlook: The Orioles got what they should have expected from Benson, he has always been around a .500 record with a mid-4′s ERA. Did a good job eating up innings and got a few tough losses and no decisions along the way. Benson could demand a trade in the off-season, but he will most likely return to the back end of the rotation. Look for more of the same.

Adam Loewen

6-6, 5.37 ERA, 112.1 IP, 1.54 WHIP, 7.85 K/9

Grade: C-

2007 outlook: Loewen should start off the year at the back end of the rotation. He pitched admirably for the Orioles, being brought up earlier than expected and holding his own on most nights. Seemed to improve as the year went on. He needs to get his walks under control, and like Cabrera, could be a top flight starter if he does.

Rodrigo Lopez

9-18, 5.90 ERA, 189 IP, 1.55 WHIP, 6.48 K/9

Grade: F

2007 outlook: Rodrigo was supposed to be a bright spot for our rotation and hold down the fort until the prospects were ready. Instead we got one of the worst pitchers (performance wise) in Major League Baseball. He got moved to the bullpen and still almost got 20 losses. Could be back as a long man in the bullpen next year or he could be traded in the off season.

Bruce Chen

0-7, 6.93 ERA, 98.2 IP, 1.74 WHIP, 6.39 K/9

Grade: F

2007 outlook: Chen will not be pitching for the Orioles next year. I’d be surprised to see him pitching anywhere in the majors next year, unless its as emergency long man in the bullpen. Chen was supposed to combo with Rodrigo Lopez to be a big part of the rotation. Instead, he pitched even worse than Rodrigo and most definitely would have reached 20 losses if he didn’t get moved to the bullpen fairly early on. Thanks for the solid year and a half of pitching Bruce, good luck in your future.

Hayden Penn

0-4, 15.10 ERA, 19.2 IP, 2.59 WHIP, 3.66 K/9

Grade: F

2007 outlook: Penn is one of the Orioles best prospects (if not the best), but he struggled mightily in his September cup of coffee. Despite that, he still pitched excellent at AAA Ottawa and is still going to be a very big part of future Baltimore Oriole teams. Came back from his emergency appendectomy quite nicely and should compete for a spot in the rotation in Spring Training. If he doesn’t win a spot, he could either pitch out of the bullpen until ready or pitch at AAA Norfolk until ready.

James Johnson

0-1, 24.00 ERA, 3 IP, 4.00 WHIP, 0.00 K/9

Grade: F

2007 outlook: Johnson came up for a spot start and got bombed. He clearly wasn’t ready and I’m pretty sure everyone already knew that before that but they needed someone and he was the best option we had. He will pitch in AA or AAA for all of 2007 and hopefully will continue to work and improve to be ready to contribute in the Majors some day in the future.