HELTON AT IT AGAIN - REIGNING MVP OFF TO HOT START

Todd Helton won the 2000 Expansion League Most Valuable Player Award, and the off-season hasn't slowed him down one bit.  Helton is the hottest hitter in all of the Millennium League through the first three weeks of the season, leading the league in hits with 34 and homers with 11.  He's second in the league in runs scored with 20 and is tied for the league lead in RBI with 28.  He's also currently atop the entire MBL in hitting with a .436 batting average.  His 1.013 OPS is also tops in all of baseball.  Needless to say, but he's on fire.  He's currently on pace to hit 99 HRs and drive in 252 runs.  Obviously those numbers are unattainable, but the hope is he can continue swinging a hot bat, at least until the return of catcher Ivan Rodriguez to the lineup.  As it is now, Helton and right-fielder Larry Walker are proving to be lethal at the top of the Stouts lineup.  Walker is currently leading the league in on-base percentage with a .545 mark while hitting .385.

TROUBLES BEHIND THE PLATE - STOUTS CATCHERS STRUGGLING

What was looked upon as a position of strength before the season began has become a glaring weakness for Baltimore through the season's first two weeks.  Of course, a major injury to Ivan Rodriguez has contributed to the problem, but lack of production so far has been glaring.  Four catchers have spent time behind the dish for the Stouts through their first 15 games.  Here is a quick look at their production, or lack thereof:

Ivan Rodriguez was able to play in only four games before suffering a major injury which will keep him sidelined for the next two months.  In those four games, I-Rod was nothing special, getting only two hits, both singles, in ten ABs.

Geronimo Gil was brought on board when Rodriguez went down.  He got into two games before being shipped away in the trade that brought Mike Myers to the team.  He had one hit, a single, in two ABs.

Wiki Gonzalez has appeared in 12 of the team's first 15 games, starting behind the plate in three of those contests.  He has three hits, all singles, in 22 ABs.  He has not drawn a walk and has a triple slash line of .136/.174/.136.  He's committed one error and has thrown out two of five baserunners trying to steal against him.

Robert Fick is having a particularly terrible time filling in for I-Rod as his primary replacement.  He has appeared in 12 of 15 games, starting behind the dish in eight contests.  He has four hits, all singles, in 32 ABs and sports a pathetic .125/.200/.125 triple slash line.  He's particularly bad defensively, committing three errors, allowing two passed balls, and allowing all six runners trying to steal against him to do so.

Not sure of the solution other than just to wait until Rodriguez returns from his stint on the DL.  Darrin Fletcher is currently down on the farm in Indianapolis and may get a call up just to see what he can do.  No much would be expected.  Hopefully these guys can get things turned around.

TRANSACTION/TRADE - Kevin Brown to DL. Bobby Witt Brought In For Depth

In the first game since sending insurance policy Brandon Lyon packing, Kevin Brown injured himself in his third start of the season and will be required to miss the next month of action.  Brown had struggled in the early going since coming over from Cleveland in an off-season deal.  Through three starts, Brown had pitched 14.2 innings, was 1-1 and had compiled a 7.36 ERA.  His spot in the rotation, as it stands now, will most likely be taken by Jamey Wright, who is set to be recalled from Triple-A Indianapolis for the upcoming series against Milwaukee.

Reliever Al Reyes was originally signed to take Brown's spot on the roster, but his stint with the team was short-lived.  Before Reyes was even able to report to Baltimore, the Stouts consummated a deal with Atlanta which brings pitcher Bobby Witt into the fold.  Going to the Stonecutters is a 7th round pick in 2002.  Witt will provide insurance for the rotation, and is a quality right-handed arm out of the bullpen.  In the 2001 season, Witt had very good splits against right-handed batters, holding them to a .175/.283/.330 triple slash against.

Bobby Witt's Career Statistics:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wittbo01.shtml

TRADE - 3rd Round Pick Brandon Lyon Sent Packing

The Baltimore Stouts traded future picks in 2002 in order to move up into the third round of the 2001 draft in order to secure the services of SP Brandon Lyon.  The young right-hander was brought in to occupy the 5th spot in the Stouts rotation, and serve as an insurance policy in the event Kevin Brown fell victim to injury.  But after failing to get into a single game through the season's first week of action, Baltimore traded Lyon along with catcher Geronimo Gil to the Pittsburgh Crawfords in exchange for lefty reliever Mike Myers and catcher Darrin Fletcher.

The acquisition of Myers was done in an effort to strengthen an already strong Baltimore bullpen.  Myers is a submarining left-hander who has good splits against righties and lefties.  In 2001, he had splits of .231/.317/.363 against left-handed batters and .216/.375/.275 against right-handed batters.  He carries an ON rating on his card with no deep drives.  Myers, along with Rich Rodriguez, now gives the Stouts two left-handers out of the bullpen.

Fletcher was brought over to serve as insurance in the event one of the other catchers on the roster falls victim to the injury bug that has derailed Ivan Rodriguez.  2001 was his last full season in MLB.  It was also one of the worst in his 14-year career.  Fletcher only managed to hit .226 with a meager .274 OBP.  He's better than Robert Fick defensively though so he may also serve as a late-inning defensive replacement in some games if he cracks the active roster.

Mike Myers career statistics:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fletcda01.shtml

Darrin Fletcher's career statistics:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fletcda01.shtml

TRANSACTION - Ivan Rodriguez to Disabled List AGAIN!

Not one week into the young season, and All-Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez has gone down with an injury that will require him to miss two months worth of action.  The injury took place in the bottom of the 1st inning in a game at Milwaukee, Baltimore's fourth game of the season.  No collision at the plate.  No running the bases.  Just a fluke injury following a pitch to the third batter of the game.  A costly victory as Baltimore went on to win the game 10-3 to improve their season record to three wins against one loss.

Rodriguez of course spent an injury marred season with the Stouts last year, one in which he made three trips to the Disabled List.  He managed to play in only 48 games in 2000, missing nearly three quarters of the season.  Pudge was stellar when he played, hitting .357 with 19 doubles, 16 homers and 51 RBI in those 48 games.  The team was hoping that 2001 would be a different story for the All-Star backstop, but if the early season is any indication, it's gonna be another long, tough year.


Robert Fick will be counted on to take over full-time duties behind the dish against right-handed pitchers, while Wiki Gonzalez will form the platoon and play against lefties.  Both are more than capable offensively at the plate.  It's behind the plate where Pudge will be missed the most.  Fick is one of the worst defensive catchers in the deck, with a D/40/+4 defensive rating.  He's also an "F" at handling pitchers.  Gonzalez is much better defensively, but nowhere near as good as I-Rod.

To help defensively and take some pressure off of Fick as an everyday catcher, Geronimo Gil has been brought in from the waiver wire to provide some depth.  Gil carries a C/35/0 defensive rating, and does show some ability to get on base with a .369 OBP.  He's very limited though as he only played in 17 games in 2001, with only 7 ABs against LHP and 51 against RHP.  He'll likely be looked upon as a defensive replacement for Fick late in games.

Geronimo Gil's career statistics:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gilge01.shtml

2001 BALTIMORE STOUTS TEAM PREVIEW

The inaugural 2000 season of the Millennium League has come and gone.  Baltimore scratched thier way to a Continental Division crown and a spot in the Expansion League playoffs.  Unfortunately, their playoff stay was short lived as they were swept by the eventual World Champion Colorado Briar Jumpers in four short games in the Divisional Round.  The season was not a complete loss though.  In addition to the division crown, first-baseman Todd Helton won the Expansion League Most Valuable Player Award.  All-in-all, a very rewarding and successful first season. Several roster moves and a draft later and the Stouts are ready to hit the field running in 2001.  Gone are lineup regulars Lance Berkman, Bill Mueller and Adrian Brown.  Dispatched from the pitching staff are Kirk Rueter, Andy Pettitte, Armando Benitez, Antonio Osuna and LaTroy Hawkins.  In their place are players that promise to have Baltimore poised to make a serious run at not only another Continental Division crown, but at the World Series title as well. So without any further adieu, let's take a look at how the lineup and pitching staff shapes up for the 2001 season.

CATCHER

Ivan Rodriguez - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rodriiv01.shtml

Last season's second round pick is back behind the plate for 2001.  After three trips to the Disabled List in 2000 which saw him miss a combined 114 games, Pudge is looking to make more of an impact this season (NOTE:  Rodriguez went down with an injury again in 2001 in the fourth game of the season which will see him miss 59 days of action).  Pudge has the highest WAR rating at 5.0 of any catcher in 2001 despite missing 50 games of action.  He's an A+ fielder with a -3 arm.  His "F" durability is definitely a concern.

Robert Fick - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/fickro01.shtml

Fick is back in the fold for his second season as backup catcher on key left-handed bat off the bench.  2001 is arguably Fick's best season in his ten year MLB career.  He compiled a .816 OPS and 2.4 WAR ratings, both career highs.  He's especially good against RHP, going .280/.338/.836 with A power.  He's terrible defensively though, earning a D rating in the field with a +4 arm and F rating handling pitchers.  His value is obviously at the plate and not behind it.  Hopefully his bat will make up for his extreme defensive deficiencies.  

Wiki Gonzalez - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gonzawi01.shtml

In an effort to improve the lineup against LHP and provide an upgrade to Fick's defense behind the plate, Gonzalez was brought over in an off-season trade.  He is deadly against southpaws, compiling a .345/.406/.672 triple slash for a 1.078 OPS.  He is limited to only 58 ABs, but team's don't throw many lefties out against the Stouts anyway.  He's decent enough in the field with a B rating and -1 arm.  Combining Wiki with IRod and Fick give the Stouts one of the best triumvirates behind the plate in the MBL.

INFIELD

1B Todd Helton - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/heltoto01.shtml

Announcing your 2000 MBL Expansion League MVP, Todd Helton!!!!  This guy had a phenomenal campaign last year en route to his MVP honor.  Played in all 162 games, batted .383 with 66 doubles, 48 homers and a remarkable 166 runs scored and 172 RBI. 2001 promises to be a good year as well as he went .336/.432/.685 triple slash for a 1.116 OPS.  Helton also excels with the glove, garnering an A/100 fielding rating.  He's the cornerstone of the franchise and is locked into the #3 spot in the batting order.

2B Fernando Vina - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vinafe01.shtml

Providing stellar defense from 2B again in 2001, Fernando Vina brings solid offensive production to the table as well against both RHP and LHP.  A Gold Glove winner in '01, Vina is rated A/80/-5 defensively, giving the Stouts two "A" rated guys on the right side of the infield.  Vina batted .303 with a .357 OBP.  He also belted a career high nine homers.  Another valuable asset he brings to the table is his "A" rated bunting ability.  He also is adept at the hit-and-run, carrying the wonderful A-1B H&R rating.

SS Alex Rodriguez - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rodrial01.shtml

In THE blockbuster deal of the off-season, Baltimore acquired the services of arguably the best player in baseball over the next few seasons.  A-Rod won the MVP award in 2003, 2005 and 2007 while finishing second in 2002.  In 2001, all he does is hit .318 with 52 HRs and a 1.021 OPS.  He's also very good in the field with a B+/75/-5 rating, giving the Stouts a terrific defensive double-play combo.  Pairing him with Helton, both "A" durable players, in the middle of the lineup gives the team a lethal one-two punch and one of the most potent lineups in the entire MBL.  Opponents beware!

3B Dmitri Young - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/y/youngdm01.shtml

Young is another off-season acquisition who came along in the ARod deal and was brought in to replace the departed Bill Mueller.  Not to be confused defensively with Brooks Robinson, Young will nonetheless man the hot corner for the Stouts against RHP despite his D/5 defensive rating.  Against RHP, he compiled a nice line of .311/.367/.520 with "B" power.  He also provides insurance in LF in case Rondell White misses any time due to injury.  He's also a switch hitter who can pinch hit off the bench against and occasional LHP if necessary.

3B/IF Tony Graffanino - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/graffto01.shtml

Graffanino is another guy brought to the team in the ARod deal.  He will be the other half of the 3B platoon against LHP, at least for the 47 ABs he limited to be used.  Again, not many teams throw LHP against the Stouts.  He'll likely start 12-15 games.  He hit LHP to the tune of .319/.418/.468.  He's no slouch against RHP either, going .296/.345/.378 against them in 98 limited ABs.  A great utility guy, he backs up all four IF positions as well as LF and carries a B/30 rating at 3B.  He's also a protect candidate as he is very useful for the next four or five seasons.

3B Mike Lamb - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lambmi01.shtml

Baltimore traded up in the draft this year into the 3rd round to acquire Lamb.  At the time, he was slated to be the everyday 3B, but then the trade that brought Young materialized and has pushed Lamb into more of a reserve role.  But he will still get his ABs.  If Young is forced to move to the OF for any reason, Lamb takes over the hot corner against RHP.  He will also play some against LHP if/when Graffanino runs out of ABs.  He's still a very valuable piece off the bench, hitting over .300 against both LH and RH pitching.

IF Geoff Blum - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/blumge01.shtml

A fan favorite from 2000, Geoff Blum returns to the Baltimore lineup in 2001, although in more of a reserve role than what he played last season.  Blum backs up all four IF positions, and can play LF as well.  He's just a super solid utility type player who has a shot to crack the lineup if/when Graffanino runs out of ABs against LHP.  It will be him or Lamb depending on the splits of the opposing starting pitcher.  Blum is also in line to be protected for the 2002 season in which he compiled a solid .807 OPS overall, .862 against RHP with a .390 OBP.

IF Wilton Guerrero - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/guerrwi01.shtml

Guerrero is another guy brought to town in the off-season with an eye on 3B.  He is killer against RHP, going .383/396/.447 in 94 limited ABs.  He's also another guy who can play all the IF positions and LF as well.  He'll likely spend the first part of the season in the minors, waiting to see if anyone gets injured.  He'll be ready to get plugged right in when the time comes.  If not, he could be used as trade bait down the road for somebody looking for a late season upgrade at any of the IF positions.

IF/OF/C - Ed Sprague - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/spraged02.shtml

Here is a guy in the final year of a pretty decent 11 year career.  The Stouts grabbed him with their final draft pick in the 11th round.  And although he is AB limited and making his swan song, he's actually a very serviceable player in 2001.  Sprague can play C, 1B, 3B, LF and RF.  The fact he logged time behind the plate makes him attractive in case of injury to IRod.  And while he is limited to only 66 ABs against LHP and only 28 vs RHP, he does carry .378 and .364 OBP against each.  He's no Johnny Bench behind the dish, but he's no worse than Robert Fick!

OUTFIELD

LF Rondell White - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/whitero02.shtml

Rondell White is back for another season in Baltimore black and orange.  He's set to be the LF platoon against RHP in 2001.  White is a bit of an oddity in that although he bats from the right side, he hits RHP better than lefties.  He'll bring a .317/.388/.557 triple slash line to the plate this year with "A" power.  He's decent in the field with a B/65 fielding rating, although his +3 arm leaves much to be desired.  White is "D" durable, which is a concern, but Dmitri Young is poised to move off the hot corner to fill in if White goes down with an injury.  

LF/RF - Jose Canseco - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cansejo01.shtml

One of the original Bash Brothers was brought to Baltimore in the off-season to handle the LF platoon against LHP.  And bash is what Canseco does against southpaws in 2001 to the tune of a .273/.395/.697 triple slash and 1.092 OPS.  Needless to say that carries an "A" power rating for the slugger.  Never known for his glove, he actually is quite average in the field in 2001 with a C/50/0 rating.  He'll also provide a power bat off the bench against RHP.  Canseco will basically serve in the Alberte Belle role from 2000.  Big, big bat against LHP.

CF Jose Cruz Jr. - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/cruzjo02.shtml

Cruz comes to town via a late off-season trade which saw beloved Lance Berkman leave Baltimore.  In his place is Cruz, who will never reach the offensive output of the departed Berkman, but turns it on with his defensive alility in coming years.  In 2001 he is a servicable C/80/0 in CF.  At the plate, he belted 34 HR in 2001 and provides some pop from both sides of the plate, with "A" power rating from both.  He's also fast.  As in 8/5/7 baserunning/lead/steal fast.  Him and Vina will be a good duo at the bottom of the Stouts order.  

RF Larry Walker - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/walkela01.shtml

Walker returns to man RF for the Stouts in 2001 after a 2000 season which was marred by injury and only saw him play in 87 games in a Baltimore uniform.  This season promises to be a better one for the strong armed Canadian.  Walker is "B" durable, so hopefully he can avoid any extended time on the DL this year.  He also had a MONSTER year in 2001.  Check out these numbers - .350 AVG, .449 OBP and a .662 SLG for a 1.111 OPS.  Great in the field with a B+/70 rating and -2 arm.  Walker is going to try and bring home a second consecutive Expansion League MVP award to Baltimore in '01.

OF Todd Hollandsworth - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hollato01.shtml

The acquisition of Hollandsworth shortly after the draft concluded this year could be a head scratcher to some.  But he may very well hold the key to postseason success in Baltimore this year.  This guy absolutely killed RHP in 2001.  If you like Walker's numbers above, then check out Hollandsworth against righties - .408 AVG, .448 OBP and a .735 SLG for a crisp 1.182 OPS.  Granted, he's limited to only 100 ABs, but those could be the difference in a few games this year.  And come the playoffs, if Baltimore makes them, he will be a tough out for sure.

OF Brady Clark - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/clarkbr02.shtml

Clark was drafted by Baltimore in the 10th round of this year's draft to provide outfield depth and a quality bat on the bench.  He will be called upon to be a primary pinch-hitter against both left and right-handed pitching.  For the 2001 season, he had  an overall OBP of .373.  Against LHP, he got on base at a stellar .396 clip.  Clark is also a "6" rated baserunner, with "B" range in both corner OF positions.  He probably won't start many games if any at all, but he will be a valuable member of the bench for sure.



STARTING PITCHING
Chan Ho Park - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/parkch01.shtml
Park returns to Baltimore in 2001 as their top rated starting pitcher.  He was stellar for the Stouts in 2000, going 13-5 with a 3.27 ERA and 180 Ks in 173 innings of work spanning 24 starts.  His acquisition early in the season was critical in the team's playoff push last year.  This year he looks to be the Opening Day starter and the ace of the staff.  Park earned his only All-Star game appearance in 2001, going 15-11 with a 3.50 ERA.  He's JAM rated on his card and is also adept at keeping baserunners at bay with an A/-2 hold rating.



Kevin Brown - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brownke01.shtml
Brown was brought to town in a deal that saw Andy Pettitte leave Baltimore for Cleveland.  The big right-hander had a great 2001 season when he was healthy, going 10-4 with a 2.65 ERA in 19 starts.  That's the issue with Brown though, his durability.  Rated an "F", the Stouts season could very well hinge on how many games Brown is able to pitch in 2001 (NOTE: Brown was injured in his third start and is slated to miss 29 days of action).  When he does take to the hill, he is wicked against right-handed batters, containing them to just a .184/.246/.246 triple slash against.

Rick Reed - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/reedri01.shtml
A late season acquisition in 2000, Reed returns to the Baltimore rotation in 2001 and will be looked upon to be a steady presence in the heart of the rotation.  In 2000, Reed came over and had 11 starts with very mixed results.  The Baltimore brass is counting on him to do much better this season, and they have every reason to believe he can.  An All-Star in 2001, he's an innings eater who doesn't allow a ton of baserunners, carrying an "off" rating and allowing only 31 BBs in over 200 IPs.


Roy Oswalt - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/o/oswalro01.shtml
There are several key players on the Baltimore 30-man roster in 2001 (IRod, Hollandsworth, Brown).  But none may be more important than this guy.  Oswalt came over in a trade with Atlanta which saw fan favorite Lance Berkman leave town.  Feelings were mixed at the time of the deal, but Oswalt brings a top of the rotation arm to a club in desperate need of such a player.  Oswalt was selected with the 3rd overall pick in this year's draft, behind only Albert Pujols and Ichiro Suziki.  If he can compete for ROY honors with those two then the Stouts should be sitting pretty come playoff time.

Brandon Lyon - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/l/lyonbr01.shtml
Baltimore traded up in the draft into the 3rd round to select Lyon, who was brought in to be the team's 5th starter and insurance in case Kevin Brown goes down with an injury.  Lyon is no Cy Young, but he does have very decent splits in the 2001 season, going .289/.336/.406 against left-handed batters and .239/.267/.440 against righties.  His OPS against numbers are slightly better against both righty and lefty hitters than Rick Reed's.  Lyon is basically a one year rental player though as he is terrible in 2002, and then uncarded in the 2004 set.


Jamey Wright - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wrighja01.shtml
Wright returns to Baltimore in 2001, albeit in a much different role than a year ago.  In 2000, Wright was a trusted member of the Stouts rotation after coming over from the New York Rippers in a mid-season trade.  In 11 starts, he went 5-1 with a 4.33 ERA.  This season he will likely start the year down on the farm in Indianapolis, waiting in the wings as insurance against an injury to one of the team's top-5 starters.  Wright is not terrible in 2001, but his .841 OPS against right-handed batters is a bit worrisome.  He may be dealt to a team looking for a rotation arm at some point during the season.

Paul Wilson - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wilsopa02.shtml
Wilson is a guy on the staff who will most likely spend most of his time out of the bullpen, but has the ability to make a spot start here and there throughout the course of the season.  He was brought over in an off-season deal with the New York Rippers.  Wilson is like Jamey Wright except he fares well against right-handed batters and is not so good against lefties, allowing them a .833 OPS against.  If you could somehow combine the two of them into one, you would have the makings of a very good starter.  As it is, Wilson will provide long relief out of the pen with the occasional spot start.

BULLPEN
CL Kazuhiro Sasaki - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/sasakka01.shtml
Sasaki was brought to town to do one thing and that's close games.  The Rookie-of-the-Year in 2000, he is primed to have another solid season at the back end of games in 2001.  An All-Star that year, he saved 45 games with a 3.24 ERA.  His card is JAM/OFF rated which is what you're looking for in the 9th inning.  Sasaki only pitched four years in MLB.  His first he was ROY, the next two an All-Star.  After his fourth season, he returned to Japan, citing a desire to be with his family.  According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, however, he actually was pressured to leave due to his "indiscreet philandering."  Lol.


SU1 Jeff Nelson - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/n/nelsoje01.shtml

Nelson returns to the Stouts in 2001 to do exactly what he did in 2000, and that's to pitch the 8th inning and get the game to the closer in the 9th.  And he is very adept at doing just that.  In 2001, the only All-Star season in his very successful 15-year career, his splits against both right and left-handed batters are phenomenal.  Against lefties, his splits are .167/.316/.218.  He's almost unhittable versus right-handed batters, posting a triple slash of .119/.284/.189 against.  Baltimore has built their pitching staff around their bullpen, and Nelson is a vital, if not THE most important pitcher they have in the pen.

SU2 Felix Rodriguez - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rodrife01.shtml
If Nelson is the most important pitcher in the Baltimore bullpen, then Rodriguez is a close second.  Whereas Nelson will be counted on most days to man the 8th inning with a lead, Rodriguez will be called upon to handle the duties in the 7th.  2001 was the best season Rodriguez had as a pro, and he had a very successful 11-year career.  In' 01, he ended the year with an insane 1.68 ERA in 80 innings of work.  He's one of those strange pitchers who throws right-handed, but gives left-handed batters fits.  His .150/.246/.221 slash line against lefties will attest to that.


LHS Rich Rodriguez - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/r/rodriri02.shtml
Rodriguez was drafted in the 8th round by Baltimore to do one thing and one thing only - get left-handed batters out.  As the only left-handed reliever in the Stouts bullpen, he will be counted on to do just that.  His splits in 2001 say he should be able to handle his duties just fine, as he held left-handed batters to a .189/.247/.257 triple slash against.  He will hopefully not have to face many right-handed batters as they crushed him to the tune of a .927 OPS against.  His season ending appearances to IP ratio will likely be something like 60 games, 40 IP.


LR Jim Brower - http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/broweji01.shtml
Brower was brought over in an off-season trade to help solidify the Baltimore bullpen.  Here is a guy who really could be quite valuable.  He has very decent splits in 2001, especially against right-handed batters, holding them to a .228 BA and .713 OPS against.  He has the ability to start if necessary.  Brower is basically a guy who can be brought into a game if the SP fails, and can keep the team within striking distance.  He's an innings-eater out of the bullpen, and every team needs one of them.


And there you have it, the 2001 Baltimore Stouts 30-man roster.  The season promises to be an exciting one.  Stay tuned to see how it all plays out!!

BALTIMORE STOUTS MOVE INTO NEW STADIUM

As the 2000 season has come to a close, so too does a chapter in the Baltimore Stouts history.  The 2001 season will see the team move from their beloved Memorial Stadium into their new home of Camden Yards.  The move has been well received by everyone involved.  Here is a look at the dimensions and a few facts about the new stadium.

Nestled in the streets of downtown Baltimore near the Inner Harbor, sits a ballpark that has influenced the architecture and construction of every baseball stadium built since 1992, much like when Shibe Park and Forbes Field ushered in the modern steel and concrete ballparks in the first half of the 20th Century. The Orioles arrived in Baltimore in 1954 from St. Louis and played at Memorial Stadium. Located in Northeast Baltimore, Memorial Stadium was rebuilt when the Orioles moved to the city and was also the home to the Baltimore Colts (NFL) until 1984. It was not a typical multipurpose stadium, but the seating was not close to the field and by the 1980s it was beginning to show its age. The Orioles and city officials developed a plan to build a new ballpark in downtown Baltimore on land that once was occupied by Babe Ruth’s father’s saloon. Owner of the Orioles, Eli Jacobs, hired architect Joseph Spear of HOK Sport (now Populus) to design a new ballpark for the team. Spears designed a ballpark that revolutionized the design of nearly every ballpark built since 1992. Named Camden Yards, it was built similar to ballparks of the early 1900s with steel columns, beams and trusses used to support the facility instead of concrete.

On April 6, 1992 the Baltimore Orioles played the Cleveland Indians in their first game at Camden Yards. Nestled on the edge of downtown Baltimore near the Inner Harbor, the facade consists of brick with arches allowing Camden Yards to look as it has beeOutfield at Camden Yardsn part of the landscape for decades and the low-raked upper deck keeps the ballpark from looming over surrounding buildings. The majority of fans enter through the Eutaw Street in centerfield, a street that once led into downtown Baltimore. This is a bustling area between the seating area and the B&O Warehouse. Fans can mingle, their favorite food or beverage, see plaques of legendary Oriole Hall of Famers and enjoy the sights and sounds of the ballpark. From Eutaw Street fans see a plethora of green seats in the main grandstand. Located below street level is the playing field that allows fans to walk down to seats in the lower deck. Large open air concourses allow fans to easily move around Camden Yards.

From the upper deck fans can see the Baltimore skyline and one of Camden Yard's iconic features, the B&O Warehouse. Behind the right field wall stands the eight story high B&O Warehouse, constructed in 1899. Originally built as a warehouse for the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, it now used for a variety of purposes by the Orioles. Camden Yards consists of a three tier grandstand that stretches from behind home plate, down the third base line around the left field foul pole, and down the first base line. All 45,971 seats are green, replicating ones in bygone ballparks (The original seating capacity was 48,000 but all seats were replaced with larger ones by the 2011 season). Additional seating is located under the main 24' x 74' LED video/scoreboard in right-center field. Two orange seats mark the landing spot of homeruns by two Hall of Fame Orioles, Cal Ripken Jr. and Eddie Murray. One in right- centerfield, marks the location of Murray's 500th homerun, and the other in left-field marks the spot of Ripken's 278th homerun, breaking Ernie Banks record for homeruns by a shortstop. Part of Memorial Stadium is still at the Orioles ballpark today, as both foul poles at Camden Yards are the same ones used at the O's old ballpark for over three decades. Fans can stand and watch the game from behind the out of town scoreboard in right field or in an area over looking the bullpens in left centerfield. A beautiful grassy picnic and park area filled with colorful flower gardens and shady trees is located beyond centerfield. Statues of six Orioles members of the Baseball Hall of Fame, added in 2012 are also here.

Since its opening in 1992, 21 other ballparks have opened in Major League Baseball, all using concepts that were first used at Camden Yards. Although now it is over 20 years old, Camden Yards remains one of the best ballparks in baseball with its setting in downtown Baltimore and its view of the Baltimore skyline.

- See more at: http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/al/CamdenYards.htm#sthash.zibq1Yrs.dpuf

Oriole Park at Camden Yards Trivia:

• Site of the 1993 All-Star game.
• Camden Yards complex includes the Baltimore & Ohio Warehouse, the longest building on the East Coast (1,016 feet long by 51 feet wide).
• Warehouse contains Orioles offices as well as a cafeteria, sports bar, gift shop, and the exclusive Camden Club.
• Banks of lights are mounted on the roof of warehouse.
• Each aisle seat in the park features an 1890s Orioles logo.
• Unique double-decked bullpens in left-center field.
• Playing field is 16 feet below street level.
• Located only two blocks from Babe Ruths birthplace.
• Ruths father operated Ruths Cafe at 406 Conway Street, the site of which is now located in center field.
• Faced with brick to present a traditional appearance.
• Bronze baseballs imprinted in the cement of the Eutaw Street walkway commemorate home runs hit in the ballpark.
• The "H" in "The Sun" sign on top of the scoreboard will flash to show a scoring decision of a hit and the "E" will flash to show an error.
• Fans yell "O" (for Orioles) in unison when "The Star-Spangled Banner" reaches "O Say does that star-spangled banner yet wave..."
• Hideo Nomo threw the only no-hitter ever pitched here on April 4, 2001.
• Home plate was moved back seven feet for the 2001 season, but returned to its original spot the next season because, as team officials said, the new layout "adversely affected the viewing angle of the batter's eye." A significant drop in home runs had been observed in 2001.
• A red seat in left field (Section 86, Row FF, Seat 10) marks the spot where Cal Ripken hit home run number 278 in 1993, breaking Ernie Banks' record for most home runs hit by a shortstop. Ripken hit the seat again in 1995 while playing in consecutive game number 2130, which tied Lou Gherig's record.
• An orange seat in the bleachers (Section 96, Row D, Seat 23) marks the spot where Eddie Murray hit home run number 500 on September 6, 1996.

Need more?  Here are a couple links with more information about the ballpark:

http://baltimore.orioles.mlb.com/bal/ballpark/information/index.jsp?content=groundrules
http://www.ballparksofbaseball.com/al/CamdenYards.htm