No longer is 'pen mightier than rotation Miller to give starters more trust this season

A recent defector from the National League, Joe Strauss is in his second year as Orioles beat writer for The Sun and in his 11th year of covering major-league baseball. In addition to his daily coverage, this year Strauss will write a weekly analysis focusing on the trends and behind-the-scenes workings of the defending American League East champions. The first week of a 162-game season typically provides little insight about how the rest of a six-month schedule will be handled. However, the Orioles' first five games against the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers suggested that the pitching philosophy employed last year by Ray Miller, pitching coach, will be different under Ray Miller, manager.

A year ago, Davey Johnson leaned heavily on a bottomless bullpen to protect a starting rotation that included two health questions and a chronic problem with its fifth starter.

Then, free-agent closer Randy Myers defected to the Toronto Blue Jays, making a jumble out of a well-ordered 'pen. The Orioles signed free agent Doug Drabek to fill the role bungled by Shawn Boskie, Rocky Coppinger and Rick Krivda. Miller persuaded former student Mike Flanagan to leave the HTS broadcast booth for a second tour as pitching coach. Arthur Rhodes was shuffled from the underappreciated, critical role of left-handed setup to occasional closer.

Now, with Miller more confident in the health of Jimmy Key and Scott Kamieniecki and more trusting in Drabek, emphasis is on the rotation to protect a restructured bullpen still unsure of where it can go for innings.

Miller remembers well how the bullpen showed its mileage last year with a tired September performance and four one-run losses in the American League Championship Series.

"I thought some guys wore down last September. You could see that. And I'd like to stay away from that situation if at all possible this year," says Miller, who received great freedom from Johnson to handle last year's staff but constantly fretted about an injury to a starter. "Maybe you go a little longer with a couple guys than you would have before. Plus, you don't have just the one guy who pitches the ninth inning. We can go a few different ways, which should help take pressure off."

Johnson and Miller lived in constant fear of every fifth day last season. On those days, the bullpen would have to offer several arms to compensate for the fifth starter's brief appearance. Whenever Scott Erickson or Mike Mussina faltered, the bullpen risked burnout. Also, Key was less than two years removed from shoulder surgery. Kamieniecki underwent elbow surgery after the 1995 season. With a trade for another starting pitcher impossible, pushing the rotation became suicidal.

Johnson was so protective of his rotation last year that he removed Mussina from an Aug. 23 start in which he struck out 11 in five innings and 99 pitches. Mussina was infuriated, not only because of his lost opportunity, but also because of the unnecessary demands it placed on the 'pen.

Compounding the dilemma was Key's second-half slide. Perhaps the league's most consistent pitcher before the All-Star break, he averaged less than six innings per start afterward. Even for the league's top bullpen, results were predictable.

Terry Mathews, battling a loss of confidence and control, amassed a 6.65 ERA and allowed earned runs in 10 of 19 appearances after July. Alan Mills, shaky after suffering nerve damage in his left shoulder in April, endured an 0-2 September to go with a 6.48 ERA. In the midst of making a career-high 71 appearances, Jesse Orosco, 40, allowed three homers in 10 1/3 September innings, matching his total for the previous 40 innings combined. Rhodes dealt with strains in his forearm and side and because of the pain pitched without his slider during the postseason.

"I like our bullpen better this year than last year," says Orosco. "I don't think anyone really needs to protect us. But if the rotation goes further into games, that's fine. I don't think Ray's going to leave guys in if they're getting knocked around."

Miller hardly plans to run from his bullpen, still among the league's deepest. However, with Rhodes placed near its back end, this year's group is less equipped to shoulder anything more than nine outs.

Miller has allowed Mussina to throw 106 pitches in eight innings and Erickson to make 108 pitches in Wednesday's complete game. Both worked with 120-pitch limits. Though Miller stayed with Key for only 85 pitches and five innings on Thursday, the precaution was taken mostly because of his ability to make only one five-inning start in spring training.

This spring, Miller repeatedly has chosen not to deal in hypotheticals. Reality suggests he no longer has to baby a veteran rotation.

Pub Date: 4/05/98