KANSAS CITY, MO. -- Orioles infielder-outfielder Freddie Bynum was recalled yesterday from his injury rehabilitation assignment at Double-A Bowie and was immediately inserted into the starting lineup for last night's game against the Kansas City Royals and beyond.
"Right now, Bynum is the starting shortstop on this team," Orioles manager Dave Trembley said. "What that means is he will be the regular guy that plays. Will he play 10 days in a row? No. But he'll be the regular shortstop until I decide that we've got somebody better or we make a change or I want to give somebody else a shot at it."
Bynum went 2-for-4 with a run scored last night in the Orioles' 4-1 win.
Anointing Bynum as shortstop means that the Opening Day starter, Luis Hernandez, who batted .243 with one extra-base hit in 70 at-bats while playing unsteady defense, is relegated to a utility role.
"To be honest with you, there's been a lot of plays I thought could have been made, should have been made and weren't made," Trembley said "So we've got to try something different."
Middle infielder Eider Torres, who was recalled from Triple-A Norfolk on April 25 and had two hits in nine at-bats, was optioned back to Norfolk. Hernandez, 23, is out of options and would have been exposed to waivers before the team could demote him.
Bynum was competing with Hernandez and Brandon Fahey for the shortstop job this spring before he had arthroscopic surgery March 12 to repair a slight tear in the meniscus of his right knee. He had hoped to be back by mid-April.
"It's been a long journey, but I am finally back and everything is healthy," he said. "I'm feeling great, and I'll do whatever I can to help."
Bynum, who learned of the promotion Wednesday and was pulled in the first inning of a Baysox game, said the knee is back to normal.
"I can do anything and everything you want to do on a baseball field," Bynum said. "If you want me to run the catcher over, I can run him over. If you want me to drop-kick somebody, I'll drop-kick them. I am ready. I am ready to play ball."
Last year the versatile Bynum played 29 games in the outfield, 15 games at shortstop and four at second base. He had never played shortstop in the majors before last season. In 70 games with the Orioles, he hit .260 with two homers and 11 RBIs.
"I am just going to try and go out there and do my best and hopefully I can remain at shortstop, but if anything else happens it happens," Bynum said. "But I will go out there and perform to the best of my ability."
