This week, the Milwaukee Brewers made a bold move by trading for pitcher CC Sabathia, surrendering four minor league players to the Cleveland Indians to acquire the reigning Cy Young Award winner and pending free agent. They haven't seen the playoffs since beating out the Orioles on the final day of the 1982 season. They're going for it in 2008.
(They're also finding out that Sabathia doesn't look any slimmer in their uniform, but I digress.)
The Chicago Cubs, trying to hold off the Brewers in the National League Central, delivered a counterpunch Tuesday night by acquiring pitchers Rich Harden and Chad Gaudin from the Oakland Athletics for pitcher Sean Gallagher, outfielder Matt Murton, outfielder/infielder Eric Patterson and a minor league catcher.
This is the good life. You're contenders, and you're not afraid to roll up your sleeves and fight for what you want. The fans love it. Baseball needs it. Keep it interesting.
Then there's the other side of life. You're the Orioles, and all you're trying to do is survive. Counterpunching has been replaced by covering up.
Contending would be nice. Hanging around .500 has been a blast, especially during the days when you've been above it. But right now, you're looking at the state of your bullpen, and your rotation, and rolling up your sleeves doesn't sound as appealing as rolling over and hoping it'll be 2009 when you wake up.
Manager Dave Trembley has three starters who bump their heads on the ceiling after five innings. He can't count on Radhames Liz, Garrett Olson or Brian Burres to go any further. All he can do is hope.
Trembley's options are drier than roadside diner meatloaf. Lance Cormier has made 18 starts in the majors, but he's needed in the bullpen to fill the void left by Matt Albers' shoulder injury. Jim Johnson started 120 games in the minors before this season and was the organization's Pitcher of the Year in 2005, but he's the new eighth-inning setup man.
Triple-A Norfolk's rotation was supposed to dazzle us with all its talented young arms fighting to gain the Orioles' attention, but Liz, Olson, Albers and Johnson are on the major league staff, Troy Patton underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum, and Hayden Penn is coming back from another injury and needs more innings, and much better luck, in the International League.
