FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. - Chris Ray spent the time working out and planning the refurbishing of a 1994 Ford Mustang he bought. Danys Baez stayed in Miami, devoting all his time to his rehabilitation and family. Troy Patton logged countless hours on the Internet, following the progress of current and former teammates, and battling the worst "case of boredom" he has experienced.
All three Orioles, who missed last season after having extensive arm surgeries, were on the practice fields yesterday as pitchers and catchers persevered through their first spring workout. The trio's presence was a pleasing sight for an Orioles staff that has been hampered by injuries, but it also reinforced how much the club is relying on pitchers who suffered setbacks that either cut short their 2008 season or never allowed it to get started.
"It's hard to count on guys like that, it really is," pitching coach Rick Kranitz said after listening to the long list of Orioles pitchers coming off injuries. "It's hard to think that all these guys are going to be available to us because we really don't know."
Ray and Baez, the closer and top setup man, respectively, heading into the 2007 season, are 18 and 16 months removed from ligament-reconstruction (Tommy John) surgery on their right elbows. Patton, a left-handed starter obtained from the Houston Astros in the Miguel Tejada deal, had surgery to repair a torn labrum in March. Reliever Jim Hoey also didn't pitch last season after having arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder in May.
Reliever Dennis Sarfate pitched in 57 games for the Orioles last season, but he had season-ending surgery to repair a broken clavicle in September. Matt Albers opted to forgo surgery and rehab the right labrum tear that forced him to miss the final three months of last season.
Jim Johnson and Hayden Penn also experienced season-ending shoulder injuries, and relievers George Sherrill and Jamie Walker spent extensive time in 2008 on the disabled list. Starters Jeremy Guthrie, Rich Hill and Koji Uehara did not, but they have dealt with their share of nagging injuries over the past couple of seasons.
"That's one of the reasons we brought in so many pitchers," manager Dave Trembley said. "We wanted to cover so many possibilities, but to be honest with you, I'm not concerned with anybody right now coming off an injury because of the reports that I've gotten from [head athletic trainer] Richie Bancells. He's told me over and over again there are no restrictions."
