May 30, 2009|By Jeff Zrebiec | Jeff Zrebiec,jeff.zrebiec@baltsun.com
Though it was expected that catcher Chad Moeller would lose his roster spot with the addition of prospect Matt Wieters, Orioles manager Dave Trembley still called the move "one of the most difficult things" he has had to do.
Moeller, who batted .200 with a homer and two RBIs in 15 games while serving as Gregg Zaun's backup, was designated for assignment Friday when Wieters was summoned from Triple-A Norfolk to make his big league debut. The Orioles have 10 days to trade, release or outright Moeller to Norfolk if the veteran catcher clears waivers. Moeller has agreed to accept the minor league assignment if he cannot find a major league job.
"Chad Moeller is a baseball player and a major league person, and that was extremely difficult for me to do, but I told him, 'It's a great game and a tough business,' " Trembley said. "He's going to go through [waivers], and maybe somebody will claim him, or somebody will call [president of baseball operations] Andy MacPhail and ask for him. We're not going to stand in the way if another club wants him and he can go to the big leagues. Otherwise, he's agreed to go to Norfolk and be insurance for us."
Moeller, 34, has played parts of 10 seasons with seven major league clubs. He signed a minor league deal with the Orioles in December and made the team out of spring training.
"What he did here does not show up in what his stats were," Trembley said. "He made some great contributions for our pitchers. He's going to play for a long time. People want those kinds of guys on their team. He's a winner."
As for Zaun, who becomes the backup with Wieters' arrival, Trembley said he expects no problem with the veteran adapting to his new role.
"That was laid out to him very clearly when he signed," Trembley said. "There shouldn't be any gray area amongst the fans, amongst Zaunnie, anybody. Zaun's done a nice job. He has some things that he can help Wieters with."
Zaun said he wasn't blindsided by the move.
"I knew what my situation was coming in," he said. "I agreed to the terms of the deal and the situation the way it was. I agreed to all of this, so now my job is to be what this team needs me to be. Whatever it is that they need me to be, that's what I'm here to do."
Pitching in
Since he was recalled from Norfolk on May 22, reliever Matt Albers has pitched 5 1/3 scoreless innings over four outings and allowed one hit and two walks while striking out four. He has looked very much like the pitcher he was before he tore the labrum in his right shoulder in August, and not the one with a 7.71 ERA over his first eight big league outings this season.
Albers acknowledged that part of his early problems could have resulted from the psychological impact of pitching with the labrum tear.
"I think maybe a little bit," he said. "I was almost maybe trying to throw a little hard just to prove to myself that I could and I was healthy. I think when I was overthrowing, I was up a little bit and the ball doesn't sink the way I wanted it to. I wasn't able to put the ball where I needed to put it, but I think I'm pretty much over that."
Around the horn
Koji Uehara, who is on the disabled list with a strained left hamstring, will throw two bullpen sessions before his tentatively scheduled start June 10. ... Orioles rookie pitcher David Hernandez, who held Detroit to one run in 5 2/3 innings in his major league debut Thursday, made a positive impression on Tigers manager Jim Leyland. "He was very good," Leyland said. "I was very impressed with him. He has a nice arm, threw a good changeup, a changeup better than I expected." ... Reliever Fredy Deza has been promoted to Norfolk from Double-A Bowie.
