MIAMI - - When the Orioles acquired Felix Pie from the Chicago Cubs in January, they acknowledged that they would have to be patient with the young outfielder, who can dazzle with his tools and athleticism on one play and confound with his decision-making and instincts on the next.
After his team's 5-2 loss to the Florida Marlins on Wednesday night, Orioles manager Dave Trembley looked and sounded like a man who is running dangerously low on patience. The Orioles played an all-around sloppy game in front of an announced 12,469 at Land Shark Stadium, but it was two glaring miscues by the seldom-used Pie that annoyed Trembley the most.
Pie, who has started just three games this month, hesitated and was thrown out stealing as the trail runner behind Brian Roberts in the first inning. Then in a one-run game in the seventh, he held the ball too long in center field after corralling catcher Matt Wieters' errant throw, allowing the fleet Emilio Bonifacio to score from second base.
"That's not what we're all about here," Trembley said. "That's not winning baseball. You don't win baseball games by doing that. You give baseball games away by doing that. That's not what it's all about here, and that's not what the majority of guys here are all about. It happens. It's unfortunate, but it's not acceptable. It's that simple."
Trembley said his base coaches - John Shelby and Juan Samuel - had discussed the two plays with Pie, though it's likely that the 24-year-old will have a date in the manager's office before Thursday's game, when the Orioles (32-39) will try to avoid what had been an uplifting start to the road trip ending in a three-game sweep.
"I will reserve my comments to him until tomorrow," said Trembley, who adheres to a 24-hour rule before taking issues up with players. "That's how we do things around here."
In fairness to Pie, there were plenty of other miscues made by the Orioles, who played as though they were in a general malaise. Rookie right-hander Jason Berken started his five-inning, two earned-run outing by walking Chris Coghlan on four pitches. That and Melvin Mora's throwing error, which probably could have been saved by first baseman Aubrey Huff, were the key plays in the Marlins' two-run first inning.
