Jim Hoey

Brian Roberts and Corey Patterson continue to rank among the American League leaders in stolen bases, but O.J. Simpson says most of them belong to him, and he wants them back. Jamie Walker now holds the Orioles' single-season record for appearances with 77. Here's hoping that next year, he can return to his intended role - left-handed relief specialist. Right-handed hitters are batting .283 against him, compared with .223 for left-handers. The bullpen doesn't need a complete overhaul, but the Orioles must find a closer and an eighth-inning guy. Jim Hoey could develop into the latter, but not yet. roch.

As the year comes to a close, it seems appropriate to look back on the most lasting Orioles memories of 2011. It's no easy task, as there plenty of things that stood out in the past 12 months, and there are many ways to go about this. But I'm going to name a best memory and worst memory, both on and off the field. (Of course, as one would expect of a 69-93 season, there are far more bad on-field memories than good ones, but I'm sticking to one each.) Below are the things that left the biggest impression on me. We'd like to hear yours in the comments section.

It remains to be seen how good the Orioles' pitching staff will be this year, but they sure have the makings of a heck of a Division I basketball team. Nine pitchers in camp are 6 feet 5 or taller, and four others are 6-4. Asked whether he has seen so much size in one place before, Orioles starter Adam Loewen said: "I saw it in Jurassic Park. I don't know, maybe we're playing the wrong sport." With that in mind, Loewen, who is 6-6, was asked who would be in his starting lineup if he were coaching the Orioles' basketball team.

Jim Hoey got the call to the majors Sunday while Class AAA Rochester was in Scranton. He left Scranton for Philadelphia -- but missed his connecting flight to Baltimore, so he didn't arrive in Charm City until 12:30 a.m. Monday. It was plenty of time for the right-hander to think about how he would approach his former team. "The last two games of spring training they were just sitting dead-red fastball," Hoey said. "I wanted to show them tonight that you can't do that. " So Hoey, with a fastball that hit 97 miles per hour on the Camden Yards radar gun Monday, opened with a split-fingered fastball to Derek Lee, then got him to fly out to end the seventh.

The Orioles put their hitting shoes back on at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, hammering Francisco Liriano and the Minnesota Twins 11-2 in the first game of another split-squad day in South Florida. The O's are scheduled to play the Boston Red Sox tonight at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, but the "A" team enjoyed a cool, sunny afternoon with the wind blowing out hard to left field. Vladimir Guerrero, Adam Jones and Ryan Adams enjoyed it most of all, slamming long home runs to carry Jake Arrieta to his first victory of the exhibition season.

Jim Hoey got the call to the majors Sunday while Class AAA Rochester was in Scranton. He left Scranton for Philadelphia -- but missed his connecting flight to Baltimore, so he didn't arrive in Charm City until 12:30 a.m. Monday. It was plenty of time for the right-hander to think about how he would approach his former team. "The last two games of spring training they were just sitting dead-red fastball," Hoey said. "I wanted to show them tonight that you can't do that. " So Hoey, with a fastball that hit 97 miles per hour on the Camden Yards radar gun Monday, opened with a split-fingered fastball to Derek Lee, then got him to fly out to end the seventh.

Looking to upgrade offensively at the shortstop position without adversely affecting team defense, the Orioles traded two minor league relievers to the Minnesota Twins for shortstop J.J. Hardy and utility infielder Brendan Harris. The deal had essentially been finalized Wednesday, but the clubs waited to announce the deal because the commissioner's office had to approve an exchange of money – the Twins gave up $500,000 and Hardy and Harris for minor-league pitchers Jim Hoey and Brett Jacobson.

Jeremy Guthrie could have packed his belongings and returned to his Las Vegas home, his body aching and his pride a little bruised. The 2007 season brought enough personal achievements to satisfy most rookie pitchers, even as it threatened to end sooner than the schedule dictated. There wasn't much reason for Guthrie to keep pushing himself as the Orioles tried to avoid last place, except he wanted to take the ball one more time before letting go. A strained oblique kept Guthrie off the mound for nearly three weeks, but he fought through the pain until the muscle healed, convinced manager Dave Trembley that he shouldn't be shut down and gave the Orioles five innings last night, along with some much-needed stability for their rotation, in an 8-5 victory over Toronto at Camden Yards.

The Orioles put their hitting shoes back on at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, hammering Francisco Liriano and the Minnesota Twins, 11-2, in the first game of another split-squad day in South Florida. The Orioles' "A" team benefited from a cool, sunny afternoon with the wind blowing out hard to left field. Vladimir Guerrero, Adam Jones and Ryan Adams enjoyed it most of all, slamming long home runs to carry Jake Arrieta to his first victory of the exhibition season. The Orioles are now 5-5-2 in exhibition play.

The 2011 Hall of Fame ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., will have some Orioles flavor, regardless of whether former players Roberto Alomar and Rafael Palmeiro are enshrined. Pat Gillick the Orioles' general manager from 1996 to 1998 and the architect of the 1997 team that lost to the Cleveland Indians in the American League Championship Series, was selected by the Baseball Hall of Fame's Expansion Era Committee for 2011 induction. The only one selected by the committee, he beat out the likes of late New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and former players union executive Marvin Miller . "I can't tell you what an honor this is," said Gillick, who led the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies to world championships and also was the GM for the Seattle Mariners.

Jim Hoey made his major league debut with the Orioles against the Minnesota Twins at Camden Yards in August 2006. Flash forward more than four years, past 35 primarily nondescript relief appearances, a shoulder injury, an exhausting rehabilitation and a trade. On Monday, Hoey finally made it back to the majors for the first time since September 2007. Again, he was at Camden Yards, this time pitching for the Twins against the Orioles. "Coming back was ironic," said Hoey, who was promoted to help fill the Twins' late-inning void now that former closer Joe Nathan has been put in lower-pressure situations.

The Orioles put their hitting shoes back on at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, hammering Francisco Liriano and the Minnesota Twins, 11-2, in the first game of another split-squad day in South Florida. The Orioles' "A" team benefited from a cool, sunny afternoon with the wind blowing out hard to left field. Vladimir Guerrero, Adam Jones and Ryan Adams enjoyed it most of all, slamming long home runs to carry Jake Arrieta to his first victory of the exhibition season. The Orioles are now 5-5-2 in exhibition play.

The Orioles put their hitting shoes back on at Ed Smith Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, hammering Francisco Liriano and the Minnesota Twins 11-2 in the first game of another split-squad day in South Florida. The O's are scheduled to play the Boston Red Sox tonight at City of Palms Park in Fort Myers, but the "A" team enjoyed a cool, sunny afternoon with the wind blowing out hard to left field. Vladimir Guerrero, Adam Jones and Ryan Adams enjoyed it most of all, slamming long home runs to carry Jake Arrieta to his first victory of the exhibition season.

— Andy MacPhail, the target of intense fan criticism this offseason for his failed attempt to sign the Orioles' top free agent targets, was one of the busiest general managers this week at baseball's winter meetings. Over four days, MacPhail acquired a new left side of the infield by trading for Mark Reynolds and J.J. Hardy, added a utility man in Brendan Harris, agreed to terms with closer Koji Uehara, selected pitcher Adrian Rosario in the Rule 5 draft, and laid the groundwork for deals with free agent first baseman Adam LaRoche and several relievers, including Kevin Gregg.

Looking to upgrade offensively at the shortstop position without adversely affecting team defense, the Orioles traded two minor league relievers to the Minnesota Twins for shortstop J.J. Hardy and utility infielder Brendan Harris. The deal had essentially been finalized Wednesday, but the clubs waited to announce the deal because the commissioner's office had to approve an exchange of money – the Twins gave up $500,000 and Hardy and Harris for minor-league pitchers Jim Hoey and Brett Jacobson.

Andy MacPhail, the target of intense fan criticism this offseason for his failed attempt to sign the Orioles' top free-agent targets, was one of the busiest general managers this week at baseball's winter meetings. Over four days, MacPhail acquired a new left side of the infield by trading for Mark Reynolds and J.J. Hardy, added a utility player in Brendan Harris, agreed to terms with closer Koji Uehara, selected pitcher Adrian Rosario in the Rule 5 draft, and laid the groundwork for deals with free-agent first baseman Adam LaRoche and several relievers, including Kevin Gregg.

Andy MacPhail, the target of intense fan criticism this offseason for his failed attempt to sign the Orioles' top free-agent targets, was one of the busiest general managers this week at baseball's winter meetings. Over four days, MacPhail acquired a new left side of the infield by trading for Mark Reynolds and J.J. Hardy, added a utility player in Brendan Harris, agreed to terms with closer Koji Uehara, selected pitcher Adrian Rosario in the Rule 5 draft, and laid the groundwork for deals with free-agent first baseman Adam LaRoche and several relievers, including Kevin Gregg.

A day after backing out of a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays that would have landed them shortstop Jason Bartlett, the Orioles turned their attention to the Minnesota Twins and a deal involving J.J. Hardy. According to sources, the Orioles are discussing sending two minor league pitchers — neither of them considered among the organization's upper-echelon prospects — to the Twins for Hardy, a 28-year-old shortstop who batted .268 with six homers and 38 RBIs in 101 games last season.

A day after backing out of a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays that would have landed them shortstop Jason Bartlett, the Orioles turned their attention to the Minnesota Twins and a deal involving J.J. Hardy. According to sources, the Orioles are discussing sending two minor league pitchers — neither of them considered among the organization's upper-echelon prospects — to the Twins for Hardy, a 28-year-old shortstop who batted .268 with six homers and 38 RBIs in 101 games last season.

The 2011 Hall of Fame ceremony in Cooperstown, N.Y., will have some Orioles flavor, regardless of whether former players Roberto Alomar and Rafael Palmeiro are enshrined. Pat Gillick the Orioles' general manager from 1996 to 1998 and the architect of the 1997 team that lost to the Cleveland Indians in the American League Championship Series, was selected by the Baseball Hall of Fame's Expansion Era Committee for 2011 induction. The only one selected by the committee, he beat out the likes of late New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner and former players union executive Marvin Miller . "I can't tell you what an honor this is," said Gillick, who led the Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies to world championships and also was the GM for the Seattle Mariners.