From everything I read about this kid, he's got so much potential, it's scary.
Throw in Sherrill and they must be blowing their brains out in Seattle. Throw
in Wieters - who is clearly still learning and has barely begun to show his
stuff - and it can make a man religious. It's also interesting to note that
once he arrives, four-fifths of Opening Day's starting rotation will be outahere
in one way or the other. I still wish Hill would come around, hoerver. I think
it's too early to give up on him.
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Tillman may be on the cusp

Triple-A pitcher appears to be next to reach majors if another starter is needed

By Jeff Zrebiec | jeff.zrebiec@...
10:20 PM EDT, July 3, 2009

ANAHEIM, Calif. - In an ideal world, Orioles president of baseball operations
Andy MacPhail would introduce the organization's top pitching prospects to the
major leagues at different points of the season. However, with four of the five
members of his Opening Day rotation no longer part of the starting staff because
of either injuries or ineffectiveness, he has been left with little choice.

Rookies Brad Bergesen, Jason Berken and David Hernandez are already part of the
rotation, and Triple-A Norfolk right-hander Chris Tillman, 21, appears to be the
next man up if another injury occurs or the struggles of Berken or Rich Hill
persist. Tillman threw 7 2/3 shutout innings Friday, striking out seven and
allowing just four hits and a walk. He improved to 6-5 with a 2.69 ERA.

"I've always said, you want to make sure when they get here, they have a
reasonable chance to succeed, but sometimes events dictate what happens," said
MacPhail, not speaking specifically about Tillman. "Things don't always go as
planned. Things change. We have to go with events and make the best decisions
that we can in the context of the current times."

MacPhail said he is not looking for the current rotation to change, but if it
does, he would prefer summoning one of the Orioles' prospects rather than
calling on a well-traveled veteran. The Orioles' Opening Day rotation included
Koji Uehara, Adam Eaton, Alfredo Simon and Mark Hendrickson, joining holdover
Jeremy Guthrie. But Guthrie is the only one who remains. Eaton was released,
Simon is out for the season after having Tommy John ligament-reconstruction
surgery and Uehara is out until at least September with a partially torn tendon
in his pitching elbow. Hendrickson is currently in the bullpen.

"We had our share [of turnover] already, but we've been able to fill in with
guys like Bergesen and Berken and Hernandez as opposed to going down and getting
veteran guys who are kicking around," MacPhail said. "Frankly, we had our
[veterans] at the beginning just to give us some time to help us make the right
decision with the minor league guys. I'm hopeful we have enough young candidates
down below where we won't have to resort to guys that are clearly in the
twilight of their careers."