MASN: Kubatko: A soggy loss (updated with Trembley quotes)

Uhh, make that a foggy loss…in Trembley’s mind anyway.

I asked manager Dave Trembley to critique starter Chris Waters’ overall performance as an Oriole, and what role the left-hander might fill next year if he makes the club:

He’ll have to come to spring training and earn that,” Trembley said. “Whatever role he has, that’ll be determined when all of us get together and try to fit people into what we have. But when he throws strikes, he’s OK. He keeps the ball down, he doesn’t elevate it. He fields his position. But what’s been an Achilles heel around here is the inability of left-handed pitchers to get left-handed hitters out. We walked a left-handed hitter, then gave up a hit to a left-handed hitter. Left-handed hitters have feasted on our left-handed pitching all year. And I think any of the left-handed pitchers who want to have a consistent role, not only on this club, but in the big leagues, have got to get lefties out a little bit more consistently. So I’d think that’s one of the things Waters has to do, just like all the rest of the left-handers who have been on the club this year. But he’s done OK…

...Looking back at my scoresheet, I don’t see where Waters walked a left-hander and then gave up a hit to a left-hander. The run-scoring double that followed Adam Lind’s walk came from Scott Rolen, who bats from the right side of the plate. But Trembley’s point is valid. It’s happened way too much this season.