Baltimore placed OF-L Jay Gibbons on the disabled list on June 2nd, though the move was retroactive to May 26th. Gibbons spent a week on the sidelines with a sore back before the Orioles decided to move him to the DL. He experienced some problems with his back in mid-April, so the club thought the 27-year-old might overcome this problem after a few days off. However, after playing a man short for a week, Baltimore decided to send Gibbons to the disabled list to rest when he failed to demonstrate adequate improvement. While an MRI revealed a bulging disc in his lower back, the Orioles evidently do not view this injury as a serious problem. Consequently, I do not expect Gibbons to be out more than another month, and he could return within two weeks.

The club called up OF-R Tim Raines, Jr. to replace Gibbons on the roster. Baltimore appears content with their current defensive alignment in which B.J. Surhoff has replaced Gibbons in right field while Luis Matos and Larry Bigbie remain in center and left respectively. Since returning from the disabled list on May 11th, 2B-R Jerry Hairston, Jr. has assumed the majority of the DH at-bats. Consequently, Raines should serve merely as a reserve outfielder while he's with the team. However, with the Orioles journeying to Los Angeles and Colorado next week for interleague play, Raines' opportunities should increase, so I would not be surprised if the 24-year-old racked up a half-dozen stolen bases before Gibbons returns.

In order to clear a roster space for Hairston's return from the DL, Baltimore demoted OF-R Darnell McDonald. McDonald performed well during his short time on the roster, so he may receive another opportunity later in the season if his numbers improve at AAA.

Baltimore demoted Kurt Ainsworth on May 15th but subsequently moved him to the disabled list in late May when he reported a sore elbow. Tests revealed a bone chip in his elbow, but the Orioles are still debating as to whether Ainsworth should undergo surgery to have the chip removed. Baltimore seems inclined to allow the chip to move to a less troublesome area and/or break up on its own, but even if Ainsworth requires surgery to remove the meddlesome fragment, he likely will be back on the mound in six weeks. While arm problems aren't normally a plus for a pitcher, knowing that Ainsworth's struggles over the first six weeks of the season likely can be attributed to a physical problem is comforting given the mundane nature of the malady. I suspect the Orioles will make him start a few games at AAA to prove he's healthy before allowing him back in the majors, but I expect him to reclaim a rotation spot in August.

When Baltimore demoted Ainsworth, RHP Rodrigo Lopez slid into Kurt's rotation slot. After a couple of rough starts while he was making the transition from the pen to the rotation, Lopez appears to have adjusted, leaving the Orioles with an adequate starter. However, Lopez was pitching extremely effectively as a long reliever. Additionally, when he was serving in that capacity, Baltimore was able to call upon him two or three times a week, keeping the rest of the pen fresh without sacrificing quality despite short outings by their starters. Therefore, I am inclined to believe that the Orioles would benefit more from returning him to that role rather than leaving him in the rotation.

Meanwhile, Baltimore called up RHP Darwin Cubillan to replace Ainsworth on the roster. Despite demonstrating progress with his control at AAA in both 2003 and 2004, Cubillan's walk rate created problems for him during his time in the majors. The Orioles designated Cubillan for assignment on June 4th and called up RHP Rick Bauer. Cubillan cleared waivers and accepted his minor league assignment, but the 31-year-old appears to have fumbled his major league opportunity this year, and I do not expect him to receive another for at least a couple of seasons.

When Baltimore sent Bauer to the minors on May 25th, the club planned to have him resume working as a starter. However, he made only one start at AAA before the Orioles felt his services once again were required in the majors. Unless Baltimore acquires bullpen help from outside the organization, Bauer should remain in the majors for the rest of the season.

In conjunction with Bauer's demotion on the 25th, the Orioles designated 3B-R Jose Bautista and C-R Keith Osik for assignment while calling up C-R Robert Machado, 3B-R Jose Leon, and RHP Denny Bautista. After committing a roster spot to him for two months, Baltimore suddenly decided they were not willing to accept the roster restriction necessary to earn permanent rights to Rule 5 pick Jose Bautista. If the Orioles felt he was worth the hassle in April, the club at least should have put him on the disabled list with a hangnail before making a hasty decision to abandon him in late May. Bautista has not yet returned to the Pirates, as Tampa Bay claimed him off waivers.

Osik failed to produce in the limited playing time he received as C-R Javy Lopez's back-up, and Machado was posting a pretty batting average at AAA, leading the Orioles to try the hot hand. While Osik cleared waivers, he did not accept his minor league assignment, so the 35-year-old now is a free agent.

Prior to his promotion, Jose Leon demonstrated some of the best power and plate discipline of his career at AAA this season. However, I do not know if he will be able to maintain those skills in limited playing time with most of his at-bats coming as a pinch-hitter.

Bautista had not even established solid control at AA Bowie when Baltimore decided to experiment with using him in the major league pen. While giving a guy a taste of the majors might seem like a nice idea, Bautista will now have the shadow of a 36.00 major league ERA hanging over his head as he works through AA and AAA over the next two years, because the Orioles allowed him to pitch two innings and give up eight runs before demoting him three days after he arrived in the majors.

RHP Eddy Rodriguez replaced Bautista on the roster and in the bullpen. Baltimore signed Rodriguez as a nondrafted free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 1999. After working his way through the system, the reliever 22-year-old arrived at the Orioles' AAA International League affiliate in Ottawa this season. Prior to his promotion, he compiled a 31:9 K:BB with 31 H and 3 HR allowed in 27.2 IP for a 4.55 ERA over 23 appearances at AAA. I have some concerns about his control, since Baltimore does not have a great defense, so baserunners accumulate quickly. However, Rodriguez is far more prepared for the majors than Bautista, and his minor league numbers indicate he could be an asset to the team.

LHP Matt Riley hit the disabled list on May 11th due to tightness in his shoulder. After a couple of weeks of rest and treatment, his arm was feeling better so the Orioles activated him from the DL on May 25th. However, Baltimore immediately optioned him to the minors, as the club did not feel he fit with the major league club at that time. If he continues to excel at AAA, I suspect the 24-year-old will receive another opportunity in the major league rotation this season.

RHP Daniel Cabrera replaced Riley on the roster and in the rotation. Cabrera also signed with the Orioles as a nondrafted free agent in 1999. However, he spent two seasons with Baltimore's Dominican Summer League team before joining their Rookie-level Gulf Coast League affiliate in 2001. He continued to move slowly through the system, spending a full season at Bluefield in the Rookie-level Appalachian in 2002 and at A Delmarva in the South Atlantic League in 2003. In contrast, Cabrera then skipped over A+ and opened 2004 at AA Bowie in the Eastern League. The 23-year-old compiled a 35:12 K:BB with 11 H and 1 HR allowed in 27.1 IP for a 2.63 ERA over 5 starts at AA before jumping to the majors.

Considering his rapid acceleration through the upper levels of the minors, Cabrera's pitched remarkably effectively. However, he would clearly benefit from spending some time at AAA. A return to the minors would also help reduce his inning load, which at his current pace will soar way beyond his single-season career high of 125 IP. If he runs into substantial difficulties and one of the Orioles' AAA starters is excelling, I expect Cabrera to head back to the minors until September.