Todd Williams is a happy man.
The Baltimore Orioles? reliever has emerged from an injury-filled spring to help a struggling bullpen.
Williams, who had calf and shoulder problems in the off-season that landed him on the 15-day disabled list, recently sat in front of his locker at Camden Yards with a broad smile on his face.
“It feels great to be back, especially after the last three months. You know, going into spring training, I didn?t know my arm was going to act up, but it acted up as soon as I got there,” said Williams, who is 0-0 with an ERA of 2.57 in seven games.
So Williams found himself down in Double-A Bowie, unsure of when his injury would heal and when he would be back in the majors. He appeared in four games, allowing two runs in four innings of work for the Baysox.
He knew he was missed back in Baltimore.
“It was real frustrating, unbelievably frustrating. Now I sympathize with all the guys in the past,” Williams said. “It?s unbelievable. You feel like you let everybody down and that everybody looks at you different, although they don?t.”
Williams said patience was the key.
“I just kept telling myself the whole time not to rush,” Williams said. “I told myself if I rush and there?s another setback, then I?m really going to feel crazy.”
Williams? absence couldn?t have come at a worse time. The Orioles bullpen struggled mightily and the club made numerous moves in the first month of the season. When he came back to the team April 26, many were hoping he could help solve the bullpen woes.
“In that seventh or eighth inning, anywhere you want to plug him in, he?s pretty much money in the bank,” teammate Jay Gibbons said.
So far, Williams has been solid, giving up two runs in seven outings.
“So, to be back here again, with everybody, it?s great. It?s easy for me. I just want to get comfortable again,” Williams said. “I?ve just got to get back into a routine where I start making pitches.”
Oriole notes
Thursday?s home game with Detroit was rained out. A makeup date has not been set … The Orioles said they planned on placing infielder Chris Gomez on the 60-day designated list if they played Friday, and plan to purchase the contract of Ed Rogers Class AAA Ottawa. Gomez was hit by a pitch in Wednesday?s loss to Detroit and broke his fifth metacarpal in his left hand. “I knew right away that I was probably going to be out for a while,” Gomez said.
THE WILLIAMS FILE
Position: Pitcher
Height/weight: 6-3/219
Born: Feb. 13, 1971
Hometown: Syracuse, N.Y.
Did you know? Williams started his professional career in 1990 when the Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him in the 54th round of the amateur draft. He was named the organization?s Minor League Pitcher of the Year in 2002.
Source: 2006 Baltimore Orioles media guide
