The Orioles? flight through the 2006 season seemed as if it never got off the ground.
Sunday in Boston, the team?s attempt to end on a positive note proved futile. Baltimore was no-hit over five innings by rookie Devern Hansack, fell to the Red Sox, 9-0, and finished with a 70-92 record ? the club?s worst since 2002.
As an added blow, three players ? Jay Gibbons, Brian Roberts and Miguel Tejada ? were implicated in another steroid controversy when a story in Sunday?s Los Angeles Times said former Orioles pitcher Jason Grimsley named the three players as steroid users in an affidavit to federal agents investigating him for steroid possession.
On a positive note, the team did discover some young talent and scored a potential financial victory with the addition of the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network. The regional sports network could inject upwards of $25 million into the organization?s coffers this offseason.
But the Orioles? front office maintains that they won?t be competing with their American League East rivals in the payroll department in order to compete in the standings.
“I don?t think [the payroll] will be up to the Yankees? ? I think that?s safe to say,” said Mike Flanagan, Orioles executive vice president.
The club failed to improve on a 2005 campaign in which they went 74-88. They never had a winning streak of more than four games or a losing slide greater than five.
“Looking back, we never had a prolonged winning streak or a prolonged losing streak,” Flanagan said. “But it was one of those years that we just kind of meandered along.”
Mediocrity led to a fourth-place finish for the eighth time in nine years. Still, there is optimism that a few moves could vault them into playoff contention.
“We have enough that if you added one good player and another second-tier guy, or maybe a platoon situation somewhere, the lineup is going to be good enough to score enough runs,” manager Sam Perlozzo said. “We need to shore up some pitching.”
The rotation got a boost in the development of young starters Erik Bedard, Daniel Cabrera and Adam Loewen and closer Chris Ray. But veterans Rodrigo Lopez and Bruce Chen struggled. So did the bullpen.
The front office has said offseason targets will include a big bat, a No. 3-caliber starter, and a few good arms for the bullpen.
Staff writer Kevin T. Connor contributed to this story.
