Trading Rodriguez for Miller Right Move by O's

Former Orioles' pitching prospect Eduardo Rodriquez made his MLB debut last night for the Boston Red Sox and turned in a gem - tossing 7⅔ shutout innings, allowing only three hits while recording seven strikeouts to help Boston beat Texas, 5-1.   

As a result, social media and sports radio have been a buzz about the Orioles "letting this type of pitcher get away." 

Flash back to July 31, 2014. The Orioles were in first place in the A.L. East at 60-46 and held a 2½-game lead over second-place Toronto. Fans could taste a second trip to the post-season in three years and the Orioles had to do something to strengthen the team as it focused on that goal of a run in the playoffs.   So they sent Rodriguez to Boston for reliever Andrew Miller.

Rodriguez entered 2014 as the O's third-best prospect according to Baseball America  and had a 3-7 record with a 4.79 ERA in 16 starts with Double-A Bowie.  Miller was 3-5 with a 2.34 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 42 1/3 innings at that point in the 2014 season.  The 6'7" lefty instantly improved an O's bullpen that was 10th in the majors with a 3.36 ERA, and ranked 18th overall in opposition batting average (.242.). In 23 games with Baltimore, Miller went 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA and allowed just eight hits (only 1 HR), four walks and three runs, while recording 34 punch-outs. He had a WHIP of 0.600. 

To this day, I am still 100-percent okay with the Birds making that trade last season as Miller played a big role in the O's stretch run and appearance in the ALCS. Folks may recall that the other team at last year's trade deadline who was interested in Miller was Detroit...so who knows hows what, if anything, may have transpired in the ALDS if one of the options in the Tigers bullpen had been Miller.

I think the reason O's fans feel a sting today from Rodriguez's impressive outing last night is not because the Birds traded him away; rather because the O's let the guy they received in that trade get away after last season. If Miller was back in an O's uniform in '15, I don't think there'd be much grumbling today. 

To get guys like Miller, teams have to part ways with quality prospects.  If the O's didn't make that move last year, I think fans (likely including your truly) would have skewered them for not going all in at the trade deadline to make a solid run for the postseason.

Trading for Miller was the right move by the Birds.  Not re-signing him in 2015 is the one that may wind up stinging the most.

I LOVE YOU BALTIMORE

I'm worn out from all of the pompous rhetoric, name calling, ignorance, etc., I've heard/seen/read this week. That said, this is MY final anything on this entire situation.

How many good, decent cops wound up in Shock Trauma Monday night from getting a brick to the head?

How many black people who had no role in the unrest near Mondawmin were arrested without cause Monday?

How many white people were categorized as racists for simply taking food to police stations?

Here it is...Not all cops are crooked. Not all black people are criminals. Not all white people are racists. However, each does have something in common...existence as a human being. So let's treat each other as such. 

Thank you to those good people of my great city who continue to show that we can work together - black, white, whatever the race - as a community, especially after a select group try to tear us down. 

The broad-brush, labeling needs to stop.

Be safe. I love you Baltimore.