Burres Might Take the Fifth for Baltimore

Impressive Outing May Have Sealed Last Spot in Rotation

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., March 25 -- What started as a deep competition for the final spot in the Baltimore Orioles' starting rotation has produced plenty of cuts but few hints that any of the participants could step up and claim the job. But while Brian Burres's performance Tuesday might not be enough to make him the clear-cut leader, he at least provided the first signs of separation.

"I guess you could say I made a move in the right direction today, just going out there and putting up zeroes, and that's really all you can ask," Burres said. "I'm just going to try to work at that and let them make a decision on what they see."

With six days until Opening Day, Burres threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings against the Florida Marlins, scattering six hits with four strikeouts and no walks.

"The timing was good for him to do that," Orioles Manager Dave Trembley said.

Indeed, Burres delivered perhaps the strongest performance this spring among the team's fifth-starter hopefuls.

And it came on the same day the competition, which included nine viable candidates at the start of camp, was narrowed to just him and former Houston Astros prospect Matt Albers, assuming the Orioles don't bring in another competitor.

The latest to bow out was right-hander Jon Leicester, who was originally scheduled to start Tuesday against the Marlins. But about four hours before he was to pitch, the Orioles announced Leicester had been outrighted to Class AAA Norfolk.

Trembley said the club hopes Leicester accepts the assignment, which would give him a chance to be recalled to Baltimore. But because he's already cleared waivers, Leicester could also opt for free agency. He has 72 hours to decide.

In two spring starts and six appearances, Leicester allowed a team-high three homers with a 6.00 ERA. Albers, a right-hander acquired in the Miguel Tejada trade, has been steady though unspectacular, with a 4.35 ERA in his five games (one start, not counting his minor league appearance). Burres, who pitched as both a starter and reliever for the Orioles last season, started the day with a 4.70 ERA in three games. He also showed difficulty keeping his pitch count low during his two starts.

"They're not throwing terrible," Orioles pitching coach Rick Kranitz said earlier in the week. "It's not like we're sitting there going, 'Wow, we have no choice.' "

Though he admitted, "None of them have really stood out."

Meantime, Trembley did not rule out the possibility of bringing Hayden Penn, Garrett Olson or Radham¿s Liz back from the minor leagues. All three were considered contenders for the rotation spot before being sent down. And because the Orioles have a day off after Monday's season opener, the team might not need a fifth starter until the next turn in the rotation, giving Penn, Olson or Liz extra time to ready themselves to pitch multiple innings.

"I would think to anticipate that there could possibly be some turnover there," Trembley said about his team's pitching staff. "So we need to have guys not only available, but we need guys to be ready. I think there were guys available, but I don't necessarily think they were ready last year."

With Leicester gone, Burres took the start against the Marlins, one day after he was bumped from a relief appearance because Adam Loewen pitched deep into the game.

Kranitz has been urging Burres to take some speed off his fastball in an attempt to improve his command, a tactic that produced first-pitch strikes and quick at-bats Tuesday. Burres also dropped into a sidearm motion while throwing his curveball, an alteration he has worked on with former pitcher and executive vice president of baseball operations Mike Flanagan, whom Kranitz has asked to work with some pitchers.

The changes helped Burres produce a start that dropped his ERA to 2.77. But more importantly, he perhaps altered the dynamic of the drawn-out competition.

"I haven't pitched bad, but I haven't pitched good so far in spring I'd say," Burres said. "So it's nice to go out there and have a good outing."