The Baltimore Orioles have hired 54-year old Buck Showalter to manage the team starting next Tuesday against the Angels. Showalter will be taking over for Juan Samuel who has led the team to a 16-31 record since taking over as manager of the O’s. Showalter will have his work cut out for him as he’s taking over a team that is 31-70 right now which has them in last place in the A.L. East, 33.5 games behind the Yankees. Showalter is a winner and the hope is that he will change the team’s attitude the rest of the way. He last managed in 2006 with the Texas Rangers. He has a career record of 882-833 (51.4%) in his 11 years as a major league manager and he was won 2 division titles. He was the A.L. Manager of the Year in both 1994 with the Yankees and 2004 with the Rangers. Showalter has his work cut out for him in Baltimore but I really like this hire for the Orioles.

The Orioles have designated 26-year old lefty swinging infielder Scott Moore for assignment. Moore played in 41 games for the O’s this season and he was 18 of 86 (.209 avg, .611 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 3 homers, 10 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. The Orioles needed Moore’s roster spot to activate Brian Roberts from the D.L. Roberts played in 4 games for the Orioles earlier this season and he was 2 of 14 (.143 avg, .464 OPS) with 1 run scored and 2 stolen bases. On his rehab assignment, Roberts played in 8 games in Rookie+AA-ball and he was 14 of 29 (.483 avg, 1.102 OPS) with 4 runs scored and 3 RBIs. The Orioles have to be ecstatic to get a player like Roberts back as they have really missed him this year.

No one could have imagined 29-year old righty reliever Alfredo Simon being the Orioles’ closer at this point in the season, but he is. Simon has pitched in 27 games (0 starts) for the Orioles this year and he is 2-1 with 13 saves, a 3.14 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. He has walked 15 batters in only 28 2/3 innings this season so he needs to tighten up his control a bit. Simon took advantage of injuries to Mike Gonzalez and Jim Johnson to earn the job as the Orioles’ closer and I think he will keep the job as he has outstanding stuff. But he needs to throw more strikes.

The Orioles have released 29-year old switch hitting outfielder Joey Gathright. Gathright played in 61 games for the O’s in AAA-ball last year and he was 40 of 216 (.185 avg, .477 OPS) with 25 runs scored, 0 homers, 7 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. This is not much of a loss for the Orioles as Gathright was being overmatched in AAA. Speed is his best asset but you can’t steal first base.

The Orioles are such a mess right now that they need quality and quantity at the trade deadline and they have some pieces that other teams want. I would ship righty starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie to the White Sox for outfielders Jordan Danks, John Shelby and righty starting pitcher Jeff Marquez. Then I would flip infielder Ty Wigginton to the Twins for righty reliever Anthony Slama and catcher Jose Morales. The Braves could use another hitter and with that in mind I would send Luke Scott to them for righty reliever Jesse Chavez, outfielder Gregor Blanco and shortstop Diory Hernandez. I would flip lefty reliever Will Ohman to the Phillies for 23-year old reliever Matt Way. Finally I would flip Mark Hendrickson to the Giants for righty starter/reliever Joe Martinez. These trades would be solid ones if the Orioles could pull them off. Danks, Shelby, Slama and Way are solid prospects. Marquez, Martinez and Chavez would give them some solid arms that could help them right now. Morales is a solid hitting catcher, Blanco a solid CF and Hernandez has good versatility in the field.