The Orioles have traded veteran Steve Trachsel to the Chicago Cubs for 1B/3B Scott Moore and righty reliever Rock Cherry.  Trachsel has started 25 games this season for the Orioles and he was 6-8 with a 4.48 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP.  He pitched 140.2 innings for the Orioles and he allowed 151 hits, walked 69 batters and whiffed 45.  The Orioles got a good return for Trachsel.  Moore is a 23-year old lefty hitter that can play either corner infield position.  He played in 103 games in AAA ball for the Cubs this season and he was 85 for 321 (.265 avg, .899 OPS) with 61 runs scored, 19 homers and 69 RBIs.  Moore does whiff alot (100 times this season) so he will need to make better contact to keep his average up.  Rock Cherry is a 28 year old right handed relief pitcher which is just what the doctor ordered for the horrible bullpen of the Orioles.  He pitched in 45 games (3 starts) in the minors and he was 2-0 with a 4.42 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP.  He also worked in 12 games out of the Cubs bullpen with good results.  He was 1-1 with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP.  In 15 innings for the Cubs, Cherry allowed only 13 hits, walked 6 batters and whiffed 13.

The Orioles have released Paul Shuey and designated Rob Bell for assignment.  These guys were coming into games and pouring big gas cans on the fire!  Shuey pitched in 25 games for the Orioles this season and he was 0-1, with 1 save and a 9.82 ERA and a 2.10 WHIP!  Bell pitched in 21 games this season for the Orioles and he was 3-3 with a 6.49 ERA and a 1.82 WHIP.  The Orioles finally got smart and got rid of these two guys and it couldn’t have come soon enough.

Corey Patterson was so bad in the first half of the season that he was starting to lose playing time.  Patterson has played in 36 games in the 2nd half of the year and he is 48 for 148 (.324 avg, .812 OPS) with 26 runs scored, 4 homers, 16 RBIs and 17 stolen bases.  With his huge second half Patterson has made his season numbers look decent.  He has now played in 120 games this season and he is 109 for 408 (.267 avg, . 684 OPS) with 59 runs scored, 6 homers, 37 RBIs and 35 stolen bases.

The Orioles have signed 25 year old righty reliever Fernando Cabrera to a minor league contract with a promise to recall him on September 1st.  The odd thing about the signing is that Cabrera declined a waiver claim by the Devil Rays who would have given him a job in the majors from Day #1.  Cabrera had a rough time in Cleveland this season but he has great stuff if the Orioles can teach him how to pitch.  In 24 games for the Indians last season he was 1-2 with a 5.61 ERA and a 1.78 WHIP.  He worked 33.2 innings this season and he has allowed 38 hits, 7 homers, 22 walks and 39 strikeouts.  Over his career, Cabrera has pitched in 94 games and he is 6-6 with a 4.35 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP.  He has worked in 130.1 innings in his career and he has allowed 118 hits, 20 homers, walked 66 batters and whiffed 145.

The Orioles have activated Freddie Bynum off of the DL and they have sent Jeff Fahey to the minors.  Bynum has played in 48 games this season for the Orioles and he is 13 for 47 (.277 avg, .852 OPS) with 15 runs scored, 2 homers, 8 RBIs and 4 stolen bases.  Bynum is a much better baseball player than Fahey is so this should improve the Orioles bench.  Fahey played in 23 games this season for the Orioles and he was 9 for 39 (.231 avg, .576 OPS) with 5 runs scored and 1 RBI.