By George!
As of May 7th, he’s tied for 2nd in the Major Leagues in saves but, believe it or not, he’s a rookie when it comes to the closers role. He’s a quiet guy and has always flown under the radar, coming into the game, getting his job done, and walking away. He’s a veteran and knows what it takes to win.
With a glare from under that straight-edged brim, George Sherrill has become a 9th inning phenom against opposing batters. He’s been almost perfect in save opportunities, closing out 11 of the 12 chances he’s been given. And while his statistics don’t look overly impressive on paper, when it comes to getting the job done, Sherrill has had no problem proving himself worthy.
His name isn’t huge across major league baseball. Even some fans in Seattle wouldn’t recognize it although he spent the majority of the past 4 seasons there as a staple in their bullpen. But that doesn’t seem to bother him too much.
“Some people will remember my name and some wont, I guess”, was his reaction when asked about how Seattle fans may take to him when the O’s head out there giving him his first opportunity against his former team. He knows that his role will be to come into the game when the Mariner enemy is ahead, and so his expectations of a warm welcome aren’t too lofty.
Now that May has rolled around and the O’s and M’s have squared off seven different times this season, George Sherrill has an idea of how his former team feels about him these days. Five of his eleven saves have come against Seattle which may have their fans, and front office, second guessing the inclusion of him in the trade for Erik Bedard this past winter.
Sherrill has quietly developed into a huge x-factor coming out of the bullpen. His numbers have gotten stronger each season he’s spent in the majors. He’s seen his ERA drop from 5.21 in 2005 to a dominant-like 2.36 last year, giving the Orioles all the reasons they needed to name him their closer after losing Chris Ray to Tommy John surgery at the end of last year. The O’s are also happy with his veteran presence in a bullpen that, other than Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford, is very much like the rest of the roster- young and inexperienced.
George was one of five players acquired in a trade that sent Baltimore’s staff ace Erik Bedard to the great Northwest. As the season continues on, that trade continues to change the tainted reputation of the Baltimore front office. Decisions that were once thought to be disorganized and misled are now being replaced with transactions with a focus- to rebuild a storied franchise and give the Orioles name the glory it once held.
Adam Jones is still streaky, a hands-off guy in most fantasy leagues, but has shown potential to become a fast, power hitting center fielder, with comparisons already being made to Griffey. The minor league talent has been superb as well. Chris Tillman, a highly touted pitcher when he was in the Mariners organization has pitched extremely well in AA Bowie. The 6′9″ Kam Mickolio is a project worth working on; he has a dominant presence on the mound that a pitching coach could only dream of.
And Erik Bedard? While he showed dominance over the past season and a half, including setting a new Orioles single season strikeout record, he hasn’t been able to get started this year. Injuries and a subpar spring have seemed to put a damper on Seattle’s end of the deal, strengthening the O’s message to the American League that everybody better look out in just a year or two.
But among all the hype of the future of the Orioles, with their big off-season trades and the rumors swirling around Brian Roberts, don’t forget about George Sherrill. Because everyone in Seattle had and he’s taken his opportunities to remind his former employer what he can do.
Any fantasy league manager should take a look at Sherrill if you haven’t already. Don’t let the fact that he calls Baltimore home scare you away; he’ll get his opportunities. A mediocre team means closer games which, in turn, means that Sherrill may be seeing a lot of 9th innings to soak up those saves. His strikeouts aren’t impressive but any manager in need of a guy who is confident and reliable should concentrate a little more on this guy. He knows what it takes to get the job done.
Tags: Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles, Brian Roberts, fantasy baseball, George Sherrill, MLB, Seattle Mariners
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