Bigbie for Byrnes

[MC Hammer]

BALTIMORE -- The Baltimore Orioles attempted to improve their stagnant offense Friday night, acquiring Eric Byrnes from the Colorado Rockies for Larry Bigbie in an exchange of outfielders.

 

Byrnes was hitting .189 with five RBI in 15 games since being traded to Colorado from Oakland on July 14. With the Athletics, however, he hit .266 with seven homers and 24 RBI in 59 games.

 

"We think he's someone that comes with a lot of energy," Orioles executive vice president Jim Beattie said. "It's a new personality in the clubhouse. It changes the mix a little bit."

 

The Orioles desperately needed a right-handed hitter in a lineup laden with lefties, and they're hoping Byrnes can provide some punch to an attack that failed to score more than three runs in nine of its first 14 games since the All-Star break.

 

"He has power, he gets on base, steals bases. He's an aggressive player," Beattie said. "He'll try to do things to help you win. When you put that with our club, I think it's a good match."

 

The Orioles also hope he can provide a boost in the outfield.

 

"Defensively, it would be a big uplift," Beattie said. "He plays hard. He bounces off walls. He doesn't leave anything out there."

 

Bigbie, the Orioles' first pick in the 1999 draft, hit .248 with five homers and 21 RBI. He was removed from Friday's game against the Chicago White Sox after three innings; his final at-bat for Baltimore was a strikeout.

 

In four-plus seasons with the Orioles, he hit .271 with 31 home runs.

 

Beattie will continue to work the phones until the non-waiver trade deadline at 4 p.m. ET Sunday. He believes this deal was one that will help Baltimore in the short term, and over the long haul.

 

"We're still trying to improve the club," he said. "In doing so, we did something we wanted to do to help the club for this year but also for the next couple of years."

[Tek4pres]

Good move for the O's. Byrnes is the type of guy who, as Pete Rose said, "would run through hell in a gasoline suit just to play baseball"

[MC Hammer]

Good move for the O's. Byrnes is the type of guy who, as Pete Rose said, "would run through hell in a gasoline suit just to play baseball"

 

I agree. When I heard Byrnes was coming to the Pirates in the off season I felt kind of bad for him. The way he plays he deserves to be on a winning team.

[yeszir]

Great. Byrnes on the O's. More chances for him to hand us games and postseason series because of stupid errors.

[YankeeDoodle]

Good move for the O's. Byrnes is the type of guy who, as Pete Rose said, "would run through hell in a gasoline suit just to play baseball"

...I love Byrnes, hair on fire running through the outfield - but hopefully he's gotten some wisdom, because it's either hit or miss three feet away.

 

Have fun in Camden!

[riverside sluggers]

in his first game, Byrnes went 1 for 5 with an RBI