Orioles' slump not helping Dave Trembley's chances

The Orioles are currently mired in a 12-game losing streak, winning two of their last sixteen games. Trembley has done his best to work with what with the roster given to him, adjusting to midseason trades of George Sherrill and Aubrey Huff. With the Orioles 41.5 games back, currently in line for the 3rd pick in next years draft, Trembley appears to be bracing for his release.

"You worry about it, but you try not to show it," Trembley said. "I can only imagine how difficult this has been for a whole lot of other people other than just myself. It's been difficult for the people that have loved the Baltimore Orioles for a long time. It's been difficult for the fans. I've been treated wonderfully by people here, gotten tremendous encouragement. But I also understand the other side of it. There's a lot of frustration."

Trembley and has staff did a pretty good job handling the teams younger talent this season. Matt Wieters turned a slow start into a very nice finish, hitting .308 in the second half with a total of 8 home runs in 91 games. Increased playing time for Felix Pie also appears to have had a positive impact on his career. Pie hit .290 since the All-Star break with a .346 on-base percentage, giving him a shot to win a spot in the outfield next season.

Orioles rookie Brian Matusz was not ready for the major leagues, but showed promise in eight appearances, posting a 5-2 record. Another rookie, Chris Tillman, did not have as much success and will likely head back to the minors for more seasoning. 

The Orioles have some money to spend this offseason, making them potential players on the free agent market. Adding an infielder like Mark DeRosa or Akinori Iwamura could help their offense, while targeting a veteran pitcher to help anchor that rotation.

As for the manager spot, the Orioles would be smart to check the market, but they must realize that there are few, if any, managers that could have done much better than Trembley did with this Orioles squad.