Baltimore Orioles: What to do with Ubaldo Jimenez?

Aug 16, 2014; Cleveland, OH, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez (31) walks off the mound during a pitching change in the fifth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

What are the Baltimore Orioles going to do with Ubaldo Jimenez? The expensive pitcher gave up six runs on Saturday night against his old team in just 4.1 innings. Again, it was a lack of command of his pitches that got him into trouble, as the Orioles lost their second consecutive game to the Indians 6-0.

Jimenez began the game with two consecutive walks, and with one out Carlos Santana hit his 21st home run of the season. I wonder how many Baltimore fans switched over to the Ravens game for good at that point.

Ubaldo would give up three more runs in the fifth inning. Even though he only walked three batters on the evening, Jimenez so often is behind in counts that he has to aim for the middle of the plate and hope it doesn’t go there. Sometimes it does.

It seems to me that this experiment has run its course for this year. The Orioles have five starters who are better than serviceable. Yes, it is sad that the O’s spent so much money on this guy and did not get what they paid for. But it is time to just wind it down for a season and come back next year and see if a better reconnection to a successful past can be found.

I have decided today to name my car “Ubaldo” because it was very expensive and it doesn’t really work correctly.

I recently bought a late model car. My automobile spending patterns would be very similar to those of Peter Angelos, Dan Duquette, and the Orioles organization. I don’t like to spend money on cars, but sometimes you have to. This vehicle cost me more than any in my lifetime, and now that I have had it for a few weeks I discover that I don’t really like it. It is nothing like I expected. There were features listed on the sticker that do not actually exist. The car was in the shop this week for an alignment (and other issues), and it comes back only slightly repaired. So I have decided today to name my car “Ubaldo” because it was very expensive and it doesn’t really work correctly.

At some point I’m going to need to cut my losses, just as the Baltimore Orioles are going to need to determine how to deal with their bad investment. Perhaps “Fresh Eyes” can concentrate over the offseason on getting things aligned and tweaked, hoping the investment pays off another year. It is too risky right now to depend upon Jimenez.

"It is difficult to win a divisional title and have realistic hopes of going beyond when you have on your roster the #1 pitcher in walks in the league, as well as the #1 hitter with strikeouts."

I saw on a comment board where someone wrote of Jimenez that he should be named “A-box-o Chocolates” because you never know what you’re going to get.