Chuck McElroy

Chuck McElroy was part of Syd Thrift's rebuilt bullpen in 2000. A serviceable pitcher and truly stand-up guy coming into his stint with the Orioles, McElroy struggled through 2/3 of the season in 2000. A late season stint as an emergency starter resulted in a couple of wins, so McElroy was actually penciled into the starting rotation for 2001.

Unlike fairy tales, baseball has a way of bringing "frog to prince" stories to ends less palatable than "happily ever after."

After five starts in 2001, the truth was there for anyone to see. 1-1, 6.08 ERA, 36 baserunners in only 23 innings, less than 5 innings per start.

So, the Grand Experiment was over.

Unfortunately, McElroy never recovered. The boo-birds, a rarely seen species around Oriole Park, were out in full bloom whenever McElroy appeared, and it may or may not have affected him, but he did have a 6.75 ERA at the Yard, and a 3.92 ERA on the road.

McElroy was in the way when the Orioles decided to bring up some of the younger pitchers. The re-establishment of B.J. Ryan as a serviceable lefty made McElroy more expendable, and he was dropped from the roster, acquired by the Padres. He didn't pitch well for them, either, placing his future career in baseball in doubt; but there always seems to be a place for a lefthander.

As one of the truly good guys in baseball, we hope he can find a spot in 2002 where he can be effective.

NOTES: When Mac got behind, which was often, he was tattooed...batting averages of well over .300 and slugging percentages of over .500 were the norm. His batting average against of .269 with the Orioles was his most attractive pitching stat...that ballooned to .306 with the Padres. Had a disastrous five walk, three hit, one inning outing against the White Sox.