Mike Bordick

Mike Bordick returned to the Orioles after a brief dalliance with the New York Mets in the second half of the 2001 season. Bordick had played on the All-Star team, and had been acquired by the Mets after they lost flashy shortstop Rey Ordonez. Bordick was a disappointment, however; he looked tired and disoriented with his new club. The Orioles resigned Bordick to a two-year deal after the season to stabilize the infield.

He got off to a so-so start, which was amplified by the major crash-and-burn suffered by the majority of his teammates. Though Melvin Mora, the shortstop for 2001, was now plying his trade in center field, it didn't look like the pickup of Bordick was a real positive for the club.

The biggest problem was his defense. Bordick was displaying the same reduced range that had marred his time with the Mets. In May, Bordick's batting average also went south, along with the defense. Towards the end of the month, he also began to exhibit a throwing problem; he was slinging the ball rather than coming over the top with it, and the speed and accuracy of his throws suffered.

All of this became a sort of moot point after Bordick suffered a severe, season-ending shoulder injury in the field in mid-June. He was not to see action again, and instead would undergo surgery and a long off-season rehabilitation program.

There are questions that remain after Bordick's truncated 2001 season. Will his range return to an acceptable level, or was 2001 a harbinger of things to come rather than an off-season? Can he continue to display 15-HR power? Will his shoulder be sound enough for him to play in 140 games?

Mike Bordick is a class act, and is certainly being counted on to help stabilize an infield where he may be flanked by Jerry Hairston and Tony Batista on an everyday basis. Whether he will be part of the solution, or part of the problem, remains to be seen.

To contribute to the Orioles in 2002:

(1.) he must have a sound shoulder and a full recovery.

(2.) he must exhibit better range at shortstop; 2001 must be an off-season, rather than the newly established norm.

(3.) he must correct the mechanical fault in his throwing.

Notes: Creamed lefties (.333 in 63 AB) but really struggled against right-handers in 2001 (.217)...hit much better on the road (.292) than at home (.207)...hit .360 in 25 AB against the Tigers...hit .297 and slugged .595 in 9 games against the Yankees, and .429 in 7 AB against the Mets.