PAT HENTGEN

SEASON SUMMARY
Prior to the start of the 2001 season, the Orioles signed right-hander Pat Hentgen to a three-year contract.  He made a total of 13 starts in the first two seasons of that deal combined, and never pitched enough innings to qualify for the ERA title in any of this three seasons.  It was an unexpected development because Hentgen had only been on the disabled list twice, missing only a handful of starts each time, in his eight seasons prior to signing with the Orioles.  On November 18, the right-hander signed a one-year deal to return to Toronto; Hentgen pitched for the Blue Jays from 1991 through 1999.

When on the hill, Hentgen seemed to bounce back and pitch pretty well in 2003, particularly in the second half of the season.  But if you buy into the DIPS (Defense Independent Pitching Statistics) system, there's reason to look a bit askance at his 2003 performance.

Hentgen's success was largely because of his 8.4H/9IP mark (the first time he'd allowed fewer than a hit an inning in a 100+ inning season since 1997); he surrendered 1.4 HR/9IP and 3.25 BB/9IP, both less than optimum marks and long-time Hentgen bugaboos.  Except in the second half of the season.  The home run rate didn't drop significantly, but after walking 3.8 batters per nine innings prior to the All-Star break, Hentgen issued free passes to post-break batters at a 2.8/9IP clip.

Hentgen is 35 years old now; his stuff isn't what it was back in the 1996-97 glory years with the Jays, but he is still regarded as a heady, gutty pitcher and was occasionally described as a "second pitching coach" with the Orioles because of his willingness to assist young pitchers.  Whether the Orioles will miss that "veteran leadership" or not, remains to be seen.

TO CONTRIBUTE SIGNIFICANTLY NEXT YEAR, HE MUST: