Scott Erickson is a pitcher the Orioles counted on for 200 innings and 12-15 wins in 2000. What they got was the winner of Kerry's Piñata Award for the season, as his injuries bookended some really awful pitching performances.

Erickson was hurt in Spring Training, and did not start the season with the Orioles. As a harbinger of Things to Come, this was not a definable injury, but instead the dreaded "sore arm".

By May, the return of Erickson was about all the O’s and their fans had to look forward to. Any positive feelings generated by his return, however, were swiftly obliterated in one brutal performance after another. May: 53 baserunners in 27 innings. June: 67 baserunners in 36 innings. July: 55 baserunners in 29 innings. And they didn’t just get on, they scored, with the opposition slugging .505. It’s a wonder Erickson’s ERA was only 7.87.

Erickson was finally shut down at the end of July with what was finally diagnosed as a rotator cuff injury. He missed the remainder of the 2000 campaign after surgery, and is scheduled to miss all of the 2001 season at the ML level, at least, possibly being able to throw at mid-season.

His declining BB/K ratio had pointed in the direction of someone whose effectiveness might be coming into question at the end of 1999, as pointed out in this yearbook a season ago. Unfortunately, it turned out to be worse than anyone could have expected. It would be difficult to project anything positive from Scott Erickson over the 2001 season, or perhaps ever again.

TO BE AN EFFECTIVE PITCHER AGAIN, ERICKSON MUST:

Follow his prescribed regimen.

Heal well.

Regain his confidence.

Work out his mechanics, which may have caused the problem in the first place.

NOTES: did have one old-time performance against the Rays: 8 innings, 8 hits, 2 walks, 6 K’s, 2 runs…the worst? Toronto…2 2/3 innings, 12 hits, 1 walk, 2 K’s, 7 runs.