Alfredo Simon, 2012 Topps Orioles Team Set #BALT6

Things have been going pretty well for Alfredo Simon since the Reds selected him off of waivers from the Orioles two years ago. In 99 relief appearances he has a 2.78 ERA (142 ERA+). What's more, he hasn't been accused of murdering anyone since 2011!

Alfredo Simon, 2010 Topps Update Series #US-61

Man, National League baseball seems like it's being played in another universe sometimes. I just finished watching the Pirates defeat the Reds in a 3-1 squeaker. Playing prominent roles in a losing cause for Cincinnati were Cesar Izturis, who started at second base and had a single and an intentional walk in four trips to the plate, and Alfredo Simon, who replaced an injured Johnny Cueto in the fifth inning and ultimately took the loss. Simon surrendered a pair of Pirate runs in two innings of work, but also singled in his lone plate appearance for his first career hit. I wasn't completely certain that the duo of ex-Orioles was still in the league, much less seeing the field for a team expected to contend in the N.L. Central. Naturally Izturis, with his .616 career OPS, was given a free pass with a runner on second base and two outs to allow the Bucs to pitch to Cincy starter Cueto, who justified the iffy strategy by flying out to center field. If it were me, I would've just taken the near-certain out from Izzy, but I'm not paid the big bucks like Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle.

Alfredo Simon, 2009 Topps Heritage #126

It only took three weeks for the Orioles to put together back-to-back wins for the first time in 2010. Naturally when it happened, they did it against the Red Sox and Yankees...not that it came easily. Both games featured two-run rallies by the opponent in their final at-bat, with the final out being a bang-bang play with the tying and winning runs on base. Each game also figured a member of the motley Baltimore bullpen earning his first career save. Sunday's fireman was sidearmer Cla "the Claw" Meredith, who had never saved a game in five-plus seasons. Tonight the door was slammed by flame-throwing lefty Alfredo Simon, who was 24 hours removed from AAA Norfolk, a year removed from Tommy John elbow surgery, and two years removed from the Mexican league. Not only had he never had a major league save (he was originally signed by the Phillies and didn't debut in the majors until September 2008 with the O's), he hadn't saved a game anywhere since 2005 at AA Norwich. All he had to do was strike out Curtis Granderson and Derek Jeter, overcome a rare error by Gold Glover Cesar Izturis, and induce Alex Rodriguez to ground out and strand two runners.

4-16? Better than 2-16. We'll leave it at that.