Hayden Penn, 2005 Topps Updates and Highlights #UH

Today, it finally happened. The Orioles won their 81st game of the season, clinching their first non-losing year since (all together now) 1997. Yep, with their next win, the Birds will officially have their first winning team of the millennium. The wonderful thing is that such a modest milestone seems secondary and nearly inconsequential now. No, the goalposts have moved, and the O's have legitimate postseason hopes. Their 14-inning war of attrition with the Rays this afternoon (and early evening) gave Baltimore a sweep over their closest pursuer in the race for the American League's second wild card spot, but simultaneously afforded them a share of first place in the East with the sputtering Yankees. The regular season is getting shorter and shorter, and there are only 19 more games to cross off of the schedule. They're doing it without a true "ace" starting pitcher, and they're doing it without Brian Roberts, Nolan Reimold, and now without Nick Markakis. I love rooting for this team.

But on such a grand occasion, as I sprinkle dirt upon the grave of the 14-year losing skid, I find myself wanting to toast not only those suffering and star-crossed cornerstones who have been reduced to spectators, but to each and every one of the overmatched players who defined an era of infamy in Charm City.

So here's to Vladimir Guerrero, Sammy Sosa, Steve Trachsel, and the rest of the has-beens.

Here's to Matt Riley, Hayden Penn, Ryan Minor, and their failed prospect brethren.

Raise a glass to Sidney Ponson, Eric DuBose, Julio Lugo, and their criminal ilk.

Tip your hat to Danys Baez, Jorge Julio, Mike Timlin, and all of the bullpen arsonists.

Bow to Brandon Fahey, Rick Bauer, Brian Burres, and the other roster fillers.

It's been a hell of a ride, with the emphasis squarely on "hell". We're hopping off now.

Hayden Penn, 2005 Bowman Draft Picks and Prospects #BDP27

Okay, I'm finished talking about Hayden Penn's bad luck. The dude had an engraved invitation to the Orioles starting rotation this year, which had looked like this in February:

1. Jeremy Guthrie
2. Koji Uehara (A 33-year-old Japanese pitcher who has battled injuries in recent years and worked mostly out of the bullpen)
3. ?
4. ?
5. ?

Hayden is of course out of options, so even if he had been just so-so in the Grapefruit League, chances were good that he would have at least snuck onto the Opening Day roster as a long reliever. Instead, the young righty put up this stat line:

0-3, 17 IP, 27 H, 6 BB, 10.05 ERA. Urgh.

In case you're wondering, that's about what it takes to get beat out by the likes of Mark Hendrickson, Adam Eaton (who seems like the early favorite to be my Most Despised Oriole of 2009), and Alfredo Simon. With the writing on the wall, GM Andy MacPhail was at least able to trade Penn to the Marlins for similarly out-of-options shortstop Robert Andino. Robert is the one-time Marlins shortstop of the future who has obviously been surpassed by Hanley Ramirez; a Mendoza-like batting average will do that to you. But he is a strong defender, and the O's woke up on Wednesday and realized that Cesar Izturis wasn't going to play 162 games this year. So Andino has some value, I suppose.

Thanks for making our starting rotation that much more gruesome, Hayden. Better luck in Florida.

Hayden Penn, 2005 Donruss Throwback Threads #261

If I were you, I wouldn't board a plane with Hayden Penn in the near future. He's become the man of misfortune in the Orioles' organization over the past few seasons. In the span of three years, he's gone from a top pitching prospect to an afterthought, with some odd detours along the way:

-In May 2006, Penn was called up to make his first start of the season. He had to be scratched with appendicitis, and took several months to recover.

-In Spring Training 2007, Hayden twisted an ankle carrying boxes at the team hotel, which set him back about a week. He was later removed from a scheduled start against the Marlins for disciplinary reasons. He had driven from the team's Fort Lauderdale facility to the Marlins' Jupiter locale without his equipment bag, having erroneously assumed that someone else would load it on the team bus. The round trip to retrieve his personal effects did not put him in the team's good graces. He missed half of the season after having bone chips removed from his elbow.

-The O's considered recalling Penn from AAA Norfolk on a few occasions in 2008, and each time he came up with another injury. In August, shoulder stiffness was the culprit. With all of the ups and downs, his minor league performance was subpar: 6-7, 4.79 ERA.

With all of the drama surrounding Hayden Penn since 2006, it's easy to forget that he just turned 24. His best baseball could still be ahead of him, but no one's counting on that. Maybe that's just what he needs.