They've tried five different players, but the results have been similar and unsatisfying. None of the Orioles' shortstops has been able to fill the void left by Miguel Tejada.
With Sunday's roster move -- designating shortstop Freddie Bynum for assignment -- the Orioles waved another temporary white flag in the battle to find an everyday shortstop. Next up: Alex Cintron. The organization is thin at the position in the minor leagues, which means if Cintron isn't impressive early, the team could be looking to acquire an able body in the coming weeks.
Collectively, Orioles shortstops are batting .233 (54-for-232) with one home run (Cintron hit it Thursday), and 13 RBIs.
"We've sent the word out to our scouts," Orioles president Andy MacPhail told The Baltimore Sun. "We're going to continue to evaluate our internal options and we're going to continue to look outside the organization as well to see if we can find something. We're not really satisfied with the productivity we've gotten out of that position to this point. We've got to keep working to try to make it better."
Bynum, who began the season on the disabled list, got the longest opportunity: 29 starts. Opening Day starter Luis Hernandez, who was designated for assignment June 2, started 26 games at shortstop.
Cintron, who was recalled from Class AAA Norfolk on May 11 after signing a minor league contract the month before, has made 10 starts at shortstop. Recent recall Oscar Salazar will serve as the utility infielder.
If the Orioles look outside the organization, potential big-league targets could be Colorado's Clint Barmes, Toronto's David Eckstein or the Cubs' Ronny Cedeno.
