Oriole Bullpen Now a Concern

A Baltimore Oriole bullpen that has been virtually impenetrable this season has suddenly grown two question marks.

Left-hander Arthur Rhodes, who went 10-3 with a 3.02 earned-run average and threw 2 2/3 hitless innings in Game 3 of the division series against Seattle on Saturday, is experiencing pain in his upper forearm and may not be at full strength for the American League championship series.

And Manager Davey Johnson is hesitant to use right-hander Terry Mathews, who was booed lustily by the Camden Yards crowd in the ninth inning Saturday--and that was before he gave up two homers in a 4-2 Oriole loss.

“I don’t look like a ballplayer--that’s the only explanation I’ve got,” Mathews, who is 6 feet 2 and 225 pounds, told the Baltimore Sun. “I’m sorry God didn’t bless me with an Eric Davis body. That’s not my fault. I’m within five pounds of what I weighed as a senior in high school.”

Mathews went 4-4 with a 4.41 ERA this season, but Johnson thinks Oriole fans haven’t forgiven him for a rocky September, when the right-hander had a 6.10 ERA in 12 appearances. Mathews said he was “dumbfounded” by fan reaction coming into the game.

“If they think I did that bad of a job [this season], then the hell with them,” he said. “I didn’t. If I did, I wouldn’t be here right now.”

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Cal Ripken Jr. hit .156 in September, and some suggested the Oriole third baseman scrap his consecutive-games streak in the last week of the regular season so he could rest his ailing back for the playoffs.

But Ripken remained in the lineup and does not appear to be any worse for the wear--he batted .438 (seven for 16) with two doubles in the division series, had a key RBI single in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over the Mariners and played flawless defense.

“That proves what a couple days off will do,” Baltimore General Manager Pat Gillick said, alluding to the two-day break between the end of the season and the start of the division series. “Cal looks as supple and loose as I’ve ever seen him.”

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One theory in Baltimore is that because the Indians are coming off an emotional, five-game division series win over New York and had only one day off before the championship series, they’ll have some extra momentum against the Orioles, who had two days off.

Another theory is that the Indians might have spent themselves and may be too exhausted to beat the Orioles. But Baltimore shortstop Mike Bordick doesn’t think any of it matters.

“I don’t think anyone will be thin or ragged, because everyone will be excited,” Bordick said. “I know they’re coming off a big series against the Yankees, so they’ll be upbeat and ready to go. We’re rested, but every day in the postseason your heart is beating 150 times a minute.”