Kurt Ainsworth

Ainsworth, the crown jewel of the Sidney Ponson deadline deal in 2003, looked more like fool�s gold in 2004. He was named the third starter out of spring training, but after a brutal seven starts in which he gave up 33 ER in 30.7 IP, he was demoted to Triple-A to work on his mechanics. After one start there, an MRI revealed a bone chip in his elbow and he underwent surgery, only coming back for two outings of rookie ball at the end of the season. The Orioles will be looking to upgrade their rotation this season, and with his injury in 2004 Ainsworth will have to have a spectacular showing in spring training or else he will start the season in the minors.

Ainsworth was limited much of last season when he fractured his shoulder blade in early June. After being traded from San Francisco to Baltimore as part of the Sidney Ponson deal, he was able to pitch some meaningless September relief innings for the Orioles. The club sees Ainsworth as a starter and he will enter spring training with a shot at nailing down the fourth or fifth spot in the rotation.

Ainsworth went 8-6, 3.41 in 19 starts at Triple-A Fresno, then posted a 2.10 ERA in 26 innings with the Giants. He's ready for a shot at the majors, and on most other teams he'd have gotten one. However, the Giants were fortunate in being injury-free in the starting rotation after April, so Ainsworth never got a chance. We believe Felipe Alou will try to find a way to shoehorn into the Giants' rotation in 2003. If Ainsworth gets 25 or so starts next year, half of them in pitcher-friendly Pac Bell Park, and gets to pitch for a team that has Barry Bonds coming up four to five times a game, he should post decent numbers in 2003.