 Freddie Bynum worked out at his alma mater several times during the off-season in preparation for 2008 play with the Orioles. The hard work paid off for the former Bulldog, who was named Baltimore's starting shortstop on Thursday. |
KANSAS CITY, MO�His recovery from pre-season surgery complete, Freddie Bynum is back in a Baltimore Orioles uniform and has been named the team�s starting shortstop. Bynum was called up from a rehab assignment in Double-A Bowie on Wednesday and immediately sent to Kansas City for Thursday�s game against the Royals. The former Pitt Community College standout finished 2-for-4 in his 2008 debut last night in Kansas City with a run scored as Baltimore took a 4-1 victory to go 17-18 on the year. According to Baltimore�s official team website, Orioles.com, the job at short is basically Bynum�s to lose. O�s Manager Dave Trembley explained to the media that it was time to �try something different� at shortstop since Luis Hernandez had not met his expectations this season. �Right now, Bynum is the starting shortstop on this team,� Trembley told members of the media. �What that means is he will be the regular guy that plays. Will he play 10 days in a row? No. But he�ll be the regular shortstop until I decide that we�ve got somebody better or we make a change or I want to give somebody else a shot at it.� Bynum batted .259 and played four different positions in 70 games as a utility man for the Orioles last season. After Baltimore traded Al-Star shortstop Miguel Tejada to Houston during the off-season, he was in position to battle Hernandez and Brandon Fahey for the shortstop job during Spring Training in March when he tore the meniscus in his right knee. Following a rehab assignment at Baltimore�s extended Spring Training facility in Sarasota, Fla., Bynum played six games for the Baysox to prepare for his return to the Orioles. Now healthy, Bynum told Orioles.com he wants to prove he can fill the role at shortstop permanently. �If you want me to run the catcher over, I could run him over,� he said. �If you want me to drop-kick somebody, I could drop-kick him. I�m ready to play ball.� A Wilson native, Bynum starred for PCC in 1999 and 2000. He hit .521 and was an NJCAA All-American shortstop in his final year of college. Pitt won the Region X Conference Tournament both years he played for the Bulldogs. |