Bordick provides veteran influence for young O’s

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – What’s Mike Bordick doing in the middle of the Baltimore Orioles’ youth movement?

More than the many critics of the franchise might imagine.

When the Orioles welcomed back the 35-year-old shortstop and Winterport native with a two-year contract in December, many wondered how the move coincided with the team’s move to speed and youth. The transaction seemed typical of a club that compiled three straight losing seasons after plucking several free agents from the over-30 crowd.

The Orioles, however, believe Bordick will help the team this season and in the future.

“A, Mike gives us time for Eddie Rogers and Brian Roberts to develop,” Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said. “B, he can help make Jerry Hairston a better second baseman, which makes us stronger up the middle. And C, Mike makes us a better ballclub, plain and simple. He’s a veteran shortstop that makes the plays that need to be made.”

The addition of Bordick also enabled the Orioles to move Melvin Mora to center field from shortstop, where he made 12 errors in 52 games after coming to Baltimore in a trade with the New York Mets for…Bordick.

Bordick, who graduated from Hampden Academy, got into the World Series with the Mets, but his experience in New York wasn’t nearly as satisfying as it could have been because he failed to contribute more.

Before the trade, Bordick hit .297 with 16 homers and 59 RBIs while making the All-Star team for the first time. He homered on the first pitch he saw with the Mets, but batted only .260 before bottoming out in the playoffs, going 4-for-33 (.121).

“I think he got tired, plain and simple,” Hargrove said.

Bordick attributed the slump to his relentless desire to excel.

“The Mets were playing great baseball and I wanted to do the best I could,” he said. “I think maybe at the end I was pressing a little bit.”

Baltimore wasn’t the only team to pursue Bordick during the offseason, but the Orioles proved to be the best fit.

“There are a couple of reasons I came back,” Bordick said. “First of all, I think there’s an opportunity for this team to be very successful, and I think soon, not later, like everybody’s saying. I think this team can have some success this year. Obviously, I spent some time there, too, so it makes for an easier transition.”

Transition is an important word for the Orioles, who are counting on Bordick to tutor Hairston and gobble up every ball that comes his way until the franchise can confidently depend up Rogers or Roberts to handle the task.

Asked if he was happy with that role, Bordick replied, “I’m just happy to have a job playing baseball. I feel very fortunate that Baltimore asked me to come back.”