Having just taken two out of three from Texas, the Orioles are sitting pretty one game off the lead in the AL East. Looking at the scores (W10-9, W7-5, L6-19) you might think that the games were of the slug fest variety and while the Rangers hit their home runs, the Orioles only had one during the game in which they scored ten runs. What they did do was hit well with runners in scoring position--in that first game they had seven RBI singles. They also got hit up for three errors in the last two games. I tend to think that because Texas does not play baseball well it rubs off on their opponent and every one gets sloppy. I suppose if there was any hangover effect from playing the Rangers, the Orioles would have been re-hydrated by yesterday's off day.
Melvin Mora has hit the DL with a quadriceps injury, and Rich Hill and Alfredo Simon are out with an elbow problems. Mora and Simon were replaced by Matt Albers and Radhames Liz. Ty Wigginton has become the third baseman in Sad Sack's absence. [Nickname explanation: Melvin Mora always looks like he's about to start bawling. I know you play for Baltimore but it can't be that bad. Can it?] The loss of Mora is a blow to the team.
Pitching tonight for Baltimore will be Jeremy Guthrie. Guthrie has gotten off to a good start this year. He's won both of his starts this season--one against New York on April 6 and one against Tampa on April 11. He went six innings each time, allowing three runs to New York and blanking Tampa. He has had issues with walks in the past but after walking three Yankees he didn't walk a Ray. He splits about evenly between lefties and righties, at about a 1-4. David Ortiz and Dustin Pedroia have both had pretty good success against Guthrie in the past. Jason Bay, although he's only had three at bats against him, is two for three with a home run.
Saturday's pitcher for the Orioles is Adam Eaton. Eaton played for the Phillies last year and walked forty-four batters in nineteen starts (that's a BB/9 of 3.7, compared to Wakey's 3.0) He's made one start this year (against Tampa) in which he gave up four runs on eight hits with two walks and six strike outs. Lefties have traditionally hit him well. JD Drew is two for four with three walks and a strike out. Mike Lowell, on the other hand, has been completely mystified by Mr. Eaton--he's zero for ten, although he does have two RBI.
Koji Uehara is the Orioles' first foray into Japanese baseball players. And he's scheduled to start on Sunday. Uehara is pronounced U-eh-har-uh, that is: You (as in Youkilis), eh (as in Jason B'eh)--with a liaison between those two sounds--and hara (as if you were an actor in a movie set in Boston so you put on an exaggerated accent and were dropping your 'r's all over the place.) Uehara throws a low-nineties fastball, a fork ball, a shuuto, and a cut fastball. He had good control in Japan but is maybe having trouble with the American baseball because he's already walked five in two starts. He is generally around the plate and so does give up home runs. Against the Yankees, he lasted five innings and gave up one run on five hits, with one walk and no strike outs. Against Texas, he again lasted five innings but this time gave up seven runs on seven hits (including two home runs.) He walked four but struck out three.
Mark Hendrickson is likely to get the start on Patriot's Day. Hendrickson is a big lefty who played for Florida last season. He seems like a decent option for the back end of a rotation. But he does fall behind batters and he gets flustered when things don't go his way. He got the win against Tampa on April 10, giving up one run (a home run) on six hits, with two walks and two strike outs. Against Texas on April 15, he did not fair as well. He allowed two earned runs (nine total runs) on seven hits in three and two-thirds of an inning. He walked four, struck out two, and gave up a home run.
Their centerfielder, Adam Jones, may reach Torii Hunter levels of annoyance for me: he's good, if you ignore the strike outs. Nick Markakis, Luke Scott, Brian Roberts, and Aubrey Huff are all off to good starts as well. They've plugged Cesar Izturis into the hole at short stop. They have Felix Pie playing left field, which hasn't worked out all that well. And their bullpen is still somewhat problematic.
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