Not a Good Night at Fenway

The game started great. 7 runs scored in the 2nd inning and another Grand Slam. But by the end of the inning the lead had shrunk to 3 and before the final out in the 5th was recorded the game was tied.

Whenever you score 8 runs in a game there shouldn’t be any doubt on the outcome. But when the orioles score that many, it can be either a win or a lost.

Game Totals
Orioles 8 11 1
Red Sox 10 12 0
WP: R. Ramirez (1-0)
LP: D. Baez (0-1)
S: J. Papelbon (3)
HR – Orioles – N Markakis (2);Red Sox – J Bay (3), J Drew (3)

Record: 6 – 4

Tribute to Texas

Prehaps the Orioles misunderstood. It was a day to pay your tribute in taxes, not pay tribute to Texas.

Even though the Orioles won two out of three, I imagine that they are glad to be out of Texas.

Game Totals:
Orioles 6 9 2
Rangers 19 19 0
WP: K. Benson(1-1)
LP: M. Hendrickson(1-1)
HR: Orioles- C.Moeller (1), A.Jones (2); Rangers- N.Cruz (5), I.Kinsler (3)Totals:

3 Series in a Row

The Orioles have started pretty well this year. Well I guess you could say it’s been real well since they have won 3 series in a row. The wins haven’t been beauties, but wins are wins and in the end that’s what counts.

With Toronto losing their game against the Minnesota Twins the Orioles move into 1st place in the East with a 1/2 game lead.

I wasn’t able to catch too much of the game, although looking at the box score and recaps it does appear that for the first time this year the Bull Pen stepped up and did their job. Although it would have been nice if Sherill hadn’t decided to make the bottom of the 10th as exciting as I’m sure those in Texas wanted.

I did watch the first couple of innings and at the time I was concerned with he Home Runs that were being allowed by Simon. After he came out with what I hear is trouble with his elbow, those Home Runs might be more understandable.

I hope that all is well with him and that it’s only minor and can be treated real quick.

Mora goes on the DL and Albers rejoins the team. From what I read it appears as if Mora is still bothered by the injury he had during the World Baseball Classic (WBC). I don’t like the idea of the WBC being during the time that players should be in their Spring Training camp working with their team. Although I do understand why players want to be on their country’s team.

It’s good to see Matt Albers back on the team. Let’s hope he pitches go good so that the team won’t have a choice but to keep him this time. He was pretty close to that anyway.

Game Totals:
Orioles 7 9 1
Rangers 5 13 0
WP: J. Johnson (1-0)
LP: E. Guardado (0-1)
HR: Orioles: A Huff (1), L Scott (2), A Jones (1); Rangers- M Young (2), N Cruz (4), C Davis (2)

Record: 6 – 2

Note:
Edited to make the correction that it is the World Baseball Classic and not the World Baseball Championship.

Baltimore Goes to Texas

When Brian Roberts came to bat at the top of the first inning, for the first time in many years, the “Baltimore” Orioles were playing a game in Texas. Meaning of course that Baltimore was spelled across the front of his uniform shirt.

What I didn’t know, and still don’t, is that Texas is on the front of the Rangers uniforms at home games. At least last night they were. Is this usual?

By the end of the game even after scoring 10 runs it was another nail biter. But it was that way after 6 when Texas cut the Orioles 6 run lead in 1/2 and then more so when the Rangers scored two more in the 7th.

Once again the Orioles pitchers game up Home Runs. The last two runs came on a two run Home Run by Andruw Jones. Will Jones become the next comeback player of the year?

Game Totals:
Orioles 10 16 0
Rangers 9 11 1

WP:K. Uehara (2-0)
LP: V. Padilla (1-1)
S: G. Sherrill (3)
HR: Orioles – F.Pie (1); Rangers – A.Jones (1), M.Young (1), C.Davis (1)

Record: 5 – 2

Phillies Vs Nationals

The game featured two staring pitchers that has previously been starters on the Orioles.

What can you say about Daniel Cabrera that hasn’t already been said? He’s a pitcher with great talent, but not one that has learned to use it. He throws too few strikes and some of those strikes are good pitches to hit. The way that his infield played behind him, I’m sure he wished it was the Orioles behind him.

Although being in the National League on a team that is a lower tier team may be a good place for him. At least in the National League every 9th batter most times through the lineup is a pitcher and not a DH.

I still would like to see him succeed so long that it’s not on a team that plays the Orioles more than a few times a year.

I always liked Jamie Moyer when he was on the Orioles. At his current age I don’t think he would be a fit on the 2009 Orioles.

The Passing of Harry Kalas

Baseball has lost one of its voices today with the passing at the age of 73 of Harry Kalas.

Reports are that he passed out in the broadcast booth before the game in Washington against the Nationals.

Kalas had been with the Phillies since 1971.

My condolences to his family, both his personal family and his baseball one.

Three Teams Within a 2 Hour Drive

I am located just 25 miles or so from Camden Yards. But being that I’m located on the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake Bay 45 minutes to an hour from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, it takes me at least an hour and a half to get there.

Being that I’m that close to Baltimore, that’s where the clearest over the air stations came from, and that our daily paper was the Baltimore Sun, the Orioles were my team when I was growing up.

The team from Washington, it was the Senators then, would have also been a 90 minute to 2 hour drive, I could have been a Washington fan. And as a child I was following both teams, that is until they moved to Texas after the 1971 season.

Philadelphia and the Phillies are a little over two hours away so I actually have three Major League teams within a reasonable distance for whom I could root for. I’m sure there are many fans that not only is their favorite team, but their closest team is much farther away than the Phillies are to me.

As a baseball fan it does feel good to have three teams within a two hour drive. There are even two minor league teams less than 90 minutes away. Baseball is all around.

When the Expos moved to Washington as the Nationals, the opinion was that they would draw fans away from Baltimore. This may have been true at least for certain games. Some baseball fans, such as I, tend to follow either a team or a League and I doubt that it really would have mattered.

Fans really tend to go to games in which the Home team is doing well. Other wise they just simply watch them on TV, listen on the radio or follow there performances in the newspaper.

Presently neither the Orioles nor the Nationals have had a good track record during the years that the Nationals have been playing in DC. The only one of these three teams that have been in hunts for postseason has been the Phillies. They did win the Championship in 2008.

It does seem though that fans in the Baltimore/Washington Area seem to not look north to Philadelphia. My part of the Delmarva Peninsula would appear to be in that area, although just a few miles east or north of me the fans seems to lean more towards Philadelphia.

Looking at baseball in 2009, I certainly am glad that I am a fan of the Baltimore Orioles. Whether you agree with their moves or not they do look as if they are moving in a good direction for the future. Although it might be until 2011 or 12 before they will be considered a team that could compete for the division.

The Phillies are a good team. One that I’m sure if I knew more about and followed closer, I would be a real fan. However I do tend to follow the American League and the Orioles.

The Nationals though, I think are in a real bad problem. And as bad as we felt about the Orioles over the past 10 years, I’m not sure that they were ever in the dire straits that the Nationals appear to be currently in.

I wonder who will be the better of these three teams in 2 or 3 years? I hope that it’ll be the Orioles. While I wait for the Orioles to play the Texas Rangers tonight. I do plan on watching the other ‘Home Town’ teams play as the Phillies play the Nationals in the DC opening day.

Former Oriole Jamie Moyer will be pitching for the Phillies while former Oriole Daniel Cabrera goes for the Nationals.

Another Year, Another Sunday Mess

I missed most of the game and what I did catch was on the radio and not TV. My thoughts on the game is almost entirely from looking at the box score.

Adam Eaton was added to the roster to start the game. Even though he has been with the team for the entire season, this was the first day he was able to actually be on the bench during the game.

Everyone was wondering how must rust was going to be one his arm and looking at his stats, I think his arm must have been a bright red.

Matt Albers was optioned to the minors opening the spot for Adam Eaton to slide into. Albers hadn’t pitched too bad in his three appearances, but he did have a option.

Was Brian Bass throwing batting practice for the Rays. Looking at his numbers that sure looks to be the case.

Maybe it would have been better to optioned out Bass instead of Albers, even though he was out of options. But then again if you need a pitcher to complete a blow out, Bass might just be your man.

At least Brian Bass did a great job at making Eaton not look too bad.

They still are giving up too many Home Runs. I haven’t done the research calculations, but it seems as if at least 1/2 of the runs given up came as a result of a homer.

Game Totals:
TB Rays 11 – 17 – 0
Orioles 3 – 6 – 0
WP: J. Shields (1-1)
LP: A. Eaton (0-1)
HR: Rays – C. Pena (2), J. Bartlett (1), B. Zobrist (1), E. Longoria (5); Orioles – None

Record: 4 – 2

6 Up, 6 On, 5 Runs Start

So far this season the Orioles have done what they need to do. Not only have they played to a 4-1 record, they did the most important thing, winning each of their first two series. One more win against the Rays and they will equal their total wins against them last year. A win on Sunday will also give them a series sweep.

One thing for certain, it sure makes it easier for the starting pitching when his team’s first at bat features each of the first 6 batters getting on base with one of those being a bases loaded home run.

And it was a good thing that the O’s scored early because after the first 6 batters reached the Rays starting pitcher, Jeff Niemann, settled down and pitched well, lasting into the 6th inning.

It appears as if Trembley is expecting no more than 6 innings from his starters, since once again he only allowed Guthrie to pitch 6. Not sure that was a wise move, although I’m sure he’s trying not to stretch his starters into injuries and hope that they will be around in September. Time will only tell on whether it’s the right or wrong way to go. I still would like to see 7 innings out of our starters, but then again I’m old school.

One thing over the course of Orioles history is that the team has usually had a solid shortstop, that was until last year with the revolving door. It’s nice to see Izturis play short. For the first time for a couple of years we have a solid defensive shortstop. I’m sure that the more he plays along side of Brian Roberts and Huff at first, we will see even better plays from him.

Even though Chris Ray had a bit of trouble he was able to finish the 9th without giving up a run to complete the shut out and dropping his ERA by nearly 12 points.

Game Totals:
TB Rays 0 – 8 – 0
Orioles 6 – 9 – 0

WP: J. Guthrie (2-0)
LP: J. Niemann (0-1)
HR: Rays – None ; Orioles – Mora (1)

Record: 4 – 1

Looking Good Against the League Champs

The Tampa Rays came to town on a high note. They had just taken the last two games of the three game series against the Red Sox. The Orioles continued their hits and scored 2 in the first and 3 in the 5th. The 3 in the 5th all came after two were retired.

Evan Longoria continues to show that he’s going to be a star for years to come. He hit two home runs, with his 8th inning shot putting the Rays right back into the game.

Winning 3 out of the first four, against 2 teams that many feel will be in the playoffs come the end of the season, is certainly a good start. Although I would like to see the Orioles be on the good side of a blow out instead of a game that have you nervous until the last out.

Winning series is what’s important and winning the first game of a series is a good beginning to that accomplishment. But then again the Rays lost the first games against the Red Sox and won that series. We’ll just have to see what happens in the next two games.

The Good:
Danys Baez pitched well, striking out the first four he faced.

The Top of the Lineup continued to put base runners on and score runs.

Defense and catching looks good.

The Bad:
Hendrickson, while pitching well, only pitched into the 6th inning. It doesn’t matter whether it was because he was weakening or that Trembley decided to take him out, our starters really need to pitch 6 and into the 7th.

Pitchers are giving up Home Runs.

Runners left on base.

Game Totals
Rays 4 – 9 – 0
Orioles 5 – 11 – 0

WP: M. Hendrickson (1-0)
LP: A. Sonnanstine (0-1)
S: G. Sherrill (2)
HR: Rays- E. Longoria 2 (4) D. Navarro (1); O’s – None

My Condolences

Some days it’s easy to put things into words and on others it’s hard. This is one of those days and times.

Just a few hours after pitching in his season opener, a game which he pitched 6 scoreless innings leaving the game with the lead only to have the Angles blow that lead in the 9th, Nick Adenhart was killed by a driver who has been charged with drunk driving.

The baseball world lost a promising future star and his friends and family lost a love one.

All I can say is that my condolences are sent to every one.

It Wasn’t a Sweep

Just as the Orioles looked pretty good in the first two games of the series, they look bad in the last. And once again the Bull Pen, the so called strength of the pitching staff, didn’t live up to their hype.

The rookie from Mexico, Simon, didn’t pitch too bad. Like the preseason game against the Nationals over the past weekend, he only had one bad inning. And it may not have been as bad as it was had the umpires made a call.

I was a little upset that there wasn’t more said by the manager as well as Nick Markakis when the fan in the outfield reached into the field of play and caught the home run off of the bat of Cano. Would it have been caught? Perhaps not. Would it have even reached the seats? Probably. But to me there was no doubt that the fan took the wondering out of it and made it a Home Run. And I sure thought that was against the rules.

And Bass sure had a bad outing. A lot of that he did bring on himself. he loaded the bases and then made the poor throw to the catcher for a throwing error that scored two. Which allowed the next batter to get a bloop hit that would have been caught had there been two instead of 1 out. A two run deficit is sure easier to overcome than a 5.

And it sure looks as if Chris Ray needs to pitch some to get back into pitching shape. Although I have seen relief pitchers have a bad series at the beginning of the year and it was their only one. Let’s hope that is the case.

Bright spot, they won a series and all three starting pitchers pitched reasonably well.

Yankees 11 – 13 – 0
Orioles 2 – 7 – 1
WP: A. Burnett (1-0)
LP: A. Simon (0-1)
HR: NYY- M.Teixeira (1), N.Swisher (1), R.Cano (1) BAL- L.Scott (1)