Beyond Logic
OK, let's see if I got this straight.
The Orioles got swept.
At home.
By the Nationals.
Who started guys named Bowie, Chico, and Simontacci.
Wow, it's hard to know what to say. The Orioles led 3-1 in game 1 and Cabrera just gave it away, but at least the bullpen was good. In game 2, Trachsel gutted out 7 innings and left with the lead, only to see the bullpen give it away. And when the Orioles finally showed some heart with a fine ninth inning comeback, they couldn't close it out (leaving the winning run on third) and Chris Ray self-destructed with two out and none on in the 11th. And then Jeremy Guthrie threw another gem last night, but the wiffleball bats came out again on his behalf and the league's best rookie is stuck at 3-1 as the overworked Bradford and Walker each gave up a run while the Nationals bullpen shut the Orioles down. Oh, did I mention the FIFTEEN baserunners that resulted in one run?
It's amazing to watch this. The Orioles aren't the Yankees or Red Sox, but they are much better than this. This is a team that could rattle off eight wins in a row and it shouldn't shock anyone. And yet, with runners on 1st & 2nd and Tejada at bat and the hot-hitting Huff in the hole, Melvin Mora gets picked off. Why, Melvin, why? Then, in the 8th, down by one with runners on 1st and 2nd, Jay Payton tries to bunt. OK, I guess you can do that. Wait, with two strikes? After you missed the first two times? And trying to get a base hit? The stupidity is overwhelming. Payton has been as clutch as any Oriole (not saying much, but still) and this team needed him to stick one in the gap--especially with the struggling Jay Gibbons coming up and Paul Bako a couple of batters later. Gibbons is the hitting version of Danys Baez. Why are we setting up the offense for him?
Well, in a five game losing streak where the best pitcher was Rodrigo Lopez, the Orioles have a stretch where they will face Randy Johnson (many Cy Youngs), Brandon Webb (last year's Cy Young), and Jake Peavy (on his way to this year's Cy Young). Either the Orioles have to beware of three straight shutouts or they will continue some bizarre reverse logic, only this time to their advantage by hitting the good pitchers. Given a pre-season indicator on success for 2007 was solid interleague play, the Orioles are failing miserably after a reasonable 3-1 start. Oh, and if all this wasn't bad enough, the Yankees have awakened from the dead and the Orioles take them on in 10 days.
Feeling better?
The Orioles got swept.
At home.
By the Nationals.
Who started guys named Bowie, Chico, and Simontacci.
Wow, it's hard to know what to say. The Orioles led 3-1 in game 1 and Cabrera just gave it away, but at least the bullpen was good. In game 2, Trachsel gutted out 7 innings and left with the lead, only to see the bullpen give it away. And when the Orioles finally showed some heart with a fine ninth inning comeback, they couldn't close it out (leaving the winning run on third) and Chris Ray self-destructed with two out and none on in the 11th. And then Jeremy Guthrie threw another gem last night, but the wiffleball bats came out again on his behalf and the league's best rookie is stuck at 3-1 as the overworked Bradford and Walker each gave up a run while the Nationals bullpen shut the Orioles down. Oh, did I mention the FIFTEEN baserunners that resulted in one run?
It's amazing to watch this. The Orioles aren't the Yankees or Red Sox, but they are much better than this. This is a team that could rattle off eight wins in a row and it shouldn't shock anyone. And yet, with runners on 1st & 2nd and Tejada at bat and the hot-hitting Huff in the hole, Melvin Mora gets picked off. Why, Melvin, why? Then, in the 8th, down by one with runners on 1st and 2nd, Jay Payton tries to bunt. OK, I guess you can do that. Wait, with two strikes? After you missed the first two times? And trying to get a base hit? The stupidity is overwhelming. Payton has been as clutch as any Oriole (not saying much, but still) and this team needed him to stick one in the gap--especially with the struggling Jay Gibbons coming up and Paul Bako a couple of batters later. Gibbons is the hitting version of Danys Baez. Why are we setting up the offense for him?
Well, in a five game losing streak where the best pitcher was Rodrigo Lopez, the Orioles have a stretch where they will face Randy Johnson (many Cy Youngs), Brandon Webb (last year's Cy Young), and Jake Peavy (on his way to this year's Cy Young). Either the Orioles have to beware of three straight shutouts or they will continue some bizarre reverse logic, only this time to their advantage by hitting the good pitchers. Given a pre-season indicator on success for 2007 was solid interleague play, the Orioles are failing miserably after a reasonable 3-1 start. Oh, and if all this wasn't bad enough, the Yankees have awakened from the dead and the Orioles take them on in 10 days.
Feeling better?
posted by sandyk at
9:28 AM
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