Friday, May 1, 2009

Orioles Magic

Friday, May 1 - Sunday, May 3

Baltimore Orioles (9-13) at Toronto Blue Jays (15-9)

Pitching Matchups

Friday: BAL - Mark Hendrickson (1-3, 5.40)
TOR - Roy Halladay (4-1, 3.75)

Saturday: BAL - Brad Bergesen (1-0, 5.59)
TOR - David Purcey (0-2, 7.01)

Sunday: BAL - Jeremy Guthrie (2-1, 5.20)
TOR - Scott Richmond (3-0, 2.70)

The Orioles have gotten a three month jump on their usual July collapse and have currently lost 11 of their last 14 games. I was thinking it and then Brian Roberts said it after the Orioles lost to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim on Wednesday. When the Orioles hit, they get no pitching, when they pitch, they get no hitting, same story as it has been for the past 10 years.

The Orioles now travel to their personal house of horrors, the Skydome in Toronto. The Toronto Blue Jays sit in first place after the first month of the season, to the surprise of all baseball experts. The Blue Jays have perennially been stuck in third and fourth place for what seems like forever, but might be poised to make a Tampa Bay Rays like ascent this year.

2B Aaron Hill is having a breakout season, which is more impressive considering he was out for most of last year with a severe concussion. He leads the Blue Jays in batting average (.365), home runs (5), and RBIs (20). The Orioles get the pleasure of facing the Blue Jays two best starters in this series, Roy Halladay and up and comer Scott Richmond. It is no surprise that Halladay has gotten off to a fast start, but Richmond has been a pleasant surprise. Richmond made the team as the fifth starter out of spring training and has been virtually unhittable thus far.

The Orioles "ace" Jeremy Guthrie has not pitched well as of late and he really needs to get going for the Orioles to have any chance to be playing meaningful games once the calendar hits June. Being an Orioles fan is quite depressing and I am expecting the Orioles to get swept this weekend, womp womp.

No comments: