Orioles Magic

Tuesday, June 23 - Thursday, June 25

Baltimore Orioles (32-37) at Florida Marlins (35-36)

Pitching Matchups

Tuesday: BAL - Koji Uehara (2-4, 4.30)
FLA - Andrew Miller (2-3, 4.56)

Wednesday: BAL - Jason Berken (1-3, 6.84)
FLA - Ricky Nalasco (3-6, 7.15)

Thursday: BAL - Rich Hill (3-1, 5.18)
FLA - Sean West (2-2, 3.97)

It is a lot more fun to do these previews when the Orioles are winning so it is with great excitement that I bring you this edition of Orioles Magic. The Orioles just completed a series sweep of the defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies in Philadelphia. Baltimore has now won 5 in a row and is slowly climbing their way back to the .500 mark.

The Florida Marlins are just a game under .500 after taking 2 out of 3 at home against the New York Yankees. The Marlins started the year 11-1 but haven't played the Washington Nubionals in a while so their record has floundered since then. However, they are still just 3 games out of first in the pathetic NL East.

The Marlins have struggled offensively, with only SS Hanley Ramirez batting over .300. 2B Dan Uggla leads the team in HRs with 13 but is hitting just .213 on the season. 1B Jorge Cantu leads the team in RBIs with 44.

The Orioles are lucky to be avoiding the Marlins best pitcher in this series, Josh Johnson. As is the norm the Marlins are stacked with young pitchers. The O's face Ricky Nalasco on Wednesday, Nalasco got off to an awful start, but has not given up more than 2 earned runs in his last three starts. The Orioles face the Marlins rookie Sean West on Thursday, who has shown some early promise.

The Orioles pitching has improved as of late but they will be hard pressed to win this series with the arms they are throwing out there. Koji Uehara hasn't won a game since April, Jason Berken has been awful, and the O's never know what they are going to get out of Rich Hill.

Offensively, 1B Aubrey Huff has bumped his average up to .276. Like the Marlins, the Orioles only have one player hitting over .300, Adam Jones (.316), but have a bunch of guys hovering around .300; Luke Scott (.298), Nick Markakis (.292), and Brian Roberts (.291)