Ray Up to Put Marlins Down (+Virtual Birdland)
In and of itself the return of Chris Ray probably isn’t cause for much discussion. He’s a serviceable major league pitcher when he’s right, and his time at Norfolk suggests he’s right. Now we’ll find out for sure.
What’s interesting about the move is that it leaves the O’s without a left-handed specialist in the bullpen (closer FlatBrim Sherrill and long man Mark Hendrickson are now the only lefties). Anybody take issue with that?
I don’t. The notion of a left-handed specialist always seemed like a waste of a spot to me, every bit as silly as the notion of a right-handed specialist. I want to see quality pitchers in the ‘pen, period. And as Double J Johnson has proven this year, you don’t have to be a lefty to get lefties out.
I’m glad baseball’s back tonight, but that stadium where the Marlins play always seems like a graveyard to me. Maybe that’s because the O’s are just 1-8 there all-time. Yikes.
It’s Koji on the hill against Andrew in Miami Miller (2-3, 4.56).
Did you guys see Virtual Birdland yet? Pretty nifty 3-D animations of Camden Yards and surrounding areas, tied into businesses and directions. Most of us probably know all of those things already, but I’m betting they’ll come in handy for anyone who’s unfamiliar with the area or doesn’t go to a lot of games. Neat stuff.
I hope I speak for quite a few of us when I say get rid of Hendrickson. He is terrible and I really don’t know how he made it with the club this far. Can’t we find some arm out there instead of him. Hell, I’d take Eaton back…………………………HA! I know I got all of you with that joke.
Let’s score a run O’s… Marlins won’t waste lead off doubles forever.
Thanks Baez. I missed the real you for so long.
As I was saying…
I switched away from this game for like eight minutes to watch the end of “State and Main”. It was 1-1 when I left…6-1 when I got back??
Nice that Wieters got his second homer though.
Yea Baez grooved one with bases juiced to Mr. Hanely Ramirez. It was not a good pitch. He crushed it.
Hey! One-time non-Oriole Wade Townsend has retired after a minor league career of TJ surgery, torn labrum surgery, and horrible ineffectiveness after not signing up with the Orioles. So, while that pick (it was 2005?) was a huge bust for the O’s…at least you can’t say if we had signed him we’d have gotten something. Because he was not something.
Oh snap…it’s Jon Gosselin pinch running!
Sorry, I mean Guthrie.
Come on baby!
Did Wiggy pull a Cordova and fall asleep in the tanning bed?!?! He’s got tan lines around his eyes.
Damn, all that bad luck (and bad defense, Mr. Huffnstuff) on the grounders from Baez is sort of glaring right now.
YES YES YES YES YES!!!
SIZZLIN’ SALAZAR!
Yes!!! Wow.
Holy crap! Salazar, man, that guy is what the old-school heads call a “professional hitter.”
Holy Cow. As the best movie star not named McQueen once said, “Who are those guys?”
@Dan H – Nice call on pulling out that Cordova reference. One of the greatest moments in O’s history right there.
Although, with nobody left on the bench and just Sherrill, Hendrickson, Johnson (now pitching), Albers, and Bass in the ‘pen – and with Zaun at catcher, Pie in left, and Wigginton at short…
well, I don’t want to rain on a parade, so I will say nothing.
come on double play…take us home JJ Boat
@Andrew – this game can’t go too much longer.. let’s wrap it up.
Sorry, Scott is in left. Pie…didn’t do anything? Weird.
I don’t want to be a downer, because (brace yourselves for a twist ending to this post) the Marlins are clearly in trouble and Trembley pushed the magic buttons in the ninth.
And, you know, the Orioles have all the momentum in this game right now (and the dangerous hitters coming up). But they need to end this quickly, that is true.
@Andrew – My intangibles are tingling. LOL
Pie was brought in on the double switch, played for like 2 outs and then was pinch hit for when they brought in the lefty.
Yeah, but Pie touched neither bat nor ball and yet is out of the game. I’m not complaining (at all), it’s just weird.
Tomás, are those intangibles off the board?
I’d certainly rather see this one end sooner than later, but at least we’ve got a solid team on the field. No more room for moves but I can live with this lineup.
The Boat, by rights, should be our All-Star this year if we only get one.
@Andrew – Completely.
Oh. A baserunning error. Shocker
Just tuning in… Rich Hill is on deck. AWESOME.
Those who say Trembly can’t deviate from his in-game script should… hrrmph. Hill flew out to left after Wiggy’s baserunning blunder.
Hrrmph.
@neal s – I absolutely agree that JJ has been the Most Valuable Oriole of the first half barring some sort of crazy meltdown as the Bullpen Ace. Never make him the Closer. He’s too damn good for it.
And…yeah, he doesn’t do what Wigginton just did to kill our chances.
son of a bitch…we would’ve gotten a run in if Wiggi hadn’t pulled a Melvin. ARGH
LOL, and that pop fly out was from RICH HILL. Oh man, we’re using up the lineup tonight.
*Trembley. GAH! Spelling demons, cease your plague upon my keyboard!
I’m starting to hope this goes on a while so we can see all 50 players get into the game. We have to be close, right? 5 Marlins pitchers remain on the bench, 5 Orioles pitchers, 0 Orioles players, and 1 Marlin player. Hrmmm. I’m nervous.
I stepped outside to put the trash out and missed that baserunning error. Thankfully.
Come on b-rob,jones et.al.
I seriously doubt that Rich Hill fly ball would’ve far enough to get the fleet-footed Zaun in from 3rd. Either way Wiggy should kick himself.
@Dan H – True. Frustration is all.
Love nights like this, just keep TLC in an open tab and refresh, refresh, refresh away!
All of these high leverage at-bats will, regardless of the outcome, do Jones a lot of good. Last week he was clearly overmatched by the situation against K-Rod, and he really needs to keep developing that steady, patient plate discipline regardless of the situation.
Damn. Huff is uggla’s beeey-otch tonight
I throw a 66 mph fastball. I could strike out AJ. All I would have to do is throw it into the dugout and he’d chase.
Too many damn chances.
We are giving them too many damn chances.
Good call walking Hanely. Smart move.
Ughhhhhhhh
ffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff
Damn. ZAun had him too
Well. Go get’em tomorrow. That was a great game.
Crap the throw was there…
Check that. If he catches that he had him. Oh well. Worth my time
Yeah…hopefully this will make them hungry for tomorrow.
They snatched defeat from the jaws of victory too many times to come out on top.
Oh well… they showed fight. Night guys. I’m hitting up Transformers at midnight!
Hey o’s extra. Thanks for turning the knife by starting off the highlights with the grand slam. Oofa