Gameday Thread: Rays (0-1) at O's (1-0)

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 2:08 AM EDT in Gamethreads

Seth McClung, RH Erik Bedard, LH (7-11, 6.59) (6-8, 4.00)

Game time is 7:05pm on CSN (Baltimore) and FAX (Florida).

This one looks like it favors the O's at first glance.

The problem is, McClung has owned the Orioles over the course of his career. In seven games (three of which he started) against the birds, he's 3-0. In 27 innings he has given up 2 home runs. His ERA against them is 2.33, his WHIP is a measly 1.19, and the Birds have batted .188 against him.

Ouch.

Weird when a guy is a mediocre pitcher, but feasts on one team. Seth McClung is to the Orioles what Roddy Lopez is to the Bosox.

On the plus side, Bedard has decent stats against the D-Rays (3-2, 3.15 ERA, 2 HR and 37 Ks in 45 innings); and he really tore it up towards the end of spring training, including an 8-strikeout performance against the Marlins in his second-to-last start.

Win this game, and the Orioles will be two games over .500 for the first time since July 27, 2005.

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Comments

Lopez..

The comparison is not fair. Roddy is a mediocre pitcher, McClung is a horrible pitcher. It is totally weird that the Os can't seem to hit this guy.

by rebop on Apr 5, 2006 6:12 AM EDT reply actions

I will chalk up...

I will chalk up 27 innings to luck.

by BirdFanInPhilly on Apr 5, 2006 8:42 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, well they couldn't hit Kazmir ether.

We saw how that went on Monday. I say we'll own this guy tonite. Let's go O's. Should be a comfy crowd in the mid teens or maybe 20,000 tonie..cold and windy. Yukky night for baseball. Come on May!

"What's my secret for winning? That's easy. Pitching, defense, and three run homers" Earl Weaver

by elktonfan on Apr 5, 2006 8:05 AM EDT reply actions

Don't understand...

I really don't understand why Tampa Bay would be playing outside of Florida the first two weeks of the baseball season. I know they MLB wants to get all the home openers in as close as possible, but it seems to me they should do everything they can to give as many home games to Tampa, Florida, Texas, Houston, Anaheim, LAD, and Arizona early in the season. Not to be a wuss, but watching a baseball game in 40 degree weather just isn't the same.

That being said, I'll be freezing my ass off at the Phillies game tonight (if they play it through the snow).

by BirdFanInPhilly on Apr 5, 2006 8:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

I'll only go to day games in April now. My wife (diehard Phillies fan) and I had a 16 game plan at the Vet it's last season, and we froze our butts off at some April night games.

I just don't enjoy baseball as much when I'm wearing a winter coat and six layers of sweatpants.

Orioles' Rebuilding Plan: Phase 1: Steal Underwear. Phase 3: Win the World Series.

by BrianS on Apr 5, 2006 9:09 AM EDT up reply actions

You guys...

are wimps. Although I have to admit I'm not too crazy about it when it's 98 degrees with 100% humidity during a night game at the Yard. The cold never bothered me though.

by rebop on Apr 5, 2006 10:18 AM EDT up reply actions

Cold games

Cold games are the BEST. With so many extra layers, it's easy to smuggle beers in. I hate paying 6 bucks for a beer in a plastic cup and refuse to do so unless absolutely necessary. Also, attendance is down so you can buy the cheapest tix and sit wherever you want. What's better than that?

by BleedingOrange on Apr 5, 2006 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions

I like to believe that...

...we'll have enough new guys in the lineup that the McClung curse will no longer be operative.

by howie14 on Apr 5, 2006 10:28 AM EDT reply actions

McClung

Has a lot of talent, he's just wildly inconsistent. That's what's so frustrating about facing him. You see that 6+ ERA and think it's a lock, but then he finds himself and shuts you down for 8 innings. I saw some reference today to his dominating performance in his last start last year, going I think 7 or 8 shutout innings against Cleveland, but he gave up 7 earned runs each of the two starts before that.

Chuck Norris sleeps with a night light, not because Chuck Norris is afraid of the dark, but because the dark is afraid of Chuck Norris.

by CStoneNo37 on Apr 5, 2006 11:05 AM EDT up reply actions

Kinda like....

Daniel Cabrera.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions

You wanna hear about cold?

I'm going to the Red Sox night opener next week. It's snowing here right now.
THAT is gonna be cold.

http://2632.blogspot.com

by 2632 on Apr 5, 2006 1:23 PM EDT reply actions

LOL

Got this link from 2632's blog referenced above.

Very funny. Go read it now!

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 1:50 PM EDT reply actions

Aw Man.....

Big brother says I'm not allowed to read that at work..something about pr0nography

"What's my secret for winning? That's easy. Pitching, defense, and three run homers" Earl Weaver

by elktonfan on Apr 5, 2006 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions

What?

Wait, your company thinks The Dugout is porn? It's the funniest site on the internet, but it's not porn.

Or does it think my site is porn?...that might be true.

http://2632.blogspot.com

by 2632 on Apr 5, 2006 5:04 PM EDT reply actions

Don't fret...

your site came up fine, it was the dugout that got the dreaded "X STOP" message.
I get the same message for a couple of other comedy sites I read at home, but the "corporate police" see as NSFW.
Go figure~

"What's my secret for winning? That's easy. Pitching, defense, and three run homers" Earl Weaver

by elktonfan on Apr 5, 2006 6:57 PM EDT up reply actions

c'mon bedard

can't be walking people in the first inning.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 7:25 PM EDT reply actions

bases loaded btm 1st

c'mon Gibby, drive 'em in

by intheRIC on Apr 5, 2006 7:33 PM EDT reply actions

Ha!

McClung's era of dominance is OVER.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 7:36 PM EDT reply actions

Great first inning

javy with the productive out.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 7:42 PM EDT reply actions

why

do I have the feeling that this game is going to be another 10-7 slugfest.

by birdman on Apr 5, 2006 7:43 PM EDT reply actions

ramon hernandez...

is a perfect 4 for 4 this year. with 3 RBI.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 7:49 PM EDT reply actions

Bedard settling down.

3 up 3 down second inning.

And a K.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 7:52 PM EDT reply actions

I just checked the score

Yeah, may Cy Young McClung's days of dominance are over.

How loud was Markakis' reception?

"I'd love to see the team be much better." Peter Angelos

by drj on Apr 5, 2006 7:56 PM EDT reply actions

Don't know.

I wasn't online yet. (I'm watching via MLB.com).

I can tell you that Markakis just walked again, so he has a perfect 1.000 OBP for his career.

Also, there appear to be seven people at the game. Lame.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 7:59 PM EDT up reply actions

Bases loaded...

and Patterson Ks at a pitch in the dirt. So much for him developing patience at the plate.

It's on B-Rob now.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 8:23 PM EDT reply actions

Ugly.

Bases loaded, 1 out, and we don't score.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 8:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Bedard being clutch.

After two totally weak infield hits, he gets the GIDP to prevent a big inning. Nice job there.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 8:32 PM EDT reply actions

Trivia Question

Just asked on the telecast. Don't post if you heard the answer.

Who was the last Oriole to lead the team in HRs in back-to-back seasons?

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 8:34 PM EDT reply actions

Sheesh

The Os better win this game, because the Rays are really trying to give it away.

by Joltin Joe Orsulak on Apr 5, 2006 8:51 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah...

Bedard better work real quick after this inning. Unless he has to leave because him arm has frozen during the delay. This inning has to be at least half an hour long.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 8:55 PM EDT reply actions

Yow

I hope this will be good for Bedard, since now he has no excuse not to just go after guys. With a nine-run lead, no need to get cute.

by Joltin Joe Orsulak on Apr 5, 2006 9:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Or maybe I spoke too soon...

Come on Erik!

by Joltin Joe Orsulak on Apr 5, 2006 9:06 PM EDT up reply actions

LOL

Corey gets on with catcher interference. He found a way to get on base!

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 8:56 PM EDT reply actions

Woo-Hoo!

B-ROB WITH THE 3 RBI DOUBLE!

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 8:58 PM EDT reply actions

24MM? 27MM? 30MM!!!

Damn it, just give that man the 30MM he asked for. PA keep Melmo.

by dayzd toe on Apr 5, 2006 9:11 PM EDT reply actions

Poor Brian Meadows...

He was asked to come in and mop up, and he's just getting shelled.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 9:13 PM EDT reply actions

Perfection is great!!!

I told you guys Ramon would bat 1.000 this year. Geesh, you just never believe me.

by dayzd toe on Apr 5, 2006 9:16 PM EDT reply actions

good grief

I step away from the game to watch lost and now it's 15-3. at what point do you pull the regulars and let the backups play?

by birdman on Apr 5, 2006 9:21 PM EDT reply actions

apparently, this inning.

brower pitching. markakis moves to RF. newhan in left.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 9:26 PM EDT reply actions

The horror....

...okay let's see if we can get Harper's ERA up to 21.00 as well.

"You'll get better. I promise." - Cal Ripken Jr.

by Jonnypops on Apr 5, 2006 9:31 PM EDT reply actions

Scoreboard watching

Assuming the O's can hang onto their 11-run lead; and
also assuming Minnesota holds onto their 8-run lead...

the O's will be in sole possession of first place at the end of the evening.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 9:34 PM EDT reply actions

Wow...

I know Brower has walked two guys, but he's got some real movement on his pitches tonight. Maybe too much.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 9:39 PM EDT reply actions

I'm happy

that the O's will win. But they've given up how many runs to the crappy ass devil rays?

Nick looks great so far.

by birdman on Apr 5, 2006 10:08 PM EDT reply actions

I think part of that...

...is the pitchers throwing everything down the center to move along the game.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 10:15 PM EDT up reply actions

or

Dubose and Brower just suck. locate the fastball down and away!!!

by birdman on Apr 5, 2006 11:13 PM EDT up reply actions

BOO-YAH!

Welcome to the bigs, Mr. Markakis!

Nick's first ML hit is a dinger to RF!

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 10:09 PM EDT reply actions

The crowd better be going wild

what is the attendence? i don't care how small it is, they better be going nuts

"I'd love to see the team be much better." Peter Angelos

by drj on Apr 5, 2006 10:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Attendance is 16K+

and that's with free blankies.

Nick got a standing O.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 10:16 PM EDT up reply actions

Attendance

OK, it was cold and Tampa Bay. But Kubatko's blog had this fact.

"The crowd of 16,083 was the smallest in the history of Camden Yards."

This is friggin lame. I hope you're just a little worried Petey A. Maybe fans are a bit ticked off and voting with their feet. Or maybe it was too cold. I'll admit that I haven't planned a trip back home just to go to the park.

Let's see how the attendance rebounds...

"I'd love to see the team be much better." Peter Angelos

by drj on Apr 6, 2006 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions

It's official.

O's in sole possession in 1st place. Great night for Nick. And for everyone.

by zknower on Apr 5, 2006 10:19 PM EDT reply actions

Meanwhile in New York...

Jorge Julio gives up five in the 10th to put the Nats up 9-4. I don't care if Benson explodes tomorrow... that was a great deal.

by Joltin Joe Orsulak on Apr 5, 2006 10:29 PM EDT reply actions

Poor ol George....

Now those lovely Mets fans get to feel our anxiety that we dealt with for years. This guy is one of the absolute worst clutch relievers in baseball. He sucks, we know it, and now all of NYC will know it. Have fun with this one, NYC.
We'll take the Benson family squabbles over this knucklehead any day!

"What's my secret for winning? That's easy. Pitching, defense, and three run homers" Earl Weaver

by elktonfan on Apr 6, 2006 7:54 AM EDT up reply actions

Dear Nick Markakis,

Welcome to The Show, kid.

Love,
Baltimore

http://2632.blogspot.com

by 2632 on Apr 5, 2006 11:29 PM EDT reply actions

tonites game

I understand the crush for Markakis & had a
great 1st game with his first hit as dinger
But craps sake Gibby was 3-3 with
2 doubles & a dinger & 4 rbi,s & nobody
mentions it.Boooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by hagersbush on Apr 5, 2006 11:37 PM EDT reply actions