Rangers 6, Orioles 5: I am SO over Ian Kinsler

On the screen at the game we were informed that tonight’s game had the largest walk-up crowd in the history of Camden Yards (something like 12,000 tickets bought spur-of-the-moment). Total attendance about 41,000, which was already going to get a little boost thanks to the cross-promo with the Ravens. The hats are not all that exciting. You could tell they were not anticipating the last-minute crowd; concessions were NOT fully staffed at all.

Hendrickson never looked good. I doubt anybody needs me to inform them of this. The homers were not cheap ass home runs.

Felix Pie really doesn’t look good in left field. The play where Izturis got charged with an error just felt like it should have been Pie’s ball. Listened to the radio on the way home and Dave Johnson agreed and remarked that he didn’t see Pie calling for it on the replays. At the time it didn’t seem like it would matter since the one run put the Rangers up by five and our bats had nothing going on, but…

The rain didn’t scare anybody away but I’d estimate that half the crowd fled after the bottom of the 8th ended with no score by the O’s. I’m a to-the-bitter-end kind of guy but even that was tested sorely with knowing that the 7-8-9 spots were coming up with the highest average being Izturis at .211. The ones who stayed almost got a taste of Oriole Magic. Almost! I can guarantee you would see me on a MASN defining moment commercial next year if we’d pulled off that game. Four runs was just too much.

The game never felt out of reach – I think that’s why people stayed for so long. I mean, it is Texas. Zaun, Montanez and Izturis all got on but of the top four hitters only Jones could get any traction. The lineup turned over and we just couldn’t sustain the rally. Too bad.

There are still baseball fans in Baltimore, even after a decade of losing, and 12,000 showed up tonight just because the weather was nice even though it was Mark Hendrickson pitching against Texas. That’s pretty impressive.

As a note that doesn’t really fit in anywhere else, I’d rather see Moeller remain as the backup than Zaun when Wieters gets the inevitable callup. Zaun just really doesn’t look good out there. He can block balls and block the plate but he can’t really throw out guys and he is looking terrible at the plate. I know this will never happen because it’s unlikely they’ll diss the Dempsey clan by cutting Zaun loose midseason (and probably they only signed him in the first place for that reason), but viewed through any objective lens there’s no reason to keep him right now.

Final comment: Brian Bass is (shockingly) Birdland.

Someone really needs to plunk Ian Kinsler today or tomorrow. I’m not saying throw at his head or anything, but put a curveball on his ass or something. Padilla was plainly headhunting last night and came at Nicky’s knees; someone on the pitching staff needs to send a message that this will not fly and we will drop one on their young star too.

It’s going to be 85 degrees and sunny and hopefully he’ll be able to repeat Tuesday’s performance in front of a much larger crowd.

I can’t wait to be there tomorrow!

I am calling it.

With our pitching, it’s going to be an adventure every time out. After 17 games, the team ERA is 6.10. Opponents are batting .308 against us. Only twice have our starters completed seven innings (once by Uehara in a loss to the Red Sox, and once this week by the much-maligned Adam Eaton, who actually leads the staff in strikeouts).

I guess we all knew this was going to happen this season, but it’s tough following the games, and thinking that a 7-0 lead against the Red Sox isn’t safe.

that home run was a straight up jack. he definitely looks like he’s coming around. it would be nice if wiggs, luuuuuukkke and huff daddy could all be hot at once.

I was there as well and was blown away by the size of the crowd. We had vouchers from the Opening Day 4-ticket package that we had to exchange for actual seats. We arrived at 6:30 and didn’t get in the gates until the National Anthem.

Bass looked damn good. Not only was he working quick and mowing guys down, but he picked off a runner at first (an O’s pitcher who holds runners? The hell, you say!) and snagged two straight comebackers. He was doing everything you could ask of him. Albers looked solid in the ninth as well.

Right before Wiggy’s home run, I said to my dad, “Wigginton’s about due for a homer…not that it would do us much good.” I also called mustard as the winner of the hot dog race, so I was on a roll last night. However, I pressed my luck later by calling for a two-run homer to the RF bleachers by Luke. He flew out to left instead.

Agree with EME. ZAUN is, unfortunately, pathetic. All weak ground balls. He has FIVE hits this year. As in, this many (holds up open hand). I wonder how long it took Diamond Dave to call Andy after the game and beg for Wieters.