Series Preview: Orioles @ Blue Jays, 05/01-03

by SC on May 1, 2009 12:45 AM EDT in Pre-Game Comment 17 comments

Here's a quick look at our upcoming foes, the division rival Toronto Blue Jays.

Bluebird Banter is the SBN Jays blog, and they do fine work, including their most recent headline as of this writing: "Burres Gets Hit So Hard It Knocks Him Back to the Minors, Jays Lose"

Friday, May 1, 7:07 PM

Mark Hendrickson (1-3, 5.40/1.96) v. Roy Halladay (4-1, 3.75/1.08)

Hey, let's book a bigger mismatch...

Halladay dominates the O's for his career. In 28 games (24 starts), he's 18-4 with a 2.86 ERA and 1.16 WHIP. Melvin Mora has done well against Doc, though, hitting .323/.338/.468 with two homers in 62 at-bats. Brian Roberts is hitting an empty .321 (17-for-53). Ty Wigginton slugs .611 in 18 at-bats.

The only current Jay with any real experience and success against Hendrickson is Alex Rios (.333/.394/.533). Vernon Wells (5-for-28) and Aaron Hill (2-for-19) have struggled badly against the tall lefty.

Saturday, May 2, 1:07 PM

Brad Bergesen (1-0, 5.59/1.76) v. David Purcey (0-2, 7.01/1.79)

Bergesen has never faced the Jays, of course. Purcey was hit hard by the O's once last year (5 IP, 11 H, 6 ER).

Sunday, May 3, 1:07 PM

Jeremy Guthrie (2-1, 5.20/1.63) v. Scott Richmond (3-0, 2.79/1.20)

It's no stretch to say that if the O's are going to stay watchable, Guthrie needs to play better. He's quite good in seven career starts against Toronto: 3.09 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, the 1-2 record is not his fault. Lyle Overbay (1.080 OPS) and Vernon Wells (1.389) have his number.

Richmond also faced the O's once last year, but fared far better than did Purcey: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R allowed.

0 recs | Comment 17 comments | Share

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

To be honest

Halladay dominates everyone. We need alot of shit to go right for us even to have a chance in Friday’s game. Every f’ing pitch Halladay throws has nasty movement, nothing’s ever straight.
Halladay may honestly be the best pitcher of the 2000’s. He’s dominated while pitching in the AL East. Johan Santana could never say that, and while oswalt’s great, let get serious: he pitches in the National league. Any thoughts?

Maybe in order to understand mankind, we have to look at the word itself: "Mankind". Basically, it's made up of two separate words—"mank" and "ind". What do these words mean? It's a mystery, and that's why so is mankind.
-Jack Handey

by jobe on May 1, 2009 1:19 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

hmm

I haven’t really thought about it.

Halladay has one Cy Young and three other top five finishes. He missed large chunks of 2004 and 2005, plus he wasn’t a regular in 2000 and 2001. Santana won two Cy Youngs and probably deserved at least one more, and has thrown 225+ innings every season 2004-present. He was also a difference-maker with the Twins in 2003 and even ’02.

Oswalt is a solid third. I’d go Santana, Halladay, Oswalt. If CC Sabathia had a decade like his 2006-08 run instead of being kind of disappointing most years, he’d be up there too.

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

by SC on May 1, 2009 3:36 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

One more factor

The number of complete games Halladay throws compared to the rest of the league. He’s had years where he’s had more CGs alone than some teams.

Now, he’s a slacker compared to stud pitchers in the 60s and 70s, but compared to his peers, it’s an unbelievable workload. And the amount of work he’s saved his bullpen had probably led to a win or two the day after he pitches, too.

Matt Wieters took batting practice this morning. There were no survivors.

by duck on May 1, 2009 6:53 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Roy Halladay is a freak

and one of my favorite players.

I’m smart, not a dummy. ~Adam Jones

by Stacey on May 1, 2009 7:20 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but I think that gets kind of blown out of proportion. It feels like you never actually hear how good he is in favor of how many complete games he throws. Last year that was nine, or one less than Sabathia threw.

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

by SC on May 1, 2009 7:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I cut that short

Obviously Halladay does it better and more often than anyone else, and part of that is how efficient he is. He’s a fantastic pitcher.

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

by SC on May 1, 2009 7:43 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

If there's one time that the bottom of the order can get it going

Then it would be against Purcey, the guy can never seem to find the plate
And if they want to stay competitive, then they need hendrickson to play well, at least once in a while

by whereswieters on May 1, 2009 8:26 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

if they want to ~~stay~~ get competitive they need to get better at baseball.

Jioe Flaacco, Hon!!! "He’s like a live JUGS machine."

by dayzd toe on May 1, 2009 9:11 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

+1

"They are who we thought they were"-Dennis Green

by Baysox39 on May 1, 2009 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Prediction

Kevin Millar will own the Orioles.

I’m smart, not a dummy. ~Adam Jones

by Stacey on May 1, 2009 12:57 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

If he does

it will be because he is allowed to have facial hair. Its time to get rid of that old dumb rule, get with the times Pete.

Of course, I have heard different theories as to who implemented that rule in the first place. If the theory that it was a Yankee rule brought to the O’s by a former Yankee is true, then that is all the more reason to abolish it. Let grown men be grown men!

Mood about O's rotation: Depressed : (

by sickuvitall on May 1, 2009 1:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

YEAH!

by Steve. on May 1, 2009 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

First, they came for the soulpatches, and I said nothing because I did not have a soulpatch...

by Joltin Joe Orsulak on May 1, 2009 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Point taken

So how about they make a policy where a player may grow the facial hair, then it is judged by a panel of peers for tastefulness. If it is approved, the hair stays. If disapproved, it goes. Simple and fair.

Mood about O's rotation: Depressed : (

by sickuvitall on May 1, 2009 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Who gives a shit what kind of hair they have on their face?!? They could have some god damn ZZ Top beards if they want. As long as it doesn’t get in the way of their baseball skills I don’t fucking care! They’re not on the field to be prettyboys… they’re there to ATTEMPT to play baseball.

Jioe Flaacco, Hon!!! "He’s like a live JUGS machine."

by dayzd toe on May 1, 2009 5:00 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs