Game time is 7:05. The last time the O's faced Andy Sonnanstine, they beat him like a government mule. In his season debut on April 10 in Baltimore, Sonnanstine went 4.2 innings, allowing five earned on eight hits and four walks. He only walked four in his next three starts combined, but he put another four on base free against the Red Sox on May 1. Sonnanstine is walking 3.35 per nine this year, as compared to 1.72 BB/9 last season. It's a huge difference considering how hittable he is (which is also jumping up in '09, with a .277 BAA last year, .313 this year). But he has given up just one home run. Which probably isn't sustainable.
The O's and the beat writers and everyone keep talking about Hendrickson moving to a long relief spot, where he'll be "valuable." It's kind of frustrating talk in a way, but you have to remember the word "valuable" doesn't mean to baseball folk and those that intimately cover them what it means to most of us. There is some "value" in Hendrickson being a long reliever; part of that comes with getting him the hell out of the rotation. There's gold in them there hills! Hendrickson beat the Rays that same April 10 for his only win of the year. He's yet to post a single Quality Start, in part because he simply doesn't have the stamina to go six innings, and that's not his fault. It'd be "valuable" for him to not be a starter and be available to pitch three innings out of the pen when we need him.