GameThread: Rays (56-36) @ Orioles (29-63), 7:05 PM

Tonight is Jake Arrieta's 8th major league start and his first against the Tampa Bay Rays. He's coming off back-to-back good games against the Tigers and Rangers, but both were before the All-Star break so all bets are off. At this point I'll just be happy if he doesn't give up six or seven runs in one inning and get knocked out before many of us have turned on the TV.

There was a point in time when I thought that once I was living in a world where Brian Matusz, Chris Tillman, and Jake Arrieta were making consecutive starts for the Baltimore Orioles, I'd be a much happier baseball fan. I wish I could go back in time and smack that Stacey across the face for being such a naive dolt. I'd tell her to stay cynical because no good can come from optimism.

On that sunny note, I'll be watching from the press box tonight and would love to have some company here in the gamethread. Maybe they'll even win!

Lineups:

Rays: Ben Zobrist 2B, Carl Crawford LF, Evan Longoria 3B, Carlos Pena 1B, Matt Joyce RF, Willy Aybar DH, John Jaso C, B.J. Upton CF, Reid Brignac SS

Orioles: Felix Pie LF, Miguel Tejada 3B, Nick Markakis RF, Luke Scott DH, Ty Wigginton 1B, Adam Jones CF, Scott Moore 2B, Craig Tatum C, Cesar Izturis SS