Game 42: Yankees (22-19) @ Orioles (19-22), 7:05pm

7:50 PM: The Orioles have taken the field. Play ball!

After a loss like last night's I'd like to be able to open this post by saying that tomorrow is another day, but I can't even say that since the last game technically ended today. We have another game today, though: that much is true. The previous contest went nearly five hours, but there isn't much reason to expect that today: C.C. Sabathia is starting for the Yankees, so we'll likely be dominated, and Brad Bergesen is starting for the Orioles, and he works fast even when he isn't pitching well.

Kind of like what happened the last time that Bergesen and Sabathia started against one another, a game which the Orioles lost 15-3 thanks to every relief pitcher who entered the game deciding to give up three runs. The game was played in 2:43.

Before we give in entirely to despair, we can take some solace in knowing that Bergesen's coming off a complete game shutout of Tampa Bay, which doesn't exactly suck. Whether that will avail him at all against the Yankees, who knows? Bergy is pitching on normal rest tonight after last night's late inning antics required the presence of Jeremy Guthrie. On one hand, it's too bad we were deprived of the ace-ace matchup, but on the other hand, the Orioles hitters never score any runs for poor Guts, so maybe it's for the better that he appeared in the 15th inning of a game we'd already lost, because it means there's actually a chance of scoring some runs today.

The problem with hoping for runs is that injuries have ravaged the clubhouse, with both Brian Roberts and Derrek Lee hitting the DL, although it's not like either of those guys have been performing up to expectations anyway. Still, with Jake Fox starting since Matt Wieters could probably use a day off after catching 15 innings, tonight's lineup is made up of fail and lose, and will be batting against last year's runner-up for the AL Cy Young.

Then there's the New York lineup, which has already scored over 200 runs in about a quarter of the season.

Thus we wake up and find ourselves in an existential quandary, full of loathing and self-doubt, and wracked with the pain and isolation of our pitiful, meaningless existence. At least we can take a small bit of comfort in knowing that somewhere out there in this crazy, mixed-up universe of ours, there's still a little place...