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There are five games left in the season and the Orioles are five games over .500. Playoff hopes are buried as of last night. They have at least guaranteed a non-losing season, but wouldn't it be nice to say it was a winning season? All they have to do is win one more game, but we've been saying that for the last six games and they've gone ahead and lost them all.
The ultimate forfeit lineup has been deployed to mark the occasion of pointless baseball. What else can you say about Jason Pridie, Steve Clevenger, and Steve Pearce in the same lineup? At least there is the debut of Jonathan Schoop to be vaguely excited about, although don't get too excited because he was hurt half of this year and was just OK in the other half. But hey, it's something to take the sting away a little bit.
Not much harm in shuffling the deck a little at this point. Some players are clearly wearing down and could use a day off. A day after the consecutive games streak of Manny Machado has ended, it looks like Adam Jones will have his come to a close as well. He is apparently a bit beat up, although if anyone needs a day off to me it's Nick Markakis. Instead he's batting third.
Bud Norris is starting tonight. He'll be pitching against some guys on the Blue Jays. Good luck, Bud. Maybe you'll have the optimistic outcome for an O's starter lately, which is pitch a good game while the offense fails around you and the bullpen surrenders a late run.