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If the Orioles can be completely mystified by Jered Weaver, they are fully capable of being mystified by anybody. Losses like Friday's are particularly demoralizing to fans for that reason. How are they going to be any better against Matt Shoemaker? There's not many pitchers quite like Weaver, which is actually a comfort. Whatever he used to beat the Orioles, Shoemaker probably can't use the same.
Maybe it won't matter much. We've been watching Ubaldo Jimenez all season, holding our breath and waiting for him to start to stumble. That could happen any time - or he could just have a bad night, not necessarily part of a stumble. Every game feels important when you're three games below .500 and you don't want to fall any farther below. It's still just one game, but if you write off too many games as "just one game", before long things get out of hand.
No Orioles have faced Shoemaker any more than three times - but Adam Jones has two home runs in his three at-bats against Shoemaker. It would be something if he can deliver another one tonight.