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Sunday afternoon Orioles game thread: vs. Cubs, 1:35

The Orioles have been back in action for just two days and it already feels like we need another four or more days off from them.

Baltimore Orioles v Tampa Bay Rays Photo by Brian Blanco/Getty Images

The All-Star break was a nice four day respite from the Orioles being a bad baseball team. It was a long enough break that you could actually start to convince yourself, “Hey, maybe if they go on a hot streak...” Well, here we are two games into the second half of the season and they have neatly eviscerated that hope.

What has done them in is the same thing that has done them in all season. Their starting pitching is just horrible. I mean, even if you might have thought this would be the team’s weakness, you surely didn’t expect that they would be sitting here in mid-July with a worst in the majors starting rotation ERA of 5.95. I mean, geez.

Is that going to get any better with Ubaldo Jimenez pitching today? I think we probably all have the same answer to that question, though of course, Jimenez is always capable of surprising.

The Orioles are once again tied for last place in the AL East. Time is running out before the trade deadline and the only place the Orioles are headed is towards disaster. I don’t want the Orioles to lose games, but if they are in fact not a very good baseball team, it is important for that to be known before July 31 so that they can make the correct decision.

Today's Lineups

CHICAGO CUBS BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Ben Zobrist - 2B Adam Jones - CF
Kris Bryant - 3B Manny Machado - 3B
Anthony Rizzo - 1B Jonathan Schoop - SS
Willson Contreras - C Mark Trumbo - DH
Kyle Schwarber - DH Chris Davis - 1B
Ian Happ - CF Trey Mancini - LF
Jason Heyward - RF Welington Castillo - C
Addison Russell - SS Johnny Giavotella - 2B
Jon Jay - LF Joey Rickard - RF
Jose Quintana - LHP Ubaldo Jimenez - RHP