Wed. afternoon Orioles game one thread: at Red Sox, 1:05

Because you, the public, demanded it, we’re getting not one but two Orioles games today.

Seriously, we’re really doing this? The O’s and Red Sox were rained out on Tuesday and instead of canceling the game — which has no playoff or draft-pick implications, since the Sox have already clinched MLB’s best record and the O’s have clinched the worst — they rescheduled it for this afternoon as part of a day-night doubleheader.

I don’t want to be here. You don’t want to be here. The players don’t want to be here. The Orioles are ready to go home; the Red Sox are ready to get the playoffs started. Couldn’t we have just scrapped this thing and given these guys a few extra hours of rest before their regularly scheduled 7:05 game?

I suppose the Red Sox didn’t want to issue mass refunds and miss out on that sweet, sweet ticket revenue. So here we are. The Orioles will be using a bullpen game, with Ryan Meisinger — who has never made a start in his 142-game professional career — getting the assignment today.

Against southpaw David Price, Buck Showalter has benched DJ Stewart, who actually had a higher OPS against lefties than righties in the minors this year. Sure, sure, in critically important games like this, it’s no time to be evaluating whether Stewart can hit lefties in the majors. (That was sarcasm, folks.)

1. Cedric Mullins CF
2. Jonathan Villar SS
3. Adam Jones LF
4. Trey Mancini 1B
5. Tim Beckham DH
6. Renato Nunez 3B
7. Joey Rickard RF
8. Austin Wynns C
9. Steve Wilkerson 2B

SP Ryan Meisinger