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The Orioles will be good again some day. Today is not that day. Here we are, sitting down to watch a bunch of dudes who have limped to a 21-53 record and have lost their last eight games in a row. It is a west coast game on a Thursday night.
The O’s will be without their best player, Trey Mancini, who’s still day-to-day after being hit in the elbow on Wednesday. There was also news today that John Means, the best pitcher to date, is on the injured list with a left shoulder strain.
Although he’s hopeful that it will be a minimum 10-day stay, it’s never a good thing to hear about shoulder or elbow problems for a pitcher you like. Means was not scheduled to pitch tonight anyway, it’s just an extra reason to be glum and not bother with this game.
In a few years (hopefully not too many years) there will not be an award waiting for those who are still bothering to pay even a modicum of attention to games like this. The people who checked out and have no memory of a lineup where Rio Ruiz is the first baseman will not care. That’s not a bad thing. It just is.
The only reason that I myself can guarantee that I will watch this thing from start to finish is that I am contractually obligated to do so. If you are tuning in for all or part, keep me and your other fellow true die-hards company in the comments. With a lineup like this, we’ll probably need some commiseration:
- Jonathan Villar - 2B
- Anthony Santander - RF
- Pedro Severino - C
- Dwight Smith Jr. - LF
- Renato Núñez - DH
- Rio Ruiz - 1B
- Hanser Alberto - 3B
- Keon Broxton - CF
- Richie Martin - SS
Dylan Bundy is the Orioles starting pitcher. The O’s lineup will be facing Mariners starter Wade LeBlanc, who’s been pretty crummy (6.20 ERA) in nine games so far this season. After a stink bomb in Oakland, maybe the O’s lineup can break out against a bad Seattle team? That would be nice.