On Deck--The Texas Rangers

The thing that makes me most optimistic about this Oriole team is that they are 5-1 and I don't think we have seen their best ball yet. The middle of the lineup hasn't quite put it together yet, Buck has been juggling the starting rotation, and J.J Hardy and Luke Scott have lost time to minor injuries. In a sense the O's wins are smoke and mirrors. They are winning despite a .659 OPS, 10th in the AL. The pitching staff is keeping runs from scoring by holding opponents to an unsustainable .230 BABIP. Still, one of these days, the Orioles will have their two best starters back and Derrek Lee (.598 OPS) will start to hit. When that happens the O's might be able to put away the smoke machine and fun house mirrors.

This weekend the 6-0 Texas Rangers come to Camden Yards. The Rangers have a bruising offense that leads the league in slugging (.603) and OPS (.957). Those numbers come with the same "small sample size" warnings as the O's stats. It's also worth noting that their gaudy numbers were run up against the 0-6 Red Sox (hee-hee!!) and the 2-4 Mariners. Are the Rangers that good or are the Sox and M's that bad? This weekend should give a good indication.

Fri, Lewis @ Britton

Sat, Harrison @ Arrieta

Sun, Holland @ TBA (Guthrie???)

Things to Watch

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  Personally, I'm looking forward to seeing old friend Arthur Rhodes. Now in his early 40s, Rhodes has recreated himself as a dominating lefty specialist. I always enjoy seeing an Oriole alum having success.


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  Jeremy Guthrie is the biggest question for the Orioles. It would help the team greatly if he could come back from his illness Sunday and be effective against the Rangers. Otherwise the O's will be calling up a minor league starter to face the best offense in the AL. Ouch.


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  J.J. Hardy: Minor injury, or major? He has a pretty thick medical chart. Color me nervous.


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  Ranger pitcher Matt Harrison is going to be fun to watch on Saturday. He has been the definition of "replacement level" for the Rangers over the last three years (17-10, 5.27 ERA, 1.37 SO/BB). But last week he absolutely shut down the Boston Red Sox over seven innings. Which Matt Harrison will the Orioles see?