8/14 - Wow, we needed that
I don't have much to say other than that was the best Orioles win of the year. Yes, even over our comeback against the Red Sox.
Dave Trembley had gone on record earlier in the season as saying "Someone is going to pay." Someone was going to pay, because this team was much more talented offensively than the numbers were showing. This team was due to hang ten on someone, and last night they did.
Felix Pie hit for the cycle. The much maligned outfielder made the most of his limited playing time, having the most spectacular evening in a night filled with lots of hits and lots of runs. The Orioles scored 16 against Jered Weaver and the Angels, chasing the Angel starter before the fourth inning. The fact that Baltimore was able to reach (and hit) the Angel bullpen (as three different LAA relievers threw over an inning of ball each) so early in the series means that the Angels' relief corps will be depleted as the series continues, a small but relevant edge over the remaining three games.
Perhaps most significantly, Chris Tillman earned his first major league win, going 6.2 innings with 3 ER (4 runs total), 7 hits, two walks, and three strikeouts. Wieters may have recieved the most hype after being promoted, but if the Orioles are actually going to turn themselves around, Tillman's success is just as important as the Switch-Hitting Jesus.
Nolan Reimold has been banged up lately, and with his late performance Felix Pie has earned the right to keep starting in left. In a perfect world, Pie would develop into an everyday left fielder who plays good D and runs well, while Reimold would take over the DH spot and get some starts in left. I have no idea how likely that is (the odds are probably against it) but Pie will continue to get starts in LF. Hopefully, more regular time will do him good.
Maybe we'll get blown out tonight, and Matusz will get hit hard. Maybe Felix Pie really is the chump Chicago fans insist he is. I don't know; that's all in the future. What I do know is that last night was the best time to be an O's fan all year.
Dave Trembley had gone on record earlier in the season as saying "Someone is going to pay." Someone was going to pay, because this team was much more talented offensively than the numbers were showing. This team was due to hang ten on someone, and last night they did.
Felix Pie hit for the cycle. The much maligned outfielder made the most of his limited playing time, having the most spectacular evening in a night filled with lots of hits and lots of runs. The Orioles scored 16 against Jered Weaver and the Angels, chasing the Angel starter before the fourth inning. The fact that Baltimore was able to reach (and hit) the Angel bullpen (as three different LAA relievers threw over an inning of ball each) so early in the series means that the Angels' relief corps will be depleted as the series continues, a small but relevant edge over the remaining three games.
Perhaps most significantly, Chris Tillman earned his first major league win, going 6.2 innings with 3 ER (4 runs total), 7 hits, two walks, and three strikeouts. Wieters may have recieved the most hype after being promoted, but if the Orioles are actually going to turn themselves around, Tillman's success is just as important as the Switch-Hitting Jesus.
Nolan Reimold has been banged up lately, and with his late performance Felix Pie has earned the right to keep starting in left. In a perfect world, Pie would develop into an everyday left fielder who plays good D and runs well, while Reimold would take over the DH spot and get some starts in left. I have no idea how likely that is (the odds are probably against it) but Pie will continue to get starts in LF. Hopefully, more regular time will do him good.
Maybe we'll get blown out tonight, and Matusz will get hit hard. Maybe Felix Pie really is the chump Chicago fans insist he is. I don't know; that's all in the future. What I do know is that last night was the best time to be an O's fan all year.
Labels: Chris Tillman, Felix Pie, Orioles
posted by Mr. Crash at
7:06 AM
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