After a chaotic week in the city of Baltimore, the Orioles gave us a reprieve from real life and allowed us to enjoy a baseball game for three hours. The starting pitching is hitting their stride and the offense continues to be among the league’s best. This is perfect timing as the team heads to New York to play the first place Mets and the first place Yankees in the next six games.

Machado Batting Leadoff

This is why I love Buck Showalter. He does crazy things and they seem to work. With Alejandro De Aza and Everth Cabrera struggling, Showalter has decided it is time to move Manny Machado atop the order. Our own Gordon Dixon wrote a great post here about Machado’s improved plate discipline which at this point, makes him the perfect candidate to bat leadoff.

I don’t know how long this will last, but as long as Machado is working counts and putting the ball in play on a consistent basis, I don’t see a reason for Showalter to make a change.

Hardy & Flaherty Close to Returning

Barring any setbacks, both J.J. Hardy and Ryan Flaherty should return to the Orioles roster during the Yankees series. This is great news both offensively and defensively for the team. Rey Navarro will be sent back to Triple-A Norfolk, but the Orioles will still have to make another roster decision. I think Cabrera stays due to his ability to play both shortstop and second base.

De Aza would be a bold move and David Lough is out of options. The question is: will the O’s send Jason Garcia packing? This is the most logical decision, but will the O’s do it?

I have a feeling we will see a player leave that none of us expect.

NL Rules Are the Worst

I am prepared to get in heated debates every time I bring this up, but it really is the truth. The Orioles will have to sit one of their hottest hitters in Jimmy Paredes for the next two games because they can’t use a designated hitter. I don’t pay to watch Bartolo Colon look like a fool swinging a bat and I don’t want to risk an injury to one of the Orioles pitchers because they have to try and hit a fastball in the 90s.

Hilarious. Now give me my DH.

Luckily, this series is only two games, but losing one of your best hitters to a rule that makes no sense is very frustrating.