The Birds’ trip to New York got off to a bit of a rough start, as one bad inning doomed Bud Norris. Though he went seven strong, the Mets’ three-run fourth inning was enough, as Bartolo Colon dominated the O’s bats and pitched out of a key second-and-third, one out situation in the fourth to escape unharmed. Manny Machado hit a solo homer, and Chris Davis added another off Mets’ closer Jeurys Familia, but the good guys lost 3-2. They look to salvage a split of the short two-gamer tonight before heading to the Bronx for four against the first-place (ugh) Yankees.
Here’s some O’s reading for your hump day:
Steve Pearce is Playing Second Base
Though Buck went with Jimmy Paredes at second last night (Pearce was still feeling ill), Steve Pearce played second base three times over the weekend. Fangraphs’ always entertaining and insightful Jeff Sullivan looks at how he did, and how it’s just another example of Buck looking for any advantage he can find.
J.J. Hardy & Ryan Flaherty continued their rehab stints in Bowie last night (after a bit of a rain delay). Charm City’s favorite Aussie, Dan Clark of The Big Leagues Daily, provides the full update.
O’s Happy to Defend AL East Title Free from Outside Expectations
Jesse Spector of The Sporting News (who still won’t admit that he never heard a four-syllable “Let’s Go O-O’s” chant at Camden Yards last postseason) talks to some Orioles about what it’s like to once again be the underdogs, despite running away with the AL East last year. He also throws a little shade at the punk Royals, which I can always get behind.
When Chris Davis smoked Familia’s 96-MPH heater over the left-center field wall last night, I’ll admit that one of my first thoughts was about the post Camden Depot’s Matt Perez wrote a few weeks back about Davis’ trouble with fastballs this year. I was pleasantly surprised, then, to see that Matt had already written a follow-up early this morning. Take a look at how Davis’ improvement over the last few weeks correlates with an increased ability to handle four-seamers.
Miguel Gonzalez is at it Again
Speaking of Camden Depot, Matt Kremnitzer of CD writes in his weekly MASN guest post that Miguel Gonzalez is once again doing what it takes to prevent runs. MiGo is always the first one many point to when trying to make room in the rotation for Kevin Gausman, but so far this season he’s giving absolutely no reason to take his starting role from him.
