The boys of summer are back and Buck Showalter is ready to lead his troops to another playoff run. Unfortunately for the Birds, the first game of the year will be on the road. The Tampa Bay Rays will play host to the O’s at Tropicana Field for the opener of the year.
Pitching for the Orioles will be seven-year veteran Jason Hammel, the apparent ace of the staff. Hammel had his best season yet last year, posting his first sub-3.50 ERA of his career. The former Tampa Bay Ray also posted an 8-6 record in his 20 starts. Look for Hammel to have a good outing, as he is notorious for starting well. He had a 1.97 ERA last season in April, and kept opposing batting averages at .200.
The Rays will send David Price to the mound, which will force Hammel to be on his best game. Price has dominated the O’s over the years, earning a 6-2 record. Price threw against the Orioles in his final spring training start, and tossed four scoreless. He struck out three, while only allowing two baserunners, one a single from J.J Hardy, the other a Matt Wieters walk.
Price is a legit ace, but the fact that Showalter’s crew saw him just a few days ago could bode well for the offense.
Don’t expect the team to hit any long balls in the opener. Price has faced the Orioles 12 times, and hasn’t let up a single home run. I expect the offense to thrive on singles and small ball. Brian Roberts batting 9th will help balance speed throughout the lineup and taking chances will be key.
Look for Roberts to have a big game. He has fared the best with a near .400 on-base percentage career against Price. If Roberts can get going at the bottom, it will help guys like Nick Markakis have big days.
One Response
Great post. Keep up the good work Joe.