Apparently someone forgot to tell the Orioles that most experts picked them to be one of the worst teams in the major leagues this season. The bullpen has been untouchable and the lineup, despite the absence of a true power hitter, has found ways to score enough runs to propel the Orioles to five straight victories after an Opening Day loss.

A week ago, this team was considered to have the potential to be one of the worst in franchise history. Now, the fans are saving up their money to buy playoff tickets. OK, I won’t go that far yet. It’s still a long season.

Anyway, the team had a very successful homestand, but now they’ll need to show they can be victorious away from Baltimore. The Orioles play three games in Texas and then head to Tampa Bay for three more. Winning games on the road will help the team to gain more confidence. But if they struggle, then they’ll be back where they started the season – at the back of the pack with no expectations from anyone outside of their locker room.

The rotation needs to contribute more quality starts in order for the Orioles to remain competitive in the AL East. Although they’ve won five consecutive games, Steve Trachsel is the only starter to pick up a win. The bullpen won’t be able to carry the team for the entire season, so the starting pitching needs to go deeper into ballgames. In my opinion, that’s the biggest issue the Orioles faced in their opening homestand.

Pitching matchups

Tuesday 4/8: Brian Burres vs. Jason Jennings
Wednesday 4/9: Steve Trachsel vs. Kason Gabbard
Thursday 4/10: Adam Loewen vs. Kevin Millwood

Who you should play from the Rangers

Kevin Millwood, RHP – Millwood has lost his first two starts this season, but he’s pitched pretty well. He has allowed four runs (two earned) in 14 innings pitched. Millwood has been fairly successful against the Orioles in his career. In 10 career starts, Millwood is 7-2 with a 3.49 ERA. Look for him to have another solid start against the Orioles on Thursday. He is probably available in most leagues, so pick him up if you’re looking for someone to help you with a spot start.

Who you should bench from the Rangers

Hank Blalock, 3B – Blalock is off to a decent start with a .278 batting average (5-for-18) in five games so far this season. He has three doubles and three runs scored. However, it’s a good idea to find someone to replace him while Texas faces the Orioles because he’ll face two lefties (Burres and Loewen) in the series. He hits .226 against left-handed pitchers and .292 against righties. If you have him on your fantasy team, make sure he’s sitting on Tuesday and Thursday. Hopefully you have another solid third baseman on your fantasy team.

Who you should play from the Orioles

Luke Scott, LF – Scott won’t hit this well all season, but he’s on fire right now. As a fantasy owner, you need to be able to maximize his production for your team. That means it’s a good idea to find a way to get him into your lineup. Although he’s only 2-for-17 lifetime against the Rangers, he’ll have plenty of chances to improve those numbers in the next three games. Grab him if he’s available in your league and get him into your starting lineup as soon as possible.

Who you should bench from the Orioles

Ramon Hernandez, C – Hernandez is struggling at the plate to start the season. He’s only 3-for-18 and all three of those hits came in Friday’s game. While he’s had moderate success against the Rangers in his career – .281 batting average, six home runs and 29 RBIs in 77 games – it’s a good idea to start your backup catcher if you have one. Unfortunately I don’t have any catchers besides Hernandez on my fantasy team, so I’ll be starting him every game and hoping that he breaks out of the slump.