Radhames Liz
I'll apologize in advance to the readers who don't like when I write about pitch counts, but Radhames Liz is up to 77 after three innings. I think that's significant.
Think Liz is going deeper than five innings in this game? Think the middle relief issue is going to crop up again?
Significant.
Liz's fastball has hit 97 mph, and he's gotten some big strikes with his changeup. I'm not sure why he threw a 3-2 slider to Chris Davis in the third inning tha resulted in a walk, but he struck out Max Ramirez to end the inning.
The Rangers tied the game on a wild pitch. Catcher Ramon Hernandez tried to backhand a ball that bounced directly in front of him.
Comments
Our starting pitching needs to improve, Guthrie is the only constant on the entire ballclub.
You don't know what you are going to get with Cabrera, Olson, Liz, or Burres.
Kranitz has down a wonderful job with the pitchers in the bullpen, but the SP needs to catch up.
Posted by: Matt | July 6, 2008 2:48 PM
Roch,
I'm a little bit angry right now, and I want to know your opinion on it-
I'm a baseball fan, I love following the game and talking about it with friends and family. So when I found out the All-Star rosters this year I almost flipped my rocker.
How the flying monkey does Dustin Pedroia make the All-Star team over the AL BA leader, Hits leader, and runs leader? Ian Kinsler is having a great year down in Texas and smokes Pedroia in every category!
It just grinds my gears to know that the Fan vote has that much weight to it.
UGH!
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I'm a huge Pedroia fan, but you're right. Kinsler absolutely deserves to start. It's a real shame that he isn't. - Roch
Also;
What do you think of J.J. Hardy from the Brewers, and what would you give up to get him.
Posted by: Matt | July 6, 2008 2:56 PM
Ramon is starting to kill this team with the way he calls a game and the way he plays defense. He let that ball get by him by stabbing at it instead of blocking it with his body and lately the pitches he's called with 2 strikes are confusing. In that blow save against Washington he set up low and inside on back to back pitches calling a slider to a right handed hitter from left handed George Sherrill. Who sets up inside for a breaking ball against an opposite handed hitter? The whole advantage is being able to read the break easier. He's done that a few times this season and at least three of the blown saves are because of it.
Is Weiters ready yet?!
Posted by: kyle | July 6, 2008 2:58 PM
Rick Dempsey should tell us exactly what he thinks of Hernandez. He's just too lazy often times to block pitches.
Posted by: Ray | July 6, 2008 3:07 PM
What's with the blue hats?
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Teams have been wearing Fourth of July caps all weekend. The Orioles' model is blue. Not good with the orange and black color scheme. - Roch
Posted by: Ron Schwartz | July 6, 2008 3:07 PM
Another great affort by the Genius who is the only one who knew that Radhames Liz didn't have it.He waits for him to give up 4 runs before he goes to the bullpen with a lefty coming up to bat.Sorry he's a joke handling the pitching staff.
Posted by: Burt from Essex | July 6, 2008 3:09 PM
This is a travesty. Brian Roberts is not an all-star. I know Pedroia was voted in and Kinsler deserves to go but why not Roberts. He leads the AL in doubles and triples and is among the the leaders in stolen bases. This has to be one of the biggest snubs. Huff will get screwed out in replacing Ortiz as the DH. This whole All Star crap is nothing but a popularity contest and the managers mostly takes his starters with him whether they deserve it or not. Maybe we should go back to do what MLB did in the 50's and 60's and have 2 All Star games.
Posted by: Dave | July 6, 2008 3:13 PM
I hate sundays
Posted by: Mr. Deez | July 6, 2008 3:15 PM
The best team in the Majors right now gets nobody elected. Typical media influence.
When are they going to stop calling this an allstar game and start calling it what it is?
Posted by: POPSinPA | July 6, 2008 3:29 PM
Rick Dempsey should tell us exactly what he thinks of Hernandez. He's just too lazy often times to block pitches.
Posted by: Ray | July 6, 2008 3:49 PM
Look when you keep walking hitters the way that this team does and continue with this high pitch count you don't give your team a chance to win. This story is getting real old.75 pitches in the 3rd inning .These walks are getting real old. And with this pitching staff things won't get better until changes are made to it. But in the orioles case they don't have anybody to replace these ineffective starters outside of guthrie. Way to inconsistent.
Posted by: Anonymous | July 6, 2008 5:32 PM
hey Matt, what do you mean you don't know what you're gonna get with those guys?
Guthrie- you get 7 IP, a hanging slider or two that get crushed, and no run support
D-Cab- you get runs scored against in the 1st, but at least 6-7 IP; you have to admit, the guy is a horse
Liz- you get 5 wild innings
Olson- you (maybe) get 5 wild innings, and a guy who can't pitch with a lead
Burres- you get 10 hits "scattered" over 3 innings, batting practice fastballs and a guy who might as well throw underhanded
Posted by: winston | July 6, 2008 6:45 PM