Quick Devil Rays thought: Why do they exist? The Devil Rays are the greatest argument for contraction since Wyoming was introduced to the Union.
THE BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Pitching: In pitching coach Leo Mazzone's second year, there is cause for excitement for the Oriole faithful. Mazzone has the remarkable capability of getting a pitcher to pitch his absolute best. The problem, however, is that this starting rotation doesn't exactly have the highest ceiling in the world. There are four adequate starters (Bedard, Wright, Trachsel, and Cabrera), but none of them excite anyone. These are average to slightly-above-average starters. The bullpen, on the other hand, might be one of the best in baseball. They have three guys with closing experience (Ray, Baez, Williamson) and one of the better right handed set up men in the game (Bradford). There are few teams with which I'd feel more comfortable with a lead in the seventh.
Hitting: Like the Devil Rays, the poor Orioles have the misfortune of competing in the same division as the two biggest spenders in the sport. Miguel Tejada was the only big free agent that wanted to come compete with a team guaranteed not to compete. Since Miggy's arrival in Baltimore, it's been mostly overachievers like Melvin Mora and Brian Roberts. This offseason's biggest acquisition was Aubrey Huff, a hard worker with a nice stick, but nowhere near enough to compete with Ortiz-Ramirez or Giambi-Abreu-Rodriguez-Matsui.
Miscellaneous: How much do Orioles fans hate New Yorkers and Bostonians? I mean, unlike Tampa Bay, Baltimore loves their baseball team. And for a solid five years, their season is over before it begins. I'd be so bitter.
Orioles-related Ridiculous Proposition Bet: Realistic calculation on the amount of times Leo Mazzone, notorious for rocking back and forth, rocks in one season. Two hundred times per half inning times two to make a full inning times nine innings at an average of four hundred times per inning, multiplied by 162 games. Over/Under on amount of rocks this season: 583,200. I would not feel comfortable taking the under.
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