April Fools

Well, the O’s are doing it again.

They’re teasing us with their typical decent play to start the season. Who needs September and October when you’ve got April in Baltimore? What’s the name of that Who song? We won’t be fooled again? Well, here I am, a smile on my face, writing another blog entry and looking forward to watching no-name starting pitcher Alfredo Simon and the 5-2 Orioles take on the Rangers tonight at 8 p.m.

So I’ll be fooled again and like it.

But I’m not blind. I know that the Orioles have a team ERA of 6.10. I know that the wins will not last.

But, at least there is something to look forward to each night – the offense.

So far, Brian Roberts, Adam Jones, Nick Markakis and Aubrey Huff have been deadly at the top of the line-up. Felix Pie is also fun to watch, and collected 3 hits last night including his first home run as an Oriole.

The patented weak bench of Oriole past is finally gone now that decent players like Ty Wigginton, Luke Scott and Ryan Freel are available on most nights.

Oh and in case you forgot, that doesn’t even factor in ultra-prospect Matt Wieters, who the O’s can call up on Friday, and avoid starting his service clock in 2009.

So while the O’s pitching has been pretty bad thus far, their hitting has been just as good, and looks to get better. And there is pitching help on the way.

I think.

****

Just a week in, there are already roster moves begging to be made.

Relief pitcher Brian Bass has just 5.1 IP, and has already allowed 10 ER. He’s as good as gone. The O’s made a mistake by sending down Matt Albers instead of DFAing Bass when they needed to activate Adam Eaton, but that mistake can be erased be recalling Albers in a week and releasing Bass, who will almost certainly pass through waivers and be optioned to Norfolk.

Utility man Ryan Freel is a decent guy to have around. He can play anywhere, gets on base and then steals them pretty well. However, with Wigginton and Roberto Andino on the roster, Freel is redundant. The O’s could trade or release Freel tomorrow and it wouldn’t impact the team at all. Meanwhile, OF Nolan Reimold is off to a hot start in Norfolk and could share AB’s with Pie if he is promoted to Baltimore to take the place of Freel.

So here we are again. The first week of the season is over and the O’s are battling for first place. Would you have April any other way?