Orioles News - Is Roberts Outta Here?

Could Baltimore Oriole second baseman Brian Roberts be leaving Baltimore? Apparently talks between the Orioles and the Chicago Cubs have gotten very serious. The talks have gotten so serious that the O's have actually contacted Rocky Hall, the agent of free agent second baseman Tadahito Iguchi. They have done this to see if Iguchi would be interested in playing for Baltimore, so the O's know they would have an option at second base should Brian Roberts be traded. It could be a three player deal, including a starting pitcher coming to the O's. But, this could be all talk. Roberts is a fan favorite, and owner Peter Angelos has killed deals in the past that would send Roberts to another team. I say that the Orioles should hold onto Brian, unless the deal being offered is too good to pass up. Roberts is a great player, (one of the few good players on the O's), and a fan favorite. Without him, what player would people come to Camden Yards to see? Erik Bedard could likely be traded, and he only plays every 5 days anyway, so what player would put the fans in the stands? Nick Markakis can't do it alone...

Bottom line: Keep Roberts unless the Cubs are giving some top pitching prospects away. - John T.

Orioles News - 11/17/07 - A Look At The Lineup

The Baltimore Orioles haven't made many moves this year in free agency. The O's haven't had any significant players leave either, besides outfielder Corey Patterson. So, will they make any big moves this off season? Probably not. But, if you look, the base of the Orioles roster is still set. Here is a look at the Baltimore Orioles lineup for next year, as of right now.

The O's still have their lead off man, Brian Roberts. He isn't moving spots. The person who is hitting second is still a little iffy, since Corey Patterson is no longer on the team. It's also still iffy due to all of the trade rumors whirling. The man hitting third is pretty obvious - Nick Markakis. He led the team in batting average, home runs, and RBI's last year. Nick stays in the number three spot. Now for the fourth spot. If Miguel Tejada has a change of heart and decides to stay, and that's a big if, he will likely hit here. Miggi can still hit, it's just that his fielding is declining. A lot. In the number 5 spot, Aubrey Huff is a likely candidate. Huff hit .280 with 72 RBI's last year. Those numbers are OK, even if Huff does run his mouth. Now batting 6th, Melvin Mora. Mora, if he is still in Baltimore, should hit about here. Kevin Millar could hit in 7th, with Jay Payton hitting 8th. Rounding out the lineup, Ramon Hernandez should hit about 9th. - John T.

Orioles News - 11/12/07 - O's Helping Nats - No One Is Untouchable?

The Baltimore Orioles are going to help the Washington Nationals. How so? By helping break in the Nationals new Stadium. On March 29, the O's and Nationals are going to play an exhibition game in the Nats new park. So, how can you get tickets? You can't unless you are have a season ticket package. No tickets are being sold to the public. The rest of the tickets that aren't taken by the season ticket holders will be given away. The O's helping their cross-town rivals. Who woulda thought of that?

Orioles president Andy MacPhail has said that no one on the O's team is "untouchable." Meaning that no one will be off limits to a trade. But really, are there untouchables? I gotta say yes on this one. Don't tell me that Baltimore is really going to trade a home-grown star like Nick Markakis. Or Erik Bedard? Are the O's really going to trade him? They better keep these players if they ever want to compete... - John T.

Orioles News - 10/9/07 - Changes The O's Need To Make To Compete

Now that the Baltimore Orioles season is over, some of the many questions on every one's mind are these: What changes do the O's need to make to compete? Should Miguel Tejada leave or at least move to 3rd base? Should Daniel Cabrera leave or at least head to the bullpen? Today I will answer the first question, What changes do the O's need to make to compete? The rest will be answered in the coming days.

What Off Season Changes Do the Baltimore Orioles Need to Make to Compete?

The Baltimore Orioles off season checklist should look like this:

1. Relievers.

2. A good, middle-of-the-order hitter.

3. Starting pitchers.

Why is getting relievers ranked first? Well, reliever Dany Baez will most likely be out for all of 2008 with an arm injury that will require Tommy John Surgery. Not that he was all that great. He was 0-6 with a 6.44 ERA. He won't be missed by me. But, closer Chris Ray is also expected to be out for all of next year as he is having Tommy John Surgery too. Reliever Jamie Walker and Chad Bradford were good this year, but other then that, Baltimore didn't really have any good relievers. With two more arms gone from the bullpen, we need more relievers.

Why is a good, middle-of-the-order hitter a need? Well, the O's scored 756 runs last year, but the pitching gave up the 3rd most runs in all of baseball. Your not going to win a lot of games when your being outscored like that. Plus, this move would take pressure off of Miguel Tejada and Nick Markakis, because they would know they have a great hitter coming up behind them.

Why are starting pitchers a need? They are because our rotation has only 1 proven pitcher, Erik Bedard. Yes, Jeremy Guthrie is good but he was a rookie last year, and he'll need another good year to prove himself. Adam Loewen is good but who knows how he'll be after coming off major surgery. Other then that, we don't have any good pitchers for our rotation. We have young pitchers but they're just that: Young. And young pitchers means inexperienced pitchers. The O's need to pick up at least 1 veteran starter to help out the rotation and the younger players.

Coming tomorrow: Should Miguel Tejada Leave The Orioles Or At Least Move To 3rd base? - John T.

Orioles News - 10/7/07 - Looking forward to 2008

Now that the Baltimore Orioles season is over, some of the many questions on every one's mind are these: What will the O's everyday lineup look like in 2008? What will the Orioles' pitching rotation look like in 2008? What changes do the O's need to make to compete? Should Miguel Tejada leave or at least move to 3rd base? Should Daniel Cabrera leave or at least head to the bullpen? Today I will answer the first question, What will the O's lineup look like in 2008? The rest will be answered in the coming days.

What Will the Baltimore Orioles Lineup Look Like in 2008?

With Brian Roberts locked down in a contract, his place at second base is secure. Unfortunately, that's about the only spot that's secure in the Baltimore infield. Shortstop Miguel Tejada is unhappy and is likely on his way out of Baltimore. The O's want him to move to 3rd base, but Tejada is not going willingly as he has said that he would rather be traded to another team and continue playing shortstop. There's not much more certainty at 3rd base either as Melvin Mora's play has declined and Scott Moore is waiting in the wings to play. As for 1st base, Kevin Millar has played well but is obviously not the long-term answer. The catcher position is currently held by Ramon Hernandez, and it appears as if he will continue to hold that position. Now on to the outfield. Center fielder Corey Patterson is eligble for free agency this year, and it's not clear yet whether Baltimore will bring him back. The free agent pool is weak this year, so I think it would be wise to bring him back. In right field, Nick Markakis is holding down that spot and will continue to for years. Left field is a different story. Jay Payton wasn't spectacular and left field has been a weakness for years. That will probably continue this year unless the Orioles pull off a move to bring in someone new.

Coming tomorrow: What Will the Orioles Pitching Rotation Look Like in 2008? - John T.

Orioles News - 10/5/07 - Grading the Position Players in 2007

As a part of the 2007 season wrap-up for the Baltimore Orioles, I will grade the Orioles position players. Here are my grades. (Note: Players who finished the year on the disabled list or not with the team are not included.)

Grading the Baltimore Orioles Position Players in 2007:

Player: Grade: Key Stat:
Nick Markakis A .300 batting average.
Tike Redman B More triples then 11 players.
Miguel Tejada C 15 errors at Shortstop. Time to move?
Luis Hernandez C+ Drew only 1 walk.
Brian Roberts B 50 stolen bases.
Aubrey Huff C- Only 15 homers.
Melvin Mora C- 10 errors. Time to leave?
Corey Patterson C- 37 stolen bases, but otherwise a bad year.
Freddie Bynum C Didn't get a whole lot of chances.
Ramon Hernandez D+ Only 9 home runs.
Jay Payton D+ .256 batting average.
Scott Moore D .260 on base average.
Kevin Millar C+ 2nd highest on base average on the team.
Paul Bako D+ 1 homer in 156 at-bats.
Brandon Fahey F 9 hits in 54 at-bats.

Wow. That is bad hitting. I gave out one "A". You can't compete if you can't score...

Coming tomorrow: The Final Part of the 2007 Season Wrap-Up: Looking Back at 2007. - John T.

Orioles News - 10/2/07 - Best of the 2007 season

As a part of the 2007 season wrap-up for the Baltimore Orioles, I will write about the Orioles best moment and best players of 2007.

Best Moment in the 2007 Season:

There were few great moments for the Orioles in 2007, but this one really stands out.

- Aubrey Huff hitting for the cycle. This was on June 27, as Aubrey hit for the cycle against the Los Angeles Angels. He began with a triple, his 1,000th hit, followed by a double, his 200th of his career, and then he homered. Only a single to go... And... Huff hit the single he needed, a bloop hit that gave him the cycle! He was the first Oriole to hit for the cycle at home. And what a game! His 1000th hit, his 200th double, and the cycle all in one day! Amazing.

Best Oriole of 2007:

There is 1 player that deserves this award the most. Here he is:

Nick Markakis, Right fielder, Baltimore Orioles, Number 21. That's what his bio says. They forgot to mention "Savior of the Baltimore Orioles." Nick Markakis has provided hope in another losing season. He has given fans hope for the future, that maybe, just maybe, he will be able to one day carry this team on his shoulders out of the cellar in the AL East, and into the playoffs. So by now your probably saying "Yeah right, fat chance." But just look at his stats. He hit .300 with 23 home runs and 112 RBI's this season. And he's only in his 2nd year, as he blew the sophomore jinx theory away with those stats. If these are his stats for his 2nd year, just imagine his stats in his prime...

Runner up:

Erik Bedard. He had a great year, going 13-5 with a 3.16 ERA and 221 strikeouts. He would have had even more impressive stats had it not been for an oblique injury that sidelined him towards the end of the season. He probably would have led the league in strikeouts too, had it not been for that injury. He is still a Cy Young award candidate, but his chances are slim due to him not playing late in the year. Oh well, there's always next year...

Baltimore Orioles Rookie Of the Year:

There's really no question about it. It has to be pitcher Jeremy Guthrie. Guthrie did good, finishing with a 7-5 record and a 3.70 ERA. In 26 starts, that is. Yes, 26 starts. That means Guthrie had 14 no-decisions. Those no-decisions are due mainly to poor run support. Guthrie, like Bedard, got hurt towards the end of the season but still came back to pitch one final game before the season ended. As of right now, he is still a possible Rookie Of the Year candidate, though his chances were hurt by his injury.

Coming tomorrow: The worst of the 2007 season. - John T.

Orioles News - 10/1/07 - 2007 season in review

This blog will be about the Baltimore Orioles 2007 season in review.

Season-changing moment:

Firing manager Sam Perlozzo and hiring Dave Trembley. This was key as the team did great when Trembley was the interim manager, but the same night that it was announced he became the Orioles' official manager, August 22, Baltimore lost to the Texas Rangers 30-3. That was a major turning point in the 2007 season as the O's would lose 8 straight after that and be stuck in a slump for the rest of the season.

What was good:

There were few things that were good, but I would say that Nick Markakis' season was the best thing for the Orioles this year. Markakis led the team in doubles (43), home runs (23), and RBI's (112). He also led the team with a .300 batting average. That's great because this shows that maybe, just maybe, the Orioles do have some good, young players that could help them win. But, I'll go into the subject of good moments in the 2007 season more tomorrow...

What was bad:

Just about everything. But to pick one main thing, I would say that injuries tore the team up. Adam Loewen, Jaret Wright, Kris Benson, and Chris Ray all suffered season ending injuries, with most of the injuries coming at the beginning of the year. Not to mention Miguel Tejada and Ramon Hernandez getting hurt... But, I will have more about the bad moments of the 2007 season in a few days...

In more Baltimore Orioles' news, pitchers Jaret Wright and Victor Zambrano were released by the team. Zambrano had a 8.76 ERA in 12 1/3 innings pitched and 11 walks during his stay in Baltimore. He won't be missed.

Coming tomorrow: The Best Moments Of The Baltimore Orioles 2007 Season. - John T.

Orioles News - 9/30/07 - Season ends in loss

It was a long, bumpy ride but now it's over. It ended on a sour note, but then again, the Orioles' season wasn't exactly sweet. The Baltimore Orioles lost yesterday, 10-4 to the New York Yankees to end their season. It was a bad season, as the Orioles didn't even hit 70 wins. Baltimore extended their streak of 10 straight losing seasons. Not a good streak, but a streak that could be turned around... But I'll have more about that in the coming days...

This game was a typical example of how the O's season has gone. Bad pitching, combined with poor hitting, and it's another loss. Want to see how bad the pitching was yesterday? Starter Brian Burres went 3 1/3 innings, giving up 9 hits, and allowing 6 earned runs. And it's not like reliever Victor Zambrano provided much relief as he gave up 3 earned runs and walked 4 in 1 inning. Looks like the bullpen will be a top concern this offseason...Again. But, I'll have more about that in the coming days...

The Orioles hitting was poor too, as the Orioles loaded the bases with no outs in the 4th inning, yet came away with only 1 run. Kevin Millar, Scott Moore, and J.R. House also drove in runs, but it wasn't nearly enough.

In other news, Right fielder Nick Markakis was named Most Valuable Oriole. Congratulations to him, but we need many more players like him to ever compete.

Coming tomorrow: The Baltimore Orioles 2007 Season in Review. - John T.

Orioles News - 9/29/07 - O's fall in close one, 11-10

The Baltimore Orioles lost last night, 11-10 to the New York Yankees. The game was in the Orioles' favor up until the 4th inning as the O's scored 2 runs in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd innings. They entered the 4th inning with a 6-1 lead. Then, the Yankees figured out Cabrera and started to hit off of him. By the time the inning was over, Cabrera had been chased from the game and the Yankees had scored 10 runs to take a 11-6 lead. Every Yankees starter scored a run in that inning. That's terrible. You have to have better pitching then that.

Daniel Cabrera's line for the game: 3 innings, 10 hits, and 7 runs. Looks like a typical pitching performance by Cabrera.

There were only 2 bright spots in this game for Baltimore: Nick Markakis and Brian Roberts. Markakis homered last night to bring his season total to 23. He also has 112 RBI's, 18 stolen bases, and a .300 batting average. Brian Roberts stole his 50th base of the season last night, so congratulations to him. Here's to several more seasons like that in an Orioles uniform.

The O's wrap up their season today with another game against the New York Yankees. If the O's win today, then they will have won the season series against New York. If not, they will have gone .500 in the season series with the Yanks. I figure the Orioles have a good chance since the Yankees will be resting most of their stars for the playoffs. Ahh, the playoffs. If only we could get there... (Sigh) - John T.

Orioles News - 9/28/07 - O's win in extra innings

The Baltimore Orioles won last night, 10-9 over the New York Yankees. It took 10 innings and a great rally by Baltimore to pull it off...

Coming into this game, the Yankees were 85-1 when leading after the 8th inning this year. Throw in the fact that future Hall Of Fame closer Mariano Rivera is on the mound, and the game seems to be over for the Orioles. Now throw in a 2 out, bases loaded triple by Jay Payton, and the O's sent the game into extra innings. Then in the 10th inning, Tike Redman hit a 1 out double, eventually moving to 3rd base on a passed ball. Nick Markakis and Miguel Tejada were intentionally walked to load the bases. Kevin Millar then came up to bat with the game on the line and... he struck out. Ok, lets try this again. Melvin Mora came up to the plate with 2 outs, the bases loaded, and a chance to be the hero. And Mora.... laid down a bunt to bring in the game winning run! A walk off bunt! (How many times do you hear that?) It was a gutsy call by the O's, but a call that paid off.

Our starting pitching wasn't much last night, as Jon Leicester went 4 1/3 innings, allowing 7 earned runs and walking 3 batters. But, our bullpen did a nice job after that, as they allowed only 2 more runs all game in this rare Orioles win. - John T.

Orioles News - 9/25/07 - O's sweep season series against Royals

Swept! As in the Baltimore Orioles swept the season series against the Kansas City Royals with a win last night. The O's won 3-2. This game was being played as a make-up game for a rain out. In this matchup of 2 bad teams, it was actually a good game.

The Orioles struck first in this game, as they scored 2 runs in the 5th inning. The runs came after a Ramon Hernandez single, a groundout to advance Hernandez, and then a double by Tike Redman to score Hernandez. Brian Roberts then walked, and Melvin Mora singled to bring in another run. The Royals came back and scored once in the 6th to make the score a little closer. Daniel Cabrera left the game after he finished the 7th inning, as he allowed only 1 run all game. No, that's not a misprint. Cabrera really did allow only 1 run. He had a 2-1 lead when he left the game. That lead soon turned into a tie after a pinch hit home run in the 8th inning by Kansas City. That homer robbed Cabrera at his chance of getting a decision in the game. But, the O's proved they have some heroics in themselves too. In the 8th inning also, Nick Markakis hit a solo homer to give the O's the lead for good. Markakis now has 22 homers and 109 RBI's this season, a franchise record for a 2nd year player. Maybe we do have some young talent, but we're going to need plenty more players like him and Jeremy Guthrie if we ever want to compete. - John T.

Orioles News - 9/22/07 - O's win in shootout

The Baltimore Orioles won last night, 11-9 over the Texas Rangers in a shootout. Rightfielder Nick Markakis had 5 RBI's. That's right, Nick Markakis, the Orioles 2nd year player had 5 RBI's. That's what the O's need. Markakis now leads the team in home runs, RBI's, and runs scored. In his 2nd year in the Majors. Nice. Markakis also had a homer in the game. But, the Orioles still had plenty of missed opportunities as they left 11 men on base. That's poor.

Congrats to Brian Roberts on stealing his 47th and 48th base last night. Hopefully he can turn that into 50 before the year ends.

Radhames Liz, our starter, went 2.2 innings giving up 6 runs on 6 hits and 4 walks. Reliever Rocky Cherry came in, giving up 2 runs. Chad Bradford also gave up a run, but the Orioles could still take a victory. But let's face it. Your not going to win giving up 9 runs in one game. Most of the time at least. You need better pitching or your always going to lose. - John T.

Orioles News - 9/17/07 - Cabrera gets another loss

The Baltimore Orioles lost last night, for the 85th time this season. The score was 8-5, with the New York Yankees picking up the W. Pitcher Daniel Cabrera, (Who is currently waiting to hear from MLB offices about his appeal of a suspension for throwing a pitch behind Dustin Pedoria's head), was terrible last night. He went 5 sloppy innings, giving up 8 hits and 6 earned runs. He walked 3 Yankees. Cabrera threw 113 pitches, with only 60 of them going for a strike. He is now tied for the MLB lead for losses, with 17. The O's left 11 men on base in this one. Ouch. 9 of those men were left in scoring position. Ouch again. Nick Markakis had a good game, driving in 3 runs for us. However, the same couldn't be said about the rest of the team, as they didn't do well. - John T.

Orioles News - 9/16/07 - A series win!

The Baltimore Orioles won yesterday, 8-6 over the Toronto Blue Jays. This gives them a series win, their 1st since mid-August. This win came in extra innings, 12 to be exact. The game lasted 4 hours and 25 minutes! It was ugly, as both teams went a toal of 5-37 with runners in scoring position. There was a total of 27 men left on base, with 12 of those men playing for the Orioles. They used a combined 15 pitchers and 28 position players! In the game, the Blue Jay's had a 4-1 lead after 3 innings, largely because of back-to-back homers on consectutive pitches by Adam Lind and Russ Adams. Nick Markais brought the Orioles to within 1 after he hit a solo shot to give him a 20 homer, 100 RBI season. This is only his 2nd year in the Majors. That's the kind of young talent we need. The Orioles won the game in the 12th inning, as Aubrey Huff singled to begin the game. Freddie Bynum doubled, sending Huff to 3rd base. Paul Bako up, game on the line, golden oppurtunity, and....he struckout. Ok, lets try this again. Scott Moore up, game on the line, golden oppurtunity, and....he singled, bringing in a run!!! The O's took the lead!! Brian Roberts hit a sacrifice fly after that, sending across a insurance run. For Moore, it was his only hit of the game, but it couldn't have come at a better time. - John T.

Orioles News - 9/15/07 - O's fall to Blue Jays

The Baltimore Orioles lost last night, 8-3 to the Toronto Blue Jays. What's worse is the fact that our starting pitcher, Kurt Birkins, didn't even record an out while giving up 6 earned runs on 6 hits. In his last 2 starts, (a total of 4 innings), he has given up 10 earned runs. That's pathetic. The Jay's 6 run 1st inning began with a Vernon Wells single, which was folloed by a Reed Johnson single. Alex Rios then knocked in both runners with a double. Frank Thomas then crushed a pitch for a homer, giving Toronto a 4-0 lead. Aaron Hill then singled, followed by a double from Matt Stairs that put them both in scoring position. A single by Gregg Zaun scored both runs. The Blue Jay's were finally done scoring in the 1st inning. The Orioles got a run in the 4th inning after Nick Markakis walked, and Aubrey Huff doubled to score Markakis. The Blue Jay's got 2 more runs in the 7th inning after the ball bounced off of Nick Markakis' glove and rolled to the wall, allowing 2 unearned runs to score. The O's eventually picked up 2 more runs in the 8th inning on 2 hits. Freddie Bynum had a great day, driving in a run and making several great defensive plays in left field. Aubrey Huff had a great day also, going 4-4 with an RBI at the plate. But, it was a bad day for the rest of the team, as Baltimore dropped another. - John T.

Orioles News - 9/9/07 - Gibbons & Steroids - Bedard out for year, Guthrie too? - O's lose again

Yesterday was a very busy day for the Baltimore Orioles. Jay Gibbons, a Orioles outfielder, was linked to HGH and other steroids. This information was found when a pharmacy was raided last spring, linking Gibbon's adress as a buyer. Jay recieved these shipments from October 2003 to July 2005. That's a shame. In more O's news, Erik Bedard's oblique strain is now ending his season. Rookie pitcher Jeremy Guthrie just suffered the same injury, and it looks as if his season might be over also. Ouch. Double Ouch. In more Orioles news, the O's lost to the Boston Red Sox, 3-2. In case your keeping track, that's 16 losses in 19 games. Ouch again. This loss has now assured the Orioles of their 10th straight non-winning season. Nick Markakis and Melvin Mora both hit solo homers in yesterday's game, providing the Orioles only runs. In the 8th inning, JD Drew singled, stole 2nd base, went to 3rd base on a sacrifice fly, and then scored on Coco Crisp's single off of Chad Bradford. That was it, the final run that secured a Boston victory. It was a busy, yet terrible day for the Baltimore Orioles. - John T.

Orioles News - 9/8/07 - A rare win vs. Boston

The Orioles picked up a rare win last night, over Boston. (When does that happen?) The final score was 11-5. Ohmygod. The Orioles scored runs? This win snapped the O's 11 game losing streak at home. The Orioles had a 7 run 3rd inning, and Scott Moore, a player aquired in the Steve Trachsel trade, hit a grand slam in the inning. Dice-K, the Red Sox pitcher, was terrible, giving up 6 hits, 8 runs and 3 walks in 2 2/3 innings. The bases were loaded and Dice-K actually walked Nick Markakis and Kevin Millar. That's 2 free runs right there. Miguel Tejada hit a single that scored a run and then Scott Moore hit the grand slam, sending Dice-K out of this game. Nick Markakis hit a homer later in the game, as did Tike Redman. Jon Leicester gave up 4 runs in 5 innings, only walking 1 batter. He made this start because of injuries in the rotation and just plain bad pitching. Camden Yards was sold out, with most of the 48,043 fans in attendence rooting for the BoSox. They walked away unhappy, as the Orioles grabbed a victory. - John T.

Orioles News - 9/4/07 - O's win

The Orioles picked up a rare win last night, 8-4 over Tampa Bay. The O's had a 5 hit, 4 run 8th inning to help them win. For once, the tables were turned, as it was not the Orioles bullpen that gave up a win, it was the Devil Rays bullpen that gave up a win. The O's gave rookie pitcher Jeremy Guthrie a 2-0 lead in the 1st inning after Corey Patterson hit a solo homer and Miguel Tejada doubled, scoring on Nick Markakis's weak infield single. The Rays fought back in the 2nd inning, earning a run on 2 hits. Tampa Bay took the lead in the 5th inning on a bases loaded single that scored 2 runs. In the 7th inning, Melvin Mora walked on a full count and on the 1st pitch he saw, Aubrey Huff hit a 2 run homer to rightfield. The O's took the lead, 4-3. Tampa Bay tied it in the 7th inning, WITHOUT EVEN GETTING A HIT!!!! In the 8th inning however, Melvin Mora hit an RBI single to give the O's a 5-4 lead. Ramon Hernandez later hit a 3 run double to provide the games final runs. So, the O's finally pick up a win. - John T.

Orioles News - 9/3/07 - O's lose again

The Orioles lost again last night, 9-7 to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Orioles have now lost 12 of their last 13 games. Kurt Birkins made his 1st career start last night and got a no-decision even though he blew a big lead. The O's provided him with a 4-0 lead in the 3rd inning on a collection of basehits, stolen bases, and errors. Birkins however, couldn't hold onto this lead. The Devil Rays made it close with a 3 run 3rd inning, and then tied up the game with a run in the 4th. In the 7th inning, Carlos Pena hit a 2 run homer off Jim Hoey as the D-Rays took the lead. This "home run" however, was debateable. It was hit off of the catwalk and outfielder Nick Markakis played it and threw the ball into the infield. The umpire called it a home run however. Tampa Bay got another run in the inning too. Then in the 8th inning, Brian Burres gave up a 2 run shot as the Rays extended their lead. Ramon Hernandez hit a 3 run homer in the 9th to make the score more respectable. It was an ugly loss as Tampa Bay moved within 3 games of 4th place in the AL East. - John T.