vs. RED SOX, 4/12

Baltimore Orioles (6-0, 1st +2.5) @ Boston Red Sox (3-3, 3rd -3.0)

Streak / L10

BAL: N/A

BOS: N/A

*2015 stats will be used for now; switching to 2016 stats for Tillman's next start (14th?)

Game 2 (7:10)

(QS=0)Mike Wright (3-5) 6.04 (1.57/.291), 26/18 (9HR)

vs.

(QS=0)Clay Buchholz (7-7) 3.26 (1.21/.260), 107/23 (6HR)

Mike Wright: As Wright's luck has gone, there is rain in the forecast for tomorrow in Boston, but that will be updated tomorrow afternoon sometime. In the case that he finally does get to pitch, he has faced Boston only once and it was really bad. Ortiz, Pedroia, Swihart, Holt and Castillo account for the six hits Wright allowed in that game and four of the six runs he allowed. This will be his first start at Fenway Park as the Orioles go for seven wins in a row to start the season.

Splits & Sits

101 vs. left: .322/.386/.475, 4HR

103 vs. right: .258/.350/.437, 5HR

Bases Empty: .261

RISP: .289

RISP w/2 outs: .150

Men on w/2 outs: .241

Man on 3rd, < 2 outs: .222

Career @ Fenway Park (0 starts)

N/A

Career vs. BOS (1 start)

(0-1) 3 IP, 6H, 6ER, 2HR, 1/1

vs. Batter

David Ortiz 2/2, S-HR

Dustin Pedroia 1/2, HR, 2RBI

Blake Swihart 1/2, 2B

Brock Holt 1/2, RBI

Rusney Castillo 1/2

Travis Shaw 0/2, K

Pablo Sandoval 0/2

Jackie Bradley Jr 0/0 BB

Clay Buchholz: Buchholz's 2015 season was cut short on July 10th against the Yankees when he left the game due to a flexor strain in his elbow that ended his season. He was able to pitch to a 2.7 WAR in 113.1 IP. He has showed promise during his career, but has been unable to consistently tap into it. He had a career best 5.4 WAR in 2010 where he pitched to a 2.33 (1.20/.226) in 173.2 IP. He promptly followed that up with 1.8 and 0.8 WAR seasons, then he rebounded to a 4.3 in 2013 only to fall back to a -1.6 in 2014 which is his low point. In his first 2016 start, he only lasted four innings. He gave up five runs on six hits and three walks including a home run in 94 pitches.

Buchholz does not fare well against righties and struggled mightily with RISP especially with a man on third and less than two outs. He kept the runs off the board in 10 home starts, but allowed a near .300 BAA and a WHIP a stone's throw away from 1.40 and has been solid against the Orioles in 19 career appearances including 3 CGSO though the last one was June 7th 2012 at Fenway.

Pitch wise, Buchholz is bad more than good. His best range is 31-45 where he holds opponents to a .206/.270/.216 and 91-105 (.174/.174/.217). On the flipside, 1-15 (.262/.328/.373), 16-30 (.296/.333/.467), 46-60 (.306/.329/.395) and 61-75 (.290/.343/.373); you get the idea. Buccholz was very hittable last year for most of the game and he hasn't started this year well so far.

Splits & Sits

247 vs. left: .239/.272/.320, 4HR

222 vs. right: .284/.338/.356, 2HR

Bases Empty: .242

RISP: .352

RISP w/2 outs: .300

Men on w/2 outs: .246

Man on 3rd < 2 outs: .450

2015 Home (10 starts)

(3-5) 3.58 (1.39/.298)

Career vs Baltimore (18 starts, 1 relief)

(10-5) 3.65 (1.36/.258), 10HR, 3 CGSO

vs. Batter

Adam Jones (32 AB) .281, 3 2B, 2HR, 11RBI

Matt Wieters (30 AB) .200, 2 2B, RBI

Chris Davis (24 AB) .333, 2B, 2HR, 4RBI

J.J. Hardy (22 AB) .318, 2HR, 3RBI

Ryan Flaherty (18 AB) .389, 2B

Manny Machado (12 AB) .250, 2B, RBI

Mark Trumbo 0/6, 3K

Caleb Joseph 1/5, RBI, BB

Nolan Reimold 0/3

Gallardo's results in game two were probably pretty close to what most of us expected to see against a lineup that can actually hit. His fastball was actually slower than it was against the Twins as it was sitting in the 85-87 range most of the afternoon touching 88 on occasion with off-speed stuff in the 82-84 range and a curveball around 77 MPH. Nothing except the curveball moves all that much and he doesn't throw the curve much, but at least we were able to pull out the win. I was more surprised that we hammered Price like we did and Trumbo did indeed get his first XBH and it was the big three run homer that got us going, but his D really is embarrassing at times. Fortunately, it hasn't ruined any games for us yet.

Tomorrow's game against Buchholz could be trouble, too. Although it is in the distant past at this point, Buccholz has thrown three complete game shutouts against the Orioles and is 10-5 career with a WHIP on the high side and a respectable BAA. Buchholz could give us some trouble, but he was pretty awful in his first 2016 start. Mike Wright was also pretty awful in his one start against Boston last season, but Buchholz is pretty much what he's going to be and Wright may show up here a completely different pitcher. So, I think the best thing to do is throw Clay on the pottery wheel and mold him into win number seven for the Orioles.

The orioles lineup is missing the LF. Perhaps Buck or MLB doesn't think we need one given our hot start.

The orioles lineup is missing the LF. Perhaps Buck or MLB doesn't think we need one given our hot start.

I agree that Flash isn't a left fielder, but Buck insists on playing him there when the O's are in Fenway.

Hope for a good performance from Wright but I have the feeling this is going to be another high scoring game. Hopefully the O's are on top and reach 7-0!

Weather for tonight's game: Mostly cloudy with temps around 50 dropping into the mid 40's after 9pm. Winds WNW 10-15 MPH. Looks like Wright will get to pitch this time.

Weather for tonight's game: Mostly cloudy with temps around 50 dropping into the mid 40's after 9pm. Winds WNW 10-15 MPH. Looks like Wright will get to pitch this time.

Good news, it's time to play ball. Wright needs to show something tonight and not pick up where he left off in 2015.

Happy days are here again. ESPN said today that the O's has the most wins in the AL east from 2012 to now. :beerchug1:

o

BALTIMORE O RIOLES

Joey Rickard - CF

Manny Machado - 3B

Chris Davis - 1B

Mark Trumbo - RF

Matthew Wieters - C

Pedro Alvarez - DH

James Jerry Hardy - SS

Jonathan Schoop - 2B

Ryan Flaherty - LF

Dennis Michael Wright - RHP (3-5, 6.04 ERA)

BOSTON RED SOX

Markus Lynn Betts - RF

Dustin Pedroia - 2B

Xander Bogaerts - SS

David Ortiz - DH

Hanley Ramirez - 1B

Travis Shaw - 3B

Brock Holt - LF

Blake Swihart - C

Jackie Bradley, Jr. - CF

Clay Daniel Buchholz - RHP (0-0, 11.25 ERA)

http://www.baseballpress.com/lineups

I actually kind of like this lineup for tonight (with Jones not available).

Good chance to get Flaherty some time and with the poor fielding we saw yesterday. As has been mentioned, Flaherty has had a good deal of success in Fenway. In 82 PA he sports a line of .375/.420/.542/.961, by far his highest OPS in any park.

I would guess that if we have the lead in the back third of the game, then Reimold replaces Trumbo in RF.

Flaherty hits nearly .400 against Buchholz. I would guess that's why he's in today. Wheat hits .200 against him and Trumbo is 0/6 with three strikeouts. That's our four and five hole hitters.

Flaherty hits nearly .400 against Buchholz. I would guess that's why he's in today. Wheat hits .200 against him and Trumbo is 0/6 with three strikeouts. That's our four and five hole hitters.

That stuff isn't very predictive.

Buck likes it.

Happy days are here again. ESPN said today that the O's has the most wins in the AL east from 2012 to now. :beerchug1:

AL. In the AL.

That stuff isn't very predictive.

Buck likes it.

Well, we'll have to see what happens tonight. Clay isn't good against the O's, but I hope he isn't embarrassing bad (he's on my fantasy team), just bad enough to make them question why they have him in the 2 spot instead of the 4 or 5 spot

Hello, all,

Like the rest of you, I've loved the start so far (except for Zach trying to give us heart failure yesterday afternoon), and I hope it continues.

That stuff isn't very predictive.

Buck likes it.

All my years doing these tell me that's not correct. Not always predictive, but hardly negligible. The more AB's, the better though. I wouldn't keep those stats in there if they didn't carry weight more often than not.

I forgot my AP textbook at school, so I'm doing my notes tomorrow morning. No homework night for me!

Sent from Neverneverland using James Hetfield's voice