Thursday, May 1st Rays @ O's

[bluedog]

Not sure I like pitching to Crawford there and not going after Haynes with a chance to get two. Not a terrible decision, just wonder if it was the best one.

Agreed again. Crawford is their most dangerous hitter - you don't pitch to him, especially if you are trying to prevant any runs from scoring. Setting up the DP and the force at all bases, plus bypassing their best hitter all weigh in favor of an IBB there.

[fdfcosta]

Walker is our worst reliever rigth now!!!

[Mackus]

TAKE WALKER OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He should never be allowed to face Pena ever again.

Good call, that was a pretty nasty popup!

[Orioles Magic]

Why did you jnx?:002_ssad:

Ok... in Mackus' defense, he was responding to my inquiry "How are the birds doing?" In which case he was bringing me up to speed on the game and therefore the statement should not qualify as a "jinxing". Although the results since then may not support this argument.

[Mackus]

Agreed again. Crawford is their most dangerous hitter - you don't pitch to him, especially if you are trying to prevant any runs from scoring. Setting up the DP and the force at all bases, plus bypassing their best hitter all weigh in favor of an IBB there.

Or at least throw him nothing but junk. If you can get him to swing at a first pitch slider in the dirt, thinking its a fastball, you get an advantage. I certainly don't throw him any hittable strikes in that situation.

[Dr. FLK]

Why don't we have confidence in the bullpen? I would've gone to Walker to start the 7th, or certainly after the walk.

Why? Sarfate can't throw strikes regularly. Walker gets smashed by the Rays. Bradford is typically solid. Aquino is a disaster. McCrory couldn't throw the ball over the plate last night.

Johnson has been consistently good, and Sherril has done a real nice job. No one else has been consistent, and some of them have been struggling mightily. Add in the fact that he used 3 RPs last night and they don't have an off day for a while, I could see wanting to see if Burres can be stretched out just one more inning.

[PaulFolk]

Agreed again. Crawford is their most dangerous hitter - you don't pitch to him, especially if you are trying to prevant any runs from scoring. Setting up the DP and the force at all bases, plus bypassing their best hitter all weigh in favor of an IBB there.

Disagree. Even if you walk Crawford, you're still almost certainly going to have to face Carlos Pena if Haynes does anything but ground into a double play. Crawford with two on vs. Pena with the bases loaded? Pick your poison.

[longflyball]

Whacky stuff. Six innings of two run ball and a 98 pitch count for the guy pretty much demands that you pull him.

Anyone have any idea why DT is pushing his starters beyond 100 pitches? He did this with Guthrie in an otherwise excellent start last week and got the same disasterous result.

Quick, someone with a DVR go back and find the MASN feed that shows Dave Trembley and Rick Kranitz literally asleep at the controls. I mean actually napping in the dugout right before the 7th. Before they edit it out and try to say it didn't happen.

[blueberryale77]

Why did you jnx?:002_ssad:

On the plus side he positive-jinxed everyone else on the team, including a couple who really haven't played badly, by dissing them so hopefully all of those guys will now respond with a comeback.

[Orioles Magic]

Ok we gave up two. Not good but our boys can get em back. Let's go O's.

[Mackus]

Disagree. Even if you walk Crawford, you're still almost certainly going to have to face Carlos Pena if Haynes does anything but ground into a double play. Crawford with two on vs. Pena with the bases loaded? Pick your poison.

Its certainly not a slamdunk decision either way, like I think pulling Burres after the leadoff walk if not sooner was, but I'll take my chances pitching around Crawford, try to get the backup OF to bounce into 2, and if he just gets out, to go after Pena.

[fdfcosta]

As cold our offense have been: game over!!!

[cindyluvsbrady]

Disagree. Even if you walk Crawford, you're still almost certainly going to have to face Carlos Pena if Haynes does anything but ground into a double play. Crawford with two on vs. Pena with the bases loaded? Pick your poison.

Are you at the game?

[PaulFolk]

Its certainly not a slamdunk decision either way, like I think pulling Burres after the leadoff walk if not sooner was, but I'll take my chances pitching around Crawford, try to get the backup OF to bounce into 2, and if he just gets out, to go after Pena.

Hayes is pretty fast, isn't he? I think he'd be a hard guy to double up. And keep in mind that Pena already had two homeruns off Walker this year, whereas Crawford has struggled in this series. I agree the decision could go either way.

And I definitely would've pulled Burres after the sixth.

[PaulFolk]

Are you at the game?

Not today, due to its ridiculous start time. I'm at my day job.