The Orioles: Sleepless in Seattle

The Orioles lost three straight in Seattle tonight wasting a complete game pitching performance by Kevin Millwood, but teams who only score one run seldom win. They've lost 8-2, 3-1, and 4-1 in their three games in the Pacific Northwest, four runs in three games. Their average runs per game is now less than three. Is it any wonder they've only won two games this year and lost 14? It is quite possible they will have a worse overall record for April than they posted in 1988 when they lost their first 21 games given their competition for the rest of the month consists of Red Sox and Yankees. The Yankees are off to a great start. Whatever ails the Red Sox will get well in a hurry when they will have the Orioles to slap around at Fenway this weekend.

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We repeat our concern that the culture in the Orioles' clubhouse must change. That necessitates the departure of manager Dave Trembley. It's just one of the painful parts of the game that hurts, but there's no other way they can infuse new energy and a sense of different ways to do things other than the same old same old. While injuries are impacting the team, lets remember that they were playing this way before these players were out, and further not having a closer means little when the original closer failed completely and the team isn't even getting enough runs to create a save situation.

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One must infer there is too much talent for the team to be playing so poorly, but it's almost impossible to explain how they could be playing so poorly. If they truly are playing to their capabilities, then the team is in real trouble.

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Jon Lester, John Lackie, and Tim Wakefield await them in Boston. While their numbers don't look good so far this year, these guys have proven success against the Orioles, then the Yankees come to town. Want to look beyond that, then the Red Sox come to town before the O's hit the road again to go to New York and the super happy Minnesota Twins in their new home. They come home to face the Mariners who just swept them on May 11th. Could it get better when they play the Cleveland Indians on May 14th?

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When they're beating themselves perhaps it does matter who the other team is.

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