Big, BIG, BIG series coming up this week

[Joy in Mudville]

Wow,

Meaningful Orioles games in August. Who would have thunk it?

In terms of the Wild Card the next three days are insanely important for the Orioles.

Here's why...

Oakland and Detroit are currently tied for the wildcard lead (Oakland is still playing)

The Angels are 1/2 a game back

The Orioles are 1 game back and 6.5 games back of New York.

Tomorrow Detroit plays New York.

Oakland plays Toronto tomorrow and then plays the Angles on Tuesday.

We play three against Seattle.

So, if we can take care of business and win 2 of 3 against Seattle there is almost no mathematical way that we can't gain some ground in at least the wild card standings. The A's and Angels will eat other and Detroit and New York will eat each other.

This next week is a huge opportunity for the O's. We then play Kansas City while Detroit finishes their four game visit against New York and moves on to the Rangers. The Athletics then go on to play the White Sox. The Yanks play the Blue Jays.

[Slidemaster]

Wow,

Meaningful Orioles games in August. Who would have thunk it?

In terms of the Wild Card the next three days are insanely important for the Orioles.

Here's why...

Oakland and Detroit are currently tied for the wildcard lead (Oakland is still playing)

The Angels are 1/2 a game back

The Orioles are 1 game back and 6.5 games back of New York.

Tomorrow Detroit plays New York.

Oakland plays Toronto tomorrow and then plays the Angles on Tuesday.

We play three against Seattle.

So, if we can take care of business and win 2 of 3 against Seattle there is almost no mathematical way that we can't gain some ground in at least the wild card standings. The A's and Angels will eat other and Detroit and New York will eat each other.

This next week is a huge opportunity for the O's. We then play Kansas City while Detroit finishes their four game visit against New York and moves on to the Rangers. The Athletics then go on to play the White Sox. The Yanks play the Blue Jays.

Does the team miss Felix in Seattle?

Edit: Looks like they do. Things to watch: Tillman pitches against his former organization on Monday, and Millwood goes against the O's on Wednesday.

[Jimmy Jazz]

Tillman dominated the Mariners back in early July when he made his first start of the season. Hopefully he can repeat that.

[hector]

Wow,

Meaningful Orioles games in August. Who would have thunk it?

In terms of the Wild Card the next three days are insanely important for the Orioles.

Here's why...

Oakland and Detroit are currently tied for the wildcard lead (Oakland is still playing)

The Angels are 1/2 a game back

The Orioles are 1 game back and 6.5 games back of New York.

Tomorrow Detroit plays New York.

Oakland plays Toronto tomorrow and then plays the Angles on Tuesday.

We play three against Seattle.

So, if we can take care of business and win 2 of 3 against Seattle there is almost no mathematical way that we can't gain some ground in at least the wild card standings. The A's and Angels will eat other and Detroit and New York will eat each other.

This next week is a huge opportunity for the O's. We then play Kansas City while Detroit finishes their four game visit against New York and moves on to the Rangers. The Athletics then go on to play the White Sox. The Yanks play the Blue Jays.

A (very) few of us "thunk" it back in March.

[18-87-44-29]

SEA will take this series. They fought you tooth in nail out there last time and should have won that series as well. They are playing much scrappier now that Suzuki is gone and nothing is expected of them.....and would relish the chance to play spoiler.

Bonus prediction....Millwood fires a 3-hit gem over 7 IP before the pen seals the deal.

[demopublican]

What is your bet?

[AntiMoon]

It's in the bag now! Locker combo royle has made a prediction so the opposite is guaranteed.

[LarryN]

SEA will take this series. They fought you tooth in nail out there last time and should have won that series as well. They are playing much scrappier now that Suzuki is gone and nothing is expected of them.....and would relish the chance to play spoiler.

Bonus prediction....Millwood fires a 3-hit gem over 7 IP before the pen seals the deal.

Are you still sticking with 68 wins? When is that big Boston surge you keep predicting going to happen?

[18-87-44-29]

Are you still sticking with 68 wins?

In deed I am. Or have we already forgotten 4-32?

When is that big Boston surge you keep predicting going to happen?

It should start on or around 8/14.

[hector]

Are you still sticking with 68 wins? When is that big Boston surge you keep predicting going to happen?

Now Larry, be a bit more humble when chastising our numbered friend about his 68 win prediction. Other mis-guided fans predicted the same number as he did. In fact, you also predicted 68 wins. Please apologize to our numbered friend. He catches enough hell on this talk forum but he doesn't deserve to be criticized by someone who made the very same woeful prediction.

[ivanbalt]

Now Larry, be a bit more humble when chastising our numbered friend about his 68 win prediction. Other mis-guided fans predicted the same number as he did. In fact, you also predicted 68 wins. Please apologize to our numbered friend. He catches enough hell on this talk forum but he doesn't deserve to be criticized by someone who made the very same woeful prediction.

Numbers gets criticized because he continues to say the same thing CONSTANTLY despite real world facts.

I never predicted a number, but I figured it would be one of the worst. Looking at the season so far, I was obviously wrong. Who cares?

[LarryN]

Now Larry, be a bit more humble when chastising our numbered friend about his 68 win prediction. Other mis-guided fans predicted the same number as he did. In fact, you also predicted 68 wins. Please apologize to our numbered friend. He catches enough hell on this talk forum but he doesn't deserve to be criticized by someone who made the very same woeful prediction.

I have already made my mea culpa for my preseason 68 win prediction and revised it to 82 almost two months ago:

It stuck by it's prediction of 6 wins for the Ravens, even after they got their 7th win. I doubt you'll get it to change.

I, too, predicted 68 wins. I will admit my error, and revise that to 82, and hope that I am wrong by 13 games on the low side.

Jen will not get an apology from me.

[weenie]

Some very memorable games have led us to the first August with meaning in a long long time. There are two stretches ahead that will either chase the negative energy away or return the team to the more customary status of recent prior years.

The next ten games are all quite winnable against KC, Sea and Bos. If the team does well, and hits against a rather mediocre group of opposing pitching staffs, this team could well be right back on top in the wildcard standings on 8/16. But that's when things get really interesting.

A stretch of 13 games against Det, Tex, Tor and Chi follows to close out the month and those first six are on the road. At this point all four teams are good but each is flawed enough to believe the O's can get a couple more memorable wins and stay in the hunt into Sept.

The final 31 games thereafter are all against teams the O's have played well or at least evenly against. To me, this team has already done enough for me to consider the season a success regardless of playoff eligibility, but to many success will be finally clarified via the games ahead against Texas, Detroit and Chicago.

My only real worry is a stupid one. Whenever I have gone away this year the team has performed horribly. Remember those Mets, Angels and Tigers losses earlier this season? I don't. I was out of country and only read about them later. The last trip I took ended just as the O's had finished losing the first two in a series against the Twins.

I'll be out of internet and cell phone contact during most of the late August stretch and my only hope is that the games are both critical and well played by the local team. I'll just have to wait and find out the results thereafter.

[18-87-44-29]

The next ten games are all quite winnable against KC, Sea and Bos.

Ah yes.....

The same KC that took 2 of 3 in your own house a few months ago (and which I called.)

The same SEA that gave you all you could handle out there last time and should have taken that series.

The same BOS that is a sleeping giant and whom everyone expects to awaken just in the nip of time for the playoff drive.

A stretch of 13 games against Det, Tex, Tor and Chi follows to close out the month and those first six are on the road. At this point all four teams are good but each is flawed enough to believe the O's can get a couple more memorable wins and stay in the hunt into Sept.by the local team. I'll .

More likely.....that stretch will once and for all draw the curtain on this gallant idea of 'contention' for you. You were overmatched pure and simple against 3 of those 4 teams. And w/a postseason birth in the balance what makes anyone think they'll be any less intense? The beginning of the end of the season I'd say.

[funkateer]

The same BOS that is a sleeping giant and whom everyone expects to awaken just in the nip of time for the playoff drive.

And w/a postseason birth in the balance what makes anyone think they'll be any less intense? The beginning of the end of the season I'd say.

You're so right.....recent history certainly backs up your contention that the Red Sox always rise to the occasion when the postseason is on the line, right??

I mean, when BOS really, really has to win to stay alive, it's a given they'll WIN, obviously...!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQysJ...feature=relmfu

There's a highly scientific term for it: "choking"

bwahahahahahahahaha!!!!

Everybody is wrong at least once in awhile....and some are wrong even more often than that.....but what's it like being wrong absolutely every time....? That's actually an achievement, Numbers!

[Joy in Mudville]

Why do the moderators continue to allow trolls on the board?

[bt12483]

Why do the moderators continue to allow trolls on the board?

Traffic. Ad $.

[LarryN]

what's it like being wrong absolutely every time....?

Everybody has something they are good at.

[85Knight]

Some very memorable games have led us to the first August with meaning in a long long time. There are two stretches ahead that will either chase the negative energy away or return the team to the more customary status of recent prior years.

The next ten games are all quite winnable against KC, Sea and Bos. If the team does well, and hits against a rather mediocre group of opposing pitching staffs, this team could well be right back on top in the wildcard standings on 8/16. But that's when things get really interesting.

A stretch of 13 games against Det, Tex, Tor and Chi follows to close out the month and those first six are on the road. At this point all four teams are good but each is flawed enough to believe the O's can get a couple more memorable wins and stay in the hunt into Sept.

The final 31 games thereafter are all against teams the O's have played well or at least evenly against. To me, this team has already done enough for me to consider the season a success regardless of playoff eligibility, but to many success will be finally clarified via the games ahead against Texas, Detroit and Chicago.

My only real worry is a stupid one. Whenever I have gone away this year the team has performed horribly. Remember those Mets, Angels and Tigers losses earlier this season? I don't. I was out of country and only read about them later. The last trip I took ended just as the O's had finished losing the first two in a series against the Twins.

I'll be out of internet and cell phone contact during most of the late August stretch and my only hope is that the games are both critical and well played by the local team. I'll just have to wait and find out the results thereafter.

I looked ahead too and this month is going to be interesting. Tonight's game is the tone setter for me, even though I thought the same thing against the Rays and I was wrong because we came back to win the last two (I thought we had no chance against Price). Vargas is that same type of lefty that usually shuts us down and Seattle has not been a pushover lately. We have not been great at home but a run at 7-3 would set us up nicely for the rest of the season and is almost imperative given our tough stretch afterwards.

As for your trip at the end of the month we'll have to pull the reverse schleprock to help you out.

[Jimmy Jazz]

Guthrie pitches Wednesday for KC so the O's will miss him. Too bad.