cringewOrthy

if there is something in game of baseball more embarrassing than thinking you hit home run, not knowing where ball is, slapping fives with the first base coach, and then getting thrown out styling on basepaths because you in fact did not hit home run, please let wayward O know what that would be...

letting ball bounce off your head for home run (jose canseco), telling everybody you are a vietnam vet and getting kicked off team for it (that blue jays manager guy), failing to touch second base and costing your team a playoff berth (fred merkle), letting ball go under your legs and losing world series (bill buckner) and possibly one or two other gaffes could presumably be seen as more embarrassing.

but the list is clearly short.

today wayward O is starting a brand new feature. after every O's loss, fickle fan base is guaranteed to throw at least one player under bus whether they deserve it or not. so, without further ado:

WHO ARE WE THROWING UNDER BUS TODAY?
ramOn & steve trachsel

a day Off

Orioles -- sans ramOn and cOrey and paytOn --- three big Os as you can see :) :) :) get a day off today to consider what they've achieved so far. after being swept in three games by twins (who happen to be the best team in the AL at least at this point) this was a team looking down the barrel of a trebuchet loaded with cow poop.

but then they went 3 up and 3 down vs. detroit and yankees (giving up two grand slams in the process) and feasted on KC and tampa, winning 5 of 6.

not a huge set of data but we are seeing the early makings of a pattern: the depleted Os team currently on the feld -- jon knott? freddy bynum? -- struggles against top teams and easily beats bad teams.

it seems strange, but this is a really positive sign. cOrey of course wasn't injured. he was at a family funeral. paytOn appears to be ready to suit up for friday's tilt. ramOn seems to have an injury reminiscent of Bedard 05: i'm fine i'm fine i just can't play is all.

the season will hinge on whether the team can stay healthy -- or in the case of ramOn -- GET healthy.

we'd be 1-2 if we had our catcher

ramon ramon why must you be such a sickday diva? please, stop messing with our heads and play beisbol...

Entering Wednesday's game, both of Hernandez's replacements (Paul Bako and
Alberto Castillo) were hitless. [wash. post].

ok, ok. so bakO got a hit on wednesday nite. two catchers + three games = one hit and i won't even get into the defensive impotence.