Just as I was getting ready to eat my words about Daniel Cabrera, Ramon Hernandez came to my rescue--giving us all new reasons to be disappointed in our catcher.

Saturday – A Cabrera Start’s A Terrible Thing To Waste

For an unprecedented fifth game in a row, Daniel Cabrera gave the O’s a start to rally behind going into the eighth inning and giving up only three runs and most astonishingly walking only two.  Quiet Baltimore bats kept silent though and Luke Scott’s lone RBI wasn’t enough to overcome a score of 3-1.

(Saturday Box Score)

Sunday – Stuck In Trachs-hell

Why would Steve Trachsel look surprised to see Dave Trembley striding out at him in the fourth inning after giving up six runs and three home runs?  He had a look on his face like he couldn’t believe it.  I had the same look on my face after the third dinger.

This was Trachsel’s second straight three inning outing, and the third in six starts.  I’d love to jump on the bandwagon that’s sending him out of town, but in order to do that you need a replacement and until the Roberts deal gets done we’re not going to have another true starter ready to move in.

Millar was right on the money when he said, “We didn't have good shutdown innings. We scored two, they scored four. We scored one, they scored two. You've got to have a shutdown inning, and we didn't today, so we lost."  The Orioles got to the Angel pitchers, but they got to Trachsel even more as he gave up all six Angel runs in this 6-5 Oriole loss.

While Trachsel’s arm was throwing BP, Oriole base runners were having trouble staying conscious.  As if Ramon Hernandez’s team low .198 batting average (Torres doesn’t count, not enough ABs) wasn’t enough reason to skewer him, his first inning homerun trot sure was.  Granted it was a well hit ball, and sure he has to enjoy every hit that leaves the infield since there haven’t been many, but if you can’t see where the ball went, you better run.

That’s his explanation.  He couldn’t see it.  He didn’t see it, so he assumed it was a home run.  While he’s assuming, he’s also getting tagged out strolling into second on what could have been a pivotal offensive inning. 

“…the thing was that it bounced right at [Garret Anderson] so I couldn't watch the ball."

Not good enough Ramon.  Absolutely not good enough.  Sure, Roberts got picked off and caught stealing third, but I can chalk that up to aggressiveness and not pure carelessness. 

With the loss, the Orioles fall to just one game over .500 and are in a three way tie with the Rays and the Yankees for second with Toronto just a game and a half behind. 

(Sunday Box Score)

Next Up

The Orioles pull into Oakland to take on the overachieving A’s in a three game set.  Garrett Olsen will try to follow-up on his strong debut outing facing the 3-2 rookie Dana Eveland.

(Photo: AP)