It's funny how good a team can look when it scores eight runs. There were no complaints about first-pitch swinging, the makeup of the lineup or working the count. The team scored early to give a starter the lead, added on and put it away with more offense late. Who knew Ty Wigginton would be the hero? At this point, who cares, it's just good that someone stepped up. Now the big question is this. Will the team build on this and start playing better baseball leading to more wins? The O's play three in Seattle starting tonight. Friday they begin a stretch of 12 straight games vs. Boston and New York. Gulp! Better be ready by then. The odds are against this club getting on a roll. The combination of missing Brian Roberts, not having a dependable closer and facing a brutal schedule doesn't seem to add up to this team getting on a roll. But there is one thing that could change that. The starting pitching. It has been mostly solid and, if Brad Bergesen can start to pitch like the Bergy of last year, maybe they can hold their own over the next few weeks.

I think this team will hit enough to be decent. They won't bash like the Yankees, but could be at least in the middle of the pack in the league in runs scored. The bullpen just looks real shaky, unless Mike Gonzalez returns and pitches like his track record indicates he can. Even then, this part of the team could be dicey this year. The starters to me look much improved from last year. The O's starters have allowed 3 ER or less nine times in 13 games. They are keeping the team in the game, leaving it up to the bats to get the lead and the pen to hold it. The defense will be a little above average and I don't think it will cost this team many games at all. The starters not only seem better with more talent than in recent years, but with a determination to get deeper into games. So far, the veterans in Millwood and Guthrie are showing the way in that regard. If I could only pick to have one strong area and the choices were starting pitching, offense and the bullpen, I'll take the starters. The early returns point to the O's having a decent rotation in 2010. Whether that is true and if it can lead this team out of its doldrums, we're about to find out. As a final word for this blog, I'm going to give some kudos to embattled O's manager Dave Trembley. Since he gets blasted for every decision he makes that doesn't work, he should get credit for two Sunday that did. First, he went right back to using Jim Johnson, a day after Saturday's blow save. Johnson told reporters it was nice that Trembley "had his back." He also put slumping hitter Nolan Reimold in the fourth spot in the order, showing support for Reimold, who entered the game batting .167. He also let Reimold swing away at a 3-0 pitch and he hit a two-run double. Sometimes, if you show confidence in your players, they can reward such confidence. Now if they could just do it a lot more often. In minor league roster moves today, Delmarva has placed C Justin Dalles on the disabled list and added C Luis Bernardo from Frederick. Dalles was involved in a collision at the plate in the top of the twelfth inning during yesterday's game at Perdue Stadium. A timetable for his return is unknown at this time. Bowie IF Blake Davis is headed to Triple-A Norfolk. Davis was 4 for 21 with the Baysox. Bowie has added IF Matt Tucker off Aberdeen's roster. Delmarva 1B Tyler Kolodny has been named South Atlantic League Player of the Week, for the period from April 8 to 18. He leads the SAL in homers (6), slugging (1.000) and total bases (44). On the year he is batting .387-6-11.