Rain and Reimold

Anticipating more rain today, the Yankee Stadium grounds crew has installed a diving board and ladder behind the mound. Matt Angle had trouble tracking the ball in left field last night, but only because he was distracted by the shark's fin. The decision to play or postpone the game rested in the clammy hands of the umpires, since the Orioles were making their final trip to the Bronx. And they really, really wanted to work. It was raining buckets and the forecast for the rest of the night didn't bring a drop of optimism, but they ordered the teams on the field after a 4:03 delay. I wonder if the Orioles had offered to move the game to Camden Yards tomorrow and give the Yankees part of the gate. Has anyone told Yankees manager Joe Girardi that it's supposed to rain in Baltimore all week? Maybe they could move tomorrow's rescheduled game to the 1st Mariner Arena. The Orioles could have used Luke Scott last night. He's 8-for-15 with three doubles lifetime against Phil Hughes. It was good to see Clay Rapada strike out Curtis Granderson to end the seventh inning. Rapada is the ultimate lefty specialist, and he'd be a real asset in the bullpen next season if the Orioles can afford to carry him. And I don't mean financially. They just needed a lot of multi-inning relievers this season while their starters were making early exits night after night. Pedro Strop has retired all six batters he's faced in two appearances with the Orioles. He struck out two Rays in his Orioles debut Saturday, both on sliders. He struck out two Yankees last night, both on sliders. He also flashes a mid-90s fastball. He must be included in the bullpen discussion next spring. If the weather cooperates today, Nolan Reimold will have another chance to crack the starting lineup. He's been excluded since going 1-for-4 on Saturday. Reimold has one hit in his last 14 at-bats and four in his last 27. His average is down to .229 and he has one homer since Aug. 10. Reimold was used as a pinch-hitter on Monday and reached base after being grazed by a Mariano Rivera pitch. His jersey suffered a contusion and was day-to-day. He pinch-hit again last night against Rivera and struck out. I mentioned a while back that the 40-man roster would undergo major changes, and it's already happening. No sense waiting for the winter. Blake Davis and Mark Hendrickson are the latest Orioles to drop off, and both moves surprise me. I'm not saying that I projected them as part of the 2012 Opening Day roster, but the Orioles went to the trouble of putting Hendrickson through optional waivers recently so they could get him back on the 40-man, and then they designated him for assignment. If history has taught us anything, the Orioles will sign him to another minor league contract over the winter so he can be closer to his York, Pa. home. Davis was being groomed as a utility player. Maybe his disastrous game at third base in Anaheim soured the Orioles on that idea. Or maybe they still like him, but not enough to lose a spot on the 40-man. Davis can become a minor league free agent, so we might have seen the last of him in this organization - unless he buys a home in York, Pa.