Today's game and random thoughts

BOSTON - We've got morning baseball at Fenway Park if the weather allows it.

Rain is in the forecast for Patriots' Day and the temperature continues to drop, though the worst stuff might not arrive until mid-to-late afternoon. The Red Sox won't need to rely on their players to slow the pace. Mother Nature is all over it.

Seriously, the combination of starter Clay Buchholz and catcher Ryan Hanigan could stop time. A flight from BWI to Washington D.C. would last 14 hours if the Red Sox were manning the controls.

The Orioles loathed Hanigan's work behind the plate during his one season with the Rays. He was a human rain delay inside the dome, making enough trips to the mound each game to earn travel points. If only they could get him out of the division.

My worst nightmare is I suffer a serious accident, manage to pry my phone from my pocket with a bloody hand and dial 9-1-1, and the voice on the other end says, "David Ortiz will be there shortly."

In case you missed it, the Rays designated reliever Grant Balfour for assignment on Saturday. I'm waiting for someone - a member of the media or perhaps a team doctor from outside the organization who had no business commenting on the Orioles' physical - to credit the club for getting out of that agreement after reviewing Balfour's MRI.

The Orioles took a two-fisted beating after backing out of their agreement. Well...

To be fair, the Orioles were willing to adjust their original offer and give Balfour one year instead of two, and he went 2-6 with a 4.91 ERA for the Rays last season and lost the closer's job. He registered a 6.23 ERA in six games this season, and the Rays decided to swallow the $7 million remaining on his contract.

Also to be fair, Balfour's issues may not be related to his shoulder, which basically freaked out the Orioles after he took their physical, but he's looking for a job in 2015. The Orioles have Zach Britton closing for them.

I think we're done here.

The Orioles have won seven of their last eight games at Fenway Park. It wasn't always this easy.

Actually, it's still a challenge to conquer the Red Sox on their home field - also known as "America's Most Beloved Ballpark" by folks who haven't tried to squeeze into the visiting clubhouse.

It's so small, you have to step outside to change your mind. The Orioles scraped the paint off one wall because they needed the extra space.

"It still is. Very hard," said manager Buck Showalter. "That's a good club over there. We've been fortunate the last couple of nights and we got a tough break in the first one. Ballgames aren't over until the last out here. You've got to grind these games out and our guys did. You know how quickly that could turn, but I don't think anybody in there is aware of that or pays much attention to it."

Today's starter, left-hander Wei-Yin Chen, has allowed five runs and eight hits in two starts this season, with three walks, eight strikeouts and three home runs in 10 1/3 innings.

Chen is 5-3 with a 4.24 ERA in 11 starts against the Red Sox and 3-2 with a 4.99 ERA in seven starts at Fenway Park. The current Red Sox are batting .323 against him.

Dustin Pedroia is unconscious, going 14-for-27 (.519) with five doubles and a triple. What, no home run?

Ortiz is 8-for-21 (.381) with a double, home run and at least one very slow walk back to the dugout. Daniel Nava is 7-for-16 (.438) with a home run, Shane Victorino is 4-for-10 (.400) with a home run, and Xander Bogaerts is 3-for-10 (.300) with a home run.

Mike Napoli is only 3-for-17 (.176), but it includes a double and two home runs.

Red Sox starter Justin Masterson has posted a 7.59 ERA in two outings this season, with nine runs and 11 hits allowed in 10 2/3 innings. He's 6-6 with a 5.53 ERA in 16 games (12 starts) against the Orioles.

Alejandro De Aza is 11-for-34 (.324) with a home run against Masterson. Ryan Flaherty is 5-for-8 (.625) with a double and home run. Manny Machado is 3-for-8 (.375) with a double and home run.

Flaherty, a Maine native, is batting .400 (20-for-50) in his last 13 games against the Red Sox since April 20, 2014. Keep running him out there.

Pitching matchups for the series in Toronto:

Tuesday: Bud Norris vs. Mark Buehrle
Wednesday: Ubaldo Jimenez vs. Aaron Sanchez
Thursday: Chris Tillman vs. Drew Hutchison