Wrong turns with the rotation

If you're unable to watch today's game in its entirety, be sure to check out the first and ninth innings. That's usually when the Orioles do their scoring. That is, if they're able to push across some runs against Tigers right-hander Justin Verlander. I'm told he's pretty good. Verlander is 8-1 with a 3.26 ERA in 11 career starts against the Orioles. It's tough to find anyone on the roster who's had sustained success against him. J.J. Hardy is only 8-for-31, but he's hit three home runs and driven in seven runs. Nelson Cruz is 4-for-26 with two homers. Adam Jones is 3-for-27 with a homer. Matt Wieters is 3-for-19 with a double, triple and homer. Chris Davis is 3-for-17 with nine strikeouts. David Lough is 2-for-12. Feeling good about this one? I whiffed badly on my Rick Porcello prediction yesterday, so I'll keep my mouth shut this morning. Chris Tillman makes his second start of the season. He's 2-0 with a 4.30 ERA in five outings against the Tigers, allowing 14 runs and 24 hits in 29 2/3 innings. Miguel Cabrera, also pretty good from what I'm told, is 4-for-9 with a double and home run against Tillman. Tillman threw 104 pitches in five innings on opening day. Not good on the surface, but he held the Red Sox to only one run. You'd probably sign up for that line in blood after what we've seen over the past four games. Ubaldo Jimenez went six innings, but he allowed four runs, including a pair of home runs. Wei-Yin Chen gave up four runs and 12 hits in 5 2/3 innings. Miguel Gonzalez was charged with seven runs in 3 1/3 innings. And yesterday, the Tigers tagged Bud Norris for five runs and nine hits in five innings. I'll save you the math. The rotation has posted a 7.56 ERA, with 21 runs allowed in 25 innings. I'll find a silver lining. The rotation has issued only five walks, and Jimenez is responsible for three. Norris got through the first two innings yesterday on 25 pitches, but his start went downhill in the third, beginning with a leadoff single by former Oriole Alex Gonzalez. He exited after the fifth with his pitch count at 103. It's got to get better.