A full field and empty seats

In ranking the most potentially bizarre scenes, I'm not sure whether to place a walk-off home run in an empty ballpark ahead of a walk-off home run in a road venue.

Nothing make sense to me anymore - on the field and in the streets.

The Orioles and White Sox will play today at 2:05 p.m., in a game that's closed to the public and, unless I'm missing something, guaranteed to set the record for lowest attendance. I've experienced it during intrasquad games in spring training, when you may find a few scouts and family members, but not in the majors.

I totally understand why the Orioles are going this route, knowing the National Guard and police are needed in various parts of the city. Baseball rightfully takes a back seat. But I also understand why fans in desperate need of a distraction and determined to not live in fear would resent being excluded.

The day will be filled with curiosities. I've got to figure that the Orioles will need a PA announcer, since batters don't become official until they're introduced. But what about the between-innings games on the video board?

Are you telling me that we might be denied a hot dog race? I'll have to ketchup during the next homestand.

Not that I relish the disruption in my ballpark routine.

Kiss Cam could get real awkward. I'm just glad that I no longer sit next to Peter Schmuck.

The Orioles aren't happy that Major League Baseball refused to move a series at Tropicana Field to Camden Yards. They're in St. Petersburg, Fla. this weekend, of course, but also July 24-26 and Sept. 17-20.

Being the home team at Tropicana Field raises another set of questions, including whether the Orioles will leave their gray pants back in Baltimore. And are the celebratory pies included on the team charter?

It's usually a Camden Yards thing.

It's my understanding that the Orioles never made a push to move their games to Nationals Park and the White Sox and Rays weren't going to argue.

The Orioles will play 78 games at Camden Yards and the Rays get 84 at The Trop, but again, what's happening in Baltimore makes the math seem trivial. And as manager Buck Showalter always says, nobody is going to feel sorry for you. They're glad that you've got problems.

The Orioles pride themselves on being resilient. Well, here you go.

The bullpen will be rested. Rule 5 pick Jason Garcia was the only reliever used on Sunday, when he covered the last 2 1/3 innings in an 18-7 win over the Red Sox. The starters are being pushed back and may need an extra bullpen session with Thursday's open date on the schedule.

The Rays are listing their starters for this weekend as Alex Colome, Chris Archer and Nathan Karns. The first two games begin at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday's game starts at 1:35 p.m.

Jeff Samardzija, who takes the mound today for the White Sox, allowed four runs and six hits over seven innings in his only career start against the Orioles. He's never pitched at Camden Yards.

Someone needs to explain that it's usually not like this.

The current Orioles are batting .196 (10-for-51) against Samardzija, and that includes Ubaldo Jimenez being 1-for-2. Today's game will be played under unusual circumstances, but it's still going to include a designated hitter.

Manny Machado is 2-for-3 with a home run against Samardzija. Alejandro De Aza is 1-for-12 with five strikeouts and Travis Snider is 2-for-11 with four strikeouts.

Jimenez is 2-3 with a 5.01 ERA and 1.635 WHIP in 10 starts against the White Sox. Adam LaRoche is 7-for-20 with three doubles, a home run, five walks and seven strikeouts against Jimenez, and Conor Gillaspie is 5-for-11 with a double. Geovany Soto is 0-for-9 with five strikeouts.