Does a postponement and day/night doubleheader help or hurt the Orioles?
Does it even matter?
Maybe it means nothing, but the timing seems pretty rotten for a team coming off its crispest game of the season.
So much for riding a wave tonight - though snowboarding might be a possibility.
I know momentum in baseball is the next day's starting pitcher. Doesn't matter how many games you've won in a row if the opposing hurler brings his best stuff, which Francisco Liriano has been doing this year. In that regard, what happened today could be meaningless.
Even so, I wanted a game tonight. I wanted to find out whether the Orioles could duplicate last night's effort, with a little more offense, while still feeling good about themselves.
A doubleheader brings the obvious challenges. Your bullpen can be taxed, though the Orioles are fortunate to have Kevin Millwood on the mound. You figure that he'll get you deep in one of those games (expected to be the first one, though the Orioles haven't made it official.) And manager Dave Trembley might have to rest some guys who otherwise wouldn't have sat in this series, even with the break in between games.
Matt Wieters won't catch both ends, but he could serve as the designated hitter in one of them.
The Twins are starting a left-hander and right-hander, so Trembley can prepare accordingly. Give some guys who are struggling the more favorable matchup - if such a thing exists against Liriano.
It just seems like a sweep is asking too much. The Orioles are having enough trouble winning one game. Now we're asking them to win two on the same day.
At least they held onto their off-day before returning to Camden Yards on Tuesday. Players hate losing those.
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