Freaky Tuesday and Wednesday

Last night marked the third consecutive game that the opposing starter didn't last six innings. We've entered the Bizarro World. The Angels are a bad baseball team, and it feels strange to type those words. I'm not downplaying a single thing the Orioles have accomplished under Buck Showalter...but the Angels are a bad baseball team. Guys are playing out of position. Can you imagine such a thing? Did you see the botched pop up in foul territory? They actually let the ball fall harmlessly to the ground. And they're running into outs as if they're supposed to keep going until someone blows a whistle. What's next? They adopt Thank God I'm a Country Boy as their seventh inning stretch song? I'm still stunned that Torii Hunter tried to steal third base with no outs in the ninth and his team down by two runs. It's a good thing Matt Wieters wasn't stunned. He exploded out of his crouch and cut down Hunter at third base. I was sitting next to a Mets scout who just shook his head. He's seen Hunter do a few crazy things on the basepaths, but that was a first for me. "That was stupid," Hunter told reporters after the game. "That was so stupid. Can't take it back, killed the rally, terrible. They teach you that in Little League - don't make the first out at third. Might have been the dumbest thing I've done in years." I would hope "ever," but I guess it might just be "years." I'm counting 39 guys on the Orioles' 40-man roster after their two trades last week - Rick VandenHurk replaced Will Ohman, but Wynn Pelzer didn't replace Miguel Tejada - so it shouldn't impact today's player move. (Pelzer, by the way, threw two scoreless innings last night for Double-A Bowie, allowing one hit, walking one and striking out two.) David Hernandez looks like he's headed to the disabled list, and the Orioles will need a pitcher from Triple-A Norfolk. I was going to suggest Troy Patton, but wait, he's already here. Has anyone seen him? Frank Mata is on the 40-man, but again, it just doesn't Mata. Armando Gabino is 7-0 with a 2.12 ERA in 27 games, with 55 hits allowed, 20 walks and 68 strikeouts in 76 1/3 innings. He's permitted one earned run in his last 23 1/3 innings. Dennis Sarfate is 2-1 with a 3.29 ERA and 14 saves in 35 appearances, with 25 hits, 23 walks and 57 strikeouts in 41 innings. Dan Haren is pitching for the Angels tonight. I always get him confused with Rich Harden. Is Haren the one who's always injured, or is he the other one? Haren hasn't won since June 12 while pitching for the Diamondbacks, but he went the distance in his last start, allowing only two runs in a 2-1 loss to the Rangers. He's 4-2 with a 3.30 ERA lifetime against the Orioles. The current group doesn't have much success against him. Ty Wigginton is 1-for-11. Julio Lugo is 1-for-9. Nick Markakis is 2-for-11. Might be time to dust off Corey Patterson. He's 4-for-11 with a homer, two RBIs and three walks. Brian Roberts has homered twice in 20 at-bats against Haren, but he's questionable for tonight after bruising his left shin. If you had "bruised shin" in your B-Rob injury pool, you might collect some fifth-place money.