Seattle comes to town this evening to open up a three-game set with the Baltimore Orioles. Following Seattle the Birds will see Cincinnati and then Minnesota (both for three, with a day off in between). Records-wise, these teams aren’t on par with the O’s. But make no mistake about the fact that they’re all very much in contention.
So this home stand for the Orioles is huge. Ironically the series that probably means “not as much” as the others is the Cincinnati series, given that they’re in the National League. But Cincinnati’s the hottest team in the league right now. So make no mistake that none of these teams is a cakewalk.
And one would hope that none of these teams is coming into Camden Yards (starting with Seattle tonight) thinking that playing the Orioles will cube a cakewalk. This is all a part of competing. You have to take things one game at a time, with perhaps a slight bit of emphasis on winning series’. For the most part, the Orioles do that. Mind you, they haven’t been swept in over a year.
When all’s said and done, whether we point back to this stretch as a key moment in the season remains to be seen. Also mind you, following the home stand the O’s head out to New York (a series that includes the 4th of July) and Minnesota before pausing for the all-star break. So starting now it’s full speed ahead to close out the first half of the season.
The Seattle series begins this evening at Camden Yards. Kyle Gibson takes to the bump for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Seattle’s Logan Gilbert. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.
Birdland Crush 