MLB: Orioles flying high and are slight underdogs

It was looking like another glum baseball season in Baltimore, especially after the Orioles started 2-8 in June, but quicker than you can say John minus Kate ain’t eight, the O’s have won five in a row and seven of eight. Baltimore (32-37, -3 units) has f

2009-06-24

It was looking like another glum baseball season in Baltimore, especially after the Orioles started 2-8 in June, but quicker than you can say John minus Kate ain’t eight, the O’s have won five in a row and seven of eight. Baltimore (32-37, -3 units) has feasted on the National League with 9-3 record and has six games this week trying to edge even closer to .500, starting in Florida. On Tuesday, Baltimore is a slight +100 dog, and with Florida’s past domination in the series, expect most bettors to be backing the hosts.

The Orioles have everyday lineup has meshed together, scoring 6.1 runs per game during this eight-game period, compared to 4.6 in all games played. Even the Baltimore starting pitchers have been effective. This no-name group has Jeremy Guthrie as the only recognizable name to even a fairly ardent baseball fan.

“I feel like we’ve improved,” Orioles manager Dave Trembley told the team’s official Web site. “There are a lot of things going on. We’re getting contributions from everybody, our bench has contributed, our situational hitting has improved. We’re getting key hits when it counts. We’re playing with confidence and we’re having a lot of fun. That’s what happens when everybody plays as a team.”

That was especially evident in sweep of the defending World Series champs Philadelphia at the there park. The Orioles will face an even greater challenge playing at Landshark Stadium for three games.
Baltimore has just five wins in 18 tries against Florida in interleague action, with only one win in Miami in nine ballgames. In spite of winning three in Philly, the Birds are still feckless 11-20 on the road and 16-35 as visitors dating back to last season.

They will try to get off to good start with Koji Uehara (2-4, 4.30 ERA, 1.253 WHIP), who is a rookie in name only at 34 years old. The Japanese veteran Uehara has not won since April 13, but hasn’t pitched poorly in last nine starts, with more than respectable 3.73 ERA in that span. He’s been too often caught up in the Orioles lack of run production, as Uehara has seen 2.3 runs per start since his last victory.
Baltimore will face left-hander Andrew Miller (2-3, 4.56, 1.559) of the Marlins, who continues flounder. Granted, most lefties take longer to develop, but the 6’6 Miller is not only tall, but has long arms, which has made his ability to have a repeatable delivery difficult. Though his fastball is lively and he has 43 punchouts in 51 1/3 innings, Miller also handed out 27 free passes. The Orioles have beaten the last five lefty starters they have encountered.

Florida (35-36, +0.7 units) has been coming around, with 6-3 record in last nine games, all versus the American League. The offense tends to be like the nearby Atlantic Ocean tide, it rises and drifts away. The best news is the Marlins are 14-6 (+11.9 Units) after five straight games where they had less than 10 hits.

Sportsbook.com has placed Florida in the favorite’s role at -110 on the money line with a total 9. The Fish are 8-3 at home against teams that have less than .400 road record and they are 12-3 OVER when the total is 8.5 to 10 over the last three seasons and Miller is the starter. Baltimore is 2-8 against clubs with losing record and is 23-10 OVER against left-handed starters on the road since last season.

Baltimore last won six straight on April 2-8, 2008 and will try to match that streak starting at 7:10 Eastern on MLB.TV.
StatFox Power Line – Baltimore -117

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