Doldrums

Why is it that watching the Orioles seems so painful? It's probably a total lack of star power.

I grew up in an era where the Orioles dominated the AL East, with Frank and Brooks Robinson, Boog Powell, Mark Belanger, Jim Palmer, Dave McNally, and more. The era of pitching and the three run homer.

Now the Os have Brian Roberts and nobody. Jeremy Guthrie could be pretty good. George Sherill is a solid closer. Luke Scott could be pretty good. Kevin Millar and Jay Payton are Sox castoffs.

Can't be the Sox can it? I don't think so. Bartolo Colon put on a good show, the power Sox drill a couple of homers (the Fenway over-under for homers must be 1.5), and the running Sox pile up the stolen bases (Ellsbury, Lugo).

Anybody notice the action in the minors? Jason Place has started to hit at Lancaster, with a .400 average in ten games with twelve runs, ten ribbies, and four dingers. Lars Andersen has raised his average to .313. Josh Reddick has double digit homers (okay, it's Lancaster). Daniel Bard is finding the strike zone at Portland. And that doesn't even count the top shelf prospects like Clay Buchholz (AAA), Michael Bowden (AA), and Jed Lowrie (AAA).