Life doesn't get any easier for the scuffling Jays, who battle a couple of first-place Beltway clubs this week.
* General: With their 5-1 homestand against Houston and Colorado, the Orioles sit at 41 wins. Their 40th win this season came on June 18; last year, they didn't record #40 until July 19 ... The O's have been in sole possession of first since April 23, when they knocked off the Jays ... The team has scored an incredible 6.29 runs per road game ... Baltimore baserunners have hit a speed bump of late. After going a sizzling 27-for-31 in steal attempts through May 1, they've gone only 13-for-22 since then ... Baltimore is a heady 18-8 against divisional rivals ... The O's have committed just two errors over their last 16 games ... Veteran reliever Jason Grimsley is way ahead of schedule in coming back from his October Tommy John surgery. He could be back by late July ... Luis Matos returned from a broken ring finger this weekend. David Newhan, who had two remaining minor league options, was sent down ... The Orioles have inquired about Jason Jennings and Kip Wells, but are hoping to add an even higher-profile starter for the stretch run. Jay Gibbons is being dangled as trade bait, but NL clubs aren't interested in Jay ... Roberts, Tejada, Mora and Ryan are all expected to make the All-Star team ... Lee Mazzilli was the proud recipient of his first-ever managerial ejection. He argued, wrongly, that Chris Gomez's foul ball should have been ruled a home run. It fired up the team, especially when he flung a tray of Bazooka gum onto the field. Mazzilli: "I couldn't lift 5 gallons of Gatorade. I wouldn't even try that" ...
* Miguel Tejada: With 824 consecutive games played, Miggy's ironman streak now ranks ninth on the all-time list ... Continues his excellent two-way play ... Pounds pitches down in the zone, hitting lasers to all fields ... Outstanding bat speed ... Determined, if not especially graceful, baserunner ... Not a superb high-ball hitter, and can be induced to chop at high off-speed stuff ... Quick release on the double play pivot at short ...
* Bruce Chen: Old friend has been confounding hitters with his slow stuff ... Throws a mid-70s changeup away from righties, but it's very hittable if he misses with his location ... Throws a tight high-70s and low-80s curve with a non-dramatic, but late, break to it. He backdoors righties with it, or he'll throw it in the dirt ...
* Sammy Sosa: More of a level swing than in years past, but he's still a deep threat when the ball is left up in the zone ... Reads lefthanded breaking stuff very well ... The way to pitch to him is well-documented: Pound him in on his fists with fastballs, and if you get away with it, make him chase a breaking ball away ... And chase he will ...
* Larry Bigbie: Recently returned from the DL (strained right hamstring) ... Inside-out hitter with some ability ... Likes the ball up and out over the plate ... Heads-up baserunner but not a great base stealer ... Can be blown away up and in; his swing isn't the quickest ... Lays off anything inside ...
* Melvin Mora: After posting excellent OBPs in 2003 and 2004, Mora's walk rate has declined this season ... Still a dangerous hitter with power ... Good bat control and can spoil two-strike pitches effectively ... Likes fastballs down and in, which he likes to turn on with a golf-style power swing. Mora: "I love it when they pitch me down" ... Can be handcuffed up and in ... Enters play tonight on a modest six-game hitting streak ... Great range at third, and it enables Tejada to play a more stationary shortstop where he can plant and use his excellent throwing arm ...
* Steve Reed: Throwing his sinking two-seam fastball better than he was the last time he faced the Jays ... Hides the ball well with his low, sidearm delivery ... Likes to fling a four-seamer up and away to righthanded hitters ... Has shaken off his early struggles: "I don't worry about the ups and downs" ...
* Rafael Palmeiro: Gets out on his front foot and pulls line drives to right -- not as well as in his prime, but he's still an effective dead pull hitter ... Trusted by his manager and has a permanent green light, even on 3-0 counts ... Sinkers and sliders are good ideas; they don't play to his strengths as a fastball hitter ... Has definitely lost a step defensively ...
* Rodrigo Lopez: Watch out for his changeup ... Spots a low-90s fastball well, with some explosive late movement ... Deceptively easy delivery makes his heater seem faster ... His mid-80s cutter has some bite, but doesn't move as much as he would like. It's worth sitting on ... Throws a fine sinker ...
* Jay Gibbons: Looking better at the plate than the last time we saw him ... Staying back much better at the plate and turning on fastballs ... Another good low-ball hitter for the O's -- which helps explain why Doc has struggled against them ... Prefers the ball in to away ... Shorter, more compact front-arm extension now ... A bit pull-happy and will roll over high fastballs ... Excellent receiver at first base ...
* Brian Roberts: Still definitely his dream season, and still hitting for average, but his unprecedented power surge has at least subsided. He hasn't homered in his last 23 games ... Strangely, he hasn't stolen a base in his last 24 games ... Good burst on the basepaths and will take the extra base ... Can be pitched to down in the zone -- but he has a fine batting eye and will draw a walk unless the location is excellent ... For all his hitting exploits, he remains a fine defender at second with a tremendous throwing arm and good range up the middle ... Less proficient at tracking flares over his head ...
* Todd Williams: After an amazing April, he had a poor May and hasn't pitched much better this month ... His arm angle seems to have gotten a bit more cross-body, but it's not deceiving righthanded hitters as much ... Not overpowering hitters with his low-90s fastball ...
* Eli Marrero: Really shifts his weight at the plate, a la Vernon Wells or Lew Ford ... Determined and athletic defender that doesn't catch anymore (not since 2003), but can fill in at even demanding positions like centre ... Good speed on the basepaths ...
* Daniel Cabrera: Has not yet achieved consistency with the kind of superior stuff he showed the Jays in April ... Excellent high-80s splitter; the bottom really falls out of it when it's working ... The 6'7" Dominican boasts a high-90s fastball with tailing action ... His curve is vulnerable, though, because it's not really a change of pace and it is more likely to stay up than the splitter ...
* Sal Fasano: Takes mighty cuts at the plate ... Good plate coverage and can reach the outside strike ... Vastly better against lefthanders, where he seems to pick up breaking stuff far better ... Pulls his head way off righthanded junk ... Frames pitches expertly behind the plate ...
* Sidney Ponson: Receiving an obscene 7.6 runs per gams in support ... Consequently, the O's take advantage of his stamina to let him eat up innings ... Sir Sidney cocks his wrist dramatically before each pitch, and his body tilts awkwardly with each delivery. Still, he's managed to stay healthy for years ... Comes straight over the top, but often catches a lot of the plate ... Sinking action on his low-90s fastball. He runs it away from righthanded hitters ... Hard splitter that breaks early, so it can be picked up by the hitter ...
On the other hand, it's a four-game set that provides a real opportunity to make up ground within the division if the Jays can get their bats going -- and the return of proud Father's Day celebrant Vernon Wells will help. Of course, this will be difficult, since the Orioles are playing relaxed, smart baseball and are supporting their decent starting pitching with a fearsome lineup (even absent Javy Lopez).
This week's Scout features a somewhat slowing breakout season, a very lucky knight and a proud first-time recipient of an ejection.
On to the Advance Scout!* General: With their 5-1 homestand against Houston and Colorado, the Orioles sit at 41 wins. Their 40th win this season came on June 18; last year, they didn't record #40 until July 19 ... The O's have been in sole possession of first since April 23, when they knocked off the Jays ... The team has scored an incredible 6.29 runs per road game ... Baltimore baserunners have hit a speed bump of late. After going a sizzling 27-for-31 in steal attempts through May 1, they've gone only 13-for-22 since then ... Baltimore is a heady 18-8 against divisional rivals ... The O's have committed just two errors over their last 16 games ... Veteran reliever Jason Grimsley is way ahead of schedule in coming back from his October Tommy John surgery. He could be back by late July ... Luis Matos returned from a broken ring finger this weekend. David Newhan, who had two remaining minor league options, was sent down ... The Orioles have inquired about Jason Jennings and Kip Wells, but are hoping to add an even higher-profile starter for the stretch run. Jay Gibbons is being dangled as trade bait, but NL clubs aren't interested in Jay ... Roberts, Tejada, Mora and Ryan are all expected to make the All-Star team ... Lee Mazzilli was the proud recipient of his first-ever managerial ejection. He argued, wrongly, that Chris Gomez's foul ball should have been ruled a home run. It fired up the team, especially when he flung a tray of Bazooka gum onto the field. Mazzilli: "I couldn't lift 5 gallons of Gatorade. I wouldn't even try that" ...
* Miguel Tejada: With 824 consecutive games played, Miggy's ironman streak now ranks ninth on the all-time list ... Continues his excellent two-way play ... Pounds pitches down in the zone, hitting lasers to all fields ... Outstanding bat speed ... Determined, if not especially graceful, baserunner ... Not a superb high-ball hitter, and can be induced to chop at high off-speed stuff ... Quick release on the double play pivot at short ...
* Bruce Chen: Old friend has been confounding hitters with his slow stuff ... Throws a mid-70s changeup away from righties, but it's very hittable if he misses with his location ... Throws a tight high-70s and low-80s curve with a non-dramatic, but late, break to it. He backdoors righties with it, or he'll throw it in the dirt ...
* Sammy Sosa: More of a level swing than in years past, but he's still a deep threat when the ball is left up in the zone ... Reads lefthanded breaking stuff very well ... The way to pitch to him is well-documented: Pound him in on his fists with fastballs, and if you get away with it, make him chase a breaking ball away ... And chase he will ...
* Larry Bigbie: Recently returned from the DL (strained right hamstring) ... Inside-out hitter with some ability ... Likes the ball up and out over the plate ... Heads-up baserunner but not a great base stealer ... Can be blown away up and in; his swing isn't the quickest ... Lays off anything inside ...
* Melvin Mora: After posting excellent OBPs in 2003 and 2004, Mora's walk rate has declined this season ... Still a dangerous hitter with power ... Good bat control and can spoil two-strike pitches effectively ... Likes fastballs down and in, which he likes to turn on with a golf-style power swing. Mora: "I love it when they pitch me down" ... Can be handcuffed up and in ... Enters play tonight on a modest six-game hitting streak ... Great range at third, and it enables Tejada to play a more stationary shortstop where he can plant and use his excellent throwing arm ...
* Steve Reed: Throwing his sinking two-seam fastball better than he was the last time he faced the Jays ... Hides the ball well with his low, sidearm delivery ... Likes to fling a four-seamer up and away to righthanded hitters ... Has shaken off his early struggles: "I don't worry about the ups and downs" ...
* Rafael Palmeiro: Gets out on his front foot and pulls line drives to right -- not as well as in his prime, but he's still an effective dead pull hitter ... Trusted by his manager and has a permanent green light, even on 3-0 counts ... Sinkers and sliders are good ideas; they don't play to his strengths as a fastball hitter ... Has definitely lost a step defensively ...
* Rodrigo Lopez: Watch out for his changeup ... Spots a low-90s fastball well, with some explosive late movement ... Deceptively easy delivery makes his heater seem faster ... His mid-80s cutter has some bite, but doesn't move as much as he would like. It's worth sitting on ... Throws a fine sinker ...
* Jay Gibbons: Looking better at the plate than the last time we saw him ... Staying back much better at the plate and turning on fastballs ... Another good low-ball hitter for the O's -- which helps explain why Doc has struggled against them ... Prefers the ball in to away ... Shorter, more compact front-arm extension now ... A bit pull-happy and will roll over high fastballs ... Excellent receiver at first base ...
* Brian Roberts: Still definitely his dream season, and still hitting for average, but his unprecedented power surge has at least subsided. He hasn't homered in his last 23 games ... Strangely, he hasn't stolen a base in his last 24 games ... Good burst on the basepaths and will take the extra base ... Can be pitched to down in the zone -- but he has a fine batting eye and will draw a walk unless the location is excellent ... For all his hitting exploits, he remains a fine defender at second with a tremendous throwing arm and good range up the middle ... Less proficient at tracking flares over his head ...
* Todd Williams: After an amazing April, he had a poor May and hasn't pitched much better this month ... His arm angle seems to have gotten a bit more cross-body, but it's not deceiving righthanded hitters as much ... Not overpowering hitters with his low-90s fastball ...
* Eli Marrero: Really shifts his weight at the plate, a la Vernon Wells or Lew Ford ... Determined and athletic defender that doesn't catch anymore (not since 2003), but can fill in at even demanding positions like centre ... Good speed on the basepaths ...
* Daniel Cabrera: Has not yet achieved consistency with the kind of superior stuff he showed the Jays in April ... Excellent high-80s splitter; the bottom really falls out of it when it's working ... The 6'7" Dominican boasts a high-90s fastball with tailing action ... His curve is vulnerable, though, because it's not really a change of pace and it is more likely to stay up than the splitter ...
* Sal Fasano: Takes mighty cuts at the plate ... Good plate coverage and can reach the outside strike ... Vastly better against lefthanders, where he seems to pick up breaking stuff far better ... Pulls his head way off righthanded junk ... Frames pitches expertly behind the plate ...
* Sidney Ponson: Receiving an obscene 7.6 runs per gams in support ... Consequently, the O's take advantage of his stamina to let him eat up innings ... Sir Sidney cocks his wrist dramatically before each pitch, and his body tilts awkwardly with each delivery. Still, he's managed to stay healthy for years ... Comes straight over the top, but often catches a lot of the plate ... Sinking action on his low-90s fastball. He runs it away from righthanded hitters ... Hard splitter that breaks early, so it can be picked up by the hitter ...
