Baltimore Orioles

After the emotional roller-coaster ride of the last two games against Boston, it is hard to tell just what state of mind the Baltimore Orioles will be in as they hit the road for a seven-game West Coast swing.

One thing for sure is that they can’t have a repeat of the performance displayed the last time they trekked out west a month ago.

On that trip, which followed a home stand in which the Orioles had won five of seven games, Baltimore won the first game in Seattle 1-0 on the best outing of the season for starting pitcher Rich Hill.

The bronze baseballs that adorn Camden Yards' Eutaw Street walkway provide four pieces of information—the batter, his team, the date, and the distance—but that's only half the story. Who were the pitchers?

Presumably, no organization would create a monument to shame pitchers, although if that option ever came in vogue I have some candidates in mind for the first statue—2007 bullpen, I'm looking in your general direction.

After blowing a nine-run lead Tuesday night, the Red Sox showed the Orioles how it feels as Boston rallied in the ninth inning Wednesday to win 6-5.

Baltimore starter Brad Bergesen pitched lights-out through eight innings. The rookie held Boston to just one run on four hits, no walks, and six strikeouts. He left the game with a 5-1 lead.

Somewhere amid the ridiculous buzz surrounding super-prospect Matt Wieters, and the noise following Nolan Reimold, Jason Berken, Brad Bergesen, and David Hernandez, super utility guy Oscar Salazar got the call up to Baltimore.

It's not as if he didn't earn it. He along with Reimold and the injured Lou Montanez were all hitting above .370 at the time of their call up. He also had ten home runs and 43 RBI in 50 games at AAA Norfolk. The difference between Salazar and Reimold however, may be the very same reason why the former is a perfect fit for these O's.

To say the least, Koji Uehara has had a very up-and-down rookie season with the Baltimore Orioles. In 12 starts, he is 2-4 with a 4.05 ERA, has walked just 12 in 66 and two thirds innings, and has yet to hit batter. While he's done a good job for a rookie, he's had his share of downs.

O's fans have come to notice he doesn't have much to work with after the fifth inning. He has pitched seven innings just once, an Apr. 19 start against the Boston Red Sox in which he allowed two runs in a loss.

Thursday was the 10th anniversary of Jesse Orosco's record-setting relief appearance. This week's Flashback Friday revisits that game and Orosco's tenure in Orange and Black, which had Baltimore fans talking about the pitcher's "snapdragon" curveball.

This article originally appeared at the Baltimore Sports Report.

The dream began for shortstop Robert Andino on August 4, 2002, as he signed with the Florida Marlins and kicked off his minor league career. 

It has been a walk down memory lane for the Baltimore Orioles this week as Interleague play has allowed for the renewal of a great rivalries with two one-time World Series opponents.