I was watching the Baltimore Orioles vs. Tampa Bay Rays game on Thursday night and when Orioles’ closer Mike Gonzalez loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth, it looked like manager Dave Trembley was going to throw up in his mouth.

I could only imagine what Trembley was thinking or how he was feeling when Gonzalez blew his second save in three chances yesterday against the Toronto Blue Jays. I know it’s only four games into the season, but Trembley has to be already losing patience with Gonzalez.

We're four games in, and it would seem that Trey Hillman feels that both Mike Aviles and Mitch Maier haven't sat enough to fully cool off from their torrid spring.

Both men all but forced their way into their spots on the 25-man roster entering Spring Training.

In 21 games and 57 plate appearances, Aviles hit .471/.517/.725 with one-third of his hits going for extra bases (three doubles and five triples).

The last time the Minnesota Twins won a series in Anaheim, Rick Reed and Eric Milton were the winning pitchers.

The last time the Minnesota Twins hit nine home runs in their first four games was...never.

After dropping the season opener to the Los Angeles Angels 6-3 last Monday night, the Twins won the last three games of the series, outscoring the Angels 19-6.

Jason Heyward is a monster. He's a stud. He's a beast.

Heck, his first at-bat was a bomb that hit off the back of the Braves' bullpen.

But last night in a 2-0 loss to the Cubs, it didn't look too good.

Heyward went 0-for-4, and he looked pretty bad to me, especially in his last at-bat, when he faced Carlos Marmol in the bottom of the ninth.

The sequence was pretty simple.

Slider down and in. Heyward swings at a ball. Strike one.

Slider down and in. Heyward swings at a ball. Strike two.

All right, I'll take the Pirates' capture of their first series with two games in the "W" column, and one in the "L," which they have done in the recent past.

But it was a muted "win" that basically reeked of defeat. (And I was saying this two games ago with a reference to a "Pyrrhic" victory.)

The Dodgers outscored the Pirates, 18-17. The Dodgers outhit the Pirates 33 to 27. The Dodgers' batting average was forty-one points higher.

About the only thing they didn't do was to win the crucial, second game of the match. And it gets worse for the home team.

In the middle of trading barbs about payroll with New York Yankees president Randy (I am just along for the ride) Levine, Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio decided to use some of the money that Levine says he is giving the Brewers to lock up one of the best young pitchers in the game.

Yesterday, the Brewers signed RHP Yovani Gallardo to a five-year, $31 million extension.

Here is a breakdown of the contract:

2010: $500,000

2011: $3.25 million

2012: $5.5 million

2013: $7.75 million

2014: $11.25 million

Here’s a look at some unheralded fantasy baseball players who played well on Thursday.

Bronson Arroyo, Cincinnati Reds

Arroyo threw a gem but earned a no-decision. He gave up one run on four hits in eight innings while striking out six.

Dontrelle Willis and the Detroit Tigers defeated the Royals 7-3 Thursday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

Willis, who made his first start today since last June when he was placed on the disabled list due to social anxiety, pitched six innings and surrendered only two earned runs.

It was a pitchers duel in Cincinnati on Thursday as Bronson Arroyo and Brad Penny squared off against one another.

However, St. Louis' bullpen imploded in the late innings as the Reds defeated the Cardinals 2-1.

Jason Motte surrendered the death nail as Johnny Gomes blasted a walk off home run to stem the tide of the series and prevent a sweep.

Newly-acquired pitcher Brad Penny spoke of how tough the loss was and acknowledged the toughness of his adversary on the mound.

After a five-month wait, baseball is finally here. 

Actually, it was only four months that I longed for baseball, with March Madness really prolonging the desire for the seven-month marathon known as the MLB season.

However, baseball is here, my life is jam-packed with high school baseball season, fourth quarter projects, and studying for final exams.  When this arrives, I know it's time to record my predictions somewhere.