Impressive Win For The O's

Random thoughts about the O's game.

• Brian Roberts has carried over his bat from the WBC - he's locked-in at the plate.
• I know it's only one game, but I'm really starting to buy the Adam Jones break-out hype. 3-3 at the plate, including driving the ball with authority to the opposite field. Two walks, and he was patient in his at bats. Not just laying off bad pitches either, but really working the count and looking like he has a plan at the plate. Very impressed. And he can go get 'em in center (and left-center, and right-center) to boot.
  
• In a game with eight O's walks, it's odd that Nick Markakis didn't have any of them. He didn't look too good at the plate, but still went 2-4 with a couple of RBI.
• Nice to have an actual shortstop. The home run was just a bonus.
  
• The line-up doesn't have that big masher, but it's fairly deep and the top of the order may be really good if Jones keeps this up. Every Oriole got on base at least once, and Scott was the only one without a hit (though he walked twice).
• Guthrie wasn't great but after his awful spring, I'll take it.
• The pen, like the line-up, doesn't have a relief ace but is pretty deep with arms. Ray showed that he still has some closer potential, and JJ gave me some confidence that 2008 wasn't a complete fluke.
  
• Dave Trembley looks like a very happy man in the post-game press conference.
  
• Yankees' big-ticket free agents: 0, Orioles: 1.