Series Preview: Sox at Baltimore

Baltimore Orioles (26-26)
AL EAST: 5 GB
STREAK: L1
LAST 10: 3-7
BA: .247 (13th in AL)
RS: 218 (11)
HRs: 52 (6)
ERA: 4.13 (8)
RA: 228 (8)
SV: 18 (2)

Season Series: O's lead, 2-0

4 game series at Camden Yards
Game 1 Friday 7:05
Beckett (5-4, 4.43) vs. Cabrera (5-1, 3.70)
Game 2 Saturday 7:05
Lester (3-3, 3.55) vs. Olson (4-1, 4.09)
Game 3 Sunday 1:35
Colon (2-0, 2.25) vs. Burres (4-4, 4.15)
Game 4 Monday 7:05
Wakefield (3-4, 4.70) vs. Guthrie (2-6, 3.64)

Key Orioles:
- OF Nick Markakis .251/9HR/24BI/28R/33BB/.367OBP although the talented young right fielder isn't hitting for average he is leading the team in homers and on base percentage and is third in the AL in walks. Plus he's a very good fielder.

- LF Luke Scott .247/6HR/19RBI/16R/11 2B one of the players acquired in the Miggy Tejada trade, Scott has come on of late, banging 5 of his homers and knocking in 11 runs in May. Plus he's not an egomaniac addicted to PEDs, so I'd say it's worked out for the Birds

- RP George Sherrill 1-1/3.57ERA/17SV/1.19WHIP Mr Wide Brim has been a savior since coming over from Seattle in the Eric Bedard trade, posting the second most saves in the league and providing stability to what was once a shaky pen

PREVIEW:
As the Sox get ready to take on the Orioles this weekend suddenly there are more questions than answers surrounding this once rock solid club.

-Is Daisuke Matsuzaka going to miss one start, many starts or no starts?

-Can the Sox make it to the trading deadline within shouting distance of first place with a bullpen that is leakier than R. Kelly?

-When the hell is Manny gonna hit #500 and get back to his *normal self (*I use that term loosely)

-If the team does make the playoffs, will they be the MLB equivalent of the cross- town Celtics, unbeatable at home but unwatchable on the road?

These are the burning questions currently racing through the minds of everyone in the Nation as Boston opens its four game set against the fourth place Orioles in a wraparound series at Camden Yards tonight.

Don't expect me to provide the answers as I'm just as perplexed about this team than anyone else. I mean how does a club that is one of the best offensive teams in the majors fail so miserably on the road like this one has?

Entering tonight's game Boston is a stunning 21-5 at Fenway and a staggering 11-19 away from home, a disparity unmatched by any other team in the league. The Cubs would be the closest to this type of differential, with a 23-8 home mark and 11-13 road record, but that doesn't come close to Boston's bipolar home/road swing.

With the word on Dice-Ks shoulder yet to come from the front office, Boston will need last year's ace, Josh Beckett, to start performing like the near Cy Young winner he was last year.

At this time a year ago Beckett, not Matsuzaka, was the one with a perfect record, positing an identical 8-0 mark through May 29th en route to a 20 win season. This year, after being derailed by a back problem early on, Beckett has struggled with his command at times, although he has shown signs of coming around in his last two starts.

With the starting staff in flux the bullpen has been counted on more than ever, yet the group that was one of the best in the league last year has been a major disappointment this season. Three pen men have ERAs over 5.00 (Delcarmen, Hansen & Timlin), three have already been released by the team (Corey, Tavarez and Snyder), and the decent three (Okajima, Aardsma and Papelbon) have all had their struggles as well.

Look no one is asking these guys to be perfect, especially as much as they've been asked to pitch, but it seems like every time Tito has to go to the pen now you just roll your eyes, cross your fingers and pray that the guys he calls on can make it through the game unscathed.

Not exactly a heartwarming feeling for a potential championship club.

Basically Boston needs to take three of four this weekend, both to save its spot in the standings (currently 1 game behind the Rays and four in front of Baltimore) and to salvage a little respectability on the road before the inability to win away from Fenway turns into an albatross of Celtic proportions.