It wasn’t a pretty weekend for the Birds. It was extremely reminiscent of a time not so long ago, yet in this microcosm of what we can refer to as the Buck-era this is only a slight hiccup.

So now the O’s focus their attention to the red hot Rays. The AL East leading Rays. The Rays who still have a reason to win- clinch the playoff spot and shoot for the best record in the AL. The Rays will be putting their best foot forward. Apparently the O’s will be doing the same. Last week, Buck Showalter made a point of setting up the best rotation for this series in order to maintain “competitive integrity.”
Anyway, it should be fun.

Here are the matchups for the series

Brian Matusz, LHP 8-12, 4.59 ERA vs Wade Davis, RHP 12-9, 4.13 ERA
Brad Bergesen, RHP 8-10, 4.90 ERA vs David price, LHP 18-6, 2.84 ERA
Kevin Millwood, RHP 3-16, 5.29 ERA vs Jeff Niemann, RHP 11-7, 4.49 ERA

All of these matchups are winnable and all of them can be lost. No need trying to predict what will happen. Chances are the Rays take at least one of the first two games and clinch the spot. Roch was talking this morning that it might be good for the O’s to watch the celebration.

Truth is that I want to O’s to end the season on the high, and as much as I hate the Yanks, I would rather that they come in first place because the Rays struggled against the Birds than to see that mini-September swoon by the O’s and end the season on a low note.