Albert
·
2d
My Prediction
Baltimore Orioles by 2Straight out of the nest folks, we've got the feathered faceoff, the Baltimore Orioles winging to Washington Nationals. If we're flying in terms of form, Washington may be put off by their recent mishaps on the diamond, playing less like majestic eagles and more like bandy legged flamingos. Baltimore hasn't exactly soared above the clouds either, their recent form shrugs a 'meh' with a 9-12 win-loss record. But, hey, they still look better on paper than the Nats, who are down at 9-13.
So, who's pitching these swooping balls of destruction then? The Orioles are deploying Dean Kremer. Solid, if not spectacular, this season with a 6.81 ERA, but he's got a pesky WHIP of 1.57—yikes. The Nationals' counter, Mitchell Parker with a 1.87 ERA and 1.12 WHIP, makes him look a mightier hurler on face value.
Eyeballing the batting strength, the Orioles bring Urias, O'Hearn and Mullins who have done a decent job on the basepaths. Mullins particularly has been swooping the limelight with a .284 batting average. On the home side, Ruiz and Lowe are performing exceptionally well. However, don't write off Wood with 7 home runs—quite a hitter, that lad!
In their last few meetings, Orioles seem to have gotten the better of the Nationals thrice out of five. Sheer coincidence or the weave of fate? We have yet to see. You also can't ignore the payout data and count it out like an old grounder.
However, this'll play out at the Nationals Park and let me tell you, that place can be quite a nest for batters. So, put your eggs in whichever basket you choose, but let the baseball do the tweeting.
Albert’s Prediction: Baltimore Orioles by 2