Same Crap, Different Day - Orioles Lose Again in Oakland For Fourth Straight Loss; The Rundown & What The Bloggers Are Saying...

Could the good vibes of being a Baltimore Orioles fan in the short-term be coming to a close?

I was going to title this post something else (use your imagination), but I decided to be a good fan and use some decorum when doing this.

Again, the Orioles lost out West, 4-2, to the Oakland Athletics.

The loss was their fourth in a row, and they need to find answers; according to Spencer Fordin, the Orioles held a meeting at some point on Tuesday.

Brian Burres struggled for the most part last night, as he allowed eight hits and four runs (he was charged with three) over a little more than five innings of work. The bullpen was once again solid; however, once again the anemic offense did not do anyone favors despite the relief corps keeping Baltimore in the game.

The flighted ones made A’s starter, Justin Duchscherer, look like a Cy Young candidate as he went seven innings and allowed two runs — on four hits(!) — while walking two and striking out four batters. Aubrey Huff and Luke Scott each drove in a run for the Orioles, but honestly, after watching this game online — not much else happened.

In light of Burres’ start, he’s been out most consistent pitcher, and you cannot blame the ‘pen on this one. Folks, we’re now under .500 and 1-4 on this road trip, thus we surely cannot blame the pitching — it’s the bats.

Most thought we’d be terrible — we’re not (well, so far) — but the lack of hitting by the offense may make the doomsday predictions come true. Granted, the offense cannot be this bad for the long haul, but it’s been alarming the past week.

The whole team at the plate is awful and there are only two guys hitting even above .270 — Aubrey Huff and Luke Scott (who is slumping). A couple of guys (Millar, Hernandez, Jones) are nearing the Mendoza line. Just imagine if we could have put up a few more runs on the board, we could have at least split this trip so far.

They’ll go at again this afternoon as Jeremy Guthrie counters with Joe Blanton. We’ve got to stop making this Oakland team look like a bunch of All-Stars.

Are the Orioles looking like who we thought they were?

On the pitching front, Adam Loewen is ready to start rehab (the dude is a bulldog, and we need him back); James Johnson is versatile in the bullpen & so far is looking awesome; Childs Walker of the Baltimore Sun has a nice piece on minor league farmhands Chorye Spoone and Brandon Erbe.

Nowick Gray of the Orioles Hangout wonders if the team would benefit from a seven man rotation, Tony Pente has some interesting stats so far on the Orioles; Camden Chat's Scott Christ think this may be the beginning of the end of the Baltimore Orioles as we know it in 2008; Ben of Oriole Central wonders if and when Steve Trachsel will be released; HRB of Dempsey's Army looks at some key prospects in the minors; the Wayward Oriole looks at the offense in a unique style; & Roar from 34 looks at all the former Orioles who are part of Sports Illusrated's Baseball Greats.