A Cause for Concern? The Pitching

So far, the Orioles have played in three series to start off, and have won each one taking two our of three games.

A 6-3 to start 2009 is indeed nice and rounds up to an 108 win season; however, does anyone expect Baltimore to win that much, if ever finish above .500? No.

As I see it, we can slug with anyone at the plate, we might have a decent bullpen (well, if Brian Bass wasn't in ut), but our starting pitching is -- um, still suspect.

Jeremy Guthrie has put aside all the talk about a potential decline, but everyone else is on watch.

Our Japanese buzzsaw, Koji Uehera, who was so good against the Yankees had his hands full with the Rangers on Monday. He looked very much off, the pitches were not hitting their spots, and against an aggressive Texas team whose offense is built for the park they play in -- teed off of Uehara. He will need to have pin-point control or location, or his outings on the mound -- much like against the Yankees -- have the potential to be very ugly. If Baltimore wishes to move back to respectability, they'll need this guy on.

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