Medical Wing Update

As the Orioles’ playoff chances remain on life support, today’s game resulted in a couple of injuries that may be a factor down the stretch. The O’s will try to overcome the following injuries, as they attempt to overcome a 2.5 game deficit in the Wild Card race:

Miguel Gonzalez – groin

Gonzalez has been declared day-t0-day, but manager Buck Showalter admits that he is in danger of missing his next start. Gonzalez felt the groin tighten, and attempted to pitch through it. After striking out Adam Lind in the 6th, he thought better of it. Alerting the dugout ot his discomfort, he left the game in the capable hands of Kevin Gausman.

Gonzalez said he recognized the need to be ready for his next start, which is the reason he took himself out of the game. He had allowed only an earned run in his 5.1 innings.

Miguel Gonzalez is an incredibly important piece of the O’s rotation. After suffering an unusual stretch of rough games, Gonzalez appears to have righted the ship, and he can be counted upon to take the ball in big games, go deep, and give the team a chance to win. In a stretch of games where every out matters, losing Gonzalez for any stretch of time is a huge blow.

Nate McLouth – knee

McLouth was hit by a 94-mph fastball, and was removed in favor of Chris Dickerson. McLouth said his knee “went numb,” and that he was unable to run. Showalter said that McLouth was “fine,” which seems to be supported by the fact that x-rays came back negative on Sunday night. McLouth will receive treatment in Boston. A timetable for his return to the lineup is uncertain.

McLouth’s absence from the lineup and outfield is not necessarily a huge loss at this point in the season. Dickerson is a comparable defensive option. McLouth’s offenseive line over his past 30 games (89 AB) is an unimpressive .213/.293/.393/.686. Dickerson is also a lefty, which provides a matchup replacement. Moreover, Michael Morse and Danny Valencia are offensive options whose potential and upside (respectively) will give Showalter good options when writing up the lineup card.

It’s possible that McLouth misses minimal time, but the HBP is worth noting in the next few games.

Bud Norris – elbow tightness

Now that the O’s are down a starter, it would be nice to get Bud Norris back. Norris was skipped in his last turn, which provided the opportunity for Jason Hammel to return to the starting rotation.

Norris does not appear to have any structural damage, and is optimistic that he will be able to make his next start. He is expected to throw again on Tuesday, and if all goes well, could be back on the mound by Friday or Saturday.

Bud Norris has proven to be a steady #4/#5 starter on a contending team. Being at full strenght against AL East foes would be a solid advantage for the O’s – it would be nice to have an excess of pitching to fall back on, even if it is simply quantity rather than quality. Hey, it worked for the 2012 Orioles.

Darren O’Day – tingly fingers

OK, so that’s not much of a diagnosis, but Darren O’Day has some pretty scary symptoms – numbness and tingling in his right index and middle fingers. After a series of tests, doctors gave him cortizone shots in the wrist and fingers. The hope is that this will reduce the inflammation, and allow O’Day to return to the team next weekend for the Tampa Bay series.

Thee loss of O’Day is huge. O’Day is a critical cog of the back of the bullpen. He and Tommy Hunter are the most durable and dependable options for Buck Showalter, who has seen Jim Johnson and waiver acquisition Francisco Rodriguez falter. O’Day is no longer the myster to lefties that he once was, but is still deadly against righties.

Orioles Fans – broken heart

It seams that every loss is a source of heartbreak for Baltimore fans. Though the team continues to struggle with runners in scoring position, and has seemingly been bested in every series in recent memory, the O’s are (somehow) still in the playoff hunt. At 2.5 games out from the second (AND FIRST) Wild Card slot, Orioles fans have a legitemate reason to believe that their team could Buckle Back Up and sneak into the playoffs.

O’s fans (this one included) stuggle with following a good club at this time of the season. Usually eliminated in August, the O’s are stll mathematically in the race, and despite their own best efforts, could overtake the Cleveland Indians and the Tampa Bay Rays/Texas Rangers.

Take it easy, Orioles fans. Every out of every game matters. Things are going to be tense over the next couple of weeks. But remember, until they are actually eliminated from playoff contention, the Birds are playing meaningful games in September – which is something we would have killed for during those fourteen dark years of irellevancy.