Baltimore @ San Francisco preview
Oracle Park
Last Meeting ( Jun 15, 2010 ) Baltimore 4, San Francisco 1
Pat Burrell is making the most of his second chance.
It has to feel good after an offensive hiatus that seems to go back to the 2008 World Series.
The power-hitting outfielder has offered a glimpse of his former self since joining the San Francisco Giants. When he was in Philadelphia, helping the Phillies to the 2008 Fall Classic title, he was good for 29 home runs and 90 RBIs a season.
But ever since he left for Tampa Bay prior to the 2009 season, Burrell never found his swing and it led to his eventual release in mid-May. He was claimed by San Francisco, which hasn’t had a consistent right-handed power hitter since Jeff Kent.
Since signing with the Giants in early June, Burrell has show signs of life for an offense that has been struggling but has been kept alive by one of the game’s better starting staffs.
Burrell had hits in seven of his first 10 games with two home runs and five RBIs. He had a modest four-game hitting streak end in Tuesday’s loss to the Baltimore Orioles at AT&T Park.
His role hasn’t been completely defined yet, but his presence between left-handed bats Pablo Sandoval and Aubrey Huff seems like a good fit.
That might be the middle of the lineup manager Bruce Bochy runs out there today against Baltimore in an attempt to win the interleague series after the teams split the first two games.
It helps when you can write two-time defending Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum’s name on the lineup card. The right-hander is 6-2 with a 3.12 ERA, but recently came through one of the worst patches of his career.
Before having two straight quality starts in his last two outings, Lincecum had three straight starts where he couldn’t complete six innings and gave up 14 earned runs in 15 1/3 innings.
Lincecum, who is 4-2 with a 3.69 ERA in nine interleague starts, usually eats up lesser offensive lineups and it wouldn’t be surprising if he had one of his best starts of the season against Baltimore.
The Orioles counter with right-hander Jeremy Guthrie, who has pitched better than his record indicates, but that is what happens on a team that is 18-47.
Guthrie has nine quality starts and an ERA of 3.83 in 13 outings but is just 3-7. He is going to have to be at his best – like when he allowed one earned run in three straight starts in May – to best Lincecum.
The Orioles offense has shown the ability to put up some crooked numbers at times, but facing Lincecum is different than the soft underbelly of a bullpen or a fifth starter.