Daniel Cabrera (1-2, 4.09) vs. Jeremy Bonderman (0-0, 3.18)
Since sweeping the Blue Jays at home, it's been pretty rough going for the Orioles. They were swept in subsequent two-game series by both the A's and Red Sox, and lost two of three over the weekend to the Indians at Jacobs Field.
Cabrera contributed to the losing in his last start, finally displaying some of the wildness that's plagued him during his brief career, with five walks in 6 1/3 innings. But when he faced the Tigers three weeks ago, Cabrera didn't walk anyone, and gave up only two runs in 7 2/3 innings, helping the Orioles to a 6-2 win.
One key difference in tonight's match-up, however, is that the Orioles won't be facing Chad Durbin. They'll be dealing with a guy who's hungry for his long overdue first win of the season, and is looking to bounce back from a rather poor outing (with eight strikeouts, mind you) last week in Anaheim. Free Bondo tonight, guys. Get the kid a win, already.
Finally, deepest sympathies and condolences to the St. Louis Cardinals organization and its fans after the death of Josh Hancock yesterday. Todd Jones (who was once part of a trade involving Hancock) and Jim Leyland (who, as you know, is quite close to the Cardinals' staff) shared their thoughts on the matter to MLB.com. Also, Viva El Birdos and Deadspin both posted poignant thoughts and tributes today, and they're definitely worth your time.