Dontrelle Willis (1-1, 3.57) vs. 
Brad Bergesen (1-2, 5.49), 7:05 p.m. EST
So maybe you've heard that the sport of baseball as we know it could be changing tonight, as the waters of Baltimore's Inner Harbor part for catcher Matt Wieters, who has risen from Norfolk to save the Orioles (and take away Rick Porcello's Rookie of the Year award). I don't know about you, but I'll be wearing a tuxedo during tonight's game, as I was always told that one should dress up for special occasions.
Was that a bit much? I can never tell. But even if it was, it's tame compared to so much of the gushing that's pervaded the baseball media and blogosphere over the past week. For instance, Roch Kubatko could barely contain his glee this morning over breakfast, trying to figure out where Wieters might bat in the O's lineup. (He'll bat seventh, as it turns out.)
Now that I think about it, I probably could've boosted the page views at BYB this week if I'd mentioned Wieters every day, leading up to his debut. Perhaps I could've posted a Matt Wieters Fact each morning. (Here's one I posted at Big League Stew: I hear that Ray Lewis will carry Matt Wieters' luggage to Camden Yards tonight. And Lewis will give him a tip for the honor.)
Brad Bergesen is winless in his last six starts for the Orioles, and he's allowed four runs in each of his previous three appearances. On the other hand, his pitches will be caught by Matt Wieters tonight. Just follow the sign, and throw to the glove. Wieters will take care of the rest, as he can control time, air, and space around him.
Who gets the honor of pitching to Wieters first? Well, if he can do so without having to look directly at Wieters, for fear of being blinded or seeing directly into the future, that will be Dontrelle Willis. The D-Train wasn't as impressive in his third start as his second, giving up three runs and seven hits in 6.2 innings. But he gave the Tigers a chance to win, which is really all that can be asked for. And had the lineup scored some runs for him, he likely would've been victorious.
Perhaps the best thing about Willis starting for Detroit, however, is that his left-handedness might have kept Luke Scott out of the lineup. But even the O's aren't crazy enough to sit him right now. Here are your starters: