The 2012 Baltimore Ravens, who won Super Bowl 2012, in case you forgot, went on a three-game losing streak during their regular season. The Ravens lost to two backup quarterbacks and Baltimore’s offensive performances ultimately cost Cam Cameron his offensive coordinator position. Plus, a slew of Washington Redskins fans pegged their squad as “Maryland’s team,” as if we needed to hear that again. Joe Flacco went “Flaccoing” after throwing an interception at the end of the first half against the Denver Broncos. All seemed bleak in Baltimore.

“The Ravens were done.”

“9-7 to finish the season.”

“Backing into the playoffs… once again.”

“Flacco isn’t good enough.”

You know the drill by now… and look what happened.

Can I say the same for the Orioles? Not so much.

This is a completely different monster than what the Ravens had to do with during their late-season rut. This is a question not necessarily of just the team per say, but can they get lucky again?

Heading into the season, perceptions around the Orioles were mixed in that either the team had some spending to do to further themselves as a contender or that they had to stand pat with what they had and maintain a consistent, and now playoff-experienced, roster.

Personally, I felt as if the Orioles wanted to take the next step as an organization, they would have gone after a free agent like an Adam LaRoche to replace Mark Reynolds at first base. Michael Morse to play left field every day. Kyle Lohse to become the actual “ace” of this starting rotation that features No. 3 and No. 4 starters.

But they didn’t because it isn’t their style.

The Orioles have taken an approach to build from within their own organization and it frustrates the fanbase incessantly.

Cost-effective additions, like starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens and infielders Alex Casilla and Danny Valencia, aren’t enough to satisfy fans, who have been craving a consistent, contending baseball team for 14 years.

We all know that statistics of last year’s Orioles team. The 2012 season remains regarded as somewhat of an anomaly. The roster has largely remained intact from last season.

Have they been figured out?

While the answer to that question remains is uncertain at this early stage of the 2013 season, there are some actualities this team is facing:

1. Chris Davis and Manny Machado are damn good baseball players and they are only improving.

2. J.J. Hardy is swinging a hot bat and keeps proving the Orioles that his worth as a long-term shortstop is higher than expected, even at age 30.

3. Chris Tillman has quietly been the best pitcher in the starting rotation.

4. Brian Matusz, Tommy Hunter and Darren O’Day have been superb out of the bullpen for the most part, especially Matusz with a WHIP of 0.60.

5. Jim Johnson has shown flashes of brilliance, but has also shown his vulnerability in non-save situations and if he can’t keep his pitches down, blown saves will follow.

6. The Orioles have used 10 different starting pitchers in a rotation that was never fully solidified to five starters at any point during the offseason. 

7. The second base position looks to remain a bleak spot in the Orioles lineup all season long.

8. There is no everyday left fielder nor designated hitter, due to inconsistency at the plate, with the glove and manager Buck Showalter playing the matchups.

9. Teams deal with injuries, but the Orioles can’t afford too many to any position as their lack of depth shows in a team built more for the regular season, than a postseason run.

10. The AL East is still a damn good division. The New York Yankees are getting healthy. The Boston Red Sox have signs of tapering off, but the Tampa Bay Rays are starting to hit. 

A four-game losing streak isn’t necessarily the end of the world, but early-season observations point to this team as one that may need luck once again to have an orange October.

Facing the best pitcher in the American League in Matt Moore today isn’t exactly something to get too excited about.

There have been positives from this club early on, but still a lot of questions are left to be answered throughout the rest of the Major League season.

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It’s never a good idea to definitively assess any team in the midst of its worst stretch of the season in the same way that you shouldn’t ignore weaknesses while enjoying the prosperous times.

With the Orioles suffering their first four-game losing streak of the season and surrendering a staggering 30 runs and 45 hits over their last three games, it’s easy to panic over such an ugly stretch of baseball. Early questions over starting pitching have transformed into serious concerns as the club has endured the losses of Wei-Yin Chen and Miguel Gonzalez to the disabled list and the recent struggles of Opening Day starter Jason Hammel while attempting to piece together the back end of the rotation.

The poor starting pitching has placed even more reliance on the bullpen as the Orioles have seen All-Star closer Jim Johnson blow consecutive saves this week. Showalter insists the bullpen hasn’t been overworked and is very meticulous with everything from innings pitched down to the number of times a reliever even gets up to throw during games, but that won’t remain the case if the poor performance of the starting pitching continues into the summer.

Chen is sidelined indefinitely with the always-unpredictable strained oblique injury, meaning Chris Tillman is the only starter on which manager Buck Showalter can currently rely as Orioles starting pitching has allowed 32 earned runs in 39 1/3 innings — a 7.32 earned run average — over the last eight games. The club hopes the 2012 version of Gonzalez will surface beginning with his scheduled return on Tuesday and that Hammel will find the proper release point to improve his fastball command after a miserable recent stretch.

Beyond those concerns, the picture becomes even more frightening with the final two spots in the rotation. Yes, it’s easy to look back at the offseason and criticize executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette for not acquiring any impact starters — I shared that very sentiment at the start of spring training and again at the beginning of the season — but Duquette and Showalter also expressed great faith in their internal options.

Now, one time through a lineup of “second-tier” starters that includes Jake Arrieta, Zach Britton, Steve Johnson, Freddy Garcia, Jair Jurrjens, and Josh Stinson, only Arrieta and Garcia have received more than one start to this point. Arrieta doesn’t really fall into the same category as the others after beginning the season as the fifth starter, and a strong debut in Anaheim bought the 36-year-old Garcia two more starts that have been underwhelming at best.

Understanding that even the brightest pitchers in the game will have a handful of less-than-stellar outings over the course of a season, is a one-start audition really the best way to determine if a pitcher can be an asset for the major league rotation?

Make no mistake, gone are the days when a young prospect such as Brian Matusz will be afforded the opportunity to accumulate a 10.69 ERA in 12 starts as he did over two different stints in the 2011 season. Higher expectations are here to stay and competition is paramount with Duquette and Showalter as they look beyond the 25-man roster while viewing Triple-A Norfolk and Double-A Bowie as essential partners in fielding a competitive club in the American League East.

However, the problem with higher expectations is the emphasis it places on smaller sample sizes when trying to evaluate. And you wonder if the possibility of such a short audition for the likes of Britton and Johnson creates too much of a mindset of looking over your shoulder and trying to be too perfect. It also devalues their minor-league performances that earn them their chance in the first place.

Showalter acknowledged this weekend most of these immediate demotions couldn’t have been avoided due to the strain placed on the bullpen as a direct result of the short outings. There is plenty of merit to that explanation, but at some point, the Orioles need to find the proper balance between having higher expectations and exercising the faith expressed this offseason in their internal options by showing just a bit more — brace yourself for that all-too-familiar word — patience.

No one is endorsing that Britton or Johnson or whichever pitcher sitting at the top of the totem pole for the next chance automatically receives six weeks’ worth of starts in the big leagues, but a reasonable opportunity of three or four starts might be more conducive to the potentially fragile psyche of a young pitcher. Fringe pitchers such as these certainly need to feel urgency playing for a contending club, but trying to be too perfect in fear of being sent down isn’t setting them up with the mindset for success, either.

CONTINUE ON NEXT PAGE >>>>>

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Already losing designated hitter Nolan Reimold to the 15-day disabled list earlier in the day, the Orioles elected to send out struggling second baseman Ryan Flaherty following their 10-6 loss to Tampa Bay on Saturday night.

Red-hot Norfolk infielder Danny Valencia was recalled to take his place on the 25-man roster and in the lineup as the designated hitter on Sunday.

Not in the Tides lineup on Saturday night, Valencia was hitting .306 with 11 homers and 35 RBIs in 160 at-bats at Triple A this season. His .939 on-base plus slugging percentage would seem to be an appropriate fit for an audition at the designated hitter spot while Reimold is sidelined with a hamstring injury.

With Tampa Bay left-hander Matt Moore scheduled to take the hill against the Orioles on Sunday, Valencia was deemed a good fit for the lineup after receiving the promotion. He’s hit .316 with an .831 OPS in his major league career against southpaw pitching. Valencia has primarily played third base for Norfolk, but he has also seen time at first base and the outfield this season.

The 28-year-old is already on the 40-man roster and owns a .257 career average with 25 home runs and 133 RBIs in 1017 at-bats in the big leagues split between the Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox. In 2010, Valencia finished third in the American League Rookie of the Year balloting after hitting .310 with the Twins.

He will wear No. 35 for the Orioles.

The 26-year-old Flaherty was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk as he was hitting just .133 in 29 games this season while serving as the club’s primary option at second base in the absence of the injured Brian Roberts. Flaherty spent the entire 2012 season on the 25-man roster as a Rule 5 pick and hit .216 with six home runs and 19 RBIs.

Playing improved defense at second base this season, Flaherty is held in high regard by manager Buck Showalter, but it was becoming increasingly clear that his immense struggles at the plate weren’t improving enough for a contending club. Flaherty owns just 227 career plate appearances at the Triple-A level and could benefit from the opportunity of playing every day in a pressure-free environment to regain his confidence at the plate.

Showalter said the bullpen should be fine in terms of available arms for Sunday’s game despite starter Jair Jurrjens going just five innings on Saturday, and the club would have been down to a three-man bench if it had decided to promote another pitcher instead of tabbing Valencia for a promotion.

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One group, which I’ll refer to as “Group Optimistic,” argued that the Orioles didn’t really need to make that many additions. After all, Manny Machado would be on the roster for the entire year, as would Nate McLouth. Nick Markakis would return after being injured during the stretch run in 2012, and both Brian Roberts and Nolan Reimold would, once again, attempt to get through the season unscathed.

On the pitching front, it was contested that the O’s could reasonably expect improvement from Chris Tillman, Miguel Gonzalez, and at least a few of their young but still unproven starters in Jake Arrieta, Zach Britton, and Steve Johnson. Plus, Dylan Bundy and Kevin Gausman were waiting in the wings, ready to have a Machado-like impact in 2013.

Oh, and the best bullpen in baseball in 2012 would continue to be the best bullpen in baseball in 2013, so why bother making any additions to that group?

In other words, Group Optimistic believed everything was dandy in Birdland, and that the Orioles were already set as a legitimate World Series contender heading into the 2013 season.

The other group, which I’ll refer to as “Group Pessimistic,” believed this team still needed some help. Yes, Manny Machado would be playing for a full season, but he still couldn’t even legally walk into a bar. Could he really be counted on to provide above average production over 162 games? Was Nick McClouth reliable enough to be handed a starting spot after playing well for all of two  months in 2012?

How could the O’s count on Brian Roberts giving this team anything of value when he hadn’t been healthy for any decent stretch of games since 2010? Same goes for Nolan Reimold, who coming into 2013, hadn’t been a good player for more than a month since 2009 (or year one of Barack Obama’s first term as president).

Group Pessimistic didn’t understand how Dan Duquette and Buck Showlater could rely on Jason Hammel to be their ace, when he’s had exactly one season with an ERA under 4.0 (last year in 20 starts), and only two with an ERA under 4.6. Wei-Yen Chen was consistently good last season, but would the hitters adjust to him in his sophomore season? Would Miguel Gonzalez continue to make a seamless transition from the Mexican League to the best division in the world? Did Chris Tillman really turn the corner, or did he just take a detour on the Daniel Cabrera/Matt Riley path of self destruction?

Last but not least, the members of Group Pessimistic pointed to the stats that will forever be ingrained in the lore of 2012. 16-2 in extra inning games, and 29-9 in one run games. How in the world were they going to repeat anything close to that?

Seems to me that Group Pessimistic had lots of unanswered questions heading into 2013. You know what? That’s okay. Every team in major professional sports has question marks going into any given season.

The problem with the 2013 Orioles, which I’ve pointed to several times between then and now, was the fact that the overwhelming majority of those questions needed to be answered with positives for this team to be a legitimate World Series contender. Because of the lack of help from the front office, this wasn’t a situation where if 50 percent of these questions go the O’s way and 50% go the other way, that “luck” would break even and the Orioles would contend again. That’s not how it was ever going to work with this team. The Orioles were too lucky last season for that to be the case. They needed nearly everything to go right again.

The Baltimore Orioles needed lighting to strike two seasons in a row.

Thus far, not all has been lost. Through May 18th, Chris Davis and Manny Machado are both MVP candidates. Adam Jones has picked up right where he left off in 2012, establishing himself as a legitimate star in today’s MLB. Wei-Yen Chen continues to pitch like a very reliable #2-#3 starter, even as he currently sits on the DL with an oblique issue. Chris Tillman seems to have really turned that corner and looks poised to have a very nice career ahead of him. Brian Matusz has continued to excel in the bullpen, and Jim Johnson, aside from two blown saves this week, has remained one of the best closers in the game. Darren O’Day still looks to be a gem of a pickup by Dan Duquette.

But again, unfortunately for the Orioles, scoring 50 percent on this list of questions wasn’t going to cut it. Not when the other 50 percent includes Jason Hammel reverting back to his pre-Orioles form of mediocrity surrounded by maddening talent that he just can’t harness. Miguel Gonzalez is no longer the hunter. Rather, he’s the hunted, to the tune of a 4.58 ERA, averaging less than six innings per start. Jake Arrieta was a total disaster, yet again showing no real growth or improvement since his debut in 2010. Pedro Strop, not surprisingly, has been a cross between Mariano Rivera in his prime and Terry Matthews in his, umm, prime.

Shockingly, Brian Roberts couldn’t stay healthy. In fact, he couldn’t even make it three games to the home opener without injuring himself, and he won’t be back anytime soon. In the mean time, the Orioles are throwing out a combination of ineptitude featuring Ryan Flaherty, Alexi Casilla, and Yamaico Navarro. Nolan Reimold has been relatively ineffective and now has a seat next to Brian Roberts on the all too familiar disabled list.

And the Dan Duquette scrap heap specials of 2013 in Freddy Garcia and Jair Jurrjens have yet to help the O’s win any baseball games.

The post Wait, so you mean lighting isn’t going to strike twice for O’s? appeared first on We Never Stop Talking Baltimore Sports.

BALTIMORE — Needing an extra arm in the bullpen and realizing a nagging hamstring injury wasn’t improving, the Orioles have recalled right-handed pitcher Jake Arrieta and placed designated hitter Nolan Reimold on the 15-day disabled list prior to Saturday’s game with the Tampa Bay Rays.

As expected, starting pitcher Jair Jurrjens had his contract selected by the club in order for the right-hander to make his Orioles debut. To make room for Jurrjens, the Orioles optioned right-handed reliever Alex Burnett to Triple-A Norfolk and placed injured second baseman Brian Roberts on the 60-day DL to clear room on the 40-man roster.

Reimold’s hamstring has been bothering him since spring training and struggled to play through the cold weather of the early season with the back of the leg tightening up at various times, according to Showalter. The 29-year-old hasn’t played since last Saturday in Minnesota, meaning his DL stint is retroactive to May 12. Showalter is hopeful that the time off will remedy the hamstring strain but acknowledged it could take longer than the 15-day period since Reimold has dealt with the ailment for quite a while.

“I think he understands where we are and what we want to do,” Showalter said. “He’s not — I wouldn’t say — down. Obviously, no one wants to go on the DL. I can’t tell you whether this period will clean it up completely. I’m frustrated for him. I want to get as close to a perfect world for him [physically] as I can get. He’s a very capable contributor if we can just get him right.”

The expectation is that Reimold would get at-bats in a rehab assignment before making any return to the 25-man roster. Serving as the Orioles’ primary designated hitter this season, Reimold was hitting just .188 with four home runs and nine RBIs in 101 at-bats.

Steve Pearce, Nate McLouth, and Chris Dickerson have all seen time at the DH spot since last Saturday.

The need for an additional releiver was the result of a 12-run, 17-hit attack by the Rays against Friday starter Jason Hammel and four other relievers. Burnett allowed three earned runs in just 1/3 inning of work in the 12-10 loss.

Arrieta was scheduled to start for Norfolk on Saturday night and had dealt with shoulder tightness recently, but the 27-year-old completed successful bullpen sessions on Wednesday and Thursday to quell any significant concerns.

“I developed a little stiffness a few starts ago,” Arrieta said. “It’s something that has been manageable. They wanted to give me a few days — kind of push me back a little bit. I’ve stayed on top of it as much as I can.”

Manager Buck Showalter confirmed prior to Saturday’s game that Arrieta will pitch out of the bullpen for the time being. Of course, the enigmatic pitcher began the year in the starting rotation but was sent to the minors after going 1-1 with a 6.63 ERA in four starts for Baltimore.

As of now, veteran Freddy Garcia is scheduled to pitch against the New York Yankees on Monday, but Arrieta could conceivably become an option to take his place should he not be used in the bullpen over the next couple games.

In three starts for the Tides, Arrieta went 2-1 with a 2.75 ERA while striking out 17 and walking three in 19 2/3 innings.

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For the fourth consecutive year, Black-Eyed Susan Day at Pimlico, was filled with plenty of sunshine and warm hearts as it was the 4th annual People’s Pink Party, featuring the Lady Legends race which pitted eight retired female jockeys against one another. It was the 4th race on the card, won by Mary Russ-Tortora aboard Haywired, in gate to wire fashion.

What a proud moment for the Maryland Jockey Club (MJC) and everyone who had a hand in pulling it off and making such a generous donation as Pimlico made a donation of $27,507 to the Komen Maryland affiliate, equal to the amount wagered to win on Haywired.

The Preakness Day forecast for the Baltimore-metropolitan area calls for most cloudy skies, with …plenty of sunshine, clear skies and a fast track. There are 13 races on the card. The $1,000,000 Preakness Stakes is the 12th race, with approximate Post Time 6:20pm EDT, with 1st race Post Time 10:45am.

Below I offer my opinions on all 13 races, but I’ll start with the Main Event. Here’s how I see the 138th running of the Preakness Stakes playing out, listed in my predicted order of finish. Odds shown are the current betting odds after Friday’s advanced wagering.

1st – # 1 Orb (4-5) sealed the deal as a legitimate threat to become the first Triple Crown winner in 34 years after outing in his final tune-up over the Belmont Park dirt surface on Monday. It was a work that on paper looked to be too fast (4 furlongs in 47), but according to his exercise rider it felt like they went about 3 seconds slower because he did it so easily. The confidence level in this colt is sky high.

2nd – # 4 Departing (11-1) is just one of three in this field that did not run in the Kentucky Derby. Often “new shooters” are a welcomed new edition as fresh prey, but this one has a legitimate shot at winning as prior to his Illinois Derby (his last race) victory, finished a strong 3rd in the Louisiana Derby, just a few lengths behind Mylute. Thus, he’s an improving colt that still has not yet peaked.

3rd – # 6 Oxbow (14-1) appearance on the track in the mornings of Preakness Week were nothing short of indicating the Derby took nothing out of him. Considering he was responsible for being part of one of the fastest early fraction times recorded for the Kentucky Derby

4th – # 5 Mylute (7-1) will require Rosie Napravnik to wait at least another year to fulfill her Preakness victory dream. Even though it seems that the key the his reversal of form appears to have been the removing of “Blinkers”, his late move in deep stretch might find him to run out of real estate, when he comes flying late in deep stretch.

The remainder of runners are predicted to finish as follows…

5th – # 9 Itsmyluckyday (9-1)
6th – # 7 Will Take Charge (12-1)
7th – # 2 Goldencents (7-1)
8th – # 8 Govenor Charlie (11-1)
9th – # 3 Titletown Five (23-1)

Based on my analysis of the Preakness, I’ll play…

$2 EXACTA BOX on # 1 (Orb), # 4 (Departing), # 5 (Mylute), # 6 (Oxbow)  cost: $24

$1 TRIFECTA PART-WHEEL #1, #5, #6, #9 with #4 (Departing) in 2nd spot with #1, #5, #6, #9  cost: $20

Frankie Lovato’s JockeyWorld.org racing term of the day is #138… “Groom”

Selections for the 12 other races on the Preakness Day card at Pimlico are on Page 2

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BALTIMORE — Poised to become the Orioles’ 10th starting pitcher of the 2013 season, right-hander Jair Jurrjens isn’t treating Saturday’s debut against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Of course, that’s easier said than done after the Orioles cycled through Josh Stinson, Zach Britton, and Steve Johnson with each receiving one start and promptly being optioned back to Triple-A Norfolk after subpar performances. Among the four pitchers summoned to replace Jake Arrieta and the injured Miguel Gonzalez from the Opening Day rotation, only the 36-year-old Freddy Garcia — who can’t be optioned to the minors — has remained with the club beyond his first start.

Arriving in the Baltimore clubhouse Friday afternoon, Jurrjens expressed his gratitude for finally receiving the call after eight starts with the Tides, but he has 125 career starts and a 3.62 career ERA in the majors on his side to cope with any potential anxiety. Whether that means he’ll receive a longer leash remains to be seen as he can be optioned back to Norfolk should the Orioles not like what they see and need immediate bullpen help as a result.

“This is not my first time pitching in the big leagues,” said Jurrjens, who was 4-1 with a 3.14 ERA. “I am just going to take it as another game and try to eat innings and give the team the best performance I can.”

Jurrjens owned an opt-out clause in his contract that allowed him to become a free agent had he not been promoted to the big leagues by June 15, but that doesn’t prevent him from being optioned after making it to the 25-man roster. Of course, the Orioles entered Friday with just three starters in their current rotation and would like to see someone emerge as their fifth starter in addition to the anticipated Tuesday return of Gonzalez from the DL to ease concerns with the starting pitching.

The lingering concerns about Jurrjens’ knee over the last couple years are a thing of the past as strengthening exercises and his ability to repeat his mechanics have left him feeling better than he has in a few years, according to the pitcher. Questions about Jurrjens’ medical records delayed his signing with the Orioles this winter before executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette eventually inked the 2011 National League All-Star to a minor-league contract that included an invitation to spring training.

One of the most concerning aspects of Jurrjens’ decline from an All-Star pitcher to one with a 6.89 ERA who spent time in the minor leagues was the decline in velocity. The Curacao native saw his average fastball velocity dip from just above 91 miles per hour in 2010 to just about 88.5 mph last season.

Jurrjens features a fastball, sinker, slider, and changeup in his arsenal and carries a 53-37 record in his six-year career spent mostly with the Atlanta Braves. He will wear No. 49 with the Orioles.

“If the command is there, he’ll give us a chance to win,” manager Buck Showalter said. “It’s been a long journey for him. I don’t know if anxiety is the word, but he’ll have some [jitters]. He’s done this before. I think a lot of people miss — I know I did originally — how young he is. I’m anxious to see.”

In 51 2/3 innings, Jurrjens walked only 15 batters while striking out 36 and allowing 44 hits. The control hasn’t been an issue and his strikeout rate of 6.3 per nine innings is more than acceptable, but both Jurrjens and Showalter didn’t mention improvement in the pitcher’s velocity when asked about his progress.

As is the case with any pitcher promoted from Triple A to the big leagues, there will be questions whether his repertoire that worked against International League hitters will translate to success at the next level.

“It can be difficult [knowing], because down there, some guys just go up there and swing,” said Jurrjens, who claimed he hasn’t paid close attention to his velocity so far this season. “Here, some guys are more patient and they look for one pitch to hit.”

Gonzalez on Tuesday track

Gonzalez completed his simulated game at Camden Yards without any problems on Friday afternoon.

Showalter said prior to Friday’s game that the right-hander remains an option for Monday, but the club is leaning toward a Tuesday return from the 15-day disabled list for the 28-year-old. Gonzalez has been dealing with a nasty blister on his right thumb since the beginning of the month and is eligible to be activated from the DL on Sunday.

“You look at his face as much as you do his thumb,” Showalter said. “He feels good about it. I don’t expect something else to crop up. He did it today without the bandage on.”

Gonzalez threw roughly 50 pitches against several teammates after throwing 25 in the bullpen and was able to throw his entire array of pitches.

Roster move coming

The Orioles must make a roster move to add Jurrjens to the 40-man roster as well as to clear room on the active roster prior to his Saturday start.

Showalter said the club has a few different options in mind, with extra reliever Alex Burnett and infielder Yamaico Navarro assumed to be the most likely candidates. However, Navarro was in the lineup for Friday night’s game as Showalter said the 25-year-old deserved a look at second base. The organization likes Navarro’s bat, but there are some questions about his defense.

Navarro was hitting .303 in 147 plate appearances for the Tides, leading some to wonder whether struggling second baseman Ryan Flaherty might be the player to go on Saturday. Flaherty is hitting only .133 in 102 plate appearances and has struck out 26 times.

Playing 29 games with the Pittsburgh Pirates last season, Navarro was acquired in exchange for pitcher Jhondaniel Medina on Nov. 30, 2012.

Injury updates

The Orioles announced Friday that catcher Taylor Teagarden (dislocated left thumb) had his splint removed.

Infielder Wilson Betemit began jogging in the pool as he continues his recovery in Sarasota from a Grade 2/3 PCL tear in his right knee. He remains on the 60-day DL and Showalter expressed hope earlier this week that he could return at some point in June.

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To me, the professional horse racing jockey might be the most interesting athlete in sports.

I mean that.

And please don’t be the nitwit who says “those little guys aren’t athletes”.

You bet your rear-end they are.

I recently went out to Pimlico with the family and , being a Sunday and all, we were able to get right down near the entrance to the paddock and watch the whole process of the horses getting prepared for the race and the jockeys saddling up.  Then, to watch them commandeer those horses around the track…a 100 pound guy in control of a 1,500 pound animal — well, it’s an amazing talent to watch in person.

Anyway — I’m guessing Joel Rosario is the winning jockey in Saturday’s running of the Preakness at Pimlico.

Yes, I’m picking Orb to win on Saturday.

I’ll go with the Orb-Goldencents-Mylute ticket and see if I can’t make a few bucks there.

Speaking of the Preakness, it’s just about time we “man-up” (as opposed to saddle-up) and tell Tom Chuckas and the people at Pimlico that they were right back in 2009.

It’s probably still not completely done to their liking, but the people in charge of running the Preakness have just about “fixed it” like they said they were going to when they announced five years ago you’d no longer be able to bring your own booze into the infield and act like a lunatic and endanger other race fans.

As Tom Chuckas noted with me on Thursday during an interview on The D&L Window Tinting Morning Reaction, they’re now able to sign sponsors like the watch maker Longines, something they couldn’t have done in 2005 or 2008 when the race at Pimlico on the 3rd Saturday of May featured derelict behavior, upwards of 300 hospital admissions and countless arrests for drinking too much and acting like a buffoon.  The only national company that would have sponsored the Preakness back in 2008 would have been Tylenol.  Now, upscale companies and products see the Preakness as a chance to market their product to a group of people who are of sound enough mind to actually see, hear and absorb the message.

Arrests, hospital visits and shameful behavior by infield-goers is down, significantly.  We all know it’s tied into alcohol, which proves once again that Chuckas and his group were right for eliminating the “bring your own booze and get so hammered you lose control of your faculties” crowd.

I don’t have to tell Chuckas he was right.  I was one of the few in the market who applauded The Maryland Jockey Club for their decision back in 2009.  I figured they were doing the right thing back then and now, in 2013, it’s apparent they were.

If you haven’t been to the Preakness in a decade or so, give it a shot next year.  I think you’ll find it much more to your liking.

——————————————-

Chad Johnson – ex-Bengals receiver – has a warrant out for his arrest after failing to abide by the requirements of his probation.

Oddly enough, the Bengals themselves used to file warrant requests for Johnson nearly every Monday morning.  Their charge against him?  ”Failure to appear” in the game the day before.

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Kudos to The Maryland Jockey Club Racing Secretary, Georganne Hale, for constructing a terrific racing card on Friday and Saturday. Friday’s card has 13 races featuring the $500,000 G2 Black-Eyed Susan Stakes for 3 year old fillies (race 10).

There are two (2) events on Friday that highlight 2 legged female athletes. The 4th race is the 4th annual Lady Legends For The Cure race where a field of eight (8) thoroughbreds will be ridden by retired female jockeys. This is part of The Maryland Jockey Club teaming up with Susan G. Komen For The Cure for the day with additional events to raise awareness and money for the fight against breast cancer. One of the participating jockeys, Patti “PJ” Cooksey (far left in picture below) is a breast cancer survivors. The other ladies in the irons are (from left to right) Zoe Cadman (back for her 2nd year), first-time starter Stacie Clark-Rogers, Jennifer Rowland Small (winner of the 2012 race), Barbara Jo Rubin (first woman to win a race against men at a recognized track), Cheryl White (first African-American female jockey) and Mary Russ Tortora (4-year participant). Not pictured is Abigail Fuller, another first-time starter.

In addition to her earnings in the race, each rider will receive a $3,500 bonus. Pimlico will match the amount wagered on the 2013 winner in-state and make a contribution to Komen Maryland.

The third event is the Battle of the Sexes Challenge. It’s a jockey’s challenge that features four of the North America’s top female jockeys versus four of the nation’s best male riders, competing in four races with points award­ed based upon their finish.

Competing on the female side will be former Maryland sensation Rosie Napravnik, Emma-Jayne Wilson, Forest Boyce and Kristina McManigell. The male fearsome foursome is made up of John Velazquez, Javier Castellano, Joel Rosario and Gary Stevens.

The jockey with the most points at the end of a four-race competition will be crowned champion. Riding assignments were determined by a drawing Sunday, May 12, and jockeys receive points for finishing first (12 points), second (6), third (4) and fourth (3) in each race. The champion jockey will earn $10,000. Other prize money: $7,000 (second), $6,000 (third), $4,000 (fourth), $2,000 (fifth) and $1,000 (sixth through eighth).

Another special wager begin offered on Friday is a Pimlico Special – Preakness DOUBLE wager. So take your best shot at picking the winners for these races  for a potentially handsome payoff.

Recapping Pimlico Day 25 selections from Thursday 9-race card posted just 5 winners (2 Top Selections in BOLD type) having $2 WIN pay-offs of $7.00 (2nd race), $8.00 (3rd), $5.60 (4th), $6.80 (5th) and $9.80 (6th).

The BEST BET (24 10-4-2) Cacaway (R5 #10 2-1 PT; 5-2 M/L) was unhurried early, raced outside foes on the far turn, swung very wide turning for home, sprinted clear in mid-stretch and prevailed under urging to return $6.80 to WIN, $4.20 to PLACE and $2.80 to SHOW.

The LONGSHOT PICK (24 5-1-2) Moon Dreamer (R3 #1 9-2 PT; 6-1 M/L) saved ground while disputing the early pace but faltered in mid-stretch finishing 6th.

Frankie Lovato’s JockeyWorld.org racing term of the day is #137…  “Green”

Selections for Pimlico’s Black-Eyed Susan Day card are on Page 2.

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