Where's Mercado. Thought he was brought up to play every day? Guess his first game meltdown was enough to have him sit a while.

Mercado is starting in CF today, batting 9th

his first hit, his first double, his first run scored.
Tito is unlikely to shove him out every day at the start. He'll rotate him and the rest of the OF/1B/DH crew. The way he's playing Luplow is working out well, that's for certain.

I did watch most of this game, but didn't post.

Really, the story was Plutko. Great effort, without that we likely lose another one.

Nice for Mercado, and Luplow. Frankie seems to be coming around too.

But really, this starting 9 is going nowhere, especially if Jose Ramirez continues sucking, and the Twins look for real.

It is fun to see if guys like Mercado, Luplow end up being keepers.

Bieber is fire today.

10 K in 6 shutout innings

Mercado with his first major league RBI on his 2nd major league double

Mercado with his second major league run scored on Lindor ground ball thrown away by O's reliever.

I vote for playing the Orioles every weekend.

Jose is now more than 80 games into a really deep slump. He's got a lot of steals [12] but only 13 RBI. He's not showing improvement; last 7 games before today hitting 115/207/231. He's still making contact and being reasonably patient with 20 walks compared with 27 strikeouts. That is very like his BB/K figures in 2015 16 and 17.

Don't know if you guys saw it but Mercado stole 2B easily but came off the base.

Bieber is....wow! We knew he was good but he's getting elite quickly.

civ ollilavad wrote:Jose is now more than 80 games into a really deep slump. He's got a lot of steals [12] but only 13 RBI. He's not showing improvement; last 7 games before today hitting 115/207/231. He's still making contact and being reasonably patient with 20 walks compared with 27 strikeouts. That is very like his BB/K figures in 2015 16 and 17.

They talked about him chasing high fastballs repeatedly. So they give him slow stuff and the only fastballs he gets now is up up up. And he is NOT laying off.

Bieber now with 13 K in 8 shutout innings. Sitting at 98 pitches. Hope they let him try for CG ShO

Jose is reminding me of Naquin late last season. High fastball then slider down and in. Keeps chasing both.

He got it. Complete game shutout!

15 K

No walks ! Awesome!

Used to emphasize to my Little League kids....no walks will win a lot of games.