Peter Schmuck's O's week in review

Statistics through Thursday

Ups and downs

Jeffrey Hammonds -- UP -- Settled right into the No. 2 slot in the batting order, going 7-for-16 in a three-game series against the

Texas Rangers. Where would O's be without him?

The road -- UP -- The Orioles seem to feel more at home on the road, where they entered the weekend 16 games over .500. They're only eight games over at Camden Yards.

Rafael Palmeiro -- UP -- Says he doesn't get a special thrill out of hurting the Rangers, but he seems to have a special talent for it. Hit three homers in three games at The Ballpark in Arlington.

Scott Erickson -- DOWN -- Ended a brief losing streak Tuesday, but has given up 40 hits in his past 20 innings.

The lineup -- UP -- Davey Johnson fiddled and the Rangers burned. His new lineups snapped the club out of the doldrums in Texas.

Davey Johnson -- EVEN -- Nothing wrong with taking a disciplinary stand, but what's the point if you keep it confidential?

Chili Davis -- UP -- Switch-hitting DH not an Oriole yet, but would be the perfect combination of talent and personality for this team.

Cal Ripken -- DOWN -- Entered Friday's play with seven hits in his previous 61 at-bats (.115).

Quote of the week

"Scottie about gave me a heart attack. I don't think I've ever seen him struggle the way he's been struggling. Everything was up again. On the other hand, he made pitches and battled. I'm proud of him for that. He said he was getting into a groove and would give me seven innings, but I was worn out."

Manager Davey Johnson, after Tuesday's 9-3 victory over the Texas Rangers, in which Erickson allowed 12 base runners, but just one run, in 5 1/3 innings.

By the numbers

1: Losses to the Texas Rangers and Minnesota Twins in first 13 games (through Wednesday).

1: Number of losses on artificial turf this year.

3: Times Cal Ripken has been ejected during his career.

4: Complete games by Orioles starting rotation this year.

8: Complete games by Orioles opponents this year.

12: Career home runs by Rafael Palmeiro against the Texas Rangers.

13: RBIs by Geronimo Berroa in first 22 games with Orioles.

14: Victories Mike Mussina would have if bullpen had not blown four saves behind him.

47: Consecutive victories Roger Clemens would have to accumulate -- beginning now -- to match Mussina's .609 career winning percentage.

10,000: Reasons to show up for next year's exhibition game against the Rochester Red Wings.

Stat of the week

Rafael Palmeiro has been on an unbelievable tear. He entered the weekend with hits in 16 of his past 20 games (.325), and had eight home runs and 14 RBIs over that span. The power-hitting first baseman was particularly impressive against the Texas Rangers, hitting a home run in each of the three games of the series at The Ballpark in Arlington. That gave him five home runs in his last seven games and increased his season total to 21. This is the seventh straight season that he has hit 20 or more.

Moment of the week

Utility man Jeff Reboulet wasn't in the game plan when manager Davey Johnson reconfigured the offensive lineup in Texas, but he may have delivered the biggest hit of the week. Reboulet slapped a single past first base last Wednesday night to propel the Orioles to a 12-inning, 3-2 victory over the Rangers. The Orioles would have won the series anyway, but the victory was critical because it prevented the Yankees from reducing the division lead to 2 1/2 games. Reboulet doesn't play very much, but ZTC he has made the most of some important situations, with seven RBIs in his last 22 at-bats.

The good

Left-hander Jimmy Key delivered a strong performance on Monday night to pull out of a personal 1-5 tailspin and pry the Orioles out of a lengthy slump. Key had not pitched badly during the three-week turndown. His 3.32 ERA during that stretch -- if stretched over the whole season -- still would have ranked him among the league ERA leaders, but he said Monday that he did feel that he was more in command than he had been during his six previous starts.

The bad

Mike Mussina has pitched well the past two times out, but he has nothing to show for it. He carried a shutout into the seventh inning against the Chicago White Sox on July 18, but ended up on the wrong end of a shutout. In Texas, he gave up two runs on five hits over eight innings on Wednesday night, but ended up with a no-decision. He couldn't pitch much better, but he remains winless in July. He's 2-3 since June 9, even though his ERA over his past eight starts is better (3.05) than it is over the whole season (3.31).

The ugly