One of the great things about a sports blog is that it gives the everyday fan an opportunity to react immediately to a game or a news event and publish that reaction for everyone who might want to see it. Of course, that's also one of the bad things about the Internet, because the instant reaction isn't always the most informed reaction.
Take, for instance, a couple of posts Tuesday calling out Orioles hitting coach Terry Crowley because the club got only one hit in Monday night's 5-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field. I'm sure it's pretty frustrating to watch the Orioles get one-hit by a control pitcher, but there are times when you have to give a little credit to the guy on the mound. Jarrod Washburn was, quite simply, terrific.
Now, for that perspective check I promised. If you want to look at the Orioles' offense over the short term, the club averaged 5.43 runs in the 21 games leading up to Washburn's standout performance Monday night. That's actually pretty good when you consider that the top four scoring teams in baseball - the New York Yankees, Tampa Rays, Philadelphia Phillies and Boston Red Sox - score a combined average of 5.39 runs per game.
