If there's an Achilles' heel to the Rangers lineup, it's Michael Young, who started 71 games at DH even though he can no longer hit (.277/.312/.370), and started at all four infield positions even though he can no longer field. By Wins Above Replacement, Young was the second-worst player in the major leagues this year — only Jeff Francoeur was worse — and he's the primary reason the Rangers are in this play-in game in the first place. Manager Ron Washington has been steadfast in his commitment to Young all season, but his loyalty has been misplaced. With Beltre nursing a sore shoulder, Young likely replaces him at third base, which is a substantial defensive downgrade as well.

This Rany Jazayerli fella calls out what we've been witnessing all year.

I'm not an MY hater either by the way. I hope Mike Young of old can show up tomorrow night. It's just nice to see that other people see what we're seeing and we're not all taking crazy pills.

Fangraph's Dave Cameron has also acknowledged the lunacy of playing MY so frequently. He hosted a chat for the game yesterday (it was quite good BTW), and when someone told him Young was playing third he said, "Ron Washington is just trolling us at this point."

So yes indeed, some national writers are aware of the madness, and are as baffled as we are.

"Expect Darren O'Day and his Frisbee delivery to be deployed against the Rangers in the late innings, with devastating effect."

Yeah, umm, there's really no good reason to expect that, seeing as the Rangers know O'Day pretty damn well.

I agree MY has not been good this year, but at this point, for one game, don't you want the guy who spent the last month going .301/.354/.447 - not counting the three games in October (.417/.417/.750) playing in the game?

Defense, of course, is another issue....

We gotta at least play Adrian at 3B and DH Young...

The Orioles win games they should win, they win games they might win, and they have relief pitching. (Regardless of the above stats - the RPs who pitch when it matters do well, and they've experimented a lot to arrive at a great bullpen, after lots of relief pitching missteps early. Think, 'Kevin Gregg waived, Brian Matusz as lefty specialist', as indicator of remade pen.) 72-0 in games led after 7 inn. Every team is high in that category, but 100% is 100%. 43-28 in East - best intradivision record in AL. +8 total runs hides '-32 v. Rangers / +40 in all other games'. 28-9 in one-run games (a stat that can't go on forever, but they only need to do so for another few weeks). 208 HR (second in league), and they have the subjective belief that (as Jim Palmer likes to say on telecasts) 'they hit home runs late', disproportionately at times that matter. (30 HR by C. Davis - did we keep the wrong LH hitting 1B? C. Davis has everything to do with O's overcoming Markakis' injury.) 4th in total bases. 2d in sac bunts (there's one to drive the saber folks wild). Season averages pulled down by plate appearances by folks like Andino and Betemit, who now matter far less than Machado, McLouth and Thome. A reborn Mark Reynolds, esp. on defense. 133 IP from Tommy Hunter! Team/season is Buck Showalter's masterpiece - he convinced them not to back down from the AL East. (Wife and I live in walking distance of Camden Yards - not a bad deal. I still have the 30-run scorecard on wall at home.)