The Baltimore Orioles got a much-deserved day off yesterday after sweeping the Yankees for the first time in eight years. The offensive stats on this ball club are astounding. Chris Davis is two home runs away from his career high BEFORE the All Star break. Manny Machado has more doubles this season than Mickey Mantle had during any year of his career. If Davis and Machado finish the season leading the league in home runs and doubles, they will be the first teammates to do that since Babe Ruth and Lou Gerhig did it for the 1927 Yankees.
This is before I mention the production of Adam Jones, Nate McLouth, JJ Hardy etc.
That said, the question remains the same: does this team have enough pitching? This is a legit contender but in my opinion, they cannot win a World Series unless pitching gets better. Chris Tillman and Miguel Gonzalez are both good to really good but they don’t strike fear in the opponent.
Jason Hammel has been inconsistent this year.
Wei Yen Chen is due back soon. He was their best pitcher when he got hurt, if he can regain that form, it will give the O’s a boost.
Kevin Gausman is the wild card here. He’s the one guy on the roster who has the stuff to be a number one starter. The problem is that might not happen this year. I do think it will happen but it may not be until 2014.
I know Dan Duquette is reluctant to give up the assets he has but I feel to win a championship the Orioles need to get a pitcher. I would love to see them get a guy like Matt Garza but would settle for Yovani Gallardo. You rarely get something for nothing in this world. The Birds will have to give up something (Jonathan Schoop and/or Eduardo Rodriguez maybe) to get something.
4 Responses
Can somebody tell me why there is a picture of a Cubs pitcher and nothing in the article about him?
It’s Matt Garza. He’s mentioned in the final paragraph.
Agree with everything you said in the article Ken, even what it might cost. We were discussing these exact names in the office this morning and the guy we would like most is Gallardo, because he is a true top of the rotation guy, only 27 yrs. old and can possibly sign him long term. We know his numbers aren’t as good as usual but we think that’s just a by product of not playing on a competitive team. We think it would cost either 1 of the 2 you mentioned , possibly Hoes, Delmonico, Urrieta or Avery and Arrieta or Strop.
Well we got a pitcher from the Cubs, just not Garza. Mixed feelings on cutting the cord on Arrieta and I guess the Cubs needed a guy like Strop after getting rid of another basketcase flame thrower in Marmol. Arrieta might benefit pitching in the NL. I never forgot the flashes Feldman showed in 2009 and 2006 with the Rangers, playing in that tough park. The O’s have made out okay with recycled Rangers in the past, hopefully this works out similarly.