Although this ball club is sitting at 2-5 to open the season, and had a bit of slide after an exciting, orange and black filled home-opener win at OPACY, they have shown some of the small difference makers that make a contender.
Sunday’s win in Detroit displayed something that the Orioles organization hasn’t had in many years. With a struggling offense reeling to try and get anything going, Manny Machado and J.J. Hardy battling injuries on the sideline, and four straight disappointing starts by Orioles pitchers, the Birds needed someone to pull them out of a rut.
That someone was their ace, Chris Tillman.
When the bats go silent, it is up to the pitchers to light the fire beneath the team. For Chris, being the Orioles’ number one guy, sometimes Buck needs to be able to hand him the ball and say “we need this one today.”
From the time Tillman toed the rubber in the bottom of the first, until he walked off the field with one out in the bottom of the ninth, Chris showed all of the makings of an ace. An ace that can be counted on to lift this team up, and as Buck says, “maximize the peaks and minimize the valleys.”
It may only be April but if Chris can continue to be the staple of this rotation, and be that go-to guy then the Orioles are another step closer to contention.
Another observation that has stood out through the first few games is the increased amount of plate discipline from the top of the Orioles line-up. Going into Monday’s game, Adam Jones – the man who doesn’t walk – was fourth in the MLB in pitches seen per plate appearance (4.78) while drawing TWO walks! Kakes and Hardy are also seeing above 4.00 P/PA.
Jones’ discipline was on display during his phenomenal at bat in the bottom of the 8th on Sunday. Adam fell behind early 0-2, but laid off the next two pitches – something the old Adam Jones couldn’t even fathom. Mr. Jones then fouled off the next two pitches until finally he swept one into the LCF gap that was barely snagged for an out, but was enough to drive Markakis in for the go-ahead run.
It seems like guys up and down the order are taking more pitches, fouling more pitches off, and making opposing pitchers work; that’s undervalued in a world obsessed with offensive explosion.
Another player who has been impressive at the plate is Nelson Cruz. In his first at bat of the season, Nelly fell behind 0-2 to Jon Lester, worked the count to 3-2, fouled off two pitches, and then drew a walk. Nelson ended up scoring later in the inning on a fielder’s choice to give the Orioles their first lead of the 2014 season.
Cruz worked another great count against Anibal Sanchez Friday, taking him to 3-2 and then letting a great pitcher’s pitch go by to draw another walk. It is also worth mentioning that Cruz’s second home run came on an 0-2 count. Pitcher’s mistake or not, Cruz was still in a hole early but was able to get solid wood on the ball to drive it out of the park.
Staying patient at the plate not only gives batters a better chance to see the pitch they want, but also chases starting pitchers off the mound. Letting guys like Lester, John Lackey, Clay Buckholz, Hiroki Kuroda, C.C. Sabathia, David Price, Matt Moore, and Alex Cobb stick around in the back end of a game is not the ideal way to win a pennant.
If the Orioles can keep the bat on their shoulders, wait for their pitch, and make pitchers work then the O’s will see greater success against some of the toughest pitching in baseball…even if that success hasn’t shown up yet.
Before today’s game I was going to mention how impressed I was thus far with the Orioles’ heads-up base-running, but after the blunders by Cruz and Jonathan Schoop on the base-paths today, the O’s have taken a few steps back.
Although, today’s shenanigans aside, the Birds have shown off some great base-running that led to production that may have otherwise not happened.
On Opening Day, Cruz advanced to third base from first on a Matt Wieters single up the middle, and was later knocked in off a fielder’s choice. Cruz is definitely not coveted for his speed but a good jump and great instincts allowed him to swipe an extra base then ultimately a run.
In the third game of the Boston series, Chris Davis also showed off his surprising speed, advancing to third from first off of a hard Wieters single to right field. During the very next at bat Felix Doubront bounced one past David Ross, and Davis cruised on home to pull the Orioles within one.
Later in that same game, with the Orioles within one of Boston, Jones singled to center field. Cruz then followed with a chopper to shortstop, an easy double-play ball, but Jones’ hustle and hard slide took the Hobbit out before he could complete a throw to first base. Adam’s hard base-running allowed the inning to go on even though the Orioles couldn’t capitalize with runners in scoring position.
David Lough flashed his plus-plus speed in the top of the first inning of the first two games in Detroit. After getting on via a single and walk, respectively, Lough stole second base and was then knocked in by Davis on both occasions to help the O’s to an early lead.
While Lough is only filling in at the top of the lineup temporarily while Machado is on the DL, he has shown the ability to make things happen with his speed. Ideally, Lough will be batting 9th giving the Orioles two great lead-off batters to get on for Machado, Jones, Davis, and Cruz to push across the plate.
These first seven games have been tough. The Red Sox, Tigers, and Yankees are no easy wins, especially without the services of our Gold Glove infielders Machado and Hardy.
April is going to be a grind, but with May comes a lighter schedule and hopefully a healthy line-up. The good news is that this team has shown signs of life. They are doing some of the little things and just need to piece them together to make big things.
It’s still early, and there is no quit in this team.
photo: Craig Landefeld
2 Responses
Well done
Thank you very much! Trying to keep some optimism in Birdland! Today’s game sure did feel good!