We’re all running for cover: the starting pitching rotation has pitched well enough to get only two wins through seven games and the once reliable bullpen has failed to shut down the opposing bats when they are needed the most.
Wait! Step back from that ledge! Our bats are active! I’m glad! (The grass is greener, huh? Try this side. Now this side.)
Mixed metaphors aside, it doesn’t matter that the Orioles are 1st in home runs so far when the 2014 studs in the ‘pen give up at least a run every time they are given control of the game (12 total); it doesn’t inspire confidence from fan or starter. Granted, four of those runs came after the home opener was well out of hand Friday and the remaining eight have been earned in the other games.
I was going to write something on Wei-Yin Chen and how it may be OK if he does go away in free agency next year. I was unhappy with his postseason performance and I did not like how he finished the regular season, despite going 16-6.
Now he has two no-decisions in his first two starts this year. Going back through the postseason and into the regular season, Chen hasn’t won a game since September 15, 2014. His last decision was a heartbreaker in Game 3 of the ALCS in which he went 5.1 innings and struck out four with two earned runs for the loss.
The game Chen pitched before that isn’t remembered as one of his worst starts of the year (3.2 IP, 7 H, 5 ER, and 2 HR) but for what is now known as “the Delmon Young game.” Chen’s poor performance in Game 2 of the ALDS was so eclipsed by that stadium shaking hit and the second meltdown from the Tigers’ bullpen is as many days that I had to think hard to remember that is was he that started the game.
Chen’s last two games of the 2014 campaign weren’t great either. He lost them, going six innings in both and giving up seven runs between the two games. The Orioles only managed two runs in those games though. So it’s not Chen then…?
The numbers say it may just be the lack of run support. When Chen lost, the games were decided either by one run, or the Orioles only scored two at the most in the latter part of the season. In July, Chen was perfect going 4-0 with a 2.92 ERA. In fact, the entire rotation and bullpen dropped their ERA in those late months of the season after starting out above 4.00.
So, the sky isn’t falling?
No, it’s not. Yes it is! No. Yes. It’s too early for all that. But who are these guys?!?
Time will tell, but there are some definite questions now about our rotation and some of what we’ve seen isn’t very sexy. Pitchers who weren’t such a worry in preseason analysis are now giving the fanbase pause and the one cog that the entire region was terrified about has had the best outing of the week. What happened to those guys from last year? They were going crazy!
The entire rotation doesn’t start getting into its groove until late May into June and July and on to August. I know it’s frustrating to watch the lineup rack up runs that should win any other game. Just hold the lead! Hold the… oh, home run…
The most frustrating thing is when you’re in a pitchers’ duel and your starting pitcher walks two batters and then your reliever comes in and walks two more, one of which scores and gives the opposing team the lead. I know that frustration.
I may or may not have broken something when it happened.
Last night, Chen had a nice outing with 6.0 IP and two ER. As I’m writing this, Tommy Hunter gives up a grand slam. Sixteen runs given up by the bullpen by eight different relievers. Brad Brach still has the most with five and Hunter just got right behind him giving up that four-run blast. Kevin Gausman has three. Darren O’Day, Zach Britton, Wesley Wright, and Jason Garcia all have 1. The only reliever not to have an earned run so far is Brian Matusz. And he was supposed to be trade bait.
Game over: 6-5 Yankees. I really hate when they win in my Park. I’ll be there Wednesday, in Section 84.
So, it IS falling…?
I don’t know! Yes. No. Maybe. Yes. Maybe no. I don’t know. Sure. No. YES! Ugh, NO!
The Orioles pitching rotation sure doesn’t come out with guns a-blazing does it? I’ve been very unimpressed with everything except the “elephant in the room” of Ubaldo Jimenez so far, and he has done more in his seven innings than the rest of the starting five have been able to muster. The bullpen needs to cover for the slow beginning and it’s not even with the run production the hit-happy lineup is giving sometimes. The worry was about our bats trying to fill the void for Nick Markakis and Nelson Cruz and the hitting has been the least of the Orioles’ problems thus far, as they’ve put five runs or more in all but one of their games.
Unfortunately the pitching from the starters and the bullpen has not been enough to shut down or even quell the bats from what are supposed to be very competitive AL East teams and more work is needed. It’s a bit scary to think that we have to go to Boston, up to face Toronto again, and then back home to face the Red Sox and White Sox within two weeks.
Where will the pitching be then and where will the Orioles be in the division at the end of the month? April is not historically good for this team, as they usually finish around or below the .500 mark. Blame the weather and cold or the lack of audience or rusty mechanics. It’s fine to find yourself questioning the last week; it wasn’t a pretty pitching performance.
I’m confident that the guys in the starting five will pull it together. Gausman is waiting if one of them fails horribly. The bullpen will survive but if they tail off then there are plenty of hungry, talented, young arms in the minors waiting for their chance. The bats will prevail and the arms will catch up. The defense has been top-tier as well (well, except for that gaffe by Chris Davis that allowed said grand slam inning to continue…)
Step outside friends; the sky may be falling now but it’s simply cosmetic, just the winter rust peeling off. The real iron will show through soon enough.
As always follow me on Twitter @Andropoulos7
