Sometimes it takes the shortcomings of other teams to fully appreciate what you have become accustomed to while watching your favorite team.
As Orioles fans, we’ve been spoiled in 2014 with a variety of nice things, one of them being a bullpen that largely inspires a sense of calm when Buck Showalter makes his way to the mound and motions for one of his trusty relievers to enter the game.
On the other end of the spectrum is the group of pitchers Brad Ausmus has to pick from when his vaunted starters have reached the end of the line on a given day. When the bullpen door opens and a Tigers relief pitcher comes out, it’s been the beginning of an adventure on numerous occasions this year.
Tigers relievers were 13th in the AL in ERA (4.29) and 14th in WHIP (1.48) during the regular season, while the Orioles were third in both (3.10 and 1.16 respectively). Detroit’s bullpen also allowed the highest opponent’s batting average (.270), fourth most walks (192), and highest OPS (.752).
We knew this was the underbelly of the Detroit Tigers. Any preview of this series probably included some form of “The earlier the Orioles get to the Tigers bullpen, the better.” However, watching Joba Chamberlain, Joakim Soria, and Phil Coke implode the way they have has been a sight to behold, a good sight for an Orioles fan, an excruciating one if you’re a Tigers fan like the one sitting behind me during game 1.
This doesn’t mean the Orioles’ bullpen hasn’t had been roughed up or had shaky outings this season, because they have. Chamberlain, Soria, and Coke aren’t as bad as the past two days would indicate. That said, everything is magnified in the postseason. When you allow a combined 12 runs in the first two eighth innings of the ALDS (turning the tide of both games) it resonates, loudly.
For 162 games, the Detroit Tigers bullpen wasn’t very good. Two games later, more of the same. Through 162 games, the Baltimore’s bullpen was one of baseball’s best. Through the first two postseason games, the unit, as a whole, has resembled its familiar self. More of the same in this case as well.
Then, there is the defense.
The Tigers had the second worst defensive efficiency (percentage of balls in play converted into outs) in the AL this season at .673. The Orioles had the third highest at .706. By Baseball Information Solutions’ Defensive Runs Saved metric, Baltimore was able to save itself 50 runs this season through its stellar defense, tops in the AL. Detroit, on the other hand, cost themselves 64 runs through miscues.
In the eighth inning of game 1, errors by Tigers shortstop Andrew Romine and Rajai Davis contributed to a one-run Orioles lead entering the inning, turning into a nine-run cushion when the final out was recorded.
Game 2 brought us a sterling double play by the Orioles in the top of the fifth inning, after Torii Hunter led off with a single. The Tigers were up 5-3 at the time and looking for insurance runs, but were denied by sterling efforts from Ryan Flaherty and Jonathan Schoop.
Part of the charm of baseball is its way of often providing the unexpected. A few hours after the Orioles game on Friday ended, a game started by Clayton Kershaw and Adam Wainwright had 13 runs on the scoreboard in the 7th inning, just like everyone thought <sarcasm>.
There are times when all of the analysis and logic goes straight out the window. Then, there are others when things go the way trends tell us they should. Thus far, the 2014 ALDS between the Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers has given us things we’ve expected, bad relief pitching and defense by the Tigers and plus outcomes in both areas by the Orioles.
As a result, the Orioles are one game away from advancing to the American League Championship Series, by doing what they have all season.
Not much has changed, just more of the same.
