Pedro Strop is back on his game

This is one instance where we’re not shy to say “we told you so.”

After struggling for a few weeks, Baltimore Orioles reliever Pedro Strop appears to have regained his confidence as well as his command and is back on his game.

In the ninth inning of Sunday’s 6-0 win over Minnesota, Strop entered the game and proceeded to mow down the Twins in order on 12 pitches. After a six-pitch flyout by Trevor Plouffe, Strop struck out Chris Parmelee and Wilkin Ramirez on six consecutive pitches.

In Saturday’s loss to the Twins, Strop pitched a clean eighth inning, again notching two strikeouts and finishing the frame in just 12 pitches.

Earlier in the week, in a loss to Kansas City, Strop set down the Royals in order in the ninth in – you guessed – 12 pitches.

In those last three outings combined, Strop has thrown 27 strikes to only nine balls, showing that he has rediscovered his command in a big way.

In the month of May, Strop has now thrown 6.0 innings, and is yet to allow even a hit, let alone a run. He has seven strikeouts to three walks (and one HBP), but hasn’t even allowed a baserunner in his last three appearances (3.0 IP, detailed above). He’s lowered his ERA from 7.00 to a much more respectable 4.50 (which is still inflated by a couple rough outings early on).

According to Tom Davis, Strop has been working with O’s closer Jim Johnson over the past week or so. It looks like JJ has helped Strop identify whatever it was that was bothering him. It’s great that a guy like Johnson is making himself available to help his teammates, and that the Orioles players have those kind of relationships.

It should be noted that Buck Showalter has still not gone to Strop in a “high pressure” situation lately. However, what he has done (very effectively) is allow Pedro to come in and work out his kinks when the game isn’t on the line. Strop has rewarded Buck by showing that he can still be the very effective reliever that he was in 2012. Don’t be surprised to see Strop come into a tight game in the very near future.

The entire situation has to make you feel good about the Birds – the manager letting his guy work out his issues in low-pressure situations, instead of making a knee-jerk reaction to cut ties, teammates helping each other out, and a player showing the mental fortitude to keep working and regain his effectiveness.

With Tommy Hunter continuing to be dominant out of the pen as well, the Birds have several good options for righty power arms late in games.

The silly screams to “TRADE HIM!” as well as the even sillier calls for him to “fix” his hat should be much less pervasive nowadays.

Don’t Strop Believin’ – We told you so.