Reality: Miguel Gonzalez has allowed 17 hits and seven runs over 10 innings in two starts since coming off the disabled list with a right oblique strain.
Perception: The Baltimore Orioles seem to be working on a 6-man rotation, even though manager Buck Showalter won’t officially call it that. It will probably change after this weekend against the Rays, especially with a double header after a day off. So who missed out on their spot in the rotation?
Right now it appears to be Gonzalez. He is not helping himself with being inconsistent this year, but that’s not the only reason. Frankly, no Orioles pitcher (outside of Bud Norris) has been consistent enough to validate their spot in the rotation. But Gonzalez has struggled the most, and to me seems like the most likely candidate to move to a long-relief role in the bullpen. I don’t see it happening, but if needed, he could be moved by the trade deadline to free up a roster space if the other five men in the rotation hold their own.
Reality: Chris Davis has been more like “Crush” in June.
Perception: Chris Davis may have found his home run swing. He hit just seven homers in 39 games in April and May, but Crush now has hit six homers in 21 games in June. However, he’s still struggling at the plate to find consistency. He’s only hitting .221 (which is 11th on the team) and only slugging .437 (which is 6th on the team).
His home run swing is important, but it’s even more important for Davis to start getting consistent hits as he did last season. The Birds have plenty of guys who can hit home runs, but with the amount of runners being left on base, we need guys to just get crucial hits, and that includes Davis.
Reality: Caleb Joseph has solidified himself as the Orioles everyday starting catcher.
Perception: It’s apparent that Buck likes what he sees from Joseph behind the plate, but now we are starting to see that too.
According to Brett Hollander of WBAL, the Orioles are 15-9 when Caleb Joseph starts at catcher. The team ERA is 2.72 when he is behind the plate, by far the best of the four catchers the birds have used this season. Perhaps most amazing is opponents’ batting average against for the four different O’s catchers this year. Three are almost identical: Wieters at .272, Nick Hundley at .264, Steve Clevenger at.272. The batting average against when Caleb Joseph starts is .228.
Plus, Joseph is throwing out base runners much better than the other three combined.
But now we are starting to see what Joseph can do offensively. Overall, he’s only hitting .171, but over the last five games, Joseph is hitting .333 with two home runs and three RBIs, and barely missed another homer on Tuesday night. Like Davis, if Joseph can find ways to just get a few hits, it will really help the Orioles offensively at the bottom of the lineup.
Reality: Steve Pearce has proven worthy to be an everyday player.
Perception: Can you believe this guy was designated for assignment in April? Since then, all he has done is make good plays in the field, and rake at the plate. In the last 30 days, Pearce is hitting .353 with six doubles, four home runs, 12 RBIs and a stolen base. Only 10 players in all of baseball have hit better in the last 30 days (with at least 21 games played).
To me, there is no other option… Steve Pearce must play everyday (and he has been for the last week)… whether that’s at DH, 1B, or LF. But Delmon Young is making it must tougher on Buck. Young is hitting .419 this year, so when he gets a chance to play, he is making the most of it. Young, Nelson Cruz, and Pearce are rotating between LF and DH, but one of them has to be left out of the starting lineup. For now, it’s been Young, but that gives the O’s a solid option off the bench.
Reality: The AL East is there for the Orioles to win.
Perception: According to Steve Melewski of MASN, the Orioles are 21-13 (.618) against AL East including 6-0-2 in AL East Series since April 13th. That will continue to be important… beating the division. Yes, the games outside the division are important, but the AL East is so up in the air, if the Birds can win games within their division, it gives them the best chance to take the AL East for the first time since 1997.
Right now, the Orioles are 10-8-6 in series this season, with a chance to win series 11 tonight against the White Sox. After a really tough April and May, we said June was going to be important for the Orioles to start to separate themselves. In June, the O’s are 4-1-1 in series. So they have done what they needed to do this month, and have picked up a numbers of games in the standings. With upcoming series against the Rays, Red Sox, and Yankees before the All-Star break, it’s going to be important to keep winning those divisional games.
The dog days of summer means they need to keep winning series and stay close to the top of the division.
