PiR: O’s in Good Shape Even After Pitching Woes Exposed in Seattle

Reality: The Baltimore Orioles starting pitchers did not do well in the four-game series in Seattle.

O's starting pitching this series: 18 innings, 29 hits, 21 runs, 7 homers, 10.50 ERA.

— Steve Melewski (@masnSteve) July 3, 2016

Perception: While the Orioles offense seems to remain consistently good, the pitching is anything but consistent. On the six-game road trip so far, the rotation has an ERA of 7.76. That will win you 0 games, unless you have an offense like the O’s do. But even with their offense, that is a lot of overcome.

What happened to Mychal Givens? He has a 7.15 ERA in his last 11 innings. Tyler Wilson has a 7.15 ERA in his last 31 innings. Not one SP has an ERA under 4.23 in the last 30 days. They desperately need help, but I’m not sure where that help comes from.

On the bright side? The Yankees, Red Sox, and Rays all have a worse team pitching ERA.

So shake it off and move on. The Mariners scored over 30 runs in this series. Thankfully, the Texas Rangers are in the AL West with the Mariners. The Rangers might keep the O’s from seeing Seattle in the playoffs.

Reality: Dylan Bundy pitched very well in June.

Dylan Bundy in June: 12 IP, 10 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 13 K.

He's pitching like the former 4th overall pick.

— Ryan Baillargeon (@RyanBaillargeon) June 26, 2016

Perception: I’m man enough to admit when I am wrong…and I have been wrong about Bundy. I have been a downer on Bundy saying things like I never thought he’d be a starter with the Orioles and that he’d never be a quality pitcher on this club. But he is making me eat my words.

In the last 30 days, his ERA is 1.23 in 14 innings with 15 strike outs. The more he pitches the better he is getting. And each time he pitches, he seems to be throwing longer. I know many have talked about him getting stretched out to be a starter with the club and others are saying that won’t happen this year, but I don’t care either way. I just want him to be effective and he is being just that.

Reality: On June 24^th, the Orioles were 42-30.

Perception: If you’ve been reading Perception Is Reality this season, you know that I’ve talked three times now about breaking the MLB season into nine 18-game segments, and if you win six of those segments then your team would be in the playoffs.

The Orioles are now 3-1 in the first three segments, going 11-7, 12-6, 8-10, and 11-7 in the first four 18-game segments. They have been in first place at the end of each of those segments, and they were 12 games over .500 at the end of the fourth segment.

So far in the 5^th segment, they are 5-4, and 13 games over .500. They have the 3^rd best record in the American League.

Reality: The Orioles have played 81 games, exactly half of the 162 game MLB season.

Perspective: midpoint of season, @Orioles are 1 of 6 div leaders, 1 of 19 in playoff contention. ALL have flaws incl Cubs after swept by NYM

— Mark Viviano (@MarkWJZ) July 4, 2016

Perception: If you asked any baseball fan if their team would be 47-34 at the half way point of the season, lead their division by 3 games and had the 3^rd best record in the league, they would take it. So relax O’s fans. This team is headed for the playoffs.

Reality: Baltimore has the best record in the American League since the start of the 2012 season.

. @Orioles have AL's best record since start of 2012, the first year of Duquette and Showalter working together. @MLB @MLBNetwork

— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) June 27, 2016

Perception: O’s fans may give Dan Duquette a hard time about a lot of his moves or non-moves, but when you go back and really look at them, many have worked. It may not have worked long term, but for that season it did…and isn’t that what the Orioles are playing for? They are trying to win here and now. They aren’t rebuilding or working towards the future. They are giving up young players and making moves they believe will help them win this season and I’m all for it.

What the Birds Front Office has done in the last five years has been working. No other team has more wins in the American League in the last five seasons than the Orioles. Now, they just need to figure out a way to get over the hump. The problem is, they aren’t built that way.

This team (and the previous teams) have been built to win in the regular season. Baseball fans know that winning in October comes down to one thing: pitching. Heck, look at the College World Series this year. The teams that out-pitched their opponent won, especially in elimination games. It’s the same in the MLB Playoffs. The good news is that no one seems to know how to pitch this season, and there is no one available on the trade market to really help any time. So if there is one year where offense might win in October, this might just be it.