Reality: The Baltimore Orioles are 12-12 after one month of the season, but only six teams in the American League have a better record than the O’s.
Perception: Mediocrity or parity, whatever you want to call it, but right now, no one in the American League has any real separation in their division. The Orioles go into tonight’s game trailing the Yankee’s by 2.5 games, but only lead last place Tampa by 2.0 games. For as tough as the Orioles schedule has been this first month of the season, it’s a good sign for them to come out of it at .500.
Reality: The Orioles are very different on the road and at home so far this season.
Perception: The real issue for the Birds is there is no consistency. They are 5-6 at home, and 7-6 on the road. They are dead last in all of baseball in runs scored and OPS at home, but they are second in runs scored and third in OPS on the road. It’s been a real struggle at home to score runs, mainly because the Orioles haven’t been able to hit home runs at home.
You’ve got to win your games at home. But on the bright side, the Orioles play 18 games on the road in May and only 10 at home, so if they keep hitting well on the road, that could lead to a big month.
Reality: Nelson Cruz has been well worth the wait to sign him.
Perception: Just look at what he’s done: Fourth in MLB and third in the AL in home runs, fourth in MLB and third in the AL in RBI, 13th in MLB and fifth in the AL in slugging percentage. He leads the O’s in homers, RBI, runs, and OBP.
Cruz has simply been great. I might even say he’s been the best off-season signing in all of baseball. His stats may drop some over the next couple of weeks with Davis out of the lineup, as pitchers can afford to pitch a bit more around him.
Reality: With Chris Davis on the Disabled List, the Orioles lineup isn’t going to scare many.
Perception: Until Manny Machado returns, with Davis out, the Orioles lineup is really mising a lot of power. And over the weekend when Matt Wieters was resting, it was definitely a lineup that didn’t scare anyone. Nick Markakis has done a nice job filling in so far at first base, but without the anchors on the corners, it’s got to be one of the weakest hitting infields in baseball.
So is it time to reconsider bringing in Kendrys Morales? Morales is still a free agent and could be the best option for an Orioles team that needs to improve offensively. They can’t afford to sit around and wait for Davis to return because from all indications, it will be more than the two-week stint on the DL before he returns.
Steve Pearce was released, Ike Davis has already been traded this season, and there is no real answer to help the team right now in the minors. Signing Morales to a one-year deal might work. He can fill in at first base while Davis is gone and then can come off the bench and work in as a DH the remainder of the season.
The Orioles are said to be “going for it” this season, hence the reason they signed Cruz and Ubaldo Jimenez in the first place. If they really are doing whatever they can to win this season (before J.J. Hardy, Wieters, and Davis become free agents), then signing Morales would help in that plan.
Reality: Winning changes everything.
Perception: This would not have happened before the 2011 season. But it’s awesome to see excitement for baseball come back to Charm City. The Yard has been packed and fans are engaged with a team that has a chance to really do something.
Sorry, but I love this! #Orioles
MT @Orioles It’s stretch time in #Birdland. pic.twitter.com/dGw8umE5gD
— Joe Polek (@JoePolek) April 27, 2014
