The Orioles set a record for home runs in June, but the home run ball hasn’t been their only offensive weapon, nor can it continue to be going forward. Press play or read below for more.
The Orioles closed out the month of June with a record in their pockets. Hyun Soo Kim‘s home run in the seventh inning of Thursday’s loss to the Mariners was the 56th for the O’s in June. The Birds passed the 1996 Oakland A’s for the most in that month.
And while the Orioles power is obviously their biggest strength, it’s also not their most important three months into the season. One of the things that the Orioles have been widely criticized on over the years, not only by the national media — but also their own fans — is a lack of guys who get on base. That has changed a bit this year.
The Orioles are rocking a team on-base percentage north of .330, and are in the top third in all of baseball in that category. It’s not just that they’ve acquired a few players who are posting decent numbers. Some of the mainstays of this offense are showing that they can draw walks like never before. Sure, the strikeouts are still there for players like Manny Machado, Jonathan Schoop and Adam Jones. But they are also showing more of an ability to take pitches and work counts. That goes a long way into a productive offense. It also helps that Chris Davis, despite his own gaudy strikeout numbers, draws plenty of walks.
Perhaps the best surprise has been the guy who was expected to be an on-base machine all along. The guy who clinched that record home run mark, Hyun Soo Kim, has a ridiculous OBP of .443…He’s walked 16 times to just 18 strikeouts.
In the end, the Orioles are going to hit a ton of home runs. The evidence is in their new record. But showing the ability to have guys on base means there will be fewer solo shots and more Earl Weaver specials. As the summer moves along, it’ll be important that they find other ways to score as well. If they aren’t going to have a great pitching staff, they might as well slug their way to an AL East title.
