vs. ASTROS, 8/21

<center><b><FONT SIZE="+3"><FONT COLOR="#ff9900">B</FONT><FONT COLOR="#c07400">a</FONT><FONT COLOR="#804d00">l</FONT><FONT COLOR="#402700">t</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000">i</FONT><FONT COLOR="#402700">m</FONT><FONT COLOR="#804d00">o</FONT><FONT COLOR="#c07400">r</FONT><FONT COLOR="#ff9900">e</FONT><FONT COLOR="#c07400"> </FONT><FONT COLOR="#804d00">O</FONT><FONT COLOR="#402700">r</FONT><FONT COLOR="#000000">i</FONT><FONT COLOR="#402700">o</FONT><FONT COLOR="#804d00">l</FONT><FONT COLOR="#c07400">e</FONT><FONT COLOR="#ff9900">s</FONT></FONT>

VS.

<FONT SIZE="+3"><FONT COLOR="#ff7f00">H</FONT><FONT COLOR="#ad631c">o</FONT><FONT COLOR="#5a4539">u</FONT><FONT COLOR="#072854">s</FONT><FONT COLOR="#5a4539">t</FONT><FONT COLOR="#ad631c">o</FONT><FONT COLOR="#ff7f00">n</FONT><FONT COLOR="#c26a15"> </FONT><FONT COLOR="#84542b">A</FONT><FONT COLOR="#453e40">s</FONT><FONT COLOR="#072854">t</FONT><FONT COLOR="#5a4539">r</FONT><FONT COLOR="#ad631c">o</FONT><FONT COLOR="#ff7f00">s</FONT></FONT>

Game 4 (1:35)

<IMG SRC="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_kRA0kohlwpI/TIQSBQQ2KRI/AAAAAAAADmY/_KuXbW6jxfg/s1600/Orioles+-+baby+bird+2009.gif" HEIGHT="80" WIDTH="80" BORDER="0"> |=======| <IMG SRC="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/Houston-Astros-Logo.svg/2000px-Houston-Astros-Logo.svg.png" HEIGHT="80" WIDTH="80" BORDER="0">

* = games back of wild card

Team Records

67-55 |=======| 63-60

3rd, -2.5 |=======| 3rd, -4.5*

Streaks / L10

-2, Lost 8 of 12 / 4-6 |=======| +2, Won 2 of 3 / 5-5

Team Offensive Rankings (AL)

BA: .261 (7th) |=======| BA: .246 (14th)

OPS: .767 (3rd) |=======| OPS: .736 (10th)

Runs: 552 (5th) |=======| Runs: 530 (10th)

HR: 176 (1st) |=======| HR: 144 (10th)

Last 7 Days

BA: .232 (14th) |=======| BA: .311 (2nd)

OPS: .691 (13th) |=======| OPS: .831 (3rd)

Runs: 28 (11th) |=======| Runs: 46 (4th)

HR: 7 (13th) |=======| HR: 10 (8th)

Team Pitching Rankings (AL)

ERA: 4.23 (10th) |=======| ERA: 3.90 (3rd)

WHIP: 1.38 (12th) |=======| WHIP: 1.28 (5th)

BAA: .258 (9th) |=======| BAA: .258 (8th)

TB: 1703 (7th) |=======| TB: 1758 (11th)

Last 7 Days

ERA: 5.28 (11th) |=======| ERA: 6.05 (14th)

WHIP: 1.55 (13th) |=======| WHIP: 1.36 (10th)

BAA: .262 (9th) |=======| BAA: .285 (13th)

TB: 99 (6th) |=======| TB: 126 (12th)

Starters

ERA: 4.86 (12th) |=======| ERA: 4.22 (7th)

WHIP: 1.44 (13th) |=======| WHIP: 1.37 (11th)

BAA: .270 (12th) |=======| BAA: .270 (11th)

TB: 1149 (8th) |=======| TB: 1189 (12th)

Relievers

ERA: 3.22 (1st) |=======| ERA: 3.34 (3rd)

WHIP: 1.29 (7th) |=======| WHIP: 1.12 (1st)

BAA: .237 (4th) |=======| BAA: .236 (3rd)

TB: 554 (8th) |=======| TB: 579 (10th)

NEW: Quality Start minimum requirements

* - Game ERA must be 4.00 or less with at least six innings pitched

Yovani Gallardo

(4-4)

5.18 (1.61/.278)

59K / 46BB, 11HR

QS: 3

</b>

Gallardo allowed nine base runners in five innings in his last start against Boston including a three run homer. He walked five batters and is the second time in four starts that he has done that. He still has a 3.18 August ERA, though. I took only the last three years against Houston because of Gallardo's years in the NL. It still gets his last year with the Brew Crew, but still a more accurate representation of Gallardo's current skills against this current Astros team. His 46 walks in 83.1 innings is god awful, but I'm sure Ubaldo Jimenez is thoroughly impressed.

Splits & Sits

178 vs. left: .265/.376/.365, 6HR

192 vs. right: .288/.356/.411, 5HR

Bases Empty: .288

RISP: .235

RISP w/2 outs: .216

Men on w/2 outs: .246

Man on 3rd, < 2 outs: .250

2016 Home (6 starts)

(2-0) 3.66 (1.53/.259), 4HR

Last 3 years vs. HOU (5 starts)

(2-1) 4.10 (1.60/.288), 4HR

vs. Batter

Jose Altuve (31 AB) .258, 2B

Luis Valbuena (30 AB) .333, 3 2B, HR, 5RBI

Jason Castro (21 AB) .381, 2 2B, S-HR, 4BB

Marwin Gonzalez (15 AB) .267, 2B, HR, 4RBI

Evan Gattis 4/9, 2B, 3B

Carlos Correa 2/7, 2B, RBI, 2BB

George Springer 3/6

Jake Marisnick 0/4

VS

Dallas Keuchel

(7-12)

4.76 (1.31/.260)

133K / 46BB, 18HR

QS: 11

Keuchel got off to a really rough start posting a 4.41 in April and a 6.63 in May. He rebounded with a 4.30 in June, 3.94 in July and 3.86 in August so far including a three hit shutout against the Rangers two starts ago. However, in the other two most recent starts, Keuchel has allowed 13 runs in 10 innings with 17 base runners allowed. Those two starts are the only two in the last 10 starts where he allowed more than three runs, so he has been pitching well before those two starts. Although he has had a rough season, he is still capable of being dominating on any given night. He has been god awful on the road and has surrendered 13 of his 18 home runs when away from Orange Juice Park and 16 of them coming from right handed batters. However, he has pitched better than those numbers in three of the last four road starts. One glaring problem for Keuchel this season are his struggles with runners on base where opponents hit over .300 against him with runners on, RISP and RISP with two outs. Not pretty, but 12 of those homers were solo shots. He has good numbers against the Orioles and threw eight innings of four run ball in his only start at Camden Yards.

Splits & Sits

137 vs. left: .240/.277/.321, 2HR

506 vs. right: .266/.325/.409, 16HR

Bases Empty: .236

RISP: .317

RISP w/2 outs: .327

Men on w/2 outs: .271

Man on 3rd, < 2 outs: .250

2016 Away (13 starts)

(4-7) 5.74 (1.51/.282), 13HR

Career vs Baltimore (4 starts)

(1-2) 3.46 (1.15/.242), 2HR

Career @ Camden Yards (1 starts)

(0-1) 8 IP, 6H, 4ER, 2HR

vs. Batter

Steve Pearce (13 AB) .154, HR, 4RBI, 8K

Mark Trumbo (13 AB) .462, 2B, 2 3B, 3HR, 7RBI

Manny Machado (12 AB) .333

Adam Jones (12 AB) .250

J.J. Hardy 3/9, 2B, RBI

Chris Davis 2/9, RBI

Pedro Alvarez 1/7, 2BB

Caleb Joseph 2/7, HR, 2RBI

Jonathan Schoop 0/3

Well, the Orioles are blown out again and this makes it 15 runs in two games allowed by the bullpen and are now 1-4 on the homestand. The series split can still be had tomorrow, but the Astros are riding high right now and have gotten themselves going and once again, it comes against the Orioles only this time at Camden Yards. Chris Tillman looked as bad as I've ever seen him look and one has to really wonder why he was allowed to go out there at all. For a medical staff that is so stringent about passing newcomers on their physicals, they sure do allow guys to play noticably hurt a lot though this could be due to simply having no other options and having to push players further than they normally would when it comes to injuries. Tillman has never been the kind of player who could play through injuries. Adam Jones was playing hurt early in the season as well, but fortunately came out of it without making anything worse. A shoulder injury for a pitcher is extremely concerning and you'd think we'd be real careful when it comes to Chris Tillman. We were with Gausman who dealt with shoulder tendinitis early in the season two years in a row now. Anyway, it's obvious Tillman is having some issues in his shoulder and based on his performance today, it doesn't seem to be minor. This isn't good news for the Orioles at all who have now lost eight of the last 12 games and are tumbling fast as our competition continues to win.

A tough one. Keuchel is the better pitcher, but both are having bad years with Gallardo pitching better over the last three starts. Keuchel's numbers against the Orioles are better than Gallardo's against the Astros. Gallardo is 2-0 at home and Keuchel has struggled on the road, but three of the last four have been much better than his total away line this season.

With both Toronto and Boston winning today, the Orioles fall to 2.5 games back of the lead and two games behind Boston as the Red Sox and Blue Jays have taken off ahead. The Royals won their seventh in a row and are only 4.5 games back all of a sudden and Detroit remains 3.5 back and will play one more against Boston tomorrow. Seattle won their second in a row and are now just a game back of the Orioles for the second WC spot and Houston is now only 4.5 back. Even the Yankees sit only four games back, so there are five teams within striking distance of the Orioles who suddenly cannot win at home and not only can't win, but have been blown out in three of the last four games and scored eight runs in one of those games. This is a team in big trouble right now.

Wild Card Standings

*Boston +2.0

*Baltimore +1.0

Seattle -1.0

Detroit -3.5

NY Yankees -4.0

Houston -4.5

KC Royals -4.5

For a medical staff that is so stringent about passing newcomers on their physicals, they sure do allow guys to play noticably hurt a lot though this could be due to simply having no other options and having to push players further than they normally would when it comes to injuries. Tillman has never been the kind of player who could play through injuries. Adam Jones was playing hurt early in the season as well, but fortunately came out of it without making anything worse. A shoulder injury for a pitcher is extremely concerning and you'd think we'd be real careful when it comes to Chris Tillman. We were with Gausman who dealt with shoulder tendinitis early in the season two years in a row now. Anyway, it's obvious Tillman is having some issues in his shoulder and based on his performance today, it doesn't seem to be minor.

"Tillman told reporters that his shoulder felt fine, the same message he passed along to Showalter. "That's the good news," Showalter said after his club fell to 1-4 on the homestand and 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Blue Jays in the American League East. "I think we talk a lot in here about players and pitchers, take them out of a routine. I think he was rusty more than anything. I was talking to him some afterward. You saw his velocity kick up after the first inning. Really toward the end of the first inning. Just command."

"I think you take eight or nine days off in between, I think that was it more than anything. We'll wait and see how he feels tomorrow, but a lot of guys might use the other one as an excuse. I talked to him afterward. He said it felt good, just felt rusty. Didn't have much feel for it."

Showalter trusts Tillman to be truthful, no matter how hard it is to say three times fast.

"Chris has come a long way in his baseball maturity," Showalter said. "He's not going to do anything to hurt the club. I trust his honesty with us. I'd like to think I know him well enough with the look in his eye. He doesn't BS us anymore. He knows how important these game are."

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2016/08/orioles-option-despaigne-plus-showalter-quotes.html

As I said in the game thread, I said I'd wait till the post game interviews before I comment further. I'm going with the Skipper and Tillman on this. If people feel comfortable making an injury diagnosis from watching the TV broadcast in the heat of the moment and out of frustration, that's your business. I'd prefer to hear it from the parties involved. Chris knows not to risk such a thing. Buck said as much here. He believes Chris. So do I. If it's bothering him tomorrow, then we have an answer. But if he said it wasn't bothering him tonight, I'm taking him at his word.

I hope you're right. When it comes to what is said or not said publicly about injuries, not everything is always the truth. Rusty is one thing, but to lose velocity after skipping one start? That's not rust. That's something

else. Either he was afraid to let go or it just wasn't there and shoulder injuries do affect both velocity and command. Time will tell. I hope it's nothing for the Orioles' sake.

We need this game badly. Get it done O's.

I hope you're right. When it comes to what is said or not said publicly about injuries, not everything is always the truth. Rusty is one thing, but to lose velocity after skipping one start? That's not rust. That's something

else. Either he was afraid to let go or it just wasn't there and shoulder injuries do affect both velocity and command. Time will tell. I hope it's nothing for the Orioles' sake.

I'll trust the truth of someone that has actual information. Not everything is a cover-up event. I hope he is healthy. So I want to believe.

I hope you're right. When it comes to what is said or not said publicly about injuries, not everything is always the truth. Rusty is one thing, but to lose velocity after skipping one start? That's not rust. That's something

else. Either he was afraid to let go or it just wasn't there and shoulder injuries do affect both velocity and command. Time will tell. I hope it's nothing for the Orioles' sake.

For Chris' sake and the team's sake, I hope it's nothing. I agree. As Buck said, Chris knows what's at stake for both.

I'll be happy if Gallardo only gives up 7 runs.

I'll be happy if Gallardo only gives up 7 runs.

In how many innings?

7 IP 7R is a lot less depressing than 1 2/3 IP 7R.

In how many innings?

7 IP 7R is a lot less depressing than 1 2/3 IP 7R.

The first inning. :wedge:

I'll trust the truth of someone that has actual information. Not everything is a cover-up event. I hope he is healthy. So I want to believe.

I am with you on that Weams.

Whats the weather situation - will they get this game in? I heard storms are rolling in north of Baltimore city.

Out of the 27 innings played so far this series - the Astro's have scored 1 or more run in 17 of them. Just pitiful.

It's raining.

I'll trust the truth of someone that has actual information. Not everything is a cover-up event. I hope he is healthy. So I want to believe.

I hope he is too, but you don't need a medical degree to know how the shoulder works. It's the most complex joint in the body and if even the slightest thing is wrong in there, it will affect velocity and command. Hopefully

it's just a minor thing that will clear up, but nothing scares me more for pitchers than shoulder injuries. Simply knowing how the shoulder and elbow work is enough "actual information" for me.

Also, Buck wouldn't be the first manager or even his first time minimalizing an injury when giving information to the public. The public is on a need to know basis when it comes to these things and always has been. Anyway,

I hope he's alright. That's the bottom line.

Game delayed...........

Should I listen to the game or cut the grass? It's all up to Gallardo.