I don't think the way we are winning is sustainable

[brianod]

Our starters have been awesome. Our pen has been awesome. Our offense has been abysmal. Our defense has been awesome. I think our pen will continue to be very good and I think our defense will continue to be very good but I think our starters will regress. Unless our offense picks it up, we won't keep winning like this.

[Hank Scorpio]

Our starters have been awesome. Our pen has been awesome. Our offense has been abysmal. Our defense has been awesome. I think our pen will continue to be very good and I think our defense will continue to be very good but I think our starters will regress. Unless our offense picks it up, we won't keep winning like this.

Absolutely not, we won't.

But the offense will come around, most likely. The pitching will regress a little, most likely.

Divisional games are REALLY important at this point.

[Lester Freamon]

Agree with you and Hank. We can't.

However, I do believe that Cruz and Jones will get hot again before the season is over. Not counting on Davis for anything at this point, so if we do get anything from him it'll be gravy, imo.

[Can_of_corn]

They made it to the finish line in 2012 playing like this.

[SteveO]

Absolutely not, we won't.

But the offense will come around, most likely. The pitching will regress a little, most likely.

Divisional games are REALLY important at this point.

^^This^^

We won't keep winning this way because the the level of pitching we will face in many of our games down the stretch will be of lower quality than we have faced the past 30 games. The hitting will be better. We have faced a murders row of pitching and somehow are 21-9 going into tonight. I prefer to look at the positive that we have a dominating record against that quality of competition than the fact our bats have been sluggish as one would expect against the quality of pitching we have faced in those 30 games.

[brianod]

They made it to the finish line in 2012 playing like this.

The offense was much better and much more consistent in 2012, I suspect they will pick it up but if we are going to win, they have to imo

[Hank Scorpio]

Two things we've been able to count on for most of the year:

Bullpen and defense.

[foxfield]

Our starters have been awesome. Our pen has been awesome. Our offense has been abysmal. Our defense has been awesome. I think our pen will continue to be very good and I think our defense will continue to be very good but I think our starters will regress. Unless our offense picks it up, we won't keep winning like this.

Said the man as the Orioles extend their lead in the AL East.

I think you may well be right. Here is the thing though. It's been that way all season. Pitching sucks, we hit the ball, injuries, someone steps up. Bats sleep, we pitch lights out. This is a very good team. It is imperfect enough to not pull this off as you allude to, but imagine it the other way, suppose we continue to throw the ball well and the bats come alive.

That could bring the Orioles a World Series Title.

[Jonesy10]

This is true. But the offense is going to pick it up. And the SP may get worse but I do not think they will be terrible. Just not a sub 3 ERA like we have been seeing.

[PA724_Oriole]

I agree with the points but disagree with the theory. Everyone has been saying how the Os have been playing the hardest schedule since ASB. They have been playing tough and don't quit.

Even though the offense has been struggling they find other ways to stay in it and keep it close. That's all this team needs, is to keep the games close.

I suspect there will be quite a bit more low scoring close games coming our way. The end is near, teams fighting to keep the lead, teams fighting to make their last push. Hitters get more tense rather than being relaxed, try to do to much and lose a little something.

But yes, hopefully the offense can crank it up once we get closer to October.

[calmunderfire]

Got news for you man. This is what post steroid era baseball is. Orioles aren't that bad as an offense at all. Many, many teams have far worse offenses.

Every pitch matters now.

[brianod]

^^This^^

We won't keep winning this way because the the level of pitching we will face in many of our games down the stretch will be of lower quality than we have faced the past 30 games. The hitting will be better. We have faced a murders row of pitching and somehow are 21-9 going into tonight. I prefer to look at the positive that we have a dominating record against that quality of competition than the fact our bats have been sluggish as one would expect against the quality of pitching we have faced in those 30 games.

AJ Happ retired 14 in a row and achieved a strikeout high for him. Bullpen came in and retired three in a row. So, needing an insurance run, we went 0-17. If we want to go far in the playoffs, or even make the playoffs, our O has got to get better.

[Jonesy10]

AJ Happ retired 14 in a row and achieved a strikeout high for him. Bullpen came in and retired three in a row. So, needing an insurance run, we went 0-17. If we want to go far in the playoffs, or even make the playoffs, our O has got to get better.

I feel like I'm pretty tough on the offense but it's pretty silly to think they won't get better. Look at their splits in the first half vs. second half. They are walking more I believe, striking out more (a problem, but based on the larger 1st half sample size it should get much better), but their BABIP is extremely low. Jones, Cruz, and Davis have been awful since the break. Markakis and Machado haven't been very good either. Schoop and Flaherty have been awful too. Pearce hasn't done anything. The fact that the team is still pounding out wins when their offense is at it's very worst is pretty impressive and a good sign for when they turn it around.

[bpilktree]

The thing is we are 6 games up in the loss column we dont have to be great every game. The Jays and the Yanks basically do. The Yanks cant score and they have a rotation of a guy let go earlier on, a guy with mid 5 ERA in the NL West, a guy with 4.5 ERA in the minors and Kuroda who has always struggled down the stretch. I will take our rotation pitching better rest of way.

[El Gordo]

The offense is coming around. I think Davis is starting to hit and so is Cruz. And there's always the mighty Caleb.