O's lead the AL in ERA

[wildcard]

There are a lot of strange stats early in the season. Things that will even out in time. Maybe one of the most unexpected stats is the O's leading the AL with a 1.50 ERA after 4 games.

On offense the O's are:

Tied for 2nd in homers with 7.

3rd in Average, OBP, Slugging pct. and OPS 285/347/500/847

But only tied for 8th in runs scored 17

No one expected that ERA number though. Starting the O's 4th and 5th starters over the next two days may change that.

[OFFNY]

The Orioles lead the A.L. in ERA.

The opposite of Spring Training.

Woo hoo.

[Bmorefan24]

It's early... Very early. But this is why you can't put a lot of stock in spring training pitching stats. A lot of times, pitchers truly are just "getting their work in" or they are experimenting with certain pitches, locations, etc.

Hope it continues for sure though!!

[allquixotic]

Well, it looks like Tillman, Gallardo and Jimenez will give us a chance (on most days, not every day) to win 3 out of every 5 games.

Our top 3 are going to pitch several great games apiece, probably a bunch of "meh" games (3, 4 runs in 5 or 6 innings), and yeah, they'll throw a few stinkers, too. We'll probably win a large percentage of their great games, around half of the "meh" games, and few to none of the games in which they give up a ton of runs and only last a few innings.

If we have a consistent #4 that can match Gallardo in his ability to control a game, we'll have a chance to win 4 out of every 5 games.

The ace in the hole will be whether our #5 is any good or not. If we struggle to find success from our fifth starter, you're asking an awful lot of our hitters to go out there and mash extra hard on those days to win with ugly scores like 11 to 9. And that won't happen if the opposing pitching is good. It's also disastrous on the bullpen if the fifth starter can't go deep in games consistently.

I'm somewhat worried, but also hopeful that they'll be able to cobble together good enough starts in the back of the rotation to give us a chance to win.

[Bahama O's Fan]

Hopefully Gausman soon comes back and ascends up the rotation, knocking one of the others down to four. Maybe we can get a good #5 out of Wright, Wilson or Worley.

[abbott]

It's early... Very early. But this is why you can't put a lot of stock in spring training pitching stats. A lot of times, pitchers truly are just "getting their work in" or they are experimenting with certain pitches, locations, etc.

Hope it continues for sure though!!

But I of the season ended today

Something would be seriously wrong in the world to end the baseball season after 4 games.

[Frobby]

I had a look to see how many times last year the O's had allowed 7 or fewer runs over four games, expecting that perhaps they'd never done it. But in fact, they did it four times. So, while I'm very pleased with the good start from our staff, I don't think it tells us too much about how the year will go. Still, it beats getting bombed four straight games.

[Ruzious]

Perhaps we are seeing the beginning of the 5 inning starter strategy, and the O's are (wittingly or not) leading the way?

[21xxxv]

There are a lot of strange stats early in the season. Things that will even out in time. Maybe one of the most unexpected stats is the O's leading the AL with a 1.50 ERA after 4 games.

On offense the O's are:

Tied for 2nd in homers with 7.

3rd in Average, OBP, Slugging pct. and OPS 285/347/500/847

But only tied for 8th in runs scored 17

No one expected that ERA number though. Starting the O's 4th and 5th starters over the next two days may change that.

Stats are meaningless, until after Memorial Day

[tntoriole]

Well, it looks like Tillman, Gallardo and Jimenez will give us a chance (on most days, not every day) to win 3 out of every 5 games.

Our top 3 are going to pitch several great games apiece, probably a bunch of "meh" games (3, 4 runs in 5 or 6 innings), and yeah, they'll throw a few stinkers, too. We'll probably win a large percentage of their great games, around half of the "meh" games, and few to none of the games in which they give up a ton of runs and only last a few innings.

If we have a consistent #4 that can match Gallardo in his ability to control a game, we'll have a chance to win 4 out of every 5 games.

The ace in the hole will be whether our #5 is any good or not. If we struggle to find success from our fifth starter, you're asking an awful lot of our hitters to go out there and mash extra hard on those days to win with ugly scores like 11 to 9. And that won't happen if the opposing pitching is good. It's also disastrous on the bullpen if the fifth starter can't go deep in games consistently.

I'm somewhat worried, but also hopeful that they'll be able to cobble together good enough starts in the back of the rotation to give us a chance to win.

Every team in the AL East has similar problems or worse. Boston may end up with David Price and 4 other guys who are "meh".

[JayThomas]

Stats are meaningless, until after Memorial Day

Well, except for the one that counts - WINS. You can't take these four away from us. It might easily turn out that our season is made or broken in Sept/Oct by less than 4 games.

It is so much nicer winning than the alternative. I'm ecstatic right now. Not because I think we will go 162-0, but because we now only need 88-ish more wins to be in the playoffs and possibly win the division. This is about WINS baby, and wins are a counting stat. They surely are not meaningless before June.

[Ruzious]

No mention of Gausman, who if healthy, has a chance to be our best pitcher. Not saying he will, but he has a chance. Thats a big omission.

So Tillman won't continue to start half of our games?

[25 Nuggets]

Hopefully Gausman soon comes back and ascends up the rotation' date=' knocking one of the others down to four. Maybe we can get a good #5 out of Wright, Wilson or Worley.[/quote']

Big key to the season - Gausman is becoming a bit of an X-factor.

BUT, let's take a look at what Worley, Wright and/or Wilson can give us in the meantime.

[allquixotic]

Big key to the season - Gausman is becoming a bit of an X-factor.

BUT, let's take a look at what Worley, Wright and/or Wilson can give us in the meantime.

Right - and the guys filling in for Gausman are going to be just as important to our success as Gausman himself, especially if he's DLed for a significant amount of time. Remember when Joe Saunders saved 2012 by pitching a solid game against the Rangers in the sudden death wild card game? Not to mention that he pitched just well enough in the regular season to give us a couple competitive games. Also Freddy Garcia.

[byrdz]

The opposite of Spring Training.

Woo hoo.

Yeah, I hope we can remember the bolded for next spring, lighten up the overreaction thread a few pages.