OBP Tracker

[Phantom]

We are seeing more pitches this year (up .09 per plate appearance). That is more due to adding Rickard, Kim, Trumbo and Alverez than any change in approach by specific players though.

[Frobby]

Interesting. There are still more ways the two can be mutually reinforcing. At the very least, higher OBP = more ABs, and more ABs = more HRs. Back of the napkin, we are scoring both more HR runs and more non-HR runs by a pretty close amount. This is all good. No doubt, the HR's have been a big boost too. Ideally, we have what it takes to find multiple ways to score, so we aren't just dependent on the long ball when we need a big run, but we can also get back in the game in a hurry with one swing of the bat.

You won't get an argument out of me. This is a very scary team to face.

[Aristotelian]

The O's offense has cooled off to start July, with tougher matchups vs. SEA and LAD. Team OBP has slipped a couple of points down to .332, good for #9 in MLB.

Kim continues to lead the way, but his OBP has slipped to .418, #8 for players >100 ABs.

Machado is just outside the top 30 at .378.

Davis, Trumbo, and Schoop are well above average at .343, .334, and .332.

Wieters, Rickard, and Alvarez are right about at league average in the .320 range, while Jones is a tick below at .309 (still much improved since moving to leadoff).

JJ is currently the biggest drag at .279 now that he is back in the lineup.

[weams]

while Jones is a tick below at .309 (still much improved since moving to leadoff).

JJ is currently the biggest drag at .279 now that he is back in the lineup.

Hard to walk when you don't swing until you see a strike.

[Aristotelian]

Although the team has gone 9-5 since July 8, offense hasn't scored more than 5 runs in that period. Team OBP has continued to slide to .326 (#11 in MLB), close to our season low point. O's are #1 in MLB in HR, #3 in SLG and OPS, but #8 in runs scored.

We lost Kim to the DL but he should return shortly.

Manny sits at .372 (#25 in MLB).

Davis has dropped to .337 after starting July at .351. In Davis' case, walks are not the issue--on the contrary, he appears to be looking for walks and getting a ton of called third strikes. The bigger issue is lack of contact and league leading 133 K's.

Trumbo still sitting at .334, and Schoop dropping slightly to .327. JJ has been a big gainer up to .309 for the season after hitting a low of .268 through early July.

After a red hot June (.354), Jones has scuffled with a .279 July (.596 OPS) dropping him to .309 overall.

[Filmstudy]

The Orioles are 9th in the league in walks with 288, but have give up a league-worst 340 walks (-52). I've mentioned this before in other threads, but the 18 straight winning Orioles teams (1968-85) were never outwalked by their opponents for a season.

[weams]

The Orioles are 9th in the league in walks with 288, but have give up a league-worst 340 walks (-52). I've mentioned this before in other threads, but the 18 straight winning Orioles teams (1968-85) were never outwalked by their opponents for a season.

Different game with different rules back in those times. Heck, 2008 is late.

[Aristotelian]

The Orioles are 9th in the league in walks with 288, but have give up a league-worst 340 walks (-52). I've mentioned this before in other threads, but the 18 straight winning Orioles teams (1968-85) were never outwalked by their opponents for a season.

That is interesting. Of course, Ubaldo is the biggest problem. Getting rid of him would cut our walks dramatically. Gallardo is also sitting at 4.8 BB/9. Seems like he has been pitching better and that number could come down. Gausman and Wilson are the only starters with really good BB/9 numbers.

[Aristotelian]

Someone on one of the other threads about the team's recent struggles mentioned OBP. Figured I would take a look at the numbers and bump this thread. Orioles team OBP is now down to .320 for the season, #18 in MLB. In the month of August, our team OBP was .305.

Kim leads the way for the O's at .390, good for #12 in MLB for players >250 ABs.

For full time players >400 ABs, we do not have a single player in the top 40. Manny is #45 in MLB at .358, but that is a drop of 14 points from the previous month. Davis clocking in at .332.

The bulk of the lineup is clustered in the .310's, including Jones, Trumbo, Alvarez, and Schoop. JJ is a tick above .300 while Wieters is at .292.

If I could pick a play that encapsulated our recent struggles, it would be Pedro's pop-up in the 5th. Wieters had drawn an HBP, and Pedro got a 3-0 count. Buck gave him the green light and what do you know, he pops it up. You can blame Buck for giving him the green light or Pedro for swinging at a borderline pitch but that killed our chance for a rally against a good pitcher.

Seems like a lot of solo HR lately.

Another recent play that comes to mind ironically is Trumbo's solo HR in the 9th inning, down 5-2 vs. HOU. We needed two baserunners to get the tying run to the plate and Trumbo was swinging for the fences.

We were winning in the first half despite inconsistent starting pitching. It seems like the starting pitching is about where it was. We have been missing Tillman but gained Bundy, and Gausman has been a bit better. We continue to crank out the HRs. At least one of the big variables in my opinion is OBP and it is killing us right now.

[TouchemAll]

I agree that OBP is a big, underrated part of the Orioles' success this year. Yeah, the guys can bash, but they are also passing the baton when the pitches aren't there. The O's are on pace for 492 walks, compared to 418 last season. By the way, major kudos to Adam Jones, who already has 21 walks compared to 24 all of last year (and 19 in 2014). He's never going to be a big walk guy, but he's clearly laying off more junk this season and letting the guys behind him drive him in.

I have to admit I thought Jones in the lead off spot would be a disaster, but he really has pulled back in and did a nice job there.

[clapdiddy]

I have to admit I thought Jones in the lead off spot would be a disaster, but he really has pulled back in and did a nice job there.

Agree with this as well. Now, let's never put Schoop in the leadoff slot again. I think he would swing at a pitch that the pitcher rolled on the ground.

[FuManchu]

Just for the heck of it....

If there were 2nd in the AL in OBP they would be at .329 instead of .320. According to BBRef they have 4,297 PAs:

At .320 you reach base 1,375 times

At .329 you reach base 1,413 times

The difference of 38 times reached base over 131 games played is .29 base runners a game. I get that every out matters, but that doesn't to seem as big of a problem as having starting pitching with a collective ERA of over 5.00.

[Natty]

Agree with this as well. Now, let's never put Schoop in the leadoff slot again. I think he would swing at a pitch that the pitcher rolled on the ground.

Well Jones swings at pitches in the dirt all the time. Just saying.

[Aristotelian]

Just for the heck of it....

If there were 2nd in the AL in OBP they would be at .329 instead of .320. According to BBRef they have 4,297 PAs:

At .320 you reach base 1,375 times

At .329 you reach base 1,413 times

The difference of 38 times reached base over 131 games played is .29 base runners a game. I get that every out matters, but that doesn't to seem as big of a problem as having starting pitching with a collective ERA of over 5.00.

True, but our OBP in August was .305 (#27 in MLB). In July it was .298 (#28 in MLB). Our overall OBP is .320 but that is because we were well above average for the first half (#1 in MLB in June, at .357!). At .300 you are talking 1289 baserunners, or about one full baserunner per game. I think we will continue to have a hard time winning consistently if we keep up what we have been doing in July and August.

The O's have played 28 one run ballgames. If a couple of those 38 baserunner would have made the difference in two of those games, we could be tied with BOS with a nice 3 game lead over the rest of the wild card field.

[Ripken]

I'm numbered out. I just hope we cut bait with Coolbaugh this offseason and get some COF/tablesetters at the top of the lineup. I've had it with this solo HR offense. I could live with this pitching next year but for God sakes, do something with this stinking offense.

Desmond? Fowler? Not much out there and we have nothing to trade.