Boston and Toronto are really bad match ups.

[eddie83]

This why numbers like ERA+ and OPS+ drive me crazy.

I went back and looked the teams ERA at the Trop except for 2013 is around 3 every year since 2012. It is impossible to neutralize the numbers to the point where you can say how one team or pitcher would fare vs different competition. I get the point of the numbers but they don't tell me how this team would pitch in the NL West for instance.

[eddie83]

And they have an 11-9 record in those games.

Which is outstanding.

[backwardsk]

Which is outstanding.

Agreed. With this offense, the pitching can be bottom tier, but if they can keep them in games, like Tillman did yesterday, they can win 90+.

[Frobby]

Agreed. With this offense, the pitching can be bottom tier, but if they can keep them in games, like Tillman did yesterday, they can win 90+.

I think the offense is at a bit of a peak right now. We're not as good as we've looked the last few weeks, just like we weren't as bad as we looked the last ten days of May.

[eddie83]

I think the offense is at a bit of a peak right now. We're not as good as we've looked the last few weeks, just like we weren't as bad as we looked the last ten days of May.

I think on both sides these hitters know the pitchers. Big difference when you only see a guy once a year as opposed to 3-5 times a year. Division games the teams know each other so well. The Orioles have played 68 games so far and 20 are against the Jays and Sox. That is 29%.

[backwardsk]

I think the offense is at a bit of a peak right now. We're not as good as we've looked the last few weeks, just like we weren't as bad as we looked the last ten days of May.

The thing about our offense is that we can distribute the slumps around and still score runs. Jones had a rough first two months, but an outstanding June. Trumbo's cooled off after a great start. We've found consistency in left field.

[eddie83]

The thing about our offense is that we can distribute the slumps around and still score runs. Jones had a rough first two months, but an outstanding June. Trumbo's cooled off after a great start. We've found consistency in left field.

Considering the teams/ballparks we play in until the All Star break I expect our hitting to slow down but our pitching should offset that and pick up.

[backwardsk]

Considering the teams/ballparks we play in until the All Star break I expect our hitting to slow down but our pitching should offset that and pick up.

It'll be tough in Seattle and LAD, but we are likely to feast, collectively, on the other pitching. We may not average 6+ runs a game like have in June though.

[OFFNY]

For that matter, both Tyler Wilson and Kevin Gausman have a lower ERA than David Price. So if we are playing the "numbers don't lie" game, there's that.

I don't think any serious fan disagrees that our starting pitching needs to improve, but some of the arguments being made about the comparative merits of the Red Sox are disingenuous and selective. Plus, they place undue weight on the importance of starting pitching vs. relief pitching. At the end of the day, run prevention is run prevention.

I think that this is the crux of the matter, and the act/agenda is as easy to see through as is Scotch tape.

[slakattack]

I think on both sides these hitters know the pitchers. Big difference when you only see a guy once a year as opposed to 3-5 times a year. Division games the teams know each other so well. The Orioles have played 68 games so far and 20 are against the Jays and Sox. That is 29%.

This is a huge factor. In baseball, familiarity should not breed contempt, it should breed planning. Look, for example at how the Cubs have owned the Pirates this year 9-2 (.818) and the Rangers have owned the Astros 9-1 (.900). Are the Cubs better than the Pirates and the Rangers better than the Astros? Sure are. Does anyone think that they are that much better than them? Maybe their coaching staffs and players do a better job of making adjustments to their game plan based upon their familiarity with their opponents or conversely, the Pirates and the Astros do not make the adjustments. Or, perhaps, the Pirates and the Astros suffer from "deer in the headlights" mentality against their division leaders, ala the 2000 - 2010 Orioles. In any case, division match-ups expose the true character of a team.