Associated Press: Power-laden Orioles could use help from starting rotation

[weams]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/news/power-laden-orioles-could-help-starting-rotation-182228021--mlb.html

BALTIMORE (AP) -- The Baltimore Orioles bashed their way into first place before the All-Star break, hitting a major league leading 137 homers while averaging more than five runs per game.

Baltimore also played exceptionally well defensively and received ample contributions from the back end of the bullpen, most notably All-Star relievers Brad Brach and Zach Britton.

The team's strengths were as obvious as its most glaring weakness: the starting rotation.

Chris Tillman's 12-2 record was offset by spotty performances from every other starter. Ubaldo Jimenez went 5-9 with a 7.38 ERA, Kevin Gausman was 1-6 and Yovani Gallardo has yet to reach a groove after spending nearly two months on the disabled list. Mike Wright and Tyler Wilson were shuffled back and forth from the minors, doing little to warrant an extended stay in Baltimore.

''I think I can speak on behalf of all of us - we can definitely do better,'' Gausman said.

If the Orioles are to complete their run to the AL East title and flourish in the postseason, they can either fix the problem or hope to win in spite of it.

''It's worked out so far,'' said Chris Davis, whose 22 homers ranks second on the team behind Mark Trumbo's major-league best 28. ''Obviously at some point you have to start pitching a little bit better out of the starting rotation, but for the most part we've been able to pick them up with our bats.''

[MagicBird]

Baltimore also played exceptionally well defensively

Thats kinda nice to read after all the defensive woes we've been reading about here the last few days.

[Enjoy Terror]

I think we ultimately wind up with Locke from the Pirates for cheap. Possibly Mancini, but Bell makes that unlikely.

[weams]

Thats kinda nice to read after all the defensive woes we've been reading about here the last few days.

The stats don't love us. Plus Hardy was out for a good while.

[bpilktree]

I wouldn't counter now because then they may the counter I would make late supruse move.

[Moose Milligan]

Really? Had no idea the team needed pitching.

[Scrat1]

Really? Had no idea the team needed pitching.

Yeah, exactly. Obviously we need the pitching. The problem is so does everyone else, which makes it extremely expensive to acquire (to be a little snide, the amount of people here who seemed to think Pomeranz was a realistic possibility was ridiculous) was and we don't have the depth to bring back anything worthwhile. Best case is a guy like Hellickson at a reasonable price, I think.

[MagicBird]

The stats don't love us. Plus Hardy was out for a good while.

But stats only tell part of the story. I dont think we are as bad as the stats might indicate.

[weams]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Report: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pirates?src=hash">#Pirates</a> shopping Jon Niese, along with Jeff Locke, as <a href="https://twitter.com/joshschwam">@joshschwam</a> writes: <a href="https://t.co/EUE8xBf3hB">https://t.co/EUE8xBf3hB</a></p>— Max Wildstein (@MaxWildstein) <a href="

">July 15, 2016</a></blockquote>

<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

[Brooks The Great]

I think we ultimately wind up with Locke from the Pirates for cheap. Possibly Mancini, but Bell makes that unlikely.

Locke is garbage. He's been mediocre in the NL, moving to the AL East would be a disaster. We're doomed if he is our big pitching acquisition.

[Just Regular]

I do feel like Niese is destined to be ours. He's better than his results this year, but not so good that normal playoff teams would want him.

He gives us a lefty - Pirates are ready to break in young studs better than him. His $9M this year is big money to the Pirates and the prorated $4M that's left lines up with what's reportedly in Dan's piggybank.

Team and salary wise - he's kind of the pitching equivalent of Trumbo. I imagine his acquisition cost is pretty nominal player wise if you are taking on the whole salary.

It's a perfect storm.

[ISU94]

I think we ultimately wind up with Locke from the Pirates for cheap. Possibly Mancini, but Bell makes that unlikely.

If we trade Mancini for Locke...

Locke is not someone who should be in a rotation on a contender.

[ISU94]

I do feel like Niese is destined to be ours. He's better than his results this year, but not so good that normal playoff teams would want him.

He gives us a lefty - Pirates are ready to break in young studs better than him. His $9M this year is big money to the Pirates and the prorated $4M that's left lines up with what's reportedly in Dan's piggybank.

Team and salary wise - he's kind of the pitching equivalent of Trumbo. I imagine his acquisition cost is pretty nominal player wise if you are taking on the whole salary.

It's a perfect storm.

I wouldnt hate taking on Niese if we don't have to move much asset wise. Could end up being a decent pickup...

[El Gordo]

I wouldnt hate taking on Niese if we don't have to move much asset wise. Could end up being a decent pickup...

Why is Niese preferable to Santiago, Hellickson, or Shoemaker?

[callahan09]

Kevin Gausman was 1-6? I must have missed the win, I honestly thought he was still winless. When was the win?