Baltimore has the 3rd fewest runs in the AL

[25 Nuggets]

Yeah, you read that right.  Despite having a team OPS of .725 (101 OPS+, both around league average), the Orioles 74 runs scored through 19 games trail only Toronto (70) and Kansas City (52) in the American League.  Last night's game (2nd/3rd, no one out, no runs scored) encapsulates their problem.  They are not pushing runs across the plate like they need to.  Their pitching is the main reason for their division-leading record so far, with a surprising 118 team ERA+.

I don't know how they fix the problem.  Seth Smith is doing his thing, getting on base and generally being an effective hitter.  Adam Jones is getting on base.  Mancini and Schoop both have over 10 RBI.  Some other guys are just going to have to improve on their bad starts.  But as people start averaging each other out, the team will still be near last in the AL in stolen bases, and runs scored not via HR.

Thoughts guys?

[sportsfan8703]

Surprise surprise. We've faced strictly AL east pitching, 3 games with no DH, and terrible weather. The level of comp matters. These are important games and being managed as such. Everyone starts the season with a "fresh" pen. 

We know we have a one trick offense. It's hard to hit homers in rain storms. We aight. #firecrowley. 

[ChuckS]

Abysmal starts from Trumbo and Hardy and a poor start from Manny are dragging us down right now.

Manny will recover and hopefully at least one of those other two will too. 

 

[Frobby]

This is a somewhat misleading statistic, as most teams have played more games than the Orioles.    The O's are averaging 3.89 runs/game, which is 11th in the league.    Before yesterday's shutout, they were 8th.     They're not hitting on all cylinders, but not quite as bad as the OP suggests.   

[Redskins Rick]

19 minutes ago, sportsfan8703 said:

Surprise surprise. We've faced strictly AL east pitching, 3 games with no DH, and terrible weather. The level of comp matters. These are important games and being managed as such. Everyone starts the season with a "fresh" pen. 

We know we have a one trick offense. It's hard to hit homers in rain storms. We aight. #firecrowley. 

But, I do remember seeing a game that they won one by small ball.  

Gentry stealing 2nd, taking 3rd on WP or BP, and then SF to score. (If my memory serves correctly)

Weather warms up, balls will fly out of the park (Hopefully for the Birds and not the opponents).

[TINSTAAPP]

39 minutes ago, 25 Nuggets said:

I don't know how they fix the problem. 

The Orioles are second to last in the American League in walks and 11th in the AL in OBP. You can't score runs when there's nobody on base. There are people on this board who want to bench Kim for Mancini which is absurd. The Orioles need to give Kim more playing time not less. If you want to give Mancini more playing time, Trumbo should be the one getting benched not Smith or Kim. Also, Craig Gentry is a perfect guy to have off the bench for defense and pinch-running but he should not be regularly getting at-bats against left-handed pitching. Gentry has a .158 BA against lefties this year, last year it was .154 and the year before that, it was .143. It's crazy that Buck hasn't even given Kim an opportunity to hit against left-handed pitching. How much worse can he do than Gentry or Reimold last year?

[Moshagge3]

What cheers me up is that Boston has only 77 runs and they've played an extra game on us, I believe.

 

[Aristotelian]

32 minutes ago, TINSTAAPP said:

The Orioles are second to last in the American League in walks and 11th in the AL in OBP. You can't score runs when there's nobody on base. There are people on this board who want to bench Kim for Mancini which is absurd. The Orioles need to give Kim more playing time not less. If you want to give Mancini more playing time, Trumbo should be the one getting benched not Smith or Kim. Also, Craig Gentry is a perfect guy to have off the bench for defense and pinch-running but he should not be regularly getting at-bats against left-handed pitching. Gentry has a .158 BA against lefties this year, last year it was .154 and the year before that, it was .143. It's crazy that Buck hasn't even given Kim an opportunity to hit against left-handed pitching. How much worse can he do than Gentry or Reimold last year?

I agree completely, but Buck hates Kim. Getting Rickard back might help but does he replace Trumbo or Mancini? I don't see Buck replacing Trumbo any time soon. Mancini has to continue to hit to hold off Rickard, but he is looking more like the player we thought he would be, with a lot of holes in his swing.

[LA2]

1 hour ago, Redskins Rick said:

But, I do remember seeing a game that they won one by small ball.  

Gentry stealing 2nd, taking 3rd on WP or BP, and then SF to score. (If my memory serves correctly)

Weather warms up, balls will fly out of the park (Hopefully for the Birds and not the opponents).

I think that was the game where, in the top of the 9th, Gentry advanced to third on Kim's sac fly (not a WP or PB) and scored on Schoop's SF. Unfortunately, it only tied the game--we quickly lost it in the bottom of the inning on a walk-off Kendrick Morales homer off Tyler Wilson. Wasted Asher's fine first start as an O.

[25 Nuggets]

1 hour ago, Moshagge3 said:

What cheers me up is that Boston has only 77 runs and they've played an extra game on us, I believe.

 

Offense in the AL East is down 0.4 runs/game so far, which is about what I predicted.

The Yankees are the lone exception, for whatever reason.  They're getting big starts from the likes of Starlin Castro, Chase Headley, Austin Romine, and even Aaron Hicks.

Still a loooong way to go.

[25 Nuggets]

I should also point out that across major league baseball, scoring is down 0.2 runs/game, on pace for 4.28 vs 4.48 last season.  This is more in line with 4.25 runs/game in 2015.

It's all because David Ortiz retired.

[LC_O's_87]

Their best player has a .650 OPS and their 4/5 hitter has a .284 slugging percentage with 20 Ks in 74 ABs.  Run production is to be expected when these guys are slumping.

The good news is no one beyond Mancini and Schoop has anywhere to go but up.

More ABs for Kim and Smith will get the team OBP up, as will Manny returning to form.

As for JJ Hardy, I fear this is the end for him.  Defensively and Offensively, he looks old.

[FlipTheBird]

1 hour ago, Moshagge3 said:

What cheers me up is that Boston has only 77 runs and they've played an extra game on us, I believe.

 

Quite a few games by both teams played in cool, dreary conditions. We all know more balls start flying out of Camden in June and July.

[Redskins Rick]

45 minutes ago, LA2 said:

I think that was the game where, in the top of the 9th, Gentry advanced to third on Kim's sac fly (not a WP or PB) and scored on Schoop's SF. Unfortunately, it only tied the game--we quickly lost it in the bottom of the inning on a walk-off Kendrick Morales homer off Tyler Wilson. Wasted Asher's fine first start as an O.

 

[OFFNY]

o

 

Orioles Deny Being Caught Off-Guard by Tampa Bay's Late Starting Pitcher Change in Shutout Loss

(By Eduardo A. Encina)

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-deny-tampa-bay-s-starting-pitcher-change-offset-them-in-2-0-shutout-loss-to-rays-20170425-story.html

 

o