Anyone else feel like we were tipping pitches or something tonight?

[interloper]

Cleveland batters were on EVERY fastball in the zone from Rogers, Suarez, and Webb. I'm not normally one for conspiracy theory but the kinds of swings they were getting off started to feel a little weird. I also saw one runner at 2B make an arm motion like the pitch was going to be outside and then it was. 

Dunno, might just be sucky pitching from us but I've watched darn near every game this year and this one felt weird to me. 

[RavensNOsGuy]

This team just isn’t that good. They will probably make the playoffs unless they collapse but it’s not as good of a team as last year. The pitching and general hitting approach against any decent teams is marginal at best. 

[LookitsPuck]

I reckon it’s more because Rogers throwing a dud more than anything. The Guardians hit lefties well and they’re a contact team. 

[Three Run Homer]

58 minutes ago, interloper said:

Cleveland batters were on EVERY fastball in the zone from Rogers, Suarez, and Webb. I'm not normally one for conspiracy theory but the kinds of swings they were getting off started to feel a little weird. I also saw one runner at 2B make an arm motion like the pitch was going to be outside and then it was. 

Dunno, might just be sucky pitching from us but I've watched darn near every game this year and this one felt weird to me. 

All three homers came with a man on 2nd, and none of them came on center-cut pitches.  In fact, Ramirez' pulled a pitch that was low and outside.  So maybe you are on to something.

O's need to change their signs.  To start with, they need to signal an outside fastball and then plunk someone in the ribs.  

[Three Run Homer]

Ok, here's some quick and dirty information from MLB.com on Cleveland's OPS in different situations.   

Overall, their OPS is 0.714, 13th in MLB.

With bases empty, their OPS is 0.667, 18th in MLB

With a runner on first, their OPS is 0.720, 19th in MLB.

With a runner on first and third, their OPS is 0.616, 30th in MLB

With a runner on third, their OPS is 0.961, 2nd in MLB.

With a runner on 2nd, their OPS is 0.808, 4th in MLB

With a runner on 1st and 2nd, their OPS is 0.919, 2nd in MLB

With a runner on 2nd and 3rd, their OPS is 0.880, 11th in MLB

With bases loaded, their OPS is 0.708, 18th in MLB.

The correlation is not perfect, but it does seem that overall they overperform in situations with a runner on 2nd base relative to other configurations,.  

It would be interesting to look at more tape to see if we can find more evidence of signaling from the runner on 2nd.  

[Aristotelian]

17 minutes ago, Three Run Homer said:

All three homers came with a man on 2nd, and none of them came on center-cut pitches.  In fact, Ramirez' pulled a pitch that was low and outside.  So maybe you are on to something.

O's need to change their signs.  To start with, they need to signal an outside fastball and then plunk someone in the ribs.  

Don't they use an electronic device nowadays?

[Ohfan67]

1 hour ago, RavensNOsGuy said:

This team just isn’t that good. They will probably make the playoffs unless they collapse but it’s not as good of a team as last year. The pitching and general hitting approach against any decent teams is marginal at best. 

Good grief man. The Orioles are 38-28 against teams with a greater than .500 record. One of the very best records in baseball. They are meh right now for sure, but don’t ignore the real results. Check out how other top teams are doing against >.500 records. 

[Three Run Homer]

Ok, here's some quick and dirty information from MLB.com on Cleveland's OPS in different situations.   

Overall, their OPS is 0.714, 13th in MLB.

With bases empty, their OPS is 0.667, 18th in MLB

With a runner on first, their OPS is 0.720, 19th in MLB.

With a runner on first and third, their OPS is 0.616, 30th in MLB

With a runner on third, their OPS is 0.961, 2nd in MLB.

With a runner on 2nd, their OPS is 0.808, 4th in MLB

With a runner on 1st and 2nd, their OPS is 0.919, 2nd in MLB

With a runner on 2nd and 3rd, their OPS is 0.880, 11th in MLB

With bases loaded, their OPS is 0.708, 18th in MLB.

The correlation is not perfect, but it does seem that overall they overperform in situations with a runner on 2nd base relative to other configurations,.  

It would be interesting to look at more tape to see if we can find more evidence of signaling from the runner on 2nd.  

[Three Run Homer]

13 minutes ago, Aristotelian said:

Don't they use an electronic device nowadays?

I guess so, but a runner on 2nd can signal where the catcher is setting up and perhaps can read the pitcher's grip on the ball.  

[Say O!]

2 minutes ago, Three Run Homer said:

I guess so, but a runner on 2nd can signal where the catcher is setting up and perhaps can read the pitcher's grip on the ball.  

Orioles catchers set up with target in middle of plate before moving toward corner after pitcher has already started his motion. 

[Say O!]

1 hour ago, interloper said:

Cleveland batters were on EVERY fastball in the zone from Rogers, Suarez, and Webb. I'm not normally one for conspiracy theory but the kinds of swings they were getting off started to feel a little weird. I also saw one runner at 2B make an arm motion like the pitch was going to be outside and then it was. 

Dunno, might just be sucky pitching from us but I've watched darn near every game this year and this one felt weird to me. 

It certainly felt like that, didn’t it?  I think CLE just sat dead red and teed off. Let’s see if Kremer alters approach tomorrow and throws breaking balls + splitters. 

[Three Run Homer]

5 minutes ago, Say O! said:

Orioles catchers set up with target in middle of plate before moving toward corner after pitcher has already started his motion. 

But that would give the runner on 2nd time to make a gesture to the hitter before the ball is released, wouldn't it?  

[Uli2001]

I remember a pitcher recently who balked a guy from second to third on purpose exactly because of this issue.

Does anyone remember that? Who was the pitcher and what were the teams? Was Cleveland involved?

[Three Run Homer]

46 minutes ago, Uli2001 said:

I remember a pitcher recently who balked a guy from second to third on purpose exactly because of this issue.

Does anyone remember that? Who was the pitcher and what were the teams? Was Cleveland involved?

It was Craig Kimbrell!  He did it last year against the Marlins.  I've also seen a video of Kenley Jansen doing it against the Cubs.  Pitchers are well aware that a runner on 2nd creates the potential for skulduggery.