16-20 over last 36 games

[LGOrioles]

1 hour ago, baltfan said:

The thing I keep telling myself is that the Rangers looked awful last year. 

The bad news is that they’re also pretty bad this year. So while it’s great that they won the WS for their team/fans, is that really sustainable? It’s something for us O’s fans to hope for right now considering how bad they’ve been playing, but typically a team below .500 it’s last 220 regular season games (like the Rangers) isn’t even going to make the playoffs, let alone win the WS. The O’s obviously haven’t been that bad for that long, but they probably need to start playing better.

[emmett16]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

It’s all about consistent starting pitching.  It all goes back to the starting rotation breaking down.    If we can get that we’ll be fine for the regular season.

I’m going to enjoy watching this lineup develop and cross my fingers on the pitching staff.    Right now, I don’t like our chances against anyone in a short series but a lot can change in 1-2 weeks or 1-2 months.

And the defense.  When the pitching staff isn’t top shelf you have to count on the guys in the field to catch it.  Two nights in a row a play that should have been made for out 3 results on multiple runs.  It’s deflating.  It’s not just last night, it’s been going on for a while now.  The defense has been awful pretty much all around. 

[LGOrioles]

1 hour ago, RZNJ said:

It’s all about consistent starting pitching.  It all goes back to the starting rotation breaking down.    If we can get that we’ll be fine for the regular season.

I’m going to enjoy watching this lineup develop and cross my fingers on the pitching staff.    Right now, I don’t like our chances against anyone in a short series but a lot can change in 1-2 weeks or 1-2 months.

This. They’re 39-16 when Burnes, Rodriguez, Bradish, Eflin, or Means start. They’re 26-30 when they don’t. 

Since the Houston series, that 26-30 mark is 6-15. Now, the offense has been streaky and struggled with RISP and the fielding has been awful. But if that 6-15 mark is even a still pretty bad 9-12, they are 68-43, have the best record in the MLB, a 3 game lead in the division, and things probably feel a whole lot better on here. 

Eflin should be a huge upgrade but they really need Kremer to figure it out and Rogers to at least be better than Povich/Irvin/Suarez. That’s not asking for much but we will see what happens. 

[waroriole]

1 hour ago, Tony-OH said:

Hyde has to show more fire when it comes to his young players getting terrible pitch calls. Holliday alone has been rung up on pitches way off the plate. He's got to get into the umpires ear or even get tossed to show his team he's willing to fight for them.

Sometimes you never know what will spark a team. All I know, its either that or get everyone in the shower and call them lollygaggers!

They are kids, so maybe scare them. 

[OriolesUpAndDowns]

Just now, waroriole said:

They are kids, so maybe scare them. 

Ice cream and snow cones always worked in little league for motivation.  

[RZNJ]

24 minutes ago, emmett16 said:

And the defense.  When the pitching staff isn’t top shelf you have to count on the guys in the field to catch it.  Two nights in a row a play that should have been made for out 3 results on multiple runs.  It’s deflating.  It’s not just last night, it’s been going on for a while now.  The defense has been awful pretty much all around. 

We have a young team going through a rough stretch.  I know that the outfield is solid and I know Gunnar is top notch and Mountcastle is fine.   Holliday and Mayo weren’t even here for most of the defensive issues.   Holliday should be fine.  The only real question on defense is how Mayo does.  Otherwise, growing pains and a slump.  People don’t notice a misplay here or there when the team wins.

I have no sympathy for Kremer.  When you have the bases loaded and a very weak #8 hitter up, you don’t pitch to him like he’s Aaron Judge.  Twice he had to throw fastballs to get back in the count and Rocchio did nothing with them.   So he decides to throw a cutter 3-2.   That was the first run but it set the tone.

[emmett16]

2 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

We have to hope that Holliday is one of those "pure hitters" that will take pitches and work counts and have good at bats because both Adley, Gunnar (to a lesser extent) and Cowser have given up that approach for the thirst for power.

Mountcastle has always been an undisciplined streak hitter and that's not going to change.

It's clear to me that the Orioles hitting philosophy has changed at the major league level at the very least. They've gone back to the Duquette era low OBP, power guy approach even with hitters who should have been taught better about swing decisions.

I think we've also seen the issue with having data driven coaching vs experience level coaching in the minor leagues and at the major league level. The poor fundamentals and approaches are product of what players are being told. I have zero issues with adding the analytics and technology into players developments, but having guys that have been there and done that are also important. 

 

 

I’m wondering if they made a strategic decision  at the beginning of the seasons to swing earlier and more often.  After last years patient approach I’ve thought they were taking advantage of pitchers attacking early in the count.  
 

Here are BBs by Month:

April 63

May 73

June 82

July 89

August 8 (2 games)

My thought was, they were starting the season attacking as the opposition pounds the zone to try and get ahead.  Now, as the opposition starts to expand the zone they look to be laying off and going back to a more patient approach.  It’s not a dramatic shift, but noticeable.  I think it’s challenging for players to make the adjustment in approach but to me they look like they are intentionally trying to make the pitcher work. 
 

That made me go back and look at last year. 
 

2023 BBs per month 

April 100

May 94

June 64

July 74

August 74 

September 97

After the big walk totals and patients ABs in April & May they took significantly fewer walks in June 2023.  Thats interesting as it’s coming off two huge BB total months.  The aggressive “walk less” approach continued in July & August before a return to patience in September. 
 

Through 111 games :

2023 361 BB & 929 K = 2.57 K/BB rate 

2024 328 BB & 906 K = 2.76 K/BB rate 

2023 552 Runs on 129 HR

2024 560 Runs on on 172 HR

So while it seems like a drastically different approach and change from last year, it’s pretty similar from a BB & K perspective.  The HR approach can’t be denied.  The HR totals have increased substantially. They are definitely hitting more solo HR and have fewer runners on base.

 

Down the stretch I look to them to continue the patient approach and blend the two skill sets of patience and power for maximum run output.  

[emmett16]

9 minutes ago, RZNJ said:

We have a young team going through a rough stretch.  I know that the outfield is solid and I know Gunnar is top notch and Mountcastle is fine.   Holliday and Mayo weren’t even here for most of the defensive issues.   Holliday should be fine.  The only real question on defense is how Mayo does.  Otherwise, growing pains and a slump.  People don’t notice a misplay here or there when the team wins.

I have no sympathy for Kremer.  When you have the bases loaded and a very weak #8 hitter up, you don’t pitch to him like he’s Aaron Judge.  Twice he had to throw fastballs to get back in the count and Rocchio did nothing with them.   So he decides to throw a cutter 3-2.   That was the first run but it set the tone.

Agree on all points. 

[Just Regular]

17 minutes ago, waroriole said:

They are kids, so maybe scare them. 

What this team really needs is a James McCann-Grayson Rodriguez rivalry for the lady.

Also, candlesticks make a nice gift.     Let's go!

[mall-O-cup]

2 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

Hyde has to show more fire when it comes to his young players getting terrible pitch calls. Holliday alone has been rung up on pitches way off the plate. He's got to get into the umpires ear or even get tossed to show his team he's willing to fight for them.

Sometimes you never know what will spark a team. All I know, its either that or get everyone in the shower and call them lollygaggers!

I thought the same thing last night while watching the game. I remember after a second lousy called strike (can't remember who it was) I almost fully expected Hyde to head out of the dugout and get into it with the ump. He should have.

As the season has wore on even Ben McDonald, Kevin Brown, etc. have frequently made mention of how bad some of the calls have been.

[e16bball]

Yeah, it’s been like 5 days since Hyde has gotten ejected for arguing a call — and it’s been almost 3 weeks now since he’s singlehandedly incited a bench-clearing melee with an opponent. When’s this guy ever going to show a little fire and combativeness?

[Fuzzball22]

Over the last 37 games (16-21 .432) we scored 170 runs, an average of 4.6 per game. We scored 5 or more runs 14 times. The pitchers have given up 213 runs in those 37 games, an average of 5.8 per game. We gave up 5 or more runs in 22 games. That is not a small sample size, that is almost 25% of the season. 

You can say well the Rangers did whatever last year. The Yankees may be worse over this time frame and the Phillies are struggling now. Personally i have no faith that there is going to be a return to winning like we did earlier in the year. I think the starting pitching will improve but our bullpen is in shambles and we basically dont have a reliever who i have any confidence in to close a game. The hitting is not going to improve enough to cover up the bad pitching.

I think we struggle to make the playoffs. We are 3.5 ahead of Minn and are 3-0 against them so far. 3 ahead of KC and finished 4-2 against them. 

[Greg Pappas]

14 hours ago, Tony-OH said:

When the Orioles lose once again to the Guardians tonight, the team will now be 16-20 over their last 36 games. This is not a slump, this is team that not good in any facet of the game. 

What is their strength?

The hitting? They hit home runs, but when they don't, they don't win because they don't get on base consistently. Their hitting philosophy is terrible. Their two hitting strategy coaches need to find new work because they have failed in their attempt to get everyone to hit home runs vs take what the pitchers give them, have good PAs, an work pitchers.

The Fielding? This team has the defensive fundamentals of a local Little League team. Can't catch a pop up, can't perform a run down, and anything that seems like its hit 100 MPH+ on the infield can't be handled.

The pitching? Outside of Burnes, starters can't put batters away and the the bullpen is made up of DFA guys and pitchers the Phillies didn't want basically.

The Indians are a good team, but they have dominated this Orioles team. Thankfully, Elias made moves that may pay off more in 2025 because maybe he even realizes this team is going no where IF they make the playoffs. 

Sure, teams can get hot at the right time, and maybe some of these guys will, but they clearly did not get a boost from the trade deadline and look dead vs a good team. 

 

 

Regarding the hitting philosophy, very early in the season my brother and I both noticed that we were not being as patient and seemed to be swinging for the fences more often than last year.  It seemed that the O's had adjusted their strategy.  Neither of us liked it, but we were winning and looking good much of the first half.  But, like you, we feel that the team needs to move on from the hitting strategy coaches.  

I have no clue what is happening defensively.

The pitching?  Burnes is brilliant, Grayson is good, Eflin will be okay, and then...?  

Unless they re-sign here, we lose Burnes and Santander after the season.  Losing Burnes, in particular, would be devastating.  We'll need two ToR starters added for next season.  But it feels that we may waste having him here now unless things suddenly change.  The bullpen is not the sort of bullpen that wins titles.  

Edited August 3 by Greg Pappas

[RZNJ]

25 minutes ago, e16bball said:

Yeah, it’s been like 5 days since Hyde has gotten ejected for arguing a call — and it’s been almost 3 weeks now since he’s singlehandedly incited a bench-clearing melee with an opponent. When’s this guy ever going to show a little fire and combativeness?

Seems to work for the Blue Jays manager who cries over every other pitch to the plate umpire.  Oh wait ……..

[e16bball]

1 minute ago, RZNJ said:

Seems to work for the Blue Jays manager who cries over every other pitch to the plate umpire.  Oh wait ……..

Don’t forget Aaron Boone, who regularly gets himself ejected and starts beanball wars to be a tough guy. His team would never have a midseason swoon…or have veteran players dictating which positions they’ll play and not running balls off the wall. He sets a standard.