Bird Watching- The Orioles Struggle, Split With Sox, Swept By The Jays

After splitting the series in Boston, the O’s went on to get swept in Toronto. They’re just playing shitty ball right now, no way around it. It’s ugly but like they tell drug addicts, “It gets better.” Bad news is the O’s are 7-9 and fans on Twitter are declaring the season over, good news is they’re still only two games out. No one is separating themselves in the division. The Birds just have to weather the storm of injuries, stick around .500, and they’ll hit their stride when healthy and take off with the division…just like last year. In April and May of last year, they were 26-27. After that they were 69-30. No reason they can’t do that again this year. They haven’t had their full team yet- Hardy and Wieters haven’t even played. Give it a few more months before you decide the season is done and the Orioles suck. If they are playing like this in July, thats different, IT’S APRIL.

 

Blue Jays Series

Just some terrible, ugly baseball played in America’s hat. Orioles went to Toronto and just got completely outplayed. Blue Jays hit better, pitched better, and fielded better. They deserved to win those games. I’m not sure if it was the new slower turf up in Toronto, but the defense looked like garbage, not the defense we’re used to seeing. Looked like the series would get physical in game one when Joey Bats thought it was appropriate to show up a nervous 22-year-old Jason Garcia by pimping the shit out of his home run. Very appropriate Bautista may land on the DL due to him trying to throw out Delmon Young from 200 feet away.

Game two seemed very familiar. Ubaldo cruised through first few innings then broke down by giving some walks, and then gave up two bombs. Even after that outing, he’s looked better this season, maybe the O’s best starter so far….weird to think that. Pitching was good this game, offense couldn’t capitalize. Bases loaded, can’t score.  Eight walks, can’t score. They just can’t hit with RISP this year. Very frustrating to watch at times. They may be the worst team in the league with the bases loaded.

Game three was another shitshow. Ended up being a one run game, a 7-6 loss thanks to Manny visiting #DongCity twice. Other than that, it was another ugly game. Made Drew Hutchison look like a stud. Bats weren’t there. Just an ugly ending to an ugly series. Thank god that’s over, lets get the fuck out of Toronto.

Pitching=Bad

Last year the O’s pitching surprised everyone by how good it was. This year, they’re surprising people with how bad they are. Seems like it’s been forever since a starter went 6 innings. The last time that actually happened? April 14th. Bud Norris, my bff, has not been good this season. His spring was not good at all, and that has translated to the regular season. Given up 20 ER in 10.1 innings, for an ERA of over 17. Just not good. I think Bud can turn it around, he showed it last year, he’s a god damn bulldog. O’s fans are hoping Buck sticks with him and Bud turns it around.

“Ace” Chris Tillman hasn’t lived up to that status this season. In his first and third starts, he gave up 1 ER In his second and fourth start he gave up 7 ER. Weird stat. He needs to be more consistent. Has to cut the walks down as well. Like Norris, he showed us last year he could pitch like we know he can, gotta hope he turns it around. As I said before, Ubaldo has been the best starter this year, which means there’s only room for everyone else to improve.

Chen and his rubber arm need to start going deeper into the game. He’s had a noodle for an arm every year he’s been here. He’ll be good for 4, then in the 5th, he’s done. Monday in Boston he was awful. I don’t buy into the weather factor either, because Masterson had to deal with it too, and he was fine. Miggy guts it out most of the time. He’s the bulldog of this year, gets the tough outs, and he even pitches into the 7th!

Bullpen has been better as of late. I’m not worried about guys like O’Day, Brach, Britton, and Gausman. It’s the other guys that scare me. Matusz, Garcia, and Hunter. Garcia really shouldn’t be here, give me T.J. McFarland over him. Adds another lefty to the pen, and he actually has pitched in the league before. Hunter came in mop up duty and looked better, thats a step in the right direction. Like I said last week, “pitching is contagious.” Once one of the guys goes 7 or 8, the next guy should follow. Hopefully they can turn it around on this home stand.

Injuries

Every team deals with them, I know. But the O’s are getting hammered. No Wieters, Hardy, Wesley Wright, Jonathan Schoop, or Ryan Flaherty right now. Tough to win games when you have Jimmy Paredes at second and Everth Cabrera at short. I like them as band-aids, but not for extended periods of time. Have to hope Hardy comes back soon, hopefully within the next week. And maybe Wieters will be ready by mid May. The O’s aren’t even 75% now, I can’t wait till they are fully healthy in July and August.

Upcoming Schedule 

The good guys finally head home for 3 against the Red Sox and then 3 against the White Sox Daves. These won’t be easy games at all. Optimistic RDT says lets take 4 out of 6 and be happy about it, splitting would be good as well. The way the O’s are pitching, these could be some high scoring games. Gonna be nice at Camden this upcoming week, balls gonna be flying outta there, hopefully more off the O’s bats. Take 2-3 from both Sox teams. BOOK ITTTTT. #Jones4MVP

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