Baltimore Orioles: World Series contenders or pretenders?
By SJ Tuohy
Three years ago I moved to Baltimore, Maryland. I went to Ravens’ games and saw the passion that the city of Baltimore had for sports. It was unbelievable. Thousands of jerseys, of hundreds of players, filed into parking lots hours before the game. People who drank beers other than Maryland favorite Natural Bohemian were given a second look. Seven Nation Army chants filled the air bouncing back and forth between Maryland flags; it was electric.
Months later, I went to a mid-summer Baltimore Orioles vs. Philadelphia Phillies series. Expecting something of the same electricity, I was let down: the stadium was (and I’m being relatively generous) forty percent Philadelphia fans. Talking to the guy sitting next to me I learned that this is how a lot of games at beautiful Camden Yards had been over the past few seasons, and the situation was actually improving.
That 2012 season actually ended up being a good one for manager Buck Showalter and company. A 14-year streak of losing seasons was snapped and baseball made its way back into the mind of those around Charm City.
Fast forward to now. Expectations have changed. People care. Tickets can’t be bought for 5-10 bucks anymore. Everyone in town has an O’s cap. Hell, I have an O’s cap. Despite Ravens’ preseason getting geared up, downtown is still, largely, orange – not just the Domino’s Sugar sign overlooking the harbor. It’s cool to be an Orioles fan again. Pickles Bar across the stadium, also on Camden street, is the place to be once more.
Outside of the state of California, the O’s have the best record in baseball with 69 wins and 51 losses. They are up 7.5 games in the slumping AL East – the largest lead of any team in any division. They have been one of the hottest teams in baseball, especially post all-star break.
That said, we’ve seen similar regular season play from the Orioles (the above 2012 season). Do they have what it takes to compete for a title come October?
The realistic answer: not really.
Let’s look at what the Orioles have.
Dear heavens, they have an outfield. Between Adam Jones, Nick Markakis and Nelson Cruz there is no one from the outfield I would want to pitch to if I had the choice. Not to mention perennial DH Delmon Young (who is actually leading the team batting .301 but with much fewer AB’s than Markakis) can also play some left field. Markakis leads the team in hitting (.293), Cruz leads the league in homeruns (31), and Jones is the heart and soul. I get chills looking at the PNC Bank Poster in the outfield of Camden, and I don’t bank with PNC nor do I have any specific like for Jones; the city loves him.
Manny Machado despite being hurt currently adds another large bat to the lineup. Assuming his injury is as minor as reported will be a large factor going forward for the birds. J.J. Hardy is solid…. and now things get dicey as far as my playoff hopes (if i were to classify myself as an O’s fan).
To reiterate, I love Buck Showalter. Think the guy understands his players, the game, how to communicate and is an overall great manager. I’m all about him letting guys work through slumps, but it just seems the wheels are falling off the Chris Davis wagon. He has knocked 21 dingers but he is toying around with a .190 batting average. If they make any run in the post-season, Davis will have to pick it up.
There are other options, moving Markakis to 1st, maybe Cruz to RF, Young to LF. Davis’s backup Stephen Pearce has old showed sparks this season, but I think Buck (no one is on a 1st name basis with him, but the entire city calls him Buck), seems to have taken his stand with Davis – and I respect that.
The team gets virtually nothing from the 2nd base spot. Ryan Flaherty, I think, despite an early season struggle is the better option between him and Justin Schoop – although neither has given any definitive proof of separation. Both are getting starting nods currently with Machado injured, but going into the playoffs Buck will need to settle on who the everyday man on 2nd will be.
Tough year for Matt Weiters to get Tommy John surgery. His bat could push the lineup over the top (not to mention provide more protection for Davis). Instead, Nick Hundley and Caleb Joseph, both serviceable back-ups, have been piddling down in the bottom of the order hardly setting the world on fire.
The pitching staff is pretty good, but unlike Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman, they are not a sure thing. To run briefly through their rotation: Chen is playing well. Tillman is the “ace” so let’s assume he’s post season ready, but then the road gets slippery. Which Kevin Gausman and Ubaldo Jimenez show up is up in the air, both have had large slumps this season. Lastly, Bud Norris isn’t going to be an X-factor in a playoff series.
The bullpen again, is above average, but nothing to write home about. Buck moving Zach Britton to a closer role in haste of Tommy Hunter ended up working out nicely, and making a deal for Andrew Miller at the deadline (the only thing the team did) was a good move, but nothing wild. Miller and Darren O’Day – who has been impressive (19 holds) – are the two guys on the mound with ERA’s below 2.00.
It seems that pitching often wins games in the post-season, and I don’t know that this group competes with an Oakland, Detroit, Kansas City or even Los Angelaheim in that regard – all teams that a route to the World Series would go through.
Maybe the lineup clicks and develops some consistency with Davis, anyone that can field a grounder and 2nd and have one other step up. Maybe Jimenez brings bring a little retro Cleveland. Or, maybe football season comes a little early in Baltimore.
This had a chance to be the year for the O’s, but I think they may dump all the puzzle pieces out in October just to realize they are one or two pieces away form being able to finish. Result: as it saddens me to say it, baring a huge October spark, pretender.