Baltimore Orioles (46-46, 3rd -7.0) vs. Atlanta Braves (46-52, 3rd -6.5) Trends BAL: +2, L10: 4-6 ATL: +1, L10: 4-6 Game 1 (7:05) (QS=1)Kevin Gausman (1-2) 5.18 (1.30/.250), 29/11 (5HR) vs. (QS=10)Alex Wood (7-6) 3.78 (1.46/.297), 83/34 (8HR) Kevin Gausman: Gausman has had a rough two starts now, but most of the damage done against the Yankees was in the first inning and gave up only one run for the next five innings. He also allowed two home runs and three over the last two games. Let's see how he does now in interleague play. 2015 Home (1 starts, 3 relief) 9.1 IP, 8H, 3R (2ER), 4BB Career vs. ATL (0 starts) vs. Batter NA Alex Wood: Wood has allowed four or more runs in two of his last three starts. He allowed three in six innings in his last on six hits, four walks and two home runs. He has never faced the Orioles or pitched at Camden Yards. Splits vs. right: .303, 32 BB, 8HR vs. left: .278, 2BB Bases Empty: .336 RISP: .261 RISP w/ 2 outs: .309 2015 Away (12 starts) (5-3) 3.11 (1.34/.287) Career vs Baltimore (0 starts) Career @ Camden Yards (0 starts) vs. Batter Travis Snider 3/7, 2B, S-HR Admittedly, I've lost a bit of enthusiasm for these now as it's awfully disappointing to watch this team after being swept out of New York. Despite winning the last two in Tampa, we are still seven out. The Yankees have a 6.5 game division lead and the Orioles sit 3.5 out of the wild card. I still don't think we should be buyers because even getting the wild card spot, we'd probably lose the playoffs or lose the first round. I think seven games is too much to make up on the Yankees and we had our chance and blew it.
If he can be patient and keep taking walks, I think he'd do well. He has good speed on the bases and can hit when he's not trying to force things. It's not a bad spot for him so long as he's comfortable there.
Baltimore Orioles (49-49, 3rd -7.0) vs. Atlanta Braves (46-53, 3rd -7.0) Trends BAL: +3, L10: 5-5 ATL: +1, L10: 4-6 Game 2 (7:05) (QS=8)Ubaldo Jimenez (7-6) 3.81 (1.35/.261), 105/35 (12HR) vs. (QS=10)Julio Teheran (6-5) 4.49 (1.37/.267), 102/45 (16HR) Ubaldo Jimenez: Jimenez has pitched a grand total of seven innings over the last two starts and has given up 14 runs on 15 hits which include four home runs. The Orioles have lost the last four straight that he has started though he deserved to win the first two. Also, all four of those starts were on the road which is where Jimenez has had most of his troubles this year. At home, he is lights out and after four straight on the road, I think he will be very happy to get back to the Yards. As a matter of fact, Jimenez has pitched on the road in eight of his last 10 starts. His last home start was in June where he threw eight scoreless, four hit innings against Cleveland. I am going to predict a "Home, Sweet Home" performance from Jimenez here. I think he will pitch well in this game. 2015 Home (7 starts) (5-1) 2.06 (0.94/.213), 7BB in 48 innings Career vs. ATL (9 starts) (3-5) 3.79 (1.37/.232) vs. Batter A.J. Pierzynski (26 AB) .192, 2 2B, HR, 2RBI Jonny Gomes (19 AB) .368, 2B, 3HR, 8RBI Nick Markakis 2/5, S-HR Pedro Ciriaco 2/5, 2B, RBI Freddie Freeman 1/5, HR, 2RBI Julio Teheran: Teheran has gone seven innings in three of his last four starts and hasn't given up more than three runs in any of the last four and only two home runs total over that span. He has walked three batters in each of those four games, though. Since he failed to get through five innings back on May 26th, he has failed to go at least six innings in all but one game. That was two starts ago, but he only allowed two runs on five hits and three walks with five strikeouts. Maybe he had too many deep counts in that game, but doesn't seem like he was pitching that bad. The Braves are in an alternating W/L pattern in Terehan's last seven starts and the Braves lost the last game he pitched. So, if it continues, this will be a winner for them. Splits 271 vs right: .232, 9 2B, 9HR, 19BB 237 vs. left: .308, 14 2B, 7HR, 26BB Bases Empty: .251 RISP: .320 RISP w/two outs: .265 Man on third and two outs: .385 2015 Away (10 starts) (1-4) 6.95 (1.78/.333) Career vs Baltimore (0 starts) Career @ Camden Yards (0 starts) vs. Batter Travis Snider 3/7, 2 2B, 2BB This is a nice rebound run we are on right now, but it came three games too late. It is much harder to get excited about good play now that we are seven games back and the Yankees keep on winning. The Orioles are going to have to go on one hell of a run to catch the Yankees. I'd love to see it, but is it realistic? It would also require some help from the Yankees and the hope that the Jays and Rays don't start winning again, too. Four games was bad enough, but seven? Manny Machado looked horrible at the plate in this game, but him going cold just means he's going to get hot again. How about Gausman? This is why we shouldn't trade him. He has shown flashes of brilliance when he has gotten opportunities. Last season, he shut down opponents three starts in a row and one was the Tigers who were red hot at the time. I am willing to give him the offseason to work on his breaking pitches and then see what he's got out of the rotation in 2016. I will look forward to Gausman's next start to see what he follows it up with. It's good to see Nolan Reimold getting more playing time and has five hits over his last seven at bats with two doubles, two RBI and two walks with only one strikeout. I hope he keeps getting the consistent time over Snider and hopefully, he will keep hitting and stay consistent. The two walks is something he wasn't doing over the previous eight games where he had no walks and only two hits over his last 19 ABs with eight strikeouts. It tells me he was pressing and forgetting his discipline which was always a strength.
We might be 7 back from the Yankme's but only 3 back in the WC. Also, while the AL East will be beating up on each other the next few weeks, the O's will be playing outside the division. This could be a good time to make a run.
Yes, of course it's possible, but this team has not shown the ability to be consistently good aside from one month out of the first four months of the season. Plus, this Orioles team can't win on the road. I would be surprised if the Orioles made the playoffs, but anything can happen I guess.
Baltimore Orioles (50-49, 2nd -7.0) vs. Atlanta Braves (46-54, 3rd -7.0) Trends BAL: +4, L10: 6-4 ATL: -2, L10: 3-7 Game 3 (7:05) (QS=9)Chris Tillman (7-7) 4.71 (1.40/.264), 78/42 (10HR) (*L3: (1-0) 1.29 (0.76), 0HR) vs. (QS=3)Mike Foltynewicz (3-2) 5.27 (1.61/.313), 52/18 (8HR) Chris Tillman: For the first time this season, Tillman is pitching the way he did the last three seasons and has allowed only three hits and one run over his last two starts totaling 15 innings and has a good L3 as well. He has brought his ERA down from 5.57 over those three starts, so hopefully this means he has figured out his issues and will be strong down the stretch when the team really needs it. It is good to see him back, finally. 2015 Home (9 starts) (3-4) 5.36 (1.46/.277) Career vs. ATL (0 starts) vs. Batter A.J. Pierzynski (21 AB) .286, 2B, HR, 4RBI Pedro Ciriaco 1/6, RBI Mike Foltynewicz: Manny Banuelos was originally scheduled to make this start, but the former TJ surgery pitcher came away from his last start with elbow inflammation and is now on the DL. Foltynewicz will make the start instead. He started the year in the rotation and made nine starts before being put into the bullpen where he eventually got himself sent down to AAA. He is being recalled for this start, but he has not pitched well no matter how he has been used. He has failed to get through six innings in the last three starts he made allowing 16 runs in 15.2 innings. In short, Foltynewicz is nothing special. Splits 122 vs. left: .351, 9BB, 10 2B, 3B, 4HR 127 vs right: .274, 9BB, 5 2B, 4HR Bases Empty: .328, 7 2B, 3B, 6HR RISP: .250 RISP w/two outs: .250 Man on third and two outs: .300 2015 Away (4 starts, 2 relief) (0-1) 5.19 (1.65/.315), 5HR Career vs Baltimore (0 starts) Career @ Camden Yards (0 starts) vs. Batter Another convincing win against the Braves, but we gain no games because the Yankees are killing the Rangers. Once again, Snider gets playing time. That ball he didn't catch in left field that he had to charge to get to was a ball that Reimold would have caught. He also got another one of his patented singles. I sitll don't understand why we keep playing Snider. Reimold was just getting hot and Buck takes him out of the lineup again? I really don't get it. Either we want to platoon in left field or we're looking for a full time left fielder. Snider is not that guy, so Buck should stop playing him. Going for the sweep tomorrow and the matchups look very good for the Orioles on paper. Detroit comes into town on Thursday leading off with Alfredo Simon pitching for Detroit against Miguel Gonzalez.
Right now I'm not setting my sights on catching the Yankees. 3 games out of the WC is much more doable. Let's get to the playoffs where, as we Baltimore sports fans know, anything can happen.
Yes, that's probably the best we can hope for at this point. I just set my sights on the division again and it's hard to let it go as an option especially after allowing NY to sweep us like that. I still have my doubts, but barring a collapse in NY, the wild card should be in the crosshairs for now for the Orioles. We are still playing Parmelee and Snider, though. This will need to be remedied, IMO.
Correction. 1 game out of the WC with the Twinkees dropping faster than a stone falling off the empire state building.
