Next game matchup should be up before the game. What I saw of the game, Jimenez looked good and Delmon Young continues to run away with the right field job which is a shock to me. His defense has improved quite a bit. Great to get a solid win against Toronto and hopefully get that monkey off our back. I really believe Toronto got to the team more than they expected and I'm going to hope that taking that back by winning this series helps us get past the slaughter we endured at their hands in April. A sweep would be even better if not optimal, but that is completely up to the starting pitching. Jimenez got the ball rolling and I'm starting to feel confident when he goes to the mound now which is great. However, Tillman has horrible numbers against Toronto IIRC, so back to back wins may be too much to hope for.
I'm really hoping that tomorrow's game is the game that Tilly finally turns it around. I believe there is no way that he can keep pitching as horrible as he has so far this year. He has shown that he is so much better than what we've seen so far. IMO, tomorrow's game against the Jays has a double meaning for Tillman. He gets a chance to show he's a better pitcher than what he's shown so far this year and that the Blue Jays don't have his number like many of us believe.
Baltimore Orioles (14-16, 5th -5.5) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (16-17, 3rd -5.0) Trends BAL: +1, L10: 4-6 TOR: -2, L10: 5-5 Game 2 (7:05) (QS=2)Chris Tillman (2-4) 6.25 (1.67/.289), 23/18 (5HR) vs. (QS=3)Mark Buehrle (4-2) 6.00, (1.85/.371), 14/8 (6HR) Chris Tillman: Tillman has allowed four or more runs in two of the last three, but both of his seven run starts came against Toronto. He has lost three straight decisions, but one was undeserved. The biggest concern so far is the walks; 18 in 31.2 IP which isn't like him at all. He has walked three or more batters in four of his six starts thus far. Toronto hitters have his number as well, but I still find it hilarious that Bautista can't even throw after he hurt his shoulder being a dick. So funny, but Tillman has been disastrous against the Jays this season and for his career, so things aren't looking good there. Career vs. Toronto (16 starts) (4-8) 5.12 (1.32/.268) 2015 Home (1 starts) (0-1) 2.2 IP, 7H, 7ER, 2HR, 3BB vs. Batter Edwin Encarnacion (41 AB) .293, 2 2B, HR, 2RBI Jose Bautista (30 AB) .267, 2 2B, 2HR, 5RBI Jose Reyes (26 AB) .346, 3 2B, HR, 2RBI Josh Donaldson (13 AB) .385, 2 2B, HR, 4RBI Russell Martin 2/5, 2B, RBI, 3BB Mark Buehrle: Buehrle started off the season with three straight six inning wins, but has been unable to get through six innings in his last three starts. He did get the win in his last one against the Yankees, but only went five innings and gave up one run. He allowed 13 runs in the 10 IP before that over two starts as well as 24 hits. In his two starts against us this season, he went six in both and allowed five runs total. He has allowed 53 hits in 33 innings. 2015 Away (3 starts) (1-2) 8.44 (2.31/.438), 4HR Career vs Baltimore (24 starts, 2 relief) (10-10) 3.58 (1.31/.279) Career @ Camden Yards (11 starts, 1 relief) (4-5) 4.13 (1.33/.304), 12HR vs. Batter Delmon Young (56 AB) .393, 3 2B, 4HR, 9RBI Adam Jones (37 AB) .432, 4 2B, 2HR, 7RBI J.J Hardy (30 AB) .133, 2 2B, HR, 6RBI Chris Davis (25 AB) .320, 2HR, 4RBI Manny Machado (16 AB) .250, 2B, RBI Caleb Joseph 4/8, 2B, HR, 2RBI Jimenez looked very good in game one which is a good thing to see, but now we have Tillman who has been unsuccessful against Toronto to say the least especially this season. He has had uncharacteristically bad control so far this season and the odds are once again stacked against him here. The only good thing is that Buehrle has been very, very hittable this season as well and we have done ok against him. The red hot Delmon Young is hitting .393 against him with great numbers in 56 AB with Jones and Davis right behind. Joseph also has had success, so perhaps we can pull this one out. We will need a decent start from Tillman, of course, which is something we haven't seen much of from him thus far.
Man, this team just can't hold it together for longer than a game. I know we got off to a slow start last year, but we were around .500 most of the time until we took off with the division. This year, we're under .500 most of the time. Something just isn't there for this team this year. Ugh, embarrassing. The defense is horrible, the offense is inconsistent, the pitching isn't good. WTF happened to this team? I don't think losing the players in the offseason have anything to do with it and now, the Jays have put up double digits AGAIN on this team. The Jays continue to be in the heads of the Orioles.
Correction. We have been surpassed for most points against in the last couple says by a few teams but it's still bad.
Baltimore Orioles (14-17, 5th -5.5) vs. Toronto Blue Jays (17-17, 3rd -4.0) Trends BAL: -1, L10: 4-6 TOR: +1, L10: 6-4 Game 3 (7:05) (QS=2)Miguel Gonzalez (3-2) 3.57 (1.22/.223), 29/14 (4HR) vs. (QS=1)Aaron Sanchez (3-2) 3.62 (1.55/.216), 24/25 (4HR) Miguel Gonzalez: Gonzalez is coming off his worst start of the young season against the Yankees where he allowed five runs on five hits (HR) and two walks in only four innings. After starting off pretty strong, Gonzalez has allowed four or more runs in two of the last three with his brilliant 7.2 inning four hitter against the Rays in between them. He has, thus far, been the only pitcher (I think) to have skated by both Toronto series without having faced them yet. He does pitch pretty well against the Jays and has been solid at home thus far, so maybe we could get the series win here? Career vs. Toronto (10 starts, 1 relief) (6-2) 2.64 (0.99/.205), 7HR 2015 Home (2 starts) (1-0) 3.46 (1.08/.240), 2HR vs. Batter Edwin Encarnacion (22 AB) .136, 3HR, 7RBI Jose Bautista (16 AB) .250, 2B Josh Donaldson 1/3, 2RBI Aaron Sanchez: Aaron Sanchez has one very big problem; he walks more guys than Ubaldo Jimenez last year. Sanchez has walked five or more batters in a start three of the last four starts with 11 walks coming in his last 12.2 IP. He threw seven scoreless innings against Boston in his last start allowing five walks and two hits which is by far his best to this point. Still, the walks are a huge problem notching 25 of them in 32.1 2015 innings. He hasn't pitched well on the road or at Camden Yards for his career in very limited appearances. Chris Davis is 4/4 with two home runs and two walks while Paredes has a home run and three RBI in three AB. De Aza also has a home run, but outside of that, there's nothing going on against Sanchez. He has won three straight decisions and allowed two runs on two hits and seven(!) walks in 5.1 innings against us his last time facing us and took the win. In his first start before that, he allowed three runs on seven hits and two walks in 3.1 IP and took the loss. 2015 Away (3 starts) (1-1) 4.91 (1.77/.276) Career vs Baltimore (2 starts, 3 relief) (1-1) 4.73 (1.88/.229), 14BB in 13.1 IP, 4HR Career @ Camden Yards (1 start, 1 relief) (0-1) 6.23 (2.31/.350), 3BB in 4.1 IP, 2HR vs. Batter Alejandro De Aza 2/6, S-HR, 2K Chris Davis 4/4, 2 S-HR, 2BB Jimmy Paredes 1/3, HR, 3RBI, BB, 2SB It amazes me just how suddenly this team can completely implode against the Blue Jays this season. In six April matchups between these two teams, the Orioles have allowed seven or more runs FOUR times and three of those times were double digit losses. Last night makes it five out of eight games against Toronto, the Orioles have allowed seven or more runs and the fourth time the Jays have dropped double digits on us. The Jays continue to be in our heads and I really believe it started in the offseason. The Orioles are simply nowhere near the team we saw last year at this point. Sure, we got off to a slow start in 2014, but not THIS slow. We're losing games in blowout/embarrassing fashion way too often this year, but I guess the silver lining is we're still only 5.5 games out. Still, I hope we get this sorted before the end of May because I think we're going to be in trouble if we are still looking this bad overall on June 1st.
