Much like the weather in Detroit, the Orioles stayed ice cold against the Tigers and dropped their third straight game, 10-4.
The Birds are now 1-3 on the young season and have been outscored 11-21. As Daniel Clark points out on Twitter, the O’s started the season 3-1 in 2012 and 2013 and 4-0 in 2011. They posted positive run differentials (+13, +6 and +9) over the first four games of those seasons respectively.
It’s early though. We are officially 2.47 percent through the 2014 season.
Ryan Flaherty hasn’t looked good so far. He’s gone 0-for-15 with 7 strikeouts. Jonathan Schoop picked up his first hit since Opening Day in the ninth, an RBI single to cut the Tigers lead to a mere six runs. Schoop is 2-for-11 with 4 K’s. Nick Markakis took an 0-for-5 on Friday in the leadoff spot. He’s recorded three singles in 18 at-bats over the first four games.
How about some positives? Gimme a second to find a couple.
Here you go!
A seemingly more patient Adam Jones recorded his second walk of the season. It took Jones 16 games to record two BB’s in 2013. Chris Davis also drove in a couple runners on Friday, he has recorded doubles in back-to-back games after starting the season 0-for-6.
This is a power team and unfortunately when they’re hot, they’re hot and vice versa. I wish guys like Lombo and Lough could get things started with contact hitting and smart baserunning. You don’t want to dig a hole like Toronto did last year and not be able to escape.
As usual , it’s all about the pitching,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,when you face a team with better pitchers most of the time you lose,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,very simple game ………………Someone once said “good pitching over powers good hitting” and man were they right,,,,,,,,,,I think it was the incher who made this famous quote , what a guy………….
Don’t worry fans , they will start building up wins as soon as they start playing the teams that do not have decent pitching . only problem is these teams aren’t the ones they will face if they ever make the playoffs again .
You know, I was hoping the Orioles would do good this year for my longtime Oriole buddies… But I looked at the Orioles roster about 30 minutes ago and I hate to say it but you are not going to win with a roster of:
Jonathan Schoop
Steve Pearce
Steve Lombardozzi
Delman Young
David Lough
Steve Clevenger
Ryan Flaherty
Yes, the Orioles have good if not some great players in:
Adam Jones
Nick Markakis
Matt Wieters
J.J. Hardy
Manny Machado
Chris Davis
Nelson Cruz
But those first 7 guys ain’t going to cut it. If you had 1 or 2 of them then I could see it, but not 7 guys that are basically journeymen/career minor leaguers.
Worst is that 4 and sometimes 5 of those guys are starting most days.
It’s early and I hope the O’s, for the sake of my friends, bust out of their mini slump soon but the season does not look promising if you have to keep those first 7 guys most of the year.
You seem to think most teams have an All Star at each position, including the bench?!? Wow.
Let’s look at the Red Sox roster:
Xander Bogaerets -starting SS. 26 games of MLB experience. Probably about the same as Schoop.
Jonathan Herrera – another infielder.
Brock Holt -Who?
The Famous Brock Holt.
Then there’s Jacki Bradely, Jr.
How about that All Star Mike Carp.
Future Hall of Famer – Jonny Gomes.
And my all time favorite – Grady “I was out of baseball last year” Sizemore.
You’re all wet 2488. Teams don’t have 25 All Stars at each position – not even the defending world champs. But the Orioles can boast about having 5 last year.
It’s all good. It’s a LOOOOOOOONG season.
BTW, the World Champs are the same 2-4 as the Orioles. LMAO!!!!
*Sorry, World Champs are 3-5. O’s are 2-4.
MGW, the Sox are 2-4 just like the Baltimore Orioles.
MGW is right that you can’t have a team with All-Stars, nobody does. Pitching staffs tell me more than anything else and the O’s need to have better seasons from Chen, Gonzolez, and Norris if they want to compete. Maybe Santana will come in in a month or so and help the team but this is a marathon that is usually won by the team with the better pitching staff. The O’s can’t count on Davis and Jones to have similar seasons as last year so someone else will have to pick up the slack and the pitching will need to improve.
Orioles Sports Report would be a better name for this website.
Your comparing the Orioles to the RedSox? The RedSox who have won 3 World Series in the last 8 years? And are the reigning World Series Champs? Obviously the RedSox know what they are doing. How about the Orioles? They had 2 winning seasons in the last 16 years while the RedSox were winning Championships! I would bet my lot with the RedSox anyday over the Orioles.
BTW, Bogaerts is the #2 minor league prospect in all of baseball compared to Schoop who you keep comparing him too who is not even in the Top 100. And Jackie Bradley? #50 prospect.
Stop drinking your orange Kool-Aid and look to pick another team to compare the Orioles to because your going to lose if you compare them to the 3 time in the last 8 years World Champions!
Johnathan Schoop?????
ROFLMFAO!
Maybe they should report on Harbaugh’s house being for sale or who the latest arrested Ravens’ player is this weekend. Maybe they could report on the new lawnmower Joe Flacco bought. It’s baseball season, fella.
Flacco owns a tractor plus he has a gardener named chow……………………
focusing on that or we can focus on the positives. The team is coming off 2 winning seasons. The team has 2 prospects in Baseball Prospectus’ Top 20 – Gausman, Bundy, tying Minnesota, The Cubs, and Houston for the most in the top 20. The Orioles had 5 All Stars last year, 4 of which – or 44% – were everyday starters on the team.
My point is, unless it’s a fantasy baseball team, you are NOT going to have All Stars on your bench. Your bench usually consists of a utility infielder, perhaps an outfielder who can play several positions, a back-up catcher who plays about once a week, a DH/pinch hitter type. Come on, who has studs at these positions?
I know, my fantasy baseball team!
You guys can argue the bench players all you want but it’s all about the pitching . Prediction : O’s miss playoffs again , that would be fifteen out of the last sixteen years and you are defending their lineup . Better switch your orange drink to something more tasteful .