Red Sox 6, Orioles 5: Just enough not to win. Again.

by duck on Aug 1, 2009 7:33 AM EDT in Post-Game Comment 23 comments

Baltimore Orioles' left fielder Nick Markakis hits the wall after making a catch on a fly ball by Boston Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia during the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 31, 2009, in Baltimore. The Red Sox won 6-5. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

3 months ago: Baltimore Orioles' left fielder Nick Markakis hits the wall after making a catch on a fly ball by Boston Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia during the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 31, 2009, in Baltimore. The Red Sox won 6-5. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Last night’s 6-5 loss to the Red Sox pretty well encapsulates all the frustration of an Orioles fan in 2009, aside from a overused bullpen melting down. There was an opponent with a pitcher who was ready to be knocked out seemingly at will. There was an offense that collected hits, but not enough runs. And there was an Orioles starter that did just enough to not win.

The Orioles had just about every chance you could ask for to win last night. John Smoltz of the Red Sox was rocked the last time the O’s faced him, which was Saturday. The Red Sox, aside from the series with us, of course, have been reeling since the All-Star Break. Their bench was thin, with the trade of Andy LaRoche, and the acquired pieces of Victor Martinez and Casey Kotchman had yet to arrive. Double-A callup Josh Reddick basically was their bench last night, and indeed was used in the 9th. This was a good team that could have been beaten.

And yet, the Orioles didn’t. On a night when the team learned Brad Bergesen was placed on the 15 day DL, and needed Jeremy Guthrie to be the staff ace of old, he was the Rich Hill of present, at least in results. Three Red Sox homers put this one way for Boston. Three times when the Orioles had a chance to take a game from a division foe, Jeremy Guthrie served up a high, flat pitch that was put over a wall. David Ortiz, he of the .228 average, hit one. Kevin Youkilis, who probably lost playing time the moment Casey Kotchman signed that contract, hit one. And Jacoby Ellsbury hit his sixth of the season.

Here's Diamond Dave's take on last night:

"We busted our butts to win the game tonight and I left Guthrie in the game one hitter too long," Trembley said. "I'll take that. I really believed that he was going to get him out."

Frustrating is the only word I can think of, honestly. For so many things the O’s did right – Nolan Reimold’s homerun and defense, Nick Markakis and Aubrey Huff collecting multi-hit games in adjacent lineup positions, Matt Wieters throwing out Dustin Pedroia – it wasn’t enough. Again. And it should have been.

Poll

Who was the Most Birdland Player for Friday, July 31, 2009?

Aubrey Huff (2-3, HR, 2 RBI, R, BB, breaking out of slump)

58 votes

Nolan Reimold (1-4, HR, 2 RBI)

15 votes

Nick Markakis (2-4, R)

4 votes

No one - the Orioles lost a winnable game. Again.

35 votes

112 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

It's frustrating yes...

But there is a lot of reason for hope. I’m starting to like the lineup better. This losing teams find a way to lose thing may be true but losing in close games and trying to b competitive is better than rolling over as many of our teams have done in the past. (runo on sentences ftw)

by GeoffreyA on Aug 1, 2009 7:50 AM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

It actually didnt bother me that much

It was a competitive game. guts sucked it up, but if you replace him with a competent starter (and you can be sure we will if that keeps happening) we win that game. If Ellsbury doesnt make a ridonkulous catch, we’re at least tied. Lukeseems to be waking up, Huff is swinging the bat like he knows how to play baseball, and Kakes is making sure epeople remember that this is HIS outfield. Reimold continues to look better out there than any rookie of his calibre has any right to and MW is doing everything he can to live up to his savior-like billing (short of hitting HR’s of course). Oh, and Ty isnt Mora. I like that. Yea, I wanted that win last night. Badly. But hey, there have been waaaaaaay worse times than THIS to be an O’s fan. I’m happy with alot of what I saw and the otherstuff, well, it’s gonna change.

Matt Wieters can get to the tootsie roll center of a tootsie pop in under one lick.

by daveh873 on Aug 1, 2009 9:07 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Glad Tremblay admits the obvious

This loss is on the manager.
Any other manager in baseball would have yanked Guts at that point. He was well over 100 pitches and we have eight relievers in the pen now that we keep trading for them.
Begging the obvious question: Will Diamond Dave be with the O’s when they finally reach the promised land of the playoffs?
(I’m not calling for his firing, just wondering out loud).

by Fred Sanford on Aug 1, 2009 9:54 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

What concerns me with trembley

He’s supposed to be a minor league manager right? Why does it seem he misses all these opportunities to help the young guys out? I can’t help but feel that what’s really holding this team back right now is some coaching and discipline.

I feel it goes beyond that though… The organizations outlook as a whole needs to change it’s philosophy from the top down the fans. We expect to lose, plain and simple. Yes, we’ve had a bad string but no one ever felt that way when cal was here. There is no reason to feel that way now. If the owner doesn’t want to help start it at the top then we as fans should start it at the bottom. What this team likely needs right now is a brawl. Something to get them fired up and begin to show the sign of being a TEAM. We started that a few months ago then it faded. This “losing teams find a way to lose” mentality needs to go. How about an old Weaver philosophy of “they’re all out there to f#%{ us”?

by GeoffreyA on Aug 1, 2009 10:49 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs

Watching that game last night

I thought "can we act like men and give Ortiz a heater in his big, fat gut?

Then after they hit Reimold (Not that Smoltz is a punk, far from it) I thought “Okay, can we hit him NOW?”

Then after he and his roids cranked a 2 run homer I thought "Jesus effing Christ can we please hit him NOW???

I honestly believe it would have turned the tide.

1933 was a bad year

by Senatorrosewater on Aug 1, 2009 2:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

youk losing pt to Kotchman?

I doubt it. Youkilis is a far superior player.

by pipkin on Aug 1, 2009 10:02 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

agreed

Good Luck in LA George and Welcome To Baltimore Josh and Steve.

by BaltimoreSportsFan on Aug 1, 2009 11:56 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah but your forgeting something important...

Yes. Trembley left Guthrie out there too long.
Yes. Ellsbury made one hell of a catch.
Yes. The Orioles lost the game.

But it was by one run and it was the Boston Red Sox.

Losses stink, but I’ve seen far worse performances by the club than this one.

Just like an a**hole! Everyone has one and it's usually full of *hit!!!! Warren Sapp

by O's_Watcher on Aug 1, 2009 11:32 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Yes

Nick’s long hard single, Wieters crushing the ball into the pitcher’s glove, were tough breaks. We showed a lot of ability out there, and I’d much rather lose 6-5 than 6-1.

Matt Wieters has a sustainably high BABIP

by CoachOfEarl on Aug 1, 2009 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd rather WIN a game you have a good chance to win

I’m getting the feeling, in a purely unsubstaniated way, that this team is OK with losing close games to good teams.

At some point, you have to win them. Let’s face it – this offense won’t be getting a serious upgrade anytime soon. There’s no Matt Wieters lookalike sitting in AAA now. We’ve got the best we got on the big league club. And it ain’t getting it done.

Now, I blame a lot of last night, probably 70%, on Guthrie. But this lineup needs to close people out, socre the bonus runs, the tough runs, the runs that professional hitters drive in. Does anyone here, at any point last night, the Red Sox thought, “Shit, it ain’t our night.” Now, ask yourself that same question about the home team. I’m betting your answers differ.

And they seem to be OK with just getting close. I’m not.

"We're not the other teams' farm system." - Andy MacPhail

by duck on Aug 1, 2009 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't get that feeling

Yes, it’s tougher to lose close games than blowouts. The only reason I feel differently is because I’m seeing the positives in the offense. Yes, I realize that we suck with RISP, and should have scored 7-8 runs instead of 5. I’m saying the glass is half full and that at least we scored 5, which should give us some momentum to face PHN’s non-Smoltz starters.

I understand the pessimism, and of course I’d much rather beat the Pink Hat Nation in Fenway South, but they’re showing signs of life here. I’m not ready to wear a bag over my head just yet.

Matt Wieters has a sustainably high BABIP

by CoachOfEarl on Aug 1, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, I'm still a fan

Don’t get me wrong. I’m very excited for David Hernandez’s start tonight. Hell, his ERA is lower than Beckett’s.

But at SOME point, you simply must start winning games last night. We can’t always chalk it up to learning. Winning is a learned art as well.

"We're not the other teams' farm system." - Andy MacPhail

by duck on Aug 1, 2009 3:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're right duck...

And the teams that win those games are perennial contenders. When WE are contenders we WILL win these games. But there is at least reason for hope. Having watched some highlights ( can’t watch games I’m stationed in jersey) , it’s not exactly like were getting help from Blue..

To address what someone else said regarding “no next wieters in farm system”. You’re right there isn’t… Then again no one has one.

by GeoffreyA on Aug 1, 2009 3:47 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Guthrie sucks

There is no easy way to put that. Stop fucking giving up homeruns for Christ’s sake. Its ridiculous and painful to watch.

by Johnny_S on Aug 1, 2009 11:53 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I really liked the lineup last night

Roberts, Reimold, Jones, and Nicky are a top 4 that no pitcher should want to face. There are a lot of doubles in those 4. (Plus, putting Nolan up there helps his ROY credentials.. more RBIs/at bats).

With Huff seemingly getting out of his slump only helps.

MW is doing a heck of a job hitting more consistently, and the power numbers will come. I’m actually pretty happy with our lineup.

The problem, obviously, is starting pitching. Guts just hasn’t had it this year. And the rest of our starters are young, so we can’t really expect them to be consistent. We’ll see how the rest of the season goes, but I’m getting more and more optimistic for next year.

by SidewinderX on Aug 1, 2009 12:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Guts quote

I’ve been very receptive, open to work, putting a few extra hours of work than I usually do these past five days. I don’t have the explanation, I don’t have the solution, obviously, or I would hopefully have corrected it by now. I would take any suggestion, I have taken suggestions. The few that I have gotten, I haven’t been able to apply properly to achieve the results, but I’m willing to work as hard as I can to correct it and have been. Obviously, I’m not working on the right thing.

OK, you’re a smart guy, got an Ivy League education. You should be like Banny and look at your Pitch F/X, and adjust from there. Also, if you’re getting less movement, try pitching down more.

Matt Wieters has a sustainably high BABIP

by CoachOfEarl on Aug 1, 2009 2:12 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Technically, Stanford's not Ivy League

But your point stands.

"We're not the other teams' farm system." - Andy MacPhail

by duck on Aug 1, 2009 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're right

it has better weather

by wishEYEhadCRABS on Aug 1, 2009 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it should be noted...

that even w/ all his fancy book learnin and statisticating, brian bannister STILL had an awful year last year…5.76 ERA/1.47 WHIP/29 HR.

…granted, i would be elated if guts ended up “only” allowing 29 HR.

"If they pitch to you, make them pay."

--Diamond Dave to the Phenom

by j.q. higgins on Aug 3, 2009 7:07 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Did you guys hear that it's likely that Matusz will be brought up for Tuesday's start?

I posted a fanshot linking to the Sun article. I didn’t even think that was a possibility.
As for this game, it was my first game watched in weeks and I was terribly jet-lagged but nonetheless I went ahead and watched it. Watching Guts give up homer after homer practically made me sick. It’s gotta stop.

"He's a gazelle." -Adam Jones on Nolan Reimold.

by LenaO on Aug 1, 2009 3:26 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs