Birds Up, O's Down for September 14th - 19th

by twistedlogic on Sep 20, 2011 5:01 PM EDT in Birds Up, O's Down

Who's hot and who's not for your Baltimore Orioles:

Rotation
	Zach Britton	Absolutely brilliant start versus the Angels. Over 7 innings, Zach allowed just 1 run on 3 hits while striking out 7 batters. That's the Britton we all remember from earlier in the season!
	Jeremy Guthrie	Guts got two starts this week and recorded wins in both (he's now on a three-start winning streak). He was somewhat more hittable against Boston than he was in Tampa, but he was (for the most part) effective in both starts.
	Tommy Hunter	Notched his best start since coming over to the Orioles in the Koji Uehara trade. Went 7 innings and was tagged with 7 hits, but did not allow a run.
	Brian Matusz	Sigh.
	Alfredo Simon	Knocked around by the Angels, allowing 6 earned runs over 5 innings (including three home runs).
	Rick VandenHurk	Did not pitch. Gets the start in tonight's game.

Bullpen
	Jeremy Accardo	Made it through one clean inning against LA before getting mauled last night in Boston.
	Brad Bergesen	Struggled in two straight relief appearances.
	Jason Berken	A bit wild last night, but was fairly effective over two relief appearances.
	Willie Eyre	Only 1.1 innings of relief, but at least it was scoreless.
	Kevin Gregg	He's absolutely horrible.
	Chris Jakubauskas	Blasted for 5 runs in the second game of yesterday's double-header. Just a bad pitching game all around.
	Jim Johnson	Allowed a run this week, but shook it off and got the save in the first game of the double-header.
	Troy Patton	Followed up his first win by allowing a run in less than an inning of relief.
	Zach Phillips	Has yet to allow a run during his short tenure on the Baltimore staff.
	Clay Rapada	Even creepy teeth allowed a run yesterday.
	Jo-Jo Reyes	Also pretty horrible. Ex-Blue Jays seem to have a history of not pitching well in Baltimore.
	Pedro Strop	Also has not allowed a run during his short tenure on the Baltimore staff.
Lineup
	Ryan Adams	Getting fewer and fewer appearances as Andino improves.
	Robert Andino	Nothing special, but he's showing that he can handle the everyday duties at 2B. Just set a career high in home runs (4).
	Matt Angle	Not hitting much, but stealing bases and taking walks. Needs to improve at the plate, but maybe that will come as he gets more playing time.
	Josh Bell	Not good at baseball. Continues to litter his limited playing time with a wellspring of strikeouts.
	Chris Davis	Got his OPS up to a slightly more respectable level this week.
	Pedro Florimon	5 ABs and 4 soul-crushing strikeouts.
	Jake Fox	Hardly played.
	Vladimir Guerrero	Best hitter on the team! I mean...look at his batting average!
	J.J. Hardy	Would love to see him top 30 home runs this year.
	Kyle Hudson	Stinks.
	Adam Jones	DNP for most of the week due to a thumb injury.
	Nick Markakis	It is sorta painful to watch him because you KNOW he COULD be good and probably could hit for power if he actually lifted weights every once in a while.
	Nolan Reimold	Couple of nice games this week. Added three home runs.
	Mark Reynolds	Closing in on 40 home runs. 182 soul-crushing strikeouts.
	Craig Tatum	Maximum Tater: can't hit or play much in the way of defense.
	Matt Wieters	Hitting like a champ.

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Comments

Former Blue Jays Pitchers

Off the top of my head, the only good we got was Jimmy Key. Hentgen, Gregg and Reyes were/are all #Fail.

"Hiking is just walking where you can pee...sometimes, old people hike by mistake." -Demetri Martin

by MotyRaven on Sep 20, 2011 5:11 PM EDT reply actions

Goes the other way too though.

BJ Ryan and Flanny were both fails for them.

"Hiking is just walking where you can pee...sometimes, old people hike by mistake." -Demetri Martin

by MotyRaven on Sep 20, 2011 5:18 PM EDT up reply actions

Josh Towers?

"Human beings make life so interesting. Do you know, that in a universe so full of wonders, they have managed to invent boredom?" ~ Death

by NSOsFan on Sep 20, 2011 5:47 PM EDT up reply actions

One decent season for them

golfclap

"Hiking is just walking where you can pee...sometimes, old people hike by mistake." -Demetri Martin

by MotyRaven on Sep 20, 2011 5:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Accardo is a fail too.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Sep 20, 2011 8:11 PM EDT up reply actions

Jimmy Key

What is he, like 45? I could hit him. I love that old SportsCenter commercial.

by Chief O'Flyers on Sep 21, 2011 5:50 AM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

A classic

“That game sucked. Did you see it?”

"The United States is the New York Yankees of countries...powerful and respected until the year 2000." - Homer J. Simpson

by Brotz13 on Sep 21, 2011 8:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Mark Eichhorn

Had one good year out of the bullpen. Of course now we’re digging back to 1994.

"The United States is the New York Yankees of countries...powerful and respected until the year 2000." - Homer J. Simpson

by Brotz13 on Sep 21, 2011 8:11 AM EDT up reply actions

Strop!

Giraffes have absurdly strong necks.

by Stacey on Sep 20, 2011 5:15 PM EDT reply actions

We actually had some up arrows this week! Crazy.

"So I said, 'Looks like they've finally got Ogea in the pen. I wonder if the glove fits.' I thought I was going to get fired." - Mike Flanagan, RIP

by Eat More Esskay on Sep 20, 2011 5:16 PM EDT reply actions

Kevin Gregg disputes his down arrow

Mother, did it need to be so high.

by salvotion on Sep 20, 2011 5:38 PM EDT reply actions 2 recs

That's great, twistedlogic

Just keep reminding me that Koji’s gone.

Over/under on how many more wins they’d have if he had rightfully been allowed to close?

"Strikeouts are boring, and besides that, they're Fascist. Throw some ground balls. They're more democratic." - Crash Davis

by cirrhosis on Sep 20, 2011 6:08 PM EDT reply actions

The O's lost 5 of the games where Gregg blew a save.

Three of these games were walkoff losses caused by the Gregg blown save. Two were lost in extra innings after Gregg allowed the other team to tie.

I’d give us probably four more wins with a replacement closer.

"So I said, 'Looks like they've finally got Ogea in the pen. I wonder if the glove fits.' I thought I was going to get fired." - Mike Flanagan, RIP

by Eat More Esskay on Sep 20, 2011 6:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Whjy does it seem like he's lost us soooo many more than 5?

"Human beings make life so interesting. Do you know, that in a universe so full of wonders, they have managed to invent boredom?" ~ Death

by NSOsFan on Sep 20, 2011 6:22 PM EDT up reply actions

When I sat down and looked at the numbers, I thought the exact same thing.

"So I said, 'Looks like they've finally got Ogea in the pen. I wonder if the glove fits.' I thought I was going to get fired." - Mike Flanagan, RIP

by Eat More Esskay on Sep 20, 2011 6:25 PM EDT up reply actions

i think four extra wins replacing Gregg is a bit generous

Mariano Rivera, who is having an utterly great season as usual, is still the guy who blew the save and “cost” the Yankees a win three times this year. It happens.

So that’s two extra wins by jumping from Gregg to Mo, just looking at blown saves. Rivera has a total of 5 blown saves, and perhaps the Orioles’s offense would not pick up their closer anyway, and then we’re pretty much where we are.

If you try to factor in total performance outside of the specific context, bb-ref has got Mo about 3 wins more valuable than Gregg, fangraphs about the same. And that’s again going from Gregg to the best possible closer of all time.

So, yeah, four extra losses because of Gregg? Not buying it. Relief pitchers just don’t have that kind of impact one way or the other.

Jim: Why?
Gary: I don't know why.

by Andrew_G on Sep 20, 2011 6:34 PM EDT up reply actions

He has "that kind" of impact on our souls though.

Just because you know how to read, doesn't mean you'll like the book.

by arlingtonOsFan on Sep 20, 2011 6:51 PM EDT up reply actions

And we all know that SHJ holds the record for soul saves.

Mother, did it need to be so high.

by salvotion on Sep 20, 2011 6:54 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

You know, I was thinking three would be a better number to choose.

But I was feeling hyperbolic.

"So I said, 'Looks like they've finally got Ogea in the pen. I wonder if the glove fits.' I thought I was going to get fired." - Mike Flanagan, RIP

by Eat More Esskay on Sep 20, 2011 7:04 PM EDT up reply actions

but three is hyperbole, too!

Jim: Why?
Gary: I don't know why.

by Andrew_G on Sep 20, 2011 8:16 PM EDT up reply actions

I don't think it is

A case could be made Gregg has cost us 3 games.

"Complacency is your demise." - Kerry King

by duck on Sep 21, 2011 7:06 AM EDT up reply actions

adams may be dealing with a sports hernia

probably the reason hes playing less

by baltimorebeatdown on Sep 20, 2011 6:10 PM EDT reply actions

yes, no walks, but...

chris davis hits 4 doubles and a homer and no up arrow? ouch, man.

"the secret to a happy ending is knowing when to roll the credits"

by j.q. higgins on Sep 20, 2011 7:28 PM EDT reply actions

He still sucks.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Sep 20, 2011 8:12 PM EDT up reply actions

no respect for hoyt.

Kevin Gregg-"You obviously haven't acquired my taste for pitching yet"

by birdman on Sep 20, 2011 8:36 PM EDT up reply actions

not really.

"the secret to a happy ending is knowing when to roll the credits"

by j.q. higgins on Sep 20, 2011 9:44 PM EDT up reply actions

well, he kinda does

Jim: Why?
Gary: I don't know why.

by Andrew_G on Sep 20, 2011 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions

he doesn't suck, he's not any good either.

he’s perfectly meh with his 100 OPS+.

Kevin Gregg-"You obviously haven't acquired my taste for pitching yet"

by birdman on Sep 20, 2011 11:12 PM EDT up reply actions

I think Andrew's point is that he sucks regardless of what this SSS is showing

and that he’s likely to go back to sucking very shortly.

I am eating you, motherfucker. You cannot hurt me. - PhilR8

by O'sFan21 on Sep 20, 2011 11:25 PM EDT up reply actions

sure, and that's a point that i would agree with.

i’m just saying his performance with the o’s has been meh. certainly not horrible, nothing good either.

Kevin Gregg-"You obviously haven't acquired my taste for pitching yet"

by birdman on Sep 20, 2011 11:38 PM EDT up reply actions

I know that.

I just think he sucks. His SSS numbers says he’s right at average….but its a SSS.

I don’t have much tolerance for stupid. Or cheese on food that doesn’t need it. -duck

by twistedlogic on Sep 21, 2011 8:56 AM EDT up reply actions

sure, completely agree.

Kevin Gregg-"You obviously haven't acquired my taste for pitching yet"

by birdman on Sep 21, 2011 12:55 PM EDT up reply actions

Besides, at 1B an OPS+ of 100 kind of sucks.

by ahoque24 on Sep 21, 2011 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions

with declining offensive

it’s probably slightly below average.

Kevin Gregg-"You obviously haven't acquired my taste for pitching yet"

by birdman on Sep 21, 2011 12:59 AM EDT up reply actions

come on birdman

you know that a 100 OPS+ is not slightly below average. It is literally exactly average.

Jim: Why?
Gary: I don't know why.

by Andrew_G on Sep 21, 2011 8:08 AM EDT up reply actions

for full-time 1Bs who play over the course of an entire season

yes, 100 OPS+ is below average. Honestly, I couldn’t sort OPS+ by baseball-reference to see what is average so I don’t know how far 100 OPS+ is below average. But Davis has had 88 ABs at the big league level this year. It’s not fair to compare him to 1Bs who have been playing 1B all year. For example, if his OPS+ was 215 over 88 ABs and I said he was an above average 1B, I’m sure people would point out SSS. So I compared his against people with similar ABs. He’s been perfectly average when comparing against his peer group.

That said, it seems like Davis won’t be playing much 1B with Reynolds (?). He’ll get his ABs at 3rd which is a lower offensive standard.

Kevin Gregg-"You obviously haven't acquired my taste for pitching yet"

by birdman on Sep 21, 2011 12:54 PM EDT up reply actions

CD has 88 ABs. I’ve listed all of the AL 1B with at least 80s ABs. Davis’ OPS is .732. You can see for yourself where that places him on the continuum of 1Bs.

http://www.fangraphs.com/leaders.aspx?pos=1b&stats=bat&lg=al&qual=80&type=1&season=2011&month=0&season1=2011&ind=0

Kevin Gregg-"You obviously haven't acquired my taste for pitching yet"

by birdman on Sep 21, 2011 1:06 AM EDT up reply actions