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Standings
The O's are 6-7, fourth place in the AL East but just one game back.
Results
The O's looked good against the Yankees, taking two of three, and carried that momentum into the game against Toronto despite the cavalcade of errors by the defense. They eked out a 2-1 win over the Jays on Saturday, dropped a horrorshow of a game on Sunday, and torched the Rays on Monday.
Run Differential
+7 on 31 runs scored and 24 allowed. Not too shabby. The nine-run victory over the Yankees on Tuesday helped offset the eight-run loss on Sunday.
Predicted Record
I don't think it's a stretch to say the O's are about a true-talent .500 club. They can put it together for a couple days but usually fall back to earth shortly afterwards, or alternate spikes in between. This means they should do a tad better than their current .462 winning percentage over the rest of the season. Taking regression into account over the rest of the season, I'd predict an 80-82 record.
Best Hitter / Worst Hitter
Delmon Young isn't a fan favorite, but he beat the hell out of the ball this week -- 251 wRC+, with a .474/.474/.737 batting line. That includes a home run and two doubles in 19 PA. He didn't take a single walk, though. Nick Markakis takes home the Worst Hitter award with a 28 wRC+ (.250/.241/.250). Yes, his OBP was less than his batting average.
Best Pitcher / Worst Pitcher
I don't think it's a stretch to name Chris Tillman as the week's best pitcher. He struck out six and walked one in 8 strong innings against the Blue Jays.
I'd probably say Ubaldo Jimenez as the worst pitcher of the week, maybe because I unknowingly picked his painful Sunday start to recap. As bad as it was though, he got many ground balls, which is what fans expect from him. Unfortunately he struck out only three, which is not what fans expect from him.
Adam Jones "The Power and the Patience" Update
Jones walked once and banged his first home run.
Team Steve!
Steve Lombardozzi had eight hits, including a triple, in 26 PA. Steve Pearce had one hit in 5 PA, and Steve Clevenger had no hits in 6 PA.
Upcoming Week
The Orioles finish up against the Rays then continue their brutal AL East schedule by traveling to Boston for a four-game set and Toronto to start a three-game series.