In my last blog post, I analyzed the Orioles’ pitching stats this season; in this post, I’m going to uncover the Birds’ offensive trends, surprises and disappointments for the 2011 season.

Although their offense produced better power numbers, especially with the addition of home run slugging Mark Reynolds (37 hrs), they collectively hit a couple of points worse batting average-wise.  Last season they finished with a .259 average and this season it dropped to .257.

Reynolds hit a career-high 44 home runs with the Diamondbacks in 2009.

With that being said, some of the Birds’ young hitters are improving and there were some break out stars of 2011.

Let’s start with overall trends from this season.

In 5585 at-bats, the Birds’ collected 1434 base hits, including 191 home runs, 273 doubles and 13 triples.  Collectively, they scored 708 runs, drove in 684 RBI, received 452 free passes, struck out 1120 times and stole 81 bases in just 106 attempts.  Their on-base percentage finished at .316, their slugging at .413 and their OPS at .729

Last season, the Birds accumulated 31 fewer at-bats (5554), but they compiled six more hits (1440).  Although, their power numbers were down last year as they only smashed 131 home runs, laced 264 doubles, but legged out 21 triples (eight more than this year).  They scored 613 runs, drove in 577 RBI, walked 424 times, struck out 1056 times, and stole 76 bases in 110 attempts.  Their on-base percentage stayed the same, their slugging finished at .386 and their OPS ended at .702 last season.

Robert Andino finished hitting .263 with five home runs and 36 RBI with 120 hits this season.

So, although the Birds’ batting average was a bit lower this season, the rest of their offensive numbers increased with the addition of sluggers Reynolds and Guerrero.  Centerfielder Adam Jones had a breakout season, shortstop J.J. Hardy impressed fans and catcher Matt Wieters came into his own this season.

Even without leadoff man Brian Roberts, who missed basically the entire season after suffering a concussion in mid-May, their offense performed better this year.  Let’s take a look at how they achieved this feat.

Surprises

J.J. Hardy

The biggest surprise of the season has to be shortstop Hardy.  I was expecting 20-25 homeruns and about 70 or so RBI, and he jolted 30 home runs (a new career-high) and drove in 80 RBI (which matches a career-high) in just 128 games on the year.  Think of if he didn’t miss a month of the season.  He could have hit 35 home runs!

Hardy did it all at the dish.  He scored 76 runs, collected 142 hits, including 27 doubles.   He finished with a lofty .491 slugging percentage and his OPS ended at .801 on the year.  Not only did he produce staggering numbers, he did so out of the leadoff position, which he hadn’t been accustomed to before joining the Birds.  He smashed 18 of his 30 home runs leading off.

Nolan Reimold hit 13 home runs and drove in 45 RBI in limited chances this season.

Mark Reynolds

We all knew Reynolds would rack up the strike outs no matter what team he plays for.  But, I was expecting for him to have an off-season in the home run department being it’s his first season in a new park with an American League team.

Plus, it seems as if everyone home run slugger that the Birds bring in struggle.  For example, Sammy Sosa couldn’t hit a lick in 2005 and Rafael Palmeiro, who proved he could hit home runs with the best of them in the 90s, couldn’t find his power stroke in his second tenure with the Birds.

Nick Markakis was the most consistent hitter as he collected a team-high 182 hits this season.

But, Reynolds finished leading the team with 37 home runs and 86 RBI, and a team low .221 batting average, but that was expected.  Actually, he hit higher than most had anticipated.  He collected 118 hits, including 27 doubles and one triple (31% of his hits went for long-balls).

So, I think it’s safe to say that Oriole fans would take his 196 strike outs if he were to hit around 40 home runs per season.

Adam Jones

The Orioles awarded Jones the Orioles’ MVP award this season for his excellence in hitting and his tremendous defense in center field.  Although he batted four points lower this season (.280), his power numbers jumped up as he jolted 25 home runs and drove in 83 RBI, (both career-highs).  This was the first time he hit more than 20 home runs and 80 RBI in a single season.

In each of the two previous seasons, Jones finished with 19 home runs each.

For most of the season, Jones was leading the team in RBI.  If he didn’t suffer a thumb injury that sidelined him from the starting lineup for 10 consecutive games, he probably would have finished the season with more RBI than Reynolds.

This season, Wieters averaged a home run every 22.7 at-bats and only collected 500 at-bats.

Not only did Jones break out in the power department, he continued to flash impressive leather as he manned center field.  He lead all major league center fielders with 14 assists and made one of the most impressive catches this season as he ran up the wall at Safe Co Field.

Matt Wieters

Wieters, who we all knew was a great catch and throw guy behind the plate, exploded this season with the bat.  He smashed 22 homeruns, and his previous high for a season was 11 last year.  He drove in 68 RBI in 500 at-bats and collected a career-high 131 hits, including 28 doubles.  His slugging percentage (.450) and OPS (.778) were both career-highs as well.

Disappointments

Vladimir Guerrero

Entering this season, Vlad had accumulated 436 career home runs.

Although Guerrero led the team in batting average (.290) and finished second in hits (163), he crushed only 13 home runs on the season.  Not to mention, he drove in only 63 RBI through 145 games.

The Orioles signed the designated power-hitting Dominican because of his power numbers.  We all know he can hit home runs with the best of them, but if this year is any indication, his home run career might be over.

Oriole Park at Camden Yards is a very hitter-friendly park and I was expecting at least 25 home runs on the season, and around 80 RBI or so, if not more.  So, although the most prolific Dominican-born hitter can still collect his base hits, it seems as if his power is gone and that’s really what the Orioles needed this season.

Until this season, Scott's home run numbers increased steadily each year.

Luke Scott

Scott, who finished last season as the Orioles MVP with 27 home runs and 22 RBI, struggled mightily in his 64 games.  Over his 209 at-bats, he collected only 46 base hits, including 11 doubles and nine home runs.  He drove in only 22 RBI and struck out 54 times while hitting .220 before suffering season-ending surgery.

Last season, Pie appeared in 3 fewer games (82) and still collected 124 more at-bats (288).

Entering the season, I’m sure fans and the Orioles’ organization was expecting around 30 home runs again and 75 RBI.  Even before his injury, Scott looked very uncomfortable at the dish and never found his RBI stroke.  Last season, he led the team, not just in power numbers, but in the clubhouse.  It was evident this season that he just wasn’t there both on the field and in spirit.

Felix Pie

Former Cubs prospect and highly touted outfielder, who was thought to be a five-tool player, has never been able to fulfill his destiny in the majors.  This season with the Birds, Pie appeared in 85 games and collected just 36 base hits, including eight doubles and no home runs.  In his 164 at-bats, he drove in just seven Orioles and struck out 32 times while batting at a .220 clip.

In his breakout '09 season, Roberts smashed 16 home runs and drove in 79 RBI.

Pie was demoted to the minor leagues in August, and his future with the Birds is definitely in jeopardy after he suffered his worst season in the majors.

So, overall, although the Birds offense batted at a lower clip, just by two points, the rest of their offensive numbers rose from a year ago, which is a very encouraging sign for the future.  If Brian Robertsis able to return to the top of the order next year, I think they’ll have an even better offensive year.

In 31 games with the Birds, Chris Davis collected 34 hits, including two home runs and 13 RBI.

Not to mention, infielder Chris Davis is finally coming into his own in an Oriole uniform.  If he’s able to come back and put up the numbers he has in September, then they’ll have an impressive young infield that will feature Reynolds at third, Hardy at short, Roberts at second and Davis at first.  Their outfield, hopefully if all goes as planned, will feature Markakis in right, Jones in center and Nolan Reimoldin left.  It’s not certain whether Guerrero will return, but if he does, he’ll man the DH spot and of course, Wieters behind the plate.

If everyone is able to stay healthy and Showalter is able to use this offense for most of next year, their numbers will definitely increase and they’ll continue to score even more runs.  The key to their success next season lies with Roberts and his ability at the top of the order.

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Expectations entering this season were very high for the Baltimore Orioles after they signed big name free agents like designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero, shortstop J.J. Hardy, third baseman Mark Reynolds and closer Kevin Gregg.

Jake Arrieta was 10-8 with a 5.05 ERA in 22 games (67 earned runs in 119.1 innings).

But, for a 14^th consecutive season and the first full year in the Showalter era, they failed to play .500 baseball.  The Birds won three games more than last year as they finished one victory shy of the 70 win mark.  Last season they ended the year with a 66-96 record.

Even though the Orioles won more games this season and are steadily improving, they need to find ways to get better faster and it starts with their rotation.  Their starting pitching this season was horrid.  They finished with an ERA above five (5.39) and their pitching overall ranked last in the majors with a 4.89 ERA.

I’m going to split my end of the year review into two parts, like I did at the All-Star break.  First, I’ll analyze their pitching staff and point out some surprises and disappointments.  Later, I’ll post part two of my review which will include an analysis of their overall offense and the biggest surprises/disappointments in their lineup.

Hunter went 3-3 with a 5.00 ERA in 11 starts for the Orioles (38 earned in 68.1 innings).

Starting Pitching

The Orioles used 11 starting pitchers this season, but four of them made only six starts or less.  Collectively they sported a 5.39 ERA as they surrendered 528 earned runs on 998 base hits in 881 innings pitched.   They tallied 583 strike outs, issued 329 free passes and served up 131 home runs.

Jeremy Guthrie

Ace Guthrie tossed the most innings on the team with 208.0, which is his third consecutive season with more than 200 innings pitched.   Not to mention, he topped the rotation with the lowest ERA at 4.33.  He finished with a 9-17 record, which sounds very disappointing.

But, at the end of July, Guthrie had already recorded 14 losses and looked as if he was well on to losing 20 games this season.  Over the last two months of the year, however, he pitched to a 5-3 record and really shouldn’t have lost 17 games on the year (which is a career-high).  He pitched in many tough luck games and should have easily won at least 13 games.

in 16 starts, Simon went 3-8 with a 4.96 ERA as he allowed 52 earned runs in 84.1 innings.

There were five games he started in which he allowed three earned runs or less, and because of run support, he failed to figure in the decision.  A couple of those games, he actually lost because his offense couldn’t find ways to produce runs while he was on the bump.  They scored only 12 runs over those five contests, and five of the runs occurred in one game!

Surprises

In his 12 starts, Brad Bergesen went 2-7 with a 5.78 ERA after he allowed 40 earned runs in 62.1 innings.

Zach Britton

The rookie left-handed sensation Britton impressed the Birds right out of the gate, winning four of his first five decisions in April.  And, he wasn’t even supposed to start the season at the major-league level, let alone in the starting rotation!

He finished the season with an 11-11 record and a second-lowest starting ERA at 4.61.  He also pitched the second most games, 28, and innings pitched on the team (154.1).  He allowed 162 base hits, 72 earned runs, including 12 home runs, while he struck out 97 and walked 62.

Disappointments

Chris Jakubauskas started six games for the Orioles and went 2-2 with a 6.91 ERA (21 earned in 27.1 innings).

Brian Matusz

Entering the season, left-handed hurler Matusz was projected to be the number two starter behind Guthrie in the rotation.  But, he missed the first two months of the year due to an intercostal strain in his pitching elbow.

In 13 outings, Chris Tillman went 3-5 and tossed 62 innings and allowed 38 earned runs (5.52 ERA).

Many critics and fans thought that he returned too early from his injury; and it was quite evident in his season-long struggle to return to his August/September form from a year ago.  He finished the season with an inflated 10.69 ERA and a horrendous 1-9 record.

After he pitched well in his first two outings in June, everything went downhill from there.  He accumulated only 49.2 innings over his 12 starts (4.1 innings per outing), he surrendered 81 hits, 59 earned runs, including 18 bombs.  Not to mention, he walked 24 and only struck out 38.  Opponents hit a lofty .387 off of him and his WHIP finished above two (2.11)!

Jo-Jo Reyes

The Birds acquired Reyes from the rival Jays and thought he would be a great fit in their disintegrating rotation.  He proved otherwise.  In five starts, he sported a 6.85 ERA and recorded only 23.2 innings.  He served up 30 hits, including seven home runs, and he yielded 18 earned runs.  Opponents hit over .300 off of him and his WHIP neared to two mark as well (1.77).

In 47 innings with the Birds, Koji Uehara allowed only 9 earned runs (1.72 ERA) over his 43 appearances.

After five outings, he was demoted to the pen, where he actually pitched better and might find himself next season.

Comparing 2010 and 2011

Last season, four of the Orioles’ starters compiled at least 166 innings or more, and this season, only Guthrie achieved that feat.  The Birds’ starters were more consistent last season, and that has something to do with Jake Arrieta and Matusz’s injuries.

Rookie Zach Phillips allowed only one earned run in eight innings of work in relief this September.

Not to mention, collectively, they allowed 36 less earned runs in 67.1 more innings pitched.  Their ERA last season finished at 4.67, and this season, aforementioned, ended above five.  They allowed fewer hits (985), walks (338), home runs (124) and struck out more (592) last season.

Bullpen

Although the Birds’ pen had its ups and downs this season, overall, their numbers really were better than most think.  Collectively, the sported a 4.11 ERA over 565.2 innings as they allowed 258 earned runs on 570 hits.  They served up 79 home runs, struck out 461 and issued only 206 bases on balls.  For Orioles fanatics, we all know how much they really struggled with walks in previous seasons, so to have only about 200 is definitely an improvement.

Surprises

In 20 games, left-handed reliever Troy Patton allowed 10 earned runs in 30 innings of work (3.00 ERA).

Jim Johnson

Johnson was the rock in the pen this season.  He’s the Mariano Rivera of the Orioles, only not as prolific.  Without Johnson, I don’t know where they would have finished the year, but I’m sure they would have lost at least 100.

In 18.1 innings pitched, Willie Eyre allowed 7 earned runs in his 19 appearances (3.44 ERA).

Not only did he lead the entire Orioles’ pitching staff in ERA (2.67), he led the majors in innings pitched by a reliever (91).  He only appeared in 69 games and allowed 27 earned runs on 80 hits.  He served up only five home runs and opponents hit just .238 off of the sinker baller.

Many thought, including myself, that he would be given a shot at the starting rotation.  But, since he really was the only dependable day-in and day-out reliever in the pen, Showalter couldn’t afford to risk moving him.  Maybe he’ll give him a shot in spring training…we all know he deserves it.

Pedro Strop

September call-up, and former Ranger, Strop impressed the Birds as soon as he stepped to the mound.  He recorded two wins, appeared in 12 games and surrendered only one run on eight hits.  He struck out 12 and walked three, while opponents hit at a very low .190 average.

In 16.1 innings this season, reliever Clay Rapada allowed 11 earned runs (6.06 ERA).

Disappointments

Kevin Gregg

The biggest disappointment out of the pen this summer has to be closer Gregg.  The Birds acquired him from Toronto in the off-season and I was excited because he was a proven closer and I had seen him shut down the Birds many times from the opposing bench.

in 47 innings pitched, Jason Berken allowed 28 earned runs (5.36 ERA) over his 40 outings.

This season, however, proved to be quite the opposite.  Gregg sported a 0-3 record with a 4.37 ERA, and he only recorded 22 saves the entire season!  Not to mention, he blew seven opportunities.  Even when he saved a game, watching the ninth inning was like sitting on the edge of your seat, no matter how big of a lead he was given.

In 63 games, he allowed 29 earned runs on 58 hits over his 59.2 innings pitched.  He served up seven home runs, walked an astounding 40 batters and struck out 53.  Those are not the type of numbers you expect, or want for that matter, from your closer.

Brad Bergesen

Jeremy Accardo surrendered 24 earned runs in 37.2 innings (5.73 ERA).

Converted struggling starter, Bergesen, continued his woes pitching in the pen.  In 22 games in relief, he tossed 38.2 innings, allowed 24 earned runs on 41 hits, including seven home runs.  Opponents hit .266 off of him and he walked 12 and struck out just 26 batters.

Comparing 2010 and 2011

In 3.2 innings of relief, Rick Vandenhurk surrendered one run (2.45 ERA).

Unlike their starting pitching, their bullpen this season actually performed better than last year, which is a step in the right direction.  They tossed 76 more innings, allowed only 17 more earned runs, served up only 17 more home runs, surrendered 47 more hits and yielded just 24 more walks.  Their 2010 pen ERA finished at 4.43, and this year it dropped to 4.11.

So, although their starting pitchers struggled more this season, their bullpen posted better numbers and is continuing to improve.

Check out my next post for my analysis on the Birds’ offense.

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Following a very impressive end to the 2010 season, Brian Matusz has failed to live up to the Orioles expectations this season.  He sports the highest ERA in the majors at 10.69, by over three runs per game, and will finish the year with a 1-9 record.

Brian Matusz was born on February 11th, 1987 in Grand Junction, Colorado.

Matusz tossed his final game of the year against Detroit and struggled mightily throughout.  He lasted only five innings, yielding six earned runs including two HR to the playoff-bound Tigers.

Not only is his ERA inflated and record horrendous, Matusz didn’t record a single quality outing this season.  A quality outing consists of at least 6 IP and three earned runs or fewer. Not once all season…

If the cornerstone of the Orioles’ future starting staff doesn’t figure out his mechanics to pitch effectively again over the off-season,there won’t be a spot for him in the starting rotation come opening day 2012.

The Orioles drafted Matusz fourth overall in the 2008 MLB draft.

Matusz finished his first full year in the majors (2010) with a 10-12 record and a respectable 4.30 ERA.  The real story was his last two months of the season.  He tossed nine quality outings in just ten starts and his ERA dropped almost a full run from 5.26 to 4.30.

Throughout August and September/October, Matusz tossed 61 innings in those ten starts (6.1 innings per outing) and he allowed only 15 earned runs, which equates to a 2.21 ERA.

Matusz allowed 46 base hits, surrendering only five HR and never more than one in a single start.  He compiled 51 strikeouts and just 16 walks, which equates to a 3.2 strike out to walk ratio.  So, for every walk on average, he struck out 3.2 batters.

Entering the 2010 season, Baseball America ranked him as the 5th best starting pitcher prospect.

So, entering Spring Training 2011, hopes and expectations soared for the possible future ace, but quickly dropped off.  Matusz suffered an intercostal strain in his left shoulder during his last spring outing and missed April and May.

Although he tossed 11 innings over his first two outings and allowed only three earned runs total, the rest of the season proved to be a continuous struggle.  He picked up his only win in his second game pitching 5.1 innings and allowing two earned against the Athletics.

After his first 6 starts this season, he was demoted to Triple-A after he was 1-4 with a 7.00 ERA.

Since that win, Matusz did not allow less than four earned runs in a single start.  He gave up five or more runs in his last seven outings and surrendered six or more earned runs on five different occasions.

Not only was Matusz opening the scoring floodgates for opposing offenses, but he failed to pitch deep in his outings.  He never lasted seven innings and only one time did he make it to see the 7^th inning.  In 12 outings, he averaged only about four innings per start (49.2 innings total), while he allowed 59 earned runs (4.92 per start).

One of the major concerns this season for Matusz (besides his pre-humidor Coors Field-like ERA) has been the number of HR served up.  Opponents jolted 18 bombs off of Matusz, for an average of 1.5 home runs per start.

In 9 starts with the Norfolk Tides, he went 2-3 with a 3.46 ERA.

There was only one outing in which he didn’t yield a home run, and that was his first of the season!  On two occasions, Matusz gave up three HR in a single game and in almost half of his starts (five), he served up at least two.  He’s allowed 13 more HR in 2011 than his last two months of 2010 (one more start in 2011).

Matusz tossed less than two innings in three different starts this season.

In addition to the longball, Matusz’s  strike out to walk ratio dropped significantly.  He rang up only 13 fewer opponents while he issued the same number of free passes over the final two months of last year.  His strike out to walk ratio this season is 2.4.

Speculation all season has been that he returned too early from the disabled list.  Nonetheless, if Matusz wants any shot of making the Orioles rotation next April, he has a great amount of work to do this winter.

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Robert Andino is the new Melvin Mora for the Baltimore Orioles this season: a super utility infielder/outfielder.  We all knew that Andino was a great defender up the middle, but as of late he’s hitting at a .291 clip with 25 hits through 22 contests.

Robert Andino was born on April 25th, 1984 in Miami, Florida and is of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent.

Andino was supposed to serve as the back-up middle infielder, but he’s appeared in 133 of the Birds’ 156 games at four different positions.  Before this year, he’d never played in more than 78 contests in one season and averaged just about 29 games per year.

Offense

Andino is 44 for 128 off of left-handed pitchers this season (.318 batting average).

When Orioles’ shortstop J.J. Hardy suffered a left oblique strain in early April, Andino immediately found himself penciled in as the replacement shortstop. 

In 16 contests, he collected 16 base hits in just 46 at-bats (.348 average).  Although Andino didn’t provide much power (1 HR and drove in one RBI), he recorded five multi-hit games, including two-three hit affairs.

Andino cooled off a bit as the calendar page turned to May.  He only recorded two base hits in 19 at-bats over the first seven games of the month, and then Hardy returned to the lineup to reclaim his position.

It seemed as if Andino was only a temporary fixture in the lineup, until Brian Roberts’ injury left a void at second base.  Andino struggled throughout May to find his stroke.  He compiled only 14 hits in 67 at-bats and he saw his average drop from its lofty .348 to just .265 by the end of the month.

However, against right-handed pitchers he's 71 for 296, which is a .240 average.

As the weather heated up in June, Andino’s bat began heating up as well.  He collected 18 base hits (the most in a month to date) over his 73 at-bats (.247 average).  Lack of power continued to plague him (1 HR, 2 RBI on season).

In June, he doubled his RBI total by driving in four, but failed to hit a long ball.  Andino did lash four doubles, which was one more than his season total.

Andino actually hits better away from Camden Yards as he sports a .279 away avg. compared to .250 at home.

July proved to be a better month for Andino.  He collected 17 base hits in just 59 at-bats (.288 average) and finally crushed his second HR of the season.  Not to mention, he drove in as many RBI (6) as in the previous three months combined.

Andino entered August with a .265BA and at one point he was batting at a .272 clip.  He went 25 for 103, which was the first time he recorded more than 18 hits and compiled more than 100 at-bats in a single month all season.

Entering September, he was batting at a .259 clip.  With a week to go, he’s 25 for 86 in 22 games and he’s matched his home run total all season (2).  He’s already driven in 11 RBI, which is far more than any other month.

Defense

While hitting out of the 9th spot in the lineup, he's collected 60 hits in 210 at-bats (.286 avg.).

Andino’s played 88 games at 2B, 30 at SS, 3 in the outfield and 22 at 3B.  With all the moving around the diamond, you would think he’d be more apt to commit an error. But, he’s been very reliable wherever he plays.  He’s committed only 10 miscues – five at shortstop, four at second base and just one at third base.  Overall, he sports a .972 fielding percentage.

Andino has not produced astounding numbers at the dish, his bat is coming alive.  Throughout the entire year, the one constant has been his defense.  Without Andino, the Birds would probably be nearing 100 losses, if not already have eclipsed that mark.

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Die hard Orioles fans knew what they were getting when the Birds drafted catcher Matt Wieters in the first round (5^th overall) of the 2007 Amateur Draft: a great defender behind the dish and a powerful switch-hitter.  After a year and a half in the majors, this season he’s finally proven that he can do it at the Major League level.

Matt Wieters was born May 21st, 1986 in Goose Creek, South Carolina.

Last season, Wieters finished with 11 HR and to date, he sits with 20 long-shots in 2011.  Wieters has appeared in 130 games entering Sunday’s game against the Angels, which is coincidentally the same number of games he finished with last year.  This makes direct comparison much more equitable between 2010 and 2011.

Offensive Stats

Over his 467 at-bats in 2011 - which is the first of many new career-highs - Wieters is batting at a .261 clip with 20 HR and 63 RBI.  He’s collected 122 base hits, including 27 doubles, 42 walks and struck out just 81 times on the year. Marked improvement.

Through 69 games with the Keys, he jolted 15 homeruns and drove in 40 RBI in '08.

Last season, Wieters finished the year with nine fewer HR and just 55 RBI while batting at a .249 clip.  He recorded 111 base hits, including 22 doubles and one triple in 446 at bats.  One sign of huge improvement is that he’s cut down on his strikeouts fanning 13 fewer times (94) than 2010. Wieters has been issued five fewer walks in 2011.

Wieters sports a better on-base percentage (.324.)  The important number that really has stood out for Wieters is his slugging percentage (.448).  Last year, he finished with a .377 slugging and proof of improvement this season comes as Wieters drilled a HR in each game against the Rays this past week.

One of the main reasons why he was selected as the Orioles all-star representative this year was his comparison to others at his position. Throughout the first half of the season, Wieters was unstoppable with runners in scoring position as he was hitting well above .400. 

In 61 games with Bowie, he crushed 12 homeruns and drove in 50 RBI in 2008.

Although his RISP average has dropped off,  it still sits at a lofty .330 clip.  In 100 at-bats, he’s compiled 33 base hits with 4 HR, nine doubles and 42 RBI.  With two outs and RISP, he’s collected 14 base hits in 55 at-bats (.255 average) with 2 HR and 21 RBI.

Last season, Wieters couldn’t buy a hit with RISP.  In 127 at-bats, he recorded six fewer hits (27) than this year, including 4 HR, four doubles, 44 RBI and hit just .213.

Wieters struggled with the Tides in 2009 as he hit only two homeruns and drove in 30 RBI in 39 games before being called up.

Under pressure with two outs last season, Wieters batted even worse.  In 65 at-bats, Wieters recorded  only 10 base hits (.154 average), including 3 HR, one double and 16 RBI.

If Wieters continues on his current pace, he’ll end the season with 22 HR, 68 RBI and 132 base hits.  All of those would be new career-highs for the young backstop.  Not to mention, he would finish with a respectable .261 average in 140 games.

In 2009, Wieters hit .288 with 102 hits through 96 games, but he only jolted 8 HR and drove in 43 RBI.  He hit .253 with RISP and .229 with two outs and RISP. This is an area that his improvement will be gradual over the course of his career.

Defensive Stats

Wieters hits better at home this season (.279 avg., 11 homeruns) than on the road (.242 avg., 9 homeruns).

This season, Wieters has only committed four errors, which is one less than last year. His fielding percentage is one point higher at .995 than it was in 2010.

Although Wieters has allowed three more stolen bases on the year, his caught stealing percentage is better (36%).  He’s gunned down 32 of 84 possible base stealers compared to last year’s 31% (24 of 77).

Last season, he hit better on the road (.251 avg., 8 homeruns) than at Camden Yards (.246., 3 homeruns).

So, the Birds organization knew that they were getting a strong defensive catcher, but he hadn’t produced the way he did in the minors.  In 130 games with Frederick and Bowie in ’08, he jolted 27 HR and drove in 91 RBI in 130 games.

Even if Wieters doesn’t hit another HR the rest of the season, all of his power numbers have increased.  As he continues to learn and adjust at the major league level, he’ll produce even better numbers next season in his third full season as the Birds’ backstop.

Stats were calculated before Sunday’s game vs. the Angels

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Although the Birds are well on their way to losing 90 games for a 6^th consecutive year (9^th time in the last 14 years), they have been playing more competitive baseball over the last week.  The Birds split their last six games, but one game was a blown save against the Jays, so they should have won four.

Britton tossed five innings and allowed four earned runs against the Yankees in his last outing as well.

Their starting pitching struggled with Zach Britton and Tommy Hunter each allowing four earned in their loss.  Some of their hitters are awakening; catcher Matt Wieters (3 HR) and infielder Chris Davis (3 doubles and 1 HR) have both unleashed their power strokes finally.

The Orioles’ saving grace over the last week has been their bullpen.  Although some of their hitters have come alive, their pen has really shut the door on the competition.  Nine of 11 bullpen members didn’t allow an earned run last week.

Starting Pitching

Good

Guthrie has only two, maybe three more starts, and is sitting with 17 losses.

With all the talk about Jeremy Guthrie (4.22) on his way to the most losses in Oriole history (possibly 20 by season’s end), it may have sparked a nerve.  He was a completely different pitcher.  In two starts, Guthrie was 2-0 with a 1.29 ERAover 14 innings and surrendered only two earned runs.

Alfredo Simon (4.67) received a no-decision against the Rays in one of his best outings of the season.  He tossed seven innings and surrendered only two earned runs on six base hits.  The Birds went on to beat those Rays on a two-run eighth inning HR by Wieters.

Bad

Hunter (5.38) squared off north of the border against the Jays. He tossed 6.1 innings, allowed four earned runs (six overall) on nine hits and struck out five.

Britton (4.43), returned to April form turning heads before his last start in Yankee Stadium. That same Britton looked very different as he got hit around Tuesday night by the Rays.  He lasted five innings, surrendered four earned runs on just five hits, but he issued four walks.

Guerrero has recorded two three-hit games in his last six contests.

Offense

Good

Designated hitter Vladimir Guerrero is stroking the ball well collecting 10 hits over his last 23 at-bats (.435 avg.) with one double and 3 RBI.  Davis is hitting .357, has driven in five Orioles and scored three runs himself.

The Bad

Reynolds has struck out 182 times in 145 games (strikeout every 1.25 games).

Mark Reynolds had a tough time seeing the ball last week.  He’s failed to record a single hit in his last 19 at-bats (five games) and struck out seven times.  Although Wieters found his HR stroke (3 HR), he managed just one other base hit.  He hit .200 after going 4-for-20 with a double and six RBI.  Right fielder Nick Markakis is only five for his last 22 with three RBI.

Relief Pitching

Good

Johnson recorded three saves last week in his three appearances.

Both set up man Jim Johnson and reliever Troy Patton pitched 3.1 scoreless innings last week.  September call ups Zach Phillips and Pedro Strop combined for four more scoreless innings and three strikeouts in three appearances out of the pen. There is hope…

Bad

Gregg has a 0-3 record with a 4.45 ERA and 20 saves (seven blown).

Closer Kevin Gregg, who has struggled throughout his first season, scraped 0.1 IP last week.  In his return to Toronto, he was handed a two-run lead heading into the ninth and he allowed two runs on a bases loaded wild pitch and a single.

Besides Gregg, the pen really pitched well this week.  Reliever Jeremy Accardo is the only other member to allow an earned run in relief and he only gave up one in 1.1 innings.

Despite Guerrero, Davis and Wieters ripping the cover off the baseball this week, Baltimore’s offense is still struggling as a whole.  There were a few solid pitching efforts by Guthrie and Simon, but their week was really about their bullpen domination.  This is a good sign for the Orioles next season, so let’s hope they can keep it up.

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The trade that sent the Birds’ most dominating pitcher, reliever Koji Uehara, to Texas  on July 30^th has really backfired for the Orioles.  Tommy Hunter and Chris Davis have struggled and failed to help their new club record wins.

In 2009, Chris Davis smashed 21 homeruns and drove in 59 RBI in 113 games with the Rangers.

Although Davis has been able to collect his hits as a member of the orange and black, he hasn’t shown much power and that’s one of the main reasons he was of interest to the Orioles.  Davis has jolted 1 HR and 6 RBI over his first 15 games.

Davis has collected 43 homeruns in 281 games throughout his major league career (HR every 6.5 games).

Hunter pitched exclusively out of the bullpen for the Rangers, but the Birds acquired him to fill one of the spots in their deteriorating starting rotation.  In eight starts thus far, Hunter sports an inflated 6.05 ERA while the Birds have dropped five of his eight outings.

Davis

The powerful left-handed hitter Davis, who recorded impressive HR numbers in his minor league career (118 in 472 games- one dinger every four games), has really struggled to find his power stroke.

In 60 at-bats since the trade, Davis has collected 15 base hits (.250 average) and 5 multi-hit games.  He should have more at-bats, but he missed three weeks from mid-August to early September due to a small right shoulder tear. Injuries will happen. Ineffectiveness should not be forgiven.

in 28 games with the Rangers this year, he crushed three homeruns.

The alarming number for Davis is his number of strikeouts (24) – which averages to 1.6 per game.  Those are Mark Reynolds-type numbers and the Birds already have one of those in their lineup.  On September 7^th, the Yankees struck Davis out five times and has at least one strikeout in all but three contests to date.

Last season with Texas, Hunter sported a 13-4 record with an impressive 3.73 ERA.

In his minor league career, Davis struck out 492 times in 472 games (1/1.04 games).  If Davis were to stay on this pace, he would finish with 168 strikeouts in a full season.  Reynolds has recorded 177 strikeouts in 141 games (a strikeout every 1.25 games). Not only has Davis failed to hit the long ball, he’s only drawn 5 free passes – two of which occurred in today’s game.  He hasn’t shown any patience at the dish and is jumping the gun trying to make an impression.

Hunter

In his career, Hunter has a 25-15 record and a respectable 4.61 ERA.

The Birds saw a promising, young hurler in Hunter.  So far, he hasn’t shown that he can or should pitch consistently in the starting rotation.

In his eight starts as an Oriole, Hunter’s tossed 50.2 innings (or 6.1 innings per outing).  With the exception of his first start, he’s lasted 6 innings in each outing and pitched seven innings once.

In both of his starts against the Bronx Bombers, he allowed three homeruns in each contest.

Hunter has also surrendered 65 base hits (8.13 hits per game) and a grand total of 34 earned runs over that stretch.  His ERA has jumped from 2.93 since leaving Texas’ bullpen to 5.32.  Hunter’s allowed 10 hits twice and seven hits in 6 of his 8 starts. He’s posted one “quality start”, which is 6 IP and three earned runs or less.  In Oakland, he tossed 6.2 innings and gave up two earned.

in 15.1 innings with Texas, he allowed only 12 base hits in relief.

The only impressive numbers that Hunter has posted is his strikeout to walk ratio.  Hunter’s only issued four free passes since joining the Birds issuing one walk every 12.65 innings (compared to 3 strikeouts per game).

We all know too well how the Orioles’ pitching struggles over the last six years have coincided with a high number of walks, so this is good news.

One month plus since the trade, both Hunter and Davis have failed to live up to expectations.  A 6.05 ERA as a starter and only 1 HR from a power hitter won’t cut it. If these two want any chance of being in Baltimore’s future, they need to perform better over the last 17 games.

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Everyone knows the Baltimore Orioles need better pitching and have since Mike Mussina’s departure after the 2000 season.  The front office always tries to import talent instead of building within their organization.

Jim Johnson was born in Johnson City, New York on June 27th, 1983.

Set up man Jim Johnson has been the most consistent Birds’ bullpen hurler over the last four seasons.  The recent talk around the clubhouse is that Johnson will be rewarded for his consistent relief work and could move into the rotation.

Johnson attended Union Edincott High School with Chris Riley and was drafted by Orioles' scout Jim Howard.

It’s evident that Johnson has deserved a chance to prove himself in the rotation since 2009.  He’s been an integral part in the Orioles bullpen as he is the only pitcher Showalter could rely on. Since the departure of Koji Uehara  Johnson is the core of the suffering Birds’ pen.

This season, Johnson sports a 5-5 record with an  impressive 2.79 ERA in 80.2 IP – a career-high, and on pace for 92.2 innings!  Over his 59 appearances, he’s never been given the opportunity to start games and show what he can do on the mound. Johnson features three great pitches in his arsenal – including a 98 MPH fastball with a slider that induces many groundballs off of opponent’s bats.

In 2006, Johnson was 13-6 with a 4.44 ERA in 26 starts with AA Bowie.

Skeptics might wonder if Johnson will have the stamina to convert to the rotation after four seasons in the bullpen.  Johnson averages 1.2 innings per outing and he’s tossed two innings or more in 17 of his 59 games.

With the AAA Norfolk Tides, Johnson sports a 6-13 record with a 4.00 ERA in 26 starts.

Over Johnson’s last eight appearances, Showalter may be preparing him slowly for a start in the future.  He’s pitched three innings on two occasions and 2+ IP in three back-to-back contests.  The last time Johnson pitched three or more innings was on April 19th, 2008 against the Yankees when he tossed 3.1 innings and allowed only one base hit.

Not only does Johnson have the ability to toss more than two innings, this season, he’s shown the ability to induce ground balls.  Half of his games are at the friendly confines at Oriole Park, so throwing ground balls is an important part of his success.  His ground ball to fly ball ratio sits at 1.67 (159 ground ball outs vs. 95 fly balls). The ball flies out of Camden Yards on a hot summer’s night, so if Johnson can keep his ground ball to fly ball ratio lopsided like this, he will have continued success.

Johnson tossed 18 consecutive scoreless innings after being called up in 2008 from Norfolk.

Johnson burst onto the scene in 2008 and dazzled the Orioles’ fans and organization.  He posted a 2-4 record in 54 appearances and a career-low 2.23 ERA in his first full season with the Birds out of their pen.

In ’08, he gave up just 17 earned runs all season long in 68.2 innings.  He averaged over an inning per outing (1.27 innings), and didn’t serve up a single homerun once in his magical year.

Undecided skeptics still might question whether Johnson’s stuff will be as fresh and consistent every five days.  This season, on 3-5 days rest, opponents are hitting .268 off of him in 56 at-bats.  He’s only allowed four earned runs and has yet to serve up a HR on extended rest.

Throughout the minor leagues, Johnson was used mostly as a starting pitcher.  In 144 appearances he’s collected 127 starts over parts of nine minor league seasons. Johnson holds a 46-40 record with a 3.86 ERA in the Birds’ minor league system as he surrendered 310 ER over 723.0 IP.  He’s accumulated 148 IP in each of three seasons in the minors (’05-’07).

A Brief History with the Birds

Johnson started his first and only major league game in his 2006 debut against the White Sox – allowing 8 ER in just three innings.  He allowed 10 earned total in just five innings of work. Johnson finished the 2009 season as the closer for the Birds, after George Sherrill was traded to the Dodgers.

Johnson is much better at home as he sports a 1.80 home ERA as opposed to a 4.04 ERA on the road.

Johnson struggled a bit in 2009, appearing in a career-high 64 contests with a 4-6 record and 4.11 ERA.  Johnson gave up 32 earned runs over his 70.0 innings of work and he yielded 8 HR, compared to zero the previous season.

Last season, the Birds’ placed him on the 60-day disabled list from the end of May throughout most of August with  inflammation in his right elbow.  In 26 appearances, Johnson sported a 1-1 record with a 3.42 ERA allowing 10 earned runs over his 26.1 innings pitched.

Right-handed batters hit better off of Johnson (.260) compared to lefties, who bat only .237.

This season, Johnson has not given up more than five runs in a particular month!  While that would change greatly if he was a starter, his move to the starting rotation would help the Birds more than it would hurt them.

Johnson actually pitches better at night (2.67 ERA) compared to his daytime ERA of 3.07.

September is the time to try this move because now he has a bullpen of eager, young arms trying to prove they deserve to be here.

Johnson has proven himself by posting impressive numbers and he deserves a shot at the starting rotation.

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The calendar page has turned to September and baseball fans know what that means. It’s time for all major league rosters expand to 40 instead of  25 during the last month of the regular season. September Call Ups have arrived.

The Orioles acquired VandenHurk from the Marlins on July 31st, 2010 in exchange for Will Ohman.

Managers and organizations give up and coming, future players a chance to impress their club and justify their promotion to the big leagues.  Although the Orioles’ struggles continue, there is promise in their farm system and we’ll get a sneak peak of some of their future stars this month.

Before his debut in 2007, VandenHurk had not pitched above class A.

Pitching

As we all have seen this year, the Birds need solid pitching heading into the coming years.  Recently the organization has tried to bring in older, experienced hurlers, but that has not worked for them in the past. Building around a young core of talented pitchers will give them a better shot at improving more quickly. Although all of the Orioles’ pitchers vying for a role on next year’s squad have experience at the major league level, it’s very minimal. The major league pitching staff is fairly young too so this committment to young hurlers is now in its second season.

Rick VandenHurk

The 26-year-old hurler from the Netherlands debuted for the Florida Marlins on April 20^th, 2007, but has not spent much time at the major league level since then.  VandenHurk started 17 games for the Fish in ’07 and sported a 4-6 record with an inflated 6.83 ERA in 18 appearances.

He's tossed 1.1 inning for the Birds this season and has yielded one hit.

VandenHurk has bounced around since 2003, but as a major leaguer, he’s started 33 games with 8 wins and 10 losses in his young career.  In 173.1 innings pitched, he’s surrendered 112 earned runs on 188 base hits.

Pedro Strop was born on June 13th, 1985 in the Dominican Republic.

Initially, the Marlins used VandenHurk primarily as a starting pitcher. But, in his last year with the Florida club and in his time with the Birds so far, he’s mainly been used out of the bullpen.

In parts of nine minor league seasons, he’s pitched to a 37-38 record over 624.2 innings with 268 earned runs on 548 base hits (3.86 ERA).  He’s started 123 games in the minors with one relief appearance.The Birds are always looking for quality arms out of the rotation, so this is his time to shine and prove he can start games at the big league level.

Pedro Strop

The Birds acquired the 26-year-old right-handed pitcher Pedro Strop off of waivers from the Texas Rangers earlier this month.  Although he hasn’t proved himself thus far at the major league level, his minor league statistics speak for themselves.

The Orioles acquired Strop in the Mike Gonzalez trade on August 31st.

The Birds acquired Phillips from the Rangers on July 19th for infielder Nick Green and cash.

In parts of six seasons in the minors, Strop sports a 19-15 record with a very respectable 3.79 ERA.  Since breaking into the minors in ’06, he’s appeared in 202 games, tossed 242.0 innings and allowed 102 earned runs on 214 base hits.

With the Rangers and Orioles at the major league level, Strop appeared in 34 games and sports a lofty 6.99 ERA as he’s allowed 22 earned runs and 30 base hits in just 28.1 innings.

Zach Phillips

The Birds called up the 24-year-old left-handed pitcher Zach Phillips for the first time at the end of August and he debuted for the Orioles on August 31^st; with a scoreless, two-hit inning against the rival Jays.  In his second appearance the next night, he struck out the only batter he faced.

Although he was with the Rangers since 2005, he never pitched in the majors with them.

Over his seven seasons in the minors, he’s made 98 starts and 129 relief appearances.  He sports a 32-40 record with a 4.08 ERA as he’s tossed 695.2 IP and has allowed 315 ER on 704 hits.

Phillips has pitched well so far with the major league club but will need to turn some heads this September.  The fact that he is a left-handed hurler is a major plus for any organization.

Kyle Hudson was born on January 7th, 1987 in Mattoon, Illinois.

Offense

Baltimore’s offense this season has been much more consistent than their pitching staff.  There is always room for improvement.

Kyle Hudson, OF The Birds only added one call up to their outfield, and left-fielder Kyle Hudson made his major league debut today in left field against the Tampa Bay Rays.  In his first game, he went 0-3 and grounded into two double plays.  The Orioles drafted him in the 4^thround of the 2008 Major League Draft, so he’s still very inexperienced and just getting his feet wet.

In his three full seasons in the minors, Hudson stole at least 34 bases per year.

Although the 24-year-old outfielder hasn’t displayed power yet in the minors, he’s showed the ability to collect base hits and create havoc on the base paths.  In only three full minor-league seasons he’s collected 385 base hits and swiped 119 bases.  The Birds could use someone who is a threat on the bases and generate some runs.

Hudson collected 119 steals in just 169 attempts at the minor league level (70%).

Hudson might not be ready right away for the big league club, but this is a great learning experience and a chance for him to get his name recognized.

Baltimore is not in the thick on a pennant race but there is much work to be done over this final month.  Look for these young athletes to start playing in more games over the course of the rest of the season.

Here is a link to the active Orioles’ roster as of September 4^th http://orioles.mlb.com/team/roster_active.jsp?c_id=bal.

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Buck Showalter is 88-105 with the Birds in his first season and a month.

One year ago today (September 1, 2010), Baltimore Orioles fans were overjoyed and optimistic about the future of the organization.  New manager Buck Showalter led the Birds to a winning month for the first time all season in his first month with his new ballclub.

Showalter managed his first Orioles game on August 2, 2010 and his team finished the month six games over the .500 mark at 17-11.  In the two months prior to Showalter’s arrival, the Birds had won only 17 games combined!

Last year on September 1^st, the Birds sat at 49-83.  Right now, the Birds rank last in the American League East with a 54-81 record.  Much of the success or failure can be traced back to the pitching performance and what a difference a year makes. August pitching stats for 2011 compare with Showalter’s first month sporting the black and orange.

Jim Johnson tossed only 2 innings in August 2010, but only allowed 3 hits and 0 runs.

August 2010

When Showalter took over the helm of the Orioles from interim skipper Juan Samuel, the Birds were 40 games under the .500 mark (32-72). It sure looked as if they were headed for a 100 loss season.

Once Showalter stepped foot inside the Orioles clubhouse, their entire demeanor changed as did their fortunes. They looked like a completely different team suddenly improving in all facets of the game and performingas a cohesive unit. They would win another 35 games before 2010 closed.

Brad Bergesen went 3-0 last August as he tossed 36.1 innings and allowed only 11 earned runs (2.72 ERA).

Although they were ranked in the middle of the pack on offense, Baltimore’s pitching is what drives them.  The Birds finished August sixth in the majors with a cumulative 3.38 ERA over 250.0 IP, allowing 96 earned runs 245 base hits.

Starting Pitchers

Not only did their relief pitchers improve when Showalter took over, but the starters stepped their game up as well.  All five Orioles’ starting pitchers sported an ERA sub five and four of their ERAs were sub four in the month!

Although Millwood lost 4 games last Aug., he only allowed 16 earned runs in 40.2 innings (3.54 ERA).

Left-handed starter Brian Matusz and ace Jeremy Guthrie led the team with four wins each and combined for only three losses.  Matusz tossed 37.0 innings, surrendered 10 earned runs on 33 hits and a 2.43 ERA.  Orioles fans remember this and hope Matusz can achieve it again in 2011.

Guthrie accumulated 44.0 innings in his six outings and gave up 15 ER on just 35 hits (3.07 ERA).  Opponents hit only .219 off of Guthrie in the month and his WHIP sat at 1.00.

Reliever Troy Patton allowed 5 earned runs in just 8.2 innings this August (4.66 ERA).

Right-handed starter Jake Arrieta (who made his major league debut earlier that year) was the only starter who struggled throughout August. The rookie posted a 1-3 record with a 4.45 ERA.  In 30.1 innings pitched, he allowed 15 earned runs on 31 hits.

Relief Pitchers

Baltimore’s bullpen, for the most part posted respectable and impressive numbers.

Alfredo Simon was 2-3 in the month with a 4.30 ERA as he allowed 18 earned runs in 37.2 innings.

In seven games (5.1 IP), lefty Mark Hendrickson didn’t yield an earned run.  Koji Uehara sported a 0.66 ERA in 11 outings as he tossed 13.2 innings and allowed only one earned run.  Southpaw Mike Gonzalez gave up two ER over 8.1 IP out of the pen (2.16 ERA).

August 2011

Entering the dog days of August this year, the Birds had won 10 more games under Showalter (45), but still failed to live up to the mighty expectations placed on the organization less than one year ago.

As was the case last year, the Birds’ August has been defined by their pitching staff. This August, the Birds’ starting staff really struggled and the result is that  Baltimore failed again to produce a winning month. The Birds ranked 24^th in the majors this August with a 4.79 ERA with 259.1 IP, allowing 138 earned runs on 188 base hits.

Chris Tillman started 2 games in August and surrendered 8 earned in just 9.2 innings (7.45 ERA).

Starting Pitchers

Jason Berken, who recently rejoined the team, tossed 3 scoreless innings in 4 appearances this Aug.

Three of their main starting pitchers (Guthrie, Tommy Hunter and Jo-Jo Reyes) all sported ERAs above 5.00 for the month.  Guthrie recorded one win and lost two over 32.2 IP and surrendered 20 ER on 35 hits (5.51 ERA).

Although Hunter and Reyes won two games each, their ERA for the month remained inflated.  Hunter pitched 31.2 innings and allowed 21 earned runs on 42 hits (5.97 ERA).  Reyes, who struggled the most sported a 6.66 ERA in five starts over 24.1 innings and gave up 18 earned runs on 30 hits.

Matusz has really struggled the entire season, but fell apart in August posting a balloning ERA (9.56 on the year).  In three August outings, he gave up 17 earned runs and 23 hits in just 16 innings pitched.

The only starting pitcher who posted an ERA below four in August was the resurgent rookie Zach Britton, who returned to the Orioles at the end of July. Britton bounced back from Triple-A Norfolk tossing 17.1 innings over three outings and allowed only five earned runs on 22 hits (2.60 ERA).

Willi Eyre, on the right, sported a 4.15 ERA in Aug. as he allowed 4 earned in 8.2 innings.

Relief Pitchers

Closer Kevin Gregg blew 2 saves in Aug. and allowed 8 earned in just 10 innings pitched.

Although their starting pitchers battled tough times in August, their relievers pitched well for the most part.  Mike Gonzalez, who was just traded to the Rangers, had been unhittable this past month.  He didn’t yield an earned run and  gave up only three hits in 10 appearances.

Right-handed reliever Chris Jakubauskas surrendered only two earned runs and 13 hits in 17 innings of work (1.06 ERA).  Brad Bergesen was touched up for six earned runs in 16.2 innings of work over eight appearances.

One year after a promising debut with the Baltimore Orioles last August, Showalter and the Birds’ faithful have seen some tough times.  The rotation really struggled in August and if the Birds are going to have any shot at forgoing a 100 loss season, their starting pitchers need to step up their game.

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