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Baltimore Orioles: Reaction to Week One

By Nate Wardle

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Apr 7, 2015; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher

Kevin Gausman

(39) throws a pitch in the fifth inning of the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

One week of many is in the book.  However, it is often the most over-analyzed weeks of the season.

For the Baltimore Orioles, that week concluded with a 3-3 record: 2-1 vs. the Tampa Bay Rays and 1-2 vs. the Toronto Blue Jays. The O’s scored 31 runs, and allowed 32.

The team has the most home runs in the AL through week one, and a batting average of .241. The pitching staff has a 4.75 ERA, one of the worst in the AL, and has allowed an alarming 25 walks.

A certain large sports media network likes to have Overreaction Monday on twitter after a week of NFL play. I felt like that was appropriate for the O’s so far.

  • What is wrong with Manny Machado? Manny is only hitting .053, with one hit in 19 at-bats. However, going back to last year, Manny was a slow starter. And it was attributed to his injury rehab, but maybe Manny is just a slow starter. I for one am not concerned.
  • Ubaldo Jimenez is going to win the Cy Young. Well, this isn’t impossible I suppose.  Ubaldo is a pitcher who has had good years and bad years. And while last year was a bad year, if spring and week one are any indication, this might be a good year.  To hold the potent Jays offense to one hit and zero runs is impressive.
  • Travis Snider and Alejandro De Aza will be ample replacements for Nick Markakis and Nelson Cruz. I won’t disagree with this. Combined they won’t hit the number of home runs the two did last year (mainly by Cruz), but they may do enough of everything else to make up for it. Both are hitting over .300 so far, and while the strikeouts by De Aza are quite high, he has proven to be a pretty good lead-off hitter, at least so far.
    • Bud Norris

    ‘ spot in the rotation is in trouble. I agree with this as well. Everyone knows Kevin Gausman is a starting pitcher.  Everyone knows Bud has looked horrible since Spring Training. And his first start of the season was not good.  Bud is a bulldog, and everyone expects him to turn it around. But, count me as very concerned.

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    But what about Gausman? Most of the other comments are ones that I have heard, read, seen and are common thoughts.  But, Gausman hasn’t exactly been stellar himself.  He has pitched in two games, allowing runs in each.  He has given up three runs and has a 7.36 ERA. More alarming is the fact he has walked four people in less than four innings. I think he will be fine, but I am also concerned.

    Of course, the good news in this is that in the beginning of week 2, Manny Machado gets an RBI double in the second inning. Jonathan Schoop has been excellent as usual in the field, and been hitting well also.

    Next: Ranking the O's Salary Structure - Today and Tomorrow

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