Baltimore Orioles: No Need to Panic in Tampa Bay
Sep 5, 2014; St. Petersburg, FL, USA; Baltimore Orioles relief pitcher Ryan Webb (58) reacts during the eighth inning in the dugout after the Tampa Bay Rays scored at Tropicana Field. Tampa Bay Rays defeated the Baltimore Orioles 3-0. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
After the Baltimore Orioles dropped a second consecutive game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday afternoon, the reasons for concern are rather minimal when considering the big picture of things. For one thing, the law of averages has shown up in this three-game road series.
The Orioles 9.5-game lead in the AL East after the recent 9-2 homestand has allowed them to pull back just a click from high-level intensity day in and day out. Buck is able to begin some occasional resting of the regular personnel, along with playing a greater number of marginal players.
As well, the Orioles have run into some pretty good pitching with the Rays. Drew Smyly is the real deal, and the Rays were not fools to trade David Price. And Alex Cobb has been pitching well – he keeps the ball in the park. This is a reminder that Tampa Bay may well be back in the hunt in short order next year.
The Orioles pitching has only yielded five earned runs in two games. A team should win when that happens. If there is a reason for concern, it is the way that the O’s are often shut down by good pitching – though it is true that they have beaten some of the very best at times as well.
Simply looking at Saturday’s 3-2 loss to the Rays, it is more important in the big picture that Kevin Gausman throws a very good game (which he did) than that the Orioles pound the ball all over The Trop.
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Some aches and pains and bangs and bruises have multiplied with the Orioles in the last week. Steve Pearce is back from abdominal issues, while J.J. Hardy was given a break for a day just to stay ahead of the back spasm issues. Relievers Andrew Miller and Darren O’Day have had some minor leg problems. And everyone has something at this time of the year that is less than 100% perfect health.
The challenge for Showalter will be to allow some break time for players while also keeping them in the game enough to keep them sharp.
The game on Saturday could well have gone the other way. The Orioles have been hitting the ball hard right at people, including the best opportunity for a rally where Delmon Young hit into an inning-ending line drive double play. Nick Hundley will be remembered on this date for the defensive lapse of allowing a walk-off passed ball, but he was the smallest of margins from hitting a home run that only resulted in a single.
Like lots of O’s fans on Sunday, I’ll be checking back and forth while the Ravens open the NFL season at home against the Bengals. But there is nothing to fear for the Orioles as Bud Norris (12-4, 3.83) will bulldog his way through a start against Jeremy Hellickson (1-3, 3.74).