Baltimore Orioles Slumping Post All-Star Break

The Baltimore Orioles have now relinquished their hold on first place in the American League East, and the way they are playing, you have to wonder if they can get it back?

Let’s be honest, right now the Baltimore Orioles are not playing very well, as discussed yesterday as well.

But, let’s look at some statistics that show just how bad it has been.

According to baseball-reference, in the last 14 days, the Orioles have played 13 games. They really have played 14, and when I looked, the site was not counting Saturday’s game, so keep in mind these numbers should be even worse.

The team has not had a day off since the All-Star Break, although they get one coming up on Monday.

In the last 13 games, the team has a stat line of .220/.277/.340 with 12 HRs, 37 runs scored, and a batting average for balls in play of .257. These numbers are all terrible.

That is an average of less than one home run a game, and less than 3 runs a game.

Now, consider the numbers for the season of .265/.325/.450 with 152 HRs, 485 tuns scored, and a batting average for balls in play of .307.

With the team having played 102 games, that is an average of almost one and half home runs a game, about 4.8 runs per game.

The team has not scored more than six runs since July 6th, a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The numbers back up the visual proof, this team is slumping, big time.

The Orioles are 7-9 in the games played since the All-Star Break.

A look at the pitching actually shows that the pitching so far in the second half (remember not counting Saturday’s mess) has been better than the first half.

So, if the pitching continues at this pace in the second half, which with Dylan Bundy, a better Yovani Gallardo and Vance Worley in the rotation instead of Ubaldo Jimenez and Mike Wright is certainly possible, it is all about the hitting.

That is a considerable difference for this team. For four years I have discussed it is all about the pitching. And, it still is.

But if a team built to beat teams by scoring more runs than the opposition suddenly can’t hit, can’t score, can’t make productive outs, etc., this team has no chance.

If the offense can get back to pre-July pace, the team will still have a great chance at winning the division.

Let’s hope July is an anomaly, and August sees the Orioles return to better baseball.

Otherwise, it is going to be a long pennant race for Birdland.