Orioles need wins to win over disappointed fanbase

Everywhere I turn on social media, I read comments from friends who are disheartened with the current version of the Orioles. Many of them say that they find this team the most difficult to like of any Orioles team.

That’s an interesting comment because individually it’s one of the more likable teams in recent years.

Obviously, it’s the team’s play and not their personalities that fans find objectionable because they don’t get to know the players as I do.

The additions of Pete Alonso, Taylor Ward and Blaze Alexander, among others has been a positive, both on and off the field.

Alonso in particular, is stepping forward and taking responsibility for bad Orioles losses.

After Sunday’s 3-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves, Alonso was waiting for us as the clubhouse door opened, and that’s appreciated.

He was angry at himself for getting doubled off first base in the 10^th inning with the bases loaded.

Alonso’s sin was wandering off first base on Gunnar Henderson’s line drive. It was a mistake, but one that many players would have made.

Alonso wanted to show his teammates, as the Orioles’ highest paid player, that he expects more out of himself.

It’s not the only time he’s accepted responsibility in a game that was full of negatives. On May 29^th, he was picked off first base in the eighth inning in a 2-1 loss to Toronto, and again he was waiting to take the blame.

That sort of leadership was something that was missing last year when the team fell out of contention early in the season and sold off nine players last July.

Alonso’s numbers aren’t bad. After a rough start, he’s hitting .249 with an .812 OPS. Entering this year, his lifetime batting average was .253 and his OPS was .857.

With the season nearly two-thirds complete, he’s on pace to hit 33 home runs and drive in 102 runs, which aren’t far off from his career averages.

Alonso has worked tirelessly on his defense at first base and while he’s hardly elegant, he’s become a better defender.

Beginning in spring training, he’s called meetings on the mound and encouraged and instructed infielders.

It’s not Alonso that the fans find distasteful, it’s the team’s play. All around baseball, the lack of fundamental play is glaring.

After hearing praise about the Braves rookie shortstop Jim Jarvis entering the series, it was jarring to watch him drop two popups by Alonso on Saturday night.

The Orioles lucked out in the ninth inning when Leody Taveras’ grounder to Braves’ second baseman Ozzie Albies went through his legs. That groundball could have ended the game, but it allowed the Orioles to tie the game.

The Orioles’ fundamentals have cost them games. They’ve allowed 64 unearned runs, the most in baseball, and their 9-17 record in one-run games is the worst in the game. Their 69 errors are among the league leaders, too.

It’s not impossible, though it seems unlikely, that this team will make it into the postseason.

FanGraphs calculates their odds of making the postseason at 21.3 percent, decidedly lower than they were a week ago when they completed a seven-game winning streak.

A week from now, the trade deadline comes, and as long as the Orioles don’t lose too much more ground, they’ll likely try to add to the team. Buying is so much more fun than selling, and even if the team’s odds aren’t favorable, hoping is fine for Orioles fans.

It’s clear that president of baseball operations Mike Elias is here for the duration. Orioles owner David Rubenstein’s powerful endorsement of him on Friday showed that he has ownership’s support.

Yes, the Orioles have had key players unavailable due to injuries. Currently, they have 11 players on the IL and they’ve had 22 this year, but they’re not unique. According to Spotrac, they’ve lost 1,327 days due to injuries in 2026, sixth in baseball.

But, in the last week, their two excellent catchers, Samuel Basallo and Adley Rutschman joined the injured list, and their replacements, Sam Huff and Chadwick Tromp are a combined 1-for-24 with them out.

The Orioles also acquired former St. Louis Cardinals backup Yohel Pozo, who may got a shot this week though Pozo won’t turn their season around.

With 56 games left in this strange, but fascinating season, there’s still time.

“We have two whole months of baseball, which is which is a lot of time. It is, but it isn’t,” Alonso said on Sunday.

The Orioles still have time to win games and influence people, but they to win more and become more likable on the field along the way.

Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com