In a 60-game schedule, it’s easy to look back and see what went right and what went wrong. After 20 games, the Orioles were 12-8, and there was optimism about what could happen in a short season.
In their next 20 games, the Orioles were 7-13, leaving them 19-21. Had it not for a three-game winning streak against the New York Yankees — the Orioles’ first wins against the Yankees after losing a franchise record 19 consecutive games to them — things would have looked worse.
On September 8th, they had one of their most potent offensive games of the season, an 11-2 win over the Mets that put them one game under .500, 20-21.
The next night, New York rightfielder Michael Conforto made a spectacular catch on a Rio Ruiz drive with the bases loaded, and it turned around the game. The Orioles eventually lost and, according to manager Brandon Hyde, it turned around the season, too.
That defeat to the Mets was one of 12 in the last 15 games. In those 12 losses, they scored just one run eight times and were shut out in another. September hasn’t been a good month.
Severino’s struggles: Pedro Severino was 2-for-3 in the 11-2 win over the Mets, leaving him with a .325 average.
Since then, the catcher has gone sharply south. Entering Thursday’s game at Boston, he’s hitless in his last 20 at-bats,and his average has plummeted to .258. He hasn’t driven in a run since August 30th, and he has faltered on defense, too.
Hyde holding exit interviews: Hyde said that he began exit interviews on Thursday at Fenway Park, and they’ll continue in Buffalo this weekend when the Orioles play their final three games against the Toronto Blue Jays.
“These last few weeks have been tough,” Hyde said. “Our guys’ numbers have dropped, pretty significantly, a lot of them. We’re going to talk about that and continue to try to get these guys better, discuss things they can work on in the offseason.”
Alberto and lefties: Last year’s big surprise was Hanser Alberto, who hit .305 overall and .398 against left-handers.
He, too, has slumped in September for the second straight season.
In 2019, Alberto hit .237 in the season’s last month and his batting average dropped 16 points from .321 to .305.
This season, Alberto was hitting .321 on September 1st, but he has hit just .206 this month and is down to .286.
Against left-handers, Alberto is hitting .356, but the Orioles aren’t facing the number of lefties they faced in 2019.
A year ago, left-handers started 62 of 162 games against the Orioles (38.2 percent). Martin Perez, a left-hander who starts on Thursday night for the Red Sox, is just the 13th left-handed starter the Orioles will face in 57 games (22.8 percent).
Hess recalled: Dean Kremer’s season ended after Wednesday’s start, and the Orioles recalled David Hess from the alternate site at Bowie, and optioned Kremer there.
Hess, who was on the five-man taxi squad, gives the Orioles an extra bullpen arm for the final four games.
In three games with the Orioles this season, Hess has a 6.43 ERA. Hess has a 4-20 record with a 5.86 ERA in parts of the last three seasons with the Orioles.
Kremer finishes the season 1-1 with a 4.82 ERA, although he struggled in only his final start on Wednesday, a 9-1 loss to the Red Sox.
Branden Kline, who also was on the taxi squad, was recalled when Evan Phillips went on the 10-day injured list because of right elbow inflammation. Phillips has returned to Baltimore to have his elbow examined.
Renato Núñez is out of the lineup Thursday because of a sore knee. José Iglesias, who left Saturday’s game after being hit by a pitch and suffering a bruised left wrist, is back in the lineup.
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Hess, shoulda worked at a gas station, if he starts it’ll be ugly, not much better outta the pen...go O’s...
You do a disservice to gas station attendants everywhere my friend.
My apologies, trying to think of something witty, that’s all I could come up with without just saying he stinks...go O’s...
There’s no “he’s tired” explanation this year for Alberto. Hanser is what he is. Useful against lefties. Not good enough against righties. A fine platoon player but that’s about it.
I would imagine David Hess is pitching to maintain a 40 man slot this weekend.
Elias brings Hess back up. The Supreme Evaluator of talent, brings Hess back up. Why not just urinate in every Orioles fan's beer?
Only reason they brought up Hess is that with Kremer done for the year, they had an open spot for a pitcher. Hess was the only pitcher on the 40 man roster not on the injured list. Personally, I would have brought up Mattson since they had an open spot on the 40. But I doubt we will see Hess in a game unless it’s a blowout either way. Let’s be honest, if the Orioles are losing 10-0 in the 3rd inning, do you want to bring in Hunter Harvey and risk losing him to injury? Of course Harvey could hurt himself opening the bullpen dear. He’s a tad fragile. Doubt we see Hess. And besides, he always wanted to see Buffalo.
Bullpen door, not dear. Wish they had an edit button
Thought maybe Harvey was gonna gut something...lol...go O’s...
Who sent Urias on the double play, & why the heck does Corn Cobb throw over to second, Vasquez isn’t going anywhere, oldest O & no baseball IQ...WTF...go O’s...
He sounds like a prime candidate to be the next GM of the Orioles.
Gas Station Attendant Hess and Corn Cobb !! Good ones...keep them coming :-) . But please pace yourself and don’t use up all of your material in just one game…we still have three more games to go this season.
Gotcha, sometimes it’s too easy...go O’s...
9 - 1 Orioles in the top of the 7th. All is forgiven.
Couple more runs and you can put in Hess
:)
ClayDal, you’re on fire! As Rob said, keep ‘em coming.
What is with Mr. Cobb. What a delightful pitching performance! A glimpse of what it can be?
I sure enjoy Scott Garceau in the tv booth! What a great voice and play by play style.
I totally agree Earl, and I wish he was coming back next year to replace the dreadful Gary Thorne, but apparently not.
I love Gary’s voice, but his antics/comments on other things” during a game a kinda weird sometimes!
How is and Where is Tom Davis this season? I miss the big guy.
In some ways, it does feel like the “CONFORTO CATCH” stopped the momentum and all of our positive vibes…he misses it and the O’s likely would have won that game, overall record reaches .500, and the winning streak is extended to five games. As fate would have it, he makes the amazing catch and the rest is history.
I am sure that Hyde knows very well, just like the rest of us, that the brutal September schedule against all of the AL East teams, plus Atlanta, would have quickly squashed our playoff hopes, which is exactly what happened.
The O’s overall winning percentage during this brief season (.421) has of course improved compared to the past two seasons, however against our division foes it is only .351, and against teams with a winning record, it’s even worse at a dismal .294 !! Over the course of a full 162 game schedule, there is no doubt that the percentage would have been in the low to mid 3’s, just like last year’s .333 :-(
Bottom line, Mr. Elias has LOTS of work to do this offseason.
I have a few more thoughts and I wish I had more time to write, but I have to buy a few packages of toilet paper before Israel’s second coronavirus lockdown begins just a few hours from now. The only thing more pitiful than Crush’s batting average is my government’s handling of this pandemic :-) .
Stay safe everyone!
Shut up about Hess. He’ll probably end up being a great picture of two years from now?
Photo?...go O’s...
Sorry I’m not perfect like you!
I know, it was just a joke....easy big fella....go O’s...
Sorry Cal- I am frustrated that we stink again this year! We all only have so many years to live, and I want our O’s to compete for a championship at least every other season. I feel ownerships are usually the reason for below average seasons?
Can’t argue with that a bit...here’s hoping the planets align next year...go O’s...
Why was Alberto not wearing cup during the game? I thought they were supposed to have cup on at all times- on the field? Seems kind of dangerous for him to be allowed out there without a cup!
What is Tom Davis doing these days?
He's busy polishing his cup.
Mr. Davis is probably quarantining to protect his health. Same reason we don’t see much of RIck Dempsey and only remote visits by Jim Palmer. I’m sure he’ll be back once it’s safe again.
I’m sorry that they can’t be here in person! Jim a treasure, Tom is a blast of fun, and Rick is a smart guy.