Not that it matters, but I realized Thursday that my definition of quality at-bats differs from that of Orioles manager Craig Albernaz.
He was asked about the Orioles’ offense after they missed a big opportunity to sweep the Los Angeles Angels by falling 4-1 on a day when they looked like the team with the worst record in baseball instead of the Angels.
“We did a great job of making them work,” Albernaz said. “At-bat quality was great. Eight walks, hit by pitch. We just couldn’t get that big hit that we needed.”
The Orioles’ only run came on a home run by catcher Yohel Pozo. That means that none of those eight walks or the hit-by-pitch produced a run. The Orioles left eight on base.
My idea of great at-bat quality is getting hits with runners in scoring position.
The first six swings the Orioles took resulted in five outs, including double-play grounders by Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Jeremiah Jackson. In the bottom of the third, the Orioles’ helped out Los Angeles starter Ryan Johnson twice. After Pozo’s homer, Dylan Beavers dumped a single into center and tried to steal with Pete Alonso up. Catcher Moisés Ballesteros made a throw to the first base side of second from his knees and second baseman Oswald Peraza slapped a tag on Beavers’ leg before his hand touched second.
“He started his slide really, really early,” Albernaz said. “We talked to him about it. If he slides later, he’s in there, so it’s just like a little thing like that. I have no problem with him trying to steal there, again trying to get some offense going, get guys in scoring position and keep the inning going.”
The inning kept going when Alonso and Gunnar Henderson walked and Encarnacion-Strand was hit by a pitch. Jackson Holliday then hit a routine ground ball to second on the first pitch he saw to end the inning.
“If he feels like it’s a good pitch to hit, you’ve got to go,” Albernaz said. “I mean, bases loaded like that you’ve got to take your shot. You can’t be passive up there. If it’s a good pitch to hit like that, let it rip.”
The Orioles ripped only 14 hits in the three games but won two because of pitching and home runs, and because the Angels are bad. That’s why it was so frustrating to watch them fall on Thursday with a 10-game road trip coming up.
In the second, Holliday, who was playing shortstop, lost a shallow fly ball to left field in the sun, using his glove to try to block the glare. His sunglasses were sitting on top of his cap. Oriole starter Brandon Young then tried to field a tapper with his bare hand when he had time to catch it with his glove. To Young’s credit, and he deserves a lot for his work this season, he pitched out of a bases-loaded, no-outs jam.
In the bottom of the eighth, Henderson was on third with two outs when Samy Natera Jr. threw a wild pitch. The ball ricocheted off the bricks behind home plate right back to Ballesteros, who flipped to his pitcher, who tagged Henderson for the final out.
Henderson hesitated but then went for it, costing the Orioles another out and scoring opportunity.
“As soon as he stopped, he just has to stay,” Albernaz said. “We all know Gunnar is aggressive, making things happen. He sensed that we needed to get another run across, but if he trusted his first instinct, if he was going to go, go. But as soon as he stopped, you just have to get back. And he knows this ballpark better than anyone, and that’s something I know he would want to have back.”
Albernaz was direct and on point about the baserunning mistakes by Beavers and Henderson, but we disagree on the quality of the at-bats for a team whose only run came on a home run.
As an Oriole fan said in frustration: “After sinking nearly every resource into the offense the last seven years, it’s crazy how bad it is.”
Now, the Orioles hit the road for games against Texas, Minnesota and Tampa Bay. A wild-card spot is still possible because of their starting pitching, in particular, but the quality of their at-bats will have to be much better than they were on Thursday.