An Explanation Full of Bull

Without doubt, the first 63 games of the Orioles 2012 season have brought a mix of good and bad results, but in the big picture of things, it has been a very positive start. With a current record of 37-26, which is on a pace to win 95 games, this is beyond any optimistic predictions by even the most starry-eyed partisan fans.

After 14 consecutive losing seasons, even the best of us find it difficult to keep our inner skeptic at bay.  “When is it all going to come crashing down as it always has in the past?” we ponder. And that is a fair question. Were we to have these 37 wins at this juncture with a team comprised of all those we believed would be our regulars – such is at least a marginally imaginable prospect. But to have seen this happen with the plethora of injuries, record numbers of player transactions, and assortment of journeymen fill-ins is simply amazing!

How are the Orioles winning?

It is not because of their timely hitting with runners in scoring position. (Most of this article was written before the Pittsburgh series, and truly to take nothing away from the Orioles who show many signs of coming to life offensively, honestly, the Pirates really look like a lousy team.) The Orioles are among the lower levels of teams in this regard and have been much of the season.

It is not because of their terrific starting pitching, as the staff is populated with a group of guys all named Jekyll and Hyde. Honestly, Chen and Hamel have been reasonably consistent, but the rest are as capable of entirely shutting down a team, or entirely imploding – sometimes from one inning to the next.

It is not because of their great skills as contact hitters – as the team leads the universe in strikeouts. The Orioles have struck out more than any other MLB team. They rank 26^th in walks.

And though the Orioles are among the best in total homers hit (ranking 3^rd behind the Yankees and Jays), it cannot be said that they have displayed an offense than can carry a team. They are 22^nd in on base percentage and 16^th in batting average. Though they are 6^th in slugging, the Birds have also hit into more double plays than any other team in all of baseball.

It is not because of defense. The Orioles rank 28^th in fielding percentage, having committed more errors that any other team in baseball (though to be truthful, there have been many extraordinary defensive plays at critical moments).

It is not because of speed. The Orioles are dead last in baseball in bases stolen.

So…. How are the Orioles winning?

First, let me suggest two intangible items:

A.  Team Chemistry: I don’t mean to go all “psycho-babble” on you here, but there is something to be said for the “esprit de corps” of good teams; and anyone who does not know this has not been a part of both winning and losing sports outfits. I’m an old guy – as sports bloggers go. I’ve seen a lot of baseball and baseball teams, and I cannot remember a team where every day the guys talk about how much they enjoy being together.

B.  The Desire to Win: There is an obvious difference about this team, where they believe they can win and expect to win. Though I hate the Yankees about as much as most Orioles fans, I probably respect them more. The Yankees ALWAYS make a run for a win in the final innings of any game in which they trail. They never go away quietly. That is the mark of a good team, and this Orioles team has that component.

Secondly, let me suggest some very tangible items:

A:  Buck Showalter’s Leadership: I don’t agree with everything he does, but I agree more with him than any other manager I’ve ever seen. And I think he has an excellent skill for working with players and getting the most out of them.

B.  Home Runs: Remember how it took over a week of Spring Training to see the Birds hit their first homer?  This has turned out to be a strength… though often it is simply the solo shot. And though this is not by itself a sustainable and successful plan for a championship, it has certainly contributed heavily to the total picture of success we’ve seen thus far.

C.  The Bullpen: Here is the main reason the Orioles have done so well. Throughout most of the season, the Orioles’ pen has been one of the top couple bullpens in all of baseball by measurements of practical every pitching statistic. To beat the Orioles, a team must beat them early, because there is little chance of getting anything more than an occasional single run here or there once the relievers enter the game. Opponents have to score early and often to have any shot at winning. Is this sustainable?  I don’t know for sure, though Buck has seemed to use them well without over-taxing any one individual.

So the answer as to how the Orioles are winning is, more than any other single thing, an answer that is full of bull ….. the bullpen!

The team has now won nine extra-innings games in a row for the first time in franchise history. Here is what Matt Wieters said after the most recent extra frames victory … when asked the key reason for the streak:  “You know, it’s the bullpen. The bullpen is doing a great job of just keeping teams where they are at. If you keep the other team from scoring, eventually someone will get the run. The bullpen has been great keeping us in games.”

TWITTER:  @OSayOrioles