A few random off-day thoughts

Some thoughts and observations as we settle in for an O's off-day before their series this weekend at Yankee Stadium:

Kevin Gausman's innings: Because the Orioles used Gausman out of the bullpen last season at the major league level, he ended the year with just 129 2/3 innings between the minors and majors.

So that means he is probably slated to pitch around 175 innings this year. That is why the Orioles were limiting Gausman's innings so much early in the year at Triple-A when he went over five innings in just one of his 10 starts.

Gausman is now at 65 1/3 innings for the season, counting his 47 2/3 Norfolk innings. If he starts once every five games the rest of the way, he'd likely get 17 or 18 more starts. If he went six innings on average over 18 starts, that is 108 innings and would put him at 173 1/3 for the year.

So he's right on schedule for about what his arm and body should be able to handle for this season. Of course, that is not accounting for postseason innings and the Orioles certainly hope they need him then also. Maybe Gausman would have to be skipped once or twice late in the year.

Right now, we don't know for sure that he'll be in the major league rotation for the rest of this season, but it is certainly looking like he might. With a 3-0 record and 0.95 ERA over these last three starts, the O's are going to want to get Gausman out there as many times as they can, I would think.

But they are also going to have to monitor his innings load and the fact that they were so conservative early this year may pay off for the club at the end of it.

Gausman as a starter in 2013: Went 0-3 with a 7.66 ERA and .333 average against.
Gausman as a starter in 2014: Is 3-1 with a 2.74 ERA and .238 average against

Could we see Ubaldo Jimenez or Chris Tillman go to the 'pen?: The question most asked by fans recently is: Who is the odd man out of the Orioles current six-man rotation? And they will be starting six different pitchers in the six games of this road trip.

Jimenez is just 2-8 with an ERA of 4.86 in 14 starts. He and Tillman have been the two worst starters going by the stat sheet.

Is there any way either finds his way into the O's bullpen? I don't see it. Maybe the numbers say it should be considered, but it would be a real surprise. But we've been surprised before.

Jimenez and his busy mechanics just doesn't seem to lend themselves to potentially inconsistent bullpen work and having to warm up quickly to get into a game. It seems the best chance to get him right for the long term is by giving him the ball with consistent work in the rotation and to try and get him to the point where he can show some consistent command and control. As for Tillman, I think he has earn some trust from Buck Showalter for his 2012-13 seasons. I don't see him being moved to the 'pen right now.

Are the Orioles just a .500 team?: This is a big one with some posters here, especially after Orioles losses. The message they convey is that the O's are what they are, just a .500 team. One not good enough to make the playoffs.

In the last three months of 2013, the Orioles went 38-41. So far this year, they are 37-34. If you add that up, you get 150 games and a 75-75 record.

Even though that involves two different teams with different rosters, some contend that is simply too big a sample size to ignore.

I am not sure I agree. Did anyone see the Toronto Blue Jays going on a 20-4 tear when they were 18-20 on May 11? Did anyone see the Tigers struggling so much when they swept the Orioles in mid May to get to 24-12. They swept Boston right after that to go 27-12. Since then, the Tigers are 9-20. Who saw that coming?

The point is, teams take off all the time when you least expect it. If you are looking for signs of the O's doing that, you might not get any.

The glass-half-full fan might say players like Chris Davis, Manny Machado, J.J. Hardy, Jimenez and Tillman will be better in the second half.

The glass-half-empty fan can't quite see that happening. That fan has seen the club play .500 ball for too long to think much better is possible.

So can this team go on a tear or not?