Ranking O's starters by quality start and win percentage

Ranking O's starters by quality start and win percentage
After noticing last night that the Orioles are a surprising 9-5 this year in games started by Tommy Hunter, I wondered what the team's record was in games started by others. Here is a ranking of the starters by the team's winning percentage when they start: .643 - Hunter (9-5) .611 - Jason Hammel (11-7), Wei-Yin Chen (11-7) .500 - Miguel Gonzalez (1-1), Dana Eveland (1-1, Chris Tillman (1-1) .389 - Jake Arrieta (7-11) .375 - Brian Matusz (6-10) .000 - Zach Britton (0-1) Yes, that is rather...
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A statistical look at Adam Jones' improvement against left-handers

A statistical look at Adam Jones' improvement against left-handers
Adam Jones is certainly hitting better against left-handed pitchers this season. That came in handy last night when he hit a two-run homer in the first inning against Francisco Liriano. It was all the offense the Orioles would get in a 2-1 win over the Twins. Jones hit four homers all of last season in 153 at-bats against lefties. This year, he has six in 93 at-bats against southpaws. He averaged a homer every 38.3 at-bats last year against the lefties and that mark is one every 15.5 at-bats...
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If Tommy Hunter falters, will Steve Johnson be next man up?

If Tommy Hunter falters, will Steve Johnson be next man up?
Tommy Hunter, at least for one night, rejoins the Orioles rotation tonight in Minnesota. Steve Johnson will also be starting for the Triple-A Norfolk Tides at home against Rochester. You have to wonder if Johnson could soon get a crack at the Orioles rotation. While Johnson has been used mostly in relief in recent appearances with Norfolk, he was a starting earlier this year and could be someone to look at if Hunter struggles tonight. Hunter has certainly gotten several chances this year to...
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Orioles get fourth pick in Competitive Balance Lottery

Orioles get fourth pick in Competitive Balance Lottery
The Orioles added a draft pick for next June today in the first Competitive Balance Lottery. The Orioles will get the fourth pick in Round A, which will follow the first-round picks in the 2013 First-Year Player Draft. A projection on the MLB Network, where the results were announced this afternoon, was that the pick would fall between the 32nd and 37th overall selections and the Round A picks will come before the second-round picks. The order for the Round A picks is Kansas City, Pittsburgh,...
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Orioles' seventh-round draft pick is dealing with shoulder issue

Orioles' seventh-round draft pick is dealing with shoulder issue
The Orioles say their seventh-round draft pick, pitcher Matt Price from the University of South Carolina, is dealing with a tight right shoulder capsule and may not pitch in a game this year. "His physical wasn't completely clean and they are being overly cautious," Orioles scouting director Gary Rajsich said. "I'm not saying that is anything out of the ordinary, it is just a pitcher with a lot of wear and tear. It's something that hasn't held other pitchers back. There are some pretty...
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O's may add a draft pick in today's Competitive Balance Lottery

O's may add a draft pick in today's Competitive Balance Lottery
The Orioles and 12 other major league teams have a chance to add a pick in next June's First-Year Player draft today when baseball holds its first Competitive Balance Lottery this afternoon. The lottery, scheduled to take place at 1:30 p.m. in New York, is a mechanism designed to help teams perceived to need the most assistance by awarding extra draft picks to some of them. The 10 smallest-market teams and 10 lowest-revenue teams will have the chance to win one of six extra selections in the...
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Britton takes the mound tonight as fans turn to another young starter

Britton takes the mound tonight as fans turn to another young starter
At this point, beyond just getting wins to turn around a long run of losing, Orioles fans could use a few good outings from some of the Orioles' young starting pitchers for their collective psyche. By now, maybe long before now, some fans have begun to doubt these young hurlers. They have seen them go back and forth between Triple-A and the majors too much and have seen good outings, but then watched that followed up with a poor outing. They have seen them work with Rick Adair, the O's big...
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Why is J.J. Hardy struggling so much at bat?

Why is J.J. Hardy struggling so much at bat?
If there was ever a player that didn't let his slump on offense carry over to his defense, it's Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy. He continues to give the club superior defense at a premium position and that is important on a team that makes so many errors at other spots on the diamond. But at the same time, the duration of Hardy's slump has to be baffling to the player, his manager and coaches - and to the fans. Hardy has never been a big hitter for average. But he batted .269 for the Orioles...
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Taking a look at some bullpen stats

Taking a look at some bullpen stats
For a while, the Orioles bullpen had the best ERA in the majors and/or the American League. Yesterday, before the game, the Orioles' bullpen ERA of 2.87 ranked second-best in the AL, but after giving up 12 runs in the 19-7 loss at Minnesota, the Orioles' bullpen ERA is up to 3.16 and they have fallen all the way to fifth in AL. 2.75 - Oakland 3.04 - Boston 3.13 - Seattle 3.14 - Kansas City 3.16 - Orioles In four games since the All-Star break, Orioles starters have pitched just 15 1/3...
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The Orioles are looking to add to win streak against Twins

The Orioles are looking to add to win streak against Twins
As the Orioles try to get some wins after a stretch where they have gone just 7-15 over their past 22 games, tonight they begin a four-game series with the team with the worst record in the American League. The Twins are 36-52 and have lost five in a row. They are just 5-12 this year against the AL East, 17-28 at home and 4-7 in July. Over the weekend, they were swept by Oakland in a three-game series and allowed nine homers to the A's, including eight in the past two games. The Orioles...
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Can the Orioles offense get it going on this road trip?

Can the Orioles offense get it going on this road trip?
Here are some of the recent numbers on the Orioles' offense: * They have been shut out three times in the last five games and five times in the past 22 games. * They have scored just 34 runs in the last 11 games, and 73 over the last 25 games, an average of 2.9 per game. * The Orioles are 3-for-31 with runners in scoring position over the last five games and are batting just .168 with RISP over the last 25 games. * The Orioles now rank 11th in the AL in batting average and runs scored and...
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Orioles remain very much in playoff hunt, but losses are mounting

Orioles remain very much in playoff hunt, but losses are mounting
With each Orioles loss these days, is it possible that a reality is setting in and that reality is that this year, which started out with such promise, will not end up with the Birds in the playoffs? It hasn't been just a tough series, or week, or homestand the team has endured. But since starting the year with a record of 27-14 on May 19, the Orioles are 19-28. That is 47 games of sub-.500, losing baseball. During those 47 games, the ERA of the Orioles' starting pitchers is 5.33. That ERA...
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Postgame comments from Chris Davis and Miguel Gonzalez

Postgame comments from Chris Davis and Miguel Gonzalez
Chris Davis has seen Justin Verlander on top of his game before. He went 0-for-4 today, as did several of his teammates, as Verlander pitched the Tigers to a 4-0 win over the Orioles at Camden Yards. "I thought after the All-Star Game, we were going to have a real good shot at lighting him up, but he was just setting us up," Davis said. "He won MVP last year for a reason. I felt like at times today he was just toying with us. He was hitting his spots, mixing it up, then when he needed his...
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Steve Johnson talks about his major league debut

Steve Johnson talks about his major league debut
For Baltimore native Steve Johnson, it's been quite an afternoon. He got to play for his hometown team on the field at Camden Yards for the first time. He pitched two innings against the Tigers and gave up a Miguel Cabrera homer in his major league debut. But Johnson left to the cheers of the crowd after the top of the eighth. He walked the first two batters, but later fanned two to strand a pair in scoring position as the Camden Yards fans cheered him on. "Just walking off the field in the...
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Verlander victorious as Tigers take the series finale

Verlander victorious as Tigers take the series finale
There is a saying in baseball that momentum is only as good as that day's starting pitcher. If the Orioles had any momentum after Saturday's 13-inning win, Justin Verlander squashed it. He gave up just three hits over eight innings today as Detroit beat the Orioles 4-0 to take the series finale in front of 30,439 at Camden Yards. Verlander retired 16 of the last 17 Orioles, and walked two and fanned eight, throwing 117 pitches. He improved to 10-5 on the year and lowered his ERA to...
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Jim Thome's impressive career power numbers against Justin Verlander (updated)

Jim Thome's impressive career power numbers against Justin Verlander (updated)
Here is an interesting stat: Eight of the players in the Orioles' starting lineup today have combined for just one career homer off Justin Verlander in 85 at-bats. But the other player in the lineup today has seven career homers in 49 at-bats against the Detroit right-hander. Jim Thome is the guy with all the homers. He is 12-for-49 in his career vs. Verlander for a modest .245 batting average. But he has one double and those seven homers off Verlander to go along with 11 RBIs and career OPS...
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Jason Hammel talks about his decision to have surgery

Jason Hammel talks about his decision to have surgery
Orioles pitcher Jason Hammel told reporters a few minutes ago that he has decided he will have surgery on his right knee. The arthroscopic procedure will take place at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore on Monday. "Obviously, it's not what I want to do, but it's what needs to be done," Hammel said. "I can't keep pitching on a bad leg and start doing things with my arm and hurting stuff there. I'm bummed out, but it will be a pretty routine surgery. I figure a few weeks, maybe four...
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Jim Johnson calls himself out for blown save, but O's got win

Jim Johnson calls himself out for blown save, but O's got  win
You could hardly blame Jim Johnson for his blown save Saturday. Not that giving up four hits and three runs in one inning is ever a good thing, but Johnson also was hurt by a key error on third baseman Ryan Flaherty in that inning. Also, Johnson has been near-perfect in closing games for the Orioles this year and that was just his second blown save in 28 chances. Johnson saved his first 17 in a row before a blown save June 5 at Boston. He then saved nine in a row before Saturday's...
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Hardy and Teagarden talk about those 13th-inning homers

Hardy and Teagarden talk about those 13th-inning homers
Taylor Teagarden was the last hero of the day for the Orioles in his first game for the club. But it also had to be a nice sight for O's fans to see J.J. Hardy tie the game with a homer in the bottom of the 13th, setting the stage for Teagarden's game-winner. Hardy had just one homer in his last 28 games and was in an 0-for-28 drought. He had just nine hits over his last 94 at-bats when he came to the plate in the 13th. His solo shot off Joaquin Benoit tied the game, 6-6. "It's a rough...
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O's get two homers in the 13th to stun Detroit

O's get two homers in the 13th to stun Detroit
Well, that was not just another game. In his first game and just his second at-bat with the Orioles, Taylor Teagarden hit his first career walk-off homer. His two-run shot to right was two batters after J.J. Hardy's game-tying shot to left and gave the Orioles a remarkable and exhausting 8-6 win in 13 innings over the Tigers. The Orioles earlier had blown a 4-1 lead in the top of the ninth, and each team scored one run in the 11th. The Tigers took a 6-5 lead to the last of the 13th before...
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