Pitchers helping pitchers: Tillman and Norris on the staff's improvement

Going into last night's game, the Orioles were 10-6 since the All-Star break. They had achieved that record against a tough schedule, while last in the American League in batting average, and 12th in runs scored since the break. They had achieved that record mostly behind a pitching staff that ranked third in the league with an ERA of 2.78 since the All-Star Game. That strong pitching continues a pretty remarkable trend for the 2014 Orioles. They have lowered the team ERA every month of this season. From 4.49 in March/April, to 4.00 in May, to 3.46 in June and to 2.96 in July. That July mark was the fourth-best team ERA in the majors for the month and best July ERA by an O's pitching staff since the 1976 team posted a 2.90 ERA. It was the best ERA in a full month (minimum 20 games) by any O's squad since the 2.90 mark from May 1981. So why is O's pitching getting better as the season gets longer? One obvious answer is that new pitching coach Dave Wallace and new bullpen coach Dom Chiti have had a positive effect on the staff. No doubt this is true. But in separate interviews over the weekend, both Chris Tillman and Bud Norris provided other answers that were somewhat surprising. They said in addition to the help of Wallace and Chiti, that O's pitchers help each other. They provide significant input for each other pretty much daily. They watch each other pitch and are not afraid to speak up if they see something that might help. "We've been a pretty tight-knit group and we know what makes each other click," Tillman said. "When a guy is out there pitching, all the rest are sitting there watching. If something is going you wrong, you come back in the dugout and they are on you right away. 'This is what I see.' It's been working and it's going to get better. "When it comes down to it you are out there by yourself making the pitches and you have to make the adjustments by yourself. But if it is something glaring ... lot of times they'll come up and ask (for input) or I'll go up and ask." Sometimes pitchers know both the mechanics and the mindset of a teammate pretty well. "We are a steady group and we all help each other," Tillman added. "I've been around Gonzo (Miguel Gonzalez) and (Wei-Yin) Chen for a long time, so I'm able to help them more than maybe the newer guys. We all kind of work on the same page and for the same goal." Norris made similar comments about pitchers helping pitchers. "Information from the entire staff has helped everybody," Norris said. "The things I'm trying to tell (Kevin) Gausman, the things Tilly tells me, the things Ubaldo (Jimenez) might share with Gonzalez. When you can listen to the people in your corner and take it constructively it can really help. "We sit there during the game and you have four nights when you are not pitching to converse and talk about stuff. I know Darren (O'Day) and Tommy (Hunter) and the guys in the bullpen do it too. Every time we have a pitchers' meeting, guys are putting in information and guys are really buying into the process." Norris said it speaks to the close-knit nature of the team that players look to help each other improve. "When you come into work every day and these guys are putting out information to help everybody and the guy next to them, it speaks volumes about the team and the chemistry," he said. The Orioles are playing .640 ball over their last 50 games at 32-18 and a starting rotation that has an ERA of 3.08 in that time is a big reason for that. Has the O's rotation quietly gone from one that was a question mark to one that is now a team strength? Tillman and Norris have heard the analysts and doubters that have criticized the rotation before the season and during this season. "It's good. It means we are playing good baseball," Tillman said. "Winning comes from pitching and defense, it really goes. Everyone knows what this offense is capable of. All we have to do is pitch. We'll let them talk, it's fine with me." "Keep doing it," Norris said. "They've said it the last couple years and said it when we left spring training. We have no control over what the media says. But the numbers right now speak volumes. We're sitting where we are because we've thrown the ball well and we've played together as team. And we're going to keep pushing." Wallace and Chiti have certainly helped the pitching staff and should get some props too. Later today I'll provide some Tillman and Norris quotes about that.