Some first-half numbers and a Britton note

The All-Star Game is history, bringing the Orioles a step closer to Major League Baseball's version of a second half.

The Orioles are 44-44, which puts them beyond the halfway point in a 162-game regular season. I'm able to figure it out and I'm pretty weak at math.

Manager Buck Showalter is hoping for more consistency after play resumes on Friday. The Orioles won 18 of 23 games before losing 10 of their last 13.

"I'd agree with that," Showalter said. "There have been some good things. We've gone through some periods where we thought that was ... You look at some of the constants. Early on, we weren't quite what we needed to be and were capable of defensively, but that seems to have gotten better. That will bode well for some consistency if we can stay good defensively."

The Orioles lead the American League with a .988 fielding percentage. The Dodgers lead the majors at .990.

Has anyone noticed that shortstop J.J. Hardy has committed only one error in 232 total chances?

It also would help if the Orioles began winning on the road, where they've gone 17-26. And if they could heat up with runners in scoring position, their average tumbling to .290.

The Orioles are batting .311 with RISP and less than two outs, but .261 with two outs. Delmon Young was 10-for-23 with 11 RBIs with RISP and less than two outs, but he's currently a free agent after the Orioles released him.

Jimmy Paredes is batting .389 (21-for-54) with RISP, which ranks third in the American League, and .600 (12-for-20) with RISP and two outs. Hardy is batting .327 (16-for-49) with RISP and .370 (10-for-27) with RISP and less than two outs. Caleb Joseph is batting .333 (14-for-42) with RISP and .375 (9-for-24) with RISP and less than two outs.

Manny Machado ranks fifth in the American League with 101 hits and 178 total bases, seventh with 56 runs, tied for seventh with 38 extra base hits and ninth with a .525 slugging percentage.

Adam Jones' .370 batting average in the day ranks fifth in the American League. His .328 average against left-handers ranks eighth.

Chris Davis' 110 strikeouts rank second behind the Astros' Chris Carter (115).

Wei-Yin Chen (2.78) and Ubaldo Jimenez (2.81) rank ninth and 10th, respectively, in ERA.

Closer Zach Britton's 23 saves are tied for third, and he ranks first in games finished with 35. Only two of his 139 minor league appearances came out of the bullpen, and he made 46 starts over parts of three seasons with the Orioles before they moved him into a relief role - at first undefined.

The rotation figures to undergo changes next season with Chen and Bud Norris pending free agents, but Britton isn't being considered as a possible replacement.

"You never say never about anything, especially an organization that we try to keep in mind who we are and how we have to do things, but right now we don't have any plans to," Showalter said. "He's operating at a very high level and that's where the need is. You never say never, but if not him, then who?

"We like where our starting pitching is for the most part and we like the role that Zach plays. And he's doing it obviously at a very high level, as good as anybody in baseball."

Britton hasn't been pushing for a return to a starting role.

"Zach just wants to contribute and his mentality fits well down there," Showalter said. "Not that it wouldn't as a starter. I think Zach would be successful in whatever he does."