Three Orioles who must maintain improvements

When a team loses 19 of its last 23 games and tumbles to the bottom of the division with a sickening thud, the natural inclination is to pick apart each player and focus on the negatives that destroyed a season.

Finding the silver linings can be a strain to the eyes.

I randomly chose three players who trended upward in a specific area and will need to keep heading in that direction as the Orioles attempt to ditch the cellar and get back into contention.

Can Jonathan Schoop rev up the on-base machine again?

Of all the improvements washing over certain Orioles in 2017, perhaps none were more impressive and startling than Schoop's increase in on-base percentage.

While playing in 162 games last season, Schoop registered a .267/.298/.454 slash line with 38 doubles, one triple, 25 home runs and 82 RBIs in 647 plate appearances. He drew 21 walks and struck out 137 times.

He was more doubles machine with budding power.

In two fewer games this summer, Schoop batted .293/.338/.503 with 35 doubles, 32 home runs and 105 RBIs in 675 plate appearances. He drew 35 walks and struck out 142 times.

He still had a knack for the two-bagger and his home runs and RBIs were career highs, but most of the chatter surrounding Schoop focused on his OBP and new-found patience at the plate.

Schoop matched last year's walk total on July 25 while on his way to another career milestone. I lost count of all the pitcher's counts that Schoop worked into hitter's counts.

If you listened closely, you could hear the smile slowly crease the face of hitting coach Scott Coolbaugh.

Can Mychal Givens serve up similar splits?

While gaining trust in his changeup, Givens became a more complete and reliable reliever in 2017.

Givens held left-handers to a .184 average, another pronounced and startling improvement. They posted a .366/.464/.561 slash line last season, before Givens consented to using his changeup more as a way to better defend himself.

An upper-90s fastball from a sidearm angle already provides Givens with a lethal weapon, and he tightened up his slider while working with new pitching coach Roger McDowell. But the changeup to left-handed hitters is a critical adjustment and makes Givens closer material in the future.

Perhaps the not-too-distant future with Zach Britton approaching free agency.

Givens came across as a righty specialist in 2016, holding right-handed hitters to a .156 average. Every bullpen can use one, but the Orioles wanted to raise his ceiling, in part to keep other relievers available who otherwise had to cover for him.

Right-handed hitters posted a .209/.267/.348 slash line against Givens this summer. He didn't become a reverse-splits pitcher. Just a more complete one.

Can Brad Brach continue to defend himself against left-handers?

The 2016 numbers weren't particularly alarming in this category, but left-handers batted .288/.352/.432 against Brach as he settled into his set-up and occasional closer role with the Orioles.

They hit .212/.271/.288 against him this summer.

Brach always has been a challenge versus right-handers, who posted a .126/.187/.212 slash line against him in 2016 and a .205/.290/.386 slash line this summer.

Manager Buck Showalter would like to limit the number of specialists in the bullpen. A lefty is fine, the way Brian Matusz and Donnie Hart filled the role, but it's important to have relievers who can stay in a game no matter who's on deck.

It's especially true for Brach because of his responsibilities in the late innings.

Note: Fewer than 100 tickets remain for Monday's fifth annual #StayHungry Purple Tailgate hosted by Adam Jones. Details here.