For O's catchers, a fresh bat may be a more productive bat

At a position that is demanding physically and mentally and one where a player could easily wear down, the Orioles timeshare at the catcher spot right now is producing some benefits.

They are playing Caleb Joseph and Matt Wieters behind the plate every other day only because Wieters is not yet able to handle catching back-to-back days after coming off Tommy John surgery.

Because each guy is not behind the plate each day, both are fresher during a long season.

It seems to be showing up on offense right now. Wieters was 10-for-20 over his last six games before going hitless last night. Joseph's bat is really picking up right now. Joseph has produced back-to-back three-RBI games after he had a two-run homer and an RBI double in Monday's 9-2 win at Oakland.

Over his last 11 games, Joseph is batting .314 (11-for-35) with four homers, 16 RBIs and six multi-RBI games. He had six multi-RBI games all year until this recent stretch. He had 21 RBIs in his first 56 games and has come close to matching that total in just 11 games.

"I feel like I could do this 12 months a year playing every other day as a catcher. It is amazing what one day off will do for your body," Joseph told me during the last homestand.

Joseph said the day off from catching allows him to also work more closely with Wieters and get tips from the veteran who has won two Gold Gloves.

"You get the chance to pick his brain and watch him go through a lineup, watch him dissect video and call pitches. When you are in the minors, you play just about every night. I didn't get to watch Matt much (on television). But being here and watching him call every pitch, you can really appreciate what he does back there. Being able to go to him with questions about certain hitters or certain spots and lean on his experience has been helpful."

Joseph said he will seek out Wieters for advice during games when he is catching and Wieters is not.

"Oh yeah. A lot of times it may be after the fact. 'What did you think about that, here is what I was thinking.' I respect and trust his opinion a lot. There is something about being in the fight with a guy day-to-day. There is a feel that you can't explain. Having Matt there, he's just a great guy and is very approachable and has been great for me so far."

Joseph threw Brett Lawrie out trying to steal last night. He has thrown out 34.7 percent since the start of the 2014 season to rank third-best in the majors.

More notes on the Orioles:

* The Orioles have played .500 ball or better since 2012 on the West Coast. They went 8-8 that season out west and then 11-5 in 2013 and 6-4 last year.

* In his two starts this year, right-hander Tyler Wilson is 1-1 with an ERA of 2.63. Over 13 2/3 innings against the White Sox and A's, he has allowed 11 hits and four runs with three walks, four strikeouts and a .220 average against.

* The Orioles have homered in a season-high 10 straight games, hitting 16 in that span. They have six games of two homers in the stretch.

* The Orioles 14 hits were their most since July 19. They have 10 or more hits in four of the last five games with a team average of .283 and 32 runs scored in that span.

Doyle does it again: Same pitcher, different team, same result. Terry Doyle got yet another win last night. It would be hard to find a starting pitcher on the O's farm that has been better this year.

Moving up from Double-A Bowie to Triple-A Norfolk last night, the 29-year-old Doyle pitched the Tides to a 3-2 win over Louisville. He went eight innings allowing six hits and two runs. On the year, between both levels, Doyle is now 13-1 with an ERA of 1.99. Doyle's 13 wins are tied for the most in all of minor league baseball.

Here is another amazing stat: Dating to May 23 with Bowie, Doyle's teams have won his last 14 starts and he is 11-0 in that stretch.

In scoring three late runs to win that game, Norfolk is now 64-44 and leading its division by a season-high six games over Charlotte. The Tides are 20 games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2001 season.