More notes and quotes on the Orioles' defense

The Orioles entered last night with the lowest error total in the majors with 46 and the highest fielding percentage at .989. The Athletics, their opponent the past four games, led the majors with 99 errors, had the lowest fielding percentage at .978, and were so challenged to catch a fly ball, they should have worked with a safety net.

The emphasis on defense is as much a Baltimore tradition as crab cakes, Natty Boh and humidity that soaks your shorts. It's not suggested here, it's demanded, which is why it was odd to see Jonathan Schoop drop the ball last night before he could make the relay home and later commit throwing and fielding errors.

On the first miscue, the location may have thrown Schoop before he could throw. He received the ball on the left side of the infield in the shift. (Doubtful, but I ran with the whole thrown/throw thing.)

On the second mistake, he was too nonchalant while gathering Cuddyer's grounder and suddenly had to rush the throw from a close distance. A 100 mph heater at Chris Davis' feet wasn't the high-percentage play, but it didn't cost the Orioles run.

Following the game, manager Buck Showalter said Schoop's hand stuck to the ball because of the pine tar from Michael Cuddyer's bat.

On his error in the ninth, the ball simply popped out of his glove as he took Manny Machado's throw on the expected 5-4-3 double play. It appeared to handcuff him. The Mets eventually loaded the bases with no outs and scored twice on a sacrifice fly and Brad Brach's wild pitch.

This is supposed to only happen to the opposition. Maybe the A's were a bad influence, like letting your son or daughter play with the neighbor's bratty kids.

Schoop's other two-error game in the majors occurred on April 11, 2014 in Toronto. He committed just one error in his previous 42 games this season.

The Orioles ranked sixth in the majors last season with a .986 fielding percentage, and they were first at .991 and committed the fewest errors with 54 during their record-setting 2013 season. Third base coach Bobby Dickerson, who also serves as infield instructor, deserves more credit.

There's plenty to go around if the defense is going to operate at its usual level - not what we saw last night.

"I guess I can speak for this team, this clubhouse, but we take it serious," said shortstop J.J. Hardy, who's committed only three errors this season. "We've always said we take a lot of pride in our defense. We focus at it.

"A lot of stuff goes into it - positioning, being in the right spot, pitchers not giving up rockets. It's easier to field balls when the hitters are out in front and hit weak ground balls than when they're squaring stuff up. So a lot of credit goes to our pitchers. Overall, for us it's just about trying to be ready every single pitch and making the plays that we're supposed to make."

I asked Hardy, 33, how it feels to have Schoop and Machado on each side of him.

"It makes me feel old, older than I should feel," he quipped.

"No, it's great. We've seen Manny for a while now and he's the best third baseman in the game. Range-wise, he makes my job easier. Schoopy makes the plays that he's supposed to make and even more when it comes to turning double plays. Probably the best in the game at that. Going out there every night and seeing the stuff they do is fun for me."

We're watching them grow up as players before our eyes. Schoop's maturation has been evident by how he's adjusted his "clock," as Showalter calls it. He usually knows when he needs to rush a throw while turning a double play and when he can sidestep a runner, reset his feet and throw - as he did multiple times while retiring Billy Butler, who runs as though he's carrying all of his possessions in his pockets.

Again, last night was an exception. He's been money with the glove.

"I think that's it exactly, he figured it out," Hardy said, agreeing with my assessment of Schoop's clock, not Butler's lack of foot speed.

"At first I don't think he would do that, but once you figure it out, you've kind of got it. It's nice that he's figured it out at such a young age. Every night they do things that's pretty fun to watch."

Who possesses the stronger arm between Machado and Schoop? Challenged to decide a winner, Showalter ruled it "a tie." Hardy also failed to place one ahead of the other.

"It's been a debate in our locker room since spring training. About half the guys think Schoop and half the guys think Manny," Hardy said.

"Schoop's ball is heavy. When you catch it, it's just heavy. I don't know how that works. It doesn't make sense to me if they're the same speed or one seems quicker, but one's heavier. The ball's, what, five ounces? So I don't know why one would feel heavier than the other one. They're both probably the best arms at their positions in the big leagues, so you're kind of splitting hairs who's is better. They're both the best at their position."

We might get a better feel for it if Schoop moved to third base and threw across the diamond, but that's not happening.

"Just turning double plays, I'm sure they've got stat counts on how hard he throws the ball on double plays and how hard Manny throws the ball when he throws it," Hardy said. "He doesn't throw it hard all the time, but you know it's in there.

"They compete in right field. They'll go out to right field and throw balls to second base, competing against one another. 'Who's arm is stronger? Who's more accurate?' They're always doing that type of stuff."

Schoop's arm strength wasn't the issue last night. Let's see how he bounces back tonight in the series finale.

Ubaldo Jimenez started against the Mets on May 6 at Citi Field and allowed three runs and six hits in four innings in a 5-1 loss. Jimenez hasn't exceeded five innings in two of his last three starts, five of seven and eight of 13.

Jimenez is 2-4 with a 3.71 ERA in seven career starts against the Mets. The current group is 23-for-102 (.225) against him.

Juan Uribe is 5-for-14 with two doubles against Jimenez, Yoenis Cespedes is 3-for-10 with a home run, Kelly Johnson is 8-for-34 with four doubles and 10 walks, and Curtis Granderson is 3-for-13 with a triple and home run.

The Mets are countering with rookie Noah Syndergaard, who's 7-6 with a 3.07 ERA in 17 starts.

Syndergaard has allowed three earned runs or fewer in 10 of his last 11 starts. He's gone eight innings in four of his last nine. He's averaging 9.5 strikeouts per nine innings.

The road has been bumpy for Syndergaard, and you can bet that the Orioles have checked the splits. He's 7-1 with a 1.82 ERA and 0.808 WHIP in nine starts at Citi Field and 0-5 with a 5.01 ERA and 1.548 WHIP in eight starts away from home.

Syndergaard's ERA by months reads as follows: 1.82 in four May starts, 5.14 in five June starts, 1.32 in five July starts and 4.74 in three August starts.