O's have played 31 games vs. clubs currently with winning records

The Orioles schedule takes a turn beginning today. A turn away from American League East games. Thus far, they have played 23 of their 43 games and seven of 14 series within the division.

After playing 54 percent of their current schedule against the AL East, the Orioles will play none of their next six series against the AL East. They go to Washington beginning tonight, followed by a trip to Minnesota and the Chicago White Sox. After that, they come home to face Minnesota, Cleveland and the New York Mets.

After playing zero games to date versus the AL Central, they will play 13 of their next 18 against that division with five mixed in versus National League East teams.

The O's are 17-26 against a tough schedule.

They got swept by Tampa Bay and that was the 10th series among the 14 they have played against clubs with a current winning record. They are 11-20 against current winning record clubs and 6-6 against clubs with a current losing record. And seven of those 12 games against clubs with a losing record were against the Mariners, a team that had a winning record at the time of the O's two series against them.

Of course, just because the Orioles will play clubs with a losing record doesn't mean they will win. The Orioles have their own losing record, playing .395 ball, a record better than only Colorado and Minnesota.

Here are the winning percentages of their upcoming opponents: three at Washington (.425), three at Minnesota (.349), four at the Chicago White Sox (.619), three home versus Minnesota (.349), three against Cleveland (.561) and two at home against the New York Mets (.541).

The O's have already played 10 of their 19 scheduled games for the season against both the Yankees and Red Sox, going 4-6 against each club. They have 16 of 19 remaining against Tampa Bay and 19 of 19 versus Toronto. They are 8-15 thus far in the division.

The Orioles have played 18 games against teams that are currently in first place, or in Oakland's case, just a half-game out. They are 7-11 in those games against the Red Sox, Mets and Athletics.

What about winning on the farm?: This is a question asked often about the minor leagues: How important is winning on the farm?

I used to think not very, but I've come to believe it does have some level of importance. It's not that a Grayson Rodriguez or DL Hall can't pitch well in a losing cause or that players can't develop to their fullest while playing on a losing team, even a last-place team.

But there are some things winning teams gain. Sometimes it is just how they play well together to produce wins - advancing runners, hitting cutoff men, keeping the double play in order, hitting to all fields. In short, doing things that many winning teams do at all levels.

Can you build that winning feeling on the farm?

In a recent interview, high Single-A Aberdeen skipper Kyle Moore said he feels that answer is definitely yes.

"I think that development obviously tops winning," he said. "But we were sitting around the clubhouse talking about it the other day. It's super important. Because I think that there is certainly some development aspect in learning how to win. And I just don't think you are going to roll the balls out there and play it like a showcase and end up with a winner at Camden Yards one day. I just don't believe in that.

"So they have given me all the freedom and liberties to do what I need to do as a manager to sort of instill that in the team, which I love. This regime, this front office. So within the margins of making sure guys are getting the correct opportunity, the managers in this organization have been given the freedom to bunt if you think you need to bunt to win a game. To sub a guy, to run the running game accordingly to win some ballgames.

"It's not at the very top of the list, but I do think it holds a lot of weight to learn how to win."

Moore believes winning can be meaningful as players move up the minor league ladder.

"No question, no question," he said. "You have to learn how to win and it has to be a part of your fabric. And if you think we're going to run through the AL East and win without winning in the minor leagues, I think that's false. I don't think it's all about winning. But I certainly think if you look across the board at other rebuilds and other organizations, before a team gets good in the big leagues, they win a lot in the minor leagues. That just comes with the territory, you know."

Baumann's strong rehab outing: Right-hander Mike Baumann was dealing last night in his second rehab outing for low Single-A Delmarva. He threw three perfect innings, retiring all nine batters he faced, four on strikeouts. He got nine up and out on just 30 pitches.

Despite Baumann's outing, Delmarva's eight-game win streak ended last night. Carolina beat the Shorebirds 3-2 in 10 innings. Jordan Westburg went 2-for-3 with two walks and is batting .383 with an OPS of 1.104 for Delmarva, now 11-4.

Elsewhere on the farm, Double-A Bowie won again, 6-1 at Richmond to improve to 11-3 with its eighth win in the last nine games. Starter Kevin Smith went 4 2/3 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. Bowie is 9-0 this year in starts by Hall, Kyle Bradish and Smith.

Low Single-A Aberdeen lost 7-0 to Wilmington to fall to 9-6. Blaine Knight allowed four runs over five innings and is 0-1 with a 2.57 ERA.

Triple-A Norfolk has lost seven in a row and fell 5-4 to Jacksonville in 10 innings. Brett Cumberland and Austin Wynns homered for the Tides, now 3-12.

In that Norfolk game, knuckleballer Mickey Jannis pitched five perfect innings in relief, but took the loss. How could that happen? Well he retired all 15 batters he faced, but the runner placed at second base to start the top of the 10th scored on a sac bunt, followed by a sac fly. Tough loss there.