Some numbers to check out and some questions to answer as the season resumes

As the Orioles begin the second-half tonight, they take the field in Texas at 58-38 and are leading the AL East by one game over the New York Yankees and 4.5 over the Boston Red Sox.

It looks like the division race could be tight all year and it’s now a three-team, not just a two-team chase.

The O’s .604 win percentage has been dragged down by the 1-5 homestand they finished on Sunday and by going 9-13 since June 21.

On June 20 they were 49-25 and a ½-game out of first in the division, playing .662 ball and on a 107-win pace.

But even in going 9-13 they gained 1.5 games on the Yankees to now lead the division as New York is 7-14 in that time. The O’s are now playing at a 98-win pace.

As the second half begins, neither the Orioles or Yankees can feel good about their recent play. We soon find out which if either team can turn it around. Frankly neither looked all that good in the series at Camden Yards. Boston, which begins the second half with designs on passing both teams, has a tough stretch beginning tonight. They play at the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend and then go to Colorado before coming home with a series with the Yankees beginning July 26.

During the O’s 9-13 slide, their offense, which was leading the majors in runs scored per game, averaged just 3.8 runs per game with a .747 team OPS. The team ERA was 5.69 in those 22 games with the O’s staff allowing 37 homers and an .827 OPS.

For the year the O’s rank fourth in the AL in batting average (.253), sixth in OBP (.313), first in the league and MLB in slugging (.452) and first in the league and second in MLB in team OPS (.764.)

The club’s 4.94 runs per game now ranks second in the AL and tied for fourth in the majors.

Hope for the offense to get going for me comes in how hard the team hits the ball and has consistently most of the year. For the season, they don’t strike out much (21.3 K rate, 18^th in majors) while they are tied for first in hard-hit rate (43.0 percent), second in team average exit velocity (90.0 mph) and third in barrel percentage (9.6).

The O's pitching is also no longer at the top of the American League. In team ERA at the break, at 3.71, the Orioles are tied for fourth in the AL and tied for sixth in the majors. Their rotation ERA is fifth in the AL at 3.63 while they rank eighth in bullpen ERA at 3.83.

The biggest question to answer over the next few weeks is what move, or moves are made by the trade deadline?

The team could use both rotation and bullpen help. Just what can they add and what price in prospects will they have to pay to get it?

Even a mid or back-end rotation starter could be a boost to the starting staff and maybe help the Orioles win the AL East or at least comfortably win enough to claim a playoff spot.

But to get a true October difference-maker, a top of rotation type, the O's may have to pay with one of their very top prospects. Is the team prepared to do that?

Well, it is going to be fascinating to find out. 

The answers to the questions are coming but for now the season resumes tonight in Arlington, Texas.