Off to a Great Start...

The Showalter era has gotten off to a great start, with last night's win the Orioles swept the Angels out of Baltimore. I honestly didn't recognize the team that played last night. Was that the Angels? I mean I know they wore Angels' uniforms but they played terribly this series moreover they weren't playing smart "Angel Baseball" that I know I have grown very accustomed to seeing over the better part of the last decade. The Orioles caught the Angels in free-fall and I will take it.

Showalter has the Orioles playing very good ball right now - but how much of it is really Showalter? I am sure Buck would be the first person to say that he has done little to bring about these wins. I am sure he would say that it is all the players. And it has been the players:

The starting pitching has been wonderful this series Guthrie, Matusz and Arrieta combined to pitch 20.2 innings giving up six (SIX!) runs and only allowing two (TWO!) walks. Guthrie and Matusz both got wins. Arrieta had a remarkable start ruined by an eighth inning Torii Hunter 3-run homerun off of Jason Berken. Speaking of which, as great as the starters have been the last two games have seen the pen struggle. Matt Albers got lit up on Thursday night making a laugher a lot closer than it needed to be, David Hernandez struggled in the same game before spraining his ankle and ending up on the DL. Gonzalez has been reliable but he gave up an RBI last night while facing his only batter, but even with the struggles the Orioles have found ways to win the last few games.

>>> Read More