Frustration growing after another Orioles' loss
The Orioles' 5-4 defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Braves was their fifth straight, their eighth in the last 10 games and drops them to a season-high 10 games under .500.
Their 45th loss of the season appeared to sting more than most as the Orioles' clubhouse was as quiet as it has been all season.
Some players sat in silence. Mark Reynolds, who had two home runs in the game and just missed a third, angrily tossed some equipment into his locker. And nobody was distraught as starter Jake Arrieta, who gave up five runs in the decisive fourth inning, including a grand slam to Braves' backup catcher David Ross.
“I couldn’t make the pitch to get out of the inning,” said Arrieta, who allowed five runs in the five-inning outing. “We got two runs in the fourth. I come out and get two quick outs and I just lost it. It’s just a terrible feeling. That’s it. That’s all I got.”
Arrieta is one of the most engaging and accessible guys on the club. He is also one of the Orioles' best interviews. However tonight, he answered several questions with a couple of words or clauses before returning to his locker, where he sat slumped in his chair.
The good news was that Arrieta looked healthy - his velocity was in the low-to-mid 90's throughout the outing - and showed no signs of the elbow issues that got him skipped in the rotation. However, the young pitcher was fixated on the sequence of events in the fourth inning when he gave up a two-out double to Chipper Jones, hit Freddie Freeman with an 0-2 curveball, allowed an RBI single to Dan Uggla on a ball that left fielder Luke Scott should have caught, walked a sub-.240 hitting Nate McLouth on five pitches and then served up the grand slam to Ross.
"I had a guy 0-2 or 1-2 and I hit him in the foot. Base hit, walk home run. Fell apart," Arrieta said.
Reynolds also was none too please that his the second multi-homer game of his season came in a loss.
"Yeah, it sucks," he said. "I’d take an 0-for-4 and a win. I don’t enjoy losing. I never have. I’m sure nobody does, but it eats at me. Sure, two home runs are nice but it was for nothing. So, hopefully tomorrow we can salvage a game and get out of here."
Reynolds also lamented the team's inconsistency this year.
"It’s very frustrating," he said. "You know, it’s like we play 10 days of awesome baseball and 10 days of crappy baseball. And that results in, you know, our record. I guess it all boils down to consistent play. We have a couple guys get hot over a couple days and we win some games and we go cold. We just need to be more consistent on the mound and at the dish and make all the plays on defense and start winning some games because it’s very, very frustrating."
A Baltimore native, 
Comments
The Orioles are in desparate need for talent in order to be competitive. It is unbelievable that a team that has had so many high draft choices the past ten years as almost nothing to show for it.
It is imperative that this team make the necessary changes to insure they draft talent first no matter what it will cost in dollars to sign them. It is painfully obvious the Orioles have not done that consistently the past ten years. The Orioles "eye" for talent is either lacking or they are looking first at the cost of a player before they draft him.
Posted by: Steve Eilertson | July 3, 2011 1:25 AM
Jeff,
Thought i heard yesterday that the Yankees have a really lopsided record this yr vs Red Sox.
Can you provide me with a link for looking up such head-to-head W/L records ?
Thank you, in advance
Posted by: dave | July 3, 2011 2:54 AM
You assume they got quality high draft picks every year for the past ten years. How many of those picks were traded away on free agents who didn't pan out or who couldn't pull us over the top. It seems only recently have we been able to own our own draft and groom some homegrown talent thru the pipeline into "the Show".
Posted by: Ooch | July 3, 2011 3:27 AM
JEFF FEEL FREE TO CORRECT ME.. MY frustration isn't so much about the losses this year. I just read BA predictions for the interleague signing expectations that presents the orioles as frugal and hopeless.. DREAMING of throwing millions at FIELDER, is okay I have said for two years I would love to see him or PUJOLS ON THE ORIOLES but that doesn't improve the minor leagues, UNTIL we do that we fall farther behind in the AL EAST, we claim to want to match or emulate the success of CIN, BOS, KC, ATL, TOR, TB, and others but our minor league system gets further behind while we sit on our money or throw it as end of the road players. REYNOLDS, HARDY, and even lee are better at their positions than we had last year.. IN guerero's CASE and defense hindsight is 20/20 . LEE has started to hit and plus plus defensively and in the clubhouse plus we here from NL guys he is a 2nd half hitter,. I have enjoyed watching him sometimes.. BUT IF I had a choice I would rather have a couple of slugging 1B prospects blocked somewhere else like GOLDSCHMIDT,AZ., DAVIS,TX. ALONZO,CIN. or a kid in the KC system blocked behind hosmer and butler. ADD BUNDY and some international top players like chapman when they are there for the suigning no draft and I would gladly feel this organisation is headed right.. I don't bash mr. angelos often or andy but I refuse to believe our baseball executives do not realize how much could be accomplished in the system by adding several top international players.. When your minors are as far back as ours is I can only question PETER OR ANDY for this lack..
Posted by: GRANT | July 3, 2011 5:09 AM
Waiting. Waiting. The Orioles are always waiting for something...this Spring waiting for Matusz to return. Waiting for Weiters and Markakis to 'break out' Now we're waiting for Roberts' return. This team need to play in the here and now. Come on!
Posted by: ruth | July 3, 2011 5:55 AM
They think it is frustrating to them. What about the fans who pay their salary? We have to watch a bunch of no talent players botch play after play and lose constantly.
Posted by: Bob | July 3, 2011 7:43 AM
Yup....let's continue to march Luke Scott out there everyday!
Posted by: Guy Shepherd | July 3, 2011 8:20 AM
Steve, could not have said it better.
Posted by: Mark | July 3, 2011 8:34 AM
Why isn't Reynolds in the clean up spot? Vlad is not the guy for hitting in that spot.
Posted by: Chris Weatherly | July 3, 2011 9:08 AM
Jeff,
Is it as maddening to you as it is to the rest of us to watch a guy perform like Reimold only to ride the pine in favor of an injured Luke Scott?
I mean, I only get to listen to games and don't get to talk to the players, so maybe it isn't as cut and dry as it seems over the airwaves or in the recaps.
It just appears that Buck doesn't give anyone a chance to provide that spark that is so desperately needed while at the same time lamenting the fact that his players aren't performing.
I know it's not even in the top 10 of why this team isn't good, but it sure seems like we aren't trying the obvious. And for the record, I still don't think Reimold is the answer in left, but how can you not start a guy that is better defensively, and currently offensively, than Scott?
I guess more of a baffled rant than a question. Aaargh.
I'll throw in a positive. I think Arrieta is going to be really good long term. The guy has great stuff, and I think we need to remember that he hasn't even pitched a full season in the bigs yet. His WHIP is way down from last year and his Ks per 9 are up. I hope he keeps figuring it out. Unfortunately, I think it takes outings like last nights for that to happen.
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Jeff Z's reply: I wouldn't say it's maddening to me. I will say - and I've said it in the past - that I don't quite understand it.
Posted by: pjclark4 | July 3, 2011 9:48 AM
The fans are frustrated too. These pop bottles get paid big money to play poorly year after year. Baltimore fans are being cheated big time.
Posted by: gilgamesh1 | July 3, 2011 9:49 AM
Boy, it sure is a good thing Buck decided to keep Luke in the lineup last night instead of letting Reimold get a shot huh?
I can't wait until he starts playing Izturis over Hardy when he's healthy again.
Heaven forbid we try to put the best team on the field.
Posted by: Roy | July 3, 2011 10:07 AM
What is just as annoying as the O's lack of timely offense is the way the Front Office treats the international signing period. Why is it that reporters aren't putting MacPhail's feet to the fire with this? Everyone just accepts his explanations for why they don't sign international Free Agents.
Why doesn't anyone ask why they don't spend way more in the Amateur Draft than everyone else if they aren't going to spend internationally? Why doesn't a reporter put his feet to the fire over why other teams don't have the problem of signing these guys? Why not ask him how he expects to make up for the lack of talent coming in from international spending?
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Jeff Z's reply: Ryan, Andy MacPhail has been asked this question several times and he's answered it several times in the same manner. He was asked it at the State of the Orioles Address on the last homestand about the lack of international spending. His reasoning is he thinks it's too risky to spend money on these top guys. A lot of this is a sleazy business with the buscones and stuff and MacPhail clearly doesn't like playing it. Plus, the Orioles simply haven't established enough of a presence in Latin American with enough scouts to land some of the big-ticket guys But mostly, it's MacPhail's and the organization's unwillingness to get in the game. MacPhail would rather spend the money available to sign draft picks. Please don't misunderestand. I'm not saying that I agree with this. In fact, I don't. I think the Orioles, who have a hard time attracting top free agents, need to explore different ways of acquiring talent and the international market is one that several teams have taken advantage of. .
Posted by: Ryan | July 3, 2011 10:26 AM
Until now, I have not placed any blame on Showalter for what is turning into another route for this team, an almost certain last place finish, and the 14th losing season in a row. Andy simply has not given him the horses to run the race. It is crystal clear by now that Andy was the wrong person to bring in to turn things around. He hasn't moved fast enough, gone far enough, or brought in the talent from outside the organization to change the paradigm. But that's stating the obvious.
But after watching Scott botch another play in left field, it is time to assign some blame to Buck for not thinking out of the box with the players he has been given, meager group that it is.
Luke Scott and Felix Pie are hitting a combined .231 in 316 AB's. They have a combined 27 RBI's and 9 HR's{All Scott} with 70 K's.
Pie is a total waste of a roster spot. What else can you say. He isn't even worthy of a 4th outfield spot on most teams. Scott is hurting the team defensively and if he catches that ball last night, the team probably wins. It's not the physical errrors that hurts with Scott, it is the balls he can't get to. Half a season has gone by but Buck keeps running these two players out there.
Memo to Buck: It's long past time to sit these two and play Nolan Reimold for the rest of the season. He deserves a shot. They got theirs.
Memo to Mark Reynolds: Anybody who is leading the major leagues in errors, on a on a pace for 40 this year, shouldn't be throwing equpment in disgust. Your occasional long ball can never make up for the defensive liability that you are at third base.
Posted by: Gil | July 3, 2011 10:53 AM
GRANT,
'my frustration isn't so much about the losses'
Your quote could not better describe how the orioles organization depends on fans like you in order to spin their constant, miserable losing.
Until fans get mad at the losses, only the Pirates will lead them in years of consecutive losses. . . . . The same Pirate team that won the series against the orioles a couple weeks ago.
What people will do in order to spin for this team
Posted by: Enuf | July 3, 2011 11:03 AM
RYAN perfect point just as I stated earlier.. I wish there was a way to get Andy and the whole FO to explain what their strategy is for international players.. until the system has more top prospects top to bottom they can forget promising to try catching ANYONE in the AL EAST. WITH our current depth there is no excuse for PETER ANGELOS to accept any excuses for not building the farm system very way possible..
Posted by: GRANT | July 3, 2011 12:07 PM
The Orioles were0 for 4 w/ RISP, including two first pitch outs (Hardy and Lee, who's been as inept as Vlad and Andino in those situations.) Once again, the O's win the Hit column handily, but lose the Runs column due to poor plate discipline in RISP situations.
Arrieta made a bunch of bad pitches in the fourth, and didn't pick up Scott after his muff, but the offense again could have rendered it all moot. Fact is, this offense remains as lousy at scoring runs as most of the offenses during the 13 year losing streak. They averaged just 4.32 runs per game in June, despite a .286 team average and a bunch of homers.
Posted by: OriAl | July 3, 2011 12:48 PM
A note to the front office, (to the tune of "Take Me Out to the Ball Game")
Take me out of my misery
Take me out of my pain
By me some hitters and middle relief
I can’t bear much more of this grief
Cause its loot, loot looting my wallet
To watch a game seems inane
For its one, two, three hours of hell
At the O’s ball game.
Posted by: max280 | July 3, 2011 2:03 PM
I have read the comments of the others and they are right on the money! I am watching the game in progress right now and it is the same old story they had a three to nothing lead now it is the end of the sixth and the braves go ahead 4 to 3! How many runners have the # 3, 4 and 5 hitters left on base today ! I don't remember! I know they left runners on 2nd and third the last inning! I wonder if they could have a rummage sale and get rid of lee, vlad and scott and maybe throw in REynolds, oh no REYNOLDS just smacked a home run, we had better keep him another day or so!! It is just sad the way they have been playing, sad for the fans sake, the players don't care they get paid anyway. baseball should. pay as you play. If you produce you get paid if you don't you don't get paid!
Posted by: jessie | July 3, 2011 4:00 PM
Bob and others: wow! For years I've Ben a Texas Rangers fan and even though I have felt your frustration I would never insult my team the way you do.
For years I watched us make a run at someone, specifically top shelf pitchers and last year Lee came. But just like you said about shoving money out there to big name players why would they want to come there? We asked the same questions about TX.
You have some good players with TALENT. Arrieta was one run short of sharing MLB game leads with the likes of Sabathia and Halliday? And he is only one year and two weeks in the bigs? Wow! You don't want him? Send him home to Texas. Who will you take? Harrison? Holland? Britton? Here's a kid who came up early out of need and is progressing just fine. He's a keeper. You don't want him? He's a Texas kid too. Send him our way. Maybe you will take Hunter? JJ, Reynolds? I think they are good. And Weiters? He's good too. I'd trade Teagarden but he's a Texan so you can have another one. Vbut not Yorvit Torrealba. And that's cuz it took me two months to learn how to pronounce his name.
The thing that sucks is the division you are in. That's the simple truth. Until there is a salary cap you're stuck. Can't compete $ with NYY and Boston.
Texas has been lucky the West is weak. It's a miracle we are still on top. Have seen them struggle. A lot. But what I haven't seen are fans here accusing themof no talent and saying we pay their salary.
I will be at two of the Texas/Baltimore games this week. Just bummed I won't get to see Jake or Zach pitch. But I am looking forward to see Vladdy's big ole smile and Buck out on the rail.
Give the young guys a chance.
Posted by: OFan15 | July 3, 2011 7:48 PM