Orioles: Control freaks
Here's a stat that will put a smile on the face of your pitching coach. Orioles pitchers have not surrendered a walk since Jeremy Guthrie walked Jim Thome with one out in the fifth inning of Wednesday night's game. So, when Koji Uehara retired Marlon Byrd on a foulout for the first out of the seventh, the O's staff had gone 20 innings without allowing a base on balls.
And counting...
Instant update Uehara has just been removed from the game with two outs and no one on base in the seventh. He allowed a homer to Hank Blalock to start the inning and leaves working 6 2/3 innings and giving up two runs on four hits. No walks. Six strikeouts.
> 
Comments
Not a bad performance, especially by Oriole standards. But here is a little note I just saw in a Sun story...Burres was 0-2 with a 6.97 ERA in three games in Triple-A....And BURRES was the BEST option they had at AAA??? A 7 ERA?? Ouch!!
...............................................................................................
Pete's reply: You're talking about the Blue Jays, of course.
Posted by: oriole1952 | April 24, 2009 9:12 PM
Johnson struggled in his last outing. He needs more rest. Uehara should have been left in until he allowed another baserunner. Am I wrong or did Trembley lift the specialist Walker between two left-handed hitters? If we use 4 relievers every time we have a 2 run lead with nobody on, 2 outs in the 7th and a starter who is cruising, we can kiss goodbye to our bullpen.
..............................................................................................
Pete's reply: I don't have a problem with using four relievers on occasion, but I think if one of them (Ray) is doing okay, using him for two batters instead of three or four is a waste and increases the chances of the next pitcher giving up a run, as happened today. The O's bullpen is not so good that you can assume four relievers will all pitch well every night. The odds are one of them will struggle, and Jim Johnson did tonight.
Posted by: Steve | April 24, 2009 9:34 PM
Yes, Jays did call Brian up today, I just wonder......WHY?
...............................................................................................
Pete's reply: Must not have great depth, but they don't need to if they keep hitting like this.
Posted by: oriole1952 | April 24, 2009 10:13 PM