So, another two weeks have passed in the baseball world, and it's time for another roundup. As the early-season gaudy stats died down, the more elite players in the game returned to the top of the standings and in general there have not been too many massive surprises. However, that doesn't mean there haven't been any...
Has there been a bigger surprise in baseball this year than the Baltimore Orioles? The question everyone has is are they for real? This is a side that in the past has struggled, particularly with pitching, but suddenly they have broken out this season, sporting an AL-best 27-14 record and topping one of the most competitive divisions in baseball. Taking their spot at the bottom of the division are the ice-cold Boston Red Sox, who's early season bullpen implosion is still taking its toll. Baltimore's success has largely been down to the success of their bats, or more accurately the bats of Adam Jones and Matt Wieters. The toolsy outfielder has finally put it all together this season, hitting at a .310 average, with 14 homers, 29 RBI and 32 runs, playing a huge part in the success of this Orioles team. The catcher has also finally fulfilled the no.1 draft pick in the 2007 draft, hitting .243 with 8 homers and 20 RBI.
As a team, they have hit the most home runs in the Major Leagues with 64, despite striking out the most of any major league team. The team average and OBP is distinctly, well, average, coming in around the center of the pack. So why is this team so successful? Put simply, they are clutch. The Orioles leave the fewest runners in scoring position per game in the Majors, meaning if someone gets on base, they are likely to score. The bullpen has also been watertight in general, ensuring the Orioles come out of close games on top. Closer Jim Johnson leads the Majors in saves, and his bullpen mates Lindstrom, Strop, Ayala and O'day may not be household names, but they are turning in lights-out performances at the back of games. It will be interesting to see how long this purple patch lasts for the Orioles.
Justin Verlander turned in a typically dominant performance Friday night against the Pirates, coming 2 outs away from his 3rd career no hitter, but Josh Harrison's bloop base hit up the middle broke it up. Personally, I believe Verlander is the best player in baseball at the moment, and will be viewed as one of the greatest of all time come the end of his career. Last season he stepped up from the elite to the best, turning in an astonishing 24-5 record with a 2.40 ERA and 0.92 WHIP to win the MVP and Cy Young awards. He also led the league with 250 strikeouts, and looks set to continue those astounding numbers this season with a 5-1 record, 2.14 ERA, 0.80 WHIP and league-leading 68 strikeouts. The reason for Verlander's dominance is that he simply has another gear that he can click into when he needs to. At the start of games, Verlander's fastball hovers around 94mph, but inning by inning, this increases, allowing Verlander to hit 100mph comfortably by the end of games. This isn't clunky, awkward speed. This is easy gas, Verlander barely strains a sinew as he cranks the velocity up and paints the outside corner with a 100mph heater after 130 pitches like here, against KC. I don't doubt that, if need be, Verlander could throw harder, for longer in games, but he simply doesn't need to. He can save his 100mph heaters for the best hitters, or the big situations. Oh, and if you manage to catch up with his dominating fastball, he can drop a curveball off the table, or freeze you with a changeup, or make you look stupid with a slider. Tigers coach called Verlander's friday night performance the greatest he's ever seen, and it's hard to disagree. It was almost a crime that the Pirates got a hit - they didn't deserve to go near him. Verlander himself admitted that when he took to the mound for the 9th inning he felt as though the no-hitter was a formality. That's not to say he is arrogant. He is one of the more down-to-earth, likeable pitchers in the Majors, and that almost makes it worse.
Kerry Wood also called a day on his Major League career, striking out Dayan Viciedo in his final appearance for the Cubs. The pinnacle of his career ultimately came just 6 starts into his Major League career, when he produced what many believe was the most dominant pitching performance in baseball history, allowing one hit (an infield one, that may have been an error at other times) and striking out a major league record 20 hitters as a rookie. That performance was a glimpse of what ultimately could have been for Wood, who had his career blighted by injuries. Despite several reconstructive surgeries, Wood was never able to show off his over-powering stuff over a long period of time, and his injuries forced him into the bullpen and ultimately into retirement.
Elsewhere, Hamilton and David Wright continued their hot-hitting start to the season, and the Nationals continued to turn heads, particularly with their arms, who continue to lead the Majors in ERA and strikeouts as they top a very competitive division. Interleague play started this week and promises to provide more excitement as wins become more important. Stay tuned!
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