The Orioles by the numbers 5/8/2018
The Baltimore Orioles sit at a .235 win percentage. The .235 is equivalent to roughly a 3-13 NFL season, 19-63 NBA season, and a historically bad 38-124 MLB season.
Let’s break down some of these numbers:
The 124 losses would be the 2nd most in MLB history in a season and the most in the modern era (1900-present). The .235% would mark the worst win percentage in the modern era.
Why do I bring up these numbers aside from the Orioles being difficult to watch?
I bring this up to ask is this a result of a poorly constructed roster? Do the Orioles just lack the talent? Has Buck Showalter/Dan Duquette lost the team? Or are the Orioles tanking?
Let’s compare some of the offensive numbers from 2017 to 2018.
Manny Machado
(2017) 33/95/.259
On pace for (2018) 42/128/.356
Adam Jones
(2017) 26/73/.285
On pace for (2018) 23/80/.245
Trey Mancini
(2017) 27/78/.293
On pace for (2018) 14/47/.258
Chris Davis
(2017) 26/61/.215
On pace for (2018) 9/42/.171
Craig Gentry
(2017) 2/11/.257
On pace for (2018) 0/14/.179
Caleb Joseph
(2017) 8/28/.256
On pace for (2018) 0/9/.148
Schoop
(2017) 32/105/.293
Current stats (2018) 1/3/.230
Trumbo
(2017) 23/65/.234
Current stats (2018) 0/1/.292
Players have down seasons, players improve, and players decline so I understand that there are many factors. However, looking at these numbers: Manny Machado (improving), Adam Jones roughly the same numbers (aside from the declining average), Trey Mancini (declining), Chris Davis (declining), Craig Gentry (declining), Caleb Joseph (declining), Jonathan Schoop’s numbers do not appear to be reaching anything close to 2017, Mark Trumbo (small sample size) but his average is improving.
The Orioles won 75 games in 2017 with roughly the same lineup, defense, and a historically bad pitching staff. The starting pitching in 2018 is an improvement and as mentioned before the lineup and defense are about the same.
So one has to ask what is the problem in Baltimore?
This is clearly not a playoff caliber roster but it also is not a 38-124 roster with the talent that the Orioles have.