Bird Watching- Ubaldo Jimenez And Orioles Take Care Of Toronto, Tie Them For Top Wild Card Standing As O's Finish Up In New York.
With the end of the regular season upon us, it’s only right that the Orioles head to New York to wrap up their season as they hope to secure a playoff berth. With Boston winning the division, the O’s (87-72) have their sights set on a home one-game playoff wild card game. And as we all thought, they are riding the coattails of Ubaldo Jimenez and Hyun-Soo Kim, a guy who I wanted beheaded at the All Star break, and another guy who who was booed on Opening Day. Both of them have them made us eat crow this year. Couple this series win with the Tigers getting hot, and the weather messing everything up is going to cause for a wild weekend in the wild card race, I’ll head into that soon, but back to the Blue Jays series.
Baltimore got their asses kicked at home by Boston, swept the Diamondbacks, and headed up to Toronto a game behind them for the wild card. Naturally, they lose game 1, 5-1, behind a shaky start from Kevin Gausman (6 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 HR). After that game it had the feeling of “here we go again” for the O’s, and they would be lucky to escape that house of horrors with one win. Fast forward to the ninth inning of game 2 with Hyun-Soo Kim hitting a game winning homer to which brought the O’s to only a game back, and saved them from the Tigers catching them as well. In game 3, Ubaldo Jimenez played the hero and completely shut down the powerful offense of the Blue Jays. This was the eighth time this season that the O’s have lost game 1 of a series, and come back to win it. Just another example of the rollercoaster season the O’s have had.
Jimenez gave up a single to Ezequiel Carrera to lead off the game, and no other Blue Jays got a hit while he was on the bump. 6.2 IP with 1 hit, 3 walks, and 5 k’s for Ubaldo as he frustrated Joey Bats, Josh Donaldson, and Edwin Encarnacion. The offense didn’t need their usual homers to win this game, and managed to get some productive outs, move guys over, hit sac flys, steal bases, the things they haven’t been doing the last week, and they squeaked out 4 runs off Marcus Stroman. A 4-0 victory and a series win to tie Toronto for the top wild card spot. The O’s got a big push by their bullpen in this series too, 0 ER in the 6.2 IP in Toronto. The Jays will now head to Boston to finish their series in what should be a good three games as Boston fights for best record in the AL.
Advertisement
The O’s really won this series by not letting Toronto’s big bats reach base. Joey Bats, notorious O’s killer, went 0-10 with 7 Ks. He really didn’t look comfortable at all, took some very bad swings this series. Donaldson tagged them for a 2-run homer in game 1, and that was about it in he series. Edwin was 1-10 with an RBI and nothing else. How awesome would it be if Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion’s last game as Blue Jays was them getting 1-hit by Ubaldo Jimenez. Have to love watching Bautista do his George Michael Bluth walk back to the dugout. The Orioles also helped a few other teams out this week, with their win on Wednesday they clinched the Division for Boston and also eliminated Kansas City from playoff contention, and they did the same to the Yankees with their win last night.
Turn Around Of Ubaldo
I talked about him a few weeks back and above a little, but I have to go back and give this guy credit. EVERYONE in Baltimore wanted Ubaldo’s head on a stake. We wanted nothing to do with this guy, while all he wanted to do was help the team. Well since the All Star break he has been electric, and one of the reason the O’s are in a playoff spot with three games left. He may be the best 8-12, 5.44 ERA pitcher ever. You look at his last seven starts, five of which are against teams in the playoff race, Ubaldo has gone at least six innings in six of the seven starts, and he has an ERA of 2.45 over those starts. The O’s are also 5-2 in those starts. He’s cut down on his walks, and is getting ahead of hitters, both are recipes for success to turning your shit around like he has. His start last night was one of the best he’s thrown this year, pitch count was high early, but he buckled down and was able to get some big outs.
Six weeks ago, who would have thought that the O’s would possibly be riding into the playoffs on the arm of Ubaldo Jimenez as he completely reinvents himself. He went from selling popcorn in the offseason, to cementing a spot on the playoff roster if they make it. Fucking good for you Ubaldo, I have no problem eating crow on this one.
Wild Card Scenario
This is where it gets hairy. Follow me here. 4 teams for 2 spots.
Baltimore @ New York for 3 games. NYY eliminated.
Toronto @ Boston for 3 games. Boston is currently the 2 seed. Can still get best record in A.L.
Detroit @ Atlanta for 3 games. Atlanta was eliminated back in May.
Seattle vs Oakland for 3 games. Oakland was eliminated back in June. (Seattle is only 2 back, not 2.5)
While the Orioles and Blue Jays are both in playoff spots, they both play much better teams that the other teams in the race. The Yankees have nothing to play for and will likely try to play spoiler, but the O’s are playing better ball than they were a week ago, so if they can take two of three, that should secure home field for the one-game playoff. They just have to win one more game than Toronto to make that happen, because Toronto holds the season tiebreaker over Baltimore.
If the Orioles are playing the one game playoff in Baltimore, I don’t care who they play, I know they can beat any of those teams, they are a different animal at home (50-31 at home).On the road is a different story. They are 0-3 in Seattle, 2-1 in Detroit, and 4-6 in Toronto. Weather will play a factor this weekend too, and we already saw MLB hand the Tigers a rain shortened win over Cleveland, a bullshit move if I’ve ever seen one. Would love to see Atlanta put up a fight in their last homestand in that park, and maybe Oakland has some fight in them, but most importantly, Baltimore just has to take care of business.
O’s don’t have to scoreboard watch, just take care of the Yankees, two outta three and we will see you Tuesday night in Camden. Every game is a playoff game from here on out, gotta bring your best stuff.
Friday, September 30, @ Yankees- Yovani Gallardo (5-8 5.63) vs Michael Pineda (6-11 4.68)
Saturday, October 1, @ Yankees- Wade Miley (9-13 5.40) vs TBD Was supposed to be Tanaka, probably won’t be.
Sunday, October 2, @ Yankees Kevin Gausman? (8-12 3.66) vs Luis Cessa (4-3 4.18)
Let’s do this boys, see you back in Baltimore on Tuesday, blog preview will be on Monday.