Orioles' Mental Lapse in Loss to Angels Exposes Several Flaws

Yeah, so maybe the red, white, and blue hats don't play as well as they look.

The O's loss to the Angels was about as ugly as any this season. There were errors, misplayed balls, overthrows, and blown saves.

They gave up 17 hits and hit into three double plays. God only knows how ugly it could have been had the Halos not stranded 22 runners.

The loss did do some good for the O's (but certainly not my gut). It exposed several weaknesses, rather glaring ones, which need to be attended to immediately. 

Take exposed weakness No. 1: Jason Berken.

Berken has been a welcomed breath of fresh air. But, has anyone noticed the air is getting more and more stank?

Last night may have been the rookie's worst outing yet. He lasted only four innings after failing to retire any of the four batters he faced in the fifth inning.

And while he had held the Angels scoreless for the first four, he only threw 45 pitches (out of 85) somewhere in the vicinity of the strike zone. It's a wonder he only walked one.

And, yeah, Matt Albers did let two of the inherited runners score, but Berky was the one who loaded the bases in the first place. 

Berken must throw strikes to be successful. This is his fourth start (out of eight) that he has thrown less than 50 of his pitches for strikes. Can't blame that on the umps.

Actually, I'm ok with the fact that he has a 1-5 record, and a 6.25 ERA, but if you can't throw strikes at this level, there really isn't anything that separates Berken from Radhames Liz...or Garrett Olson.

Exposed weakness No. 2, and one we all should have seen coming, is the regression of Danys Baez. First off, is anyone else shocked to discover that his career ERA is just a hair over 4.00? Weird.

All righty, in Baez's last two games, he has picked up two losses and given up three runs in three innings.

And if you eliminate the two games he pitched in before that, one of which was a lopsided victory over the Nats and the other the last of the ninth in a 5-3 loss to the Nats, the last time he pitched in a pressure packed situation was on June 23 against the Marlins.

He came into that game after witnessing six masterful innings of one-run ball by Koji Uehara. He proceeded to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 6-0 deficit in only a third of an inning. 

I know everyone was high on Baez early in the season. It looked like he had regained his old form, but he has gotten worse every month. From a 3.00 ERA in April, to 4.32 in May, to 5.40 in June. He currently stands at 8.10 for July.

And...why are we wasting a spot on a washed up ex-closer liability? I mean, is Jim Miller really gonna come up and pitch worse?

Weakness No. 3. Brian Bass is a much better mop-up guy. Don't bring him in to protect a lead or he'll give it away. Don't bring him in to keep a game close, because he won't.

Trembley knows his role. Stop trying to make him do what he can't. Enough said.

Weakness No. 4. Those damn hats. In the spirit of July 4, burn those suckers!