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Wednesday, May 24, 2017

Game Stories:

Orioles are two-hit, 2-0, by Twins’ Ervin Santana, a free agent they passed on in 2014

Baltimore Sun 5/24

Twin’s Ervin Santana blanks O’s on two hits in 2-0 victory MASNsports.com 5/23

Santana goes distance to shut out orioles 2-0 MasnSports.com 5/23

Santana tosses 2- hitter as Twins beat Orioles 2-0 Associated Press 5/23

Columns:

Orioles’ Dylan Bundy bounces back, but despite being better, he’s bested by Twins

Baltimore Sun 5/23

Orioles’ J.J. Hardy is not one to rest on his laurels, but days off have been beneficial

Baltimore Sun 5/23

Ubaldo Jimenez still scheduled to start Sunday for now, at least for now, Showlater says

Baltimore Sun 5/23

Santana’s dominance, Bleier on his outing and other notes MASNsports.com 5/24

Bundy’s consistency a boon to the Orioles MLB.com 5/23

O’s offense can’t back Bundy’s 7 K’s MLB.com 5/24

Jimenez’s spot in rotations, alternatives MASNsports.com 5/23

Dylan Bundy on his outing and Trey Mancini on Ervin Santana MASNsports.com 5/23

Myriad Orioles Thoughts: Bundy’s night; Smooth Santana; Ubaldo Vs. Ervin Baltimore

Baseball 5/24

With latest blowup, Jimenez is forcing the Orioles to make a decision with his spot

Baltimore Baseball 5/24

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-bs-sp-orioles-observations-0524-

20170523-story.html

Orioles are two hit, 2-0, by Twins’ Ervin Santana, a free

agent they passed on in 2014

By Peter Schmuck / The Baltimore Sun

May 22, 2017

The guy who tied the Orioles lineup in knots Tuesday night could have just as easily been

pitching for the O’s.

Right-hander Ervin Santana was available as a free agent during the spring of 2014, but the

Orioles decided to sign Ubaldo Jimenez to a four-year deal instead and Santana went to the

Atlanta Braves on a one-year, make-good deal.

Who knows what would have happened if he had come here, but he would make good with 14

victories in 2014 and went on to sign a four-year deal with the Minnesota Twins, who are now

on the verge of sweeping a three-game series at Oriole Park after scoring a 2-0 victory.

Santana was the picture of efficiency. He went right at the Orioles lineup and the O’s hitters went

right at him, as evidenced by the fact that he needed just six pitches to get through the first

inning. He also had a six-pitch inning in the sixth and a seven-pitch inning in the seventh as he

cruised into the ninth without hitting the hundred mark.

“He was mixing his pitches well, using his off-speed more than he had in his other starts this

year, I’d say, according to the scouting reports,’’ Orioles left fielder Trey Mancini said. “His

cutter was really effective. It looked good out of his hand, and then he just missed barrels with it

and I think that’s what really set him apart tonight.”

Santana went all the way and allowed just two hits and two walks on the way to his seventh

victory and 10th career shutout, which tied him with Dallas Keuchel and Clayton Kershaw for

the major league lead.

“I think he came in second in the league in ERA. ... Good pitcher,” Orioles manager Buck

Showalter said. “Still, frustrating night for our guys. We didn’t have many opportunities.”

Meanwhile, Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy was also pitching a strong game, for all the good

it did him.

Bundy was coming off his first nonquality start of the season and worked a solid seven innings,

striking out seven and allowing just two runs – the first on a single by Byron Buxton in the fifth

inning and the second on a homer by Brian Dozier in the seventh.

The Orioles (25-19) lost their third game in a row and ninth of the past 12.

Short work: Santana was so efficient, in fact, that the 2:23 time of game equaled the shortest of

the season for the Orioles, who also played the second game of the season in that exact time on

the way to a 3-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on April 5.

Bundy was the winning pitcher in that game.

No RISP reward: The Orioles entered the game ranked first in the American League with a .315

combined batting average with runners in scoring position, but they created only one opportunity

to take advantage of it.

Jonathan Schoop was the only Orioles batter to get into scoring position. He walked to open the

third inning and moved around to third on an out and a wild pitch, but the O’s were hitless in two

at-bats with him in scoring position.

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2017/05/twins-ervin-santana-blanks-os-on-two-hits-

in-2-0-victory.html

Twins’ Ervin Santana blanks O’s on two hits in 2-0 victory

By Steve Melewski/ MASNsports.com

5/23/17

Minnesota Twins right-hander Ervin Santana began tonight with a road ERA of 0.45 through

three starts on the year away from Target Field.

Tonight he lowered it.

Using a low-to-mid-90s fastball and a very effective three-pitch mix, Santana threw a complete-

game two-hitter at the Orioles in the Twins’ 2-0 win, besting Dylan Bundy in a pitchers’ duel.

Santana needed just 105 pitches to record his second shutout of the year. The earlier one was a

one-hitter against the White Sox on April 15. Tonight was the fifth time this year he has allowed

two or fewer hits in a start, and he improves to 7-2 with a 1.80 ERA.

The Orioles got only singles, by Welington Castillo in the second and Jonathan Schoop in the

fifth. They had one runner all night reach past first base. Santana retired the last 14 O’s to face

him.

In four 2017 road starts, Santana is 4-0 with an ERA of 0.31, allowing one run over 29 innings.

This was Santana’s 18th career complete game and his 10th shutout.

The Orioles fall to 25-19 and have lost three in a row, five of seven and nine of their past 12.

Minnesota is 24-18 and 13-5 on the road.

Santana outdueled Bundy. Over seven innings, Bundy gave up six hits and two runs, and

recorded three walks and seven strikeouts. The seven innings ties his season-high for the fourth

time. Bundy is 5-3 with an 2.92 ERA. He threw 107 pitches, 68 for strikes.

Tonight he recorded a quality start for the ninth time in 10 outings. He began today tied for

second in the majors with eight. Bundy has allowed two earned runs or fewer seven times in 10

starts.

The scoreless tie was broken in the top of the fifth after Jorge Polanco drew a leadoff walk from

Bundy. No. 8 hitter Jason Castro singled and the Twins had runners at first and third. Then No. 9

hitter Byron Buxton singled to left, giving Minnesota a 1-0 lead. Batting .172 at gametime,

Buxton got his sixth RBI tonight.

Bundy deftly pitched out of further trouble there with the help of a liner to center that Adam

Jones short-hopped and turned into an 8-4 forceout at second base.

But the Twins doubled their lead on a Brian Dozier solo homer with two outs in the seventh. He

hit No. 6 on a 1-1 Bundy 91 mph fastball for the 2-0 lead. The ball just cleared the wall down the

left-field line at 370 feet.

In the series finale on Wednesday afternoon at 12:35 p.m., Orioles right-hander Chris Tillman

(1-0, 3.52 ERA) makes his fourth start and faces Minnesota right-hander José Berrios (2-0, 0.59

ERA) who will be making his third.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/05/santana-goes-distance-to-shut-out-orioles-2-

0.html

Santana goes distance to shut out Orioles 2-0

By Roch Kubatko

5/23/17

This is how it’s supposed to be and how the Orioles need it to be if they’re going to remain in

contention. Not the final score, but the performance of their starting pitcher.

Dylan Bundy retired the Twins in order tonight in the first inning on only 12 pitches, striking out

two batters. Twelve pitches, doubling the amount thrown by Ervin Santana in the bottom half,

but still plenty impressive.

Bundy needed only nine pitches to get through the third and 11 in the fourth, keeping him

engaged in a spirited duel with Santana.

A leadoff walk and follow-up single in the fifth brought the first serious sign of trouble - runners

on the corners with no outs - and the Twins capitalized with an RBI single from Byron Buxton,

the No. 9 hitter who was batting .172. But Bundy limited the damage, another admirable trait.

As a light rain continued to fall - like Santana, it wouldn’t let up - Bundy maintained his streak of

completing six innings in all 10 outings this season. But he had to settle for being the second-best

starter tonight, as the Twins assured themselves of a series win by defeating the Orioles 2-0 at

Camden Yards.

The Orioles (25-19) have lost three in a row and nine of their last 12. They were shut out for the

second time this season, but they could remain 1 1/2 games behind the first-place Yankees, who

trail the Royals 6-2 in the eighth.

Santana has allowed one earned run or fewer in eight of his 10 starts. He held the Orioles to two

hits while going the distance, increasing his season total to 31 in 70 innings.

Bundy allowed two runs and six hits in seven innings, with three walks, seven strikeouts and a

home run. Brian Dozier took him deep with the bases empty and two outs in the seventh to

increase the lead to 2-0.

Richard Bleier entered the game in the eighth, after Bundy had thrown 107 pitches, 68 for

strikes. Bundy’s only clean inning was the first, but he posted his ninth quality start.

The bottom part of the order hurt Bundy through the fifth inning. No. 7 hitter Jorge Polanco

walked twice, Jason Castro singled and Buxton walked and singled. Castro was batting .198.

Max Kepler and Kennys Vargas, occupying the fifth and sixth spots, each had a double.

Meanwhile, the top four hitters were a combined 0-for-11 with five strikeouts through the fifth.

The leadoff walk to Polanco with the game scoreless wasn’t advisable.

Bundy almost allowed three hits in the fifth, but Buxton held up on Robbie Grossman’s fly ball

to shallow center field and Adam Jones threw him out at second for the 8-4 force. Joe Mauer

struck out, and Bundy was back in the dugout at 78 pitches.

Though Dozier reached him for the home run in the seventh, Bundy lowered his ERA to 2.92 in

64 2/3 innings.

Santana threw six pitches in the first, six in the sixth and seven in the seventh. The guy’s in a

zone, and not just the strike zone.

Welington Castillo singled with two outs in the second inning and Jonathan Schoop singled with

one out in the fifth. Santana also walked two batters, and he retired the last 14 that he faced.

The Orioles will try to avoid the sweep Wednesday afternoon with Chris Tillman on the mound.

Tillman will try to mimic Bundy, minus the lack of run support.

Here’s a sampling from manager Buck Showalter:

On Santana: “I think he’s, what, second in the league in ERA coming into tonight? He’s been a

good pitcher. Still frustrating night for our guys. We didn’t have many opportunities. Dylan was

really good. There’s a certain rhythm to the defense when you’re pitching like that. First play

that Jonathan made in the first inning. There’s a tempo and something you always stress with

your pitchers. Those plays seem to be made behind guys with that type of tempo and throwing

strikes. But Dylan was really good.

“I thought Richard (Bleier), that’s the kind of guy we thought ... It was good to get him a couple

innings under his belt, turn those switch-hitters around. They’re a tough team. They’ve got a lot

weapons, well put-together roster, a lot of pieces that fit.”

On benefit of having pitcher go deep even if struggling: “There’s just a rhythm to it, but like I’ve

said many times, your momentum is who’s pitching for you and who you’re facing. You can be

swinging the bats as good as can be swung and you get a guy like that on top of his game and it

can make you look that way. That’s what’s frustrating about last night, because you knew you

had two pitchers that had kind of been struggling. One of them was going to kind of semi-right

the ship and one of them wasn’t.”

On Bundy’s growth as a pitcher: “The thing that made him so intriguing to a lot of people

coming out of the draft is that he was more than a thrower then, and it was plus stuff. I’ve talked

to a lot of people who saw him in high school and his first year, but there’s a couple outs there

that some people aren’t getting. The strikeout of Mauer there to keep it at one, pitching that

seventh inning. Even the sixth, he got through it and had some manageable pitch counts. He

found some things that worked.

“(Miguel) Sanó, you see the RBIs, and he pitched him as well as he can be pitched, and he’s on

top of his game, too, offensively. Pitcher’s on top of his game, hitters on top of their games, the

pitcher wins most times.”

On not needing to use many relievers: “We’re in pretty good shape down there physically since

we’ve gone to a seventh pitcher. We had Dylan being pretty consistent about getting deeper in

the game with a few exceptions.”

More on Santana: “He had really gone to a two-seamer in a lot more this year and tonight he

actually threw his changeup a lot and he had a little a four-seamer that he was running up in the

zone a little bit. That was effective. Sometimes, you get into points where some hitters are

struggling with struggling. We’ve got some guys who, we’ve had a competitive start to the

season without a lot of the things clicking that you think will and can.”

http://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=370523101

Santana tosses 2-hitter as Twins beat Orioles 2-0

By Associated Press/ ESPN.com

5/23/17

BALTIMORE -- Sometimes, Ervin Santana is so good it's difficult to describe in words.

Santana pitched a two-hitter for his 10th career shutout, and the surging Minnesota Twins beat

the Baltimore Orioles 2-0 Tuesday night.

"You really can't throw enough superlatives his way when you have a performance like that,"

Twins manager Paul Molitor said.

Santana (7-2) struck out five, walked two and retired the final 14 batters with only 42 pitches.

"The efficiency speaks to how well he pitched," Molitor concluded.

The lone hits against Santana were a second-inning single by Welington Castillo and a single in

the fifth by Jonathan Schoop. Only one runner got past first base.

It was the right-hander's 18th complete game, the second this season.

Mixing a fastball with an effective changeup and a wicked slider, Santana baffled a power-laden

lineup from start to finish.

"I was able to locate the fastball, then finish them off with the slider," Santana said. "I don't focus

on the speed. I just try to throw strikes and keep the ball down and give our team a chance to

win."

After banging out 21 hits in a 14-7 win over Baltimore on Monday, the AL Central-leading

Twins relied on exceptional pitching to earn their ninth victory in 13 games.

"Two different games," Molitor said. "It's funny how two teams can match up on consecutive

days and have dramatically different baseball."

Minnesota became the first team this season to capture a series at Camden Yards (the Orioles

were 7-0-0). Now 13-5 on the road, the Twins on Wednesday will seek to complete their first

three-game sweep in Baltimore since 1996.

Dylan Bundy (5-3) pitched well for the Orioles, but Santana was better. Bundy allowed two runs

and six hits over seven innings, striking out seven and walking three.

"I had my curveball working this outing and I think that played a big role," Bundy said.

If Santana wasn't so darn good, the postgame chatter might have centered around Baltimore's big

right-hander.

"He twirled a really good game tonight for us, and he did his part," Orioles left fielder Trey

Mancini said.

Byron Buxton hit an RBI single in the fifth and Brian Dozier homered in the seventh for a 2-0

lead. That was enough offense for Santana, the only pitcher in the majors with two shutouts this

season.

A crowd of 13,294 endured a persistent rain shower that wasn't quite fierce enough to cause

umpires to stop play.

The weather suited Santana just fine. He lowered his ERA to 1.80 and improved to 4-0 with a

0.31 ERA on the road.

ROSTER MOVES

The Orioles recalled LHP Jayson Aquino from Triple-A Norfolk and optioned RHP Stefan

Crichton. ... C Francisco Pe�a cleared waivers and was assigned to Norfolk.

UBALDO ON HOLD

Ubaldo Jimenez hasn't officially lost his place in the Orioles' rotation, despite his poor outing

Monday and ugly 7.17 ERA. "His next start is on Sunday, and we'll see when we get there,"

manager Buck Showalter said. Asked if the bullpen is a possibility for the struggling right-

hander, Showalter replied, "That decision, one way or another, has not been made."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Twins: RHP Phil Hughes (sore shoulder) had an MRI scheduled for Tuesday and was slated to

see a specialist Wednesday. "They're trying to uncover every stone to make sure we're not

missing anything," Molitor said.

Orioles: INF Ryan Flaherty (rotator cuff inflammation) will soon begin an arm-strengthening

program in Florida, where LHP Zach Britton (forearm strain) is also rehabilitating an injury. "I

told (Flaherty) he will give Zach some company," Showalter said.

UP NEXT

Twins: Jose Berrios (2-0, 0.59 ERA) makes his third start of the season. The 22-year-old has a

lifetime record of 5-7, but he's been sharp since his recall on May 12.

Orioles: Chris Tillman (1-0, 3.52 ERA) will try to help Baltimore avoid its fourth straight defeat,

all at home.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bal-orioles-bundy-20170523-story.html

Orioles’ Dylan Bundy bounces back, but despite being

better, he’s bested by Twins

By Eduardo Encina/ Baltimore Sun

5/23/17

The most important admirers that Dylan Bundy has won over are the fielders behind him, who

know from his strong start to the season that the budding Orioles right-hander will work quickly,

throw strikes and allow them to make plays behind him.

A big part of the 24-year-old’s evolution this season has been the former fireballer’s tactical way

of pitching. When he’s nearing trouble, he’s found a way to get out of it, and he’s done that by

not being afraid of drawing contact.

And going against one of the game’s top pitchers this season on Tuesday night in Minnesota

Twins right-hander Ervin Santana, Bundy knew he’d have to limit the damage.

He did his part in the Orioles’ 2-0 loss at Camden Yards, and while Santana was better, throwing

a 105-pitch two-hitter and sending the Orioles to their ninth loss in the past 12 contests, the game

offered another glimpse of how much Bundy has grown.

First, he was able to rebound from his worst start of the season Thursday in Detroit, recording his

ninth quality start in 10 outings this year while offering a gritty performance in which he went

seven strong innings – matching his longest start of the season – while holding a dangerous

lineup to two runs on six hits.

“The way he’s been throwing the ball, you expect him to get out of [trouble],” shortstop J.J.

Hardy said. “He’s been throwing the ball really well. He’s been working quick and hitters aren’t

taking a whole lot of good swings, so it’s really nice to play behind. The fact that they’re not

taking good swings, so when they put the ball in play it's kind of weak, and that he’s working

fast.”

Leaning mainly on fastballs, sliders and curveballs, Bundy struck out seven, four on his slider.

He induced eight swinging strikes with that pitch. But he also was effective drawing strikes with

his fastball and curve, with each of those resulting in nine called strikes.

Despite laboring through a 20-pitch second inning and a 26-pitch fifth, Bundy still managed to

go seven innings for the fourth time this season.

“Dylan was really good,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “There’s a certain rhythm to the

defense when you’re pitching like that. … There’s a tempo and something you always stress with

your pitchers. Those plays seem to be made behind guys with that type of tempo and throwing

strikes. But Dylan was really good.”

In the second inning, Bundy benefited from two nice plays from Welington Castillo, who made a

sliding catch on Brian Dozier’s pop-up bunt behind the plate, then threw out speedster Byron

Buxton attempting to steal second base.

“I try to get them to hit it to our guys so they can get us outs, I guess,” Bundy said. “I think luck

plays a big part of it, hitting balls right to our defense and them making plays for me. Like Wely

did tonight [in the third]. That was pretty neat what he was doing that inning.”

Bundy was mostly effective Tuesday because of his ability to lock down the Twins with runners

in scoring position, which has been a constant throughout Bundy’s building a track record of

success.

The Twins were just 1-for-7 against Bundy with runners in scoring position, and that one hit –

Byron Buxton’s RBI single with two on and no outs in the fifth – was more a byproduct of the

leadoff walk Bundy issued that inning.

In the fourth, Bundy allowed a two-out double to right fielder Max Kepler, but induced and

inning-ending flyout from Kennys Vargas. The sixth inning went similarly. After striking out

Miguel Sano and Kepler to open the inning, Vargas doubled, but Bundy drew a flyout out from

Jorge Polanco to end that inning.

In the seventh, Bundy yielded a two-out solo homer to left field to second baseman Brian Dozier

on a four-seamer that ran across the middle of the plate.

But overall, Bundy kept the Twins in check. Even after he allowed the first three batters he faced

to reach in the fifth and fell behind on Buxton’s run-scoring single, Bundy recovered by retiring

the next three batters – ending the inning with a strikeout of Joe Mauer on four pitches to strand

runners at the corners and keep the score 1-0.

This season, Bundy has held opponents to a .198 average with runners in scoring position.

Opponents are just 1-for-17 against him with runners in scoring position and two outs in the

inning.

“There’s a couple outs there that some people aren’t getting,” Showalter said. “The strikeout of

Mauer there to keep it at one, pitching that seventh inning. Even the sixth, he got through it and

had some manageable pitch counts. He found some things that worked. Sano, you see the RBIs,

and he pitched him as well as he can be pitched and he’s on top of his game, too, offensively.

Pitcher’s on top of his game, hitters on top of their games, the pitcher wins most times.”

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bs-sp-schmuck-hardy-0524-20170523-

story.html

Orioles’ J.J. Hardy is not one to rest on his laurels, but days

off have been beneficial

By Peter Schmuck/ Baltimore Sun

5/23/17

Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy had a multihit game Monday night, which wasn't exactly a random

event.

Just about every time manager Buck Showalter has given Hardy a well-deserved day off over the

past month or so, Hardy has returned the favor by delivering a big hit, a big home run or just an

all-around big game.

"I don't know if he feels better physically or that's his way of thanking me," Showalter joked

Tuesday.

It's no joke. Hardy is going to turn 35 later this season and every day he can rest his mind and

body over the course of the season is much appreciated, even though he would never think to ask

his manager for a day off.

"I don't know what the trend is there, but I can tell you mentally and physically — I think more

mentally than anything — I just feel better," Hardy said. "So does it help me, I think so,

especially at this time in my career."

That is no easy thing for a major league ballplayer to acknowledge, but Hardy is known as one of

those guys who is honest with himself and with everybody else. He knows the clock never stops

ticking and — believe this — the Orioles also are well aware that they might be reaching a

crossroads at the shortstop position. It is a source of some apprehension with Hardy playing out

the final guaranteed year of his contract with no chance of vesting an expensive option to remain

through the 2018 season.

There is no obvious replacement moving up through the minor league system, and the club has

cooled on the idea of moving superstar Manny Machado off third base, so it's pretty much in

everybody's interest for Hardy to come back next year and help maintain the stability of one of

the game's best defensive infields.

The team could choose to pick up that $14 million option or figure out some other way to keep

him, but the possibility exists that this will be his final year as an Oriole.

"I try not to think about that," Showalter said. "J.J.'s has been a huge part of things here, because

of his consistency and with [second baseman] Jon [Schoop] and Manny's development. He

contributes every day here in some form or fashion."

Hardy tries not to think about it, too, but he's his own worst critic and he isn't happy with his all-

around performance as this season passes the quarter pole. He entered Tuesday night's game

batting just .203 and says quite bluntly that he has not lived up to his personal expectations either

at the plate or in the field.

"I feel like defense is ticking me off more than anything," Hardy said. "I feel like I've been very,

very below average defensively, and that wears on me more. If I go 0-for-4, I go 0-for-4, but if I

make an error, I don't sleep at night. I think that has led to me being mentally tired and grinding

through this first quarter of the season."

Nobody else is complaining. He hasn't hit for a high average, but he has delivered some big hits,

especially after the more frequent days off he has gotten this year. In the five games that fit that

description over the past five weeks, he has batted .320 with six runs, eight hits, a home run and

five RBIs. His season total of 15 RBIs in 148 at-bats is fairly consistent with his career run-

production rate.

"I will never, never complain if he gives me a day off, and I'll never go ask him for a day," Hardy

said. "I just can't do it."

Showalter entered the season fully intending to give all his everyday players more time off. He

felt like his team's improved position depth this year would allow him to do that. There have

been some setbacks — including the recent loss of utility man Ryan Flaherty to a shoulder injury

— that could make it an even bigger challenge to give Hardy more rest.

Though Hardy is not a guy who dwells on his contract situation, he said Tuesday that is just one

of the reasons he burns to play better than he has so far.

"Obviously, I want to play as good as I can and live up to my [current] contract," he said. "But

it's like, I have expectations for myself that I want to live up to and I'm not letting my mind tell

me I'm getting older so that maybe it's going to be harder to do that. I won't do that. I still am

going to fight and grind as much as I can and at the end of the year we'll see where we're at.

"In a perfect world, I'd turn it around from what I've been doing the first quarter of the season

and finish strong and leave it up to the Orioles and see what they think."

His manager already knows what to think.

"You might want to a good look at him and appreciate him, because you won't see many guys as

consistent as him," Showalter said. "He reminds me of some of the great shortstops that have

been here. You can count on him."

As for that 2018 contract option, Showalter didn't tiptoe around the subject.

"I'm hoping it's a no-brainer," he said.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/orioles/blog/bs-sp-orioles-notes-0524-20170523-story.html

Ubaldo Jimenez still scheduled to start Sunday, at least for

now, Showalter says

By Eduardo Encina

5/23/17

Orioles manager Buck Showalter didn't necessarily give a ringing endorsement for keeping

struggling right-hander Ubaldo Jiménez in the starting rotation, but he said Tuesday that as it sits

now, Jiménez is still scheduled to make his next start Sunday in Houston.

"Jiménez's next start is Sunday and we'll see where we are when we get there," Showalter said

before Tuesday night's game against the Minnesota Twins when asked about Jiménez's status.

"That's when he's scheduled to start again. … We'll take each day as it comes and see where we

are as a staff after each outing."

The Orioles have a day off Thursday — so they could conceivably skip a starter — but

Showalter said he plans to keep the rotation on turn to give his starters an extra day of rest.

"I'm going to give these guys the extra day with the off day every chance we get, especially with

Dylan [Bundy] and [Kevin Gausman]," Showalter said, referring to the rotation's youngest

members.

So for now, Jiménez will stay in the rotation, but after Monday night's outing in an ugly 14-7

loss to the Minnesota Twins, in which Jiménez blew a pair of early five-run leads and failed to

go beyond five innings for the sixth time in his past eight outings, his rotation spot is in jeopardy

now more than ever before.

Jiménez's 7.17 ERA is the second highest among major league starters who have pitched at least

40 innings. Only San Diego Padres right-hander Jered Weaver's 7.44 is higher.

Jiménez won't go to the bullpen, at least not yet. After throwing 90 pitches Monday, he wouldn't

be available to pitch in relief for two or three days at the earliest.

"But that decision one way or the other hasn't been made," Showalter said.

Jiménez is in the final year of a four-year, $50 million contract during spring training in 2014,

which remains the richest free-agent contract given to a starting pitcher in Orioles history.

There is no clear successor to fill his rotation spot, but the club has options.

Right-hander Alec Asher has a 2.92 ERA in two spot starts, but he's also settled into a relief role

in recent weeks and is starting to receive late-inning high-leverage opportunities, which the club

needs with closer Zach Britton on the disabled list. Asher has a 1.84 ERA in 141/3 relief innings.

"I think that would obviously jump to the conclusion that we needed one for Sunday, so I'm

going to be careful with that; some people might think we do," Showalter said when asked about

Asher's potential for filling a rotation hole. "I don't think on the surface that he's that far removed

from the extended outings. Now but in a week or two, [that might not be the case].

"It probably wouldn't be normal length if you went there, but I also think he's also shown the

ability to serve a need in our bullpen with Zach being down," Showalter added. "There's some

different challenges in our bullpen with Zach out. You need to have an optionable bullpen and

you need to have some versatility down there and some guys who can pitch physically more than

once every four days down there."

Orioles recall Aquino, option Crichton: After the bullpen had to account for five innings

Monday, the Orioles added a fresh reliever before Tuesday's game, recalling left-hander Jayson

Aquino from Triple-A Norfolk and optioning right-hander Stefan Crichton to the Tides.

"We needed some length tonight and needed an arm," Showalter said. "Aquino was the most

equipped to give us some length tonight. The problem with length is, will the other team

cooperate and let you pitch long? It's one thing to be able to pitch multiple innings, but if you

can't get them out if you can't pitch multiple innings."

Aquino has a 1-3 record and 5.13 ERA with the Tides, but last pitched Thursday, so he was well

rested. He allowed three runs over 52/3 innings on six hits and five walks in his most recent start.

Aquino has allowed eight runs over eight innings with the Orioles this season, including a quality

start in only start with the major league club April 22 against the Boston Red Sox.

Crichton had a 6.48 ERA over 81/3 relief innings with the Orioles. He allowed two runs —

including a solo homer to Miguel Sano — in 31/3 innings in a career-high 59-pitch outing

against the Twins on Monday.

Showalter said the club considered making a second roster move, but he said right-hander Tyler

Wilson, who yielded six runs (four earned) over 11/3 innings Monday, could give the team an

inning if needed Tuesday after throwing 31 pitches.

Right-hander Logan Verrett was not an option for a call-up because he hasn't pitched since May

16 since going on the temporary inactive list for the birth of his child.

"[With] the number of days he's been without pitching, he's not an option at this point,"

Showalter said.

Latest on Bourn: The Orioles have 24 hours to decide whether to add minor league outfielder

Michael Bourn to the 25-man major league roster before he can officially exercise and opt-out

clause in his contract.

Bourn's opt-out date was officially Monday, but the club has 48 hours to add him to the roster

before the opt-out can go into effect.

Bourn, who gave the Orioles a spark late last season after coming over in a waiver-wire trade, re-

signed with the club in spring training but fractured a finger while attempting to catch a football

in conditioning drills. He exercised an opt-out at the end of spring training but eventually re-

signed.

Bourn is hitting just .220 in 11 games at Norfolk but has a .373 on-base percentage because he's

drawn 10 walks in 51 plate appearances.

Around the horn: Showalter turned 61 on Tuesday. "Remember when you thought 61 was old?

Well it is," Showalter quipped. When asked about whether he gets reflective on his future in

baseball during his birthday, Showalter said: "I take each day as it comes. It's a blessing to get up

and be on this side of the dirt." … The Orioles have retained catcher Francisco Peña, who was

outrighted to Triple-A Norfolk after clearing waivers, the team announced. Pena had a previous

outright, so he could have declined an outright assignment to the minors, but he accepted it.

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2017/05/santanas-dominance-bleier-on-his-outing-

and-other-notes.html

Santana’s dominance, Bleier on his outing and other notes

By Steve Melewski

5/24/17

It might be frustrating for Orioles players and fans alike, but on some nights, you just get beat

and there is little you can do about it but move on to the next one.

Minnesota right-hander Ervin Santana has been a pretty special pitcher this year and the Orioles

saw it firsthand last night. A night after a 14-7 loss, they lost 2-0 as Santana two-hit them.

The right-hander outdueled Dylan Bundy and is now 7-2 with an ERA of 1.80. Santana began

the night with an ERA of 0.45 on the road for the season and he then lowered that. He began the

night with a batting average against of .144 which led the majors and then he lowered that to

.134. He began the night with one shutout and added another. He’s the only pitcher in the major

leagues with two.

For Trey Mancini, it was a night where the O’s had a good idea what was coming, but that didn’t

mean they could square it up.

“You can do all the preparation you want to, but these are the best pitchers in the world. He

brought it tonight and he beat us,” he said.

Mancini was a little disappointed that his club’s offense could not get any runs for Bundy, who

took a loss despite giving up just two runs over seven innings.

“You always want to put up runs for your pitchers and help them get a win,” he said. “As an

offense, it is not a great feeling when you can’t do that. He pitched a good game tonight for us

and did his part. He did a great job out there.”

Bundy recorded his ninth quality start in 10 outings. He is 5-3 with an ERA of 2.92. In five home

starts, he is 3-1 with a 2.16 ERA. Bundy continues to show poise when he gets into jams.

American League batters are hitting just .196 against him when he pitches with runners in

scoring position. They are batting .056 (1-for-18) when he pitches with RISP and two outs.

The Orioles rotation has produced 10 starts this year of seven innings or more. Bundy has four,

Wade Miley has three, Ubaldo Jiménez has two and Kevin Gausman has one.

In the late innings last night, left-handed reliever Richard Bleier provided the Orioles a solid

outing. He pitched scoreless ball over the eighth and ninth innings with two strikeouts on just 22

pitches.

“Just trying to mix it up and keep them off balance and execute pitches and really keep the ball

down,” Bleier said.

Acquired by the Orioles from the Yankees on Feb. 21 for a player to be named, the 30-year-old

Bleier has been on the Triple-A Norfolk/Baltimore shuttle a few times already. Yes, it can be a

challenge for a pitcher going back and forth between the minors and majors. But Bleier said it

also means you do get a chance in the majors to show what you can do.

“Whenever I have an opportunity up here, I need to try my hardest to take advantage of it,” he

said. “We know they will make roster moves, so whenever I get a chance, I just try my best to

help the team. I’m sure there are a lot of guys that would love to be in my shoes right now.”

After pitching to a 1.96 ERA in 23 games for the Yankees in 2016, Bleier has enjoyed his first

couple of months in the Orioles organization.

“It’s been a great experience,” he said. “I mean, to play for a really good team with such good

players, it’s nice to be a part of this group.”

Minnesota has one of the best road records in the majors and they have won this series by taking

the first two games. The Orioles had won all seven home series this year until running into this

Twins team, which is 13-5 on the road. Minnesota is 8-1 in its last nine road games and 11-2 in

its last 13 away from Target Field.

The Orioles were shut out for the second time this year. They were also two-hit and were

blanked 2-0 April 25 by Tampa Bay. This was the first time the Twins shut out the Orioles since

July 22, 2010 at Oriole Park.

O’s starting pitchers have now recorded four quality starts over the last five outings, pitching to

an ERA of 3.90.

Last night’s game was yet another the club has played decided by two runs or fewer. In fact, 13

of the last 14 Orioles games have been decided by one or two runs.

Today at 12:35 p.m., the Orioles will get another challenge in the series finale facing 22-year-old

right-hander José Berríos. He is 2-0 with an ERA of 0.59 in two starts. Earlier at Triple-A

Rochester, he went 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA in six starts.

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/232048962/orioles-dylan-bundy-a-strong-asset-to-rotation/

Bundy’s consistency a boon to the Orioles

By Brittany Ghiroli/ MLB.com

5/23/17

BALTIMORE -- A year ago, Dylan Bundy wasn't even in the Orioles' starting rotation. Now, it's

tough to imagine where they'd be without him.

Sure, the O's weren't able to capitalize on the righty's latest quality start, a seven-inning outing

that ended as a loss in Tuesday's 2-0 defeat by the Twins. But on the heels of a bullpen-crushing

four-inning outing from Ubaldo Jimenez, plus the O's pitching scuffles as a whole this month,

Bundy remains rock solid.

"The thing that made him so intriguing to a lot of people coming out of the Draft is that he was

more than a thrower then, and it was plus stuff," Orioles manager Buck Showalter said of Bundy.

"I've talked to a lot of people who saw him in high school and his first year. But there's a couple

outs there that some people aren't getting. The strikeout of [Joe] Mauer there to keep it at one,

pitching that seventh inning. Even the sixth, he got through it and had some manageable pitch

counts. He found some things that worked."

In 10 starts this year, nine of them have been quality, with Bundy pitching to a 2.92 ERA in 64

2/3 innings. Even in the one outlier, in Detroit this past week, Bundy was still able to go six

innings and keep the Orioles in a one-run game.

Much was expected of the 24-year-old Bundy entering the season, as many thought the Orioles'

success hinged on how well Bundy and Kevin Gausman did. And while Gausman has gotten off

to slow start, Bundy has emerged as an ace. He's a dependable, unflappable pitcher, and he's

been able to duel with guys like Minnesota's Ervin Santana -- who tossed his second shutout this

season.

"I wouldn't say I really think about [being in a pitchers' duel] too much. You just know that

going into the game and try to limit your mistakes to those hitters over there," Bundy said of the

tough draw against Santana. "Really [I'm] more upset over the homer I gave up to [Brian] Dozier

over there in the seventh inning. Could've gotten us in the dugout a little quicker, it might have

changed things."

Besides Dozier's solo shot, Byron Buxton's RBI single in the fifth was the only other run scored

for Minnesota. Bundy struck out seven and allowed six hits in the 107-pitch outing.

Bundy, inserted into the rotation on July 16, 2016, because of need, has been a rock for the O's

this season. And being on the losing end of Tuesday night isn't going to change a thing.

"Dylan was really good. There's a certain rhythm to the defense when you're pitching like that,"

Showalter said. "First play that Jonathan [Schoop] made in the first inning. There's a tempo and

something you always stress with your pitchers. Those plays seem to be made behind guys with

that type of tempo and throwing strikes.

"[The Twins are] a tough team. They've got a lot weapons, well-put-together roster, a lot of

pieces that fit."

http://m.orioles.mlb.com/news/article/231986710/twins-top-orioles-with-ervin-santanas-shutout/

O’s offense can’t back Bundy’s 7 K’s

By Brittany Ghiroli and Mandy Bell/ MLB.com

5/24/17

BALTIMORE -- The Twins used a dominating shutout effort from road warrior Ervin Santana to

keep rolling, edging the Orioles, 2-0, in Tuesday's series-clinching win at Camden Yards for

their fifth win in six games.

Minnesota, which improved to 13-5 on the road this season and entered the day trailing only

Houston for the best road winning percentage in baseball, ensured it would remain alone atop the

American League Central with the win. The O's -- who entered the day with an MLB-best .750

home winning percentage -- suffered their third consecutive loss at Camden Yards.

Santana -- who turned in his second shutout of the season -- was efficient and effective, holding

the Orioles' high-powered lineup to just two hits to seal his seventh win. The righty has allowed

just one earned run over four road starts (29 innings) this season and holds the Majors' lowest

road ERA (0.31).

"You can do all the preparation you want to, but these are the best pitchers in the world," Orioles

left fielder Trey Mancini said of Santana. "He brought it tonight, and he beat us."

"It was all about Ervin tonight, although [Dylan] Bundy held his own," Twins manager Paul

Molitor said. "I just thought he was really aggressive with his fastball. Slider was good.

Changeup was good. It was just … you can't throw enough superlatives his way when you have a

performance like that. We didn't support him tremendously offensively, but he made two runs

stand up."

Bundy turned in his ninth quality start, going seven innings, but he couldn't keep pace with

Santana. Byron Buxton's RBI single broke the scoreless tie in the fifth and Brian Dozier sent

Bundy's pitch into the left-field seats to make it 2-0 in the seventh.

"I wouldn't say I really think about it [being a pitchers' duel] too much. You just know that going

into the game and try to limit your mistakes to those hitters over there," Bundy said. "Really

more upset over the homer I gave up to Dozier over there in the seventh inning. Could've gotten

us in the dugout a little quicker, it might have changed things."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Clutch Buxton: Buxton, who has gotten off to a rough start at the plate, delivered a key hit for

Minnesota to score Jorge Polanco in the fifth. It marked just his sixth RBI on the season.

"I just went up there and didn't try to do too much," Buxton said. "I just went up there and tried

to get that run in from third, and he left the slider over the plate and I was able to put some good

wood on it and put it through the hole."

QUOTABLE

"There's just a rhythm to it, but like I've said many times, your momentum is who's pitching for

you and who you're facing. You can be swinging the bats as good as can be swung, and you get a

guy like that on top of his game and it can make you look that way. That's what's frustrating

about last night, because you knew you had two pitchers that had kind of been struggling, one of

them was going to kind of semi-right the ship and one of them wasn't." -- Orioles manager Buck

Showalter, on the series loss

"It's just nice to see the confidence our guys have and, like I've said numerous times, Ervin just

gives us a different look out there. The other guys haven't had some games, but just game-in and

game-out, it's a good feeling. We know the Orioles play well at home. To come in and win the

first couple and the chance to maybe finish off a sweep, it's just a good opportunity for us, and

hopefully we can show up again tomorrow." -- Molitor, on giving the Orioles their first series

loss at home

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Santana's shutout was his 18th career complete game. The righty is the only pitcher in baseball

with two shutouts this season.

WHAT'S NEXT

Twins: Jose Berrios will get the ball for the Twins in Wednesday's series finale against the

Orioles. Berrios has been a tremendous addition to the Twins' starting rotation with two

impressive starts, including 7 2/3 scoreless innings against the Rockies. The righty has only

allowed one run on four hits in his 15 1/3 innings. First pitch is scheduled for 11:35 a.m. CT on

MLB.TV.

Orioles: The Orioles will send righty Chris Tillman to the mound on Wednesday. Tillman is

coming off of his longest start after spending the first month on the disabled list. The righty

allowed three runs on five hits over six innings in a no-decision vs. Toronto. First pitch is slated

for 12:35 ET on MLB.TV.

http://www.masnsports.com/school-of-roch/2017/05/jimenezs-spot-in-rotation-and-possible-

replacements.html

Jimenez’s spot in rotations, alternatives

By Roch Kubatko

5/23/17

Orioles manager Buck Showalter knew it wouldn’t take long today for reporters to deliver the

first question about Ubaldo Jiménez’s status in the rotation and on the roster.

Asked whether he might tweak his rotation by skipping a starter due to Thursday’s off-day,

Showalter replied, “Are you talking about Jiménez?”

Well, as long as you mention him ...

“You brought it up, really, because that’s where we’re going,” Showalter said. “I’m going to

give these guys the extra day with the off-day. Any chance we get, especially with Dylan

(Bundy) and Gaus (Kevin Gausman). Jiménez’s next start is on Sunday and we’ll see what

happens when we get there.

“That’s when he’s scheduled to start again. We’ll take each day as it comes and see where we are

as a pitching staff after each outing.”

What about putting Jiménez in the bullpen now as an extra reliever before a decision is made on

his turn?

“No, if that was the case he couldn’t pitch there for two or three days, at least. Maybe four,”

Showalter replied. “That decision one way or the other hasn’t been made.”

Alec Asher would seem to be the leading candidate to replace Jiménez if the Orioles pull the

veteran right-hander from the rotation, though he has been working mainly in late-inning relief

and it raises questions about how far he could go in a start. And this could be one of those

examples where Showalter doesn’t want to, as he says, rob Peter to pay Paul.

“That would obviously jump to the conclusion that we needed one for Sunday, so I’m going to

be careful with that. But some people might think we do,” Showalter said, still careful not to give

the impression that he’s looking to replace Jiménez.

“I don’t think on the surface that he’s not that far removed from extended outings. Probably

wouldn’t be normal length if you went there, but I also think he’s shown the ability to serve a

need in our bullpen with Zach (Britton) being down. There’s some different challenges in our

bullpen with Zach out that you need to have an optionable bullpen, you need to have some

versatility down there and some guys that can pitch physically more than once every four days

down there “

The Orioles recalled left-hander Jayson Aquino earlier today from Triple-A Norfolk and he’s

also a candidate to start Sunday if Jiménez is removed. He’s available in relief tonight, with

Stefan Crichton optioned to the Tides.

“We talked about it,” Showalter said. “We needed some length tonight and an arm. Crichton’s

down for two or three days. The question was whether it was one or two, but I think Tyler

(Wilson) could give us an inning tonight if we need it. He only threw 30 pitches after five or six

days off. We talked about that possibility, too. But Aquino was most equipped to give us some

length tonight.

“The problem with length is, will the other team cooperate and let you pitch long? One is having

the ability to throw multiple innings, but you can’t get them out, you can’t pitch multiple

innings.”

Jordan Kipper is starting for Norfolk tonight, which would put him on normal rest Sunday. Left-

hander Chris Lee is the Tides’ scheduled starter on Wednesday. If he’s scratched, he becomes a

candidate to be recalled.

The Orioles want to keep Lee at Norfolk and let him build some momentum, but he appears to be

doing exactly that by allowing five earned runs combined in his last three starts over 17 1/3

innings.

Mike Wright has allowed two earned runs or fewer in his last five starts to lower his ERA to 4.13

in 48 innings.

“Had a good outing last time, pretty good,” Showalter said. “Velocity’s good, stuff’s good. Just

has that one inning where his command kind of leaves him a little bit, but at that level he’s

competing, doing well. He’s made some strides.”

Reading between the lines, it sounds like the Orioles want to keep him at Norfolk.

Gabriel Ynoa isn’t available because the Orioles optioned him yesterday and he needs to pitch at

Norfolk.

The Tides made a series of moves today. They transferred outfielder Michael Bourn to short-

season Single-A Aberdeen’s roster, activated outfielder Chris Dickerson from the disabled list

and activated pitcher Logan Verrett from the temporarily inactive list. Infielder Sharlon Schoop

moved up from Double-A Bowie to Norfolk

http://www.masnsports.com/steve-melewski/2017/05/dylan-bundy-on-his-outing-and-trey-

mancini-on-ervin-santana.html

Dylan Bundy on his outing and Trey Mancini on Ervin

Santana

By Steve Melewski/ MASNsports.com

5/23/17

Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy recorded his ninth quality start in 10 outings on the season

tonight. He gave up two runs or fewer for the seventh time. But this time the other pitcher was

better.

We haven’t seen that happen often this year with Bundy on the mound, but the Twins’ Ervin

Santana pitched a complete-game two-hitter in Minnesota’s 2-0 win. Santana is 7-2 with an ERA

of 1.80 and recorded his second shutout of the year and 10th of his career.

The right-hander gave up just two singles with two walks and five strikeouts in a 105-pitch

outing. He threw 10 pitches or fewer in four innings, and the Orioles went 2-for-29 and advanced

just one runner past first base against him. Santana is the only pitcher in the major leagues with

two shutouts this season.

Bundy gave up six hits and two runs and is 5-3 with a 2.92 ERA. He threw 107 pitches and

matched his season high, going seven innings for the fourth time.

Did he figure it could be this kind of a game with Santana pitching for Minnesota?

“You just know that going into the game and try to limit your mistakes to those hitters,” Bundy

said. “Really just more upset about that home run I gave up to (Brian) Dozier in that seventh

inning. If I could have gotten us in the dugout a little quicker it might have changed things.

“I felt good. I had my curveball working this outing and I think that played a big role in it.

Throwing it for strikes and also trying to bounce it for a putout pitch.”

Bundy gave up a walk and two singles but just one run in the fifth inning as Minnesota took a 1-

0 lead. He was helped by a ball that was lined into center for an apparent single but turned into

an 8-4 forceout at second when Adam Jones played the short hop and rifled a throw to Jonathan

Schoop.

Bundy was able to minimize the damage there.

“Tried to get them to hit it to our guys so they can get outs, I guess,” he said of pitching out of

trouble that inning. “I think luck plays a big part in it. Hitting balls right to our defense and them

making plays for me like Welly (Welington Castillo) did tonight. That was pretty special.”

Bundy looked strong early, allowing two doubles, but no runs through the fourth.

“Yeah, especially the first four innings. I felt like I was cruising, and then that fifth inning I got

into some trouble. I made some good curveball pitches but (Kennys) Vargas was able to put the

barrel on it and drop it in there for two doubles.”

O’s left fielder Trey Mancini went 0-for-3 against Santana as his average dropped from .301 to

.292. The Orioles were shut out for the second time this season. The other was April 25 versus

Tampa Bay.

“He was mixing his pitches really well and using his off-speed more than he had in his other

starts this year, according to the scouting reports,” Mancini said of Santana. “His cutter was

really effective. It would look good out of his hand to hit and he would miss barrels with it. I

think that is what set him apart tonight. We just couldn’t get much going in any inning.”

Santana has allowed one run in 29 innings and four road starts, going 4-0 with an ERA of 0.31

away from Target Field. He averaged 93.8 mph on his four-seam fastball, topping at 95 mph. He

got nine swings-and-misses tonight, six on his slider.

“You can do all the preparation you want to, but these are the best pitchers in the world. He

brought it tonight and he beat us,” Mancini added.

The Orioles (25-19) have lost three in a row and nine of 12 games. They have lost a home series

for the first time, having dropped the first two games of this one. They are 15-6 at home for the

season, and have a home series record of 7-1.

Kansas City beat the Yankees tonight, 6-2, so the Orioles remain 1 1/2 games out in the

American League East heading into the third game of this series on Wednesday afternoon at

12:35 p.m.

http://www.baltimorebaseball.com/2017/05/24/myriad-orioles-thoughts-bundys-pitching-

acumen-learning-santana-central-trouble/

Myriad Orioles Thoughts: Bundy’s night; Smooth Santana;

Ubaldo Vs.

By Dan Connolly/ BaltimoreBaseball.com

5/24/17

Tuesday’s outing will go down as a loss for Orioles’ right-hander Dylan Bundy, his third of the

season.

In many ways, though, the argument can be made that Bundy’s effort in the Orioles’ 2-0 loss to

the Minnesota Twins was his best since blanking the Boston Red Sox through seven innings

April 21.

On Tuesday, Bundy (5-3) allowed two runs on six hits and three walks while striking out seven

in seven innings. He mixed his pitches well – his curveball was particularly strong – and he

matched Minnesota ace Ervin Santana for most of the game.

Bundy’s mistakes were limited: A solo homer to Brian Dozier in the seventh, and a rocky fifth

inning in which he walked the leadoff batter and gave up two singles before limiting the damage

with two strikeouts and a force out.

“I think the first four innings I felt like I was cruising,” Bundy said, “and then that fifth inning I

got into some trouble.”

What’s most impressive in watching Bundy is how he attacks hitters with whatever is working

for him the best that evening. He, in a word, pitches. Which is rare for a 24-year-old – even one

with a pedigree like Bundy’s (fourth pick overall in the 2011 draft).

“The thing that made him so intriguing to a lot of people coming out of the draft is that he was

more than a thrower then, and it was plus-stuff. I’ve talked to a lot of people who saw him in

high school and his first year,” Orioles manager Buck Showalter said. “He found some things

(Tuesday) that worked. (Miguel) Sano, you see the (37) RBIs, and he pitched him as well as he

can be pitched and he’s on top of his game, too, offensively. Pitcher’s on top of his game, hitters

on top of their games, the pitcher wins most times.”

Santana – a guy the Orioles’ coveted in the past, but never landed – has had an enigmatic career

which included an 80-game suspension in 2015 for testing positive for stanozolol (the same drug

that felled Rafael Palmeiro in 2015), just after signing a four-year, $55 million deal with the

Twins.

He’s been amazing this season, however. Tuesday, Santana threw a complete-game two-hitter

against the Orioles, lowering his season ERA to 1.90 in 10 starts. He’s allowed just one earned

run in 29 road innings this year (0.31).

So, how’s he doing it?

No real secret here. He has a great slider/cutter, and attacks the zone with all his pitches. On

Tuesday, though, he used a two-seam fastball and a changeup more often because he knew the

Orioles would be looking for his four-seam fastball and slider.

It worked beautifully. He retired the last 14 batters of the game – on an incredibly efficient 42

pitches. He had three innings in which he threw seven pitches or fewer.

Part of that is the Orioles’ legendary aggressiveness at the plate, something Santana

acknowledged after the game.

But he also knew they’d be looking slider, so he was willing to mix things up.

“The slider is about as good as you’re going to see, and a lot of guys are trying not to get to that

out pitch,” Showalter said. “Then (he’s) successful with the changeup when you’re trying to

ambush a fastball early and it works right into his hands.”

Orioles rookie Trey Mancini had never seen Santana before. He came away duly impressed.

“He was mixing his pitches well, using his offspeed more than he had in his other starts this year,

I’d say, according to the scouting reports,” Mancini said. “His cutter was really effective. It

looked good out of his hand, and then he just missed barrels with it and I think that’s what really

set him apart.”

Orioles starters should take note. Attack the zone, work fast and try to keep the opposition off

balance. It all is predicated, of course, on throwing strikes. And we all know that can be a

challenge at times for several members of the Orioles’ rotation.

Perspective on Ervin vs. Ubaldo

When Santana pitched his gem against the Orioles, I immediately received several comments on

Twitter reminding me that the Orioles and executive vice president Dan Duquette chose Ubaldo

Jimenez over Ervin Santana heading into the 2014 season.

It’s true. The Orioles were negotiating with both and ultimately settled on Jimenez and a four-

year, $50 million deal that has been a disaster.

In retrospect, it was a bad move. But let’s not act like it was a slam dunk that Duquette muffed

from the beginning.

Heading into that 2014 season, Santana was 31 and coming off a 9-10 record and a 3.24 ERA

with the Kansas City Royals while Jimenez was 30 and had been 13-10 with a 3.30 ERA for the

Cleveland Indians.

Santana was more consistent in his production, but Jimenez was considered more durable and

pitched half of his games in a more hitter-friendly ballpark. Both had qualifying offers attached

to them, meaning the Orioles would lose a first-round draft pick if they signed either one.

Really, it was a coin flip, and the Orioles grabbed Jimenez. But they also circled back and

offered Santana a one-year deal (as did the Toronto Blue Jays). Santana decided if he were

settling for a pillow contract it would be in the National League – where it’s usually easier to

pitch — and he agreed to a $14.1 million, one-year pact in mid-March with the Atlanta Braves.

That’s worth noting here. No other team offered a four-year deal to Santana at the time, so it

wasn’t just the Orioles who bailed.

Santana was fine in 2014, going 14-10 with a 3.95 ERA for the Braves. And then he landed a

deal more lucrative than Jimenez’s the following season: four years and $55 million with an

option for 2019 to pitch for the Twins. It was panned immediately as a reach by a pitching-

starved club. And it looked even worse a few months later when Santana was suspended for half

the season.

There was talk in April 2015 that it could go down as one of the worst contracts in baseball

history. It won’t. Santana posted ERAs of 4.00 in 2015 and 3.38 last year. And this year he looks

like one of baseball’s best. Meanwhile, Jimenez is likely losing his rotation spot and may not

finish his final year with the Orioles.

So, if you want to say Duquette made the wrong choice, well, history backs you up there. But

let’s not act as if this was a no-brainer that the Orioles screwed up and that you were shouting

from the rooftops about in 2014. You’ll have to get me surveillance video from that rooftop

before I believe you.

Trouble with the Central

The American League East is once again going to be a knock-down, drag-out battle. But it’s the

AL Central that’s been hurting the Orioles this season.

Against their division rivals, the Orioles are 17-10. But against the AL Central, the Orioles are

now 4-7. They’ve lost three of four series versus the Central; if you take out their three-game

sweep of the Chicago White Sox, the Orioles are 1-7 against the Twins, Kansas City Royals and

Detroit Tigers,

And they haven’t yet faced the 2016 American League champion Cleveland Indians yet.

http://www.baltimorebaseball.com/2017/05/23/latest-blowup-jimenez-forcing-orioles-make-

decision-spot/

With latest blowup, Jimenez is forcing the Orioles to make a

decision with his spot Baltimore Baseball

By Paul Folkemer

5/24/15

Stop me if you’ve heard this before: Ubaldo Jimenez may have pitched himself out of the

Orioles’ starting rotation.

It’s been a common refrain ever since Jimenez joined the Orioles in 2014 on a four-year, $50

million free-agent contract. With every string of bad outings, every frustrating bout of wildness

and ineffectiveness, fans have called for Jimenez’s removal.

Manager Buck Showalter and the Orioles’ brass tend to preach patience, especially with their

veterans. They trust their players’ track records and give them ample opportunity to find their

footing. And often, their faith is rewarded.

Jimenez, however, may not be giving the Orioles much of a choice but to make a change.

His latest disastrous outing came Monday when, staked to a five-run lead against the Twins,

Jimenez coughed it up without recording an out in the fifth inning. He gave back a run apiece in

the third and fourth, then surrendered four consecutive hits to start the fifth. Jimenez’s collapse

happened so quickly that Showalter barely had time to get reliever Tyler Wilson warmed up.

By the time Showalter gave Jimenez the hook, the Twins had shaved the Orioles’ lead to 6-4 and

had two runners in scoring position with nobody out. Both inherited runs scored off Wilson,

leaving Jimenez with six earned runs charged to his line.

“They just came out swinging,” Jimenez said. “It was one of those nights that everything you

threw, they just found a way to (have) a good at-bat.”

Jimenez’s season ERA now sits at an unsightly 7.17 in nine games (eight starts). He’s walked 25

batters and allowed 48 hits in 42 2/3 innings. He has just one quality start this year, and only two

outings longer than five innings.

“Obviously, the results aren’t very good, and a lot of it is some balls in the center of the plate,”

Showalter said. “Not many counts in his favor. Hasn’t really had consistent out pitches.”

Not only has Jimenez been putting the Orioles in an early hole nearly every time out — or, in

Monday’s case, squandering a big advantage — but his frequent early exits have put tremendous

strain on the club’s often shorthanded bullpen.

His poor outings may be having an emotional effect, conscious or not, on the rest of the club as

well. After Jimenez let the Orioles’ lead slip away Monday, the bullpen was raked for six runs in

the sixth, an inning that featured a Jonathan Schoop error and a Stefan Crichton balk in which he

dropped the ball during his delivery. And the Orioles’ offense, which had erupted for six runs in

the first four innings, went quiet, held to one run for the rest of the game.

Granted, it’s unfair to pin the entire team’s troubles on Jimenez. But his pitching performance

hasn’t improved, and he’s quickly using up the long leash the Orioles have given him.

So where do the Orioles go from here?

The club likely won’t make any immediate decisions regarding Jimenez’s future. As expected,

Showalter’s post-game press conference gave no indication of whether the Orioles were

considering a change.

“Certainly I understand that the production hasn’t been there like it needs to be,” Showalter said.

“And if there’s adjustments to be made, we’ll make them. But I’m certainly not going to talk

about things like that in this setting. But I understand that’s a question we ask every time we

have some consistent struggles at a certain part of our game.”

With a day off Thursday, the Orioles can skip Jimenez’s next turn through the rotation and won’t

need a fifth starter until May 30.

If the Orioles opt not to continue pressing their luck with Jimenez, the top candidate to replace

him may be Alec Asher. Asher made two starts for the club earlier this season — both quality

starts — and has been pitching well in long relief.

Beyond Asher, there aren’t a lot of obvious candidates. Jayson Aquino beat the Red Sox in his

one start for the Orioles this year, but he’s been struggling at Triple-A Norfolk with a 5.13 ERA.

Gabriel Ynoa, who just came off the DL and was optioned to Norfolk, has a 6.65 ERA in five

starts for the Tides.

In fact, no regular Norfolk starter has an ERA below 4.00. The best mark belongs to Mike

Wright (4.13 ERA in nine starts), but his repeated struggles as a starter in the big leagues may

make the Orioles hesitant to consider him.

There’s also another sensitive subject to consider: If you bounce Jimenez from the rotation, what

do you do with him?

Would the Orioles move him to the bullpen? He pitched well in a three-inning emergency relief

stint in Boston on May 3, but he hasn’t fared well as a reliever throughout his career, compiling a

6.41 ERA in 10 outings.

“There’s always that possibility,” Showalter said. “Is it good for the bullpen? That’s another

question.”

The other option, of course, is to simply cut ties with Jimenez by releasing him or designating

him for assignment. In past years, the Orioles never seriously considered doing so. With his

expensive contract, the club didn’t want to give up on him when there was a possibility he could

rebound sometime down the road.

Now, it’s a different story. Jimenez is in the final year of his contract. There are no future

seasons to consider. If the Orioles are convinced he can’t turn things around, it’s possible they’d

eat the $10 million or so remaining on his deal.

It’s a tough situation. Jimenez is a consummate professional and one of the most well-liked,

well-respected players in the Orioles’ clubhouse. Fans calling for his immediate release need to

understand the human element and the emotions involved. It’s not a decision the Orioles will

make lightly.

But Jimenez is the first to admit that he hasn’t done his job on the field. And now he may be

forcing the Orioles’ hand.

“Of course I don’t feel good because of the way I’ve been pitching. I know it’s not enough,”

Jimenez said. “The only thing I can do is prepare for my next game, whatever it is. I can’t control

that.”