Paul Folkemer
-
July 23, 2018 at 7:00 am
How did it come to this? A review of the missteps, mishaps and miscalculations that led to the Orioles’ 2018 debacle
If the first series of the second half is any indication, the Orioles’ abysmal 2018 season is going to get worse before it gets better. The Orioles kicked off their post-All-Star slate by getting swept in Toronto, reaching the 100-game mark with a 28-72 record. All the Orioles’ usual ways of losing...
-
July 18, 2018 at 7:00 am
Ex-Oriole report: Looking at the departed 2017 Orioles at the midway point
Back in April, I checked in on a slew of players from the 2017 Orioles who have gone elsewhere this year, be it another Major League Baseball organization, another baseball league or nowhere at all. With the All-Star break marking the midway point of the 2018 season, let’s check in again on those...
-
July 12, 2018 at 7:00 am
Myriad Orioles Thoughts: Bundy’s rollercoaster; Offense stays dark with Gray; Machado stays for now
It’s been a tale of two seasons for Dylan Bundy. Or maybe four. The Orioles’ de facto No. 1 starter has, overall, provided more good than bad on the mound this year. But when he’s bad, it happens in chunks. Going through Bundy’s game logs, you can draw pretty clear lines between...
-
July 9, 2018 at 7:00 am
Orioles are somehow on pace for 118 losses — here’s a look at the five teams in MLB history that dropped 115 or more
The 2018 Orioles’ season may feel as if it’s lasted forever, but it hasn’t reached the All-Star break. The cellar-dwelling Orioles have nearly half their schedule left to play. At this point, unless the Orioles play above .500 ball from now until the end of the season, it seems inevitable that they’ll...
-
2.4K4July 2, 2018 at 7:00 amOrioles missed Ohtani on the mound, but how have they done historically against rookie stud pitchers?
The Orioles finished their season series against the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, and the Angels’ two-way rookie sensation, Shohei Ohtani, didn’t...
-
June 27, 2018 at 7:00 am
Myriad Orioles Thoughts: Multiple players injured; Yacabonis likely to start; booing club veterans for lackluster play
When it rains, it pours for the 2018 Orioles. Not only did the club lose again — dropping to 23-55 on the season with a 3-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday — but their injury woes escalated when reliever Darren O’Day exited in the eighth inning with a sore hamstring....
-
June 12, 2018 at 7:00 am
These ‘No O’ Orioles are brutally bad
A return to Baltimore did nothing to halt the never-ending nightmare that is the 2018 Orioles. They lost their fifth straight game Monday, dropping their MLB-worst record to 19-46. It’s the middle of June and the Orioles are still seeking their 20th win. With their .292 winning percentage, the Orioles are on...
-
June 7, 2018 at 7:00 am
In the interleague era, how have Orioles’ pitchers fared when forced to bat?
The Orioles wrapped up their brief two-game interleague stint against the New York Mets at Citi Field yesterday. The series brought not only the Orioles’ first sweep of the season, but also the return of a tradition unlike any other: pitchers trying to hit. For the first time in 2018, the Orioles...
-
May 31, 2018 at 7:00 am
Hess impresses, but don’t expect many more O’s youngsters on horizon soon
I’ve got bad news and good news for you, folks. And then more bad news. The bad news is that the Orioles once again found a unique way to lose a ballgame Wednesday night. After being dominated for eight innings by three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, the Orioles had a...
-
May 28, 2018 at 7:00 am
Stats All, Folks: What is spin rate, and why exactly does it matter?
Back by popular demand (or maybe despite it), it’s Stats All, Folks! I began this feature last year as a primer into the world of sabermetrics and analytics. My goal is to provide a basic introduction to advanced baseball statistics for people who want to learn more. Last year, I discussed WAR,...