Baltimore Orioles: Umpires get scouting reports also

The Baltimore Orioles sent Jorge Lopez to the mound in Anaheim last night. End of the day, it was one of those starts where the tone for the game was set early. Lopez’s line: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 BB, 4 K.

Lopez loaded the bases in the first inning, this before even recording an out. Luckily Anaheim only netted two runs. One on an RBI-single by Walsh, and a second on a fielder’s choice by Gosselin. So that was actually good on Lopez for minimizing the damage.

However Anaheim would also get an RBI-double by Lagares in the third, and an RBI-so gel by Gosselin in the fifth. The Birds’ lone run of the night came on a fielder’s choice by Pat Valaika. Bottom line: the O’s fell last night, 4-1.

Jorge Lopez seemed very frustrated at times over the strike zone. And the fact that it got to him showed:

Yeah, sure. My emotions showed it. I really compete and sometimes I show my emotions. It’s something I’ve been working on so long. But, yeah, some calls should be there. I didn’t get it. I’ve just got to keep doing the best I can.

Quote courtesy of Steve Melewski, MASNsports

Catcher Pedro Severino’s struggled at times this year in terms of framing pitches. Umpires like pitches framed well if they’re going to give a strike. Especially on borderline pitches.

Umpires read scouting reports also. So they know Severino doesn’t always frame pitches well. They also know that Lopez likes to nibble. So again, they aren’t going to be as willing to give borderline strike calls. Does that mean that pitches in the strike zone weren’t called balls? They absolutely were.

The series concludes this afternoon at Angel Stadium. Thomas Eshelman gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Anaheim’s Patrick Sandoval. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.