By: Nathaniel Ascher and Harold Klapper
In 2018, the Baltimore Orioles were the worst team in baseball with only 47 wins and an astounding 115 losses. Their record in 2018 was the second worst of all time since the implementation of the 162 game season and they finished the year 22 games behind their season projection by PECOTA. Looking back at the season it would seem hard for a team to have a more underwhelming year, but the Orioles will most likely be worse, and possibly historically terrible. A combination of a loss of pitchers, batters, and a farm system that won’t produce a high caliber player for the coming years will all factor into making the 2019 Baltimore Orioles’ season one of the worst ones in MLB history.
The pitching staff for the Baltimore Orioles last season was one of the worst in recent memory and their lack of success was a large factor in the Orioles record. The Orioles’ pitching staff was last in wins, had the lowest number of saves, and faced the most batters in 2018. Along with these concerning numbers it had the highest ERA among all 32 teams, gave up the most HRs, allowed the most hits, and was last in WHIP. To be last in all of these important metrics is telling of a detestable group of pitchers. The Orioles’ situation for the 2019 season is no better. In fact, the pitching staff has gotten worse as Zack Britton, Brad Brach, and Kevin Gausman were all traded before the trade deadline last year. The combined ERA for Britton, Brach, and Gausman was 4.24, which is better than the team’s ERA of 5.18, in 2018. After losing their arguably three best pitchers, it’s almost certain that the Orioles will have worse pitching numbers in 2019.
On the bright side, the Orioles’ hitting last year was much better than their pitching. However, compared to the rest of the MLB, the Orioles did not match up well and were ranked in the bottom half of almost every hitting stat. To put this into perspective, they were 29th in Plate Appearances, 27th in runs, last in walks, 29th in OBP, and 26th in SLG. As you can tell, the Orioles finished last or near last in some of the most important hitting categories, and they will certainly fare worse in 2019. The Orioles got a combined 8.4 offensive WAR from their two trade deadline moves; Manny Machado and Jonathan Schoop, and their impending free agent Adam Jones. These three players all hit above the Orioles batting average and slugging percentage last season and their departure will be felt throughout the 2019 season. This is one of the main reasons why the Orioles will severely decrease in offensive production in 2019, and why fans shouldn’t go to Camden Yards to see some offensive fireworks.
You would think that a team with low caliber MLB players would have a great farm system, but that is far from the truth with the Orioles. According to Bleacher Report, their farm system is ranked 20th coming into the 2019 season, and they have only two Top 100 prospects, according to MLB.com. Both of these prospects, OF Yusniel Diaz and SP D.L. Hall, are younger than 23 and are not ready for the Major Leagues, although you could see Yusniel Diaz come up late in the 2019 season. SP D.L. Hall does look good for the future, but he will certainly not be called up in 2019 due to him not being ready and the Orioles being cautious with his service time. Although the Orioles farm system may produce some quality MLB talents in the future, it almost certainly won’t contribute to their 2019 season.
With a doomed pitching staff, less than mediocre batters, and a farm system that won’t produce for the coming season, the Orioles are set up for one of the worst seasons in recent memory and possibly MLB history. The 2019 season for the Orioles will be one for the record books, due to the fact that they lost many impactful players throughout the past season. So for the fans in Baltimore, it’s going to be a long year.
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