Better late than never, I figured I would revisit my pre-season predicitons for 2011 for the Orioles. Here they are (were):
If Brian Roberts plays in 130 games, I'm going with 80 wins. If he ends up on the DL, 76 wins.
Wow, I was really optimistic for 2011. Roberts did not play in 130 games, obviously. But the O's fell 7 wins short of my projections. I figured the pitching staff would struggle but not as much as it did. A top of the rotation that included Jeremy Guthrie, Brian Matusz and Zach Britton held much more promise than it delivered.
Zach Britton wins the AL Rookie of the Year. Yeah, Jeremy Hellickson is the odds on favorite but I think Britton comes up on the outside and catches him.
Dead wrong. Britton had his bright spots but Hellickson had a solid season (helped by the defensive team behind him) and is still one of the favorites for the award. Dustin Ackley, Eric Hosmer and others from a strong rookie class.
Adam Jones breaks out this season. A mild breakout, something like a .295/.340/.450. 20 home runs. But a breakout nonetheless.
Jones hit .280/.319/.466 on the year. I predicted a .790 OPS, he OPS'ed .785. He broke out with the power more than with his hit tool (25 homers). But pretty close
I can't predict playing time but Nolan Reimold will finish the season with a higher OPS than Vladimir Guerrero. So will Luke Scott.
One of the few things I was really right on was the Reimold versus Guerrero debate. Reimold finished with a .781 OPS, Guerrero with a .733 OPS. Luke Scott only had a .703 OPS but if healthy, I think he would have hit somewhere north of a .750 OPS. I'm calling this one as correct.
Jeremy Guthrie will, once again, have an ERA lower than his FIP. Probably significantly so.
Not really. Guthrie's FIP was 4.48 (xFIP was 4.47) and his actual ERA was 4.33.
Nick Markakis will hit 40 doubles. Again. Also will have at least a .360 OBP.
This seemed like a real no-brainer before the season but Nick didn't come close to that 40 double mark, only 31 this season. And he rallied for a .351 OBP late in the season. But I continue to have rose colored glasses when it comes to Nick. It was the worst offensive season of his career.
Matt Wieters hits 15 home runs. Anything else he does is anybody's guess.
He hit 22 homers, had his best offensive year yet and became one of the top defensive catchers in baseball.
Luke Scott will OPS north of .850.
Not exactly. Even if healthy, I don't think Scott could have streaked his way to that number.
Josh Rupe doesn't see May 15th in Baltimore. He sees it from Norfolk.
I had forgotten all about Josh Rupe until I reviewed this post. May 5th was his last appearance for Baltimore.
Zach Britton is in Baltimore before May 15th.
Injuries made this a near necessity in early April.
JJ Hardy will be a fan favorite by June 1st.
I'll vote no on this. On June 1st, Hardy was OPSing .730 with 3 homers. The rest of the way he OPSed .817 with 27 homers. He was winning hearts in June and July but not by June 1st.
Matt Albers will outperform most of the Oriole pen while pitching for Boston.
This was definitely true through, oh, right about the All-Star break. But Albers' late season struggles gave him a 4.73 ERA (worse than his mark for the O's in 2010) and although his strikeout numbers improved, he just wasn't very good in Boston.
Mark Hendrickson ends up playing a large role in the Oriole season. Take that as you will.
Hendrickson pitched 11 innings for the O's in 2011. Not. Even. Close.
Mark Reynolds hits 30 homers and has 200 Ks.
Reynolds exceeded even my great expectations by hitting 37 homers but fell just short of the strikeout predicition with 196.
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