When Power Hitting Isn't Enough
Baseballs have been flying out of major league ballparks at a record clip this season and teams that hit a lot of home runs often seem like a good bet to win a lot of games. However, this isn't always the case. The most glaring example that power hitting isn't always enough to be a contender is the Baltimore Orioles. The Orioles came into Sunday leading the league in home runs, yet they are barely staying afloat in a crowded American League Wild Card race. In fact, their playoff hopes are almost all but dead after they've fallen to 5 games back of the second wild card spot with 13 games to play and five teams ahead of them. How can a team that hits for so much power be so unlikely to make the playoffs? The answer can be expressed quite clearly by the old baseball adage "pitching wins ballgames." The Orioles starting pitching is quite simply awful. The other reason is not enough run production when not hitting home runs. Offensive Prowess? Lords of the Long B...