Will Jeremy Guthrie Ever Catch a Break?
Orioles’ pitcher struggles to get wins in spite of good season.
On Monday Orioles starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie pitched 6.1 innings and gave up two earned runs and left the game in a 2-2 tie. The Orioles then proceeded to score four runs in the 8th off Red Sox reliever Hideki Okajima to win the game 6-3.
But at least he didn’t lose. The no decision snapped a three-start losing streak for Guthrie. During the streak, Guthrie pitched a total of 20.2 innings and surrendered five runs. His Baltimore teammates managed a grand total of three runs scored during that time.
It appears that Guthrie is this year’s hard-luck pitcher. His record stands at 2-6 after 13 starts this season. Guthrie sports an ERA of 3.58 and a WHIP of 1.23. That ERA ranks 18th among AL starting pitchers, better than the Rangers’ Vicente Padilla (7-2, 3.67), and better than the Yankees’ Chien-Ming Wang (6-2, 4.14) and Mike Mussina (8-4, 4.26). During the month of May Guthrie’s ERA was 2.97. He earned a 2-3 record for his troubles.
It’s not just that the Orioles have failed to score during Guthrie’s starts, although 3.23 runs per start is pretty sorry. Often it has been when they score. Witness Guthrie’s April 6 start versus the Mariners, during which the 29-year-old righty pitched seven innings and gave up two runs. However, the Orioles did not score any runs until the 9th, when they scored three to win the game. At least Guthrie didn’t get the loss. Or try Guthrie’s next start on April 11 against Tampa Bay. Guthrie pitched 6.1 and gave up two earned. But the Rays scored 8 runs total in the seventh and eighth innings and won 10-5.
Out of thirteen starts this season, Guthrie has produced a “quality start” of six or more innings with three or less earned runs ten times. Now in his second year as an Oriole after three years spent mostly in the Indians’ farm system, Guthrie appears to be finally blossoming into a front-line starter. Last season, his first as a full-time starter in the bigs, he went 7-5 with an ERA of 3.70 in 26 starts. Unfortunately, he’s become a case study in the arbitrary nature of pitchers wins. Equally unfortunate for Guthrie, the win is still the number one factor used to evaluate a pitcher’s success. If the O’s could score one or two more runs per game, Guthrie could be an All-Star. Let’s hope he gets the runs and wins he deserves soon.
06 June 2008 01:43
I’ve always liked Guthrie, I think the O’s have some nice pitching. Another guy who has been pitching well without support, at least in May, is Justin Verlander. In 11 starts the DET offense has given him 34 runs- but 22 of those came in 2 games! He lost twice in May, to KC and MIN, despite giving up 2 and 1 runs. At least Baltimore is supposed to suck…
06 June 2008 07:57
What about Aaron Harang? He’s 2-8 with a 3.86 ERA. In seven of his 13 starts, the Reds have scored 2 runs or less. Heck, they couldn’t even get him a run in a 9-9 game when he was used in four scoreless innings of relief in their 18 inning marathon with the Padres.