The Good and Bad from Blue Jays v. Orioles (April 3 & 5 2017)

I love this time of year more than any other, IT'S BASEBALL SEASON!!! Now if you have read any of the pre season predictions for the Orioles, it's not good.  But who cares what they think the season is here and the Orioles are undefeated.  Let's take a look back at the very short opening series against division rival, Blue Jays.

GOOD: SWEEEEEPP
So what it's only two games.  You played an AL East rival and you beat them in both games.  Anytime you sweep a division rival it's a very good thing.

BAD: Average with RISP
Now when you only play two games and you win both, anything bad is kind of nitpicking, but here we go.  The Orioles only went 2-9 (.222) with runners in scoring position in the two game series.  Surprisingly, in Game 2 they never had a chance, they didn't have a runner on second or third the entire game and still somehow won, you won't see that too often.  Again it's early but the Orioles have to get better than that .222 average when they have the opportunities to score.

GOOD: Chris Davis' defense
I don't think this gets mentioned nearly enough but Chris Davis has become a really good first baseman defensively.  Most of the talk around Davis is his hitting, and rightly so when you pay a guy over $150 million to hit and he doesn't hit to your standards, he's ripe for criticism.  However, numerous times in the first 2 games Davis dug balls out of the dirt to get key outs.  On opening day there was a critical double play turned in the 9th inning that Davis saved with his glove, and I know Manny Machado made a great diving play in the 11th, but without Davis' scoop on the back end the great play by Manny means nothing.  It's not why the Orioles pay Davis the amount of money they do but it's also a part of his game we shouldn't overlook.

BAD: Base running
Again, nitpicking but twice Orioles players were thrown out at second base in the two games trying to stretch singles into doubles.  On Opening Day Chris Davis was thrown out at second in the third inning, he did drive in a run in the process but could've killed a big inning.  In game 2 Wellington Castillo was thrown out at second by Kevin Pillar.  Some might like the aggressiveness and to an extent I do as well.  You have to pick and choose when you go, sometimes that can cost you a game.

GOOD: Dylan Bundy
I was going to make this a combined good with Gausman & Bundy, but Gausman's struggles near the end of his outing made me change my mind.  Dylan Bundy however was fantastic through his 7 innings in game 2 against Toronto.  Bundy in those 7 innings only gave up 4 hits (3 of which came in one inning), 1 ER, and struck out 8.  Bundy had a very potent lineup guessing and off balance all night.  Dylan Bundy looks primed to take that next step in his career.

One more thing I'd like to mention is Zach Britton.  He pitched in both of the first two games but wasn't his dominant self.  He gave up multiple hits and in game 2 he needed a double play with the bases loaded to seal the win.  I'm not concerned but it's something to watch in his next few outings.

Follow me on the twitter @AndySnaks , I'll try and keep this updated as much as possible, this guy has been slacking.