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Orioles on pace for stolen base ‘record’
- Updated: August 23, 2016
BALTIMORE — In the first inning of the Orioles’ 15-8 loss to the Astros last Friday, No. 2 hitter Hyun Soo Kim stood at first base with no outs following a single. For some teams, the situation might stir thoughts of a stolen base, which would move the runner into scoring position and take away the defense’s chance for a double play.
Kim never budged, but the O’s didn’t need him to. Two batters after Adam Jones’ leadoff home run, Manny Machado smacked a 3-1 pitch from Houston’s Collin McHugh over the center-field wall. Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo followed with solo shots, making Baltimore the first team since 1900 to go deep four times before recording an out.
The homer binge helps explain why Kim wasn’t running in that situation, and why that’s hardly unusual for the Orioles, who could challenge the record for most home runs in a season, but are also on track for one of the lowest totals of steal attempts ever recorded. Buck Showalter manages a roster with little foot speed but a whole lot of thump, leading to a Major League-best 194 homers and a league-low 14 steals in 23 tries. The O’s haven’t even attempted a stolen base since Aug. 3 against Texas.
.@Orioles lead @MLB with 192 homers, on pace for 257. The 1997 @Mariners hold the record with 264 homers. pic.twitter.com/9qcKK3MTcL
— MLB Stat of the Day (@MLBStatoftheDay) August 22, 2016
.@Orioles lead @MLB with 192 homers, on pace for 257. The 1997 @Mariners hold the record with 264 homers. pic.twitter.com/9qcKK3MTcL
“The whole goal is to score runs,” catcher Matt Wieters said. “With our lineup, one through nine, we feel like everybody can be in scoring position when they’re at the plate.”
No other team has stolen fewer than 28 bases or attempted fewer than 45 this season. But with their understandably risk-averse strategy on the basepaths, the Orioles are on pace to finish with just 18 steals in 30 tries.
Since attempts became an official stat in both leagues in 1951, the record for the fewest in one season was 29 by the 1960 Kansas City A’s, according to the …
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