Orioles manager Buck Showalter was asked before Thursday's series finale against the Boston Red Sox whether a dynamic defensive performance, like the one that helped the Orioles stifle Boston on Wednesday, can give a struggling offense a lift.
Showalter wasn't so sure. But he could say, from personal experience, that a defensive performance like the one Adam Jones and the Orioles put on can affect an opponent.
"I wouldn't say 'demoralize' … that's too strong a word," Showalter said, "but I've been on the other side of it. Kind of like Kansas City [in the American League Champions Series] last year. Everything we hit hard last year, they caught, and it seemed like they ran everything down. Think of what it does to the other team."
The Orioles started the season in a bit of a defensive funk, spending the first month or so ranked among the bottom 10 teams in baseball in fielding percentage. They since have risen steadily through the ranks, and finally cracked the top 10 last week.
"They say effort should never go in a slump,'' Showalter said. "Defense has its moments, but for the most part, it's pretty consistent, and that's a byproduct of a lot of work."