Guest post by Matt Jenkins
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With
the 2014 MLB playoffs just around the corner, the Baltimore Orioles
are pretty much a lock to represent the American League East. Not a
lot of people expected them to be at the top of the division at the
start of the year, but here they are with a sizable lead. They have
quite a few players to thank for their outstanding season so far, but
one big surprise has been Chris Tillman on the mound.
The American League
Cy Young Award has pretty much been wrapped up by Felix Hernandez.
However, if it was not for Hernandez having such a special season on
the mound, there is a very good chance that Tillman would come away
with the award. He has been able to the very solid on the mound, and
he has also been very consistent. His numbers and fantasy baseball
illustrate just how valuable he has been for Baltimore.
Among
playoff teams, Baltimore certainly looks like a franchise that does
not have the same type of top-tier talent on the mound. Most people
agree that in order to win a World Series, pitching needs to be the
key for any franchise. Tillman is hoping that he can carry over his
regular season success to the postseason. He might not have a huge
track record, but nothing seems to be holding him back at this time.
Tillman
was pretty good at the beginning of the year, but he has been very
solid since the beginning of June. In fact, he has not allowed more
than 3 earned runs in any of his starts since June 5, and that has
put Baltimore in contention every single time he takes the mound. He
might only have 12 wins on the year and a slightly bloated 3.36 ERA,
but Baltimore will be counting on him quite a bit during the most
important part of the year. If he can take his game to another level,
Baltimore has a fighting chance to go all the way.
