Orioles Players To Watch In ALCS
By Samuel Njoku
The Orioles are closing in on the beginning of the ALCS against the Kansas City Royals. It's usually around this time that the best shine brightest and push their team into the World Series. Here's a look at a few players to watch out for as this Championship Series gets underway.
SP Chris Tillman
Chris Tillman may not be an everyday player, but he's the closest thing this team has to an ACE in their lineup. For the Ravens to mimic the performance they displayed in the ALDS, Tillman will have to set the tone with an impressive outing in Game 1 of the series. The Royals don't have any heavy hitters in their lineup that scares us, but they play great small ball. Tillman will need to have his pitch count low enough to pull him into the 6th or 7th inning as well as watch the baseline for runners as Kansas City has speed to kill any team in the MLB.
If Tillman gets a deep outing in the first game, it'll rest up Baltimore's amazing bullpen for late game situations through the back end of this series.
CF Adam Jones
Adam Jones is without question the star of the Baltimore Orioles. While Nelson Cruz is the man that can change the game with a swing of the bat, Jones is the man that can do everything asked of a baseball player at a high level. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case for Jones in the postseason. In fact, his postseson stats are downright putrid. He has a batting average of .108 in the postseason with only four hits out of 37 at bats. That'll have to change soon with every swing being so vital in the ALCS.
If Jones catches fire and returns to regular season form, the Orioles may run away with the series. If he continues to struggle, it'll be a nail biter for Orioles fans.
Delmon Young
Though Jones has struggled in the postseason so far in his young career, Delmon Young has flourished. He's been on fire in 2014 including his now infamous 8th inning three-run double in Game 2 of the ALDS. Young has an All-Time batting average of .264 in the postseason with 9 homeruns. He's been asked to pinch hit a bunch this year and stats like that will keep him in the conversation when Buck Showalter needs a big hit out of someone in their bench.
Does Young have another heroic swing in his arsenal in the ALCS?
Samuel Njoku was born and raised in Baltimore, MD and is a graduate of the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Samuel has covered the Ravens for Examiner.com since 2010. Prior to 2010, Samuel was an avid blogger and radio personality in Salisbury, MD. Samuel Njoku is a freelance writer covering all things NFL. His work can be found on Examiner.com. You can also follow him on Twitter @Ravens_Examiner.
