masn-baseballs-orioles.jpgOrioles pitcher Jake Arrieta has exuded confidence from the first day that he stepped inside a major league clubhouse in spring training.

Not anymore.

Arrieta was despondent after tonight’s 9-6 loss to the Phillies, reaching a low we haven’t seen from him.

“It’s pretty difficult,” he said. “Just frustration seems to continue to build and just having a hard time getting out of it. It’s wearing on me a little bit. Searching for answers and not being able to find them is tough.”

The…Orioles pitcher Jake Arrieta has exuded confidence from the first day that he stepped inside a major league clubhouse in spring training.

Not anymore.

Arrieta was despondent after tonight’s 9-6 loss to the Phillies, reaching a low we haven’t seen from him.

“It’s pretty difficult,” he said. “Just frustration seems to continue to build and just having a hard time getting out of it. It’s wearing on me a little bit. Searching for answers and not being able to find them is tough.”

The Phillies sent 10 batters to the plate and hit for the cycle in the second inning.

“I didn’t command the ball well,” he said. “Left pitches up. Just things didn’t go my way, and just a tough inning, a real tough inning.”

Is this as frustrated as he’s been all season?

“Yeah, by far,” he said. “Yeah, absolutely.”

The toughest stretch of his career?

“Easily, yeah,” he replied.

Arrieta doesn’t know whether he’ll be optioned to Triple-A Norfolk tomorrow and he’s trying not to dwell on it.

“I really haven’t thought about it,” he said. “Just kind of going over the game in my head, trying to analyze things, probably overthinking things a little bit too much. I’m just kind of lost right now.

“I can get big league hitters out. There’s no question about that, and I can do it at a high level. Just not being able to put it together for a complete start right now in a stretch of four or five outings is very frustrating. I think everyone here knows what I can do. Going out there tonight in front of 40,000 people and having a clubhouse full of guys out there who count on you to go out there and give it up like that is pretty frustrating.

“That’s really all I’ve got.”

The interview ended and reporters moved away from his locker. Arrieta was left alone, wondering whether he’d be back there tomorrow.