The Baltimore Orioles didn’t get quite the same crisp effort out of starter Kohl Stewart this afternoon that they’ve gotten out of other starters this spring. Now granted Stewart had a stiff assignment in taking on the New York Yankees today; furthermore he wasn’t shelled by any means. He was somewhere “in the middle,” as I like to say. Stewart’s line: 3.0 IL, 5 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 2 K.
Stewart, who hadn’t pitched in a game in a while (save for simulated games), said he felt he gave himself something on which to build (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports):
It felt pretty good. It’s been a while, you know? So finally getting in the game instead of doing some of these sims that I’ve been doing. My stuff felt really good, especially as long as it’s been since I’ve been against live hitters. I felt like I executed the majority of things that I wanted to today. I made a few mistakes and they made me pay for it, but as far as building on this and getting some of thsoe things corrected that I didn’t do, we know exactly what I need to do a little better and we can make that happen in between starts.
Chris Davis continued his hot spring with an RBI-single in the last of the first to give the O’s a 1-0 lead. Dwight Smith Jr. would add an RBI–single later in the inning as well, and Pedro Severino would add a sac fly-RBI. However New York would storm back with three runs in the second, tying the game at two.
They would then take the lead in the fourth with a two-run homer my Milone. Now for the record, that wasn’t charged to Kohl Stewart. He had exited the game by then.
However an inning later Dwight Smith Jr. would bring the Birds back to within one with an infield RBI-single in the fifth. A Yusniel Díaz RBI-single in the eight would then tie the game at five. Which is how it ended. The teams opted to call it a day and leave it as a tie. Which of course is like kissing your sister. But results don’t matter at this stage.
The more pressing matter is the condition of Trey Mancini, who’s left the team and will undergo elective surgery for a non-baseball related condition this week. We don’t know what the condition is, nor how much time Mancini will miss. The Orioles ask that his privacy be respected at this time.
None of that sounds good. Nor do some of the quotes coming out of the Orioles’ clubhouse, with several players and coaches expressing that Trey is in their prayers. I’m not going to speculate on what the issue is, as per the family’s request through the team. However I would ask that all readers keep Trey Mancini and his family in their thoughts and prayers.
The O’s now find themselves with their line off day during camp coming up tomorrow. So no game! The facility will be closed, and players will be asked to stay away. Even during spring guys value their time off. So I’m sure they won’t have any issue following that edict!
Birdland Crush 