The Baltimore Orioles sent Chris Bassitt to the Il before tonight’s game at Camden Yards against Seattle, replacing him in the rotation with Trey Gibson. Between that and Samuel Bassalo being slightly dinged up over the weekend in Toronto, injuries are suddenly bubbling to the surface again. Gibson’s line: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 0 K.
Inexplicably, Craig Albernaz started Sam Huff (who joined the team over the weekend on the taxi squad) behind the plate tonight in lieu of Adley Rutschman. We may well find out after the game that Rutschman himself was was injured as well. However while Huff caught a great game, there’s no comparison with him and Rutschman. That’s curious, needless to say. I’d be curious what the statistic is which says that Huff was the better option than Rutschman.
It could well have something to do with keeping Blaze Alexander’s bat in the lineup. Needless to say, Alexander’s a gamer. He gives the Orioles a great option in the order. But was it worth putting him in an unnatural spot – right field?
The O’s loaded the bases in the third, but couldn’t afford to hold Seattle accountable. they did manage to scratch one across in the form of a Pete Alonso sac fly-RBI. So they did have a brief 1-0 lead.
Seattle would put two on with one out in the fifth. Bliss would tie the game with a sac fly-RBI, and Seattle would then put two on after a single by Young. Craig Albernaz then opted to pull Trey Gibson.
I found that curious. Granted, Gibson’s a young pitcher and he did put runners on base. However he brought in a righty in Anthony Nunez. This to face a righty in Rodriguez. Who he walked on five pitches, three of which were off the plate inside. Naylor’s subsequent grand slam gave Seattle a 5-1 lead.
I understand the point; a righty-righty matchup allows the pitcher to command the inside of the plate. It makes sense. But…does it really matter if the batter doesn’t offer and the pitches are out of the zone? And then the next hitter hits a grand slam on a four-seam fastball that was high and out of the zone?
The O’s would later narrow the lead to 5-2 in the seventh on a wild pitch. The O’s would load the bases, and Pete Alonso appeared to walk – giving the Birds another run. However Seattle used an ABS challenge, and…they were right. Colton Cowser would ground out, ending the inning.
Seattle would tack on an insurance run in the eight. However they got a second insurance run in the form of taking an Oriole run off the board as well. Blaze Alexander got aboard in the last of the eighth with an RBI-single. However Samuel Basallo came off his sick bed and was used as a pinch hitter.
And Basallo appeared at first to deliver. He sent a deep shot to center field, which appeared at first to be targeted to the batter/‘s eye. But the ball died in the air, and fell into the fielder’s mitt. HOWEVER…
…Blaze Alexander tried to tag up to get to second. And he was thrown out. But on top of that…Seattle challenged the call.
This on the basis of the fact that Jackson Holliday crossed home plate AFTER the third out had been made at second base. And the challenge was upheld. The run came off the board, and the O’s ended up falling 6-3.
The tone was set for later when Gibson was lifted with a pitch count still in the 60’s. Now you never know what happens if things go the other way. However it seemed like over-managing to me. Just like Blaze Alexander’s rouse later in the game seemed like over-aggression.
Could Holliday have run faster? Maybe. But if Alexander stays at first like he should have, it’s beside the point. (The same goes for Albernaz pulling Gibson so fast) The defense is yielding you a run – which is why that play calls for the throw to come into second base. Take the run; don’t try to take more.
Another point about over-managing; the Orioles allowed several pitches to go unchallenged with the ABS system. Opposing teams, including Seattle this evening, don’t do that. I understand the Orioles are trying to conserve their challenges – a perspective with which I actually agree. But there’s a point where you’re being derelict in allowing bad calls to stand. Which again, comes across to over-managing. Whether that’s over-managing in the dugout or from above is another story.
The series continues tomorrow at Camden Yards. Trevor Rogers gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Seattle’s Logan Gilbert. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.
Birdland Crush 