Author Archives: Domenic Vadala

Welcome to Birdland Crush! Yes folks, for the record it's a spin off of the popular summer beverage native to the Mid-Atlantic Region - "orange crush." Nevertheless, I've been covering Orioles' baseball since 2009 in some capacity, and it's basically the greatest gig of all time so far as I'm concerned! But for those who aren't familiar with my work or bio, I'm familiar with pretty much every sport out there. But baseball is king - we all know that. So my hope is that you come back and check in after every Orioles' game, and throughout the off-season. I'm always on duty!

Baltimore Orioles: Does an aspect of MLB’s collective bargaining agreement hurt team’s chances?

I’m inviting readership to take a break from the doom and gloom of the beginning of the Baltimore Orioles’ season for a moment. Trust me folks, if anything breaks regarding personnel moves from the team, you’ll hear them here. So be ready!

Baseball contracts are famously guaranteed. Many of you have tweeted me and commented ad hoc about how the Orioles should release this guy or DFA that one over the years – currently I’m hearing that a lot about Chris Davis. And those comments are always met with the same response from me: MLB contracts are guaranteed, so the Orioles would not only have to continue paying [insert player name], but any other team could claim him off of waivers – and the O’s would still be on the hook for his contract. 

Most of the time that shuts down the argument, although there are some who’ll suggest that paying the guy in question to play for someone else would be money well spent. But in general most people understand what a poor business model that would be. This actually worked to the Orioles’ favor one year, when in 2011 they acquired Julio Lugo towards the end of spring training. Lugo had been traded from the BoSox to St. Louis after being DFA’d, and then was subsequently DFA’d again and traded to the O’s. He played that season with the Birds and was on Boston’s payroll.

From a labor perspective I support the idea of guaranteed contracts. It’s akin to job security. I’d never want to see MLB go to a system such as the NFL, where if you get cut your contract is null and void. I think that’s unfair to the athlete – what’s the point of having a contract if a team can cut you and be done with it?

Obviously in the NFL you still have to abide by the salary cap, and if you cut someone his salary still counts against the cap for that year. However teams are basically forced to keep players who may end up being a dead weight on their books and on their roster. You’re using up a roster spot and spending money on someone who’s probably not helping your club. And it causes bad feelings all around, because usually the guy knows that rule’s the only reason he’s still there.

So what’s the alternative? Using the NFL’s model? No, I don’t think so. First off baseball doesn’t have a salary cap, so it wouldn’t work. (And that’s another story for another day.) However there is a happy medium. If a player gets DFA’d, I agree that his contract should still be guaranteed. So long as he’s a free agent, the original team should be on the hook for his salary.

However, if he gets claimed by another team, let them assume responsibility for the contract. That seems like common sense to me. It also makes teams think twice about whether or not they want to claim someone. That’s not to say that I ever see that happening, but hey you never know – right?!

Baltimore Orioles: Botched rundown equals another loss

The Baltimore Orioles seem poised to invent new ways to dodge wins on a daily basis. Today it was a botched rundown by Pedro Alvarez. Tomorrow or the next day it might be something else.

Alex Cobb pitched perhaps his best game as an Oriole, and he goes as a hard-luck loser. Cobb’s line: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R (1 earned), 1 BB, 5 K. Cobb dealt all afternoon, and certainly pitched well enough to win the game. But again, the defense behind him failed him.

The Orioles actually had a lead for a period in this game, as the aforementioned Pedro Alvarez smacked a solo home run in the second inning. However it was his miscue at third base which gave the lead and the game to Oakland. This is not to say that Alvarez and Alvarez alone is responsible for this game – it’s always a team effort. However his mistake definitely stood out today.

Following a lead off double in the fourth, Cobb induced a comebacker to the mound, which could have had multiple outs written all over if for the O’s. The runner Joyce was caught between second and third, and for a brief moment it appeared that the O’s would nail the lead runner on the base paths. In fact, Joyce even stumbled at one point, appearing to make it even easier to tag him out…

…but that stumble appeared to throw off Pedro Alvarez. He went to throw the ball back to second base, and ended up air mailing it into right field. Everyone was safe, and with nobody down Oakland had two runners in scoring position. Davis would ground out to tie the game at one, and Olson’s RBI-double would give Oakland a 2-1 lead.

Pedro Alvarez is a professional and he made a bad mistake in this game. He’s the first to admit that – so while I have to report it like I see it, I can’t be too hard on him. Especially when he was responsible for the Orioles’ lone run in the game. However as a team, the Orioles need to be able to overcome that. Alvarez’s miscue doesn’t attest for why the O’s couldn’t get anyone on base again until the ninth inning. In fact, they had the tying run in scoring position – and couldn’t bring him home.

I used to say that it begins and ends with starting pitching. But as seemingly everything I say has been proven to be incorrect, why stop with that? The Orioles got GREAT starting pitching both last night and this afternoon. Cobb was great out there today, and he was rewarded for it with a loss. I maintain that it begins and ends with starting pitching, and that you’re only as good as your next day’s starter. However the fact is that even while beginning and ending with starting pitching, there’s always more to the story.

The Orioles also need to figure out what they’re going to do with Manny Machado. I’m never in favor of a true sell off, because I think it sends a bad message. But regardless of the Orioles’ record, everyone knows his contract status. The Los Angeles Dodgers have a need at shortstop, and it’ll exist for the remainder of the season – the term of Manny’s current contract. For all we know the parties are already talking; please don’t disregard that possibility.

But I think they need to seriously consider sending him to Los Angeles in the name of getting something for him now. Granted you don’t want to undersell him and get peanuts in return – which is why a trade hasn’t happened yet. But we saw today in the ninth inning one reason it should happen soon.

Oakland walked Machado with first base open to pitch to Davis. And it worked – but I digress. With Davis and others struggling, that’s going to start happening more often. Heck, in doing it today, Oakland put the go-ahead run on base. That means that Machado’s numbers might start to suffer a bit, dragging his value down.

Certainly there’ll be instances where teams will have to pitch to Machado, so he’ll have his opportunities. However they may be minimized a bit. So every out he records will count a little more. And if you wait for the trade deadline teams might look at his stats and justifiably want to offer less.

He’s also had a bit of a rough go at shortstop thus far this season. He’s only fielding at a .965 clip, with five errors. I’m the first one to say that’s partially due to him being rusty at short. So I believe he’ll play out of it. But trades are very much about what the player’s doing in the here and now, and what they can offer in the future. So the more mistakes pile up for Machado in the field, the more the Orioles risk having his value diminish.

Ideally they re-sign Machado to a long-term deal for next season. But the good news for them is that if they traded him at some point they might still have a shot at doing that (unless he signs an extension with his new team, but he’s already said he wants to test free agency). But ultimately right now, I think he’s more valuable to them on the trade market. And that trade should happen soon. Not because he means nothing to them, is disliked, or wouldn’t be missed by the fans and in the clubhouse; but because there’s a team out there who needs him, and should be willing to give the Orioles some prospects in return.

Baltimore Orioles: Are changes coming in Birdland?

As we wait for the Baltimore Orioles’ lineup in Oakland, it’s dawned on me that tomorrow is an off day for the Birds. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised – the schedule came out in September! Plus they’ll be going cross country to get home, so it’s only fair I suppose.

Given the way the season has started, it also provides a chance for the O’s to make changes if they want to. And no, I’m not talking about the lineup. (Although a roster move will have to be made at some point, as it’s expected that Jonathan Schoop will come off the DL on Tuesday.) I’m talking within the organization – perhaps even in the dugout.

Buck Showalter is the second-best manager in franchise history. (I’ll let you figure out who gets the top nod.) However more importantly, he presided over a re-birth in the franchise from top-to-bottom, and restored the civic pride in the team that had been lacking for awhile. Yet if I’m to believe the legions of people who tweet at me on a daily basis along with some of the commenters on this site (incidentally, many of who’s comments don’t get published due to their vulgar or mean-spirited nature), that goodwill has been rolled back in an instant.

Unequivocally, there’s NOBODY better to manage the Orioles than Buck Showalter. Take yourself back to circa 2006 or 2007. If I told you that Buck would one day manage the Orioles, would you not take that? It’s not just a matter of X’s and O’s, or on-field decisions. As he’s said many times, Buck “gets Baltimore.” And Baltimore truly is a place that you have to “get” in order to have success here. Ask John Harbaugh. Heck, on the flip side of that as Robert Irsay.

Yet, there’s a percentage of you who want Buck gone – and NOW. I remain on the record as saying that I think that would be a huge mistake. Is it something that could happen? Yes, for sure. But I think it would be a mistake. It’s one thing to punt out a manager who in essence had no credentials when he walked in the door – like the Orioles did with the likes of Mazzilli, Perlozzo, and Trembley. Or like Washington did with Matt Williams. But a manager as accomplished and tenured as Buck Showalter, who has the rapport with many of the current players that he does? That’s a stretch.

But yes folks, that could happen. I think much more realistically however you might see someone such as Scott Coolbaugh become the sacrificial lamb and get the ax. But even that might be a stretch, as Buck Showalter has a reputation for being intensely loyal, both to players and the coaches underneath him.

Obviously Dan Duquette is a guy who could be on the chopping block also. And it wouldn’t cost the Orioles much in the way or money to relieve him of his duties. Like Showalter, his contract’s up at the end of the year. Incidentally, Brady Anderson could fill either Duquette’s or Coolbaugh’s role for the rest of the season if need be. Perhaps even long term.

But going back to Showalter for a moment, as I said I think relieving him of his duties would be a huge mistake. But anytime a coach is on the hot seat in sports, my response is always what’s your plan to replace him? It might be one thing to fire a coach/manager towards the end of the season and let an assistant fill in for the rest of the way. But we’re still early in the season…

…the last time this situation came up in Baltimore was 2010. And I said the same thing; what’s the plan going forward to replace him? In that case it turned out that the Orioles had a plan: Buck Showalter. They had an interim manager for most of the summer while the T’s were crossed and I’s dotted with Buck, but he was the plan. So again to appease all of the folks who want a change in the manager’s office, what’s your plan?

Disregarding the fact that I personally believe Buck’s still the best guy to guide this franchise, there are three names out there who might be considered to be on par with him: John Farrell, Joe Girardi, and Dusty Baker. Two of those guys have won World Series’, and the other is very accomplished as a big league manager. Now many of you are going to say that the Orioles should start fresh and pick a young manager that’s up and coming. But…that sounds great until it doesn’t work. Ultimately it’s a roll of the dice.

When you hire a manager you want someone who’s going to walk into the clubhouse and have immediate street cred. That’s why Showalter was such a great hire in 2010. Any of the three names I mentioned above would also have that. But would someone’s bench coach, who while deserving of an opportunity in the big leagues, bring that type of attitude to a team? Probably not.

Changes may well come to this franchise, and it might be tomorrow. I just wouldn’t expect it to be in the form of a new manager. But if it were, Orioles fans should hope for someone with a resume similar to Buck’s. Anything less would be a downgrade. However I suspect that if change comes, it’ll come somewhere other than the manager’s office.

Baltimore Orioles fall in best start of Kevin Gausman’s career

Baltimore Orioles fans were treated to the best start of Kevin Gausman‘s career in Oakland last night. I can’t underestimate how good Gausman was last night. Heck, I’m not sure that his stat line itself does it justice. Gausman’s line: 9.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K.

And it’s interesting; Gausman does have one complete game in his career. He pitched a five inning victory in 2014 that was shortened due to rain. And it went as a complete game. Yet last night was the first time in his career that he had pitched nine innings. And make no mistake, Gausman deserved a better fate. There can be no question.

This was a strange game, and one in fact that the Orioles probably could have lost well before they did. Oakland appeared to hit into an inning-ending double-play in the third, however the trail runner was ruled safe at first base. It appeared from the naked eye that the runner was out, so the first issue was why was he ruled safe?

Replays seemed to show that the Orioles would win this challenge. The runners foot was in the air as the ball hit Kevin Gausman’s glove. Yet the runner was ruled safe for what the umpires in New York called a lack of indisputable evidence that the call on the field was incorrect. Oakland got an extra out, through no fault of the Orioles. But to Gausman’s credit, he immediately got them out of the inning instead of making it into a bigger problem.

But in the fourth inning Manny Machado was caught stealing second. As a result of the fact that the Orioles had used and lost their challenge, they couldn’t ask for instant replay. I’m not sure they would have won that challenge, but it still would have been nice to have had the option to use it.

Yet the Birds left 11 men on base and went 0-for-7 with RISP. So they had opportunities. They just couldn’t make the key hit or drive in the key run. All things being equal, one hit with a runner in scoring position would have given Gausman and the Orioles a win. And Gausman certainly deserved it. Unfortunately it was Oakland who got that big hit, and it came in the form of a walk off two-run homer by Davis in the last of the twelfth.

That homer came off of Pedro Araujo, who was called on to pitch the twelfth. And Buck Showalter addressed after the game why he had a Rule 5 pick in the game at that key moment (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports):

Darren (O’Day) is down, (Miguel) Castro’s down, (Brad) Brach. Richard’s been in three of the last four days. We get a lot of those short starts. We had our chances to win that game in nine, 10 innings.

“The only way I was going to use Richard potentially was if we went ahead and I was hoping we had enough lead we didn’t have to do that, but it just didn’t materialize. But we get some of the short starts, we get into a situation like this. But we had a lot of chances, not many, but some chances to push across a run if we get a big two-out knock, but I just feel for Gaus. That’s about as good as you can see a starting pitcher pitch.

So having to use multiple relievers early in games back in Anaheim did in fact affect this game. Even still, a lot of fans probably question having a Rule 5 pick in the game in that spot. It’s a fair question to ask, however Showalter’s reasoning is also sound.

Perhaps a bigger concern than the loss was Adam Jones being hit on the wrist late in the game. Jones was in obvious pain, and Showalter announced after the game that he would undergo an X-ray as a precautionary measure. The Orioles hope it’s just sore, but don’t be surprised to see Jones out of the lineup today.

The O’s will try to salvage a win this afternoon at the Oakland Coliseum. Alex Cobb gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Oakland’s Andrew Triggs. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.

Baltimore Orioles allow a first inning error to derail game

Teams are getting fat off of the Baltimore Orioles. In this case it was a first inning error charged to Jace Peterson – but in reality should have been in Manny Machado‘s column. But one way or the other, one mistake a game shouldn’t decide. Yet that’s what’s going on with the 2018 Orioles.

Andrew Cashner actually didn’t pitch that poorly, despite what his stats say. Cashner’s line: 4.2 IP, 6 H, 4 R (3 earned), 3 BB,  5 K. However what can ultimately happen when you allow a statistical or in-game oddity dictate the terms of your season is that things aren’t allowed to be what they seem. After a rough first inning, Cashner really settled in.

Adam Jones, playing in his 1500th game as an Oriole, actually gave the Birds a brief lead with a solo homer in the first inning. Of course Cashner didn’t do himself any favors by walking the lead off batter. But the best way to combat a walk is by inducing a ground ball double-play to the next hitter. And to his credit, Cashner appeared to do that…

…until a faux pas made it so that he didn’t do it. The next hitter (Semien) grounded the ball to Manny Machado at short, beginning what would have been a text book double-play, leaving Oakland with two outs in the first inning and nobody on. However when Machado tossed the ball to Jace Peterson he did so to his hand side; on top of that, the ball was wide of Peterson. In short instead of two outs and the bases empty, Oakland had no outs and runners on first and second.

Cashner did induce a pop up for an out on the next hitter, which all things being equal would have been the end of the inning. That brought Davis to the plate, who smacked a three-run homer, giving Oakland a 3-1 lead. On top of that Olson’s solo home run ran it to 4-1.

But the sixth inning put the Birds back in the game. RBI-singles by Chris Davis, Mark Trumbo, and Danny Valencia got Cashner off the hook. And that’s the silver lining in this game. The O’s made a good run of it, showing that they can plate runs. However Oakland took the lead back in the last of that sixth inning on a Lowrie RBI-single. Semien would add one of his own in the eighth, leaving the Birds with a 6-4 loss.

All wins and losses are team efforts. I don’t want to be overly critical on Peterson or Machado, because you have to overcome errors like that. Especially that early in the game. And in some manner they did overcome it, by coming back and tying the game.

However as I said above, all things being the same Cashner gets the Orioles out of that inning unscathed. That’s always a tough argument to make because it’s almost unfair to hypothetically change one thing about the inning and not others. But you get the point. The two guys who homered wouldn’t have even come up in that inning.

The stat line says that only one of those runs were unearned. (And for the record it was the run scored by the lead runner – you can never assume the double-play.) However in reality none of those runs should have crossed. The Orioles are allowing their mistakes to dictate who they are and what they are becoming. Normally you can almost laugh off a first inning error and say that there’s a lot more game to be played. But the O’s are allowing it to become not a part of their identity, but they’re allowing it TO BE their identity.

The series continues this evening at the Oakland Coliseum. Kevin Gausman gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Oakland’s Trevor Cahill. Game time is set for just after 9 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: What exactly is the root of the problem?

You’re only as good as your next day’s starter; and Chris Tillman wasn’t very good last night for the Baltimore Orioles. Tillman’s line: 1.0 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 1 BB, 0 K. There were times it appeared Tillman wasn’t going to make it out of the first inning, in which he surrendered five runs. Tillman’s issue last night was throwing strikes; the only pitch he was able to get in the zone was his slider. And that was always on the outer part of the plate.

What to do with Tillman is an interesting question. If you listen to some fans talk, he should be DFA’d. But that’s no easy decision to make when you’re on the hook for his salary for the season, and he’d probably end up on another team. The bullpen also remains a possibility – perhaps you swap Tillman and Mike Wright. Ultimately the O’s don’t have to decide that now, as they have an off day on Monday. In theory they could just skip Tillman next time through the rotation.

Anaheim kept the pressure on, smacking hit after hit, and drawing base runners in anyway possible. The universe seems hellbent on teaching the Orioles that putting people on base is the name of the game – not hitting home runs. The Birds had eight hits last night, but they could only get three runners home. Manny Machado and Chris Davis had RBI-singles in the sixth, and Machado also plated a run by another RBI-single in the eighth.

But what exactly is going on with this team? There were times as late as last summer where they looked unstoppable – dating back to 2012. The likes of Adam Jones, Chris Davis, Manny Machado, and Chris Tillman have been together for that amount of time. And there are others mixed in who have been here perhaps not quite as long but quite a few years. Again, what gives?

There are fans out there who are of the belief that we’re seeing the real Orioles now, and that they were pretenders all of that time. People have to be smart enough to realize that’s not the case. This was a good team for a great many years. Let’s put it this way; a diamond ring doesn’t turn brass overnight.

Are there problems in the clubhouse? Could be, but this is still a very tight-knit group. Part of it is injuries, which have done the Orioles no favors. Losing Jonathan Schoop (who begins a rehab assignment at double-A Bowie this weekend and could be activated on Tuesday) hurt their infield defense and their hitting. And obviously losing Zach Britton to a freak injury in the off season has affected the bullpen. And don’t underestimate the loss (both on the field and psychological) of J.J. Hardy. That plays a factor as well.

And there are other factors as well. I would submit that while signing Alex Cobb in spring training was a good move, there was also a mistake wrapped into that as well. They signed Cobb too late. He got into no games during Grapefruit League play, which has affected his play thus far early in the season. The same is true to a lesser degree with Andrew Cashner, who signed once camp had already begun.

However that aside, tried, true, and proven talent that’s regressing well beyond the mean. And it boggles the mind in a sense. This team was no-hit through five innings by a guy making his third big league start last night. Surely one would think that they could have done better than that. Yet they couldn’t. So what’s wrong with this team? Beats the heck out of me.

The O’s now head north up the California coastline to open up a three-game set in Oakland. Andrew Cashner gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Oakland’s Daniel Mengden. Game time is set for just after 10 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Dylan Bundy struggles but small stones knock Birds from the sky

Dylan Bundy actually had a better start for the Baltimore Orioles last night in Anaheim – as opposed to his previous start. Bundy’s line: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 7 R (5 earned), 1 BB, 4 K. Bundy was pitching-to-contact all night. And the issue of course was that Anaheim hitters were making contact. Starting with first inning solo homers by Trout and Pujols. This on the heels of a Manny Machado sac fly-RBI which gave the O’s a 1-0 lead in the first.

The job of a starter is to put his team in a position to win. Bundy didn’t necessarily do that last night, however even his three homers surrendered aren’t what killed the O’s last night. It was small mistakes here and there. If you look at the final stat line I posted for Bundy above, you’ll notice that includes two unearned runs. Those made a difference.

Ohtani reached in the fourth on a fielding error by Chris Davis. (Who for the record, later atoned for his mistake with a diving stop of a grounder bound for the right field corner.) Ohtani was doubled home by Simmons, who went to third base on a Machado throwing error. Simmons would later score on the aforementioned grounder that was stopped by Davis – it yielded a run, but it saved the Orioles a further base runner. (Point being that even when he looks fallible, Davis is still an asset in the field.)

Those were two runs that didn’t help matters. Meanwhile the Orioles couldn’t seem to convert any opportunities (such as walks or base hits) into runs. In the fifth they had runners at the corners, and ended up with a strikeout and a GIDP. It’s moments like that which matter in games. If you take away the unearned runs presuming the errors don’t occur and the O’s plate even one run in that fifth inning sequence, that’s two runs saved and one gained – for a total of three runs.

Later in that fifth inning Upton’s two-run homer would chase Bundy from the game, but Anaheim would keep the pressure on. When the smoke cleared, they had totaled ten runs. Add on a Machado RBI-ground out in the eighth, and you have the Birds trailing 10-2 going to the ninth inning.

But keep in mind what I said above. If the O’s can plate a run in a golden opportunity in the fifth and the aforementioned errors don’t happen, it’s 8-3. Oriole bats came alive in the ninth inning, and actually made a run of things. Not a true run because of how far behind they were, but they put up a very respectable inning.

Chris Davis’ RBI-single cut the lead to 10-3, leaving the bases loaded and nobody out. Jace Peterson‘s bases-clearing triple cranked up the heat a bit, cutting the Anaheim lead to 10-6. Trey Mancini would add a sac fly-RBI before it was said and done, leaving the Birds with a 10-7 loss. Ultimately it doesn’t matter if you lose by three or eight – you still lose.

But again think back to the opportunities squandered and the run-yielding errors. Removing those things, all things being equal the game is tied at eight and it goes to extra innings. Heck, if the O’s are able to score both runners in that fifth inning sequence, they’d have the lead going to the last of the ninth.

The Orioles have always been a big picture type of team. They’ve always looked at it from the perspective that little things can be let go if you’re able to overcome them later. But at this point in time, the Birds aren’t able to overcome them. That’s why Simmons’ run-scoring double mentioned above didn’t find Trey Mancini’s glove despite his best efforts. And that’s why similarly hit balls find the gloves of opposing players. They’re looking to make those small plays that don’t show up in the box score…

…and perhaps the Orioles aren’t. You can excuse an error because you have a shot at getting the guy out a moment later with a ground ball double-play. But that’s not happening – instead either the next hitter is reaching on a base hit, or he blows down the line and is called safe at first base (staying out of the double-play).

The Orioles aren’t looking for that base hit with a runner on third, or even for a walk. They’re looking for the big blow. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but opposing teams are taking advantage of their aggressiveness. Whereas the O’s are sitting on fastballs, pitchers are throwing pitches that look like fastballs – and which eventually sweep low-and-away, or have the bottoms fall out from underneath them. These things need to change if the Orioles are going to improve this season.

The series in Anaheim concludes this evening from Angels stadium. Chris Tillman gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Anaheim’s Jamie Barria – who’s going to be called up from triple-A to make the start. (What could go wrong there?) Game time is set for just after 10 PM.

Baltimore Orioles fall late, possibly lose Chance Sisco

The Baltimore Orioles battled hard late last night (or this morning) in Anaheim, but ended up falling in the last of the ninth inning. However the immediate concern after the game and still now is the condition of backup catcher, Chance Sisco. He was injured when he collided with third baseman Pedro Alvarez while the two attempted to field a foul pop. Sisco in essence was “clothes lined,” to borrow a term from football. He was later diagnosed with a facial contusion.

While this goes as a loss, it’s not a bad loss per se. There were some bright spots, most notably starting pitcher Alex Cobb, who turned in his best outing of the season. Cobb’s line: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 K. With the exception of a Simmons RBI-double and a Valbuena solo homer in the sixth, Cobb mowed Anaheim batters down, earning a quality start.

The aforementioned Anaheim runs gave them a 2-0 lead, which they held into the ninth inning. However Oriole bats, which to that point had produced one (first inning) hit, came to life and made a game of it. Manny Machado‘s RBI-double cut the lead to 2-1. That brought Adam Jones to the plate, and his RBI-single tied the game at two.

Again, Oriole bats were quite over most of the game. But they came alive when they needed to come alive, which was good to see. Unfortunately, Upton’s RBI-single in the last of the ninth off of Brad Brach won it for Anaheim. Brach on the Upton at-bat (quote courtesy of Steve Melewski, MASNsports):

I threw two really good sliders to him. Tried to throw a third good one and overthrew it and left it up in the zone. A mistake you can’t make. You have to make him chase it and make your pitch. It’s extremely frustrating. The team deserves better.

My question would be why would you throw three straight sliders? Most pitchers won’t throw the same pitch thrice consecutively. I’m no pitching expert, and the fact is that Brad Brach is – in the sense that he’s a big league pitcher. But it was obvious he was waiting for that hanging slider.

Again however, the bigger issue for the O’s right now is Sisco’s condition. The Birds are expected to re-evaluate Sisco today, and will make a roster move if he’s unavailable off the bench. Showalter on Sisco’s injury (quote courtesy of Brittany Ghiroli, mlb.com):

He got more of it on his nose more than anything. You know, when you have a real hard blow and your eyes tear up. Right now, he’s not showing any concussion symptoms at all, so what we’ll do is make some possible plans in case he has something [happen]. We’ll give him a call tomorrow morning and make sure that nothing has cropped up. That way we can [call up] a catcher if we have to.

The series continues late this evening in Anaheim. Dylan Bundy gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Anaheim’s Andrew Heaney. Game time is set for just after 10 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Manny Machado needs to be in Dodger Blue

The Baltimore Orioles this evening will open up a three-game set out on the west coast against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim – known by my generation as the California Angels. In past years the O’s have mostly gotten their entire west coast swing out in one fatal swoop. However they’ll return to the Pacific Time Zone in early September to visit Seattle.

However the big news out of Los Angeles overnight regarded the Angels’ crosstown rival – the Los Angeles Dodgers placed SS Corey Seager on the DL, pending Tommy John surgery. Seager will miss the rest of the season, and perhaps the beginning of next year. Often times guys can be out for the better part of a year after having that procedure.

The Orioles of course have a shortstop in Manny Machado, who’s been the speculation of trade rumors here and there. And the fact that the Orioles have started slowly this year have fueled speculation that the team could deal Machado and others. So with Seager on ice, would the boys in Dodger Blue be a good trade partner for the Orioles?

The answer to that question is unmistakably YES. The Los Angeles Dodgers in fact have a fairly deep farm system, chock full of prospects that would interest any team. Gifts don’t fall in your lap very often, especially when you’re the Orioles. So I would submit that the O’s should take advantage of this and call the Dodgers if they already haven’t spoken.

In using the term gift, I literally mean a gift. The conventional wisdom is that a trade partner may not want to give up too much for a guy like Machado who in essence would be a rental. But the Dodgers literally have a need, and that need is RIGHT NOW. And it’ll be for the remainder of the season. That’s a variable that no other team in the league can match. And odds are it’ll drive the price for Machado back up to what the Orioles might expect.

The Dodgers’ farm system is deep with pitching, which as we know is something of which you can never have too much. Their top prospect is a 23-year old RHP named Walker Buehler, who’s posted a 3.35 ERA following Tommy John surgery, and who can get his fastball up to the 98-100 MPH range. They also have prospects who look to be solid big league starters named Mitchell White, and Yadier Alvarez – one of whom could be in play in trade conversations as well.

The idea of trading Machado has never been about buying or selling in terms of this year. It’s always been about getting someone for a guy who’s contract’s expiring. Trading Machado wouldn’t be punting the season – per se. It would be re-loading the organization with talent that could help them down the line.

So I’m saying that this needs to happen. As early perhaps as today. Los Angeles is a team that’s been rumored to be in on the Machado sweepstakes anyways – if he isn’t going to stay in Baltimore, the Orioles I’m sure would be interested in him landing outside of the AL East. Chavez Ravine would be an ideal spot.

Of course for the Orioles that would mean a bit of re-shuffling players in the immediate interim. I think that Pedro Alvarez has been playing a solid enough third base to warrant keeping him there for now. When he returns from injury, Tim Beckham could slide right back into the SS spot, which is much more natural to him than third base. The Orioles also have Ruben Tejada at Norfolk who they could call up to play shortstop for the time being. Not to mention Jace Peterson. And going back to the hot corner for a moment, don’t forget about Chris Davis, who plays a solid third base as well.

So the Orioles have some options. This almost makes too much sense not to do if you’re them. Would those set-ups totally replace Machado? Of course not – he’s too great a player to replace totally. But could they get away with that type of set-up? Yes. While the Dodgers are in Arizona starting tonight, the fact that the Orioles are in Anaheim would make this an easy transition for all as well.

The series in L.A. begins tonight at Angels Stadium. Alex Cobb gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Los Angeles’ Nick Tropeano. Game time is set for just after 10 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Too much preparation?

As we know by now, Pedro Alvarez started at third base in yesterday’s game with about twenty minutes’ notice due to an injury. Those types of things happen, and they happen across all sports. The good news is that Alvarez was ready to go, both defensively and offensively.

The results say that Alvarez was ready to go. But that’s the job of any professional athlete. I suspect that Alvarez knew he wouldn’t be in the (original) lineup yesterday well before that lineup was posted for the media. In the back of his head, he probably knew there was a good chance he might pinch-hit late in the game, but that for the most part he’d be on the bench watching.

And that’s especially true with the Orioles facing a southpaw yesterday. But is it not possible that part of the issue with streaks like those is that it gets into the player’s head? Alvarez nary had time to think or breath before taking the field yesterday. He just “acted” when the team needed him.

So the question on a bigger scale is whether or not we have so many numbers and are now so prepared that in effect we fail. That’s a tough question for me to ask, because I pride myself in my own attention to detail, and care that I put into doing something. But in effect, can you get so close to the forest that you can’t smell the trees?

Maybe I’m doing a poor job of getting to the point; but in essence, if you just act as opposed to thinking, are you possibly more prone to success? Basically, are your chances of success better if you just fly by the seat of your pants? Speaking for myself, I hope not – because I believe in strong preparation and attention to detail. But anything’s possible.