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: Get too close to the forest you can’t smell the trees

Chayce McDermott made his big league debut this evening for the Baltimore Orioles. The Birds are in a spot where they need major league starters – in the wake of three different pitchers getting Tommy John’s earlier this season. So tonight it fell to McDermott, who was called up from triple-A Norfolk, McDermott’s line: 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 3 K.

McDermott sent Miami down 1-2-3 in the first inning, but struggled a bit in the second. He did get out of the inning however, only for things to flare up again in the fourth. Bell smacked a solo homer, and Miami would also get an RBI-single by Edwards and a sac fly-RBI by Gordon.

However the O’s did load the bases in three sixth. And Colton Cowser’s bases-clearing double promptly tied the game at three. For what it’s worth, the runners came as a result of two singles and a walk.

But it wasn’t enough. Miami put two runners on in the seventh as a result of a walk and a base hit. In between those two things, Oriole reliever Cionel Perez uncorked a wild pitch. However the runner at first went to second on a sacrifice bunt. That left two runners in scoring position, and Chisolm’s two-RBI double gave Miami their lead back at 5-3. De La Cruz’s subsequent RBI-single extended it to 6-3.

And the O’s couldn’t muster anything more. However consider the one inning (the 6th) when they did score. they loaded the bases with two hits and a walk. Miami also pulled back ahead as a result of small things – a stolen base on the heels of a wild pitch, followed by a hit.

The Orioles are thinking big, and that’s no mystery. They’ve had their eyes on October since Spring Training. But as the saying says, sometimes if you get too close to the first you can’t smell the trees. This is a team that relies on home runs. Perhaps a little too much. They’re sitting on home run pitches, and opposing teams know this. Meaning those home run pitches aren’t going to come.

The one time the O’s did make an impact they took what Miami was hocking. If that meant one base at a time, that’s what it meant. Now obviously, the O’s have their sights set on well beyond this series. But sometimes when you’re a team like Miami (and like the Orioles used to be) you aren’t focusing on winning in the here and now. You’re focusing on building. That makes it easier to focus on fundamentals such as bunts, singles, and steals. This as opposed to hitting the ball out of the ballpark.

The series concludes tomorrow afternoon at loanDepot Park. Corbin Burnes gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Miami’s Roddery Munoz. Game time is set for just after noon.

Baltimore Orioles: A costly loss

The Baltimore Orioles may have lost more than a game in Miami tonight. Whether they lose any ground to New York remains to be seen, but that’s another story. Al Suarez figures into this headline, but not how the Birds’ starting pitcher would have wanted. Suarez’s line: 2.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 3 K.

The Orioles did jump out to an early lead. They got a couple of runners aboard in the first inning, and Jordan Westburg’s RBI-single got them on the board. But the bottom quickly fell out, with Sanchez’s solo homer in the last of the second tying the game, and acting as a harbinger.

Gordon’s RBI-single gave Miami the lead later in the inning, coming on the heels of a single, a stolen base, and a walk. Chisholm would later drive in two on a two-RBI double to center. That came following a freakish play where Sanchez grounded a ball off of Al Suarez’s foot, reaching base. Sort of a freak play, and not Suarez’s fault; but things happen when you get guys on base.

However the third inning would get the Orioles closer. Jordan Westburg grounded into a double-play with a runner on third, bringing them to within 4-2. Colton Cowser would force in another run hustling down the line on a swinging bunt, and beating the throw to first base. And the Birds were to within one. However Miami would post two more in the last of the third, and their bullpen kept the Birds off the board the rest of the way.

The 6-3 loss could be the least of the Orioles’ concerns, however. Jorge Mateo left the game in the third inning after appearing to get his left arm caught in between the field and Gunnar Henderson as the two tried to make a play in the infield. It was a tough sight to see, and Mateo left the field in essence in a heap. It came across as the sort of injury that could sideline a player for awhile.

Albert Suarez also took a comebacker off his leg later in the inning, and was lifted. To be clear, Suarez was struggling at the time and may have been lifted anyways. But that didn’t help.

I’d be shocked if Mateo isn’t sent to the IL. Who comes up in his stead is anyone’s guess. Jackson Holliday could be in the mix, as could others. Such as Coby Mayo or Connor Norby. What the Birds really would miss is Mateo’s speed. It’s made a huge difference this season.

It’s worth mentioning that the Orioles’ bullpen pitched six scoreless innings. As good as Miami’s bullpen was tonight, that of the Orioles was as well. Ryan O’Hearn was also 2-for-3 with two hits, a walk, and an RBI.

The series continues tomorrow night at loanDepot Park. The Birds will start Chance McDermott (who’ll be making his big league debut), and he’ll be opposed by Miami’s Edward Cabrera. Game time is set for just after 6:40 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Late rally isn’t enough

Not an awful outing by Dean Kremer for the Baltimore Orioles this afternoon in Texas. Not great either. End of the day, he pitched well enough to win. The bats couldn’t keep up today. Kremer’s line: 5.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 2 K.

End of the day, neither side had very many opportunities. This was a pitcher’s duel from the beginning. Which is a stark difference from the first two games. But that’s how the ball rolls sometimes.

Kremer ran into trouble in the fourth when he walked two hitters, the second of which came with two outs. And as we know, teams have been able to harm the Orioles this season with two outs.

And today was no exception. That walk brought Heim to the plate, and he smacked a three-run home run. That broke a scoreless tie, and it also gave Texas its first lead of the series.

In fairness to Oriole pitching, the Birds went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position today. Shades of pre-All Star break. If even one of those runs scored, it’s a different game.

However the Orioles rallied. Anthony Santander’s two-run homer in the eighth inning cut the lead to 3-2. However the Birds couldn’t rally further, and they dropped the series finale.

However this was a largely successful opening series for the second half. Not just on the field for the Birds. The Orioles took two-of-three in the series with Texas, and New York dropped two-of-three against Tampa. The Orioles started the weekend a game up on New York, and they finish it up two.

The O’s will enjoy an off day tomorrow in Miami before opening a series there on Tuesday.

Baltimore Orioles’ Grayson Rodriguez shines, bats follow

Grayson Rodriguez became the second Baltimore Orioles’ starter to start off his second half in an outstanding manner. With one small blip in the radar, Rodriguez mowed down Texas hitters throughout his outing. And the fact that it was in Texas, his home state, had to be meaningful. Rodriguez’s line: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 8 K.

Luckily for Rodriguez, Oriole bats put in an equally strong effort. The O’s put runners at first and second with nobody out in the second, and Cedric Mullins laid down a bunt. And a good bunt at that. As Mullins hustled down the line, Texas starter Scherzer popped off the mound to field the ball on the third base side (of the mound). His throw to first however was errant, and a run scored with Mullins ending up at second base. (It was scored as a single and a run scored on an error.)

That brought Ramon Urias to the plate, and his two-RBI single extended the lead to 3-0. Urias would take second on the throw, and he would later score on an RBI-single by Anthony Santander. And save for a two-RBI single by Knizner in the last of the second (cutting the lead to 4-2), the O’s were off to the races.

Cedric Mullins extended the lead to a three-run margin at 5-2 with a solo homer in the third. Three innings later Jordan Westburg’s two-run shot blew the game wide open. Texas made every effort to go quietly in most of the rest of the game, save for Langford’s two-RBI double in the eighth. Of course, Ryan O’Hearn did come back in the ninth with a solo homer, and with the 7-4 win the Birds have taken the first two games of this series and this road trip.

This looks like a different team as compared to the version of the Orioles that limped to the finish line in the first half. That backs up the notion that there were some tired bats and arms across the roster as the first half closed, There’s still a long ways to go this year, but the O’s atoned for themselves well in the first two games of the second half. And with New York losing today, they now hold a two-game lead in the AL East (three up in the loss column).

The series with Texas concludes tomorrow at Globe Life Field. Dean Kremer gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Texas’ Andrew Heaney. Game time is set for just after 2:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Anthony Santander blasts off the second half

Baltimore Orioles’ starter Corbin Burnes started Tuesday’s All-Star game. He also started the next game that was played at Texas’ Globe Life Field, that being last night. Burnes’ line: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 6 K.

That’s a bit of a statistical anomaly in a sense. The Orioles of course were playing their first series of the second half in the city where the All-Star game was being staged. And if we’re counting the All-Star game, Burnes was on very short rest, granted he only pitched the first inning on Tuesday. So look at it as a bullpen session.

As well as Burnes pitched last night, he was almost a sideshow. The Orioles’ offense, which had gone into hibernation as the first half ended, sprang to life. Adley Rutschman’s two-run homer in the first inning gave the Birds a 2-0 lead. In theory, that in and of itself would have been enough…

…but why allow people to talk about your stats with RISP, or how your bats are struggling? Why give the impression that you’re winning by de facto as opposed to in a legit manner? The Orioles made sure that wasn’t the case, and almost right after that two-run homer. Colton Cowser hit one of his own later in that first inning, and the Orioles led 4-0.

Texas would get one back on a solo homer by Lowe in the last of the second. But that was a blip on the radar. This although I’m sure people out there would have expected a shutout. However it’s tough to win a big league game. If you’re winning at all, you’re doing something right.

The reason I said above that Corbin Burnes was almost a sideshow last night is due to Anthony Santander. Remember, he was the lone Oriole who got on base in Tuesday’s All-Star game. And he picked up right where he left off last night.

Santander extended the lead to 6-1 in the fifth with a two-run homer. Two innings later he smacked a three-run shot, giving the Orioles a 9-0 lead. And the bullpen shut Texas down, as the Birds took game one of the series.

For those who care about such things, the O’s were 2-for-3 with runners in scoring position. Many will criticize the fact that all of the Orioles’ runs came off of homers. But again, if you’re winning you’re doing something right.

The series continues tonight at Globe Life Field. Grayson Rodriguez gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Texas’ Max Scherzer. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Second half opens tonight

The only thing we can say for sure is that the Baltimore Orioles open the second half of the season tonight in Texas. What happens from there remains to be seen. But certainly the Orioles are hoping that it’s a second half to remember – a second half PLUS a little more.

The O’s do have an advantage given that four core members are already in Texas following the All-Star game. So there’s that. But this is also an Oriole team that limped to the finish line in the first half. They were staring down a winless home stand and a six-game losing streak until they finally caught a break late in Sunday’s game against New York.

But the question remains whether that’s a harbinger for the second half, or a statistical anomaly. And thus just a tough stretch of the season. Unequivocally, we can’t say. However this roster has proven that they can dig themselves out of holes. They’ve proven that they’re resilient, and are capable of winning despite great odds.

The next big “thing” of course is the trade deadline at the end of the month. The Orioles have a litany of riches in the minor leagues, and if they want to be competitive come October, they’re going to have to put them to use eventually. Sometimes a prospect is worth more to you on the trade market than he is on the active roster.

There are rumors that the Orioles are interested in Detroit ace Tarik Skubal, who leads all pitchers in ERA and WAR. He’s been one of the best pitchers in baseball thus far. It’s also worth mentioning that the Birds have two series’ with Detroit in September. That would be potentially twice that they WOULDN’T have to face Skubal in a stretch run – if they traded for him.

Former Oriole reliever Tanner Scott has had an outstanding first half with the Miami Marlins as well. Might he be someone who could solidify the Oriole bullpen? The Birds are in Miami next week, for what that’s worth.

I get the yearn not to trade the farm. I do think you need to be careful in doing so. You don’t want to trade quality for garbage. And no matter what they do, there’ll be people who’ll say they made a mistake. And end of the day if they DON’T win the World Series, someone out there will point back to the deadline and play Monday Morning Quarterback. End of the day, they need to do something. Because standing pat isn’t an option for a World Series contender.

The second half’s first series begins in Texas tonight at Globe Life Field. Corbin Burnes gets the start for the O’s, and Texas is yet to decide a starter. Game time is set for just after 8 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Anthony Santander scores the winning run for the AL

At the outset of last night’s MLB All-Star game, Baltimore Orioles fans felt right at home. Corbin Burnes was on the mound for the home standing American League (as the game was being played in Texas), and Adley Rutschman was behind the plate. Consider that…an all-Orioles battery.

That was only a brief moment – the first inning. There are lots of players to work into the game, so nobody’s in for too long. Burnes gave up a walk and a hit, and stranded two in the first inning. And then his night was over.

Neither Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, nor Jordan Westburg (who got into the game later) were able to reach base. Which is fine. However Anthony Santander did get a hit in the fifth inning. He would immediately score in a homer by Jarren Duran. That put the AL ahead, 5-3, which was the final. So in a sense, Anthony Santander scored the winning run.

Obviously the All-Star game is once again an exhibition; there’s no home field advantage in the fall classic or anything else riding on the outcome. And I would submit that it should always be like that. On a side note, I’d also like to see MLB go back to letting players wear their regular team uniforms for the game. I always thought that was one of the coolest parts of it.

The second half begins Friday, when the Birds will reconvene at Globe Life Park in Arlington, TX for three against the Texas Rangers. That gives Corbin Burnes, Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Jordan Westburg, and Anthony Santander an advantage unlike anyone else in baseball. They’re already in the city where they’re to play this weekend, meaning they don’t have to travel there. That means some extra built-in rest!

Baltimore Orioles draft Vance Honeycutt

With the 22nd pick of the MLB draft this evening, the Baltimore Orioles selected OF Vance Honeycutt out of the University of North Carolina. Baseball America ranked Honeycutt as the 13th best pick in the field. Honeycutt hit 65 homers this year.

Obviously there’s a history of North Carolina players turning into Oriole contributors. But former Oriole BJ Surhoff and Bran Roberts were UNC-alumni. After signing, Honeycutt will presumably entered the Orioles’ farm system.

Baltimore Orioles: Cedric Mullins saves the day; Birds stay in first

Dean Kremer labored this afternoon for the Baltimore Orioles. Or should I say “this morning.” The series finale with New York began at 11:30 AM. Kremer’s line: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 4 K.

Kremer didn’t struggle per se. He just labored. This on a sweltering day with heavy humidity in downtown Baltimore. He gave up an RBI-single to Grisham in the second, giving New York a 1-0 lead.

That was concerning for a team who hasn’t been scoring runs. But that changed. Gunnar Henderson smacked a two-run homer in the third, and the O’s led 2-1. Their first lead of the homestand.

But Grisham struck again in the fifth. His solo homer tied the game. The O’s spent a great deal of time trying to dance around Soto and Judge in this series – and record outs. They did that successfully today. But the bottom of the New York order hurt them.

However the Birds would get the lead back on a solo homer by Anthony Santander in the bottom of that fifth inning. And Oriole pitching shut NY down – until the end. Almost. As closer Craig Kimbrell was trying to pitch around the heart of the order, he walked the first two hitters of the inning. That turned the order over, and New York’s rookie first baseman, Rice, hit a three-run homer. And the Birds trailed, 5-3.

It’s tough to lose games that way. It exemplifies the agony of defeat. And Orioles fans at Camden Yards were staring that agony down. But…the game wasn’t over.

The O’s had runners at second and third with two down. Adley Rutschman drew a walk to load the bases. So you’re saying there’s a chance, huh…

And…there was. Ryan Mountcastle reached on a fielder’s choice. NY SS Volpe mishandled a routine ground ball, and Colton Cowser came into score. That cut the lead to 5-4.

And before the crowd could settle back down, it was over. Cedric Mullins hit what appeared to be a flair to left. However New York was playing their outfielders in, and that flair…was more than a flair. It fell in over the head of the left fielder Verdugo, for a two-run walkoff double. And the O’s go into the All-Star break with a 6-5 win, and alone in first place.

This snaps a five-game losing streak. There was also an uncharacteristic error by Volpe in the end. But remember, every other weird bounce in this series and on this homestand has gone against the O’s. These things even out.

And with that, the O’s scatter for a few days off over the All-Star break. Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, and others, will go to Texas for the festivities. But make no mistake that this is a huge win. They found a way to- one way or the other. And backs against the wall, that’s what the Baltimore Orioles do.

Baltimore Orioles: Little things turn into big ones

Grayson Rodriguez’s first inning pretty much did the Baltimore Orioles in this afternoon. Not that you can come back from a four-run first easily. You can come back from it but it’s challenging, as the tone has been set. Rodriguez’s line: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 6 R, 1 BB, 7 K.

Little things can often turn into big things, as the title indicates. With one out and a runner on, Judge Drew a walk in the first inning, You figure the Orioles still have the double-play in tact, however Grayson Rodriguez uncorked a wild pitch to move both runners into scoring position. Following a strikeout, Torres’ RBI-single gave New York a 1-0 lead.

That occurred with two outs – after the strikeout. The Orioles have struggled all year with two strikes and two outs. It’s an interesting point. Quite frankly they’ve struggled over a long number of years in those settings – dating back to previous regimes.

The worst part of that is just prior to the RBI-single, Torres popped a ball into foul territory behind third base. It ended up being just out of reach of the Oriole infield, but it would have ended the inning without any runs scored. That loomed even larger when Wells cranked a three-run homer, giving New York a 4-0 lead.

Again, that’s tough from which to rebound. Especially when your bats are quiet. Which Oriole bats are right now. They would get on the board in the last of the fourth following a leadoff triple by Ryan O’Hearn. He would later score on an RBI-groundout by Ryan Mountcastle.

Here’s the difference in this series between New York and Oriole pitching: the corners. Again, small things turn into big things. New York was commanding the corners all day – and dating back to last night. Did they get a few “benefits of the doubt” in the strike zone? Absolutely. Did the Orioles? Not at all. But the Orioles didn’t own the black of the plate. Granted the umpire’s strike zone can at times dictate a lot of that, but the perception of the home plate umpire was that the Orioles weren’t hitting the corner. New York was.

So the Orioles had to improvise. Unfortunately that entailed going into the upper middle part of the strike zone, which hurt Rodriguez immensely. Soto and Judge hit back-to-back solo homers on elevated pitches, extending the lead to 6-1. End of the day, eventually you have to start “giving in” to a point. Meaning throwing a fastball in the middle of the plate.

New signee Vinny Nittoli pitched the eighth and ninth innings today, and was strong. He gave up a double to Soto in the ninth, but that was it. He looked very crisp in the strike zone with his cutter, which seemed to confuse New York hitters.

With the loss, the Orioles and New York are now tied in the AL East standings. In a sense, the O’s are still ahead by percentage points, as they’re one up in the loss column, however. They’re going through a rough stretch right now, but the break will help. Especially with pitching. And maybe injuries, as Heston Kjerstad went to the concussion IL before the game after last night’s beaning. Even if they lose tomorrow and New York takes first place at the ASB, there’s a long road ahead. Strap in.

The series concludes tomorrow at Camden Yards. Dean Kremer gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Carlos Rodon. Game time is set for a special start time due to Roku TV, that being just after 11:30 AM.