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: Sunday is for the Birds in DC

Brandon Young was taxed with setting the tone for the Baltimore Orioles this afternoon at Nationals Park, with the Baltimore Orioles already having dropped the first two games of the series. While he didn’t stick around long enough to qualify for the win, he did set the tone. Young’s line, 3.2 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 3 K.

The O’s, after two incredibly frustrating games, got at it early this afternoon. Gunnar Henderson ambushed a pitch in the first inning and sent it into the seats for a solo homer, giving them a 1-0 lead. Coby Mayo would lead off the second with a single, and he would score later in the inning on a two-run homer by Coby Mayo.

Washington would also get one back that inning on a solo home run in the bottom of the inning, but the O’s persisted. A walk and a Gunnar Henderson single gave the Birds runners at the corners in the top of the fourth, and they would extend their lead to 4-1 on Pete Alonso’s sac fly-RBI.

The O’s put up what might be thought of as early insurance in the fourth. To be clear, that’s a bad term; insurance runs don’t kick in until later innings. But given that teams now match up in the earlier and middle innings, maybe it’s fine to use a term like that. Needless to say, Colton Cowser’s two-run home run extended the lead to 6-1. And make no mistake that it was a big moment in the ballgame.

However Washington loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom half of the frame, in a sequence that also saw Brandon Young chased from the ballgame. Ruiz would tack on a sac fly-RBI, and Oriole pitching would combine for two strikeouts to end the threat. And the Orioles held onto their lead at 6-2.

That’s a high leverage sort of moment, despite being only in the fourth inning. The game easily could have gone caddywampus in a sense. But regardless of anything else, the O’s pitched their way out of it. Brandon Young and Anthony Nunez after him both combined to attack the strike zone after the bases were loaded. That’s a key – attack the zone instead of attacking the fringes. And make no mistake it saved the game.

Washington would tack on a sixth inning run on an RBI-single by Abrams. However it was Gunnar Henderson in the ninth who produced a true insurance run with an RBI-single. And that’s another key – the O’s went home (or onto Tampa) winners today in part because of the insurance runs. Washington would get a runner to second in the last of the ninth, but that insurance run allowed the Orioles to attack the zone even with a runner on base.

The Orioles now open up a three-game set with Tampa tomorrow night at Tropicana Field. Trevor Rogers gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Tampa’s Shane McClanahan. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Late rally falls short

Shane Baz may have pitched his best game as a member of the Baltimore Orioles in DC tonight. It was far from perfect, but it was a quality start. Baz’s line: 7.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 4 K.

That’s a quality start for Baz. He also threw 108 pitches. Both teams made solid contact on balls all night. The Orioles’ shots either ended up foul or in a fielder’s mitt. In short, Washington starter Litell has struggled this year. But he mowed down Oriole bats.

Baz allowed the first two hitters to reach in the fourth, putting runners at the corners. House’s sac fly-RBI gave Washington a 1-0 lead. The good news was it should have been a base hit. Tyler O’Neill made a diving catch resulting at least in an out.

Baz would walk the leadoff man in the sixth – obviously a no-no. Following a flyout, Lile smacked a two-run homer, giving Washington a 3-0 lead. Nothing good ever happens after a walk.

That felt fairly final. But it wasn’t. As often as analytics have allowed the Orioles to get in their own way this year, it almost worked in reverse at the end. The Birds loaded the bases with one out in the ninth. Jeremiah Jackson’s sac fly-RBI cut the lead to 3-1.

Washington then was one out from a win. And they changed pitchers to bring in a southpaw to face Gunnar Henderson. I have no doubt the algorithm said that was a favorable matchup – and it doesn’t take a genius given that it was lefty-lefty. But…

…burning a reliever for one out? Granted, an important out, the winning out (from Washington’s perspective). But the computer will burn through a bullpen if you let it.

And go figure, Gunnar Henderson smacked an RBI-single and cut the lead to 3-2. The O’s would eventually load the bases again before Adley Rutschman struck out to end the game. Too little too late for the Orioles.

We’ve seen the O’s play the algorithms and lose out – a lot. This year and last. This time it almost worked in their favor. But that should serve as a warning. As I said, a computer doesn’t take into account the number of bullpen relievers you’re using. How tired your bullpen is, etc. It only says if you bring in this relievers you have a higher probability to record an out.

People act like that’s a no-brainer. Needless to say, it comes off as such. But the computer can’t overrule good baseball sense. If you need one out with a three-run lead, you have to rely on the guy YOU put in the game to get that out.

The series continues tomorrow at Nationals Park. Chris Bassitt gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Washjngton’s Cade Cavalli. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: One bad inning…plus letting NY off the hook

Trevor Rogers returned from the IL to start tonight against New York for the Baltimore Orioles. End of the day, Rogers had one bad inning. One. Rogers’ line: 4.0 I, 6 H, 6 R, 3 BB, 3 K.

For starters, we found out just prior to game time that tomorrow’s game time has been changed. The Orioles coordinated with the league and with the NYY and changed tomorrow’s game to a 1 PM start time. This due to the threat of rain late in the day tomorrow.

The O’s played from behind from the get go. Rogers surrendered a solo homer to Goldschmidt on the first pitch. He ambushed the ball, setting the tone for the ballgame. However Rogers sent New York down with only a base hit surrendered in the wake of that for the remainder of the inning.

New York loaded the bases in the third, and Bellinger grounded into a fielder’s choice which scored a run. It was almost a double-play, but the angle just didn’t allow the Orioles to turn it. Rosario would tack on an additional run in that sequence with an infield RBI-single. He grounded the ball to Coby Mayo at third, but again the angle just didn’t allow him to record an out.

I said an additional run in that sequence. That doesn’t mean those were the only runs in the inning. Grisham’s three-run home run extended the lead to 6-0. I think people have a naive idea that you can simply record outs on the base paths at will when runners get on. But the fact is that anything can happen when just get on base. And for the past few years, anything HAS HAPPENED to the analytics-driven O’s with guys on base.

New York committed multiple errors in the last of the third, allowing the Orioles to load the bases with nobody out. For a brief moment it appeared that the O’s had a shot to get back in the game. Remember how on Saturday they loaded the bases with nobody out against the Athletics, and they let them off the hook? Yeah, about that…it happened again. Taylor Ward flied out and Adley Rutschman grounded into a double-play.

You can’t let your opponents off the hook. Especially when they themselves aren’t in a giving mood. There isn’t one mental or physical mistake that the Orioles have made over the last two years, for which they haven’t been held accountable. Yet opposing teams make similar mistakes, and they get away with it.

The O’s would put two on the board in the last of the sixth. Samuel Basallo’s RBI-single followed by an RBI-double by Tyler O’Neill cut the lead to 6-2. Which ended up being the final.

Incidentally, the Orioles are also going on something like 20 or 21 straight innings without challenging a pitch with the ABS challenge system. To be clear, I think it’s smart to be conservative when it comes to this. You want to have at least one challenge in the later innings. That’s a no-brainer,

But the Orioles are letting obvious bad pitches stand without a challenge. Even at moments when it would be okay to challenge them. I’m not sure if players are being told never to do it, or if there’s a computer algorithm which says the probability of winning is greater without a challenge. But bad calls are being allowed to stand. And opposing teams are having them overturned, to the Orioles’ chagrin.

The series concludes tomorrow at Camden Ysrds. The Orioles are yet to announce a starter, but whomever he is he’ll be opposed by New York’s Max Fried. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: A win with a side of Mayo

Everyone with the Baltimore Orioles remembers last weekend’s series against New York in the Bronx. Needless to say, the O’s sent Brandon Young out there this evening at Camden Yards in the first game of three against New York. Young wasn’t stellar, per se. But not awful either. Young’s line: 5.1 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 5 K.

New York, despite what they did to the Orioles last weekend, came into the game having been swept over the weekend in Milwaukee. And Young, despite having a long first inning, seemed to play on that for awhile. He did issue a walk in the third with one out, followed by a two-run homer by Rice. And the O’s trailed, 2-0.

But that was Young’s only real blip in the radar. He did keep the Orioles in the game. Oriole bats, that is, who couldn’t even muster a hit for some time. NY starter Weathers threw low changeups all night. And the Orioles swung through many of them.

However with Weathers tiring in the last of the seventh, Adley Rutschman hacked away at yet another changeup down low. But this time he made contact, and muscled the ball into right field. At the very least, the Birds wouldn’t be no-hit on this night.

Tyler O’Neill walked, giving the O’s two on. New York lifted Weathers, and Coby Mayo strode to the plate. Mind you, Mayo has been much maligned of late – and perhaps rightfully so. He also wasn’t in the original lineup – one hour before game time Craig Albernaz inserted him into the lineup in lieu of Samuel Basallo – who’s knee was injured after the play at the plate yesterday.

What could have been expected of Mayo in the moment is beside the point. He sent a high drive towards the left field foul pole. It was a matter of whether it stayed fair…as it wrapped itself around the pole for a three-run home run, Coby Mayo sent Camden Yards into a frenzy. And the hometown team led, 3-2.

That’s as big a moment in a game as you’re going to see. Especially for a guy who’s struggled mightily in games to this point. And for one who wasn’t supposed to be in the game at all. Needless to say, he played a crucial role in bringing it home this evening.

Rico Garcia replaced Detrich Enns (who pitched well in relief, and was credited with the win) for the eighth. And he was thrown right into the fray, but sent New York down 1-2-3. He struck out Rice and Bellinger, and in between he induced a Judge fly out on the second pitch. That in and of itself might have been the most important moment of the game.

It also meant that Anthony Nunez was through the heart of the order in taking the ball in the ninth. That doesn’t necessarily mean anything, however. With one out McMahon sent a deep shot to right, which appeared to be out at first glance. However Tyler O’Neill felt he had a shot. And he caught the ball jumping right up against the wall. A game-saving catch.

New York did get a runner on however, in the form of Goldschmidt. New York pinch-ran Caballero, who’s about to go back to NY tomorrow for an MRI on his finger. But they used him in that capacity for his speed. After two throw-overs by Nunez, Caballero tried to steal second. He was called safe, but the Orioles challenged. The replay clearly showed Blaze Alexander fielding Adley Rutschman’s throw and just glazing Caballero’s jersey, meaning he was out and the game was over.

That’s a big win. This on the heels of last weekend’s series. But as many individual plays and players combined to win this game, none was bigger than Coby Mayo. He’s had a tough go of it lately. Many fans and analysts alike have called him out both at the plate and in the field. For one game at least, he played the hero.

The series continues tomorrow at Camden Yards. The Orioles are yet to announce a starter, but whomever he is will be opposed by New York’s Will Warren. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: With an assist from Leos Taveras

The Baltimore Orioles changed things up this afternoon and started Keegan Akin as an “opener.” While I’m not a fan of the practice myself, it was by all accounts a success. Akin’s line: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K.

Chris Bassitt was the pitcher of substance, however. Technically in relief, but he was outstanding. He gave up one run, the result of an error he himself committed. The run came in the second on a Cortes sacrifice fly.

Home plate umpire Carlos Torres was the victim of scrutiny from both dugouts all game. Samuel Basallo appeared to challenge a ball in the second, and the ump didn’t grant it. As a result, infield coach Miguel Capri was ejected. In fact, he had to be restrained. While both teams raised questions about the umpiring, that was the only ejection.

Dylan Beavers snagged second base after an infield single in the third. He would later score on Gunnar Henderson’s RBI-single to tie the game. Gunnar, the team, AND the crowd needed that.

The O’s put two in in the sixth – two runners in scoring position, in fact. Dylan Beavers worked a nine-pitch at-bat, culminating in an RBI-single. That gave the O’s their first lead in the series, at 2-1.

However it was the next inning which in effect won the game for the Birds. This in the field. With two outs and a runner on second, Gelof sent a single to center. Leody Taveras fielded it and came up throwing. Throwing home…

…Samuel Basallo fielded the ball on one hop and tagged the runner out at home plate. It took a perfect throw and a perfect tag. Both happened. Both preserved the lead. A lead that turned into a win.

That’s the sort of play that can rally a team. The Orioles needed this game. And it was plays like that which delivered it for them.

The Orioles now open a three-game set against the New York Yankees tomorrow night at Camden Yards. The O’s haven’t announced a starter, but NY will toss Ryan Weathers. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Colton Cowser prevents a shutout

Maybe it was the 14-pitch at-bat that got Shane Baz and the Baltimore Orioles today. However Baz also struggled from the beginning, giving up a double to start the game. That set the tone. Baz’s line: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 5 K.

Langaliers’ RBI-single following the leadoff double gave the Athletics a 1-0 lead. However the real turning point in the game was Soderstrom’s at-bat with two on and nobody out in the third. Soderstrom fouled off just about everything that Baz threw up there. To the tune of 14 pitches.

Soderstrom eventually popped out. However a few pitches later Rooker hit a three-run homer. Rooker, who’s hitting below the Mendoza Line. Did that long at-bat do Baz in?

The short answer is probably. Even though Naz recorded the out, that took its toll. On top of that, Langaliers’ sac fly-RBI in the fifth extended the lead to 5-0.

The O’s looked poised to battle back. They loaded the bases in the last of the fifth with nobody out. Yet, they let the Athletics off the hook with a strikeout and two fly out’s.

They had to score there. One big theme the last two years has been the O’s not holding their opponents accountable. That and their opponents refusing to return the favor.

Before the Athletics would tack on an insurance run in the ninth, the O’s did get on the board in the eighth. A single and a double put two runners in scoring position. Colton Cowser pinch-hit for Coby Mayo, and snacked a two-RBI single. But the O’s fell, 6-2.

Mayo’s hitting .158, and has multiple errors in the field under his belt. Between Cowser pinch-hitting, Pete Alonso taking ground balls at third before the game, and Jackson Holliday taking grounders at third (on his rehab assignment), it stands to reason that Mayo is trending downward. Is a move imminent? No idea. But it’s not sustainable.

The series concludes tomorrow at Camden Yards. Chris Bassitt gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by the Athletics’ Luis Severino. Game time is set for just after 1:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Kyle Bradish done in by analytics?

Kyle Bradish pitched outstanding this evening for the Baltimore Orioles against The Athletics. It was by far Bradish’s best start of the season, and maybe one of the best of his career. And it was for naught. Bradish’s line: 7.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 BB, 10 K.

The Orioles are the only team in baseball who’s never won this year against a southpaw starter. And that continued this evening. Yet all things being equal, it probably should have been a 2-1 Orioles’ win.

Pete Alonso continued his hot streak with a solo home run in the last of the fourth to give the O’s a 1-0 lead. But it came unglued in the fifth – through no fault of Bradish. Wilson began the inning with a softly-hit but perfectly placed infield single to first base. Butler would then single to left, and suddenly the Athletics had a rally going. It started that innocently. And Gelof’s RBI-single tied the game at one.

Later in the inning a two-RBI triple by Kurtz gave the Athletics the lead at 3-1. The O’s would get one back in the sixth on a solo homer in the sixth. Bradish would leave after seven, and the newly called-up Kyle Gibson (who took the roster spot of the injured Cade Povich) would surrender a softly-hit RBI-single by Wilson. And the O’s fell, 4-2.

The Gelof single to left field I mentioned above in the fifth inning; it was curious. According to various internet stats’ sites, Gelof is a guy who a lot of teams play to bunt. That’s what the analytics say. And the Orioles appeared to do that, expecting a Gelof bunt.

However Gelof swung away. And he grounded the ball to Gunnar Henderson at short. Henderson did get to the ball; but he didn’t have time to quite get to it, and it trickled into left field. That set up an inning of consequence in the game, which ultimately led to an Athletics’ win.

Henderson would later bobble what should have been a double-play ball, further setting the inning up for the Athletics. That turned into a fielder’s choice, meaning it wasn’t an error. However that’s a play that has to be made. It would have been a double-play. Instead it was only one out.

Did the Athletics see the analytics behind Gelof’s at-bat and reverse-engineer it? Every opposing team knows the Orioles are married to these analytics. So would it not stand to reason that they would weaponize it? They think I’m bunting, so I’m going to swing away. And when the ball was put into play, the Orioles were slightly out of place.

This might be part of the reason for the struggles the past two years. Since June of 2024 in reality. To me it stands to reason that many teams just look at their own tendencies and try in many cases to do the opposite. They think we’re going to bunt, so we’ll do everything BUT. That’s why you have to use some situational awareness in games, as opposed to dealing only in stats.

And when Samuel Basallo smacked an RBI-single in the last of the ninth, all of the runs truly mattered. Perhaps the line between winning and losing is at times that fine. Especially when you consider that the Orioles had the winning run on base in the last of the ninth.

The series continues tomorrow afternoon at Camden Yards. Shane Baz gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by the Athletics’ Aaron Civale. game time is set for just after 4 PM.

Baltimore Orioles fall on late error

First and foremost, the Baltimore Orioles potentially received suffered a new injury this evening, this to starter Cade Povich. With no injury outwardly apparent as having occurred, Povich was lifted after three innings. The Orioles later said that he was suffering from left forearm discomfort. Povich’s line: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 BB, 1 K.

Povich surrendered a two-run homer to Hicks in the first inning, putting the Birds behind the eight-ball 2-0. For the record, the runner who was on base was Norby, who walked on four pitches that were well out of the strike zone. Did analytics say not to touch the zone against Norby?

The Birds put two runners on in the third, and Gunnar Henderson smacked an RBI-single to cut the lead to 2-1. Keep in mind, the Birds absolutely need Henderson to get back on track to get the season itself back on track. This was a start. But again it was Norby who stepped up for Miami. His RBI-single in the last of the frame extended Miami’s lead to 3-1.

Yet, back-to-back hits by the O’s got them back on the board in the fourth. Samuel Basallo led off the inning with a double, and he later scored on Tyler O’Neill’s RBI-single. That cut the Miami lead to 3-2. It was also in the bottom of that inning that Craig Albernaz inserted Yennier Cano in lieu of Cade Povich.

Again, we learned later of the left forearm discomfort. However the question is whether this really affects the O’s that much. It does – make no mistake. But Trevor Roberts is eligible to come off the IL on Monday. Does it stand to reason that Povich goes to the IL? Do the O’s have to make a roster move for the bullpen before then?

The Oriole bullpen was outstanding overall tonight. Cano, Dietrich Enns, et al. And Pete Alonso continued his big series on top of that with an RBI-single in the eighth to tie the game at three. Which was a big moment.

The O’s would easily record the first two outs in the last of the ninth inning. However following a Mack double, Sanoja would send a bouncer to third. Coby Mayo would bobble the ball, but easily recovered. However that probably caused him to press, and he made an errant throw to first on what should have been the final out of the ninth.

Instead it was an error, allowing the runner to score. That also walked the O’s off losers, 4-3. Manager Craig Albernaz highlighted after the game how good the bullpen was. They gave up one unearned run. The winning run, yes. But needless to say, they did everything they could have.

Tough loss. But a good series overall in Miami. The Orioles have to hope that Pete Alonso and the bullpen stay strong. Despite the walk off error, Coby Mayo also had a decent game at the plate. Needless to say, the O’s took two-of-three in Miami, and left town in a much better spot than when they got there.

The O’s now head for home to take on The Athletics tomorrow night at Camden Yards. Kyle Bradish gets the start tomorrow for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by the Athletics’ Jacob Lopez. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Polar Bear sets the tone

After a horrendous series in New York, the Baltimore Orioles have played two games in Miami in a back on track sort of manner. Tonight Brandon Young got the start, and Pete Alonso set the tone. Young’s line: 6.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 5 K.

After a HBP and a walk, Pete Alonso set the tone for the Birds. his three-run home run in the top of the first on Miami tonight gave the Orioles a 3-0 lead. However Miami battled back. Marsee’s RBI-single in the last of the first cut the Orioles’ lead to 3-2. Caisse’s RBI-single later in the inning tied the game at three.

This has been a tough road trip for the O’s. And here, both last night and tonight, they have the opposing team (Miami) infernally insisting on tying the game after they take an early lead. But the Orioles and Brandon Young played on. And luckily they had a couple of big innings in them.

Dylan Beavers’ RBI-double in the fourth, and. Adley Rutschman’s in the fifth, gave the Birds a 5-3 lead. Rutschman would add an additional RBI-double in the sixth, extending the Orioles’ lead to 6-3. Following a sixth inning triple, Edwards’ RBI-groundout would cut the lead to 6-4 in the seventh.

An RBI-triple by Blaze Alexander in the top of the eighth would put the Birds over the top, and they went home 7-4 winners. Make no mistake, last night was a big win for this team. But so was tonight. After a series like the Birds had in New York( you always want to win a series. And the O’s did just that.

The series concludes tomorrow night at loanDepot Park. Cade Povich gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Miami’s Max Meyer. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: Adley Rutschman steals a win

The Baltimore Orioles won ugly tonight, but in doing so snapped a five-game losing streak. That’s often how it goes; losing streaks don’t go easily. One might have thought the O’s would get a better outing from starter Chris Bassitt, but he alarmingly seemed to struggle midway through his outing. Bassitt’s line: 4.0 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 BB, 3 K.

The O’s were swinging from the beginning. With two on and one out, Pete Alonso’s two-R I double gave the O’s a 2-0 lead in the first inning. Alonso would later score on an RBI-double by Samuel Bassalo (who finished the game a home run short of the cycle), and the O’s led 3-0.

Bassitt would surrender a run in the last of the first on a wild pitch – a bit of a harbinger in a sense. However he started to struggle with control in the second inning, loading the bases with two outs. There’s that two-out number again – the Birds seem to let their guard down after the first two outs of an inning. Hicks’ two-RBI single would tie the game at three.

But the Orioles got the lead right back. Samuel Basallo’s two-RBI single in the third gave them a 5-3 lead. Miami would narrow it to 5-4 on Mack’s RBI-single in the bottom of the frame, but Bassalo came back up in the fifth. And his RBI-triple extended the lead to 6-4. Colton Cowser would reach on a fielder’s choice later in the inning which scored Basallo. And the O’s led, 7-4.

This was lining up to be a big team win. Again, the O’s had lost five straight coming in (including four against New York). Call this whatever you want, my term being a series of consequence. But Miami spoiled the party with back-to-back home runs in the seventh. They would then tie it in the eighth when Ruiz stole third base, and Samuel Basallo double-clutch on the throw, and tossed it into left field scoring the tying run.

The O’s are going through adversity right now, make no mistake. However we also saw a little bit of their character in this game, as they put two on in the ninth with one down. Both runners were the result of walks, which again is a good thing. With Basallo’s spot coming up, Craig Albernaz sent up Adley Rutschman as a pinch-hitter.

Miami played Rutschman very deep in the outfield. Incredibly deep – similar to how the O’s played their outfield last year. And Rutschman made them pay, dumping an RBI-single into left field and giving the O’s an 8-7 lead. They would even get an insurance run on Leody Taveras’ subsequent RBI-single.

Rico Garcia made quick victims of Miami in the ninth, shutting them down 1-2-3. Make no mistake, despite the massive struggles to date this was a huge win for this team. What happens going forward is anyone’s guess. But stopping a losing streak like this is a big deal. And onward we go.

The series continues tomorrow night at loanDepot Park. Brandon Young gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Miami’s Eury Perez. Game time is set for just after 6:30 PM.