Baltimore Orioles fans have better things to do than to read this column today. So let me just say wish everyone a Merry Christmas here on this Christmas morning. May there be lots of orange and black under the tree for you today, and may all of your wishes come true. There’ll be plenty of days to talk baseball in the future – but today isn’t that day!
Baltimore Orioles: Best utility man of the decade?
With the 2010’s ending next week, I wanted to take some time to look back on some of the best players and aspects of the decade for the Baltimore Orioles. These will be “quick hits” in a sense, but I digress. I thought I’d start off with utility players, because quite frankly they get next-to-no respect.
And with that, in my view the best utility player of the 2010’s for the Orioles was Ryan Flaherty. This distinction isn’t so much about statistics or anything along those lines, because utility players are always going to have slim stats. However Flaherty was an instant fan favorite in Baltimore, and I would bet that as time goes on he’ll be very well-remembered as an Oriole among fans.
Ironically, Flaherty was a Rule 5 draft pick. He made his big league debut as a defensive replacement at third base in the top of the ninth inning in game two of the 2012 season. He made something happen every time he was on the field, and he did everything that was ever asked of him.
I suspect that Flaherty is so well-remembered in Birdland mainly because he showed up right when the team started winning. So the fans equate him with good tidings. But again, he became an instant fan favorite. And I know that I speak on behalf of Orioles fans worldwide when I wish him the best as a San Diego Padres coach.
Baltimore Orioles: The day before the day before
The Baltimore Orioles, like the rest of society it seems, are nestling into a nice quiet spot as we move into Christmas week. So the question is whether or not there’s anything of note to report on a team, who’s primary season is summer, on the day before Christmas Eve. And the answer for the most part is a resounding NO.
This week may be the nadir of the year in terms of news about any Major League Baseball team. Just as is the case in most of your offices I presume, most of the front office staff is off until after the new year. That isn’t to say that news can’t break, because that could always happen. I just wouldn’t bet on it.
As we creep towards New Year’s Eve we’ll be taking a look back at some of the key moments on the field for the Birds this decade. After all, this isn’t just any New Year’s Eve coming up. It’s the end of one decade and the beginning of another!
Baltimore Orioles: Should the Birds be more aggressive?
We know that the Baltimore Orioles are committed to building their organization from the bottom up. GM Mike Elias has made that clear every time he speaks on the topic. The Chicago White Sox are in a similar position in terms of rebuilding. But they’re taking a different approach.
The ChiSox yesterday signed starting pitcher Dallas Keuchel to a three year, $55.5 million contract. So what they’re doing is still rebuilding, but they’re employing just a little bit of star power along the way. Similarly last year you may remember that they were in on the Manny Machado sweepstakes.
Should the O’s consider doing something along these lines? The idea behind what the Orioles are doing now is that perhaps some of the young players grow into stars. However that’s something that could happen down the line. What about the here and now?
Personally I think that you have to keep your eye on the future. When you commit to rebuilding you have to do it all the way. That’s what the O’s are trying to do. Am I suggesting that putting money into a star player would be a waste of resources right now? Perhaps.
Keuchel won’t be bad for the ChiSox. He’s a guy who can go deep into games and will make their pitching staff better. He’s also a guy for whom people will pay the price of admission to see. None of these points makes them right and the Orioles wrong – or vice-versa. It’s just a different manner of doing things.
Baltimore Orioles should host a college bowl game
For really one of the first times in history, the Baltimore Orioles hosted something at Camden Yards in 2019 other than a baseball game. No, I’m not talking about last week’s Winter Warm-up. I’m talking about Billy Joel performing there back in July. (Who also happens to be my favorite singer.)
Camden Yards was used for a Papal mass during Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1994, however in my recollection that’s the only other non-baseball game event that’s been held at the park. However it appears that they’re aiming to host more things at Oriole Park, which I feel is a good idea. It’s THE BALLPARK THAT FOREVER CHANGED BASEBALL; why not have events there? It showcases the ballpark and the city of Baltimore.
I’m the first one to say that there are too many college bowl games. To the point that we’re cheapening the college bowl “experience.” But would Camden Yards not be the perfect spot to play a bowl game? I’m not sure what you would call it, but perhaps the HERRS Potato Chip Crab Bowl?!
One might argue why they wouldn’t just play a prospective Baltimore-based bowl game at M & T Bank Stadium. Fair point. But why do they play a bowl game at Yankee Stadium instead of across the river at Met Life Stadium? Because first off that’s called the Pinstripe Bowl. But the fact is that it’s cool to play a bowl game in somewhat of a strange spot – like a baseball park.
On second thought, maybe you call it the Oriole Bowl, or something like that. I’m not suggesting that this is ever going to happen, however I think it would be a cool spot for a bowl game. Heck, they play plenty of them everywhere else; why not Camden Yards?!
Baltimore Orioles complete 2020 coaching staff
The Baltimore Orioles yesterday rounded out their 2020 coaching staff. According to a source, manager Brandon Hyde is hiring Darren Holmes as the Birds’ bullpen coach. He had previously held the same position with the Colorado Rockies.
The bullpen coach was the final piece of the coaching staff that needed to be filled for the coming season. It’ll be interesting to see how the relievers out in the pen react to Holmes as their new position leader. The bullpen’s obviously been a bit of an issue for a couple of years.
However here’s an interesting manner by which to look at the Holmes signing. As I said, he held the same position in Colorado…where the ball flies even more so than it does in Baltimore. So he’s used to training pitchers to pitch in tough environments. Time will tell what results we see.
Holmes has been in Baltimore before, albeit briefly. He appeared in five games as an Oriole in 2000, surrendering 13 runs. His ERA was north of 25 in those five games. Hopefully he’s learned a thing or two since then!
Baltimore Orioles: The importance of spring games
The Baltimore Orioles will take the field in Florida on February 22, 2020 as they visit the Atlanta Braves’ new spring training facility for game one of Grapefruit League play. The following day on February 23rd they’ll have their own home opener at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota against the Boston Red Sox. And on we’ll go in the schedule from there.
However make no mistake that those games are more important to this franchise than perhaps some of the final games in 2019. At that point the team was in essence just playing out a string. These spring games will mean something going forward.
It’s out of the spring training games that the 2020 roster will come. If a player just blows coaches away, he’ll be a big leaguer with the Orioles in 2020. We’re conditioned to believe that exhibition games don’t mean anything, and that they don’t count. They certainly don’t count towards the team’s final record in the regular season. But to suggest they don’t mean anything is misguided.
They allow a team to gel before things truly get started. They also can affect the makeup of the team, as I said above. In terms of the future of the franchise, the games played this past September really meant nothing. They had no true affect on the future. The coming spring games in a couple of months won’t be that way. They both can, and must affect the future of this franchise.
Baltimore Orioles: Is baseball over-legislated?
The Baltimore Orioles now play in an era with all kinds of new rules in baseball. This much we know. In fact, all sports are now at that point.
But is it too much? Are we taking it too far when catchers can no longer block home plate? Or to relate to other sports; are we taking it too far when we’re using instant replay to see if the ball’s moving before a wide receiver takes his two steps to complete a catch?
Speaking for myself, I’m in favor of instant replay in baseball (and across sports). I say that I’m a purist, but that’s one area that I do feel it’s worth using modern innovations. But all things in moderation. When taken to an extreme, all things can be corrupted.
Home run calls, out/safe, fair/foul, etc, should be able to be questioned by instant replay in baseball. But when we get into the nitty-gritty of transferring the ball on a double-play, catchers blocking the plate, that’s a bit much. In an era where people want games to be quicker, these aspects delay things.
And again, the same is true across sports. Reviewing pass interference in the NFL? Are you serious?! I’m the first one to tell you that pass interference is often botched, and botched horribly, in that sport. Ask the New Orleans Saints! But to suggest that the pace of the game should slow down to review something like that is insane.
We’re getting to the point to where lawyers are going to have to get involved in games. Is that really what we want? I say no.
Baltimore Orioles: What’s the Birds’ biggest need?
The Baltimore Orioles have many needs going into the 2020 season. However what stands out as their single biggest need? Is there even one thing that does stand out as the single biggest need?
Given the trade of Jonathan Villar, suddenly the O’s have a middle infield gap. There’s been talk of trying Ryan Mountcastle at second base, and you could see that in spring training. But is that the biggest necessity?
I would say no. In my personal view, it remains pitching. The Orioles as a staff gave up far too many home runs in 2019. And in fact, that was a trend that continued from the past. Part of that is the fact that they play at Camden Yards, and another part of it is due to the youth on the staff.
However yet another element is that Oriole pitchers pitch-to-contact. This as opposed to trying to strike guys out. In doing that, you’re begging them to put the ball in play. And home runs will happen. If you pitch to strike guys out instead, odds are you aren’t surrendering so many homers.
Easier said than done, I might add. And obviously if you miss your spot the ball can still end up traveling a long way. But this is something that the O’s should consider as they go into spring training in February.
Baltimore Orioles: Spring training and the rotation
If you were following closely with what was being said at last week’s winter meetings, it would appear that the Baltimore Orioles are expecting to have an open competition for the starting rotation in Sarasota next year. In saying that, I really mean in two months’ time. The first spring game is February 22nd.
If you were paying attention, you heard manager Brandon Hyde say that the Orioles were expecting to have up to eight candidates vying for starting jobs. And I’ll be honest, that’s more than I thought it would be. I was expecting Dylan Bundy to be a starter for this team in 2020. I’m not suggesting that moving him was a mistake, but until a couple of weeks ago I was assuming he’d be on the roster.
Alex Cobb and John Means are the two names on the active roster who jump out at you in terms of being starters going into spring training. There might be some guys currently on the roster such as a David Hess or Asher Wojciechowski who could work their way into being a starter. And I suspect that’s what the Orioles are hoping occurs. There are also various free agent pitchers out there who would presumably jettison to a starter role.
However as I said, it looks like the O’s are going to be having somewhat of an open competition in camp. That’s not necessarily a good or bad thing, it’s just what they appear to be doing. Don’t be surprised if as we get closer to spring training games beginning we don’t see them sign a veteran starter. But for now, there could be up to three slots that are up for grabs.
Birdland Crush 