Baltimore Orioles hurt by the long ball in game one

In game one of today’s doubleheader with New York, the Baltimore Orioles were haunted by the home run ball. When you can’t keep the ball in the ballpark, it’s going to be a long day. Compound that with having to play another one later on, and it’s an even longer day.

Jimmy Yacabonis got the start in the first part of today’s twin bill, and with less-than-desirable results. Yacabonis’ line: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 3 K. The Orioles briefly held a lead in this game. With New York already leading 1-0, Renato Nunez‘s two-RBI single gave the O’s a 2-1 lead. At that point you thought maybe the Birds had a fighting chance this afternoon.

But it wasn’t to be. Hicks’ RBI-single tied the game at two in the third. Later in the inning Andujar’s two-run homer gave New York a 4-2 lead. One inning later in the fourth Gardener added a two-run shot of his own. New York would later get an RBI-single from Voit, and additional solo homers by Torres and Hicks, rounding out their scoring.

There was one brief but nice moment for Orioles fans. Walker hit what appeared to be a homer to straightaway center field with two outs in the seventh. Cedric Mullins lept at the wall and brought it back into the ballpark for the final out of the inning. This is something that Orioles fans should probably get used to seeing…

…but perhaps more poignantly, it’s something that opposing teams should get used to seeing. Mullins plays a good center field, and that’s part of the reason why he’s here. Mullins is the future in the outfield for the Orioles. And Mullins would also add an RBI-single in the last of the ninth, cutting NY’s margin of victory to 10-3.

This is a tough game to have to endure for an Orioles’ bullpen that’s going to be right back at it later tonight in game two of a twin bill. Ideally however you want your starter to go deeper than 3.1 innings into the game. As I’ve said many times, it begins and ends with starting pitching. Now admittedly when you bring a guy up from the minors for the start, that may not necessarily bode well. But your hope is that the guy you throw out there is going to go deeper into the game than that.

The series continues this evening at Camden Yards. Andrew Cashner gets the call for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s Sonny Gray. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles fight hard but fall to New York

It’s tough to fault the Baltimore Orioles for losing to the creme de la creme teams when they fight hard. And that’s exactly what they did last night against New York at Camden Yards. Alex Cobb turned in a quality start, but ultimately it wouldn’t be enough. Cobb’s line: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 3 BB, 6 K.

It was Chris Davis who gave the Orioles the lead early on. The Birds got a couple of runners on base early, and Davis’ two-RBI single gave them a 2-0 lead. And that held up for a couple of innings, that is until Voit smacked a two-run homer in the third to tie the game.

The frustrating part about Voit and his production last night is that he’s one of these “never before heard of” guys. He came to New York in a minor deal with the St. Louis Cardinals on July 29th – a deal that barely got a sentence in reporting it. Yet here he is tearing up the Orioles last night.

The Birds however would break the tie in the last of the seventh with a two-run homer off the bat of Jonathan Villar. However of course New York would come back immediately – of course they did. From the Orioles’ standpoint at least. Torres’ two-RBI single in the eighth inning tied the game back up at four. The O’s were able to get the lead back, but in their next immediate turn at the plate New York tied it back up.

And New York’s coup de grace came after the game went into extra innings. They smacked two homers in the top of the tenth inning, including a two-run shot by Voit. Again, the guy was traded in a very minor move to New York, and here he is ripping up the Orioles. Voit is in his second big league season; yet he smacked two homers against a team he’s never faced, and in a park at which he’s never played. That’s about par for the course for the Orioles this season.

Chris Davis would smack a solo homer in the last of the tenth, but it was too little too late. Again, it’s tough to fault the Orioles in a game whereby they fought hard. Especially against a team that has it’s sights set on the post season. But them’s the breaks, as they say.

The series continues this afternoon at Camden Yards with game one of a doubleheader. Jimmy Yacabonis is coming up from the minors to make the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by NY’s J.A. Happ. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: In memoriam of Mike Flanagan

Today’s a sad day for Baltimore Orioles fans, as on this day in 2011 we lost the late Mike Flanagan. A well-beloved former player and broadcaster, Flanagan’s death is a moment that will nary be forgotten among Orioles fans. On that day I swore that I’d never let this day pass without writing a tribute column of sorts for Flanagan so long as I covered the Orioles.

Please don’t let the passage of time allow you to forget how tough August 24, 2011 (and the subsequent days following) was. The O’s were in Minnesota, and just prior to the game there were reports of a body having been found on Flanagan’s property. As the game wore on the news that many already seemed to fear became official. It was Flanagan himself whose body was found, a victim of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

None of us who lived through that night will forget the likes of Rick Dempsey and Jim Palmer sorrowfully weaving their way through the MASN postgame show that night. And that moment really shows how close the Orioles family is. All of these guys played together in Baltimore. They adopted the city, and became a part of its fabric. Their families got to know one another, and their kids grew up together.

On this night in 2011, the likes of Palmer, Dempsey, and others lost a brother. And Baltimore lost a friend. Mike Flanagan loved playing here. He loved this community, and he loved raising his kids here. While never far from his New England roots, he became as much a part of Baltimore as crabs and beer.

My hope for the current crop of young Orioles is that they look to that example, and understand what type of organization of which they are a part. It’s an organization who for generations has made family out of total strangers. Look no further than guys like Schoop and Machado, both of whom of course were recently traded. So the likes of Mullins, Nunez, Mancini, and others should take note of the example set by Flanagan, Palmer, and Dempsey. Because closeness with your teammates and your city is never a bad thing.

My hope is that the fans never forget Mike Flanagan. Obviously as time passes he fades further and further into the past. Eventually the generation (my generation) who sat in the grandstand at Memorial Stadium as kids watching him pitch will be old and tired. But there’s another Mike Flanagan out there, ready to find his way to the Orioles, and ready to lead the team back to glory.

The O’s tonight open a four-game set with New York, which features a split-doubleheader tomorrow at Camden Yards. Alex Cobb gets the start tonight for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by New York’s CC Sabathia. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: There are worse places to be

Baltimore Orioles fans are struggling – perhaps more so than the team itself. For years and years fans begged the organization for a full rebuild. Those cries were muted following 2012 when they became a contender. However the fact remains that the fans wanted it for some time.

And now they’ve got it. I think it’s very easy to fall into the trap of looking at teams such as Houston, Chicago (Cubs), and others and view only the finished product. It’s also very easy to look at the likes of Boston and New York and wonder how their rebuilds were even quicker than those of Houston or Chicago – mainly because guys like Judge, Betts, et al, were not just “nuggets,” but immediate and perennial all-stars.

But again, now Orioles fans have their rebuild. Nobody wants to hear about how tough it was for Houston, because they won the World Series. But they went through this. They went through times where literally nothing went right for them because they had a crop of young players who may or may not have worked out. That’s where the Orioles are now.

But that’s a fine place to be – right now. Look down the pike at Washington, who just traded (through waivers) two players to contenders. They literally got pennies on the dollar for them. Had they decided to trade guys at the non-waiver deadline a few weeks ago, they would have gotten more – and MUCH MORE at that.

Would you rather be in that spot? Trying to warm over your team without a rebuild, and getting nothing back for your players? Or would you rather be like the Miami Marlins, who had nothing to trade to begin with? At least the Orioles had trade pieces that brought them a crop of prospects. It’s not an easy process. But it’s one that Orioles fans wanted. And contrary to what the team’s record says, there are worse places to be.

Baltimore Orioles been dominated by Toronto since September 16, 2014

David Hess threw a great game in Toronto for the Baltimore Orioles this afternoon. Hess’ line: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K. Hess didn’t give up his first hit until the fifth inning. The issue of course was that the O’s couldn’t score either. Feast or famine.

Unfortunately for Hess, he was tagged with the loss. He gave up a solo homer to Morales in the seventh, giving Toronto a 1-0 lead. And in reality, that’s all they needed. Toronto would put five additional runs on the board in the last of the eighth – three of which came on a three-run homer. Baseball’s a tough game at times.

The Orioles did threaten in this game. They had numerous base runners on base through the middle innings. In the top of the seventh they started the inning with two runners in scoring position and nobody out. Toronto was allowed to pitch out of it. One half inning later of course, Toronto took the lead on the aforementioned Morales homer. I’ve said it all year: your enemies get fa on what you leave behind.

The O’s of course defeated Toronto on September 16, 2014 to win the AL East. That game may well have represented some sort of cosmic shift in the universe. Toronto’s dominated the Orioles since then. It started the following season, which culminated with Toronto de-throning the Orioles as AL East champions by winning the division at Camden Yards.

Regardless of what the Orioles did, Toronto would answer – and in doing so they’d answer bigger and better. The Orioles had what appeared to be a bloop RBI-single this afternoon. Yet the ball was caught by a Toronto fielder in amazing fashion. There’s something about the Orioles that they don’t like, but it brings out the best in them. And it leaves the Orioles apparently powerless.

Their view of the Orioles since that day has also extended off the field, as everyone recalls them trying to bully the O’s into letting them have Dan Duquette. And yet in a situation that seemed to be an obvious case of one team trying to muscle in on the property of another, Toronto still managed to “win” that situation. The Orioles kept Duquette – make no mistake about that. But in doing so they were somehow painted as the villains in a situation where in reality they were the victims.

And that futility against Toronto culminated today, with the Orioles having gone 0-10 at Rogers Centre this year. It’s always been a tough yard for the Orioles to navigate, but it would stand to reason that they could have pulled one game out. So perhaps that’s something that the 2019 Orioles can work on; if they could win a few games in Toronto, their overall record would be marginally better.

Baltimore Orioles: Should Dylan Bundy have been traded?

Dylan Bundy had another rough night at the office for the Baltimore Orioles. Bundy’s line: 4.0 IP, 10 H, 7 R, 0 BB, 3 K. Chalk it up as another case of a guy pitching-to-contact, and a team just raring to make contact. However needless to say, Bundy wasn’t fooling anyone.

The O’s found themselves behind from the outset when Morales smacked a first inning RBI-single. The Birds would tie it up in the second on Caleb Joseph‘s RBI-single, but that’s as close as they got. Diaz would homer in the last of the second, and McKinney’s two-RBI single in the fourth would break the game open at 4-1 in Toronto’s favor.

Tack on an additional run on a Nunez E5, and Bundy was really struggling. (Obviously the error wasn’t his fault, however when you have runners on base and the ball’s put in play that can often occur.) However on a bright note, Cedric Mullins would hit his second big league homer with a solo shot in the top of the fifth. But Toronto would counter with three solo homers in the last of that fifth inning, topping things off for Toronto’s victory.

Bundy now has an ERA of 5.31, and his record on the year falls to 7-12. Needless to say, Bundy’s struggled – big time. This season has probably been a step backwards in a sense for Dylan Bundy.

Prior to the trade deadline when the O’s were talking about selling, there was an idea of trading Dylan Bundy (like they did with Gausman). So…should that have happened? Did the Orioles miss an opportunity?

People who focus squarely on results are going to say of course they missed an opportunity. Maybe they did. However the fact is that the team needs starting pitching in the here and now. You aren’t going to blindly promote some of the pitchers they got in return in the various trades simply because you just got them in a trade.

However Bundy does need to find himself again. There’s approximately five weeks plus left in the season. He really needs to buckle down on himself and turn things in the right direction. Because otherwise I wouldn’t put it past the Orioles to have an open competition in spring training next year regarding the starting rotation. He also makes himself tougher to deal in the off season if the Birds go in that direction.

But I’m not going to blindly say that they should have traded him. Things might be worse now with someone else in that slot. We just don’t know. So it’s a tough sell to argue that the Orioles missed an opportunity. The fact is that they made a huge commitment to the fan base to rebuild. And they ripped apart the old team much quicker than most people would have thought. If they erred in not including Bundy in that, so be it.

The Birds will try to salvage one game in Toronto with tomorrow’s series finale at Rogers Centre. David Hess gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Toronto’s Thomas Pannone. Game time is set for just after 12:30 PM.

Baltimore Orioles, Andrew Cashner fall in Toronto

Toronto has always been a house of horrors for the Baltimore Orioles, and last night with Andrew Cashner on the mound was no exception. And it’s not just the Orioles; Toronto seems to have the clutch gene when they play at Rogers Centre, no matter who the opponent is, which is partially what’s prompted the discussion over the years about sign-stealing and the mysterious “man in white” sitting in the outfield. But I digress; Cashner’s line: 6.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 3 BB, 2 K.

The O’s took an early lead in the third inning on a sac fly-RBI by Chris Davis. But that sequence also illustrates my issue with playing small ball. Sure, the O’s got the lead out of that and all – that goes without saying. But as I’ve said many times, if you play for one run that’s often what you’re going to get. Sure enough, Toronto found a way out of that situation. When a team is able to pitch out of a bases-loaded situation and surrender only one run, that’s a win for the defense.

And true to form, Toronto tied the game one inning later on a Morales solo homer. Pillar’s RBI-double in the fifth gave them a 2-1 lead, which was followed up by another homer off the bat of Morales -this one of the three-run variety, giving Toronto a 5-1 lead. Again, Toronto seemingly has that clutch gene when they play at home.

A solo homer off the bat of Renato Nunez and an RBI-double by Caleb Joseph (both in the sixth inning) weren’t enough the save the Orioles, who fell 5-3 in the first of three in Toronto. The Birds fell to 0-8 at Rogers Centre this year with the loss. As I said, it’s been a house of horrors – and has been for some time. Buck Showalter on this team’s struggles at Rogers Centre (quote courtesy of Steve Melewski, MASNsports):

Yeah, it’s been a lot of close games. It’s a small separator, like today, where we weren’t able to do some of the things we’ve done in the past to get over that hump.

That quote doesn’t exactly address what Showalter probably meant to say regarding the team’s struggles in Toronto. And that’s because some of them are just inexplicable. The O’s just don’t play well there.

The series continues tonight from Rogers Centre. Dylan Bundy gets the start for the O’s, and he’ll be opposed by Toronto’s Sam Gaviglio. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles silenced in Cleveland finale

The Baltimore Orioles were unable to muster anything of note in yesterday’s series finale at Cleveland’s Progressive Field. Yefry Ramirez was battered around in his truncated outing; and it all begins and ends with starting pitching, as we know. But Oriole bats fell silent as well. Ramirez’s line: 3.0 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 5 BB, 2 K.

Cleveland led 2-0 after two innings following a first inning RIB-double by Diaz, and a second inning RBI-single by Allen. However it was the fourth inning that broke the game open. Bradley smacked an RBI-double, and Yefry Ramirez’s day ended when he walked Diaz with the bases loaded, running the score to 4-0.

But that didn’t improve things in the long run. The next batter up was Cabrera, who promptly deposited a grand slam into the seats, giving Cleveland an 8-0 lead. And that of course turned into an 8-0 victory.

You never want to lose games, but again these types of outings are part of rebuilding. Cleveland is a team that’s green lighted for the post season, so they’re no slouches. The goal for the Orioles is to get back to that level at some point. At least that’s what the rebuilding effort in essence is all about.

And the Orioles had opportunities in this game. The lead off hitter was aboard in several innings, but Cleveland always managed to kill the rallies. Heck, the Orioles were even 2-for-7 with runners in scoring position. While that’s not the greatest number on earth, it’s better than zero.

But consider that for a moment; the O’s actually had two hits with runners in scoring position. And out of those two sequences, they netted zero runs. That’s tough to do if you think about it.

Mark Trumbo is headed back to Baltimore to have an MRI on his knee, which flared up in pain once again. Trumbo appears to be ear marked again for the DL. He of course started the season on the DL, before coming up in the beginning of May. It’s a tough pill to swallow for both Trumbo and the O’s, but if you think about it one could also argue that it’s about par for the course for this year.

The Orioles now head north of the border to Rogers Centre (a park that’s haunted the Orioles for years) for a three-game set with Toronto. Andrew Cashner gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Toronto’s Marco Estrada. Game time is set for just after 7 PM.

Baltimore Orioles’ Cedric Mullins smacks first big league homer in win

Today was an all-around good day for the Baltimore Orioles. First and foremost they defeated the Cleveland Indians. However the Orioles and Orioles fans also got to see center fielder Cedric Mullins smack his first major league home run in the game. Not only that, but it came at a clutch moment.

Not to be overshadowed, Alex Cobb pitched a masterful outing this afternoon; his first complete game in five years. Cobb’s line: 9 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 3 K. I admittedly thought that Cobb should have been lifted for the ninth inning. However Buck Showalter knows better than I. And in the end if the result means anything, it was the right thing to do  – leaving him out there, that is.

The Orioles threatened in the third with a couple of runners on base and Jonathan Villar coming to the plate. And Villar gave the Birds a lead they would never surrender with a three-run home run. And save for the sixth inning, Cobb and the Orioles’ defense didn’t appear poised to let Cleveland back in the game. In that sixth inning Cleveland posted an RBI-single by Lindor, and a sac fly-RBI by Brantley.

That made things much tighter than they were at 3-0. However as I said, Mullins’ first big league homer came at a clutch point in the game. He hit it in the eighth on what looked at first to be a pop fly to right field. But it carried all the way out, giving the Orioles a very important insurance run, and an eventual 4-2 victory.

That’s a moment that Cedric Mullins and his family will remember forever. There are certain moments for a ballplayer that always stand out, regardless of how far he goes in his career. Whether you’re a player who fizzled out after just a few years or a Hall of Famer, you always remember your debut, your first big league hit, and your first big league home run. And/or first big league strikeout for a pitcher. So for Mullins, today is very much a historic day and moment.

And he got some very sage advice yesterday from one of the best hitters of his generation, former Cleveland Indian Kenny Lofton. When asked what Lofton told him, Mullins replied (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports):

Just to stay in my game. To self-evaluate myself and just understand what my role is, what my goal is.

I always thought of Lofton as a very gracious player during his career. But it was truly a touch of class for him to go into the visitors’ clubhouse and talk to a young player like Cedric Mullins – one that was about to play against his former team. But I can’t say it totally surprises me, because Lofton was always and still is a class act.

The O’s will have a shot at a series victory tomorrow in the finale at Progressive Field. Yefry Ramirez gets the start for the Birds, and he’ll be opposed by Cleveland’s Mike Clevinger. Game time is set for just after 1 PM.

Baltimore Orioles: David Hess pitches a quality start in a losing effort

It’s tough to argue with David Hess‘ outing last night in Cleveland for the Baltimore Orioles. Hess’ line: 6.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 4 BB, 3 K. As a starting pitcher your aim is to put your team in a position to win. And Hess did that.

Hess threw one bad pitch, and it ended up in the stands. Ramirez smacked a two-run homer in the last of the first. And in fact, there were a couple of times early when it appeared that this game was going to get away from the Orioles and David Hess. However he was always able to buckle down and find a way to pitch out of trouble. And that’s to his credit.

Hess of course has been getting an extended look this year, even well before the Orioles had committed to rebuilding. His early returns were very position – very similar to last night. However he’s had a few struggles, but nothing that isn’t expected of a young starting pitcher. After a couple of outings there’s a book on you, and professional hitters and hitting coaches are going to figure you out to a degree.

But tonight was definitely a step forward for Hess, albeit in a losing effort. Hess addressed his the opportunity he’s being given after the game (quote courtesy of Roch Kubatko, MASNsports):

Right now, there’s really no question that opportunities are there, so it’s a good opportunity to go out and show what I can do. With the group of guys we have going forward, we’re trying to come together as a team and really find ways to win. So, I think anytime I have an opportunity to contribute to that, it really does mean a lot to be able to do that. Really just going forward that’s what we are looking at.

Trey Mancini would cut the Cleveland lead to 2-1 with an RBI-single in the eighth. But the O’s could only muster the one run, and fell by that 2-1 score. Miguel Castro also pitched to a very strong scoreless outing for two innings in relief of David Hess. And that’s just as important to the rebuilding effort as anything else – including starting pitching. Heck, you could argue that it’s even more important, given the nature of the game nowadays in terms of bullpen use.

The series continues today from Progressive Field in Cleveland. Alex Cobb gets the start for the Orioles, and he’ll be opposed by Cleveland’s Adam Plutko. Game time is set for just after 4 PM.