Turns out, I didn’t empty the mailbag. The questions kept comin’ and I couldn’t keep up.
Here are some leftovers for breakfast to go with your cold pasta and pizza. Maybe that half-eaten sub or the sushi roll that comes with a strict deadline for consumption.
Or you could be weird and go with eggs and toast.
Zach Eflin or Grayson Rodriguez on Opening Day?
Could be none of the above. What if Corbin Burnes or another stud starter is with the team? OK, I don’t anticipate Burnes re-signing, but someone similar could get the assignment. Otherwise, unlike 2024 spring training, there might actually be a competition for the No. 1 spot.
Will Jorge Mateo be on the Opening Day roster?
First, the Orioles would have to sign him to another contract. He’s eligible for arbitration again and MLBTradeRumors.com projects his raise to $3.2 million. That’s hefty for a player who doesn’t project to start and hasn’t hit after hot starts to the season, and with the Orioles more likely to keep Ramón Urías in a utility role. And let’s not forget about the elbow surgery. We’re told that Mateo should be ready on Opening Day, but there might not be room for him.
What can the Orioles do to avoid so many injuries?
Don’t let the guys on the field. Don’t let opponents pitch inside. Remove the bases so players can’t roll an ankle on them. Implant a steel lat in Grayson Rodriguez. Perform Tommy John surgeries at birth. Otherwise, I’m stumped.
Do the Orioles make the playoffs in 2025?
Can I wait until the roster is closer to being set? They haven’t done anything with it beyond re-signing catcher David Bañuelos to another minor league deal. It also comes in handy to know what the other teams do.
Do you like Greek food?
I love it. So does my wife. Would love to travel to Greece except for the long flight and having to leave the house.
Do you think any of Ryan O’Hearn’s struggles since the All Star break are attributable to him being effectively an everyday first baseman instead of the left-handed side of a platoon/DH?
Well, he didn’t play a lot against lefties, but he appeared in 30 more games than his previous career high in 2023. O’Hearn could have worn down, but how would we really know? He’s not going to admit it. There can be numerous reasons for a slump, like getting away from the usual approach at the plate, pressing, bad luck. We saw a bunch of it up and down the lineup. I’m close by saying you aren’t alone in floating that theory.
When will the Orioles regret trading Norby and Stowers for Rogers?
Still … too … soon.
When will you become more patient?
Still … too … soon.
Who are some candidates who could take over as hitting coach(es) in 2025? And please don’t say “your mom.”
I’d never! (“Please” was a nice touch, though.) I don’t know who’s on the list but Triple-A Norfolk manager Buck Britton, Tides hitting coach Mike Montville, upper-level hitting coordinator Sherman Johnson and director of player development Anthony Villa are logical candidates – though Britton also could enter the discussion for bench coach if the criteria doesn’t include major league experience. These are internal options. No one expected Twins minor league manager Matt Borgschulte to join the Orioles in 2022. I’m sure there are names discussed that we wouldn’t anticipate.
Ralph Garr, 1974 NL batting champ and a .303 lifetime hitter, said his mom was his batting coach in his youth.
That isn’t a question, but it’s a fun tidbit. Thanks for sharing. And yes, I’m old enough to remember Ralph Garr. Nickname “Road Runner.”
Do the changes in hitting coaches hint at a change in philosophy, too?
I don’t think so. The Orioles aren’t moving away from the approach that they preach – controlling the strike zone, attacking pitches they can hit, getting significant lift, etc. Only the voices will change.
Any front office changes since the season ended?
In case you missed it Saturday, I reported that Bill Wilkes, Ben Sussman-Hyde and Sam Berk aren’t returning to the advance scouting and strategy department in 2025. Wilkes served as the Orioles’ manager of major league strategy since October 2021 after spending three years as advance scouting operations manager. Sussman-Hyde was major league video/run creation strategist manager after three years as major league video/advance scouting coordinator. Berk finished his first year as an advance scouting analyst after his promotion from advance scouting fellow. Fans might not be familiar with them, but the media saw them pretty much every day at home and on the road.
I got nuttin’
Thanks for checking in.
On a scale of 1-10, do you think O’s fans will be disappointed if they go into the offseason expecting to get Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes?
Not sure how you use a scale here, but I assume 10 means the most disappointed. The Orioles will not sign Burnes and Soto. I don’t think they’re signing either one. But I’m still operating under the old mindset regarding payroll. Let me adjust. Hold on. OK, I still don’t think they’re signing either one.
What is your guess for where the Rays will play if the Trop is not ready by Opening Day?
They could be the vagabond team, using multiple sites as their home fields. I heard the Montreal chatter but that’s shut down. Let’s see if they use Dunedin and Disney. The issue, of course, is the Florida rain. You need a roof. And we’re talkin’ minor league complexes for major league baseball, like the Athletics are doing in Sacramento. The Tampa Bay Rowdies play at Al Lang Stadium, which seats about 7,500. That should work for the Rays.
Which team will win this year’s Army/Navy game? Should be a good one!
Should be a great one! I think Army but I’ve seen exactly zero snaps from both teams. Bama would lose by 20, but I’m over it.
Got any information on the Players Choice Awards?
Colton Cowser, Wilyer Abreu and Austin Wells are finalists for the Outstanding Rookie Award in the American League. That’s it for Orioles. I thought Corbin Burnes had a shot at Outstanding Pitcher, but the finalists are Emmanuel Clase, Logan Gilbert and Tarik Skubal. Albert Suárez didn’t make Comeback Player, losing out to Garrett Crochet, Chad Green and Tyler O’Neill.
If you could only make one addition to the pitching staff and one to the lineup this offseason, who would you sign and why?
Money is no object? Burnes and Soto for the painfully obvious reasons. But re-signing Anthony Santander should be a consideration. The only downside is the OBP, and that isn’t a minor point.
If Sam Darnold takes the Vikings to the playoffs, should they re-sign him or roll with J.J. McCarthy next year?
Let ‘em fight it out in camp. I’ve heard that Michigan is trying to lure McCarthy back to Ann Arbor. Also, I think “Ann Arbor” would be a great name for a character on a kids’ educational show. Teach ’em about trees. Right? Someone get Ms. Rachel on the phone.
Would you move Coby Mayo to first base?
I’d give Mayo a ton of reps at both corner spots and also make a final decision on right field. It’s yes or no. Have Anthony Sanders and maybe a guest instructor who played outfield in the majors – I’m thinking Adam Jones, but also, let’s bring back Brady Anderson – work with him daily on one of the back fields. If right field isn’t in play, fine, keep trying the corners and also make sure there are at-bats at designated hitter.
How much of the mailbag is laden with credit card offers, campaign flyers and Harry & David catalogs?
I weed out the junk, but if you need your gutters cleaned, I know a guy.
