It was yet another soggy weekend in Charm City, but those who were able to stay up long enough to watch both Friday and Saturday nights’ O’s games were treated to some fireworks as the good guys took each of the first two contests of the series on the backs of some late home runs. The O’s are off today before heading east a bit to Houston, so it’s nice to not have to deal with a bunch more 10 PM starts this week, though Buck Showalter might disagree.
His thoughts, and plenty more, in today’s O’s links.
On his 60th Birthday, Buck Showalter Still Connects with Younger Players
Speaking of Buck, the Birds Skipper turns 60 today – Happy Birthday, Show! – and Dan Connolly of Baltimore Baseball talked to Zach Britton about how his manager stays engaged with his younger players.
Will These Guys be Orioles by the All-Star Break?
Rob Shields of Baltimore Sports and Life runs down the list of some of the Orioles (on the MLB roster, not minor leaguers) who aren’t quite pulling their weight, and who could find their jobs on shaky footing in the coming weeks. Hyun-Soo Kim is one of the names Rob mentions. While many O’s fans have been calling for more of Kim, the fact that he couldn’t even get a start on Sunday against Jared Weaver and his 80-MPH fastball doesn’t seem to bode well at all for the Korean import. Kind of a bummer, if you ask me.
Showalter Not Happy About Three West Coast Trips
Birdland isn’t happy about Buck’s reluctance to play Kim, and Buck isn’t happy about the O’s having to travel to the West Coast three separate times in 2016. While it’s nice for fans to not have so many late games bunched together, the team would much rather get the long trip out of the way all at once.
Orioles Have a Stadium to be Proud of
Did you hear that the Texas Rangers already have plans to move into a new stadium? Globe Life Park just opened in 1994! Crazy. Andrew Stetka, in his weeky MASN guest column, takes a few moments to appreciate how lucky we O’s fans are to have OPACY, which won’t be shuttering its doors any time in the near future.
O’s Encouraged by Gallardo’s Bullpen Session
Yovani Gallardo threw a bullpen session on Sunday morning in Anaheim, and reviews seemed positive. So, yay, I guess? On a day where another pitcher the Birds gave up a draft pick for got beat around mercilessly, our spirits were meant to be lifted by the looming return of Yovani and his 7.00 ERA? Mehhhhh. Unfortunately, one has to think that, for the team to truly contend all season and make a run into October, at least one of the Gallardo/Jimenez duo will have to be at least serviceable going forward. The other might well find himself “stepping in a pothole.”
And in Ravens news…
Did Bisciotti Have More Influence in 2016 Draft?
Russell Street Report’s Ryan Jones thinks he sees owner Steve Bisciotti’s fingerprints on the team’s 2016 draft class, specifically in the focus on pass rushers.
