Happy Friday, Birdland. No action at the Yard this weekend, as the O’s continue their four-game set in Toronto. It started off well, with a 2-1 win, the team’s second straight since losing the opener Tuesday night in Boston. A 6-2 start isn’t quite a 7-0 start (which they managed last year, of course) but it’ll certainly do.
To the links.
The Birds called up Stephan Critchton from Norfolk, trading away Oliver Drake to Milwaukee in the process. For Drake, the O’s get a PTBNL or cash. While Dan was on the phone with the Brew Crew, he traded away their 2016-17 International Signing Bonus Slot number 15 (because of course he did) for a pitcher with a great name: Damien Magnifico. 2015 Rule 5 pick Jason Garcia was DFA’d to make room.
What is Up with Buck Showalter’s Usage of Hyun-soo Kim?
If Kim doesn’t get a start tonight against Aaron Sanchez, O’s Twitter might riot. We were all losing our minds the other night, and all Trey Mancini did was go out and bash two home runs. Camden Depot’s Matt Kremnitzer expands upon the weirdness that continues to be the Kim situation. It’s one that just seems to get muddier, not clearer.
Chris Davis’ Early-Season Approach is Encouraging
Camden Chat’s Nick Cicere takes a look at some video from Crush’s 2016 and compares it to so far this season, concluding that The Big Fella is having a much better go of getting his hands where he wants them during swings. This adds some evidence to the assertion that he was indeed hurt all of last season. So far, so good. Then, of course, Davis goes out and throws up the ol’ Golden Sombrero in Toronto last night. He crushes Aaron Sanchez historically though, so he may well bounce back tonight.
How Do the 2014 Long-Term Contracts Look Now?
O’s Uncensored’s Dillon Atkinson’s MASN guest column this week sparked some debate on Twitter, especially after Ubaldo Jimenez couldn’t get through five innings despite being spotted a nine-run lead the night this article came out. Anyway, the other DA O’s blogger used fWAR to examine the contracts of both Ubaldo and J.J. Hardy, which were signed at the start and end of the 2014 season, respectively. I’m with him on Ubie, for the record.
Britton, O’s, Hand Jays Worst Start Ever; Donaldson Hurt
Ain’t that a shame?
Let’s make the 2017 Blue Jays’ start one that they’re really never able to duplicate. 1-11 sounds good to me.
