Could Urrutia be the spark this year like Manny was last year?

The first half of July was not a favorable one for the Baltimore Orioles as they headed into the All-Star break. During that time the O’s went 6-7, and the offense looked dead and uninterested. It was clear the Birds needed a vacation and some sort of spark lit under them.

Last year, that adrenaline came from calling up Manny Machado on August 9 against the Kansas City Royals. Before calling up the Macho Man, the Orioles were sputtering with a 15-10 record from July 13th – August 8th. Once Manny came on the scene, the O’s finished strong, going 33-18, and earned their first playoff appearance in 15 years.

This year, the promotion of Cuban defector Henry Urrutia might be exactly what the Orioles need to make another charge in a tight AL East race.

Urrutia defected from Cuba last July, but some Visa issues prevented Hank from making his pro debut until the start of this season. After spending a few extra weeks in Sarasota, Urrutia was sent to Bowie and quickly played into an everyday role out in right field. It was clear that Dan Duquette and Buck Showalter had plans for Urrutia to make an impact on this team as soon as possible.

It didn’t take Henry Urrutia long to show the Orioles and the baseball world why DD believed he could be an important part of the 2013 Orioles. At AA Bowie, Hank batted .365/.433/.550, with 16 doubles and seven home runs in 52 games. He was then promoted to AAA Norfolk where he batted .367/.406/.467, and earned a starting spot in the 2013 Futures Game for the World Team.

His arrival with the big club is much needed to help fill a void at DH that the O’s have been dealing with all year. O’s designated hitters have only batted a measly .197, leaving a giant gap in what could be one of the most dangerous lineups in the game today. Hopefully, Urrutia can help add some stability to the DH role, and maybe provide some protection for Chris Davis in the lineup.

The Cuban phenom has already become a new fan favorite in Birdland, and is one of the next big things in the Orioles organization. Urrutia is not only loved because of his performance on the diamond, but also because of his humble nature and appreciation for the fans.

Urrutia is very active with fans at games and on Twitter, talking to and thanking fans for their support. Hank has no problem going out of his way to sign a ball, or even to give away some baseball gear to any fans willing to stop by and say hey.

It is pretty cool to be an O’s fan with guys like Urrutia and AJ in the clubhouse that are so involved with the fans. It brings together the fan base and the team, and creates an atmosphere at OPACY that is like no other.

The promotion of Henry Urrutia is not only a baseball move – bringing up a guy who was batting .365 at the Minor League level is a no-brainer – but is also a move that gets the fans excited and could be the spark that the Orioles need to make back-to-back appearances in the post season.