This is a weekly column that dives into eight random thoughts about the Orioles/MLB. Why eight? It’s a nod to Cal Ripken Jr. of course. That, and doing 2,632 of these would be a little overboard. – A.S.
1. The Orioles are finally getting a bit healthier. It looks more and more like J.J. Hardy and Ryan Flaherty will return in the next few days. Wesley Wright is set to throw off a full mound on Monday as he rehabs a shoulder injury. Matt Wieters is playing in extended spring training games. Like Wieters, Jonathan Schoop is still several weeks away from a full return, but has begun rehab on his injured right knee.
Things are starting to look up for the MASH unit that is the Orioles. It’s important to remember that the O’s are doing a real nice job of treading water while so many players are missing time. Of course, the team did more than tread water last season when placed in a similar situation.
2. What the Orioles rotation has done over the last week and a half or so is impressive. Before Ubaldo Jimenez’s short start last night, the O’s had a streak of seven straight quality starts and a streak of eight games with starters going at least six innings. This is the type of effort the Birds got from the rotation all of last season, and that’s why it worked so well as a unit.
There’s no question that the team will need a similar effort from the group the rest of the way. The bullpen can’t continue to be taxed the way it has this early in the season. You’ve noticed over the past few weeks that the bullpen has been used much less, and not just because of the postponed games in Baltimore last week. The starters are making the effort, and even if they are giving up three runs, they are posting the innings to allow the team to stay in games and stay away from the bullpen for extended periods of time.
3. We’re a little over a month into the season, but the Orioles have themselves a legit MVP candidate. I know, it’s very early to say something like that, but what Adam Jones has done so far is remarkable. I don’t exactly know how long the “I am only looking for fastballs” strategy will work for Jones, but it’s worked thus far.
Eventually, pitchers will do some adjusting and he won’t be hovering around the .400 mark. It’s not just what Jones is doing with the bat that makes him an MVP candidate. He remains one of the best defensive centerfielders in baseball. We saw it first-hand this week in Queens as he ran down a few balls that would’ve been extra-base hits if nearly anyone else was out there.
Being able to see Jones and the Mets’ Juan Lagares roam the outfield this week was a treat.
GulfBird Sports/Craig Landefeld
4. Chris Davis doesn’t do many things quietly. When he connects with a ball, it makes quite the sound (as we heard during last week’s now infamous “empty stadium” game). I was surprised though to look at Davis’ stat line recently and realize how darn good he’s been. I guess I just hadn’t realized that he’s quietly put together a nice triple-slash line (AVG/OBP/SLG).
Maybe this is the way it needs to go. I don’t think Davis needs the added pressure of having to hit a home run during every at-bat (though he’s been on a tear doing that as well). I also don’t expect him to keep hitting over .270, but just about anything would be better than last year’s sub-.200 campaign. I’ve repeatedly said I think this is the last season in Baltimore for Davis, which is fine. I just want to see some production from him before he goes.
5. I wasn’t surprised to see “Saturday Night Live” go all in on Baltimore last week. It’s what they do. It’s obviously difficult to make light of a very tense situation, but this is what “SNL” does, and it’s part of the reason the show has been an institution for decades. I’ve always been a fan of the show, even in what some would call “down” years.
They really missed the mark on their recent Orioles sketch, however. It wasn’t that the set-up wasn’t funny, it was just highly inaccurate. Keenan Thompson played as Frank Robinson, who hasn’t served as a broadcaster in years. Host Scarlett Johansson served as sideline reporter Amber Theoharis, who has been with the NFL Network since 2012. Plus, they spelled Theoharis’ name wrong.
I’m not one of those that thinks the sketch didn’t work because I’m being oversensitive about the situation in Baltimore. A few of the jokes hit, but it was mostly just a dud.
6. It’s really early in the season and everything, but this weekend’s four-game series against the Yankees is kind of a big deal. Any time you have a four-game series, much less against a division opponent, it’s a big chance for momentum to swing in one direction or the other.
Imagine winning that series, and picking up a full two games in the standings. That’s important, even if it’s early May. The Yankees have jumped out to an impressive start this season. No matter how early in the season it might be, it’s always important to keep them within your sights and not let any team get too far ahead of the pack.
GulfBird Sports/Craig Landefeld
7. It’s time to stick Manny Machado in the leadoff spot and leave him theret. I can understand why Buck Showalter would’ve been hesitant to do this early in the year. Machado simply wasn’t producing enough to justify it. That has all changed. Machado is seeing the ball well, getting on base and dare I say it – even stealing some bases! Machado’s on-base percentage is around 70 points higher than Alejandro De Aza’s.
It’s not like Showalter has been trying to avoid being too right-handed heavy at the top of the order, because Jimmy Paredes has taken the majority of the reps in the two-spot, and he’s a switch-hitter. The O’s have been searching for a true “leadoff” hitter all season. Nick Markakis was that prototypical guy before he left town. Machado should get his chance on a more full-time basis starting immediately.
8. Re-Opening Day is set for this Monday at Camden Yards. I was a bit skeptical when I first heard about this idea, as I wasn’t sure the role it had in helping heal the city of Baltimore after the awful events of last week. I’m fully on board now. I’ve heard some opinions of local business owners and others in the area who are fully backing the idea as a way to re-charge the city.
Look, nothing is going to fix Baltimore’s deep-rooted issues, let alone a Monday evening baseball game. This is a way to bring some people together and help some local bars and restaurants that lost a lot of revenue during the curfew. I only wish I didn’t live over 2,000 miles away and could make it out.
Get more information on Re-Opening Day here & see their facebook page here.
