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.
After a few weeks off (hey the Orioles took a few too), we’re back with the Thursday Thoughts.
1. The Orioles are doing their best to keep themselves in the race, but it’s too little too late. Right now the team is playing the role of that girlfriend that broke up with you but is still interested in hanging out for some reason. Either date me or leave me. The middle ground is frustrating.
As rough as this season has been, it’s important to remember that there is the alternative of 14 straight losing seasons. I guess being in limbo trumps being worse than in limbo.
2. Through the tough stretch the O’s have been through, it’s been a joy to watch Jonathan Schoop tear the cover off baseballs. After a fairly awful 2014, I really believed Schoop would have a chance to break out as a great young player this season. After a knee injury derailed him in April, I thought that dream was impossible. I was wrong. Even in the limited time Schoop has seen on the field this year, he’s shown glimpses of what could be going forward. The second baseman is just 23 years old and could be a cornerstone of the infield for years to come.
Just a few short years ago, there was a strong belief that the O’s had franchise-type players in nearly every position except the corner outfield and second base. While some other holes have developed in the meantime (and others could join them shortly), second base seems locked down.
3. Mike Wright has very clearly been given an opportunity here late in the season to prove something and very clearly dropped the ball. I don’t really blame Wright. He’s not starter material. I think he’d be pretty good in the bullpen going forward.
The fear that I have is that the Orioles will have a lack of options going into next season and that Wright will be given a chance to win a rotation spot. There’s no way Wei-Yin Chen returns next year, so there’s a wide open spot. I don’t think Miguel Gonzalez is guaranteed a spot either. The O’s have some young arms like Wright, Tyler Wilson and Oliver Drake. I haven’t even mentioned Dylan Bundy or Hunter Harvey. All of these players will find a role on the roster at some point, but seeing Wright in the rotation isn’t something that will help long term.
4. I really appreciate Adam Jones coming out and saying he wants to have an influence on the Orioles’ plans this offseason, but good luck. We heard this from Jones last year, and he got grief for it. Now he says he wants to sit down with Peter Angelos, Buck Showalter and Dan Duquette early in the offseason to see where the team is going. I applaud the effort of Jones, but he’s not going to sway the wallet of the team’s owner. No one has been able to do that in years, and it’s not going to change any time soon. Jones is the unquestioned leader of the team and the player under contract the longest, but that’s on the field. Jones has an impact off the field as well, but it won’t carry into the front office.
5. Speaking of that front office, I’ve read a lot of speculation in recent weeks about the future of Dan Duquette in Baltimore. Many want him run out of town for his performance last offseason in letting many players walk. If Peter Angelos wouldn’t allow Duquette to walk to Toronto last season, what makes anyone thing this year would be different?
I think Duquette is perfect for what ownership wants to do. He is able to cut costs and bargain hunt for players while maintaining a somewhat competitive team on the field. While Duquette is still maintaining that “somewhat” competitive team, he’s sticking around. It won’t matter what type of heat he gets from the fanbase, it’s what the franchise wants.
6. I find it a bit comical – no, extremely comical – that Brian Matusz is the Orioles’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award this season. The award goes to the player who “best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual’s contribution to his team”, as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media. I don’t think Matusz is a bad guy. He’s done some great work in the community and spends much of his time working with kids.
But does anyone remember what happened in May? Matusz didn’t quite live up to the “sportsmanship” part of the qualification for the honor.
7. There should be serious concerns about J.J. Hardy going forward. The Orioles have his rights for two more seasons after giving him an extension last year, but that could prove to be a costly move. Hardy is aging quickly and has been injury prone. He’s on the wrong side of 30 playing a position that is demanding on the body.
The biggest issue with Hardy this season aside from injuries has been his bat. Are the Orioles going to continue paying over $12-million for a player who is producing very little? The answer simply put is yes. They won’t be able to trade Hardy for that price tag. The value isn’t there. If he’s traded, he has a $14-million option that is guaranteed for 2018, his age 35 season. Good luck trying to find a team willing to take that on.
8. When I heard that ESPN’s Sunday Night Baseball would be in Baltimore this past week for the Orioles-Royals game, I was excited to watch a game on mute. Hearing John Kruk and Curt Schilling on a broadcast is fairly awful. I didn’t watch the game on mute, because Schilling wasn’t on the broadcast.
Jessica Mendoza has moved into the role since Schiling’s suspension, and it’s one of the best things ESPN has done in a long while. If you haven’t watched a broadcast with Mendoza on the call, I urge you to make the effort. She’s smart, engaging and knows exactly what she’s talking about. I don’t buy the argument from some that she can’t comment on baseball because she never played the game like Kruk and Schilling. Tom Verducci is on the lead broadcast team for Fox, and will have a hand in calling the World Series this year. Show me his baseball card. Mendoza needs to stick around at ESPN, because if they let her go, someone will pick her up to bring her knowledge to their network.
